Thankful Thursday: The Right Perspective

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

You know Father, as I’ve mentioned before I really LOVE Thankful Thursday posts.  While I try to give thanks each day for the abundance of Blessings You grace me with, having a weekly post that leads me to recollect all the little things that bring a smile to my heart puts me in exactly the right perspective:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

I ran across a blog posting today at stevenfurtick.com that said it beautifully:

“With God, ‘thank you’ should always come before ‘please.’ The first thing that needs to come out of my mouth in prayer and worship needs to be praise for who God is and what He has done. Not just instructions for what I want or even need Him to do.”

So true.

Therefore Father, with that perspective firmly embedded in my heart, this week I’ve been thankful for:

196. A silly, giggly, tasty dinner with Shannon and the kids at a new Mexican Restaurant.

197. Getting some “one-on-one” time with Aidan while Jonathan was away at Kay’s Kamp.

198. For a sweet Bloggy Friend who reminded me to look at flowering weeds as flowers, and not weeds (Thank you Jean!).

199. Cool, clear mornings which let me leave my windows down in the truck on the way to work.

200. A fun night out with my lovely Wife last Friday night.

201. Getting the opportunity to attend “Media Day” at Kay’s Kamp, and seeing the Blessed work they do for the children.

202. Inspiring testimonies from courageous people.

203. Getting well over 50,000 miles on my truck tires before having to replace them.

204. Free lifetime map and software updates available for my GPS.

205. Finding new school uniform clothing for the boys at Goodwill dirt cheap.

206. Jonathan having another wonderful week away at Kay’s Kamp.

207. Having inexpensive generic versions available for the medications we take.

208. Tootsie Fruit Rolls.

209. My portable digital voice recorder that allows me to note things I’m thankful for at the time they come to me.

210. Waking up next to the lady I love each and every day.

Heavenly Father, once again I thank You for all the Blessings You grace our lives with each day; both those that shine brilliantly with Your Light, and those that Bless us quietly, without fanfare.  I pray that You will continue to open my eyes wider to Your gifts, that I may appreciate them to the full.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Do Unto Others…

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

First off Father, I want to raise Kim Miller up in prayer to You once again.  Her powerful testimony in the video I linked to in yesterday’s post has very much been in my thoughts, and continues to inspire further introspection of my own Faith.  Lord, please grant Kim Your peace, Your comfort and if it be Your Will, Your healing that she may continue to know Your abundant presence in her life.

Today Father, I’d like to discuss manners and courtesy, or more specifically the lack of them I’ve been seeing as of late.

During a quick trip at lunchtime over to the nearby WalMart, I was confronted a number of times with blatant examples of selfishness, disrespect and a general disinterest in the feelings of others.  Simple little things like:

In a busy parking lot, taking up two full spaces to avoid being parked next to…

People not looking behind them when going through a door to see if someone is following close by before letting it swing closed…

Shoppers standing in the middle of a narrow aisle chatting while people and carts sit behind them waiting for them to move…

Parents allowing their young children to run around unsupervised and then getting upset when other people question them…

Leaving shopping carts rolling all over the parking lot when there are plenty of cart return stations nearby…

It’s very frustrating to witness such widespread disregard Father.  And while I certainly ran into several smiling, courteous folks today as well, they were somehow less obvious than those whose focus was very much on themselves.  Now, I’ve absolutely been guilty of allowing my mood to sidetrack my manners now and again Lord… I believe we all have.  This begs the question; how would You have us act towards others so as to best reflect Your Love?

With forgiveness and compassion:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

With thought and empathy:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31 (NIV)

In the spirit of peace and unity:

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” – Romans 14:19 (NIV)

With humility:

“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 14:11 (NIV)

And with Love:

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” – Galatians 5:14 (NIV)

It’s so handy having Your Instruction Manual Father.  🙂

Heavenly Father, please help guide our words and actions to best exemplify the behavior that You desire of us.  Make Your light visible through our lives, so that others may witness the peace and compassion of Your presence in us.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday: Our Darkest Hour

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

Well Father, it certainly was a busy weekend, but all-in-all a wonderful couple days’ time spent enjoying time with family and good friends.  With Jonathan still at Kamp and Aidan spending the night with friends, Shannon and I got to go out Friday evening for a fun “date night” (I so love “dating” my wife Lord…).  Saturday morning we picked up Aidan, and spent the remainder of the morning attending the closing ceremonies at Kay’s Kamp.  We got some quiet time to rest Saturday afternoon, and then headed out to have dinner with a group of our friends.  It rained much of the evening, but we had an absolutely wonderful time nonetheless.  Sunday morning we braved the downpour to attend morning services at Ewell’s St. Paul United Methodist Church, and enjoyed jubilant music, a wonderful Message from Pastor Kris and the fellowship of our church family.  We managed to catch up on a little housework while relaxing the remainder of the day, and concluded the weekend with a tasty dinner out together at a new Mexican restaurant in Smyrna.  As I said before Lord, it was a hectic few days, but one that was truly filled with Your Blessings… Thank You!

Today’s Meditations Monday Scripture comes from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 2.  This morning while driving into the office, I heard an extremely inspiring story on 88.7 The Bridge which truly touched my heart.  They played an interview with a young lady who is currently facing her own mortality due to an uncontrolled cancer that has now spread to her brain.  Instead of dwelling in her suffering, she’s instead focusing on Your Blessings in her life, and lifted praises to You as she was baptized yesterday.  It was a humbling message of Faith Father, and it led me to the verse choice I’m praying on this morning:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

So often when we get into situations that cause us pain, or discomfort, or even just inconvenience we develop “spiritual short-sightedness”, and mire ourselves down in our burdens rather than allowing those trials to strengthen our Faith, and to draw us closer to You.  I pray that we can all learn from her courageous example Father, and seek You even in our darkest hour.

Heavenly Father, I lift my voice in praise for the Blessings You bring to our lives each day.  I pray that Your comforting embrace continues to be felt by Kim and her family during this difficult season, and that they can draw strength from the knowledge that You’re always with them.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Really God??

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

Really God??

I’ve been hearing this quite a lot as of late Father, and I’ll admit I’ve even thought it myself more than once in the recent past.  It’s certainly not a query intended out of disrespect Lord, but one usually born of frustration due to trials we, or someone we care about, are going through…

My marriage is falling apart, and my spouse is leaving… Really God??

The job I’ve invested years of hard work and energy in is gone… Really God??

My test results came back and the cancer has returned… Really God??

We’ve run out of money… And I’m not sure what to do… Really God??

My child was born with a serious, incurable disease which threatens to take him from us… Really God??

I feel empty, tired, defeated and sad all the time… Really God??

We all have those moments Father, when we search for the meaning and purpose that only You have; when it feels like the weight of the world sits squarely upon our shoulders, and relief seems to be a distant destination.  And in our limited, broken, earthly shells we cry out… Really God??

When I speak to people going through such trials Lord, I always try to offer the hope and encouragement that Your Promises to us bring…

You promise never to leave our sides…

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

You promise that our needs will be met…

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:28-33 (NIV)

You promise that You will ease our burdened souls…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

And You promise that You will always love us…

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

Such powerful promises You’ve given to Your Children Father…

In the midst of our struggles, it can be difficult to see the signs of Your love for us through that cloud of pain and fear, but that’s where our Faith carries us on:

Faith that even though we don’t have “The Big Picture” or know why things happen the way they do, You do, and want what’s best for us.

Faith that when we call upon You in our brokenness, You’ll hear our pleas and act on our behalf, whether it’s as we would expect or not.

Faith that when we come to You with a humble and open heart and lay our burdens at Your feet, Your peace and comfort will ease our troubled spirits.

When we rely on our Faith to look beyond the earthly trials we face, and focus on the Blessings and Grace You bring to our lives each day, it begs the question…

Really God??  Thank You!!

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday: Like a Little Child

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

You know Father, sometimes I think that I go to work each week to get some rest after the weekends.  🙂

Once again Lord, You Blessed us with a busy but joyful weekend.  From the “Breakfast for Dinner” Friday night get-together we hosted, to hiking and taking photos with the boys and Shannon’s mother during the day on Saturday, to attending the big yearly party at my father’s home on Sunday after church, it was a wonderful couple days spent in the company of family and good friends.  Thank You for that time together Father!

This week’s Meditations Monday Scripture selection comes from the 10^th chapter of the Gospel of Mark:

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16 (NIV)

Such a powerful image of tenderness and affection this brings to mind Father, and with it some excellent lessons for us as well.

First off, Jesus’ response to His disciples’ attempt to “head off” the children from coming to Him clearly demonstrates His view that all Your Children are precious; none are too insignificant to seek Christ’s Presence.  As many of us suffer from feelings of being unworthy of Your Love, this is a powerful truth to remember.

And then Father, Jesus makes a statement that I’ll be meditating and praying on this week;

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

“Like a little child”;

Humble…

Trusting…

Accepting…

Obedient…

Faithful…

Heavenly Father, as adults we allow so many things in our lives to obscure our hearts from You.  Please open us to experience Your Glory with the wonder, acceptance and understanding that only a truly unencumbered spirit can.  Amen.

~Phather Phil