Watch Your Language

During my time as a firefighter, we had terms for just about every type of emergency when alerting other firefighters; for instance, when there was an aircraft emergency it was either a ground emergency or an in flight emergency depended if the plane was flying or not, while others emergencies we not necessarily as easy to know such as Structural Emergencies or a High Angle Rescue.
Sometimes we are just as confusing in the way and choice of words we use when praying. Not that God can't understand us, good thing he does, but folks sometimes feel like they need a special language or words or even phrases to speak with God, this is simply not the case. I personally don't buy that.God is a great conversationalist. He isn't distracted by other things going on around him, he is focusing on your every word. He listens to every word we say.
In firefighting, you learn quickly to respect the lines of communication, if they break down trouble will follow quickly, sometimes with deadly consequences. No need for fancy call signs or terms either, make it simple and to the point, much are prays should be. Same goes with God, if we disrespect him, we take our chances, foolish us.

The second part of praying is listening, being patient, God purpose for us doesn't always mean we will understand his answer. He goes to great lengths to reach out to the few sometimes. Have you ever wondered if you are the only one praying?

Try these couple of simple solutions the next time you want to speak or pray with the Lord.

-- Find a quiet place, no outside distractions if possible.
-- God delights in those who are faithful, take time each day to speak with God, he will listen.
-- Be careful not to dismiss what seems like unanswered prayers. Be patient, his answer may just surprise you.
-- Find delight and privilege in your time with him. It's by his grace we take our next breath.

I hope you'll find this advice helpful. We have to consistently focus on his word each and everyday, not just on the bad or challenging days, but on the great days as well. Why not start off your day on a great foot tomorrow morning by having a talk with the creator of the universe and heavens above?

It's All My Fault

Has to be someones right? Someone is always to blame for someone or something or some situation, right? Assigning blame is part of overcoming the problem, part of the healing process, part of gaining peace, right? right?




Did the world become a better place for those that murdered Jesus? Did their lives improve, did they overcome their problems, their vast riches increase? After all didn't the world deserve to be happy once someone was blamed and crucified?



How many times during our week do we feel compelled to assigned blame for something or to someone for our misfortunes or woes, our struggles? Better to know who is right and wrong? We sleep better knowing we gave them a lecture on how miserable their life is because of them messing something up, it was their fault after all and don't begin to use that we are human excuse with me !!! right?



How about we back up and look inwardly at ourselves first, judge the other person after judging ourselves, find fault after admitting our own shortcomings, let us remove the plank from our own eye before we pick at the splinter in the others eye. I know, I can't be serious, after all who lives their life like that anyway.



Well Jesus did, yep not saying anyone of us can come close to him, if it were not for his actions, we are all dead, not just dead but really dead, dead to God, dead to his grace, dead to his love, dead to the coming kingdom, dead to eternal life, dead to it all, fine if you want to follow satan and not God.



Let's try it this way, life on this plant stinks sometimes, it's hard to get through some days, hard to work through complex issues, hard to understand why you have to struggle, easy to love God, easy to try and live a life worthy of him who has forgiven us of all our faults, our shortcomings, our stupidity.



Do you find it easier to curse someone than to love someone? Do you find life so unbearable and your life so difficult you can hardly get through the day? Do you find yourself angry?



• Hatred has its roots starting in Genesis, Cain murdered Abel. He could have chosen to love his brother and be proud of his accomplishments rather than curse him for his own failures or to better yet turn to God to obtain his answers. Sometimes the question of why something is a failure or fails us it's because we are looking the wrong way or angry about our own failures and take it out on someone else.

o There is good and bad anger; Good anger acts then forgives, does not keep score of past wrongs or failures. -- Psa 103:9 and 1 Cor 13:5

• Despair to Praise. Hard to find the words to respond to someone when all seems lost or when anything good does not seem possible. Lets consider King David for the moment. He felt abandoned, completely alone and helpless, ridiculed for his faith, taunted by his enemies, surrounded by those who would kill him, utterly drained and on the verge of death.

o In Psalm 22:1-18 He cries out in his despa, casting himself upon the grace of God he was able to praise God before himself, his family, his country and the world and came back to claim victory for God was with him, just as Job is spared so was he who cast himself before the Lord our God in repentance and faith. There are other examples as well, ranging from Ruth to Daniel to Peter and Paul. Cast your fears and failures before our God for he has concurred all.

Anger and despair are like thieves in the night, stealing happiness and joy, leaving despair and frustration in their wake. Much can be said about this subject and even entire books have been devoted to them. In the end all that should matter is our ultimate relationship with God our father. He knows our heart better than we know it ourselves, he knows when it will be tempted and by whom.



The course of actions we take are all ours, he provides the opportunity to go one way or the other, sometimes easier to swim downstream than upwards against the current where fear and doubt lay in wait to trip us up. Do not be fooled into thinking you are anything less than someone created in his own image, loved dearly by him, you have worth, you have value, you have purpose.



Do not let the sun set on your anger or your dispare, do not fear satan he can't touch you, you belong to God and he hates that. He may control the physical nature of this world, but has nothing on the world yet to come or on God's chosen. Do not let the thought of fault creep into your day, God has already forgiven your sins and shortcomings, God will judge us as we judge others.



If you are finding yourself scratching your head for more information and bible verses or just examining your own life more closely as a result of this blog, it really isn't my fault...

Goodnight Nightingale

Goodnight sweet nightingale, your journey here is done, how tragic the way the end found you.

Your voice once caressed and soothed, your heart beating so loudly.

Although distanced due to pride and stubbornness, you were not the only one who let things come between us.

I held your hand as they made it official, nothing more for them to do. How tragic the circumstances.

Why did we ever let things come so unraveled, so frayed, history and judgement will not be easy for any of us to bear.

Father our creator in heaven, knows the answers, knows the why, knows they who, knows the truth none seemingly want to face. Stupid pride, arrogance.

Goodnight Nightingale....sing at peace with the father in heaven, your day is done here.

Judging

Lord help me to judge myself as you would judge me. Allow me to stand convicted of my sinful ways, shedding them as soiled clothing before thee. Cleanse me of these sins, replenish my soul with a new spirit and purpose.

Allow me to see the errors of my ways, correcting my compass. The journey has many obsticles and danger lurks at every turn. Satan knows no boundries, using anything of this world at his disposal to derail, detain, demoralize and to frustrate.

Allow us Lord to navigate around such chasims filled with problems. Accept us to come before you in your thrown room of love to come before you in intercession. Keep our hearts and minds strong and determined to pass by on such destractions, keeping our focus on you.

Allow us to pray and encourage others to come before you, to become cleansed of their sins, accept you as their savior, know their name is written in a kingdom yet to come, but eternal life is ensured. Allow us to be that beacon a PointMan...

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to rise from my rest to make this post for others who may read it and gain better understand because of it. In your loving son's name, we pray...

Letting Go

I've reached another fork in the road, been following my heart, listening to what I feel is being lead in the right and correct path for the past 10 years, especially the past 4 years. But there is a difference between what we think is right and what is right from another person's point of view.

After putting others before myself for most of my life, I have to change the order of the have and have nots. Instead of setting the example for my family I have been punishing my family along with the sacrifices I thought were right and the good fight.

Not sure where this leads from here, so for the time being and unknown future, the PA PointMan website will be taken down until then I will redirect hits to the main PMIM website. By weeks end I will resign as Outpost Leader and as Director in the MGO ministry as well.

I will be writing letters over the next several days, trying my best to explain my change in direction, I feel this is the road I must take for the time being. I am sorry if this disappoints anyone. I will continue to pray for those in need of prayer, and continue witnessing to those I have a special bond with. God Bless you all.

Jim

Where's Normal?

Searching for what is normal and what is not. Lost the moment to stay normal when I signed up, normal seemed to be an illusion on a sliding scale, felt like I was living and still am in the movie Catch 22. So what is normal anyway an why do we look for it?

I am scratching my head because I can't really remember normal other than when I was a kid and relied on the old man to feed and take care of me. So why do I feel as if I am missing something? Why does the world see things so differently than me?

There are sometimes more disfunctional days than functional ones some months. I almost dread hearing bad or sad news these days, it scratches the surface of so many scars, not to the point of bleeding, that might actually bring relief, but to the point of the pain threshold is what I am talking about.

I sometimes wake more exhausted from the battles I fought in my sleep than when I went to bed. Been needing to nap in the afternoon more as of late, swelling is back as well, so putting pressure on the bad valve isn't helping and scares the crap out of me that I am going to be told to prepare for surgery or worse yet be wheeled in after dropping over from a heart attack.

Why is it people who can never have kids or never had kids love to be around them, never loosing the desire to father one. But those that have them seem to resent others who have more than two. I grew up in a large family of 10, glad my dad an mom put up with all the snotting insults and butt heads to have us.

As screwed up as my mind gets, what is with some people? Where is the sense of anything, some are so self centered that they could never understand the pain and misery of those living in other country's so less fortunate, we will waste more in a lifetime than they will ever have in a lifetime.

I wonder how much longer till we slide totally into anarchy? And then how much longer till someone cooks off the big one and starts a chain reaction of life ending actions for life as everyone knows it? Better yet will God allow it?

Normal for me at least exists somewhere between the clouds and and stars. I watch them appear and disappear each day. Some day will be my last, but not today....

Normal left with the little boy, lost along the paths of the wilderness on my path to maturity. Not sure what replaced it, maybe a healthy dose of doubt and fear, some hope and joy thrown in for equal measure. I've come to the conclusion there is no more normal to be found, at least for me there isn't, each day is an adventure and challenge.

Morning has broken

Morning has broken on another day, thank you Lord for granting it to me to see. Dreeding where decisions might lead me in the coming months, but resigned to some obvious realities. Shortcomings and inabilities have been affecting this outreach.

Either unable or unwilling to resolve conflicts within my own control, no where close to the strength and moral fiber I thought I had. Hate pretending something is okay when it is not. It does no one any good to pretend.

Time for reflection, some might not understand that, other might. Too much conflict and peril. Time to put focus back on what has been at risk for sometime, reflect on the damage caused, repair or rebuild where I can.

Blog will remain active, but main website will be shut down. As for FB, will let it remain idle, brakes on. Furture blogs may have more rants than normal, but will try and curb my tongue when submitting them.

How's it possible...

how's it possible to love and hate at the same time.

how's it possible to regain the composure when the battle is lost

how's possible to move forward with hope, when everything else has failed.

how's it possible to still be identified as a ministry worker, when we have turned away from serving those in need.

how's it possible to consider ourselves right as rain with the Lord, yet squandered the high ground he has given us.

how's it possible.

None of my business

Listening to a radio program last evening I listened to a story of a woman who was brutally murdered outside an apartment building. She was slashed numerous times and as she was attacked she called out for help and in pain.

When the police arrived to investigate the body of a dead woman in the street and they interviewed the residents, you might think that because of the size of the building or because of the time of day no one heard her, but that was not the case, several residents had either seen or heard her screams and chose to do nothing, as they informed the police that they “Did not want to get involved, none of their business”.

You might be saying okay Jim, nice story but that rarely happens and there had to be more to the story. Well no and yes. No, because it happens everyday in every town great and small just pick up and newspaper and you’ll find a story of how someone lived alone and either fell or became sick and died as a result or how someone had spoken about committing suicide, gave away their belongings and how no one took notice until someone noticed their dead body.

Yes there is more to the story and it involves you and I. We are part of the solution. When we became born again and Jesus washed away our sin forever he became involved in all aspects of our life, he became involved. Think of how devastating it would be without his gift of redemption, no way of cleansing our sin.

Now consider this before we become to caught up in “This will never happen to me”, whether it’s a woman being murdered on a city street, a child being abused, an elderly person being abandoned – long ago forgotten by their neighbors and friends, the vet who worked to help other vets only to die alone in a tent along a protected trout stream – not far from a church that gives shelter and food to drug addicts and alcoholics but not to someone who is just homeless and dealing with an unseen enemy called PTSD.

People matter, it is all our business. You don’t have to start a crusade, but you should care. So I am asking you to stand up with me, take note of that person standing at the door at Walmart, thank them for doing a good job – what will it hurt to slow down and talk with them a second or two. Take note of that young parent losing their Patience with an unruly child who is just hungry or tired – give them reassurance it will be alright, Take note of that young man who sits in a wheelchair at the McDonalds who just needs to feel the touch of another human being – knowing they matter they have worth.

Stand up and be counted among those who give hope to the couple who just learned their loved one has cancer – let them know they do not have to face this alone, take note of the young Marine who seems to have his act together- helping other Marines and veterans deal with exposure to combat – but takes his own life because no one stopped to ask him how he was doing.

STAND UP and be counted among those who write to a vet in prison who felt so afraid of losing their temper they committed a crime in order to be locked away from those they may hurt or may have killed. Take note of the family that must endure the hardships of wondering what they could have done differently to help them and struggle now with the fall out.

STAND UP and know that it is okay to be afraid of the unknown, but know that God is with you and you can not fail, no matter what you do to help. Know that the person you stop to talk with today may be hurting so bad they will result to taking their own life tonight because they did not want to burden anyone with their pain or issues.

STAND UP because you matter enough to me this morning to write this from the heart and couldn’t wait till sunset to let you know that. I hope everyone of you reading this feels compelled as I do to let someone know today they matter, they are my business and yours.

Think of how life would have ended before it got started because someone stood up for us when we couldn’t. Think of how our lives would be different if Christ had not taken the burden of sin because he didn’t want to get involved. Think of how there would not have been any churches if Peter who denied even knowing Jesus had not been forgiven by the one who he rebuked.

Stand up, even when you are tired from working all day and you have hundreds of things to do, you just need a minute to yourself, isn’t it better to wish you could have done more than regret you did nothing to help, not even a phone call, a letter, a note or an e-mail.

You are my business, what happens or doesn’t happen, we all have the same needs, to have hope, to feel loved, to feel needed, to be complimented to know that someone passing by will not just say “it is none of my business” There is always room in our lives for improvement, I hope this helps you improve yours as it has mine and others.


I mind and you matter.

Lessons for my grandchildren passed on from my Dad

Although Brittni was the only one he got to hold and kiss for a little while, doesn't mean he did not pass along his traits to the rest of you. Tyler sleeps like him and is just a big a man as he ever was, hope you turn out as well. Colton has his intelligence, same as Brittni. He loved math. Cortney you have his infectious laugh and attitude, he was never bashful.

I love you all dearly an hope you get to read these words someday.


Never go to bed angry, even if that means loosing the argument, doesn't hurt making the peace now and then.

Always try your best, never regret that you tried to do what you thought as right, let your conscience be your guide.

Love your family like there is no tomorrow, you might not get another chance to tell them you love them.

Be proud of who you are and who you came from, it makes you unique and gives you value.

Make your peace with God early on in life. You might not have a second chance. Be very humble in his presence.

God bless you all with long life and happiness in all you do, wish I could be around your whole life. All my love to you always.

Escaping

What are you escaping from? I often wondered why I smoked, was it because it made me look cool? gave me focus? gained me honor among co-workers? What was it that made me smoke?

Well to be honest at first I swallowed a big lie, that I was in control of it, just like anyone addicted is in control and can quit at anytime. Not addicted you say, really? really? Lets just look at a few things here first of all, why are we using pills, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, sex, money, work, violence or whatever your poison to escape?

What do we hope to escape? This is satan's lie. take a little pill and tomorrow you will feel as right as rain, its just a little drink what will it hurt, oh come on, no one will ever know, right? Does any of this sound familiar?

Okay Jim, you have all the righteous answers, life is easy for you. Wrong, dead wrong. How could a simple kid from a small town with an average education ever begin to understand the complexities of addiction on his own without first some first hand knowledge of what it is to live with addictions, secondly feel the love in my heart to share this with everyone who reads it.

I tried escaping for years through the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, if you could smoke it I've tried it, for a while drank it as well. Took me 38 years to stop killing myself with addictions. Seen friends and family kill themselves, cried myself to sleep over their loss and I know the crying is far from over yet.

Satan uses all sorts of gimmicks and lies to get us to thinking that we can escape all our troubles and woes if we just do this or that, won't hurt anyone, we can stop anytime we want, right? Once addicted, always addicted. There is no halfway, I can never just have one cigarette or one drink or one lie or one whatever.

Addicts are vigilant all the time, knowing the triggers is helpful, knowing we have zero tolerance limits is paramount.

So what's your poison? What are you escaping? Does smoking pot take away the frustration? Content with being lied to? Content with being addicted to death?

Want real answers? Want to stop killing yourself? Want to get away from it all? 

The truth is we can't do it by ourselves, we need a counselor, someone not paid, someone who is always awake, never tires of spending time with us - no matter how much we talk, knows what is really bothering you - but rejoices when you admit things to him.

There is no 800 number, he is here now, he is there now. All it takes is you and an open honest heart. Admit to God you are addicted, you are tired of running away and trying to escape - but need his help, Give him the option to rid this poison from your life once and for all, accept the truth of his words written in the bible they haven't changed, he loves you and me, just love him in return.

Escape the grip addiction has over yourself, don't continue to believe the lie. Need encouragement? Need someone to walk with you? Call upon the holy spirit to come into your life, accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, understand that we are all sinners, everyone of us. Relief from the bondage and lies is right there, within arms reach, no one can do this for you.

Final promise, I will pray for you. I don't want your confession just as you don't want mine, I've already given my burdens to God, he has long since forgotten yesterday and "will forgive me of my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me..." his words not mine.

Don't have a bible? Send me a message, letter, e-mail, whatever, I will mail you one.

papointman@comcast.net   Private Cell: 814-308-2802   720 Toftrees Ave, Apt 309   State College, PA 16803.

God bless us all.

The Great Pretender

Years ago there was a 50's song titled the same as this, same principal different results. The difference being is most of us are great pretenders, I am a christian, everything is just fine. Okay well before we go becoming a lightning rod for presumptions that your life is terrific no fuss and no muss...

Lets consider just how miserable we actually are and need the grace of god just to get past the coffee pot in the morning. Not sure why he even grants us the ability to whine about how our clothes just hang on us, or taxes just keep going up and up or even the price of our expresso-latte foamalotta's or whatever it is we can't stand at the moment.

When we do get past ourselves and realize just how fragile life is, we become much more appreciative of all the little things he provides us with, going un-noticed by most throughout there day. Instead we choose to be miserable or full of pride in what we think is our own abilities, little do we give credit to the real reason we survive.

Instead lets just pretend that fate rests solely in your own hands, your destiny is by your choosing, after all wasn't the world created through chance? Have you ever considered through what process the gases and particles combined to create the complex life forms we now have?

I would venture to say more people spend more time trying to convince themselves they have plenty of time to get right with God then they actually have. Or the alternative is to continue to think "or continue to think outside some box" that pretending is a much better choice.

Not to be confused with escaping....(see the next blog entry for more on Escaping)...

Are you pretending? Are you tired of pretending everything is fine? If you are, maybe now is the time to "get real" with God, come as you are, no one will be turned away. What are you waiting for?

Learning to fail at everything...

During a recent trip to see our grandson graduate, our granddaughter our daughter an her husband knowing we wanted pictures of wild life took us to a state park just north of their town of Eagle River, Alaska. When we got there we were treated to some spectacular views of the Chuigak mountains and the Eagle River, but no eagles or wildlife except one.

At first I was disappointed thinking we failed to locate wildlife in Alaska, this is like going to the zoo and seeing no animals!!! Come on this is ALASKA, right?

However after thinking about it now and looking back over the pictures we did take, we captured moments we haven't shared in quite sometime. Spending time with our grandchildren and our daughter. This is even more rare than catching wildlife on camera.

Sometimes we think of failure in our tasks because we failed to achieve what we wanted to accomplish, however what we really have to remember is who is really calling the shots. God is perfect in his timing and in his wisdom for us. Considering how many times I have had to call out his name in fear of being overrun with something I have screwed up on, the controls are better off in his hands..

The older I become the more I am understanding to fail at everything, success is when I turn to him for everything, I couldn't imagine trying to wake up after 5 hours of sleep to put this on the computer for anyone to read, not even sure I can take credit for opening the orange juice by myself.

We are such control freaks that we couldn't possibly see anyone else in control, right?? Well as for me my friends, I am learning to fail at everything to lean on him for all things, better to perish like a ship on the ocean than wither like grass in the heat of the sun from its own boasting of self reliance.

Seductively Appealing

Too much of what we see around us is seductive, being supplied to appeal to the masses, partly to distract us from the beauty of love for one another, but more so to distract us only to its beauty. Like a moth to flame and as in the days of moses beauty was meant to allure us into sins of the flesh.

The appeal of skin is nothing new and has been around since the dawning days of our fathers. As with all sin, the more appealing the more we seem to slide down that slippery slope falling further into sin and further from our Lord, Jesus.

While we normally set our sights on things of this world, new homes, new jobs, new clothes, more investments, etc. the list could go on for miles.

The true demon here is knowing that we are easily distracted, for some it is fatal and last forever into eternity. Knowing right from wrong yet continuing to sin is one of those roads to destruction, unless we detour our course it will surely lead to our doom.

Sometime the best course of action is no action, better to set sail only in the safety of the bay or to merely take baby steps than to press full throttle into oblivion dooming us and those who follow us into disaster.

Repent and be renewed or stay the course and be replused.

Gone is the Day

Gone is the day, woe is to me, the opportunites lost

Lost is the chance to surrender to him that cleanses all

Awash in the guilt still, no peace today

Make plans if you will, but by his will it may never come to pass

By his grace we breathe our first and last

Through his will we are able still

Squander not the opportunities !!!

Sometimes I Cry

Sometimes I cry, inconsolably, not sure why.

Sometimes I feel anger, so much it scares me

Sometimes I worry this will all overtake me.

Most nights I can't sleep because I wrestle with the dreams

Sometimes I wonder how God could ever forgive me for the things I've done

Sometimes the burdens get too heavy

Sometimes I fall down and wonder if I'll ever get back up

Almost always I find myself in a spiritual fight, the enemy is always cruel and cunning.

Almost always I pray myself to sleep....

Sometimes I just cry...

No one is Perfect

How easy it is to dismiss the notion that; "we are only human" or that "no one is perfect". Just another legalistic lie. Satan is subtle in his notion that we should not begin to believe for one minute we are better than anyone else, after all we are only human and you can't expect a miracle overnight, right?

True be told, which Satan does not provide, we are better than that, "miracles" or "blessings" do happen and guess who is not providing them, yep the guy with the pearly white teeth an slimy handshake, good ol Mr. In-Between, (we will get to why I call him that).

No longer should you dismiss any inaction or failure to the notion as we are only human and no one is perfect because they are both lies. We are not merely human, maybe in form, but not in spirit, and the notion that no one is perfect is just a lie because we know that God is perfect and he is real and a part of our everyday lives.

Mr. In-Between lives on Procrastination Street in the town of Doubt and Deceit. Keeping all that live there and their many cousins in turmoil. Doubting whether to believe anything they read, see or experience. We live in a sinful world after all, right? No...

Being stuck between a hard place and a rock is just that, Hell is a hard place left to hardheaded people who refused to see, while the rock is the rock that was cast aside, imperfect, but cleansed and purified made into the cornerstone. Falling between these two choice is all you have, but choose wisely your decision will last an eternity.

Constantly Attack...

Ever feel like the weight of the world is falling on your shoulders? Like everything is going wrong, no matter how small or large the matter?

You aren't alone, we are constantly being bombarded with subversive messages through out the day, whether in the media or on the radio. Seems the more distracted we become the more distance there is between us and God. Although the computer aids us with many aspects of work, it replaces the functions of face to face communication and letter writing.

Once we become de-sensitized to speaking to one another, and loosing faith in the written word, Satan is painting an abstract vision for many to follow or believe is real, in other words he is manipulating many into believing what we see on television or read in the paper or on the computer to be slanted away from the truth.

In addition to all this we loose valuable time with our families and time spent with the Lord. Instead of the computer being a tool it becomes a function or extension of needs. I am calling on God for re-enforcements and know there are more of us then there are of them.

I am asking anyone who reads this to do the same and to take control of this and devote one less hour a day to media, computers and radio. Take that time and invest it in time with God in prayer. May God bless us all.

Unwanted...

Ever have the feeling you were unwanted, rejected by friends or colleagues? Consider the life of the penny, yep the penny. Some consider it so useless that they will refuse to pick one up, some discarding them as trash or a nuisance and use the car vacuum to rid their car of them, tossed aside.

Now consider how Jesus felt to know he was rejected by his very own people, people of his own town and country, hated, mocked and beaten and finally condemned and executed. Imagine how that would play out in today's world of mass media, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and Fox News all pushing and shoving to get the exclusive and firsthand accounts, adding their own spin to the facts, and in the end the facts so convoluted the truth no longer visible or believable.

Being unwanted is a lonely feeling for anyone who has ever felt rejection, imperfect, blemished somehow by imaginary standards that change as often as the weather based on popular opinions.

Broken and beaten, God welcomes us home as his children, all of us that believe and were born again of the holy spirit, the promise has remained consistent for generations since the time of John the Baptist, the rebirth of our soul, making us one in spirit with our Lord. We are accepted not by anything of our own accord, but by his grace and his grace alone.

This month, don't pass by the opportunity to come to know our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Our Lord is merciful and accepts all, from the meek to the mighty, from the unwanted or rejected to the most desirable. All are equal is value to him, all are equal is relationship to God the Father, Creator of all things.

God Bless us all...

Witnessing

I'm not talking about witnessing to someone. I'm talking about being a witness to destructive behavior of those around us. I am witnessing a marriage in crisis, the couple both young, successful, beautiful children, everyone healthy, educated, financial sound. However somethings are lacking and neither of them know what to do as Satan sends his henchmen to work on the threads that bind the fabric of their marriage and hold their family together.

In addition to these troubling events, destructive behavior has also set in, not just with one, but all. Such a beautiful picture on the outside, but rotting at the core. How can this all possibly be, is there any hope for reconciliation? Is this family doomed to fail? What of the impact of the others outside the immediate family?

Are we to merely witness the events as they unfold or do we become active participants? Is it any better for them if someone else solves their issues or is it better for them to resolve the matters by themselves? I shudder to think of the remorse we would feel if we stood idlely by and allowed an opportunity to provide wisdom an counsel to both of them, how can we idlely stand by and watch as Satan's henchmen have their way.

Will the values and examples given us provide enough value for the family to understand what is at stake to be lost, knowing that choices are plentiful to be made, the problems and issues mounded over the years will not all be dealth with in a matter of days or weeks, but months and years. What value do they place on their marriage and family? Do they consider it worth fighting for? Would they allow their children to run into discourse and trouble because their own anger blinds them to what is happening?

God as my witness, does not intend to see me sit idlely by and not open my mouth, planting the seeds of redemption and reconciliation, however I am not the one to cultivate and care for them, I am merely the sower of seeds, prayerful to select the seeds of wisdom and hope, love and sacrafice, honor and respect, clarity and understanding, time and patience.

Lord, God, Grantor of all things, I humble myself before thee, take me from this world if thy will, but spare this couple the indignations of surrendering to satan and his henchmen, allow their keel to sit low in the water, righting the bow, allow their sails to be full with the breathe of your teachings, I pray their blindness would be cured, allow them to see the destructive forces ripping the very fabric that binds them to be torn from them. May they be slow to anger and speak, Lord I beseach the on their behalf, spare me not in exchange for their marriage and family, what worth is my life if I am to merely witness, Glory to the father and the son, I ask these things through your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Standing Post

One of the first things I learned growing up near the middle in a large family was to blend in, almost invisable at times, maybe appearing timid to some, while others may have thought I was just being sly. Just as the night gives way to day or the fog to the sunlight, ultimately I gave way to responsibility.

Being responsible comes with its fair share of headaches and heartaches as well. Here I am typing because responsibilities and a headache woke me from sleep, can't hide the call no matter how subtle or strong. Knowing I am not alone gives me comfort, knowing I am forgiven gives me hope, knowing I have purpose gives me reason to Stand Post.

Just so you know

You are never far from my thoughts, oh sure we have lots of them on any given day, a million or two miscellaneous thoughts all competing to be in the lead or over power the others, but then along comes something to change the pace of the day, the closing kiss - the touch of your hand on my shoulder - the unforgettable hug we seem to have perfected before we close our eyes to sleep.

Just so you know, that although the millions of things that creep through the caverns of my mind on a daily basis, that even occupy my thoughts as I should be resting, but instead I could not rest, lest Just so you know.

I hear and feel the trouble within my heart as we witness the strife in another couples life, gone are the important matters of their heart, focus given way to less sustaining matters and material things, seemingly most of it squandered, I feel pain for them.

Dad

As defined by Websters, Dad : Father, Father is defined as first person in the trinity.

Walking through the store the other day, I watched as a dad was beseiged by his three children, all trying to gain his attention with one crying louder than the others repeatedly; dad, dad, dad, dad, dadddd, dad, dad, can you hear me, dad....

I sometimes feel what this child felt, what have I done wrong that you won't answer or give me your full attention. Then as before I catch my words in mid air as they escape my lips and draw them back with guilt, knowing who am I to ask for his attention from those who are in desperate flight or peril.

The song " His Eye on the Sparrow" races through my heart;

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,



Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,


When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:


His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

Oh how humble we should all be to know we lack nothing.

Without Understanding

Driving past a slightly frozen pond the other day, I noticed some geese on the water, when something was sensed as a danger they did not hesitate, they all moved together and that was to flee the sensed danger.

In today's world we no not flock together often enough, and with our families before us, most turned to church and christian fellowship, but then came the sixties and the fatal shot was fired at the family. No longer would we conform to the standard of our parents and grandparents, it was time for me and self gratification not about an new sense of freedom as fed to us by satan and his henchman.

Gone were the days of innocence and wonder, gone were the days of trust, and along came corruption and greed. Now not all of this was bad, we did have some groovy music and the message of love everybody was good, not as it was intended, but where there was a new spiritual awakening. Many came to Christ as a result of the sixties, sensing danger they fled to the feet of the king for protection.

Without understanding why, even in the most condescending of times we seek answers from the Great I Am, some however will want immediate answers and when asked with an unclean heart may never hear his response use the opportunity to lead some astray. Do not be mislead by false prophets, said many of times throughout the old and new testaments.

Consider this, next time you go to start your car in the morning consider trying to understand, "Why it should start?"  Do we really need to understand that process or do we just trust it to happen, just like thousands of times it has in the past?

Same goes with our faith, even though many have tried to destroy our faith they can not, no amount of Darwinism can do this. Now how would you explain that? Lets try this, "No man can destroy has been created by God". Not talking about physical things, I am talking about spiritual things, like faith. You may wage a battle to explain human accession from apes to the modern man, but how do you explain love and faith?

For those of us who have faced harm in battle or in foreign countries around the globe, we put our trust in SOP's, Standard Operating Procedures and General Orders. This coupled with our training saved many from physical harm. Just as there are countless stories of those in harms way who turned to prayer before engaging the ememy or heading out on their mission.

For me each day spent in the firehouse was another day to lean heavily on my faith and my limited understanding that God had a plan for my life and not just for one moment. Why was I spared harm when standing 10 feet from a loaded fuel with 6,000 gallons of explosive fuel on board and one set of it's rear wheels on fire, all that stood between me and it was a hoseline and water or for that matter any of a hundred times I answered the call and ran to danger while others ran away from it.

So what is to understand? We are all Gods children, some are more obediant than others, but we are all Gods children. Do you consider yourself obediant?