It's Thanksgiving!!

I love Thanksgiving. I like the holiday and the time off but I really love thanks giving. I love to thank God for the many wonderful blessings that He has bestowed. I'm thankful for my health. I'm thankful for the children that God has allowed me to parent. I'm thankful for my pets. I'm thankful for Christmas lights. I'm thankful for a vehicle that runs. I'm thankful for a bathtub. I'm thankful for the Internet. I'm thankful for words. I'm thankful for the food that fills my belly. I'm thankful for pickles. I'm thankful for the wind. I'm thankful for laughter. I'm thankful for friends that surround me. I'm thankful for cinnamon. I'm thankful for being able to read. I'm so glad that God is. I'm so glad that He gives. I'm so glad that He lives!

(Dear Lord, I do thank you. Thank you for being my strong tower. Thank you for allowing me to lean on the everlasting arms. Thank you for sheltering me under your wings. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for taking the price of my sin. Thank you for not letting me know just how much that cost. But, mostly, thank you for my salvation. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.)

Thoughts of My Father

I've been thinking about my father a lot in the past few months. Since his passing in September 2006, I've often thought of him and missed him yet there seems to be something different about these thoughts. In some ways, I did not know my father well. I knew him only as my father. He was a very private man. Dad did not waste his words. He preferred spending time in the woods over spending time in the city. He provided for his family. He protected us. It is my shame that I never got to know him as a person. I hunger for that knowledge now. I want others to tell me what they knew about him.

Mostly, I want to know his relationship with Jesus. He never talked about it. I search my memories for how Dad was an example of Christ. I diligently seek to identify those characteristics from Galations 5 in his life.

(Dear Lord, thank you for the earthly father you gave me. Help me to identify Your presence in his life. Help me to make sure Your presence is evident in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.)

Awesome God

Yes, my God is awesome. He is so good, faithful, and consistent. He cares for me. He is orchestrating things for my good even when I don't know it. Yes, He is awesome. My work was overwhelming me. The project could not be accomplished in the time frame given. I sought God's protection and relief through prayer. I prayed, my family prayed, my church sisters prayed. But, God had already been at work on the hearts of those at work. He brought us to a place of understanding so that the project time line was extended. It happened in the time that He wanted. I was in a position of lost power and humility. He is great. He shows His power in these -- uh -- magnificent ways. There is no fan fare to it. It is in the things taken for granted. We, no, I have to stop and see them.

(Lord, thank you for taking care to put everything in place so that I would not be broken. Thank you for being in the little things. Your power is magified there. In Jesus' Name I pray, amen.)

Energy Drain

Ever had that feeling that your life energy is being sucked out of you? That feeling sorta like wind blowing over your skin as you move through it- only it's the stuff that keeps you going that is blowing away?

It's been like that for about 5 weeks now. There is so much going on in my head that I don't know what I've thought or what I should think next. There is much around me that pulls the energy away. I know that our battle is not flesh and blood but spiritual.

Television shows that undermine the authority of parents, shows that glamorize death, shows that promote indecency of all shapes and sizes. Music that plants suggestions in the minds of our youngsters. Enraged drivers without self-control and foul mouths all pull away the energy that sustains me.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

This is what energizes me. This is what brings me life. Jesus.

(Lord God, thank you for the life that you have provided for me to live. Thank you for the blessings that line each and every moment of my existence. Thank you for the reminder that you provide life and when you provide life it is good life. In Jesus name, amen.)

So much...

I have so much on my prayer list this evening. Each of the blogs I follow has something that I want to bring before our Great God. My day has many items that I know He knows but I want to discuss with Him.

I have so much for which I am thankful. I am reminded that the volume of the books could not hold all that Jesus did during His earthly ministry. My mind can not hold all my thanks or my requests. I have to give them over to God.

(Lord, I'm in an attitude of prayer even now. Hear my voice. Give me the grace to accept the answer to each request as You provide it. Give me the grace to accept Your will in every situation even and most especially when it is not what I'm requesting. Thank You, in Jesus' name, amen.)

Fireproof - Oh, yes!

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

I am a movie nut. I love going to the movies (except those stupid horror flicks that have NO purpose on the screen at any time or in any place). A good action film and I invest my emotions into the characters. I watch movies in my head as I read a book. Take for instance the Biblical book of Ruth. When I read, my mind's eye develops the scene and my mind's ear hears the dialog. I invest in these historical characters with the same gusto as I do the movies on my TV. I cry when the heroine/hero is hurting. I laugh when she/he laughs. I fall in love with the good guys and hold the bad guys at arm's length.

So, I must confess. I spend money on movies. I try to be discerning about the movies. I am only willing to spend so much money on any particular movie. When I learned that the movie ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church released a good movie. I determined to spend money on the movie at the theatre (twice) and to purchase the DVD. Then, I waited patiently for the next release (okay not real patiently).

My daughter and I went to see Fireproof this weekend. I will be going back with my son next weekend. My heart broke during the opening of the movie. I thank God for the clear message. There is much more I'll blog about this movie and my own personal experiences as time goes along (and the Lord tarries).

If you want to put your money where your mouth is and back up your Chrisitian values, go see this movie. Honor God with your presence there.

(Lord, I thank you that you have forgiven my sins. I thank you that you created marriage and that you gave it to mankind. I thank you for a movie that helps show what a marriage that honors you takes. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.)

Messing with Technology Interfaces

It is amazing the knowledge that we have gained and use collectively as a society. Yet, the simplicity of the foundation on which all that knowledge rests is incredible. I

• updated my Facebook,
• updated my blogs,
• transferred pictures from my camera, and
• updated a web site.

Those were the things I did for myself. As an IT professional, I do those types of things (and more) every day for other people. It never ceases to amaze me what we can do with zeros and ones. Yes, that really is what it's all about... 101100111100001101011010... zeros and ones. It's a zero or a one. It's on or it's off. It's either charged or not. I'm alive or I'm not. You believe or you don't. How simple is that?

(Lord, thank you for making it so easy. Forgive me when I try to add to it and make it difficult. Thank you for being the great I AM. In Jesus' name, amen.)