A Return to Thankful Thursday

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

For the last month or so Father, I’ve been having “rumblings” in my heart telling me that I’m not seeing You as completely as I should; that although in my joy-filled moments I sing to You in praise and in my times of trial I cry out to You for help, during those “in-between” periods I fail to recognize Your loving hand in my life more often than not…

My eyes see the world, but stare blindly past the “burning bushes” all around me.

And as I contemplated this the other night Lord, and prayed for Your guidance to help me see through clearer eyes, You laid it on my heart…

“Thankful Thursday…”

Ouch… It has been a while…

But I get it Father.

While I certainly try to remember to thank You when I recognize a Blessing in my life, the exercise of spending dedicated time thinking about the past week’s events and writing out some of the less “obvious” signs of Your presence is a powerful tool in my walk of faith.

It places my heart in a state of gratitude, and directs my mind to seek Your light in my daily life.

Therefore Father, I present You with this week’s contribution to my continuing “Thankful Thursday” list of Blessings.  And while no list could ever adequately express the vast array of miracles you place in my path each day, today I am especially grateful for:

631. Your protection, comfort and strength given to Shannon as she underwent a surgical procedure last week.

632. Finding wonderful DIY patio furniture plans on Pinterest.

633. Seeing Your influence in the “Letters to God” written by the kids in my Sunday School Class.

634. Your comforting embrace when my world feels shaken, and I allow uncertainty to grip my heart.

635. The time spent with Shannon and Lisa redesigning and rebuilding our backyard space.

636. The persistence You have in getting Your messages through to my heart.

637. The opportunity to join two wonderful young people in the union of marriage last weekend.

638. A beautiful Mother’s Day spent with Shannon, Lisa and the boys.

639. The assistance of a close friend in getting lighting installed in our outdoor bar.

640. The opportunity to minister to a dear friend who’s going through a difficult time.

641. A fun-filled evening with good food and wonderful friends to open our newly-redone backyard deck and patio spaces.

642. The new contact lenses I’m wearing that allow me to keep them in for a whole month before changing them.

643. Evenings curled up on the couch watching TV with the people I love.

644. Having excellent auto insurance coverage which helps pay bills following Shannon’s accident.

645. All those “burning bushes” in my life which I fail to recognize.

And so very much more Lord…

For it’s in Your precious name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

I Choose…

Dear Lord; Happy Saturday Father!

Today Father, I choose.

I choose to embrace the day that You have given me;

To rebuke those voices that try to steal my peace,

And remind them that I’m Your Beloved Child.

To view the world through eyes of faith,

Eagerly seeking Your hand in everything around me.

To love with abandon,

And to allow myself to accept the love of others.

To revel in the beauty of this world You’ve made,

And to bring that sense of wonder to everything I do.

To be grateful for all You’ve blessed me with,

And to share those gifts with others.

To remind those close to me how very much I love them,

And to honor them through my actions.

Today Lord, I make a choice.

I choose peace.

I choose joy.

I choose You.

For it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

My Silent Battleground

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Monday morning Father, I woke up to someone standing on my chest…

Or at least it felt that way.

No sleepy eyes calmly tip-toeing into the morning’s experience for me, but instead my heart raced; keeping time with my mind as it rushed frantically into the new week’s trials, struggles and fears…

The unknown had me firmly in it’s grip.

I tried to focus; to redirect my hectic mind and find Your peace, but those demons had caught me unaware as I slept and now were firmly entrenched within me…

So I went about my morning; moving from task to task in a determined effort to derail my inner turmoil, but in the dark recesses of my heart those taunting voices persisted…

Reminding me of my failures…

Seeding doubts about my choices…

Planting worries about those I love…

And introducing fears about the week that lie ahead…

“I’m already there Phil…” You whispered.

The voices calmed, finding diminished audience as Your truth set in, and the pressure in my breast began to ease…

The balance within had shifted… Your peace had won the day.

The assaults however, continue still Lord; timid declarations of dissent from the darkest corners of my mind, waiting once again to catch me off my guard…

Ever assailing me from the shadows… Seeking for an opportunity to regain that precious battleground.

It’s been said Father, that we can be our own worst enemy…

And in my case, I find this true far more often than I care to admit.

So thank You Lord.

Thank You for standing in that gap; aiding me in fighting back those unseen forces that threaten to pull me from Your peace.

For it’s in Your name I pray, and it’s bathed in Your grace I live…

Amen.

~Phather Phil

I’m Bigger…

Dear Lord; Happy Monday Father!

Well Father, I once again find myself gazing over the precipice of another work-week.

I really do enjoy my job Lord and I truly am grateful for having the opportunity to practice in a profession that brings me such satisfaction.  However, more than once over the last few weeks I’ve allowed daily stresses and anxieties to creep into my heart and wrap me in their embrace of fear.  They lie in the silence Father, longing for those moments where my thoughts stray from Your presence, and then attack without warning in a surgical attempt to shield me from Your aid.  Such was one of those instances today Lord, where worldly angst gripped my heart and laid its poisoned restraint upon my chest…

“I’m bigger than your fears, Phil…” You whispered.

And there it stopped Father.  In the light of that simple Truth the incursion was thwarted and those denizens of lies slithered back to the shadows from whence they came.

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” – Exodus 14:14 (NLT)

Thank You Father, for the powerful reminder today that You’re still in the business of killing giants and shutting the mouths of lions to protect Your beloved children; that as members of Your Heavenly Family, we enjoy the peace and protection inherent in Your love.

For it’s in Your Holy name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Our Ultimate “Fixer”

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

You know Father, all my life I’ve seen myself as a problem-solver; a “fixer” of things if You will.  Cars, electronics, furniture… You name it, I’ve repaired it.  In fact, over the years I’ve taken great pride in being seen by others as someone who can deal with anything that’s thrown at them.  There’s only one real problem with projecting that image though…

It’s an illusion.

In the end Lord, I’m at least as broken as those items I repair and yet…

I can’t fix myself.

Those I love and care for are hurting too Father; physically, emotionally and even spiritually…

But I can’t fix them either.

And in the course of my day Lord, I connect with so many people in true need of help; some battling addictions, some struggling financially, and others that are trying desperately to cope with feelings of despair…

And while I try to offer what assistance I can Father, I know I can’t patch all the holes in their hearts.

Thankfully though, I have a Savior who can.

Gracious Lord…

The Great Physician and Healer…

Our Ultimate “Fixer”.

Through You Lord Jesus, all can be made whole.

Please help me Father…

To cast aside all illusion of control and submit my heart to You in entirety…

To be Your instrument of aid when called to do so, while recognizing my limitations and yielding those “repairs” to the One who has none…

And to accept and reveal the unparalleled peace and joy You so willingly offer to those around me.

For it’s in Your Holy Name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil