Bullet lists are good…anything that people can scan for quick info.

Well apply that to GOD.  Aren’t we  always looking for God to give us clear direction…information. Make it simple please! Just tell me what to do! You know what? He did!

I have been reading in Proverbs lately. Over and over it states – the principle thing…the first and most important thing to do – if you are looking for wisdom is this – Worship God!

The principle thing is wisdom..get it…and the first step of wisdom is learning to worship and revere God.  More precious than rubies…gold..anything…go after wisdom

You want wisdom? Who doesn’t. Worship God The wisest thing you can do is worship God. It just keeps saying it over and over. read the Amplified version to really see it.

Well now you have the first bullet… go do it!  talk to you soon

My oldest son (20) came home from work late last night.  I was working late myself in my office at home.  I heard him walking around and then he left and drove off again.

That’s not unusual, he wakes up at night pretty much, definitely not a morning person.  What is unusual is he usually stops in- if nothing else- to say “Hey – what’s goin on”.

I sent him a text and kidded him as we do …”I hate dad”  ….He sent me a text saying “sorry..just in a hurry to meet his friend”

Not a big deal, I mean yesterday He and I went out and got dinner together and talked while the rest of the fam hung out somewhere. We had about 90 minutes of face to face. Still, I just realized I missed that,  wanted to seem him and connect for just a couple minutes.

Whats the point?  I thought about God- our DAD, Heavenly Father. He doesn’t expect a big knock down, drag out prayer session every day.  But how many times do we just get busy, running here and there…meeting other people , busy doing GOOD things, even churchy things and we never just stop in…look toward Heaven and say – HEY! What’s goin on?

Not asking for anything…not anything but just, wanted to say Hey – thought of you God, I am so thankful your thoughts are always toward me! Anything you want to say to me?

We are created in His image…and as a Father…I missed that time with my son..that tells me God our Father looks forward to us just sayin Hey too. Too many times I think in our mind we feel like unless we have 20 minutes to give him in prayer..any time spent would be unacceptable. Not true! Prayer isn’t formality or method.  It should be spontaneous and spirit/heart driven and sincere.

Yeah sometimes we need to labor in prayer…sometimes we just sit and muse and meditate with Him…but I think as a Father, He likes the daily “pop in” visit too…just to connect…just to say, Hey!

I was writing diligently in my office.  I hear my 6 year old,  Seth come up the stairs crying his eyes out. The kind of deep sobbing that you think they have just been injured or something really terrible.

I jumped up, grabbed him, hugged him and wiped the tears away though they wereinstantly replaced again leaving trails down his cheeks. I asked him what had happened as I scanned his little frame to spot any injuries. He managed to get out in between sobs that a Lego building (his mom and he had just built the night before) had  fallen off the table and flipped upside down. Pieces had broken off and he just didn’t know what to do…it was broken for good.

Well, I assured him dad could handle that..no biggie! That brought a little crack of a smile.  We went downstairs and I did a quick assessment of the damage. Yep, it had fallen and things looked pretty bad. I picked it up and did a Bob the Builder imitation “Can we fix it?  YES WE CAN!” That brought a bigger smile. (where’s Wendy at a time like this!)

I found the instruction manual for it and began to piece it all back together. It was as good as new in about 15 minutes. He was thrilled.

I couldn’t help but think as I walked back to my computer what God must think. How it must bring him great joy when we come to him- with some huge thing to us..some part of our life wrecked…in disrepair…falling apart…and we simply don’t see how it can work out. How it can be put back together.  He simply picks us up..puts his arms around us and comforts us…hey that’s the Holy Spirit’s job, right?

He then begins to methodically, piece by piece put things back in place. Look..He is the creator..He has the manual. He knows how things are supposed to look and function..he knows the plans He has for us..what He designed and intended. If we listen to Him and we obey…we can become whole again in every aspect. That thing that seemed so impossible isn’t so big anymore.

Yeah, with some things, relationships especially, the hurt and pain doesn’t go instantly away. But if we follow his plan..if we allow Him to remove and add pieces, do some adjustments and reconfigure – we can overcome and allow those areas to be filled by Him.

It was no big deal for me to put that Lego back together. I had the plan for that structure. It’s the same with God- He knows us better than we know ourselves. He can and will restore us.

You all have been hearing my stories o’ my jogs and finding nails from all the re-roofing around here.  Well, I think I have found most of the nails and saved many flat tires.  So- I have turned my steely focus to another treasure.  COINS!

