Normality Rocks

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

With Kay’s Kamp coming up in a little over a week Lord, and just having gone through Jonathan’s yearly Oncology exams and scans, my head and heart have been drifting back to some very turbulent and fearful times for our little family.  Being helplessly thrown into that uncertain world of doctors, chemotherapy, steroids, surgeries and rescue protocols took Shannon and I to an entirely new place in our marriage, and tested our commitment and resolve to each other by fire each day.  It was a harrowing time in our lives, and one that has shaped our family this last ten years to a great extent.

I didn’t know You then Lord… I mean, I knew OF You, but I certainly wasn’t walking with You at the time.  What I did know is that I was angry as Hell at You for doing this to us; for torturing my son that way, and for making us live in fear and pain.  I blamed You for all of it Father, every little bit.  And somewhere in the midst of all of that turmoil, I hit rock bottom…

And You were there to pick me up.

I’ll be honest Father, I didn’t realize it was You at the time.  I do know however, that somewhere in that dark, terrifying place I began to see things through different eyes.  It wasn’t that Jonathan was improving drastically, but instead of focusing on the despair I’d been feeling while walking down those long, bleached hallways at A.I. Dupont, I started noticing signs of kindness, and love, and hope that somehow I’d missed before.  It was a turning point… no, a starting point in my life, and one I’m still thankful for today.

So therefore Father, today I’d like to thank You.  Thank you for new beginnings… for faithfulness to a broken, scared child… for Your healing light inside Jonathan… and for ten years of normality.

Yes Lord, we still have trials in our lives, and pain, and uncertainty.  But now we also have the knowledge and comfort that You’re with us on this journey; guiding us, nurturing us, and picking us up when we stumble on the Path.  You see, I’ve realized that “normal” doesn’t mean that life moves along smoothly, it means that we understand and Accept that life is a journey of Your Design, and embrace it as the amazing Gift it is.

Normality rocks.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday: Seeking Fault

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

And once again Lord, we lay behind us yet another lovely weekend filled with family, friends and Your obvious Love for us all.  While the scorching weather restricted our outdoor activities, there were many Blessings to be found inside with good company, good food and great fun to be had by all.  Thank You so much for those days of respite Father!

Today’s Meditations Monday Scripture comes from Chapter 9 of the Gospel of John:

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”” – John 9:1-3 (NIV)

Now Father, something I hear quite regularly from people going through difficulties in their lives is “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why is God doing this to me?”.  I’ll admit it, I’ve even had those thoughts myself over the years.  In the case of this passage, when Jesus and His disciples came across a man who had been blind since birth, the question was raised as to whose sin was at fault for his affliction; the man’s or his parents.  Jesus clearly replied that it was in fact neither, but instead was intended to allow for Your Grace to be made manifest.

This is an important and powerful truth Father, and one that I fear we all miss now and again.  As the limited beings we are, we try desperately to put everything into a “Cause and Effect” bubble.  And while quite often there are certainly consequences for our actions, not all earthly suffering is a direct result of a specific “Instigating” sin.

When my son Jonathan was born and we were initially given his grim diagnosis, I spent many hours asking “Why?!?… Why would You do this to us?!?”  I was angry, and scared, and very insistently sought answers that at the time, seemed never to come.  Ten years later, I realize now that Your Plan for his life, and for mine to a great extent, needed those events to unfold as they did.  Our lives, and the lives of many others were altered by his struggle, and Blessed in ways we’re still unraveling today.  We weren’t being persecuted for something we’d done, but were instead walking a journey designed by the One with the “Big Picture” in His sight.

“but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

Heavenly Father, as this week begins I pray that in times of trial you open our hearts and minds to this fundamental truth.  Let us see past our desire to seek fault and lay blame, and gain strength from the knowledge that Your Path for our lives comes from a far greater perspective than our own.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Closing the Week in Prayer

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

To conclude this week’s postings Lord, I’d like to say a couple of prayers if I may.

First off Father, it’s hot here today… in fact, dangerously so.  With a temperature of around 100 degrees and high humidity, the heat index shows us at around 117 degrees outside.  For those of us who are Blessed with good health it’s oppressive enough, but for those who are more vulnerable to the effects of these conditions (young children, the elderly, asthmatics, etc.) this weather can pose serious health risks.  Please wrap all those affected by these climatic conditions in Your Protective Embrace.  Let them feel the cooling breeze of Your Holy Spirit, and give them the resources needed to combat the effects of this weather.

Secondly Lord, several of my “Bloggy” friends are attending the “She Speaks” Conference this weekend.  I pray that Your Presence is felt in abundance at this gathering, and that their hearts and minds are opened wide to gain what this experience has to offer.  Please protect and watch over their families while they’re away, and bring them home safely when it’s completed.

And finally Father, I’d like to thank You for leading me to find the Glo Bible website today.  I’m always on the lookout for new sources of information to assist me in my Walk with you, and the Glo Bible is an amazing tool.  After downloading the free version and working with it for part of the morning, I ended up purchasing the Premium content as well.  I’m looking forward to spending time exploring it this weekend, and placing it in Jonathan’s hands as well.  With all the rich multimedia and interactive tools Glo contains, I think it could open a whole new line of thought and prayer for him as he delves deeper into Your Word.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for yet another Blessing-filled week.  I pray that Your Divine Peace and Comfort is felt by all those in need, and for Your continued Guidance in making choices and decisions that best glorify Your Will for us.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Every Season

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Lord, once again we come to the Thankful Thursday post here at phatherphil.org.  It’s been a pleasant week following our return from vacation, however I will admit to missing the wonderfully comfortable weather and serene environment we enjoyed in the mountains.  We’ve been beset by days of hot, humid weather here, so the contrast to our time away is made even more obvious.  However as one of my fellow Christian Bloggers noted, every season exists for a purpose, and this too shall pass when You intend it to.

Anyways Father, no matter the weather conditions I always have a multitude of Blessings to give thanks for.  Such as…

151. Quiet back roads on which to travel to and from work each day.

152. Having the vast research resources of the Internet at my fingertips.

153. A safe drive home from our recent vacation.

154. A lovely dinner out with Shannon on her birthday.

155. Being able to attend the Meet & Greet last Sunday for Kay’s Kamp (Jonathan is SO excited).

156. Whispered challenges on my heart to Dig Deeper.

157. Time spent “Plugged into You”.

158. The perspective gained from visiting other churches.

159. Being a Father to two wonderful little boys.

160. Discussions about Scripture with fellow Christians that help me grow in Christ.

161. Having my children just give me a hug for no specific reason.

162. Quiet time to sit in the dark and read Your Word through YouVersion on my Nook Color.

163. Finding a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with amazing BBQ.  🙂

164. Receiving my shipment of Pocket Gospels of John from The Pocket Testament League (ptl.org).

165. A good cappuccino after church on Sundays from The Young Bean.

Heavenly Father, thank You once again for all those Blessings you grant us, both those that are obvious and those that may go unseen.  As we Strive for full restoration in Your service, please open our eyes and hearts to better recognize the amazing gifts You bring to our lives each day.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: A Week Away

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Ok Lord, yes I do know it’s actually Friday but as the day got away from me yesterday and I didn’t have the opportunity to post my Thankful Thursday article, I decided to do so this morning instead.  🙂

It’s been a wonderful, Blessed week away with my family Father.  Our visits to the mountains are something that we all look forward to eagerly each year, and it’s been a joyous, relaxing time once again.  Today is our last full day here, and although we’ll be headed home tomorrow the memories of this past week will stay with us for a long time to come.

So, without further ado Lord, this week I’d like to give special thanks for…

136. 78 degree days, and 52 degree nights with low humidity.

137. A sky so clear that at night with a full moon, the clouds light up like it was dusk.

138. Playing an evening game of Bocce with Jonathan.

139. A caring, thoughtful friend who cleaned our house for us while we’re away.

140. Getting the opportunity to attend church services with old friends.

141. Quiet time fishing.

142. Being surrounded by the abundant beauty of Your Creation.

143. An office staff who keeps the world at bay for me while I’m away.

144. Another wonderful visit to Claws ‘N’ Paws Zoo.

145. Seeing the joy on Jonathan’s face as he won the archery competition.

146. Children who continue to have a sense of whimsy and wonder.

147. Sitting on the back porch of the cabin late at night with good friends, good bourbon and a light breeze.

148. Having no signal on my mobile phone for most of the week.  🙂

149. The management and staff at Chestnut Grove Resort who always make our visit feel like coming home.

150. Reservations to come back here next year.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for a restful, rejuvenating and happy week away.  In these beautiful and peaceful surroundings I can truly feel Your Presence in abundance, and will be taking home with me a deeper sense of Your Wondrous Gifts to us.  Amen.

~Phather Phil