"Let them praise His Name in the dance: let them sing praises to him with the timbrel and harp." Psalm 149:3
My brother, John, called me earlier today. I just love him. Of all my brothers, I believe he is the most down-to-earth and plain-spoken. I've heard it said that kids and dogs are good judges of character--well, they all love John.
Whenever I think of John, I remember a time when he was about 9 years old and I was in high school. For whatever reason, we had been up the street and were walking home. All of a sudden, John grabbed my hand and said, "Let's skip." I had no idea a boy that age would dare be caught in front of his friends skipping with his sister; but, all the way back to the house, down the middle of Riner Drive, we skipped. It didn't matter who was watching, or what they thought. That memory is dear to me.
In Church last Sunday, we sang "I'm gonna dance like nobody's watching, I'm gonna sing like no one can hear me." I wish sometimes I didn't care so much what others think of me. In some matters, I really don't care; then, at other times, I find myself so conscious of where I am, and how others will judge me. I want to sing and not care that I'm flat, as long as I'm praising Him. I want to dance and not care if I fall flat, as long as I'm dancing in His Spirit.
David Baroni once said, "Lord, drain me of me, fill me with You." Amen.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
To A Friend
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Prov. 17:17
I guess everyone has a friend like Charlie; Charlie is the kind of friend I wish I had known better.
Charlie is an "extended" friend. I always knew his wife better, since we attended the same Church for years. Though Charlie was seldom there himself, every one of us has known him and has loved him as a friend. Charlie is one of those people most other people just...well...like. I have always known him to be friendly, with a great sense of humor, the guy who is always willing to help if he can, and find the help if he can't. He is a hard worker, generous, and I don't know a kid who ever met him who didn't love him.
Through the years, as our lives all changed, we drifted apart from Charlie and his family, and now, I find myself wishing I had gotten to know him better. Charlie's Mother was taken from them in a terrible accident a few days ago, and he and his children are grieving, and missing her, and saying goodbye. I hope, if any of Charlie's family reads this, they will forward to him our love and prayers. I pray God grants them peace and comfort, and that Charlie finds the love of his friends surrounding him during this difficult time.
We love you, Charlie.
I guess everyone has a friend like Charlie; Charlie is the kind of friend I wish I had known better.
Charlie is an "extended" friend. I always knew his wife better, since we attended the same Church for years. Though Charlie was seldom there himself, every one of us has known him and has loved him as a friend. Charlie is one of those people most other people just...well...like. I have always known him to be friendly, with a great sense of humor, the guy who is always willing to help if he can, and find the help if he can't. He is a hard worker, generous, and I don't know a kid who ever met him who didn't love him.
Through the years, as our lives all changed, we drifted apart from Charlie and his family, and now, I find myself wishing I had gotten to know him better. Charlie's Mother was taken from them in a terrible accident a few days ago, and he and his children are grieving, and missing her, and saying goodbye. I hope, if any of Charlie's family reads this, they will forward to him our love and prayers. I pray God grants them peace and comfort, and that Charlie finds the love of his friends surrounding him during this difficult time.
We love you, Charlie.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Day in the Life
"For I reckon...
(Don't you love it when Paul goes all Southern on us? {:-) )
...that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18
The kids won't get ready to go, the car won't start, there's a wreck on the way to work, the baby was up all night, the central heat is out, the meatloaf flopped, the boss is a jerk, the government is too twisted for color TV, which has very little to watch anyway, the weatherman was wrong again, the favorite team is comfortable in last place, yadayadayadayadayada.....
"One of those days" seems to be happening more often than it used to. Isn't it great to have a God who knows just what we're facing, when we're facing it, and how to deal? And, His outlook is "Ain't no biggie...look what's waiting for you!"
Sigh....like the old song says, "Heaven will surely be worth it all!"
(Don't you love it when Paul goes all Southern on us? {:-) )
...that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18
The kids won't get ready to go, the car won't start, there's a wreck on the way to work, the baby was up all night, the central heat is out, the meatloaf flopped, the boss is a jerk, the government is too twisted for color TV, which has very little to watch anyway, the weatherman was wrong again, the favorite team is comfortable in last place, yadayadayadayadayada.....
"One of those days" seems to be happening more often than it used to. Isn't it great to have a God who knows just what we're facing, when we're facing it, and how to deal? And, His outlook is "Ain't no biggie...look what's waiting for you!"
Sigh....like the old song says, "Heaven will surely be worth it all!"
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A prayer for the Children
"In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Mt 2:18
My heart is broken for the Thompson family, whose child was abducted Monday while walking home from school. Her tiny body was found yesterday in a landfill in Georgia.
My mind reels when something like this happens. I heard someone once say, "I don't care if it walks upright and brushes its teeth, if it would do something like this, its not human." I disagree. Animals kill for survival or out of fear. Only a human being has the thought process-decision, planning, selection, implementation-to carry out such a despicable, sickening deed. Whoever this person or persons are, they have destroyed a beautiful, loving and innocent life simply because they could. They have proven themselves to be the lowest of the low; human waste, fit only for that trash heap where they left her broken, violated body.
Many years ago, my Pastor, Ray Dupre, stood before our small congregation and prayed that God would, for that one day, throughout our land, stay the hand of the child abuser; that, for 24 hours, no child would feel threatened, feel pain, or face death at the hands of a parent, friend or abductor. Call me silly--though I never checked it out, I fully believed God heard and honored that prayer. I believe He still will. I am calling on all of us who trust Him to kneel before him on behalf of children everywhere, asking His Hand of protection on them. I am asking as well for His guidance for the authorities to find the evil muderer(s), bring them to justice, and get them off our streets. I'm sorry if I say this too strongly, but I no longer care about their rights or protection. They certainly cared nothing about Somer Thompson.
My heart is broken for the Thompson family, whose child was abducted Monday while walking home from school. Her tiny body was found yesterday in a landfill in Georgia.
My mind reels when something like this happens. I heard someone once say, "I don't care if it walks upright and brushes its teeth, if it would do something like this, its not human." I disagree. Animals kill for survival or out of fear. Only a human being has the thought process-decision, planning, selection, implementation-to carry out such a despicable, sickening deed. Whoever this person or persons are, they have destroyed a beautiful, loving and innocent life simply because they could. They have proven themselves to be the lowest of the low; human waste, fit only for that trash heap where they left her broken, violated body.
Many years ago, my Pastor, Ray Dupre, stood before our small congregation and prayed that God would, for that one day, throughout our land, stay the hand of the child abuser; that, for 24 hours, no child would feel threatened, feel pain, or face death at the hands of a parent, friend or abductor. Call me silly--though I never checked it out, I fully believed God heard and honored that prayer. I believe He still will. I am calling on all of us who trust Him to kneel before him on behalf of children everywhere, asking His Hand of protection on them. I am asking as well for His guidance for the authorities to find the evil muderer(s), bring them to justice, and get them off our streets. I'm sorry if I say this too strongly, but I no longer care about their rights or protection. They certainly cared nothing about Somer Thompson.
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