Yes, pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters,  doesn’t matter.  Look honey…here comes that guy that that collects nails…he’s picking up pennies now- look at him…LOSER!

I have a good reason for this. One…it diverts my attention from the run which makes the time go quicker on the slow, harder days. Two- I give the coins to Seth, my boy. He is saving for new Lego sets.  He has quite a stash of coins growing in a jar. He just beams with delight as I come in the door knowing that dad more times than not has found a coin for him.

It’s so much fun to see his face that I hide a stash of my own on the porch so I can grab one or two on the days I don’t find any.

My point is this- God loves to delight us. I told you a day or two ago that God placed an excitement in me and then blessed me abundantly with someone and something. God thrills I believe to bless his kids. He hides stuff back for us..just as I do with the coins so He can see us smile.  You see those coins ..most people just ignore, step on…overlook. They don’t hold much value. But to those like my son..they are invaluable.

God knows who is looking for his small “nuggets”…hidden in His word…little things- confirmations…revelations during the day. Things He whispers as you go about your daily routine.   A lot of people aren’t in tune or aren’t looking for God to say anything..they’re too busy or don’t believe God speaks that way today. They might not place much value on a nugget found in His word  and just pass by or walk over it.

Just as I delight in giving Seth a coin or two each day…God loves to bless his kids too.

You know I wrote last time about God just turning a funk into excitement and anticipation.   Soon after that God provided a very tangible and out of nowhere   caught off guard moment (OONCOGM).

You know the scripture – He gives you the desires of your heart.  Well, there was something I really desired…something I needed for the web site..something I couldnt afford…and He literally gave it to me..blessed me though someone else.  I can’t share it in this blog but I have shared with my family and closest friends.

I believe His blessing was a direct result of being obedient to something He asked me to give someone else THE WEEK BEFORE.   Don’t limit God- I have told Him many times..this is your business and we are partners.

God can provide anything needed.  He went above and beyond and gave me the best…beyond what I had even thought possible…and you know what? The person He used to bless me had been blessed before. She was looking for an avenue to bless back. I think she was more thrilled than even I in the giving of that blessing! God loves his kids to listen..and to respond and bless one another. I think it makes him smile really big watching everyone get blessed.

I needed not only that “thing” He gave me but I also had asked him to confirm some things for me…direction…His will..and through that blessing I got a very clear “YES” in my spirit. God is sooo very exciting and cool.

Always be ready to give of what God has given you.  Sometimes you don’t even have to actually give it  – like with Abraham and Isaac – but He tests your heart – are you willing too? Are you still open to His leading…Is He still Lord?

You know.. God is excitement.    I was musing on some stuff..actually while doing the dishes and suddenly my bummed attitude turned to excitement as God revealed some things to my spirit.

I thought..who else can change things like that? In an instant I had hope and excitement where doubt , fear and bummedness (my word) used to reside.

I had hew ideas and thinking…I got some awesome ideas for Kick  and some things to follow up on.   Other things can be exciting to think about but often these are temporary things…What God places in your spirit lasts and not only that…he works to bring it about..to come to fruition..(church term for make it happen).

I will say it again and again..I challenge you to take a walk or jog or run or skip for that matter..forward or even backwards..and just clear your mind..open it up to God and just allow him to download stuff into your heart and mind. Let him clear some old thoughts out..old thinking  old stale ideas..and place some new life there..vibrant healthy thoughts and ideas…inventions..new ways to do something.

God has never been boring  although that is what is always portrayed on TV or in the media. Legalism. There is nothing more exciting than the creator and sustainer of life!  As Paul said  -  In him we live and move and have our Being.

I started out the door to run the other morning, saw it was pouring rain and said to myself..oh great…guess I will have to wait or do the treadmill.
I went 10 minutes on the treadmill and said this isn’t gettin it. I looked outside and saw it was still raining. Then I thought…wait a minute..what’s the big deal…it’s 7 am..it’s water…you just woke up and don’t look good anyway as it is who really cares!!!
So…I went out – began to run…got into a flow and had a great run.
I had a thought as I ran…you know …it is really pretty easy to run in nice weather…anyone can do it. But when it’s raining or colder…less than ideal conditions…then you really find out who is dedicated…who really has a passion for it. Not too many.
Its the same with Christanity I think. Easy to serve God..worship..praise when things are good. You’re up. But, how much harder to do it in a testing time. A time like right now where you really really need God to move. Things arre less than ideal at this moment.
The point is …God doesn’t change..He is worthy of our praise in any kind of weather..any kind of situation…I think you really see who is passionate or not when times turn tough…when the rain starts to fall. It’s easy to turn around and give up but why not trust God and keep runnin’?

