Category Archives: Understanding

Me? Bless God?

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I awoke with this thought this morning! (@ 5:15) 😜 💤💤

Do I bless GOD when I spend time with Him? Or, how ‘bout this… is there a part of God’s heart (life) that is lonely when I get too busy for Him?

Wow, I sure don’t have an answer yet this morning. But that’s usually how this hotel (cyclone) in my head works. In drops a Q such as this, my mind begins to spin, and sooner or later, “I” discover something new.

So, whatcha think? If God is God, #He.Is,I’m.Not, then how can He need ANYTHING from me? But He made us “in His Image.” Is the need for interaction with others a HUMAN trait, or is it part of His image created in us?

Barbara Horwege, our first Pastor’s wife after we got out of the Air Force almost 50 years ago told me, “Jim, you think too much!” Nailed me!!!

All I know and understand this morning is, it BLESSES ME when I spend time with Him. Is it reciprocated?

Have a GREAT Day, my friends!! Don’t think TOO much, but share with the rest of us! Pretend we’re sitting across from each other at the corner table in Walnut Creek ButterCup.

T.B.T.#15

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#ThrowBackThursday (OneDayEarly)

Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m sitting at our kitchen table writing while watching my daughter and my WW* put together the 1000 piece Thomas KinKade jigsaw puzzle I gave her this morning.

It’s her favorite pastime. These days, she usually does jigsaw puzzles on her iPad, so this is a throwback day in more ways than one. 

I was planning to post a T.B.T. tomorrow, but because of the 3 1/2 year old post I want to share, I thought Valentine’s Day would be appropriate.

I shared with a friend on FaceBook this morning – “My wife has been married to 3 or 4 different men, but – they were all me!” I’ve come to regret the way “those men” treated her in the past. Fortunately, they don’t hang around with us very much any more. We’re learning to not answer the door when they come-a-knockin’. More and more, I’m realizing my responsibility to protect her from “those guys!” It’s made our marriage and her life easier.

This link will take you on a 10 day road trip we took back in August of ‘13. The day we left Texas for home in California became one of the major turning points of this journey of Life and Love. Most of Life’s turning points are BabySteps rather than giant leaps, but read this one with an open heart.  I pray it makes this Valent-Day just a wee bit sweeter for you and yours!

*WonderWife

https://itreallyisjustthatsimple.com/2014/04/03/hardncrunchy/

 

Side Tracks

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I took my youngest (by a minute) G.son to school this morning. I haven’t counted but there are probably 20 or more traffic lights between here and there and back. About two thirds of the way to school I realized I had stopped at only one red light!! We continued on to school, I dropped him off and on the way back it continued – Green light after Green light after Green light! “WOW!! What a wonderful day this is going to be!”

  • Then, it happened! I did it! It was my fault! I wasn’t paying attention (too busy congratulating myself, I think) to where I was and I made a wrong right turn.  About two blocks down that road, I realized where I was and at the first opportunity made a U-turn.

I’ve been in Recovery a bit more than 8 years. This path I’m on is MUCH smoother now than before. There are days I hit “Green light after Green light after Green light.” It’s real tempting on those days to not pay close enough attention to where I’m going. Some days, before I know it, I’ve made a wrong turn. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about the consequences that await me at the end of that side track. I’m now much quicker to realize I’m headed the wrong way and I make that U-turn at the first chance I get.

This morning, when I realized where I was and what I’d done, all I did was say: “Oh, Ratz!” I didn’t reach into my “backpack” and grab my favorite tool to beat myself up. (like I used to) In the past, I would become so wrapped up in condemning myself for my mistake, I could be MILES down the road, and it would be a LONG way back. Sometimes, I’d get lost down that side track and wonder if I’d EVER make it back.

My WW and I love taking Road Trips. When I’m driving, she usually pays pretty close attention to what’s going on around us. I’ve told her “If U see something U think I need to be aware of, feel free to speak up.” It’s always better for her to speak and tell me something I already know than to keep silent and then we’re both sorry later. I needed her in the car with me this morning.

I need somebody walking with me as I travel this road of life.
I need someone who can speak up when it’s needed. 

There have been times she’ll speak up and my thought (or words) will be: “Honey, sometimes I wonder how I managed to drive that huge bucket truck for ATT all over three counties for 40 years without your help!” She often replies (nicely): “I wonder the same thing sometimes!”

I have learned to give her the freedom to speak up when it’s needed. It’s become a two-way street. There are things, there are times that I need to speak into her life as well. (though it’s hardly ever about her driving)

Do you have someone in your life with the freedom to speak up when it’s needed?
It’s a lot more important than U might realize.

 

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
  Proverbs 12:15 (NKJV)

T.B.T.#13

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GRIEF / LOVE

Open and read the link above, before reading the rest of this post.

ThrowBackThursday

I wrote that post a year ago today. It helped me then, and has helped others since. This morning I used it as a comment on FaceBook to a friend whose sister just died. The one who passed was not only her sister, but had been the recipient of her kidney transplant. My friend’s grieving not only the loss of her sister, but also the loss of that very special physical and emotional connection between donor and recipient.

FYI – 26 years ago, my son was my recipient. He still is. 

We’ve all heard, and sometimes used the phrase: “A part of me died that day.” For my friend, it was extremely literal. We all face grief in our own very personal ways. I’ve learned not to judge how another person grieves. I can’t determine how long it should take to grieve, nor can I measure the pain someone experience because of it. I’ve also learned the difference between grieving with and without regrets over things that “should’a” been taken care of while there still was a chance to do so.

That person whose name just came to your mind… The one you love but have aught against… The one with whom you need to talk and work it out… while you can…

Take (make) time today – send a card, an email, a letter, make a call! Send a text – or a flower! Reach out and touch! Perhaps, even by FaceBook. Take (make) a Baby Step!! That’s all you need to do today – take a Baby Step! You may find it’s enough! It will be, Today! When tomorrow becomes Today, take another (Baby) step.

By the Way, you can’t take tomorrow’s step from where you are today!

“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

The Bee in the Mirror

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Several years ago, I was sitting in my Pacific Bell bucket truck having lunch, parked under the shade of a big tree. I looked out the window as a honey bee buzzed up to the rear view mirror. I sat there mildly fascinated as it flew up and touched the frame holding the glass.

It stayed there several minutes, flitting from the top to the bottom, from left to right, and from the front to the back. Occasionally I saw “two bees” as it flew across the front and I could see its reflection. I was surprised then, when it buzzed up to the bottom of the windshield and did the very same thing to the wiper. It was as if the bee was investigating my truck.

That bee began to experience, in its own extremely limited way, all it could know about the mirror, and the the wiper blade. I imagined it’s thoughts, as it flew away, “I always wondered what that big, noisy contraption was, as it passed by everyday. I’m so thankful it stopped and I finally got a chance to find out for myself.” Can U imagine the story it shared at the hive meeting that evening!?!

As I sat there chewing down on my burrito and watching the bee, this thought crossed my mind… “Perhaps that bee is somewhat like me, in my life-long quest to understand Who / What God is.”

The more I learn about God, the more aware I become of how limited is my understanding of Him.

The more I realize how extremely limited I am in my own understanding of Him, His Ways and His Purposes in, for and through me, (us) the more I recognize my need to rely on and trust Him. He’s taught (teaching) me that my understanding BEFORE TRUSTING (Him) is not as important as my ego always told me it was!! 

He delights in and honors my request – “Teach me your ways, Lord… Search me, see if there be any way in me that is not of you!” Ps 139:23,24

HIS TAPESTRY

Can I Trust w/o Understanding?

Psalms 139

 Isaiah 55:8,9

Job 38

Psalm 119:33,34

SURRENDER!!…?

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I grew up singing: “I surrender, I surrender all!”  We were encouraged to completely commit the rest of our lives to Him – NOW! Today!!

That may have been just my perception, but that’s what I kept trying to do.

Tried, couldn’t do it.  Wanted to. Kept falling down. Didn’t know what to do with my failure. Wanted to quit trying. Did…, for awhile.

Now I know. Now I (am beginning to) understand – Better!

PROCESS!!
BABY STEPS!!

God takes what we can give to Him TODAY and waits patiently until tomorrow becomes today and we get to do it again. And… again, the next day! And…

In the meantime, He asks us to just take a walk.

With Him. With His Son. Jesus. His Holy Spirit goes too.

  • “Pay attention, son. I have something important to tell you.“

“There is now therefore NO CONDEMNATION, (Anger, Impatience, Rejection) toward us – from Him.”

BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE

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  I once read someplace:

“When U’re listening to someone share a deep secret, take off Ur shoes. U’re on Holy Ground.”

I’ve literally done this. I’ve actually said: “Wait, my friend…” and reached down and slipped my shoes off. After I explained, he felt even safer to share.  Other times I just slip them off (I wear shoes without laces) physically or mentally. It’s a reminder of the importance of the moment and the absolute necessity of confidentiality.

We ALL need a safe place where we can discover the real me. Miracles happen in that place. We ALL need to learn to sit on both sides of the table.

It can feel like the scariest place on the planet, but it’s a place as important to the soul as the dinner table is to the body.

“A secret. A burden. A fault. Yes, even a sin… shared with a safe person in a safe place becomes less than half as heavy.”
“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”

‭‭“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”

‭‭James‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭AMP‬‬