Whistle While You Work

Whistle While You Work

I was asked by a co-worker the other day, "Why are you whistling and so happy all the time?" Now, she wasn't being mean- spirited, just a little curious of my jovial attitude, you know being at work and all. I replied, "The only other alternatives were to be sad or mad, and I didn't have anything to be sad or mad about." She quickly responded that she was neither of these, but labeled her outlook as "indifferent." I had to return to work so this conversation had to be sidelined. I walked away, but what we discussed stayed on my mind. I began to ponder all the reasons I had to be happy. I came up with quite a few, but you know how the Devil can be. He preceded to remind me of the many problems I have in my life, and attempted to detract from the blessings that God has bestowed unto me. So I started to mentally tear apart Satan's negativity.

It went something like this:

Satan - "You know you haven't got a big house with all the amenities that a modern domicile would entail."

Me: "Your right. The house that God gave me the ability to purchase was built in 1950. And being quite a bit older than I it needs RESTORATION, inside and out, just like me. Guess what though, you old devil you, this house as with this world is not my home. I'm heir to a kingdom beyond my imagination in heaven, and this is not yours to deny!"

DISPUTE OVER LIVING CONDITIONS SQUASHED!

 

Satan: "Well, you don't have a lot of money, nor did your God bless you with the ability to earn a lot. You don't have a college education to speak of, nor do you drive a nice car. So, in reality what do you have that makes you so happy all the time?"

Me: "Once again, what you have stated is true. I will emphatically end this debate once and for all, devil. I have HOPE for a better tomorrow. The reality You speak of is not my REALITY. I have the LOVE of God that surrounds me daily. When the burdens of this world get to heavy I simply turn them over to Dad. My Father gave me FREE WILL, and with this I can choose my direction. Dad lays before me a path that leads to Him, and I chose this. As a result, I have received eternal salvation, which I will cash in on when I leave this world. While I am here though, I choose to be happy, optimistic, and more positive. There is entirely too much negativity in this world, and I choose not to be a part of that. Before you ask the next question, I will answer this one also. I'm sure you were going to say, "Well, you have to face the harsh reality of pain, suffering, disease, and the unexpected death of loved ones that God so easily takes from this earth leaving you wondering 'Why?"  Yes, this is something that I have to face, but not something that I have to attempt to control by questioning the unexplained. I don't know why these things happen. I don't know why God decided it was the right time for mother to pass on, and reach the destination that I long for. This one thing I do know, and this is the reason for my happiness. God loves me, I have been forgiven of my sins. This love that I speak of was given freely, sacrificially, and without any strings attached. All I had to do to attain this AGAPE LOVE was to repent of my sins, which is a creation of You by the way, and ask Jesus into my heart. It was that simple. You say 'Rose-Colored Glasses' I say 'No, A GOOD PAIR OF SUNGLASSES SO I CAN LOOK TOWARDS THE SKY AND SEE THE "SON!" My "reality" is above not here or below, so instead of being dull on this earth I choose to GLOW!"

Big Sky... Little Town

Lord how I miss home. The beautiful, infinite sky of Texas. The brightness of the stars that seem to go on forever and ever. Across this same expanse I have witnessed some of the most breath taking arrays of lightning slowly crackling in one area while just across the way they w were striking down towards the ground as if the soul source of it's existence lies within the soil of the earth. You may say, "I have experienced these events or similar in my life as well, so what's so special about the sky in Texas?" I am certainly not attempting to minimize your memories, but the sky in the Lone Star State is, well as the old adage goes, ' Bigger in Texas. ' Northeast Texas, particularly Paris in Lamar county, where if you look out into the great expanse of sky above and earth below you will not see an end. The lands being flat makes for a cinematic experience that I can only equate to the viewing of a production seen on an IMAX screen while sitting in the middle row of the theater. It is something to see. In Paris, we have a claim to fame as well. The replica of the Eiffel tower spotlighted in my post can be found in this rural town. The size has been scaled down quite a bit, but if you'll notice in the picture, you will see the red Cowboy hat placed prominently on the top of this tower. That is more than just a hat. To me, it is a sign of pride, a stamp of approval if you will, a realization to the locals that no matter how far out you are if you take a look across that giant expanse of Sky and across the flat lay of the land you can see a red Cowboy Hat on top of a tower that states with pride, "No matter how hard times get, no matter where we end up in this life, or what state we currently reside, when the dust from the fields settle and the tractors stop rolling, and the cows are bedded down for the night, there is one solid that remains. That is when we see our tower, you know the one with the red Cowboy hat on top, we know God gave us that large sky in Texas to lead the locals back home. It doesn't matter how small you're town is when the sky is never ending.

Stone By Stone

Stone after stone, block upon block we build our walls. Very labor intensive making sure that all materials are positioned perfectly, sealed, and set just right. We cannot allow seepage from the outside. All the sealant must set completely so outside elements cannot damage what's inside. These steps are necessary if we were to build foundation or erect a wall, but in order to establish a relationship with God this is not a process we should use. Allow me to explain.

From birth forward, we as humans, are taught that in order to leave a legacy we must secure our standing in Society. If we are to accomplish this task then we will have to attain the standards which have been set forth and established as the "norm"  by the society in which we live, would you agree?
 

The path taken by most to climb the ladder is success, in my opinion, generally follows this progression.

 

   1.  Get an education/Obtain a degree.
 

   2.  Start a career, preferably involving what you went to school for.

   3.  Get married/start a family.

   4.  Buy a house
.

   5. Have children, get a couple of pets and the white picket fence
.

"Voila!" You have managed to build the perfect life according to the expectations placed on you by your peers. What now?

Successfully we have built our lives around all these material things, yet we are still lacking. The size of our homes, the make and model of the car we own, the financial gains we have made, and that all important place in society we have worked so hard to establish still does not fill that longing in our spirit. We have, with precision, placed those blocks and stones very securely in place so as to build our foundations, while at the same time we have not allowed room in our lives for Jesus. Somewhere along the way we have lost sight of what really matters.
 

All of these material things I speak of are important in order for us to thrive in a society that has placed a value on everything including people. We, however, should not allow our financial portfolio to define us as human beings. Instead, we should start putting stock into what God has placed inside of each one of us; His love, grace, and mercy. These are so much greater than what we have or can attain on this earth. Our foundation, eternal foundation, comes from within and has been with each of us from the point of our creation. When our Heavenly Father breathed life into our bodies, at the same time, we were filled with the eternal Hope of a life with Him. When we leave this world behind, the size of our home, the car we drove, nor the amount of money we were able to acquire will not go with us into the ever after. So, instead of placing blocks made of worldly value, lets start from the foundation we have inside. Don't allow your lifestyle to hinder your growth eternal.

Lesson at the Beach

While on vacation I have been afforded a great opportunity to reflect. No hurry, no worries, haven't got to be any particular place at a certain time, so I thought; Why not make the best of it? While drinking my morning coffee sitting on the balcony, no one up but me and the sea gulls, I had a chance to listen. I could not see the waves crashing on the shoreline but I could hear them. The stars in the sky were plentiful. As the night began turning into morning the view I had was perfect. I saw the beach covered with sand, I could see the horizon over the ocean, and I could see the waves. The smell of salt from the ocean was in the air. In a span of about a half an hour I was able to witness the pure, unadulterated beauty of a minute part of God's creation. WOW!

Question. What do the stars in the sky, the grains of sand on the beach, the horizon where the ocean meets the sky, the waves crashing on the seashore, and God's love have in common?

Answer. All of these things are immeasurable. We cannot count neither the stars nor the grains of sand. We can see the horizon but not the end of the ocean, and the waves crashing against the shore; well they are innumerable.

But God's love for us is even greater than all of these natural wonders.

Psalm 36:5-9 NIV

Your love, Lord , reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord , preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Just a little reflection this morning from someone who woke up a little to early. God bless and have a good day.

News Worthy?

EXTRA, EXTRA,    READ ALL ABOUT IT!

START

This is my first post in quite some time. I hope there are some out there still interested in the myriad of thoughts that run through my head, and I am hoping just as well that you will give this post some attention. It seems that my life has been extremely busy these last few months, and I have not had the time to blog. Hopefully, this will be the start of many more to come. Lately, I have been thinking about the mission field, both home and abroad. God has brought me so far in my walk compared to my last post. He has connected me with several people who have a kindred heart and love for spreading the "Good News." Since this will be my first ever Mission Trip, I am very excited, and at the same time I'm a bit apprehensive. I want to make sure that I am following God's lead, and not just satisfying my own desires. Needless to say, this has occupied a great deal of my time and thoughts. This post is about finding a starting point and following through.


There are many times in our lives when opportunities present themselves. Regardless of what they  may be, or at what stage in our lives they arrive; we need to take advantage of those opportune moments. I look back on my own personal experiences and think, "Where would I be right now if I had just taken that job, or What could I have done differently to make my life better than what it is today?" Through my journey with Christ I have come to realize that I am exactly where I am supposed to be because I have chosen to follow Him. My past does not matter, God holds the future in His hands, and now is NOW! I choose to live my life forward from today, and in doing use the voice God gave me to tell others about His wonderful Grace.

I have come to the realization that the minute I gave my life back to God, I became a new person; My Start button was pushed. I have decided to follow His lead, regardless of the cost. Service to others is something that is close to my heart, and when the opportunity arose for me to join others going to Guatemala next year I was very excited. This is not where my commitment ends, though. In every aspect of my life, financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually, I have resolved to take the path less traveled. Will this cost me? It is a very real possibility.

This is a point in time in which a very real decision must be made. Am I truly ready to sacrifice all that I have to follow Jesus? As you are reading this, you may be asking yourself the same question. If you have come to a point in your walk where the only thought that occupies your mind is "How can I shorten the distance between God and me?", then I would venture to say you have reached your Starting Point. What we do next is important. The opportunity has presented itself, the time is now, are you going follow through or will you allow this to pass by? There are many who have went before us, those who sacrificed all for the sake of spreading the Gospel. Do I have it in me? Do you have it in you? Are we truly willing to submit to God completely? 

GMAIL or JUNK MAIL...which are you?

Dear valued customer; Congratulations, Your A Winner; Urgent: Warranty Information






All of these have been on top of the envelopes of junk mail that have found their way into my mailbox. I suppose you have seen your fair share also, whether it be through delivery from the Post Office or on your computer. Most of us have received Junk Mail. My immediate response is to rip it up and discard the remains into my trash can or to tap the "delete" button on my keyboard. I suppose this is the reaction from most of society who are subject to the daily barrage of frequent mass mailings, bulk email, and spam that have become a part of our lives. As Christians, we are read daily also. Ask yourself this question; "Am I providing good reading material, or am I just adding to the never-ending pile of junk mail they will likely discard without giving a second glance." Lets begin to live our lives so that the goodness of God, our Father, is shining through. Make sure that every contact we have clearly identifies us as G(OD)MAIL and not JUNK MAIL.

Rising Up From the Earth Below...Not A Solo Trip

 There is something new and exciting that is currently taking place in my life. Thought-provoking, unknown adventures await me in my walk with Christ. Sounds awesome and I am so ready to go where God is going to lead, there's only one problem; I have no clue what I'm doing! As new Christians, I believe we all feel this way at one point or another. Everything seems to be moving at break-neck speed, and for people like me, this pace does not allow time to completely focus on any one particular area of the journey so I always feel as if I am leaving something out or not completing the task at hand before moving forward.

"This just in; I have received guidance from above!"

I AM NOT TO DO THIS ON MY OWN.

THIS IS NOT A SOLO TRIP!   

 Thank you Dad, teach me how to release control. Read further for instruction, enjoyment, or a good laugh. You never know, this post could be beneficial in your walk too.

"wonder" God

Our God is truly a God of Wonders. It is an awesome feeling to come to the realization that our Father created all that we see, feel, and smell. Everything that is within us; our senses, our physical abilities and disabilities, He is responsible for all. That being said, know that God does not make mistakes. All of our perceived problems come from the natural world in which we currently reside. We have been made in the image of Christ, as the bible tells us in  Genesis 1 …25God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.…


Any problem that you might have today, just know this; God cares and will not allow you as His child to fall or bear the burden alone. Rest in the knowledge that if we turn to Him in everything, not just when we need something, He will provide. A.W. Tozer states in his book Pursuit of God ” Let us believe God is in all our simple deeds and learn to find Him there.”  When we wake in the morning, put our feet to the floor, know that this is something to be thankful for. During the commute to work or school, give God thanks, and Believe that He is right there with us. We cannot escape the love of our Father, because He is everywhere. His presence is a constant. Whenever you feel alone, you’re not. Begin to take that in, and receive God’s unending love, mercy, and grace.


Everyday smile, shine that light that Dad gave us. It is in all of us, but just like a flashlight we have to switch it on. Remember, we are heirs to a kingdom where there is no pain, your social status does not matter; we all stand on equal ground and are one in the body of Christ. God bless each and everyone of you.

Take the time each day to thank God for all He has done for you, and then lift someone else up.  Find inspiration by being an inspiration.

Blessings in Disguise...Through a Cat Eyes

Blessings come in many forms. The cat you see in this blog is one of many unexpected gifts from God that I am thankful for. There are those of you out there that are not fans of the furry little felines. I was in your camp, that is, until Patches came into my life. His entrance came just at the right time. I have always considered these creatures to be more of a pest instead of a pet. The impression I had of cats was this; they shed hair easily, they're nosy, those claws can do some damage, and well, a bit on the snobbish side. They only want the attention when it benefits them, and at no other time will they be bothered with the humans. Well, I was in for a lesson and a blessing. This was all thanks to God who knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and I believe He might even get a little enjoyment out of surprising us with the unexpected.

Search...Just Make Sure You Look In the Right Place

   
Do you ever feel overwhelmed? In today's society there is way too much information. In order to find something it is as easy as picking up your phone and using one of the many platforms available to search. The answers are quick to come and they are many. Since the progression of social media, I find myself constantly on my phone scanning through Facebook, tweeting on Twitter, stumbling on Stumbleupon, 1+ on Google, or blogging on Blogger. That was tiresome just typing all of that. Its no wonder that our concentration level is so minute, and it probably attributes to the term everyone is so quick to use when trying to accomplish many things at once; multitasking. All of this is great stuff. We have become so technologically advanced that it is easy to lose sight of what really matters; GOD! So, slow down for a minute, take a deep breath, and try to overlook the fact that you are reading this through one of the SOCMED sights I am referring to in this blog, oops. No, I am not being hypocritical, just using a medium for the Glory of Yahweh.

Consistency or Persistence (Constant, Undeviating Approach vs Relentless Pursuit)

      

      Vs                                                                

All my life I have found that if I want something then I must be persistent in my attempts to gain that something. Persistence has it's value, and often times, as a result I am able to attain that which I have so doggedly pursued. But...I am worn out after that pursuit. During the untiring chase and capture of what I wanted, I find myself winded and wondering if all my hard work ever really mattered at all. Would it have been better to have had a measure of consistency in my approach, and as a result would I have inevitably gained that which I so longed for in the first place? Being persistent vs. being consistent is the question. Everyone has heard the old adage "Nothing is free," or "You get what you pay for;" but what if I were just consistent in doing what I know is right, without harming anyone during that process, would the result be the same?  What if that I so strive for, and in being persistent might have hurt someone along the way, could be obtained just by doing every day what needs to be done the right way.
Instilled in me, throughout childhood, was the thought that if I ever wanted anything from this life I would have to work for it. Now understandably, there are things that can only be obtained through the efforts of hard work and perseverance, but I have learned that certain things require only consistency.




Growing up, if there was a new Transformer that I just had to have; then certain things were required of me in order to receive this toy. It was common knowledge that nothing was free. Later on in life, the same principle applied to going to a movie, getting a new bike, buying a vehicle, or any other  event that required money or effort; it was evident that I would have to give something in order to receive something, and I had to be persistent in my efforts in order to attain that which I was trying for. Persistence has a way of clouding a person's judgement. I find that when I become resolute in achieving something, whether it be first place in stats at work or first place in a backyard football game, I am consumed by that want. Regardless of who I hurt, the method I use to attain that goal, or the toes I step on, the ONLY thing on my mind at that time is achievability.






Salvation, an eternity with God our Father, is not based on our persistence to gain entry. The bible tells us in  Titus 3:5-7 he saved us, not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life. I have found nowhere in the bible that says that our persistence will get us to Heaven.




Be baptized and repent of your sins. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Live life justified through His Grace, and be CONSISTENT in your walk with God. Key ingredients to a life well lived and a light shone bright.




Just the other day, I was involved in building an above ground garden using concrete blocks when I realized that being persistent versus consistent proved to be more of a hindrance than of value. A friend and I had mixed grout to core-fill some of the holes in the block in order to make the structure more sound and reliable. Now, you have to understand, neither of us had worked with concrete, much less grout, in a while. We were both tired, the sun had been beating down on us all day, and our brains were not functioning properly when we read the directions on the bag of grout, so the mistakes we made in this process could be expected (looking for sympathy not embarrassment). All joking aside, when we mixed the grout we did not mix it right. Needless to say, the persistence applied to getting the desired results was very time consuming and tiring. In this case, we kept coming up short. That is, until we realized our mistake. All of our tiring efforts did nothing for the mix, because the desired consistency could only be obtained by mixing water and grout together the right way.




As with the story above, being persistent was not good enough. It only served to make the job harder, longer, and more laborious. If we had only read the directions, and understood them clearly, we could have easily gotten the results we wanted by getting the right consistency in the mix to begin with. I do not believe that God intends for His children to persistently attempt to gain His acknowledgement  or our salvation through actions or deeds. By doing this, we only concentrate on what we can do, not  by what Jesus has already done. My belief is that we are to follow the path that has been laid out for us by our Father, and be consistent in that walk. Our sins have already been paid for. The directions can be found in God's Word, and if we understand them clearly, the desired result can be obtained; Eternity in our Heavenly Home with God through Consistency in our walk on Earth as Christians.