Each month I have established the first Sunday of the month for my family to gather. Each person brings food, love and seemingly, more grandkids! For me it was a way to see my children together and to provide a vehicle for them build better relationships with one another. It has worked well. One of the things I do is prepare a soup. I love making soup, because when it is done, it is a little bit of this and a little bit of that and creativity. Yesterday was no different. Continue reading Tis The Season To Season
Category Archives: Family Thoughts
Related to our family
Motorcycle Meanderings March 19th 2009
I could be wrong, but I am feeling pretty secure in the fact that the weather is much nicer the last few days. The snow is melting out of yards and cellars may be a little damp, but the days are getting longer and I am feeling pretty excited that real motorcycle season is here. Oh, we may get a storm or two, but not enough to deter us. Many have already begun to rake yards and ready for gardens and flowers. I know my wife was out there making room for the plants breaking through. Continue reading Motorcycle Meanderings March 19th 2009
The Skittish Are Coming! The Skittish Are Coming!
They Are On Their Way
The Skittish Are Coming! The Skittish Are Coming!
As Paul Revere rode on the Midnight Ride to warn people of the coming British, despite popular folklore, he did not say the “The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!” but in fact actually said, “The regulars are coming!” (Or perhaps the skittish.”) Continue reading The Skittish Are Coming! The Skittish Are Coming!
The Process Of Rebuilding
Today is Valentine’s Day. Over the years my wife and I have had a number of great times together on Valentine’s Day. It is not so much a day “to do something” as it is a reminder on a level of our love for one another. I tend not to be a “day” or event person unless we are talking about birthdays or holidays that involve the family.
But, I should be real when I say we have had to work hard to get where we have got to in our marriage. Aside from the power and love of God in our life, I don’t think we would have made it. There have been a number of times in earlier days where I am pretty sure we did not think we could make it. Continue reading The Process Of Rebuilding
Closing The Store
A Dream Closing The Store
The men climbed up on ladders yanking lights from the ceiling and making a very loud noise with no care for those about them.
Maybe it was the cake or the pie or all the extra turkey and avocado I had for dinner, but I “slept through” the night. That never happens. So being awakened by a plow truck and not a dream was somewhat unusual. But I had the dream. Continue reading Closing The Store
Needing The WOW of God!
The feet dangled over the edge. Below in the darkness, swirled rushing waters. Is there a God he thought as he inched forward.
The car veered sharply to the right to avoid the large animal. At that moment everything went in to slow motion as the vehicle took on a life of its own.
Is there a “wow” of God for them? For others? Our lives are often caught up in a pathway that allows us to encounter people, sometimes at their lowest points. I certainly have been around my share of people who had come to their last steps.
When I perhaps 9 years old I delivered newspapers with a man. We would spend 2-3 hours in this large vehicle, going down roads, jockeying from one side of the road to another, each of us placing newspapers in waiting newspaper tubes. One of the last houses we could do each day would take us by one of the cemeteries in our town. The house right before it had a large German Shepherd that would race towards me as I opened the mailbox each day. The dog was big and it was dark that winter afternoon. As the box closed I saw a car with an interior light ahead. The man I worked with said to me “stay here.” He walked over to the car and saw the note. The man had killed himself.
I find an increasing number of people calling out to God to “just take them home” as the pain is too much. The loss too great. I get it. In my early years as a believer I had lost much though I had gained everything. Depression over my past burdened me. I had “tried” I thought. “Done everything” I was sure, but still I was plagued.
Finally a situation out of my control occurred in my life. I could not do this anymore, I thought. I went out to the garage and began to plot my demise. Life had spiraled out of control for me. My best was not enough.
I needed the WOW of God. Adding insult to injury was an accident where I was hit by a taxi cab. Now walking was painful. “Where are you God?” I wanted God to “fix it.”
Where is the boat? Where is the life preserver?
As the snow covers the darkness of the ground and brings beauty in a wondrous way to the city about me today, I think WOW! Beautiful. Oh, I know it is only temporary. I understand it is “not needed”, but it changes the look, the appearance of things.
What would the “wow” of God look like for you? What would it change? Anyone who has read my work knows I have experienced powerful encounters with God. Paradigm changing, life changing encounters. Yet, today, like many I need a “wow” of God. I am not suggesting we try to move “mountaintop to mountaintop” enduring the valleys of time in between. I am not thinking we need to go event to event, but maybe just listen for the “still small voice.” What we do in between in many regards is “up to us”.
Do not think I am talking against visitations or encounters or moves of God. I am not. I am speaking of avoiding the discouragement that has the ability to rear its ugly head when it is not happening. When it is not a powerful move and it is hard. Last week I saw the “provision” of God in a dream. So real, I got up and began to look for it. I have not found what was seen in the dream, but I have not given up.
I have had this thought lately that people need to know others are on their team, caring about them, praying for them. Each time I think of the religious persecution endured by so many, I wonder, what are their thoughts while they sit in prisons. Do they believe people remember their names, their families, their values?
One of the greatest values I see on the horizon is the “wow” of God looking like you or appearing through me.
I was thinking yesterday in my “quiet” time some of the following.
Many folks know me. But it is but a few that know the things I go through. I think Jesus went through something similar. Many knew His name. Knew “Him”. But how many allowed His touch, His life to permeate their being?
When you go through a struggle, sometimes you just don’t know. I am sure the 12 disciples found it easy to get frustrated with the people who “pulled” in Jesus. But how much more concerned were the even smaller inner circle of perhaps 2-3? Or John? They knew.
Discouragement has the ability to undermine you when you least expect it. The more I come to know, understand and labor in my faith to enter His rest, the less I am “discouraged” about. I find the scuffs of life disappear and have less value or impact upon my life.
Many years ago I had a garden and a woodchuck was working hard to get first dibs on my vegetables. I did something incredibly dumb (I was but a young boy!) and despite my best efforts he prevailed. He kept coming back.
Not everything that would hinder you or beset you “disappears”. Sometimes it does but not always. Not necessarily today. I remember many years ago a commercial series that ran by Fedex. One of their lines was “when it absolutely, positively has to be there.” (The video is pretty funny.) What is it you need now?
Let us begin to encourage one another in the “now’s and wow’s of God.” I have many friends who need miracles. Some have been contending. Holding on. Sitting on the edge of their “window ledge” waiting for God to move. But I submit we are the “moving” of God here on earth. (Sometimes what we call sovereign is simply us “wrapping our brain around it”!)
Today is your day. How do I know? God said so! You are postured for a miracle because you are His. His delight. Proverbs 8:30 says “Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, “
Today is a day of rejoicing. Begin to rejoice and be glad in it. He trusts you. He trusts me. Let us not get caught up in the despair but let us be caught up in Him.
Even as I finish this, I saw a large owl swooping out of the skies, moving through the trees, chasing after the small animal over the snow covered landscape. And just as it looked like “all was over” I saw a large hand deliver the small animal out of the way. The owl never veered or swerved, but it was if he “expected” it.
God is delivering you today!
What Is Really Going On? You Can’t Go Back…
[amazon template=thumbnail&chan=default&asin=B005C6FG0G]The last few days have been different for me. Not sure why. But as I 
have been putting together archives and older stories, testimonies and such I have been visited with a renewed sense of purpose. Let me be clear when I say I am not sure “what it is” entirely. Part of me feels like I have been relegated to a cave. With that left on the table…
I have cited the following story and teaching because I find myself back here every now and then. [amazon template=banner easy&chan=default&asin=B008TUE3WE]
Four lepers. Years ago my friend Jack Taylor shared from this passage 2 Kings 7. It is one of those teachings that never left my mind. “Can’t stay here. Can’t go back. Must go on. Got to tell somebody.” You need to read the story. Because the church clearly cannot be impregnated with the DNA of heaven and think it can go back or stay here. Impregnation connotes growth. Growth is a precursor to birth. And birth is a new creation. Your continued growth is because you were “born from above” and have to grow. Now the bigger question upon coming on such a collection of gems and treasures. (Like the lepers, their enemies had been scattered. You have authority as Jesus did over ALL the works of the devil. The devil is not strong but he is a liar. But you my friend are seated high above principality, rulers of darkness and all wickedness. It is time you TELL SOMEBODY.
Today I want to take a moment and talk about “you can’t stay here.” Sometimes when you are “up to your butt in alligators it is hard to remember that the purpose was to drain the swamp.” Too often we are going down the paths of life and interruption appears. It does not need to be the “elephant in the room” traumatic interruption, but sometimes it is just the “shoe string” broke. But depending on your focus and thought process it can stop you dead in your tracks.
Needless to say we have an enemy, but sometimes it is just life. Your car blowing up is not an attack if you never put oil in it. Regardless, you are stuck.
But I have found that often in our lives God changes His method of communication. He might take you from dreams to the word of God. Or from the word to listening for the still small voice. And that is hard. “Is anybody out there?!?!?!”
God never changes His purpose, but I suspect other things including His way of communication may occur. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are doing He may have to “force” us off the spot. In our “old language” we used to say that “comfortable” season was a mountaintop and now it is time for the “valley” experience. I do not believe moves on us to be uncomfortable but like having a child I think there is a dynamic of being in “one position” too long. Sometimes you may need to move. I am not saying once you were an evangelist and now you are not. But is it not possible God might want to hang out with you a little and allow for things to change or to shift? Now granted that is part of my experience and the experience of others but it may not need to be yours.
So where “can’t” you stay? How about you cannot remain a baby all your life? Or mine? How about the process of growing up is happening, “like it or not”? “Ready or not-here I come!” (Said all unborn children and the expression of God through you!) Perhaps you need to make a geographic? Perhaps the season of your job has met your needs but was but a step in the purposes of God.[amazon template=thumbnail&chan=default&asin=B005C6FG0G]
As a prophetic voice I see lots of words given and received. I also see that there are lots of “wow’s” while it is happening. But let me tell you when a word is “truth” it may mean your life is about to change. Joseph had a dream. He announced it. How many years did it take from the pit to the prison to the palace? How many coats (bearing identity) were lost in the process?
Everyone wants a great God word! I do. But in the process, you might not be able to go back. I am going to share the following story with you. Let me tell you what changed.
- God’s purpose was being fulfilled in my life.
- I learned new messages about “leaning to my own understanding”.
- My “comfortable” life was upset. (I am not saying God “did” this.)
- Where I was going was different than what I thought.
- I saw the fulfillment of many words.
- His language to me changed.
- I came to the place I could not “stay here”.
As “Nick at night” (Nicodemus) once asked “can a man return to his mother’s womb?” Sometimes you just can’t go back. You got to move on. That is what happened to Tina and I.
A Quandary
Like so many these days, I feel as my life is a quandary. Perplexing. I read the news. I look at the changing events across nations. I watch economies shift and slide. And in the midst of it, my natural self rebels at the changes I am forced to “go through.” Why? Because I am caught in the issues of the globe! I have watched my business change as other businesses have floundered and gone out of business. I wonder what is going on as so many do. But I trust God.
A few years ago, my wife and I were the owners of a home. Two bedrooms up and 3 converted rooms down. The home produced income. A radio station paid for a small portion for their transmitter. We thought we would be there forever. A smaller home, beautiful views.
My then, handicapped son (God has healed him from the traumatic brain injury and given him a great wife!) was living there, as were my daughter and her three children (A newborn baby was one) and my youngest daughter. Family…
And then the enemy sneaked in. A contractor had been hired to remove the underground oil tank(Required by our insurance and mortgagor.) With in twelve hours of pulling away, my lower level was flooded. Three months of doing all that I could while I waded (Yes, pun intended!) through paperwork for insurance companies, etc., while I was working 24/7 to keep the water from the $50,000 transmitter. (In retrospect, I should have let the water destroy it. Had I let it be ruined, insurance would have had to kick in.) Finally respite came in the form of winter, drying up the water source. During the winter my wife and I gutted the destroyed living area. (Over $60,000.) That spring we had installed an inside drainage system.) We thought we had it knocked. And while we worked out of pocket waiting for insurance companies to step up to the table and did what we could, one night as I lay in bed I could not breathe. Black mold. The story goes on and on. (You can read about it at this Facebook link if you are interested.) The upshot was we lived off site for the next three years.
We devoted a lot of time and energy to this property. We never received a dime of insurance and spent all our savings trying to recover. We are in a a financial crunch as the result of it. 4 years later we still own the property, are trying to negotiate a way through with the bank, and may or may not lose it.
Why share a story like that? Because God is still Lord over our lives. He has not changed, was not surprised nor worried. And neither should we be.
Paul tells us in Philippians 4: 4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Only last year many lost their homes and their properties in tropical storm Irene. did I have compassion? You bet!
I am reminded of the story of David on the run. 1 Samuel 21 tells us that upon inquiry, he finds the sword of Goliath, wrapped in an ephod. Two chapters later, we see David wrapped in the ephod, while all that is stolen is restored. Sometimes we need to be reminded of a previous victory to get over the hump, the quandary we are in to see the restoration. In David’s case it was the sword that slew Goliath.
My wife and I have had some down days, even some down weeks over our nearly 20 years of marriage.
- I did not see my youngest for three years, but as their mother was dying, they were restored to me.
- Not long after we were married, I was hit by a taxicab and put out of business. 6 weeks later the Lord healed me.
- We received a call one night that our son had been killed in an accident. Only two years ago we married him off to one of our lovely daughter-in-loves.
- My youngest grandson had been given up for adoption. 28 days later he was returned to my arms.
Like so many, I could list many, many more. But the Lord is faithful and worthy to be praised. That scripture from Philippians has been worth it’s weight in “gold” to me over the last 20 years.
Some of you have faced death and won. Tell someone! People need to know that the Lord is still Lord over our lives. No matter what.
Memories Of Woody – Groundhog Day!
Suffice to say groundhogs are not my favorite friend. Whether they are woodchucks or groundhogs. I have shot them, eaten them and made serious efforts to evict them.
I wrote this article in August of 2005. Continue reading Memories Of Woody – Groundhog Day!
The Spirit Of Freedom Real Conversations
Each one of the came to the table. They had each been plotting against the company. They had been exposed. Brought out into the light. Their deeds had gone unnoticed for a very long time. One of them was the son of one of the executives. Life sure looked different from their end of the table. The local TV station was covering the end of their underhanded deeds. The company immediately saw their stock rise and their morale change.
The guilty men had for a long time worked behind the scenes performing acts of destruction and bringing pain to the company. Their reasons were many, but for the most part they “could” and that fueled them. As time had gone on what had begun as a game to see if they could get away with small pranks became a “no holds barred” war against the company. Continue reading The Spirit Of Freedom Real Conversations
Where Do You Turn?
I have noticed a phenomenon that concerns me, not for religion’s sake but for the fact that I desire a higher quality of living in people’s lives. It is that of seeking alternatives to God and His provision.
When I came into the kingdom of light, my health was not high. I had gone through times of severe depression which led to obesity and the related side effects. I took medicines like candy and thought the fix remained on the aisles of the local pharmacy. When I became a believer I had my eyes opened to the scripture found in the book of 1 Peter. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Continue reading Where Do You Turn?