We hear of it, we prophesy of it and then it happens. As a prophetic person I see things all the time. I find that my take on life is “colored” by my function or gift mix. Each person has a bend or a bent like that. And when we get to employ it, it is what we call being in the groove. We could not miss for trying. We need the gifts or the functions to work together and introduce the world to the risen Christ.
I said yesterday morning, “Despise not small beginnings. There is something new and something getting ready to happen.” I arrived at our church fellowship like any other Sunday. But I kept having this “nagging” feeling like something was happening. But our monthly family gathering of my 5 children and their children was overshadowing it a little. I was not cued in. But, I kept thinking of it, like “what was I missing”. Continue reading The Opening Of The Presents→
As I wrote in the books I gave my grandchildren, some of the words (Besides “I love you!”) included “I am glad you are here.” “This is a day to celebrate freedom. Be all you can be. Experience freedom!”
Freedom is important. Without freedom how can you or I be all we were called to be. If we lived in a place like China or North Korea, what would be our “freedom experience”? I have been to foreign countries, had third world experiences. I have seen the devastation, the depression and the lack of freedoms. Freedom is better! Continue reading The Lord Answered Me And Set Me Free→
When I was child my greatest artwork hung at my grandparents and my parents. As life went on new artwork appeared and old art was taken down. The refrigerator door recorded the life of the family. (Which is good because when I was a kid they had some ugly colors. Avocado, burnt orange, chocolate and copper tone!)
And of course like many children, I was asked of the drawing “Is it a cat? A dog?” I am sure like many children I probably shook my head and said “guess again” as they “did not get it.”. As I grew older I probably scrawled what it was on the page. Cat, dog, tree… But at some point my drawing bettered and the questions became fewer. Soon that artwork was replaced with pictures of family outings and sports or perhaps short stories. Continue reading Is It A Cat? A Dog? What Is It?→
I have given lots of thought over the years to influence.
The dictionary defines influence (noun) as the following.
1. The capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others: He used family influence to get the contract.
2. The action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others: Her mother’s influence made her stay. Continue reading My Influence Is Your Influence→
“Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” That is a line from the Animals’ hit song. (For the lyrics.) I remember the first time I heard it around 1966. I was a beginning drummer with some friends and I used to listen to it over and over on my BSR turntable, with my Realistic 20W set up. Headphones on banging away. For me it became something I did not understand. Why was I not understood? (Some might say it became self-fulfilling prophecy.) Others did that song like Joe Cocker and the Moody Blues, but no one did it like the The Animals. So, now that I stirred up some memories for some of you.. And for others, you may be asking “What is a turntable?” In other places in those lyrics, the singer declares, that his “intentions are good.” Before coming to Christ, I would have said that is fully me. With Christ, I quickly understood that it is not about trying, but about being.Over the years I have somehow felt like I was going through an identity crisis. Who am I? It began as a child and it has never stopped. I was raised (Can’t say “grew up” because we are waiting on that!) in an alcoholic family. I was misunderstood. My father drank and my mom coped. I always tried to be the “best” and when not successful, I resorted to not doing it. Easier to pretend it did not matter, rather than you could not do it, or in some cases even understand it. My relationships often reflected “best efforts” with feelings of not being understood. (I know that I am not the only leader who has felt “misunderstood.”) And I assure you that all my thoughts were towards making things gel and be right. (I am not saying I have no “problems,” but I am saying the difficulties I have encountered have often been the results of misunderstandings.) Continue reading Please don’t let me be misunderstood→
