Welcome to Friday!

Be strong therefore and let not your hands be week: for your work shall be rewarded - 2 Chronicles 15:7

Welcome to Friday!

 

This picture is actually from a couple of weeks ago when Cassarra and I were at USC. 

Welcome to Friday!  Somehow the day slipped by so fast.  After getting off to a fast and furious start at 5:00 am, it seemed to race by like a well trained, highly skilled track star, shot out of a cannon!  Nevertheless, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to check in on you and to say hello and find out how things have gone for you this week.  How are you doing?  How have you been this week?  Was this an exceptional week, a good week, or somewhere in between?  What was your biggest blessing this week?  Did you have a moment that took your breath away, a moment that brought a big smile to your face, or any other moments that were special, just refreshing or in some capacity wonderful?  What were you up to this week and did you get the things you wanted accomplished? 

I'd like to say that we had a pretty good week.  It was definitely not as busy as last week and we had more time together.  In fact, at one point this week, I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday, dinner was done early, the kids were in bed early, the dishes done, the floors "swept-ish", and I actually found that I had time to read!  Alas, I managed only a few pages before something got in my eyes and glued them to each other for the next hour or so.  I was startled awake by the sound of some chain saw wielding, roaring grizzly bear in the family room.  :-)  Pretty sad when you scare yourself awake by snoring.  Anyway, once my eyes came unglued my neck was quite stiff - the arm chair is good for falling asleep, but not staying asleep.

My biggest blessing this week is and will probably always be knowing how much I am loved by my family and friends.  It was definitely a blessing to have my wife pray with me, and for me. 

My take your breath away moment had to be watching the girls perform at youth revival with such precision, passion, and joy.  They performed a praise dance to Tasha Cobbs - Break Every Chain.  They were on-point!  Even a prop malfunction didn't stop them from bringing it.  Another take your breath away moment came this morning while attending the funeral of a friend and church member.  During the service his son-in-law and members of the group "Rising Stars"  sang "I come to the Garden Alone."  The sound, the passion, the spirit of revival brought back memories.

My big smile moment had to be when I was preparing to take Ava and Paige to a Girl Scout's meeting.  I told Ava and Paige to go get in the car, and without missing a beat Emma said, "Okay, I gotta get my shoes."  She put on her pink cow girl boots.  They didn't match, but I didn't have the heart (or the time) to make her change. 

Well, this week was filled with a lot of other great, special and even normal, but really good, moments.

• Friday: Trish and I had dinner and a movie @ home.  Our baby sitters were out training, practicing, and preparing for youth revival
• Saturday: I got a chance to get out in the cool of the morning and knock out the yard work.  I even had enough energy to cut a design in the yard.  I also found some inspiration for a new devotional article while working in the garden.  After the yard work we were all treated to an amazing Youth revival and the girls performance to Tosha Cobbs.
• Sunday: On Sunday we had our church revival.  The service was great, the choir was fantastic, and we had an outstanding guest preacher.  Let me tell you, he brought it!.  The three points he brought home were:
  
1. Wait confidently.
2. Wait faithfully.
3. Wait patiently. 
   
4. Even more amazing, or equally as amazing was his altar call and prayer.
• Monday: Was back to school time for everyone and after a late night on Sunday I was definitely dragging a bit.  Sydney was up bright and early.  She was ready!  I also got an amazing text message of inspiration and encouragement on Monday.  And it was followed up with a prayer.  
• Tuesday:
  
• Wednesday: My Wednesday highlights include scoring the winning basket at basketball after our team had to make a furious comeback, the Girl scout interest meeting with Emma grabbing her shoes to tag along, and picking up cookies on the way home.
  
• Thursday: On Thursday we had pizza night and dinner together.  It was really nice to sit at the table and talk a bit.  We also had a nice "What are you grateful for" moment.  Even Ava gave her gratitude entry.  Emma said something too, but we couldn't understand her - and I think she couldn't understand why we weren't passing the pizza and the kool-aid.  At bedtime Ava, Emma and I had some fun reading old children's books and replacing the names with theirs or their cousins.  The got a blast out of changing the names in "This Orq.  (He Cave Boy.)."  After we were done all I heard was, "Read it again!"
  

I hope that you are doing well.  I hope that you had the kind of week that opened your eyes to the joy of God, the beauty of creation, and the endless and bountiful streams of His love and grace.  I hope that you found encouragement, gladness, comfort, strength, courage, laughter, and favor - lots and lots of favor when you needed it most.  I hope you have had a wonderful week, and I hope you will have a most excellent and amazing weekend.  As always, may the God of joy, peace and comfort bring you an abundance of joy, peace, and comfort as he surrounds you in His love and calms you with his grace.  May the Lord God who reigns and rules, in the chaos and in the calm be awesome towards you and for you.  And may you as always enjoy today...

Welcome to Friday! 

I am again so thankful for the many and manifold blessings of God, including:

• Date night with Trish
• Waking up each day
• Finding the pictures of the sunset from a few weeks ago
• Family and friends
  
• Bible study with my friend Yuhui
• Worship service on Saturday and Sunday
• Getting some rest
• Finishing some key installations at work
• Winning three games this week at basketball, and losing none.
• Laughter and smiles
• Reading an email from my mom, and another from my cousin

Praying

May the Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious One, make you great, and inspire you to greatness. The Eternal write His name, word and love across your heart making you His own.

Thought for today : "We find our identity in Christ, the greatest servant of all (John R. Throop - Upper Room)."

Welcome to Friday! 9.18.15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Col 3:15

Welcome to Friday!

It feels like I have had a busy set of weeks for the past two weeks.  I missed checking on you via email last week, and nearly so this week.  I want you to know that I was definitely lifting you in thoughts and prayers and asking God to endow you with joy, hope, love and peace.  This week, whew, I finally have a moment to actually check on you and say "Hi/Hello! "  So, how are you doing?  How is your day going so far?  If you had to rate your week on a scale of 1 to 10, where one is good and 10 is "OMG! What did I do to deserve all this kindness and grace", how would you rate your week? 

I hope that you are having an absolutely splendid day, filled and formed by the King of kings, the Glorious One.  I was reminded when I woke up, that "This is the day the Lord has made... let us rejoice!"  So, even though parts of this week have felt like it was moving along on a high speed train (going full speed and non-stop), and even now the weekend is ready to jump off - Welcome to Friday!  I hope that you are well!

We are doing very well.  In fact, I'm probably close to that "OMG!" mark when I consider all things.  God, full of grace and infinite in mercy, continues to supply and unload upon my door blessings too numerous to number and increasingly wonderful.  I have great family members, tremendous friends, amazing girls, and a wife who continues to be my best friend!  Trish and the girls make the days and weeks fun and filled with laughter.  Trish and I found some old photos of Ava and an old video of her learning to walk - too cute!

I am so thankful for:

• Still enjoying the memories from celebrating Cassarra's 18th birthday
• Enjoying the jokes, pictures, and stories two weeks later
  
• Prayers from friends during the week
  
• Friends keeping me uplifted and sending me texts
  
• Bible Study at home and work
• Attending the kids schools
• Date night with Trish (twice this weekend)
  
• A friend at church gave us a gift for a dinner date
• Gabbi and my mother-in-law watched the little ones for a burger date
• Spending the weekend with my mother-in-law
• Seeing War Room (I think it was Labor Day weekend)
  
• I've seen it twice (once with Trish, and once with all the kids and Jaziah)
  
• I plan to see it again
• Trish has seen it three times
  
• Traveling with Cassarra to Clemson and reaping the rewards of time well spent a full week later
  
• My friend Yuhui praying for Cassarra
  
• That she would find a good godly friend
• That she would find a good Bible study
• That she would find the right school
• Watching old home videos of the girls, especially Ava
• Emails from mom
• Oneness prayer challenge
  
• Watching Ava react (priceless) to seeing herself as a baby, barely walking
• Sydney and Paige fixing breakfast this week
• Paige being safe after opening the door while the car was moving in the car rider line
• Of all things, she opened the door b/c Ava said to get out of the car
• It scared me nearly to death
• Paige's reading is improving
• Playing basketball today and being able to leave while winning
• Celebrating the successful releases of two products at work
• God turning a colleagues attempt to discredit our team into a new opportunity for improvement and success
• A good dentist report
• No cavities
• The split in my teeth from an errant elbow no longer needs repair
• Finishing Joyce Meyer's book - Get Your Hopes Up
• Restarting a book on Kingdom men by Tony Evans

I'm still battling a head cold, and Emma kicked me numerous times after she came into our room - but all in all this has been a great week.  We have had school meetings for curriculum nights this week.  Cassarra and I attended a college information session.  I still have trouble getting my head around the fact that college is coming.  We also took an actual college tour last weekend at Clemson.  Ava is doing well at school.  She had one day where she decided she would not color according to the directions, so everything was green on the page.  Everything except the note home :)   Emma has had her run of the morning routine.  She has managed to invade our bed a couple of nights between 3 and 5 and disrupt things.  I have learned that she has very strong legs, and she flails them wildly at times.  Paige gave Trish an excellent tour of her classroom on curriculum night.  Trish was very excited to hear all the details that Paige provided, and her wisdom.  Paige shared with her mom that sometimes she doesn't share as much because she "knows that some people need the shine!"  Gabbi's English and Dance teachers were glowing with praise for her.  Her English teacher was very impressed that she passed last year's End of Course Exam (EOC) with a 100%.  Sydney's learning collaboration group (CREW) gave an excellent presentation, including video, of what they are learning and how they are working together.  Sydney was excited and did very well in our 15 seconds or so on the video.  Trish of course is as amazing as always.  Trish prayed for me this week and it was an awesome, funk busting, faith inspiring, soul stirring and deeply encouraging word.  I mean, wow.  I know she has been praying for me before, but on this day when I needed that 'real, effective and fervent' prayer - BOOM!

Welcome to the weekend.  I'm looking forward to youth revival tomorrow and the church revival on Sunday.  I hope that you will have an excellent weekend filled with joy, wonder and refreshing.   The LORD God, who reigns, bring about a weekend tailored to your needs, loaded with joy and sealed in His love.  May grace pour down on you as you enjoy your weekend and as always...

Welcome to Friday!

 

Welcome to Friday! 9.4.15

But one things is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.  Luke 10:42

Welcome to Friday!

This is going to be a great day!  We are going to experience favor, blessing, increase, opportunity, joy, happiness, and the overwhelming and ceaseless abundance of God's steadfast love and presence.  Goodness and mercy are pursuing us and will overtake us today.  Peace and hope are being handed to us in copious amounts and at a rapid and continual pace.  The Glorious One, seated high and lifted up, is looking to fill your cup fully and spill over the blessings onto your family, friends, and social circles. 

Welcome to Friday!  How are you doing?  How is everything going for you?  Did you have an good, great, outstanding, or superb week?  What was the highlight of your week, and the item that you are most proud of?  I hope that you are doing well and that you are off to a fantastic and fabulous Friday.

We are all doing well.  This week has been great.  We had wonderful weekend to kick start us into the week.  Starting with enjoying the first home football game of the high school season.  My brother and his family came up to watch as "our" two high schools competed.  Well, one of them competed the whole game, but that is another story.  The game was good, but spending time with the girls at the game and with my brother was great.  I enjoyed the minor amounts of smack talk, and just being in a laid back environment enjoying the time to catch up. 

Saturday, Trish and I enjoyed a date night together and caught up on the week gone by.  I had a great time as always chatting with Trish and just getting to have her all to myself.  I truly understand why the girls try to hog her attention all the time.  She is just that special; a great listener, wonderful conversationalist, and beautiful inside and out.  We had Panera this time, and as usual I should have ordered the same thing Trish did.  While my salad was good, her steak sandwich looked amazing. 

Sunday, we had a great worship service for "College Day" and a reminder that God is always available and we have access to our holy God.  Afterwards Trish and I took Emma and Paige to go look at cars.  The older two girls watched Ava and Sydney, so we actually managed to get away long enough to continue the process of looking into replacing the old faithful "Silver Bullet."  We test drove a Honda Odyssey and then spent most of Sunday at the same dealership.  We had a delightful person working with us, who just so happened to know some college friends and former co-workers.  At the end of this experience of fun, and favor the icing on the cake was getting a good laugh when the salesperson gave Paige a commission for helping sell the car to us.  Who knew that someone not paying the bill could have "expectations" for the car they will ride in. 

After the great weekend kick start, it feels like the week has just raced on by.   At work we finished up two major projects and received some well deserved accolades.  At home the girls are in full swing with school now.  Homework is coming in, quizzes are happening, and study rituals are in progress.  A lot of the afternoons were spent discussing 18th birthday plans and ideas.  Trish and I can hardly believe she is 18.  Time seems to have flown by too fast.

We had a great dinner on Tuesday.  Trish fixed dinner and we were all done early enough to enjoy a meal at the table together.  Dinner time with the girls can be fun and enlightening at the same time.  Thursday night we had a nice pizza round table.  A few slices of pizza and suddenly stories about school, home, and etc begin to abound.  Two of the best stories involved what happened when the girls had to go in and clean up Trish's car.  Paige discovered that there is a dark downside to leaving things in the car that should have been thrown away. 

Sometimes I wish we had a video camera to catch some of the moments at the dinner table, especially with Ava and Emma.  We'd need a microphone and recorder to pick up on the jokes and stuff that Cassarra and Gabbi have going on their end of the table. 

All in all it has been a great week.  I am so thankful for:

• Family
• Friends
• Laughter and lots of it
• Prayer
• Yard work
• my two neighbors cutting part of my yard for me
• getting the yard clean before the rain starts
• A 15 year old mower still getting it done
  
• Seeing our oldest reach 18
• Getting Ava settled into the morning routine
• laughing as Ava held up the whole drop off line
• she insisted she get her backpack on 1st
• I used to complain about pre-K kids taking so long :)
• Paige walking Ava to class
• Ava getting up early and talking with me before the morning workout
• USC's victory over UNC
• Gnjoying the high school football game even if DFHS lost the game
  
• Bible study this week w/ my friend and co-worker
  
• Starting a 30 day marriage and oneness prayer devotional
• Enjoying basketball this week
• My record so far is 3-6
• But those 3 wins were big
• Finding an old photo of my brother and great Aunt
• Getting new, reliable and affordable car for Trish
• Getting a great deal on the car
• Finding the right dealership
• Having Paige's seal of approval
• Not having one of those horrible car buying experiences
• Emma going back to sleep after waking up at the crack of dawn
• Gabbi planning Cassarra's birthday celebration(s)
• A week at work with only 1/2 the normal meetings
  

Well, I hope that you are having a great day!  I pray that your weekend is exceptional and filled with beautiful moments and sights.  I hope that you get the rest and refreshment that your body and soul needs.  May your weekend be bright, blessed, and wonderful.  As always,

Welcome to Friday!

 

How come we miss him, he is right there

Luke 24:13-35English Standard Version (ESV)

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a]from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

**This post contains notes thoughts and references from other sources 

I thought it was very interesting that the two men who were walking were joined by Jesus and they missed him.  He was walking right alongside of them.  They had spent 3 years or more walking with him along the many roads in and around Jerusalem and Nazareth.  By now they were familiar with his steps, and his gate.  They probably knew how he entered and exited, and how quickly or slowly he moved as he went out.  I'm sure that from the backside of a crowd they could pick out his stroll.

For three years they had also heard him in speeches, parables, and teaching.  They were there in the mountains, the plains, and on the way to and from houses, synagogues and the temple.  The Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon on the Plain, the parables about rich and poor, wise and foolish, sinners and Pharisees were all too common.  They could nearly recite the beatitudes from memory, and his voice caught their attention even over the bleating of sheep, and bustle of daily life.

They had seen him heal and deliver other from death.  They knew about his healing touch and the way he interacted with the crowds.  Hands of compassion reaching out to a woman caught in adultery, a gentle touch to a little girl who had died, a hug for the woman who had enough faith to touch his hem, and the comforting hugs he gave Martha just before calling out Lazarus.  

Yes, they had seen him, heard him, walked with him and lived beside him for years.  They had watched from afar, and even watched from the front row.  They even participated in his ministry - passing out fish and bread, arranging the crowds.  These men had placed high hopes on his ministry and his impact, but now as they walked along side the road to Emmaus they couldn't even recognize their friend, Lord, and Savior.  Why?

I have a few brief thoughts on why they couldn't see him.  

First, like the two disciples, we often miss Jesus in our midst because our focus is misdirected.  Other things take first place and capture our attention.  Even for these disciples several things are apparently more in focus than the One in their midst. 

Travel: "That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a]from Jerusalem,"

The Scripture says that they needed to head to a village.  They were probably occupied with an obligation to be at Emmaus, the need to get in and off the road before dark, and the pressure of meeting that schedule.  How often is our sight of Christ impaired by

• obligations
• schedules
• and a destination.

They may have been so focused on their travel, that they didn't understand who had come along side to travel with them.

Grief: "And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him"

Again the scripture says that they were in mourning.  The loss of Christ deeply saddened them.  Sometimes a loss of a loved one, or even an opportunity causes us to loose sight of God's goodness, and his abiding presence.  They were impaired by:

• death
• loss
• sadness

Have you ever looked back on an event and realized that a new door was opened for you, but you were so busy mourning the loss of the closed door, that you didn't notice.  Or that it took you a while to see what was staring you in the face because you were saddened by the other loss.

Daily obligations: 

• work
• food 
• shelter

Second, like the disciples, we sometimes miss out on the King of Kings, and gracious God because we are caught up in our own desires and not his.

 

The disciples said to Jesus, "we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel."  In their mind they were expecting someone to overthrow Rome, to bring healing, wholeness and deliverance back to the Jews.  Many people looked for the Messiah to be a financial, military, social or political deliverer.  They were not expecting God in the flesh.  They may have expected a healer, miracle worker, or provider.  However, few would have expected a humble servant, faithful to death, who would rise from the dead to redeem a faithful people back to God.  The disciples could not see Christ because they were too busy looking for a Savior of their own making

• Healer?
• Miracle worker?
• Deliverer (Military, financial, social, political)?

But they were not looking for the One true God, a suffering servant who would rise from the grave after defeating death.

Third, Our doubts take center stage

Disbelief: And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

How many times has doubt, disbelief, and fear crept into your view and obscured what you were looking at.  I can recall a new job opportunity staring me in the face, but all I could see was doubt, the unknown, and fear.  Like the disciples, our view of Christ, who walks in our midst and blesses our daily lives can be obscured, blocked, and hindered by

• doubts
• fears
• and a unhelpful wondering of "what if?"

Jesus appeared to the two disciples, who with cast down hearts and glances, made their way on their journey.  The disciples did not recognize their new traveling companion and even as Jesus spoke to them they did not recognize his voice.  Jesus asked them, "Why are you -----?"

When I read the scripture I want to cry out with a smug and pious voice, "How could you not see Jesus as Messiah?" especially after all that he has done.  How could you miss him?  With disdain for their apparent lack and their inability to recognize him I asked how could they miss the Messiah.  I assured myself that I would not have missed him.  But then, I realized how much I am just like the two on the Emmaus road.

We all miss Christ so frequently in our lives.  We are like the travelers on the road to Emmaus, in that we are pressed by time, obligations, schedules and our destination.  We are focused on getting somewhere, doing something, arriving or departing with such determination that we miss Christ on the way.  

"Do we see the Christ as Martin of Tours did when he saw a poor man with no clothes?  Do we see Christ in the helpless face of a child as Mother Theresa did in Calcuta?  Are we traveling so fast to our city that we miss Christ in the face of a tired sanitation worker who wants a fair wage and is willing to march for it? 

The disciples missed the face and voice of Christ because they were focused on the obligations of reaching a destination instead of focusing on the opportunities to enjoy a relationship.

God knows all of this is taking place, and at times He even allows our distractions to remain so that He can slowly reveal himself to us, again."

The resolution:

 As we read this, we want to cry out, "How could you not see Jesus as Messiah after all the wonderful things he did? And how could you not recognize him as he explained the Scriptures to you and your hearts burned within you?" (see verse 32) But until they broke bread with Jesus and the Spirit of God opened their eyes, these men were blind to Jesus' true identity

"It is in the intimacy of fellowship that Jesus is recognized. This setting is no mistake; it is a major Lukan theme. Many of the resurrection appearances he describes are associated with table fellowship (Lk 24:41-43; Acts 1:4; 10:41; also Jn 21:9-15). As Jesus sits at the table, takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and gives it to them, their eyes were opened. In a situation that recalls the feeding of the five thousand and the Last Supper, the disciples realize that they have been talking with the Lord himself (Lk 9:22; 22:19). Though not a reenactment of the Last Supper, this meal does show that Jesus is present and is known when his disciples remain close to him. The lack of recognition of verse 16 is reversed. Their perplexity over recent events is removed. It is through sitting with Jesus and listening to him that we get to know him." - IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Summary:

Here is the major lesson of the Emmaus Road experience. Though resurrection is hard to believe, be assured that it took place. Its reality means that Jesus' claims are true. He was more than a teacher and more than a prophet. He was the promised, anointed one of God. A host of skeptics saw that this was so, and they believed. Do not be skeptical as these men were. Remember what God required of his Messiah: suffering, then vindication in exaltation. IVP New Testament Commentary Series.  

Also remember that if you want to see, be observant.  If you want know, ask.  If you want to find, seek.  If you want to have the way opened, knock.  God doesn't resist us, He calls, pleads, and waits for us to behold His glory and worship Him.