Meditations Monday: Lessons on a Cold Morning

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

This past weekend Lord, was absolutely wonderful.  Friday night we enjoyed a tasty dinner with friends at our home, and got some much-appreciated assistance moving furniture around for the upcoming Small Group Study we’re hosting which begins next week.  Saturday we joined some friends at the Chesapeake Celtic Festival in Snow Hill, Maryland.  While it was a little on the chilly side (which I was just fine with), we had a fantastic time watching the demonstrations, perusing the crafters’ displays and sampling some period food and drinks.  Sunday began with a rousing church service at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC, followed by an afternoon of catching up on housework, schoolwork and finding time for some much-needed rest.  All-in-all, it was a weekend filled with Your Blessings Father, and I thank You for that time.

As I’ve mentioned Father, it’s been getting progressively chillier here as we edge into Fall’s grip; a very welcome change in my book, I must say.  Well, this morning when I went to take the dogs out back for their morning run, I was greeted with a familiar sign of the season.  As I exhaled, my vision was temporarily clouded as my breath hung in the air before me.

“There’s a lesson here…” I heard You whisper.

“There is?” I thought.  Well Lord, for much of the remaining morning my brain got in the way as I diligently tried to work through what You wanted me to glean from condensing water vapor in the morning chill.  I ran through passage after passage in my head, and finally resolved that You’d let me know when You were ready.

Walking into my office this morning, You once again broke the silence with a simple message:

“Seen, or unseen.”

Ok, that was Scripture I recognized…

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

Reading that Father, I understood exactly what you intended to get through to me this morning…

Sometimes, what we can’t see is far more important than what we can.

Your Holy Spirit is very much like the breath within me; I go through each day rarely considering the necessity of those gasses bringing vital oxygen to my lungs, but without them I would very quickly cease to function, and die.  Unlike this morning, in most cases I can’t see the air I breathe, but it’s there sustaining me all the same.  Along that same line of thought, without Your Holy Spirit within me, my connection to Your eternal presence would be severed, and death would truly be a final act.

It’s absolutely no accident that the Hebrew word for spirit “ruach”, is also translated as “wind”, or “breath”… Just like the cloud that escaped my mouth on this chilly October morning.

What a wonderful lesson to start my week Father.  🙂

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

A Foundation on the Rock

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

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.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Thankful Thursday: Bountiful Mercies

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Well Father, as You know this has been a complicated week for my family and I.  As I mentioned on Monday, the respiratory infection I contracted last week blossomed and it’s been beating my body up quite significantly.  And although I’m very much still under this bug’s influence, I’m thankful that it seems to at least be getting a little better.  Nonetheless, the true Blessing in all of this has been the amazing amount of support I’ve received from family and friends.  Be it through prayer, dropping off of medicine, checking in on me, or just expressing concern, I’ve seen examples of Your presence throughout.  I am truly Blessed Father, and I thank You for connecting me with each and every one of these kind people.

And now, on to this week’s list!  This week Lord, I’ve been particularly thankful for:

271. The kind, caring people who reached out to me while I’ve been ill.

272. Being Spiritually Healthy.

273. Zithromax.

274. Blueberry Tea.

275. Having the “Torchwood” TV series on my media server for entertainment while laying in bed.

276. Officially becoming members of Ewell’s St. Paul UMC last Sunday.

277. A warm dog on the foot of the bed to keep me company.

278. A wonderful day spent relaxing, cooking and chatting with good friends.

279. A wonderful wife who’s picked up my slack and let me rest this week.

280. Banana Cake.

281. Inspiration from unusual places.

282. My staff providing me the quiet to take a short nap on my couch in the office yesterday.

283. A friend with an excess of nebulizer supplies.

284. The “Scrabble” application for my Android tablet that’s kept me from going stir crazy while resting.

285. New opportunities to spread Your light to others.

So many Blessings Father…

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for all those Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light up the Heavens, and those that grace us quietly without fanfare.  For while our situations here on earth may change, Your bountiful mercies in our lives remain constant.  We are truly Blessed.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil