Thankful Thursday: No End In Sight

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

And once again Father, we come to the Thankful Thursday “edition” here at PhatherPhil.org.  Today, I’m picking up where I left off on my list two weeks back, as for Thanksgiving I was Blessed to be able to present You with lists from Shannon and the boys instead.  You graced us with a truly wonderful holiday weekend Father; filled with family, friends, fellowship and the beautiful promise that the beginning of Advent brings to our hearts.  So much to be thankful for Lord, so much…

And on that note Father, continuing from where we left off, this past week I’ve been especially grateful for:

406. An absolutely beautiful Thanksgiving gathering with close friends and family.

407. You Blessing me with exactly what You know I need, when I need it. (Not to be confused with what I think I need, or what I want…)

408. Having close brothers and sisters in Christ to help keep me accountable.

409. An inspiring and encouraging Small Group gathering Tuesday evening as we delve deeper into the “Plan B” study.

410. Getting the outside Christmas lights up last weekend.

411. The spark of anticipation that this Season of Advent places in my heart.

412. Time spent with Jonathan putting up the Christmas lights.

413. Seeing the joy on Aidan’s face as he helped put the lights on the Christmas tree for the first time.

414. Turkey Club Sandwiches made with the leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner.

415. That no matter how “out of control” life can seem to us, You’re never shaken.

416. Snuggling up with the kids on the couch to watch Christmas movies.

417. Having a group of our church family over for a fellowship brunch after services last Sunday.

418. The opportunity for our family to light the first Advent Wreath Candle during the church service last Sunday.

419. The “Blue Glow” that covers our house during the Christmas Season.

420. A beautiful guest “Email to God” written by my friend Kandi this week.

And the list continues to grow Lord, with no end in sight… 🙂

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Father, for the multitude of Blessings you bestow on us each and every day; both those that shine brightly with Your radiance, and those that uplift us quietly from the shadows.  As we rejoice in the anticipation that this Season of Advent signifies, please open our hearts Lord, and fill us with wonder and gratitude at the coming of the Christ Child.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Stepping Out of the Boat

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

Today Father, I’m Blessed to share an “Email to God” with You written by Kandi, from “Get Out of the Boat”.  Her posts always exude such an intimate connection with You Lord, so I was absolutely elated when she agreed to bring her prayers here today.

Good morning Father,

Well, at least it’s morning when I am writing this, very early morning, it is 1:00 a.m. right now, that seems to be the magic hour for You and I, I write so many of my blog posts this time of morning, when the world is still and silent.  I am thankful for these times when it is just quiet, when it is just us spending time together. It is this time of morning when I do not have to strain through the voices of the day to hear Yours.  So I sit here, fingers on the keyboard wondering what words are going to find their way onto the page.

A few years ago, I remember seeing the words “survival of the fittest” splashed across someone’s social network page.  I remember thinking how strong and confident the writer of those words probably thought they sounded, and all I could think to myself was how hopeless that was.  That was back in my infancy days when I first came to You, the days when getting on my knees before You seemed to exhaust my physical limits, when the tears flowed so freely it felt like I were shedding the three plus decades of my life that I spent without You, those four little words that in this world represent a sense of strength in ourselves, yet is void of any hope.  Yes, there is the hope of something better, there is the hope that the dreams and passions of our deceptive human hearts will come to fruition, and for some they will, but there is no hope in You, in death it will all become meaningless and left behind. Those whose hope rests squarely in arms of You Father, the One who gives meaning to our lives, begin to see a bigger picture, that there is a greater purpose beyond what we can see.  We know that You will never leave us or forsake us, You know the plans You have for us and that they are good, that You have gone before us, You have made a way, You have already made the our path straight, even when it looks so very crooked laid out at our feet, we know the only truest and purest form of hope is in You Father. We cling to You and Your promises,  because we know that only You can take the ash and mold it into something beautiful, we know only You can make something new again, when we hope in You, our lives and the meaning of them begin to look different, when we frame them in the hope of You.  There are places You want to take us that not even the strongest hands can touch because the greatest of human strength is like a pebble at the bottom of the ocean compared to Yours.  

Father, You have blessed us with so many great scriptures of hope in Your word, but it is this one from Isaiah 40:31 that You keep placing in my path, I think this is one of my favorite scriptures that describes what our hope in You looks like.

“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint” – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Father, when I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior four and half years ago, I would have never imagined being in this place I am today, I never thought it possible, Father, I love You so much, I can’t imagine doing life without You, I can’t live without hope in You.

Amen… Thank you Kandi!

