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

Meditations Monday: Bridging the Chasm

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

Today Father, I’d like to start the week by thanking You from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful vacation You Graced us with last week.  The weather was gorgeous, the scenery was breathtaking and all of us had a fantastic time away together.  For the first time since starting my business in 1997, I actually made a conscious decision to leave my mobile phone in the cabin and not call into the office each day… It was a practice that I’ll certainly be repeating on future trips.  The personal impact of using that time to focus on my family and on Your Presence, and to recharge my spiritual and emotional batteries can’t be overstated.  It was truly a Blessing to all of us, and I thank You wholeheartedly.

Today’s Meditations Monday Scripture reading comes from the book of John, and addresses an issue that all followers of Christ deal with at some point in their Walk; Disdain and in some cases, persecution for our Faith.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.  Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.  If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” – John 15:18-21 (NIV)

Now Lord, I don’t know of any cases where I’ve been outwardly hated for my relationship with You.  However, I have been aware more than once of some people avoiding my company because of the public emphasis I place on Your Word and Your Presence in my life.  These daily chats, along with my outreach efforts and scripture postings make some people uncomfortable, leading them to shy away.  By drawing the division between “children of the world” and the “children of God”, Jesus warns us that the rift between the two would lead to such conflicts, and to not be surprised by it.  Instead, we’re charged to reveal Your Light within us and allow it to bridge the chasm through signs and examples of Your Gracious Love.  The important thing to remember is this; although we will likely see hardships and resistance as Christians in a confused and troubled world, by keeping our gaze fixed firmly on Jesus, we’re assured the strength and peace to stand firm against the world around us.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NIV)

It’s lovely to be back Father.  🙂

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

Thankful Thursday: Days of Clarity

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

And once again Father, we come to the Thankful Thursday edition at phatherphil.org!  It’s been an eventful seven days to be sure, and I’ve felt Your Blessings overflowing around me throughout.  I usually have to take some time to go back over the past week carefully in my head to pick out the little Blessings I’ve missed, but today for some reason they sprang to mind quickly and easily.  It’s wonderful to have days of such clarity, and to feel like I’m walking the right path with You.  🙂

Anyways Lord, on to the list!  This week, some things I’ve been thankful for are:

121. Living in a country that allows me to worship You without fear of persecution.

122. Our upcoming family vacation to Chestnut Grove Resort in the Pocono Mountains.

123. Shannon getting to play her viola with the praise team at church.

124. The patient and professional doctors and nurses at A.I. Dupont Hospital for Children.

125. Shannon finally connecting with a helpful agent at the State of Delaware.

126. Having a GPS to help me navigate when we travel.

127. Big sales on items just when I need them.

128. Empathetic gestures between my two boys.

129. Being able to spend a long holiday weekend in the company of good friends.

130. A wonderful new Christian book to read while on vacation.

131. Friends who offer to watch our dogs and the house while we’re away.

132. Our Most Important Freedom.

133. The power of prayer.

134. Spam filters.

135. The medical technology that allows Jonathan to live a normal life.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for all the Blessings you grace us with, both those that are seen and those that may pass unnoticed.  You are indeed a God of compassion and of wonders, and I pray that my choices, decisions and actions will properly Glorify Your gifts to us all.  Amen.

~Phather Phil

If You Prick Me…

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Today Father, my prayers are focused on my son Jonathan and my wife Shannon as they spend time at the A.I. Dupont Hospital for Children.  The appointment today wasn’t expected to be a big deal; simply an MRI with and without contrast to check and make sure that Jonathan’s LCH was still behaving itself.  As the scans were going to take a while and required Jonathan be perfectly still, the plan was to sedate him so that he could sleep through the process.  This seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea and after he’d been given some Versed to relax him a bit beforehand they got him ready for the procedure…

And then he saw the IV needle.  He was no longer relaxed.

Jonathan has a very serious fear of needles Father, and from what Shannon described he changed instantly from my gentle, loveable little boy into a raving, angry, terrified child.  In the end, they had to give him general anesthesia (gas) to get him under for the scans, requiring a longer stay at the hospital and leaving Shannon emotionally exhausted in the process.

Following the phone conversation with Shannon bringing me up to speed on the day’s events, I started thinking about the fear Jonathan must have been feeling at that moment.  His dread of needles has deep-seated roots, far beyond what he remembers.  As an infant, Jonathan’s disease and subsequent treatments required he be all too familiar with the prick of a needle.  And even though he’s not had to endure a large number of sticks since that time, there’s an underlying anxiety that grips him whenever he requires one.

So, how to address this fear with him Lord?  Well, if we examine Your Word there’s quite a bit of wisdom to draw on.  As I know Jonathan reads this Father, I’d like to use the rest of our time today to pass some of those thoughts along to him here if I may…

Dearest Jonathan,

“For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.” – Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

Whatever pain, fear or trials we face in this life, we need not be afraid because God never leaves our side.  He’s stayed close to you all of your life, and seen you through amazing hardships.  When fear grips your heart and threatens to take control, I want you to close your eyes and feel God’s Hand firmly grasping yours.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

The Lord desires that we show our character and faith in him through acts of trust.  Courage isn’t the absence of fear Jonathan, it’s having fear and yet doing what you know is right with the knowledge that God will give you the strength to get you through when you lay those burdens at His feet.

“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

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 40:28-31 (NIV)

We weren’t created to rely completely on our own strength Jonathan.  We get tired, and stressed, and scared.  Thankfully, we have our Heavenly Father to hold us up and provide us that “Holy Nudge” to get us through when we call on Him.  I see so much of God’s Light in you, and when you seek His help I know that you’ll find it in abundance.

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

I love you kiddo.

Amen.

~Dad (Phather Phil)