Cool is...

                                                                                                                                         (orig posted March 27, 2012)
...Watching your mom receive her 50^th college celebration diploma.  I did and loved every moment of it.  Baylor’s golden diploma event honoring the Class of '62. Wow. Nostalgic and humbling. To be a child, watching your parent's acheivement, pretty amazing!

Made me ponder whether the children of Israel ever felt the same. Watching their "Daddy" achieve miraculous signs and wonders. Knowing they were related to Him. Remembering that they were grafted into that Vine.

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and I will meditate on Your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and I will proclaim Your great deeds.” (Psalm 145:3–6, NIV84)

"Growth in grace is measured not by the fact that you have not gone back, but that you have an insight into where you are spiritually; you have heard God say ‘Come up higher,’ not to you personally, but to the insight of your character."   (Oswald Chambers)

+1

February 29 is leap (year) day. What are you going to do to make it worthwhile? I mean, we always talk about not having "enough time." So here we are, handed an extra day on a platter.

February 29 only occurs every four years, and is called leap day. The day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days. By occasionally inserting an additional day or month into the year, that drift can be corrected. A year that is not a leap year is called a "common year."

Have mercy...that means this is an un-common year!!  What are you going to do in order to make it so in your life?  Put that task off no longer. Listen to the Lord now. Go where you've never gone before.

The Bible says, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  Psalm 90:12

That makes a lot more sense in an uncommon year like this one!

Couples Retreat

FBC Couples hang out during our Couples Retreat wknd in Austin. Date night, followed by a great time of laughter, lounging, and learning together!  

"Do we have to go home??" was the common sentiment.

Joy comes...on the driveway~

After an evening of rain, a dreary morning. Cool, grey, damp, soggy, not much to motivate one’s spirit. Then I raised the garage door and I was met with a colorful surprise...

Rainbow chalk-work on the driveway greeted my morning and suddenly turned it vivid!  I chuckled and of course, smiled. (Have you today?)

“…joy comes in the morning!” (Psalm 30:5)

"I plan out each day and have it ready for you long before you arise from bed…Instead of assessing your energy level and wondering about what’s on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Me."  - Jesus    [Jesus is Calling]

“Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)

Kitchen Chicks

What a great time I had presenting hot pink aprons to our lovely "kitchen chicks!".  
Doris, Virginia, Brenda, and Suzanne do such a wonderful job hosting meals and serving in our church kitchen.
Thanks again, Ladies!

A Thai treat

What a privilege for me to join Thailand's National Christian Leadership Summit here in Texas!
22 of Thailand's top spiritual leaders all in one place, thanks to the efforts of our International Pastor in Residence, Young Wiraponsawan.

The best...

Does it get any better than a father baptizing his child, on Christmas Sunday...?
Not in this lifetime.

Live Nativity

Night one of live nativity complete. Foggy cool very Christmas. Crowd came in waves. Great job everyone!

Back...

After a blogging break, I'm back.

Back.  It’s such a simple little word (a good 4 letter word)!  Yet in the package of God’s Word, it's also a word that says so much to us:

 

“And the angel said, “Hagar, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away…” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back…and submit...”” (Genesis 16:8–9)

“The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.” (Isaiah 50:5

 

“My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.” (Jeremiah 24:6–7)

 

“Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” (Luke 6:30)

 

“But I have prayed for you…that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32)

 

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you” (2 Thessalonians 1:5–6)

 

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:39)

Did you know that your weakness doesn’t frustrate God? On the contrary, He wants you back…

Eventhough...

Day in day out we deal with a lot in life, don't we?  Wrestling with goals and presumptions, expectations and achievements, haggard health and questionable finances, on and on it goes.
Still, the Bible encourages us to let "the joy of the Lord be our strength."

Habakkuk sure had that perspective...(no that's not a Marboro brand, yes it was really a Bible prophet's name)

Habakkuk 3:17–19 (NIV84)

¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. ¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.


Here's a poignant piece...

"Remember that joy is not dependent on your circumstances. Some of the world’s most miserable people are those whose circumstances seem the most enviable. People who reach the top of the ladder career-wise are often surprised to find emptiness awaiting them. True joy is a by-product of living in God's Presence... Do not judge a day as devoid of Joy just because it contains difficulties...If you make problem-solving secondary to the goal of living close to God, you can find Joy even in your most difficult days."
     - Sarah Young

Then why do we experience difficult days? Trying circumstances? Frustrating people?  Perhaps to keep us dependent on Him. Self navigation leads to self confidence. And self confidence, not balanced with God confidence = drifting away from dependence on Him.  And if we drift away, we'll likely develop a “rich young ruler” syndrome…