🙂

Meditations Monday: The Spark of Anticipation

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

Well Father, the long Thanksgiving weekend has come to a close and once again we find ourselves in the grip of another workweek.  And while I’m sorry to see that celebration of gratitude pass, my heart is already embracing the beginning of the Season of Advent.  It’s a wondrously exciting time of year Lord, filled with a spark of anticipation as we celebrate the miraculous birth of our Savior, and at the same time eagerly long for His return.

This past Sunday, my family and I were Blessed to have the opportunity to light the first candle on the Advent Wreath at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC.  Along with the lighting ceremony, Shannon and the boys recited some devotional statements, and I read to the congregation from the Gospel of Luke:

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” – Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)

Such a powerful, pivotal moment this passage describes.  Approached by an Angel, and told that her virginal womb was to bear the Son of God, Mary handles this overwhelming news in a truly amazing way; with humility and obedience.

Here she was; betrothed to be married, maintaining her virginity prior to that marriage, and in the midst of her carefully laid plans an Angelic visit turned her world completely upside-down:

She didn’t know how Joseph would take the news…

She didn’t know how society would treat her…

She didn’t have a clue why You had chosen her for this…

And yet, even beneath that mountain of uncertainty, she placed all of her fears and doubts aside and affirmed her commitment to You Father:

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Such a commanding statement of faith Lord… And the beginning of a transformational journey.

Heavenly Father,

As we begin this Season of Advent Lord, please open our hearts to embrace the spirit of wonder and anticipation this holy time imbues.  Guide us Father, to not only revel in the glory of this Season, but to take a cue from Mary’s example, and always place Your path above our own.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: “Special Edition”

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

And today Father, we come to the original Thankful Thursday… Thanksgiving!  On this day each year, here in the United States we take time to put aside the normal activities and concerns of daily life and focus our attentions on Your abundant Blessings.

As we’ve discussed many times Lord, when I begin counting my Blessings my wife Shannon and my two boys Jonathan and Aidan immediately spring to mind.  They’re truly one of Your greatest gifts in my life Father, and I can’t begin to thank You enough for my life with them.

As precious as they are to me Father, it seems fitting that on this day where our focus rests in gratitude, that I share our conversation with them as well.  Therefore, for this Thankful Thursday “Special Edition”, I present You with some things that my cherished family members are grateful for:

Jonathan (Age 11)

– Having the choice to follow the Lord.

– Having friends and family over for Thanksgiving.

– Having parents that are still together.

– Having the opportunity to get an education.

– That all my sins are forgiven.

Aidan (Age 9)

– For my family.

– For our home.

– For good food to eat.

– That I have people that love me.

– For the fun I have building Legos.

Shannon (Older than 11 :-))

– The love of a grace-filled man.

– Empathetic children who give their birthday money to help fill a church food pantry.

– Recipes from the past that shine like new.

– Music to share in ALL aspects of my life.

– Craft links on Pinterest 😉

Heavenly Father,

As we focus on Your many gifts in our lives Lord, Your love for us is so apparent.  Open our eyes and our hearts Father, that we better recognize Your Blessings each day, and realize that Thanksgiving isn’t only once a year, but every day that we dwell in Your tender mercies.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Choosing the Good Portion

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Tomorrow Lord, as You’re well aware, here in the United States we’ll be gathering together with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving.  And while I absolutely love having that time to focus on togetherness and gratitude Father, for many this Holiday takes on an entirely different focus…

Details.

Instead of dwelling in Your many Blessings and focusing on spending time with those we love Lord, for some the Holidays become a flurry of “to-do lists”, household chores and shopping trips.  And while some preparations are certainly necessary to host our festive gatherings, it’s very easy to allow the myriad of details to overwhelm us, and to take our eyes off the One who made it possible.

And while getting ready for work this morning Father, You decided I needed a reminder.

Standing in the shower, my mind wandered; so many things to do before tomorrow… I started a mental list, carefully going over all the details of the day ahead, and trying to work out exactly how we’d complete everything in the time we had remaining…

“Like Martha and Mary…” You whispered.

Ouch!

“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”” – Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

Okay, okay… Point taken Father.  🙂

It’s not about the house being spotless…

It’s not about mountains of carefully prepared food…

It’s not about a meticulously laid-out table…

It’s not about being the perfect host or hostess…

It’s not about the details…

It’s about You Lord… All about You.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for the multitude of Blessings You grace our lives with each day.  As we prepare for the upcoming Holidays Father, please help focus our hearts to see past the tasks at hand, and prepare a spot at Jesus’ feet where we might rest, and listen…

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil