Thankful Thursday: All Eyes Are On You

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Last week Lord, I had my annual eye exam as required by Delaware law to renew the prescription for my contact lenses.  I’ve never been a huge fan of anyone poking around in my eyes, but since I switched to contacts a few years back I’ve become accustomed to the necessary ritual each autumn.  This year’s visit however, yielded a bit of a surprise for me.  When the examination had been completed, the doctor quietly informed me that she was going to have to write me a different prescription…

My eyesight has actually gotten stronger.

The doctor explained to me that it wasn’t uncommon for people’s eyesight to vary over the years, but I still feel there’s a parallel here that I shouldn’t ignore nonetheless.  My eyesight began to degrade when I was seven years old, requiring me to wear glasses from second grade on.  Since that time, I can’t remember even one eye exam where my vision has shown even a minute change for the better.  I find it intriguing that while my earthly eyes have become stronger, at the same time I’m seeing Your presence all around me with ever increasing clarity as well.

As Toby Mac stated in the song “Lose My Soul”;

All eyes are on You Lord… All eyes are on You.

Thanks for the smile Father.  🙂

Picking up where I left off on last week’s Thankful Thursday list Lord, this week I’ve been especially grateful for:

331. The opportunity I received to minister to a friend in need this week.

332. A wonderful, inspiring evening’s discussion at this week’s Small Group Gathering : “Treasures of the Transformed Life”

333. A tasty Sunday after-church brunch trying a new recipe : Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.

334. Having a weekend with a good bit of “down-time”.

335. My thoughtful Administrative Assistant bringing me two big bags of Twizzlers for Boss’ Day.

336. The comfort of Your presence when life’s situations begin to overwhelm me.

337. A wonderful photowalk with Jonathan and Aidan in Blackbird State Forest last Sunday.

338. The convictions of the Holy Spirit helping me to focus and grow as You desire me to.

339. A powerful evening of music and worship at the John Waller concert last Thursday night.

340. A successful first attempt at making homemade calzones this week.

341. Seeing the Holy Spirit growing in my wife Shannon more and more each day.

342. An eye exam showing that my vision has actually improved slightly.

343. The opportunity to be a part of Someone Else’s Story.

344. Connecting with a wide range of inspiring people and organizations through Twitter.

345. The inspirations You place on my heart each day.

Heavenly Father,

We give thanks Dear Lord, for all the many Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those which boldly announce Your glory, and those that grace our lives in silence.  Please open our eyes that we might recognize and praise You for the many gifts you bring to us, and open our hearts that we may share those overwhelming Blessings with those around us.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Another 300

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Lord, once again we come to the Thankful Thursday edition of PhatherPhil.org.  My life has virtually overflowed with Your Blessings this past week, so compiling my list of gifts that I’m grateful for was a relatively easy process.

Continuing from the previous week’s list, today I’d like to give special thanks and praise to You for:

286. Having a wife with whom I’m comfortable sharing and discussing absolutely anything.

287. Having the Holy Spirit in my life to guide me in Your will.

288. Some wonderful photo opportunities coming up this weekend.

289. The repair I made to our central air conditioner working perfectly.

290. Revised priorities.

291. Understanding friends.

292. Free ROMs for both my phone and tablet from MIUI.us that make them a pleasure to use.

293. All the seasons in our marriage, and the Blessings they’ve brought us.

294. The laughter of my children.

295. The fellowship, friendship and encouragement I receive from my fellow Christian Bloggers.

296. The shift in weather brought on by moving from summer into fall, and the cooler air it brings.

297. Wonderful inspirations for Christmas crafts.

298. Halloween candy filling the store shelves.  🙂

299. The fellowship we receive from the “Parents Place” small group at church.

300. 300 shared “emails to God”.

(And 300 Thankful Thursday entries now too!  🙂 )

Heavenly Father,

We give thanks Lord, for all the Blessings You bring to our lives each and every day; both those that shout Your presence from the mountaintop, and those that grace us in a gentle whisper.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Marking a Milestone

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Well Father, today marks a milestone for PhatherPhil.org.  This post is the 300^th “email to God” that I’ve shared with the world.  It’s been a wonderful journey so far Lord, and I feel truly Blessed to have been guided down this path with You.

Along with strengthening my bond to You Father, this site has also brought another wonderful and unexpected Blessing to my life as well; it’s connected me to an Internet fellowship of believers, many of which I’ve come to regard as valued friends.  Without their daily encouragement, postings on their blogs that teach and inspire their readers, and their kind thoughts and prayers, PhatherPhil.org would not have come this far.  Therefore, to celebrate this happy event Father, I’d like to give thanks to some of these wonderful people.

Jenifer at “~Sweet Blessings~” : Jenifer; you’re a wonderfully sweet and tender soul; a true Child of God in every way.  Your posts each day bring a smile to my face, and never fail to inspire me.  Thank you.

Lisa at “A Moment With God” : Lisa; I’ve learned so much from your posts, and from your friendship.  You find messages in Scripture that make me reach deeper, and I’m Blessed each day by your efforts.  Thank you.

Jean at “Healthy Spirituality” : Jean; Reading your site dear lady, I often feel as though I’m sitting quietly with you having coffee.  Your beautiful spirit comes through in every post, and you raise questions that expand my mind, and make my heart reach for truth.  Thank you.

Allison at “Beautiful in Him” : Allison; Your energy for the Lord is infectious!  Your posts expose a beautifully vibrant heart, and your love of Christ shows through in every article.  You’ve inspired me in many ways through your writing and your service to others, and for that I thank you.

Kelli and Heidi at “Mothers On Mission” : Ladies; Although your site is geared towards women, I’ve gained so much inspirations from reading your posts.  And even though I’m not your “target reader” 🙂 , you’ve always encouraged me and kindly included me in the discussions.  Thank you.

Eileen at “The Scenic Route” : Eileen; I think Eileen, you’re one of the most insightful people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.  You see God’s messages in everyday life with wondrous clarity, and relay them to your readers in eloquent fashion.  You have a beautiful heart, and I thank you for sharing it with us.

Mandy at “Growing with God” : Mandy; I’ve very much enjoyed watching your Walk with the Lord grow closer in your posts.  You’ve seen through the clouds of trial, and have emerged into His light.  Thank you for sharing your journey with us.

Alida at “Blackpurl’s Knitpickings… An Expat Journal” : Alida; Through your photos, your postings and your comments here, I’ve gained wonderful insight into what it means to truly spend your life in God’s service.  I seldom leave your site without a smile, and thank you for Blessing us with your work.

Kandi at “Get Out of the Boat” : Kandi; Your words are so transparently lovely Kandi… You bring your heart to every post, and I truly believe God smiles when you’re writing.  Thank you for letting us peek in on your kind spirit, and for sharing your Walk with us.

Elaine at “Peace for the Journey” : Elaine; You have a stalwart energy, and a thirst for knowing Christ’s heart that I rarely see.  Your writing is simply elegant, and I’ve gained much perspective and inspiration in sharing your journey this past year.  Thank you.

Debra at “Pure and Simple” : Debra; You have a purity to your writing Debra, which I feel makes God’s presence shine in your postings.  Your tender heart is always apparent, but is aligned closely with a wisdom that educates and inspires as well.  Thank you.

Christopher at “The Happy Seeker” : Christopher; My dear friend, I feel a remarkable connection between us, even though we’ve never actually met.  You have a beautiful energy that you share with your readers, and you bring that presence to everything you write.  “Meeting” you has truly been a Blessing.  Thank you.

And there are so many more Father… Blessed souls, all of them.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you Lord, for connecting me with such a wonderful fellowship of believers, and for Blessing this ministry as You have.  I look forward to many, many more conversations.  🙂

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday (Tuesday Edition): Our Beautiful Fabric

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Mon… Um, Tuesday Father!

Well Father, to begin with I want to thank You for a lovely three-day-weekend.  Other than some much-needed housecleaning, we were Blessed to enjoy quality time with friends, have a fun “Date Night” out, and help another of our friends celebrate her 40^th birthday by hosting a surprise party at the house.  All-in-all it was a very pleasant few days respite, and I’m very grateful for that time.

As we’ve discussed many times Lord, Shannon and I consider our friends one of Your most amazing Blessings in our lives.  As I was running around on Monday morning picking up supplies for the birthday party we hosted, it dawned on me how amazingly diverse our group of friends really is.  Truly, nearly every walk of life is represented in some fashion; each person a beautiful, unique thread in the tapestry of our “extended family”.

In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul discusses the importance of diversity in Your People along those same lines.  In his example, the diversity comes from the varied Spiritual Gifts You bestow on us through the Holy Spirit:

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” – 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 (NIV)

Paul makes a marvelous point in that in Christ, there is no ethnic, cultural or social distinction; each individual member is a loved and important part of the Whole.  We all have roles to play, and gifts to share in the Body of Christ, and each is as important as the others.  You created us all to be exactly what You intended us to be; fearfully and wonderfully made, and designed to offer the unique and precious gifts You’ve granted us for the benefit of Your Family.

It’s a very powerful lesson Lord, and one I know we could all stand to implement more effectively in our daily lives.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the wonderful people You’ve brought into our lives; each a unique, beautiful, and Blessed thread in our family’s fabric.  Please help us see through any improperly perceived barriers between one another, and to reach out with our Spiritual Gifts to further the business of Your Eternal Kingdom.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

As Long As You’ll Permit

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

Thank You Father!!  Thank You, thank You, thank You!!

What a wonderful Blessing You’ve given us Lord… Such a beautiful way to start the weekend!

For those who follow our conversations and don’t know the source of my joy Father, please indulge me while I explain.

A couple months ago, we had Jonathan in for his yearly check-up with his pediatrician.  It was a routine visit, but due to his complicated medical situation (Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis), doctor’s appointments always place some concern in our hearts.  For the most part, everything went quite well; nothing obviously scary to report.  Then the doctor examined some new “growths” that had popped up on him over the last year; up went the red flags, and down went our spirits.  She labeled them as “suspicious”, and indicated that we should have them looked at by Jonathan’s oncologist as soon as possible. We tried of course to stay optimistic, but the seed of worry had been sown all the same.

The oncology visit didn’t yield much in the way of answers either, but added another round of “concerns” and a referral to a pediatric dermatologist for a specialized examination and if necessary, treatment and surgical intervention.  The oncologist did however, indicate that the possible skin involvement was all that appeared out of the ordinary at the moment, and that all his other tests and scans looked perfectly normal.  That news certainly eased our fears a bit, but based on past experience with this disease, our guard was still up nonetheless.

Today, Jonathan went to see the dermatologist.

They’re moles Father… All perfectly normal, and nothing to be concerned about.  But You already knew that, didn’t You?  🙂

Please forgive my doubts Lord… I know he’s in Your hands no matter what, and I’m so thankful for that.  But each time we have the specter of this disease rear it’s gnarled claws, it takes our hearts back to that terrifying time of uncertainty and fear, when the possible loss of our son was very real.  And while I realize Lord, that this life is temporary and simply a step towards Your Eternal Kingdom, Shannon and I are selfish in that we love this little boy dearly, and very much want him to remain with us for as long as You’ll permit.

Apparently, that’s Your desire for the moment as well… And I thank You from the bottom of my heart for that Blessing!

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

P.S. September is Histiocytosis Awareness Month.  To learn more about this life threatening disease, and what you can do to help in the search for a cure, please visit : http://www.histio.org.