My Time

I love my weekends! Because that is my time. Time that I can do what I want, whether it is chores around the house, or shopping, or whatever. I know that all day Saturday and part of Sunday are all to myself. I love it! Weekend “my time” has become even more important to me since the girls arrived in my life because it is time I can spend with my girls outside the couple hours a night I get during the week. Mine! Mine! Mine!

That’s where I get into trouble. It’s not really my time. It’s God’s time that he has given to me. And sometimes he has other plans than I do for that time. Like helping others who are really in need. I recently was warned by someone that they “might need my help” for a weekend because of a family-related issue. They weren’t asking at that time, just prepping me that they *may* need my help. My internal response: “No no no! That’s My Time! I need to be at my house, doing what I think I *need* to do. I really hope they don’t need me for the weekend…”

Then God stopped me and spoke to me in His way: “Carry each other’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2) I read that and realized how selfish I had been. Christ calls us to help those in need. He said in Matthew 25:45, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

It’s not our time, it’s His time.

Thinking ahead

Ok, I admit it. I am one of those guys that is always thinking of the next holiday and what to get for my family. My wife thinks I’m crazy (and that money burns a hole in my pocket) for thinking about Christmas gifts all year long. I figure I REALLLY got the Black Friday crowds beat when I have my shopping done in May…

If you have been in a grocery or CVS at least once since December 26, you know Valentines Day quickly approaches. (The stores are at 2 months lead time for holidays. what in the world???) The holiday of love… ooooohhhh…. I pretty much have everything picked out for my girls for that day. Madelin gets a Jeep Liberty. Karissa gets a set of ginsu knives, and a big hug for my wife. (Ok, ok. Abigail, if you are reading this, I’ll get you more than a hug. You may have 2 hugs…)

I have a hard time thinking ahead for other things in my life, however. I am a here and now kind of guy. If I want or need something, I tend to go get it, even if I don’t need it right at that moment. Not exactly the best arrangement when you are trying to stick to a budget.

I am so glad that my heavenly Father is much better at looking and planning ahead for my life. I have a feeling that if God gave me everything now He has planned for my life, I might be a tad overwhelmed. (Ever thought about that? Getting a lifetime all at one moment. Whew!)

Such a great reminder in Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It is so reassuring in these times of uncertainty, roadblocks, struggles and pain that (just as God had it all worked out for Israel during their 70 years of bondage during Jeremiah’s time) He has a plan all worked out for me and my life. It is awesome to know that He is thinking ahead for his children and has it all figured out already!

Pain

It seems like all of a sudden there is so much pain around me lately. Maybe it has always been there and I just haven’t noticed it, or maybe God is making this a MAJOR teaching moment in my life.

My Brother-in-Law’s father was suddenly sent to the hospital last friday with all kinds of brain and neck problems after he suffered a fall. He was rushed into major brain surgery and is now on life support. Jason’s blog is the “From the Front Porch” located on my links, but he has set up a special updated blog for the status of his dad, Jim Maley: http://jimmaley.blogspot.com Please keep Jim, Jason and the family in your prayers…

Also, it sees so many kids around us are becoming sick, or are in the hospital for something. Friends of ours from church have a few week old son that was born with spina bifida and is in the hospital after complications. His name is Toby Holt and here is an updated blog for him: Toby’s Site Please keep Toby and family in your prayers also…

But the one issue that has really gotten to me is my own daughter. Our youngest (Karissa) suffers from “breath-holding spells” where she cries so hard that she passes out because she doesn’t take a breath in between cries. It has to be painful for her, not being able to breathe. This is not a major disease, medical issue, or condition. It is somewhat rare, but it happens. It isn’t life-threatening. It is just a issue that she will eventually grow out of. It usally happens when she is very tired and something upsets her, like sitting in the high chair too long, falling, or her sister taking something away from her. Well, last night I was watching my girls so Abigail could minister in the nursery at church (Face it, those kids can be a trying ministry…) and Karissa had another one of her spells. I actually got mad a her and slammed a door out of frustration. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it is because this is something I can’t fix. But I feel so terrible. How stupid, selfish and sinful am I? I think about everyone else around me that has so much more pain than me, with friends and family clinging to life, financial problems, spiritual problems, etc. I just want to break down, fall on my knees, cry out to God and repent of my selfishness. Karissa is perfectly healthy except for these silly little spells, and it is so childish the way I am acting. I am so blessed by God, and I am having fits about a minor issue with my child, when others are dealing with so much more.

I know I need to turn this issue over to God to trust that he will take care of her, help her grow out of it, and continue to be a healthy child. And I know I need to ask God to teach me to be more caring, helpful and sympathetic to those around me, and thankful for all he has blessed me with. He truly has richly blessed me, and I thank Him for his grace and blessing.

Tag, I’m it!

I got tagged this weekend by Mr Conrad to share 5 things you may not know about me. I know my readers don’t amount to much more than family, so these may not be “unknown” to many of you, but I’ll try to come up with 5 interesting things somehow…

1. I was born a poor black child. Ok, I stole that from Steve Martin in “The Jerk”, but I was born in Toledo, Ohio. (Doesn’t everyone have some tie to Toledo?)

2. I was a lifeguard in high school for 2 summers. That’s not the interesting part. The interesting thing about that is that I never made one “save” (rescued a person) during those 2 summer stints. Not one person needed my help out of the pool while I was on duty. But I did get a good tan. Still have some of the tan lines.

3. I can make my eyes spin really really fast. Don’t know why. Have been able to since I was 12.

4. I hold one sports record (that I know of) in my high school: most grand slams in a baseball season. I hit 2 my senior year. And I was the leadoff hitter…

5. The first piece of jewlery I got for Abigail (my wife) was from Wal-mart. A necklace that cost $4.95. She still has it. Not for sentimental purposes, but to remind me never to do that again…

There’s the 5 things you may not have known about me. I must now pass the torch:

Jason Maley

Dave Rodgers

Idiot

Yea, me. An idiot.

My wife and I had a disagreement last night that has just ruined my day today. Didn’t feel like reading the Bible this morning. Haven’t felt like working. Just feel bad that I caused pain to the woman I love because I haven’t tried hard enough to understand her, truly love her, and put her first in the marriage. I hate being a depraved, selfish, stubborn man who doesn’t know when to shut his yapper. I OF COURSE had to be right, and OF COURSE she was wrong. In my mind. Idiot.

I know it is very difficult for my wife to approach me on issues, and she is a very strong and courageous person. And I know she is brings up issues to help me become more of the man God wants me to be, not selfish motives of hers as is usually the thought of men. I just tend to forget that too often. WAY too often.

Proverbs 31:10&11 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

I am sorry for my part in our disagreement, and do want her to know that I have full confidence in her. I know she is a blessed gift from God and that I will not take her for granted nor her wisdom.

I love you, Abigail.

AMAZING!

I subscribe to a verse-of the-day email from heartlight.org and I love to read the verse as the first thing I do in the morning at work, then look at it again at the end of the day to see how applicable it was for the day. Some days I am wowed at how applicable the verse is for the day. I am waiting on responses for a couple of issues in my life, and I expect the answers to come in the next few days. I got this verse today:

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
— Joshua 3:5

Isn’t that exciting, to know that God will do AMAZING things in our lives?!? Not just things, but AMAZING things! That gets me excited to get to tomorrow, because I know every day God is working in my life and I can’t wait to see what it will be, weather it is about things I am specifically praying about, or something of which I am not even aware.

Look forward to AMAZING things tomorrow!!!

Happy New Year to all!

Great verse for all for the new year and beyond:

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

(Numbers 6:24-26)

I pray this will all be true for you!