wow

Well, I am just besides myself, and of course it is difficult to share the enthusiam with any one. I have been busy to say the least with driving up from this semi-topic environment to the somewhat iffy climate of South Carolina for 4 days of emersing myself within various golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. The experience was one of those increadable natures, like you really would have to have been there to appreicate it, and of course, that is the situation. As yet I truely have not been able to effectively discribe this experience to another, mostly due to my inablilty to communicate and partly due to the abosolute lack of interest on the part of my listeners. I am aware of each persons needs to express words regarding their own self, each of us, and certainly me, have the inner need to be the focus of conversations with others. I have and am working on being, sometimes not very well, other times fairly well, a better listener. This intales not responding with a story about myself or something about my family whenever another relates something about them. However, I certianly would like at times to be able to have that same consideration. I know that sounds awefully selfish, I know that sounds so self absorbed, but truely I just believe it is taking turns. There are moments when each person needs to be able to discuss a portion of their life with others and have each of the listeners respond accordingly about those comments, that is to keep the conversation about the person who is sharing a moment of their life. Then after that is over and prehaps even another time those who listened could be the talkers. But life is not like that mostly, it is not that fair, we each struggle to be the center of what ever circle we are within. So my excitement over this course of that hole, this shot of that missed one, shall forever be within me, mostly due to my lack of being able to remember each one that thrilled me at the time, and partly to not being able to get it out.
Yet, wow! one of the greater times of my life, and yes, I know that sounds stupid, chasing a little white ball around the landscape. But unless you have done it, and done it with 7 others who appreciate the landscape and the challenge, you just cannot know.

You Amaze me

This Sunday morning during worship service we sang a song which included the lyrics “you amaze me”. As I stood there tears streaming down my cheeks singing those words, yes I sing, in tune or out, all the times when God has amazed me during my walk with him. I feel compelled to write a brief summary, a list if you will of some of those times.

First and foremost was the miracle he performed in order for me to yield to him,
the absolute heart stopping photographic miracle.

Second, my life, 40 years and counting with my dear wife Patty, he has amazed me.
Third, the love I receive from my two daughters Anne and Sarah, he has amazed me.
Fourth, his continued blessings in my life, seeing four beautiful granddaughters
Victoria, Margaret, Isabelle and Sophia, he has amazed me.
The countless times I have been touched by his hand
The endless grace and mercy he has bestowed upon me
I think of the time I broke my finger playing ball at a church picnic, the x-rays showed the finger was smashed, yet within 2 days God spoke to me, “take the splint off, I have healed you” never again has that finger ever bothered me. He amazed me.
I think of the time I smashed another finger with a 5lb hammer against a concrete wall, by accident, and I simply held it up and asked for a healing as I needed to work that day, all day, and as I took down that swollen throbbing finger, it was completely normal. He amazed me.
I think of the time, an acquaintance was in great pain at a conference we both were attending, He had to go to his room and lay down, I followed as God lead and asked if I could pray for him, he was healed and later turned his life over to the Lord and has been serving him in a mighty way, he amazed me.
I think of how he sustained my dear wife through years of back pain, and how through his divine hand lead us to a doctor who performed back fusion on her spine within days of the first visit. A miracle in itself, he amazed me
I think of how Patty and I were lead to our first home, without two dimes to rub together, God had a plan, 27 years in that home, raised our daughters there, he amazed me.
I think of how God lead Patty and I to Ohio and how the sale of the old home occurred within hours and the new home was just perfect for us, and how we are near our daughter Sarah. He amazed me.
I think, of course, that thanksgiving weekend of 2000, that heart attack in which I should have gone home to be with my Lord, yet because I asked to stay to take care of my wife, he allowed me, he sustained my very life until the doctors could clear a 100% blocked artery. He amazed me!

I think of the mended relationship I have with my sister, how different we are, yet our relationship is growing once more together, he amazed me!

I could go on for days and weeks, and perhaps it would sound as though I am bragging about me, but not the case, I am bragging about my Lord, he amazed me, he is amazing me each and every day.

walking

It hurts, it costs time, it costs energy, it costs caleries,yippie, it costs effort, it costs committment, it costs some pain, it costs sweat, but it is worth all that to know I am still able to do it. I am getting my two miles in at an average of 29 minutes, today it was 28:30. Walking allows me to think and to pray along the way, and both exercises enhance my being, the later of course, the most, not to mention the exercise of walking enhancing my physical being, mostly on the inside, like my heart and lungs, even those veins inside my legs. Yet with all those benefits you would think it would be a no-brainer, get out there and walk you dummy, but I must force myself to do it, force is a harse word, but never the less that is it. I would much rather sit and enjoy a more relaxed activity, like doing a devotion, painting little people, even playing spider on the pc. Yet it is only 30 minutes, come on Rich, you can afford that!

Participation

par·tic·i·pa·tion

par·tic·i·pa·tion (pär-tîs´e-pâ¹shen) noun
The act of taking part or sharing in something: Teachers often encourage class participation.
— par·tic´i·pa¹tion·al adjective[1]


What is it that we are taking part in, what is it that we are sharing? To take part in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To share in the Gospel of our Lord and Savior. To be a part of the body of Christ. To Participate means the act of taking part. It requires action on the part of each member sharing in the act. This is not a static or passive existence, but rather a moving, active, living organism, breathing and streaming with life and vitality.

We are commanded to “go” into all the world, that includes not just the far away places filled with lost souls speaking another language, but it also includes our local neighborhood, the people that live right on our own block, the couple next door, who are lost as well.

Each member of the Body of Christ is filled with the Holy Spirit of God who empowers each of us to be His witnesses. Bridging church to neighborhood, not mearly a certain denomination, or local church by name, but the church of Jesus Christ, which means bridging ourselves into the neighborhood, being the pathway which lost souls might be able to cross over from a life of sin and death into a life of light and love.

This is our participation

The question which continues to assurt itself within me is; during the course of life we all must stand up for the moral convictions instilled within by the Spirit, and in such, we come in inflict with some of those souls, and in doing so how then do we bridge the love of God toward them?



If I must participate, not only by revealing the gospel, in word and deed, yet stand firm to the convictions God has placed within me, then the task is not mine, but rather his.

The Slow Lane

After spending so many years of my life on such a set pace, a schedule which usually began in the before sunrise hours and ended as the sun was saying good evening to my part of the globe, I have moved over to the slow lane. It is a shame, to some extent, that life treats us in such a manner as to sneak by without as much as a hello. Why we run so fast, why we strive to accomplish so much, why we push ourselves to our limit exhausting our energy, and for some abusing our bodies all in the name of accumulation of things, a reputation, acknowledgement by others, making our mark, success, financial freedom, personal satisfaction, gratification or what ever other name we choose to call it. Yet it does seem to have all been conducted in the "fast lane" traveling at a blurring speed not slowing down enough to even enjoy the passing scenery. However, here I am, shifted gears, slowed down and moved over into the slow lane. The memories of past travels just that, only memories and in the past, I have yet to know someone who has arrived at their destination staring into the rear view mirror. Do I look back, of course, and with fondness of times spent with my dear wife, and our little girls. Those times of hugs and adoration, dad can fix anything, times of laughter filled with playing in the snow, building giant slides in the heaped piles of frozen snow in our front yard, trips to the zoo and so many more. I can recall so many, of the good times, yet still it is in the past, and I am still driving forward, and I am driving in the slow lane, perhaps this is the time to be able to recall so many of those events, perhaps at this speed one has longer times at stop lights, perhaps at this speed one has the occasion to use the rest stops more. What ever the case, I am enjoying this speed and still look forward to arriving at my destination. Still moving forward, just a bit slower. Did I enjoy those days at blistering speed, sure, I enjoy every day, but now I am able to see more. Thank you Lord for the slow lane.

Alone

Although I am a person who embraces each "day" from the prospective of it being a gift from God, and even though I enjoy this "day" immensely and look forward to whatever it is that I am able to do, whether that is work, play or just vegging out, yesterday was one that did not hold such glamour. I was forced by the events of extended family circumstances to bid the love of my life, my partner, my friend, my wife, my Patty farewell for a week. I was pressed upon to resign our time, nearly 24/7, together so that she might serve with her God given gift of "helps". With a swollen foot, discomfort and pain, my dear wife, put herself aside to leave the warmth behind, leaving me behind, to attend, to assist her sister and mother during a time of surgery and recovery for her sister. I am blessed beyond measure to have a woman like this to share my life with, to enjoy her love, and to love. This "day" I speak of was non other then our 38th wedding anniversary, yes, I was to say goodbye, for a short time, to her on the 20th.

Now, being alone, and I am one who does need some alone time, and true I am not completely alone, as staying here in the warmth I have my sister in the house and of course Keto, I still am more alone then I care to be. Those times with I need to escape to my basement, when I am home, or into the office, here at the house, I always know, I always feel, the presence of my beloved spouse. I always sense her being, her spirit, close to me no matter which room separates our physical proximity. However I must do what I must do, and get through this time I will, not liking it, not willing it, and I will play golf today, and enjoy each "day" I have as a gift, however the best gifted day will be Saturday when I meet her once again to feel her embrace, and to be able to hold her close once again. Missing you, my love.

Own Kind

More pondering about greys and black and whites has directed my thinking towards considering who might else be black and white, concrete thinkers, which in turn, lead me to ponder upon those individuals who are dedicated to the concept of having the great apes as great grandfathers many generations removed. As completely opposed and in disagreement with this people, I do however, admire their solid convictions. They are absolutionists ( I know that is not a word) But it does best describe them as well as myself. I live in the absolutes. Now as I peer into my own beliefs as opposed to those I aforementioned, I do have to establish the fact that each of us has approached the answers to life and it's beginnings from two different starting points. It is my understanding, of course I could be misinformed, ( unlikely) the evolutionists have started from the base camp of humanity. I have started from the base camp of God's word. Oh I know, I have already polarized the situation, and even the greys might say that both starting points might be right and compatible with each other. This is just the kind of thinking I am not capable of. Starting from the base camp that I do, I have to state each living specimen has given birth to it's own kind. I use as the truth for this cause the following scripture:

Gen 1:24-26
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." NIV

The argument that some kind changed at some point just does not agree with this, the first recorded history of mankind's beginning. Rather then trust what was recorded as dictated by the creator, these people must insist they can tell more from dead remains of it's own kind.

Now this could be the longest of blogs which I will spare you from having to endure. I only wish you to ponder this too. I invite your comments.