Interesting devotional considering how I feel

Jesus said that certain events would signal the nearness of His coming: There will be wars and rumors of wars; there will be famines and earthquakes; Christians will suffer persecution for the sake of Christ; false prophets will come and teach heresy, leading many astray; lawlessness will abound as people do what is right in their own eyes; the authorities will be unable to control crime. Because of lawlessness, people will become cynical and fearful, and their love for others will grow cold (Matt. 24:6–12).

The last line sums me up to a degree....

Another interesting tidbit that I am unclear about is what lawlessness is Jesus referring to? Government or biblical, ot law?

Changes

I have been a drifter lately. Not really good at anything or even interested in pursuing anything. I found that the first thing to go was a desire to further relationships. I notice that people that I am not close to..I don’t care if I get close to. It’s like I am not interested in the work that requires and I am not interesting enough to develop the relationship without that work. So, that gets put in the “too much effort for the reward” column and doesn’t get worked on.

 

However…(sometimes I hate that word)….however, I read a page of a book and it is making me think about my relationship with my kids even more. Are we developing deep relationships or are we rehashing the same ol’ stuff day after day. And, then I heard a song by Lincoln Brewster called Real Life and it spoke to leaving a legacy..and I thought some more.

 

The book spoke to teaching our kids the wonder and amazing-ness of God even in little flowers…The song spoke to leaving a legacy…The book talked about the details of creation and the intelligence of our God…The song speaks of the yesterdays that we had in real life, a place we took for granted. Praying that the moments now as a father, will last.

 

In my rapid and inevitable climb to middle age there are some adjustments that I am discovering I need to make…that I want to make.

 

I want to be a teacher to my kids. Not a professor. When I have had good teachers, they do exactly that…they attempt to take the knowledge they have and form it in a way that the student will understand it, digest it…and have it become their own. Professors…simply profess. The reason for this is blah, blah..the way that goes it blah, blah. They don’t ever seem to “care” about the student to the degree that I would want to as a teacher.

 

I want to be a learner – improve at the things that are worth my time.

 

I want to love others regardless of whether they love me or not.

 

I want to pray more.

 

I want to have a REAL relationship with the Lord.

 

I want my kids to see the importance of all that, I want to be teaching them those things and I want them to claim it for their own so that they have what they need in life to make decisions of utmost importance. They may not ever really say it, but, I would want to have covered enough stuff with enough depth and enough love for them to say, “what would Dad say about that?” Essentially, to have them reflect on our relationship because I cared enough to take the time and do the work.

 

I want to NOT be lazy.

 

Amen.

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Amazing

My wife is very thoughtful…and the weird thing is that she loves my company. Here are some of the wonderful things that she does to prove it:

Leaves me the best notes in my lunchbox

Wants to have date night (with me!)

Gets up in the morning and prepares a breakfast for me to take to work

She knows the foods I love (and hate)

She reminds me of things that I want to be reminded of (and some that I don’t!, but faithful are the wounds of a friend)

We joke around a lot

When I am down…she’s up

She shares what she hears from the Lord

 

May sound small…but these are very personal and wonderful things my wife does for me…she’s amazing!

 

 

 

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Family pic at company picnic

Fun gift JD got

Lack of thought

I have recently been told that I don't go out of my way to make others feel welcomed when they come over. Also, that it appears I'd rather escape then expose myself to potential correction.

Wow, those are a couple of doozies considering I thought I was being a happy go lucky nice guy. I really don't know what to make of it. Was I different at one time and suddenly am unfriendly or were these epiphanies a long time coming? I don't feel any differently, but that may be old age setting in I guess! ;-)

Is it really sinful to not be super friendly or warm? Where is the line on how far I should take the friendliness? Should I invite everyone I meet to dinner?

Part of my angst with the whole thing is that it seems a bit "man made". Maybe if there were scripture that reinforced how we are to behave all the time it would be easier! :-) I guess the point these 2 are trying to make is that there are some meetings/times that are God ordained and that I am not in tune with it. The fear that my introvertedness (if that's a word) is robbing the Lord of opportunities to bless others and or learn something about myself.

I have to think more on this one.

Fishing fun!

The kids had a blast with grandma and grandpa at a little pond at the RV park on Chaffee.

Z boys jumping jacks

Men's luncheon

Thursdays are pretty special to me. Thursdays are first baptist church lunches where the pastor come put and talks as we eat. He talks about things specific to men for the most part. It's also a time when I get to see friends that I don't work with anymore.

This week the pastor exposed a mindset to me that I don't have. He was talking about how the devil (yes, the devil) tries to win over your conscience. How the devil would have you turn to your own power to make things that you feel guilty about, correct or righted. He further explained how he would entice you to do the wring thing by downplaying it, then when you did, pop questions in your head like, "you call yourself a Christian?" Then convinces you that you've got to make it right before you seek out the Lord.

That kind of thing is NEVER from God. God would have you run to Him everytime. To win the battles in His power. He would never "kick you around the room" as Dale stated so eloquently.

So, go to Him everytime. Yes, with shame fear and trembling. There is nothing in your power that can truly make it right anyway. So go to the one that can!

2 concepts

1. Anger is not a fruit of the spirit
2. The Holy Spirit won't kick you around the room. (kick you when you're down)