Interesting thing happened the other morning.  I got a LARGE 20 oz. cup of coffee at a coffee place I like to stop at maybe once every couple weeks. No – I don’t drink Starbucks..don’t like ‘em,  never have.  Well I needed to go to Krogers to pick up a couple things..so I took my HOT cup of coffee and was about to grab a cart when my arm and hand was suddenly on fire.

I looked down to find my hand and the floor covered in coffee – oh maybe about  15 oz worth.  The bottom of the cup had simply dropped out and was hanging there. Well fortunately Seth wasn’t by my side as he normally would be any other day and Thank you Lord that I wasn’t driving..OUCH!

Now how’s this for irony… I hadn’t even had my coffee yet when I was thrust into this situation  to deal with…:-)  it was everywhere but IN ME!

No one was around..no rags..no mops..no help..no nothing! No one even to say to them  ..”Did this really just happen?????..did you see that???” Just a mess and nothing to do about it.

No I didnt squeeze the cup with my steel like grip! The lid would have popped off first and it would have come out the top not the bottom so don’t blame me! I could barely hold it  anyway it was so hot..let alone squeeze it tightly.

Well, I wasn’t badly burned…stung for a day or two. The coffee place responded to my email sharing my story with them and gave me a nice gift card.  So it all worked out and is funny now. But I am very carefulwhen I’m holding a hot cup of coffee since then and i check underneath to see the quality of workmanship that was used to seal the bottom rim of the cup.

I was musing on this and thought … life turns that quickly/suddenly like that.  Everything is going okay… your easing into your day or maybe ending a day and you get a phone call..an email or someone at home shares something. Then suddenly the bottom drops out.  Your instantly forced to deal with issues and situations you never saw coming.

Happens alot when you have kids and it especially happens when you are involved in ministry..pastoring.  I could go into a lot of different analogies here but I want to keep it simple as the thought came to me. Isn’t it awesome to have God at those times? Wouldn’t it be terrible and empty…helpless to be on your own?  To look around as I did in the store and find no one to help or even share it with. No one to laugh or cry with? When the bottom falls out  – God is there to talk and walk you through it.  Its never easy but man…I can’t imagine not having Him in those times.

So what do you think on that muse?  Yeah I know, it’s a tough thing. Whether you are a nail or Fenail (yeah I just wanted to use that pun, hehehe) You really have to know  inside and not judge God’s will by what does or doesn’t happen.

My point is this…if you find a bunch of nails is it just circumstances..obstacles or are you truly in the wrong place? If you picked a different path would there be a clear way to go…no nails? Hmmmm, maybe.  I’ve got a project right now I am trying to discern God’s will in it. At one time I pronounces and declared that it was God’s idea. …things went smooth..everything fell into place.. then I hit a wall I couldnt seem to get around…I prayed and almost gave it up. Then on my run one say I totally surrendered it to Him and we started over.  It worked great…but you know what…now I am at a low point again with it…I dont know..I continue to seek Him out on this one.

Check out the sticks!

http://www.fun-bible-lessons-for-kids.com/bible-versticks.html

Yeah once again it’s been awhile- I get hung up on creating content for the site and I dont have time to write the blog …yes yes..I know how disappointing it is!

Well by now most of the nails have been removed BY ME on our streets. but every once in awhile I will kick one or see one. You just need to walk circumspectly as the Bible calls out.

I was musing on the fact that we can get..well let me leave it at me…I can get hung up on the fact that on any given path, project, venture, mission I undertake…does the absence of problems  or resistance…a smooth trip mean you are in God’s will…conversely does hitting a wall..problems, difficulty..lack of success…frustration, heartache automatically signal God isn’t in it? Ever had those thoughts?  Neither are correct I believe. We can’t use external things to tell us what we should be convinced of on the inside..God’s will and path for us.

But I was thinking with the nails… we could be running into all sorts of em…flat tires…stepping on them…creating a blow out in your running shoe ..God where are you? I thought you would help me…clear my path…but Heelllloooooo there are all these nails out here! Well hmmm..could it be we are off his path? Interesting muse here, huh?

more later- honest I will be back!

In the mean time  – check out the Bible Versticks

http://www.fun-bible-lessons-for-kids.com/bible-versticks.html