Thank You Father, for yet another lovely weekend! Shannon and I were able to get out with some friends for a “date night” Friday evening, and on Saturday a friend of Jonathan’s from Kay’s Kamp came for a visit. He hadn’t seen Matthew since Kamp last summer, so it was a wonderful reunion and the kids had an absolute blast. As for me, with Shannon focused on her schoolwork I got to spend lots of time in the kitchen (the kids really enjoyed making fried wontons), got some housework accomplished and still had “down time” to spend on Sunday watching movies and playing with the kids. All in all, a busy but very satisfying couple of days.
One of the movies I watched on Sunday afternoon was an old favorite of mine (I actually have it on Laserdisc). It’s a 1992 film called “Leap of Fath” which starred Steve Martin as a con-man Christian preacher and faith healer named Jonas Nightengale who travels across the country hosting revivals and performing “miracles” for the crowd. On his way to Topeka, one of the trucks breaks down and strands the troupe in a depressed farming town called Rustwater. Jonas decides to do their show in the small town while waiting for the truck to be repaired, and is quickly met with resistance from the local sheriff (played by Liam Neeson) who seeks to expose him for the charlatan that he is. Jonas’ perspective however, soon changes when a local handicapped boy begins to make him examine his faith in a different light.
This is one of those films I can watch again and again, and yet gain something new from it each time Lord. It highlights some of the depths that in our brokenness we can sink to, and yet also delivers a powerful reminder of Your capacity for love and the spiritual transformation that can only come when we actively seek You. Watching this time, the thing that struck me the most was the look on Jonas’ face when he witnesses an actual miracle of healing during one of his shows. From the chasm of his self-centeredness and disbelief, he’s forced to see past himself and realizes that he’s truly not in control of things.
Mr. Martin does an amazing job portraying the character in this scene. The look of awe on his face at that moment describes quite eloquently the feeling I get when I spend time in Your Presence. 🙂
Heavenly Father, thank You once again for a rejuvenating weekend. It always refreshes me to find Your Messages to us in so many varied ways and places. You truly are the God of “Miracles and Wonders”. Amen.
Dear Lord; Happy Monday Father! Once again Lord, You Blessed me with a lovely couple days respite filled with family, good food and good friends. Thank You so very much for that time!
Well Father, today we celebrate Valentine’s Day. While the true origin of this holiday seems to be clouded by historical variations in the chain of events which formed it, today we observe it as a day to focus on and express the love and affection we feel for those we’re closest to. In addition to the amazing love You’ve shown me directly Lord, You’ve also Blessed me beyond words by surrounding me with a significant number of loving, caring people…
And at the center of this group, is my wonderful wife Shannon.
I see Your Light in her in so many ways Father. She’s my partner in every respect; A true soul bonded to my own with whom I can share my innermost self without fear of judgment or rejection. She’s a phenomenal mother to our two sons, and has proved her mettle and devotion to our marriage and our family time and time again. She’s been the anchor when I’ve been adrift, and the harbor when I’ve needed rest and comfort. She gives of herself freely to help others in need, and brings her loving spirit to all that she does. She’s the first person I think of to share my joys, and as You know, the focus of many of my prayers. I am a much better man Lord, with her by my side.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” – Ephesians 5:25
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Blessing our Union as Man and Wife and for seeing us through the trials we encounter along our journey together. Please continue to let her feel the warmth of Your Loving Embrace, and watch over her throughout her days. Amen.
Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father! To start with Lord, I want to thank You for Your Gift of rest to me last night. This morning I awoke with a smile, and feel quite refreshed. 🙂
Today Father, I have the honor of being featured over at the “A Moment with God” blog. Lisa’s site is truly a Blessing to me Lord, and she’s always been a wonderful source of encouragement and inspiration to me in my walk with You. Please continue to shine Your Light through her, and assist her mission to bring Your Word and Message to others. Amen.
Dear Lord; Happy Monday Father! To begin with Lord, I want to thank You for another lovely weekend with my family and friends. I was able to get caught up on quite a bit of housework, did a little cooking, had fun time with the kids and even went out on a great date night with Shannon. All in all, a productive and relaxing couple of days away from work. Thank You so much for that much-needed respite!
This morning Father, I was thinking about all the different ways You and I communicate. Throughout my journey to You, I’ve found that the more “in-tune” I become with Your Presence, the more ways I see and hear Your Guidance in my everyday life. I’ve come to rely on Your Voice more and more, and love finding Your influence in the world around me during the course of the day.
So today, I thought I’d run down some of the places and ways I find Your Messages to me each day. Lets see…
Through reading and hearing Your Word; Whether it’s hearing verses quoted on the Christian Radio stations I listen to, reading passages in my Bible or finding quotes while searching the Internet, Your Book brings such amazing Guidance for all facets of my life.
Through Christian Music; Music gets into our soul in ways that not many other things can. The Godly messages and themes present in Christian Music help keep me focused, uplifted and energized over the course of my day.
By reading and interacting with Christian Devotional Blogs and their authors; The blogs I read each day and the wonderful people I’ve met by doing so are an amazing resource and Blessing for me Lord. They give me perspective, encouragement and an online fellowship that has been invaluable in my walk with You.
Through Prayer; Along with our conversations on this blog Father, prayer is my lifeline to You. Whether silent or verbal, much of the guidance and direction I receive from You over the course of the day comes from our “prayer connection”.
By the words and actions of others; As I’ve written to you so often Lord, I see Your Love and Influence in the actions of others. We’re surrounded by miracles every day, and the closer I walk to Christ’s footsteps the more obvious those wonders become to me.
Obviously Father, this isn’t a complete list by any means but these examples are what first came to my mind as I thought about our talks. I love the deepening connection You and I are forming, and I crave for it to expand more each day.
Your Son phrased it perfectly when he said :
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” – John 10:27-29
Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your Loving Presence and Guidance in my life. The more I open myself to You, the fuller and more complete my life becomes. Amen.
Dear Lord; Happy Monday Father. As always, I’d like to start today by thanking You for the Blessings You bestowed on me this past weekend. While we had some disappointments in regards to plans that had been made, I did get to spend quite a bit of relaxed time with my family and some friends. All in all, it was a quiet but happy couple of days and I thank You for that.
This morning Lord, I’d like to talk about honesty if I may. It’s been a topic on my mind the last couple of days, as our disruption in plans this past weekend appears to have been the result of some deceit from someone Shannon and I had trusted. We haven’t been able to confirm our suspicions yet, but it’s extremely likely that we’re correct in this case. Either way, the situation got me thinking about the importance of truth in our lives in general, and how as Your Children we need to focus on it in our lives.
To begin with, I have to beg Your Forgiveness Lord. When I started going over the whole subject in my head, I put myself and my actions in a “litmus test” against Your Law and I found myself lacking. While I like to think of myself as an honest individual, if I truly subject myself to Your Absolutes I lie nearly every day in some fashion. Whether it’s a “little white lie” to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, or telling my secretary that I’m out if someone I don’t want to hear from calls, they’re lies no matter how you slice it. And when I expand that examination outward, it appears that we’re a dishonest society in general Lord.
Wow… What an intense realization for a Monday morning.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” – Exodus 20:16
Ah yes, the good old 9th Commandment. Although we all know this one, we also all violate it at some point as well. There are many other edicts about misrepresenting the truth in Your Book as well Lord, including :
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.” – Leviticus 19:11
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” – Proverbs 12:22
“Those who walk righteously
and speak what is right,
who reject gain from extortion
and keep their hands from accepting bribes,
who stop their ears against plots of murder
and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—
they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,
whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
Their bread will be supplied,
and water will not fail them.” – Isaiah 33:15-16
Forgive us Lord, for in this respect we have lost our way.
Heavenly Father, please forgive us for our misdeeds. Purge our fragile hearts of dishonesty, and help us focus on Your Guidance and Light as we go about each day, so that we may serve Your Will with honesty and Integrity. Amen.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
One of the movies I watched on Sunday afternoon was an old favorite of mine (I actually have it on Laserdisc). It’s a 1992 film called “Leap of Fath” which starred Steve Martin as a con-man Christian preacher and faith healer named Jonas Nightengale who travels across the country hosting revivals and performing “miracles” for the crowd. On his way to Topeka, one of the trucks breaks down and strands the troupe in a depressed farming town called Rustwater. Jonas decides to do their show in the small town while waiting for the truck to be repaired, and is quickly met with resistance from the local sheriff (played by Liam Neeson) who seeks to expose him for the charlatan that he is. Jonas’ perspective however, soon changes when a local handicapped boy begins to make him examine his faith in a different light.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
