Providence of God

Sitting here contemplating the end of summer and the beginning of fall. We know they usually end and  start around this time of year, yet am surprised nonetheless.  As if wishing or expecting that summer would never end can somehow make it happen. (must be the kid in me). Each new season brings its pros and cons. A lot like life, I guess.

What boggles my mind is no matter what happens I tend to think it has happened either by chance or by my amazing abilities. What a fool! Whether it is in the smallest matters or matters of life and death, He has mapped my every step. Amazing! And most of the time we are so unaware. God help me.

Been a way for a while. Stuff happens, whether we like it or not. Just when a guy thinks he has a few things figured out, life takes a turn.  Not sure if it pays to try to figure it out or just hang on and enjoy the ride.

Been thinking lately about "everything". And when I say everything I mean everything.  So many things I thought I had somewhat figured out aren't always what they seem.  And what bugs me the most is when  someone tells me something like they have it all figured out and I believe them only to find out that they didn't know what they were talking about!  When am I going to learn.

More later.

Have had this feeling over the last few weeks that I have been spinning my wheels in life. Seems like I've wasted so much of my life just existing. Was I created for a purpose or am I OK just surviving one day to the next. What are you calling me to, God?

Good Days and Bad Days

Life is strange. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something happens and all of a sudden things are in disarray again. It doesn't even have to be something major. An argument with someone, something not happening the way you think it should or even the way someone treats you. And it more often than not seems to snowball. If something happens, I immediately get down in the dumps and start to feel sorry for myself, like why is everyone picking on me. I'm just trying to get through life like the rest of you.

Maybe I am too self-conscious. Maybe if I didn't always think that it is about me. Maybe if I gave more than I got I wouldn't notice the ups and downs as much. God help me!

New Phone

Got a new smartphone today. Samsung Fascinate. What an amazing device. I'm pretty sure it can do anything and everything.

This got me to thinking. What in life makes me happy? Sadly, it is often "stuff". I guess I think stuff makes me happy but as soon as I get it, it's not as exciting anymore. This also got me thinking. As I look back on my life, the most enjoyable and satisfying times have been with friends and family. So why am I not investing time and effort in those things? Is it because they are sometimes "messy"? Am I afraid of rejection? What?

For you, TJ

My nephew reminded me today that I need to get back to blogging. So, here we go.

Just got finished reading a book by Donald Miller called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Really enjoy reading his stuff. He doesn't take himself to seriously yet makes a lot of good points. One of the things he said was that we are always looking for the next best thing to make us happy. Even churches promote it by saiying if we just give our heart to Jesus, everything will be great. I don't think Jesus ever promised that.

More later.

Grace and Mercy

Grace and Mercy. The older I get the more these words mean to me. I'm part of a mens bible study and we have young men and old farts (like me). One thing I have noticed is that the much older guys (older than me, anyway), seem to understand mercy and grace to a much greater degree than the younger guys. The younger guys seem to want to live by very strict rules and if you step out of their defined definition of righteousness or goodness, than by god, somebody needs to straighten them out. Whereas the older guys know that, there by the grace (and mercy) of God, go I.

It seems that we christians could use a whole lot more forgiveness and love of our non-believing friends and a lot less condemnation and scorn.