D is for Deserving
Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. The day that starts with the smell of a roasting turkey and ends with the scraping of the cool whip tub. But more importantly, it's the one day of the year where we take the time to remember all that God has blessed us with over the last year.
As I look back on the last 12 months I am stilled by how much I have been blessed with and what God has provided. God is so deserving of our praise and gratitude. Not only on the fourth Thursday in November but every day of the year. I know that I, personally, forget that. Too often I go through my days without even thinking about how blessed I am to have a family I love and enjoy so much. So many days pass where I don't think about how blessed I am to have a job I love and look forward to in the morning. More often than not, I forget to thank God for my friends,new and old. It's a little sad that it takes a day marked on a calendar to remember what God has done.
I want to be continually thanking God for what He has done. I desire to be in a constant state of gratitude, not out of a sense of duty but of want. I want to wake up in the morning, giving God the praise He deserves and I want to go to bed thanking Him for what He has done. God doesn't require much. There is no amount of work or deeds that can be accomplished that will ever be enough to reciprocate for what He has done. How do you even begin to repay Him for all that He has given? For all that He has provided?
I am not sure how to being to repay Him but I am going to start with praise. The praise that He deserves.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Finally "C"
C is for Close
Being perfectly honest, "C" has been a challenge for me. So many words have come to me but none really felt right. I started to write about how God is confident. Then, words like compassionate and captivating would come along. Like I said, nothing felt right.
But just the other day, when I was making my bed before heading off to school, it came to me. "God is close". Just like that. Nothing profound or even remotely deep. God is close.
I started to think back to a time in my life, not so long ago, where I felt anything but close to God. I never doubted His existence but I wasn't actively seeking Him either. To tell the truth, He was not on my Top Ten List. Then that summer, I hit rock bottom. A place I was unfamilar with and, quite frankly, a little scared of. I felt alone and in desperate need of something. Then, while I was still sinking, something happened that brought me to understand a little more of God.
I was encouraged to reread the book "You Are Special" by Max Lucado. You know the one about Punchinello, the Wemick. A children's book. Punchinello feels very alone and unworthy of love. Until that is, he is encouraged to visit the one who created him. Punchinello takes a visit to the creator's workshop, albeit a little reluctantly (but isn't that the way it always is at first?). There is where he meets Eli, the woodworker. Eli tells the little Wemick that he is loved and that there is no one else quite like him. And, Eli should know. He created Punchinello. He put him together. Gave him his talents and abilities. Created his mind and his heart. Eli tells Punchinello the key to remembering this special fact is to visit Eli everyday. Eli desires to remind Punchinello that he loves him. He wants to stay close to the Wemick and he wants the Wemick to stay close to him.
I believe that God desires the same. I believe that He hurts when we fail to realize we are special. Special to him because He made us. God so strongly wants to be close to us that He sent His son to die on a cross. A sacrifice so great that only way to repay it, the only way God wants us to repay it, is to come close and remain close to Him.
Looking back on that summer, I have come to understand that God was never far away. He was simply waiting. Waiting for me to come closer.
Being perfectly honest, "C" has been a challenge for me. So many words have come to me but none really felt right. I started to write about how God is confident. Then, words like compassionate and captivating would come along. Like I said, nothing felt right.
But just the other day, when I was making my bed before heading off to school, it came to me. "God is close". Just like that. Nothing profound or even remotely deep. God is close.
I started to think back to a time in my life, not so long ago, where I felt anything but close to God. I never doubted His existence but I wasn't actively seeking Him either. To tell the truth, He was not on my Top Ten List. Then that summer, I hit rock bottom. A place I was unfamilar with and, quite frankly, a little scared of. I felt alone and in desperate need of something. Then, while I was still sinking, something happened that brought me to understand a little more of God.
I was encouraged to reread the book "You Are Special" by Max Lucado. You know the one about Punchinello, the Wemick. A children's book. Punchinello feels very alone and unworthy of love. Until that is, he is encouraged to visit the one who created him. Punchinello takes a visit to the creator's workshop, albeit a little reluctantly (but isn't that the way it always is at first?). There is where he meets Eli, the woodworker. Eli tells the little Wemick that he is loved and that there is no one else quite like him. And, Eli should know. He created Punchinello. He put him together. Gave him his talents and abilities. Created his mind and his heart. Eli tells Punchinello the key to remembering this special fact is to visit Eli everyday. Eli desires to remind Punchinello that he loves him. He wants to stay close to the Wemick and he wants the Wemick to stay close to him.
I believe that God desires the same. I believe that He hurts when we fail to realize we are special. Special to him because He made us. God so strongly wants to be close to us that He sent His son to die on a cross. A sacrifice so great that only way to repay it, the only way God wants us to repay it, is to come close and remain close to Him.
Looking back on that summer, I have come to understand that God was never far away. He was simply waiting. Waiting for me to come closer.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Interesting
I thought this was funny and since it's my blog (and I still am working on "C", Chris) I thought I would post it...
http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlepm.aspx?cp-documentid=11258170>1=32001
Enjoy!!
http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlepm.aspx?cp-documentid=11258170>1=32001
Enjoy!!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Fall Trip 2008
This weekend my mom, dad, Katy and I went on our Annual Fall Trip to Appomattox, Va. If you recall from your Civil War history days, Appomattox is where General Lee surrendered to General Grant. We had a great time. Starting with a fantastic dinner at Ham's Restaurant in Lynchburg, wonderful weather, and and interesting walk through history. Here are some pictures from our trip....
The top picture is the room where the terms of surrender were agreed upon. Next is a bridge that is designed using both the stars and bars and the stars and stripes. Next is me with a cannon. Then is beautiful Virginia in the fall. Next is the room where all of the paroles for the Confederate Army were printed. And last is the McLean house where the surrender took place.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Better Days....
B is for Better
"Better is one day in your courts. Better is one day in your house. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
Wow. That is a promise to end all promises. Especially in this time in history that we are in right now. Especially today. Election Day. Another word I was thinking about using was Big. That fits today too. God is bigger than today and his plan is better than any plan of ours. But, also, nothing on earth can compare to being in the presence of God.
When I think back on all of my good days (and there have too many to list) I am amazed that God has something even better in store. Thinking about my best days, the amazement is even more pronounced. Our daytrip to Natural Bridge on my mom's birthday. Driving to Big Bear Lake in California. "Better is one day in your courts." Graduating from West Chester. "Better is one day in your house." Any day with Jake. "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
The bluest skies, the greatest company, and the fullest itinerary can never compare to the promise we have from God. We think creation here on earth is lovely (and it is) what about that place called heaven. The place that angels call home. That place where God himself dwells. We get a glimpse of it when the sun's rays peek through a cloud. We get a teaspoon of it when a symphony plays a perfect piece of music. We are teased by it in a garden of flowers. But there is more.
We are drawn by beauty. We are drawn to the best. But God has promised us Better.
"Better is one day in your courts. Better is one day in your house. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
Wow. That is a promise to end all promises. Especially in this time in history that we are in right now. Especially today. Election Day. Another word I was thinking about using was Big. That fits today too. God is bigger than today and his plan is better than any plan of ours. But, also, nothing on earth can compare to being in the presence of God.
When I think back on all of my good days (and there have too many to list) I am amazed that God has something even better in store. Thinking about my best days, the amazement is even more pronounced. Our daytrip to Natural Bridge on my mom's birthday. Driving to Big Bear Lake in California. "Better is one day in your courts." Graduating from West Chester. "Better is one day in your house." Any day with Jake. "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
The bluest skies, the greatest company, and the fullest itinerary can never compare to the promise we have from God. We think creation here on earth is lovely (and it is) what about that place called heaven. The place that angels call home. That place where God himself dwells. We get a glimpse of it when the sun's rays peek through a cloud. We get a teaspoon of it when a symphony plays a perfect piece of music. We are teased by it in a garden of flowers. But there is more.
We are drawn by beauty. We are drawn to the best. But God has promised us Better.
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