A day in the life....if you will

As I finished my last day of class at Ivy Tech, with the CNC Machinists Course...as I labored thru 2 1/2 hours more of measuring, and missing 9 out of 70 some measurements...frutstrated, can you relate?...I am blessed in that a friend from a past church, from a past employment/employer scenerio paid for the course... a course, that if truth be known, I'd rather not have done, but what do you do? What are you supposed to do, when someone offers to pay for such a thing....say, "uh no, but thank you very much!" Perhaps I should have said just such a thing...what is wrong with me? I've just finished a 3 month course I'd rather not have done...but jobs are hard to find, and this area we live in is rich in CNC machining needs...Lord help me, I need a job, and the whole reason I agreed to taking this course, cause I'm 50 years old, and have been spinning my wheels now for over 30+ years....perhaps this course could give me a decent job/career for my remaining years of employment??? I don't know Lord, but YOU do....help me LORD?....Please?"

What are the Important Things?

Sunday morning, 5-22-11, this question kept running, racing, if you will, thru my mind...am I "free"? Free to ramble on, free to be introspective....free to think only of myself?...Self-Absorbed, ah now that's the way it should be, no? I fear this list, if I were allowed, would be entirely too long...but truthfully, it comes down to just one thing..."to be loved".
As my bride and I spent Sunday morning, sipping coffee and talking....many topics were touched upon, but mostly of people....friends, family, acquaintances, church(es)....relationships! How people, both now, and over the years, have and continue to fail us...to hurt us...and we're quite sure, we have in turn, done our share as well. Life is hard, we're reminded of this every day, but for some reason, Sunday mornings seem to bring this out more intensely....why is that? Why are Sundays this way, at least to me? Is it the whole church scene? Is it that Monday's just 'round the corner? Do Sundays make me think of relationships even more? It's got to be because of having to go to church again, don't you think? It's got to be because you are once again forced to go and have 'relationship' with others...to greet some, be hugged by some, be smiled at by some, be smugged by some, be hurt by some, be made to feel by some---you simply don't measure up! Why is that?....Relationships, like life, are hard...people are hard...we look for positive re-inforcement, encouragement, yes love, from people....and too often, it simply does not come, or falls way short of what we'd hoped for. We all seem to know, that truly, our only love and encouragement comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....but we hope don't we? We long for it, don't we?
Ah to be loved, I do believe it is truly the most important thing! I have it, in Jesus Christ....but I truly long for it more, from this world....."why is that Lord?"

1 Class left...than what?

Today is my last class at Ivy Tech in their CNC Machine Course....finish up my measurements test, hopefully my paper work was received and sent onto NIMS....hopefully get my 'finals' scheduled, hopefully pass my finals? "Than what Lord? What do You have in store for me next, Lord?....Lord, Help me!"

God Revealed

"God revealed Himself" John 14:9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" Do you want to know what God is like? Simple look at Jesus Christ. You and I are to be God's representative in the world...unfortunately, we fall short, terribly short...but Jesus was consistent all the way through His entire life. "Thank You Jesus"...Yes indeed, thankfully Jesus completed the work that was needed to appease our Most Holy God, and now, all because of Jesus, we are "heirs" with Him..."Indeed, Thank You Jesus!"

End of Days?

Everybody wants God to move in their time and fashion...sad to say, I'm no different! I often approach Him and say..."why You takin' so long Lord?....I've been waiting...and waiting....Sad to say, I often tell God, it's just been too "long in the comin" Romans 8:22 "all of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" So often, I think..."boy Lord, you sure are takin' a long time in answerin my request..." God's Word says, that all of creation has waited and has been groaning for Him to make it all right again...when I think of it that way, I've not waited hardly at all...."Thank You Jesus for the hope You give"
"Keep me trusting You O Lord, You Alone are faithful to Your word and Your Promised glory will be a reality"

Isn't there something about me, Lord?

"why can't I please God?" Romans 7:18 says, "I know that nothing good lives in me" If you're anything like me, you simply desire for their to be something about you, that attracts God to you....I just want it to be about me, sooooo bad...I think we all battle with this, why else is there so many different religions out there?  It's a battle you know? But I Praise God, cause He almost always brings me back to the realization, that it's "ALL OF HIM"...Talk about Grace, Amazing Grace!...cause each time, I'm driven to the same conclusion...vs. 24 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me?" vs. 25 "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" "Thank You Jesus!"

How important is talking to God, with You?

"tough pill to swallow?" 1 Peter 3:7 "Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." I think by now we all realize, there are consequences in life. Every day, my behavior has ripple effects...trying to be a godly husband there are 'spiritual' consequences! Peter's reminder here sets me back in my tracks, "how I treat my bride, can effect my prayer life"...Whoa! "Help me Lord!"
As I once again, ponder this topic....this particular verse...its sobering you know? Peter, you always throw the responsibility back on me! God's Word is good at that...regardless of how people, or even life treats me...the responsibility is put back on me.....because of what Jesus did for me, I must live my life accordingly. I have no excuse, no justification, I cannot rationalize some behavior, or even convince myself of any vindication...Jesus took it all for me, now, I must take it all for Him...Especially when I sit and ask myself, "how important is praying to God to me?" "How important is it, that God hear my prayers?" I must tell you, it's H-U-G-E...I've tried this thing called "life" on my own, in my own ways, I'm no good at it alone...in fact, I mess it up pretty good....I've got nowhere else to go! God has hemmed me in....and please don't 'mis-hear' me, I'm thankful for this realization, I'm thankful to be His child.....I want to be obedient to Him, to His Word....so "Thank you Peter, once again for this reminder!"....and "Help me Lord, to live with my bride in an understanding way!"