It's Friday and I'm not happy!

I woke up with a little bit of headache and a stuffy nose not enough to do anything about but more than enough to be aggravating. Then comes the bus ride with students who add to the aggravation. Normally they are in a semi-catatonic state as it is early but not TODAY. Then off to a doctor’s appointment rescheduled from last Friday at the doctor’s request only to go to the wrong office. They redirected me (the doctor has moved offices) to the correct office and 30 minutes later after the appointment time the doctor comes in with less than wonderful news, aggravating. Have you had a day like that?

^1-2 O my soul, bless God.
    From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
    don’t forget a single blessing!

^3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
    He heals your diseases—every one.
    He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
    He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
    He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
    He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

⁶    God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet. Psalm 103:1-6 The Message

Did you see the last line? I am a victim of my own mind. My happiness is of my own making. None of the above is too out of the ordinary for life. I’m not happy because it is happening to me, today. Yet, I read this Psalm this morning. Look at what He alone has done in verses 3-5. That is outrageous. That is amazing grace. That is amazing love.

I think I will make an adjustment and from head to toe I will bless God, O my soul. I am a victim of my own thoughts. GOD makes everything come out right.  

In HIS Service and Yours

BroG

You never know what a day will bring.

Valentine’s Day was last Friday. I made a point to deliver a small gift to my sweet at my Mom and Dad’s. Barbara has been staying with them caring for my Mom following shoulder replacement surgery. I did well, she was surprised. So off to the office for the typical activities, article writing etc. Little did I know that day would be anything but typical?

I stepped into Emily’s office and she asked me if I would marry a couple without counseling them. I said as a rule no. I usually spend eight weeks with a couple before the ceremony help start conversations for their marriage on a number of subjects. So I asked why? She told me a couple wanted to get married today.

Now I was in it and wondered how we knew them? Turns out we didn’t. They had simply called. I wondered why today and here. They had made plans to get married that day in Augusta reserving a place and minister etc. Her orders had been moved up to deploy. Family had traveled from northern Alabama and the groom from Texas only to have none of the facilities available on Valentine’s Day because of the ice storm. So, they had started heading South with clothes in hand and family in tow trying to find a courthouse open and someone to marry them (FYI the judges do that on specific days and Friday is not one of those days). It was on like “Donkey Kong.”

I had time with the bride and groom to get a sense of where they were in life and affirm and share the Gospel. All the while your staff were putting together flowers including a bouquet and getting the temperature right in the chapel. The bride was ready and so we went to the chapel, Mom, Step-Dad, sister, groom and me waited for the bride to enter. It was simple and simply wonderful. I pronounced them husband and wife, they kissed and we took pictures. I told them they would have a story to tell their family for years to come. You see the best stories are when and event went sideways. The Thanksgiving turkey hit the floor, the Christmas tree fell over etc. some animal ate part of the meal, those are the stories you tell over and over and laugh until you hurt. We said goodbye and they were gone.

Some days you wonder was there a point? Sure it was nice and awe on Valentine’s Day but it’s a lifetime commitment we are talking about here not and single date. Then came a card in the mail. They wrote, “Under our circumstances we would not have been able to make this happen without you and we could not be more grateful.” They went on to say, “The beautiful bouquet and the attention to details from the ladies on staff, will forever be reflected in our photographs and memories.” Was there a point? Certainly. Then came Saturday and our hearts broke when news came that our friend and Pastor, Jeff Rollins had been killed in a car accident.

The events of the days following were accomplished by these people and others while enduring broken hearts. We hosted the largest number of people (quite possibly 1000 for the funeral) flawlessly with little to no advanced planning all the while grieving. The folks who are here day after day, your staff, are exceptional. God has put them here for such a time as this.

God is in control even when you don’t know it.

In HIS Service and Yours

BroG

One of my fears is writing this article!

I am processing through a message series on fear.  One of my fears is writing this article. I must say thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Joe Marchese speaking to another (while I was listening) characterized my article by saying, “you know what to expect from Jeff and Darren but you never know what this guy is going to say.” Joe you are so right more so than you know because I don’t know what I’m going to say most times. That is my fear realized.

Writing is hard for me. It takes work and work to get thoughts on paper. Even then I go back and correct this sentence and as you have seen or should have corrected that sentence. Thanks for bearing with me. Thank the Lord for spell check. It is too bad it doesn’t fix wrong words spelled right. That’s the work part. My fear is that I will waste your time and mine writing something that is a platitude.. It sounds good and may be a mile wide but only a fraction of an inch deep. That would be a waste and there is plenty of that kind of writing. So, what I’m left with is the reality of living in my skin week in and week out. So, today I sit in a McDonald’s writing from my skin.

This week has been unusual as I have been on hyper-drive multitasking each day. What I mean is maybe best shown. Tuesday I was at home working on Crossroads Newsletter you can sign up at www.crossroadschurcheff.org as I was cleaning the kitchen, making sure Geoff stayed on track to complete a backlog of work on a deadline so that he has the possibility of graduating high school in May, making some preps for dinner (Barbara is staying with my Mom and Dad following Mom’s shoulder replacement), taking the dog out oh and running my bus route in the morning and evening. I think there is something I missed. Now before you stop reading, I am not used to all of that at the same time so give me a break ladies. In the middle of that I thought how does anything get done?

My tendency is to be apprehensive (another word for fear) about all that I have to do soon follows overwhelmed with a close proximity of defeat. Know that? This week, on that day it was getting done in order and on time. I had to stay at it. I thought to thank God for his schedule and time to complete the tasks at hand. To thank him for the wisdom to do what was most necessary and the strength to keep up.

Some believe God has set everything in motion but it’s now “hands off.” Steven Hawking is one such thinker. I used to think that way (scripture has always said differently but I thought I knew better) but living in my skin says differently. My experience says God is aware and active in the tasks of my every-day-living my comings and goings AND my short comings and goings on-and-on-and-on.

 So, there it is another article based on living in my skin because that’s all I got. Where and when I trust God in all things that’s all I/WE need.

Isn’t it?

In HIS Service and Yours

BroG