Go on a mini va-ca and get sic!

Yep, that's what I did. I did not manage my allergies by running out of one medication and deciding to not use my nasal spray because "I didn't have any symptoms." Idiot


Yes, that's me. "I feel good." "I'm doing better." "Life's good so I don't need to do what made me better," thinking all the while it's like a cold and not a long term illness. I took my statin so let's get the bigger steak. I'll just take more insulin and have that dessert. We do the same with spiritual things.


When life gets better or easier it seems harder to pray consistently. The river or beach or mountains call more frequently on Sunday and we answer "hello, I'm glad to see you." "I had a hard week" as we roll over is easier to say to ourselves. Of course, we forgot the battle with sin is a life long war.


I had to go to the doctor to get some meds. I could have prescribed them myself, z pack, steroid, cough syrup. I have taken them so many times before. But here I am taking them again all because I failed to maintain.


How do you maintain the transformation into the image of Christ? Are you in prayer daily? Are you surrounding yourself with others who are being transformed? (They have influence you know!) Have you read from God's word recently? That's how we maintain. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure even on vacation mini or full!

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG

20 or 21 to 4, It's just not the same!

Barbara and I are spending a few days in south Mississippi. On our way down, we listened to a countdown of the 100 most influential songs on Classic Vinyl (SiriusXM). We never figured out who decided what criteria was influential or not nor did we hear what the number one song was because we arrived at the house and it was late. The countdown included other music and artist interviews etc. One interview was with the writer of Chicago's hit 25 or 6 to 4. Now I have always wondered what that title was about. The writer explained he had a musical idea developed (a good one I'll say) but no title or words. He was in a room with a piano working and looked up at the clock and it was either 25 or 26 to 4 in the morning. So, he used that as a title and wrote the song. All this while I've thought the song had some mystical, deep hidden meaning when in fact it is a lyric about how hard it was to write that song.

So, I have used the same method as I put together this post at 20 or 21 to 4 am. Woke up got out of bed...(Beatles I know) with my mind going. Sometimes things are just what they seem, nothing more nothing less. We do like to spend a significant amount of time adding and taking away meaning to all kinds of things. We tend to make important that which is not and at the same time fail to see the significance of what appears to be a simple action or activity. We are most guilty of this when it comes to the Bible.

We can get fixated on this or that and fail in the same moment to recognize the bigger message because it is just seems too simple. Consider how you might respond if asked to sum up the Bible! How do you sum up all of history written over 1500 years in 66 books? How about, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life?" (John 3:16) What message is more central to the entire Bible than that? It's so simple a child can understand and so complex it confounds the wisest of scholars! Jesus was asked:

“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important[c] command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:36-40 HCSB
The simplest things are the hardest. Sleep at 20 or 21 to 4am is mighty difficult to come by. But maybe it is what it is. God in control reminding me of what's important and what's not so I can go back to sleep (that will be important later in the day)!

In HIS Service and Yours,
BroG

It never occured to you!

This week well last few months have been filled with events and information that just never occurred to me. I have been having pain in my right knee since late November. Last week I had an MRI and this week (Tuesday) I went for the results. You better "hang on to your butt" when the Doc, holding the written evaluation of your MRI, says "this is surprising." I went in expecting one thing and we discovered it is another. It just never occurred to me. (I had to look it up when I went home as I had never heard of the condition before).

Today is inauguration as prescribed by the Constitution for the 20th day of January. The 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump has been sworn in and the festivities have begun. Two years ago no one thought he had a chance of being nominated. Last November on the second Monday before the second Tuesday no one thought he would be elected. Yet, today he was sworn in as President in the manner that 44 before him have transitioned power. It just never occurred to me and a whole bunch of other people.

This past year the church I serve as Pastor was under budget for most of the year. We stayed in the black during that time but under our projections for income. We started the month of December about 10% under budget. When we ended the month we were over budget by $2,500 and under our expenditures by almost $5,000. I cannot tell you how that happens but it does. This one did occur to me!

Have you noticed how what you worried about rarely comes true? Usually what happens to us or in us never occurred to us. as much as we try we just don't know what will happen. The stars can't tell us either. Sister Whatever cannot see it in your palm and God does not show us what will happen. He asks us to follow, to trust, to believe Him no maps, directions, GPS just follow. Truth is we do that most days and enjoy it. Consider the best gift you have ever received from a loved one. The "chance" encounter of a friend at lunch.  You had no idea most likely and the surprise was part of the gift. You survived and ENJOYED it. Even the control freaks had a good time in a completely out-of-control situation.

That's what Jesus asks of us. To follow Him, trust Him, die to self and live in Christ exclusively. To follow blindly the One who sees and knows all. The One whose love is fierce, whose heart is good and life is given for us.

I hope this has occurred to you!

In HIS Service and Yours,
BroG 

You never know how it will turn out or do you?

              

            As 2016 was drawing to an end every day another celebrity died. People die every day in this country. For most of us we go years and years without the death of a personal friend or family member. It just seemed there was a focus on celebrity deaths as the year closed out. Out with the old and in with the new.

Our year has started differently. We returned from some vacation with Barbara running a fever and ultimately angry redness to her lower leg resulting in a hospital stay for and infection and IV antibiotics. I transitioned from one year to another with a recurrence of knee inflammation and pain. Between the two of us all we got is two “good” left feet. With that said our anniversary is January 7^th, Barbara (tongue firmly planted in cheek) suggested we go dancing. I think that would make YouTube for sure under the heading “things you should not let your parents do and video.”

              Our situation is not wonderful but it does not compare to others with recurrence of disease, loss of life not to mention the struggles of living that go on in families on a daily basis. When you are in the midst of this “mess” it can be very hard to see God’s hand at work not to mention the direction all of this is taking. We deceive ourselves when we read the biblical record and forget we have already read the end and know the outcome.

            The story to the right was part of my news feed on facebook. I do not know of its origin. But I do know it’s meaning. It comes down to faith. Do we believe God even when we cannot…well you know. It is our choice to believe God.

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG