Well Father, I couldn’t have asked for a lovelier weekend. Coming off of a tiring and complicated week, Shannon, the boys and I were all well-worn by the time Friday evening rolled around. With that being the case, we made the decision to spend a good bit of our “down time” as the description implies… down. Friday evening we curled up on the couch together and watch movies until bedtime. Saturday morning we lounged around the house in the morning, and then headed outside to do our “Fall clean up” of the planting beds along the house. The rest of the day was split between miscellaneous housework, and more movie-time with the kids. Sunday morning began with an uplifting service at church, then back to the house for a tasty, fun breakfast of Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Thanks for pointing me to the recipe Alida :-)). Jonathan, Aidan and I then gave Mommy some quiet time and headed out to Blackbird State Forest for a long walk in the beauty and abundance of Your Creation. The rest of the day was spent finishing up some odds-and-ends around the house, and then yet another quiet evening on the couch with the boys. This was the first weekend in quite some time where we didn’t have a packed schedule of activities, and it was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. Thank You so much for that much-needed respite Lord!
This week’s Meditations Monday Scripture is actually inspired by something John Waller talked about at the worship concert we attended last Thursday. One of the songs he played discussed his desire to be used to bring Your light into other people’s lives. The song is appropriately titled “Somebody Else’s Story”:
Out of all the wonderful music he shared with us that night Lord, this is the one that really hit home with me. As a Christian, I can think of no greater joy than bringing Your message to the hearts of those around me; to show them the true wonder of Your love for us, and to share the gifts You’ve Blessed me with in Your service.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” – Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
I take that Commission very seriously Father, and when I get the opportunity to be a part of someone else’s “Story”, It’s a Blessing beyond words for me. Mr. Waller’s song captures that desire beautifully, and I thank You for placing it in his heart to share with us.
Heavenly Father,
As we begin the week Lord, please help guide our choices and actions to best reflect Your desire for our lives. Inspire us to reach out and share Your message of love and redemption with those we encounter each day, and to faithfully serve Your will.
Well Lord, this past week has certainly been filled with ups-and-downs here. One thing’s for sure though, life is never dull in the Malmstrom household! Thankfully however, through all of the “tossing about” our lives have experienced as of late, Your Blessings have continued to be the lighthouse in our daily storms.
Continuing from last week’s Thankful Thursday list Father, this week I’ve been particularly grateful for:
309. A WordPress plugin that allows readers to share my posts on Pinterest.
310. An inexpensive repair for our large color laser printer in the office.
311. Friends that come and help move furniture.
312. Shannon and I being on the “same page” on how we handle the children.
313. Seeing a smile on my beautiful wife’s face.
314. A special deal on one of my prescriptions that allowed me to get it at half price.
315. The salvation we’ve received through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension.
(I’m especially thankful for #315 Father… 🙂 )
Heavenly Father,
We lift thanks and praise Lord, for all of the Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that make Your presence in our lives obvious, and those that quietly support us without due fanfare. You are indeed a caring Shepherd, a skillful Potter and a loving Father.
As I mentioned yesterday Lord, Shannon and I have been spending time recently going over everything we’re involved in, and making adjustments to prioritize our energies on those activities that best benefit the growth and harmony of our family, and glorify Your will for our lives. It’s been a good, productive exercise for us, and we’re making some changes that we believe are the right direction for us at this point in our lives.
Reading through Your Word this morning, I came across a very fitting passage (it’s fascinating how often that happens Lord… 🙂 ). It’s from The Book of Ecclesiastes, and is arguably one of the most well-known teachings in the Bible:
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
Looking back over our marriage, we’ve certainly had a variety of distinct seasons Lord. And while we may not have realized it during those times, each one has taught us something about ourselves, strengthened our union, and helped us grow as a family. These verses speak volumes more than the words alone reveal, and I’m very thankful for their depth and meaning in our lives.
Heavenly Father,
We lift thanks and praise to You for ALL the seasons in our lives; both those that radiate with Your love and compassion, and those which bring lessons born in trial. For while Your plans for us may not always keep us in calm waters, at the end of our earthly journey those seasons of change will have guided us closer to Your arms.
Well Father, once again You Blessed my family and I with another lovely weekend. As I was still recovering from my week-long illness and Shannon wasn’t feeling 100% either, much of our time was spent resting and “puttering” around the house. Nonetheless, having that down-time to spend in the presence of those we love and enjoying that Blessed fellowship made for a wonderful respite from the week’s activities.
This week’s Meditations Monday Scripture was inspired by an extensive conversation Shannon and I had following church services on Sunday. You’ve Blessed me with a wonderful wife Father. Not only has the bond You’ve established between us grown closer over the life of our marriage, but we’re able to talk about absolutely anything with one another without concern of judgment or fear. In this case, our discussion was centered around some of our past and current priorities as a married couple, and how as our Walks with You progress, we want to be sure we’re following Your desire for our lives in everything we do. It was an excellent dialogue, and it allowed us to open and reexamine our perspectives on a number of things we’re involved in.
Today, as I spent time absorbed in Christ’s teachings, one particular passage brought our conversation back to mind, and reached into my heart:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
We have Jesus’ words Father… Your words… And while those words have been researched, translated, paraphrased and debated over and over again, the meaning of them remains timeless and unchanged. Through the power of the Holy Spirit You write those words on our hearts, and through our prayers their wondrous message is unlocked, and made to live inside us. It’s up to all of us to put those divine teachings to practice in our lives, thereby bringing ourselves closer to You in the process.
Heavenly Father,
Your Word and Your Voice sustain us Lord; they nourish our spirits, and inspire our actions. Please continue to reveal Your purpose for our lives, so we may proceed in the knowledge that Your glory is represented to the full. Guide us Father; fill our hearts with Your presence, that our actions may justify the Blessings You bestow on us each day.
To begin our week’s conversations Lord, I want to thank You for yet another lovely weekend filled to the brim with Your Blessings. Friday night we attended a spaghetti dinner at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC to benefit the “Jesus Freaks” youth group. The food and fellowship were wonderful, and it was very well attended. Saturday, the boys stayed with friends for the day while Shannon and I got the opportunity to attend an end-of-summer pool party. Sunday began with an inspiring church service, and then while Shannon played her viola in the Dover Symphony at a local patriotic concert, the boys and I were able to catch up on overdue housework, grocery shopping and laundry. As seems to be our “normal” lately Father, it was a very busy weekend, but certainly time we’re thankful for.
As You know Father, each morning I’ve been reading a daily devotional message from the Stand Firm magazines that Shannon got me a subscription to for Father’s Day. This morning’s message was focused on love and commitment, and it very much resonated with things that You and I have been discussing quite a lot as of late. The passage cited in the devotional was from the first chapter of the Book of Ruth, and details Ruth’s response to Naomi when Naomi attempts to send her back to her family following the death of Ruth’s husband (Naomi’s son):
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” – Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)
Such a powerful statement of commitment Lord, and unfortunately something we see far too little of in society today. Unwavering devotion to those we love, and to You Father, should be our firm goal and desire each and every day. If we all looked to replace our selfish, wayward thoughts with the yearning to care for and serve others, and to praise You with each waking breath, our world would be truly transformed.
It’s certainly something I’ll be praying on this week Lord.
Heavenly Father,
As we go through the day Lord, please fill our hearts with the desire, devotion and drive to unselfishly and openly bring Your love to those around us. Grant us the resolve in our hearts Father, that we may committedly focus ourselves on those relationships that You Bless us with; our marriages, our families and our friendships, that we may glorify You thorough those connections.
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.
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. 
