As I see it: 2013

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Jesus was born today, but some don't know it

It's times like these that seem so unfair, that there is a great unbalance in the world somewhere. I sit here in the warm peace and quiet, just finished reading my Bible, it's Christmas morning and the glow the tree lights the living room. The tree is partly hidden by the pile of presents. I have 3 beautiful children still snuggled under their covers that will soon wake up and once again realize that today is Christmas. How great it is to be a kid at Christmas! But somewhere in the world, in our own city their are people who don't have a Christmas, they are cold, lonely and sad. They have no children and they have no Bible. How blessed we are, behind all the commotion and the stress that can come along with it, we are so blessed and fortunate to know God's love, grace, peace, mercy and forgiveness. My little 4 year old daughter knows that Christmas is about presents and toys, but when asked last night what Christmas is all about, her words were "Caring,,,,,,,and giving". What more could you ask for? We consider ourselves blessed that among all the commotion and stress of daily life God still gives us the ability to teach our kids well and He gives our children the interest and ability to learn and retail what is important. A 3 year old son who prayed for a dinosaur piggy bank at 12 noon and by dinner time he had just what he prayed for, his eyes were wide as could be and he said "Thank you thank you", they we closed our eyes and he thanked Jesus for the answer. But there are 3 year olds today that don't know Jesus was born today or that he lives, they have never prayed or have heard a prayer offered by his parents. It seems unjust and unfair. We are thankful that today our kids know who Jesus is and they pray to Him and expect an answer. That my friends is the only gift we need. Kids who know and trust Jesus. What a gift that truly is.

Friday, December 13, 2013

To help someone in need

Our human nature is to ignore things that make us uncomfortable in hopes that they go away. It bothers us when we see a homeless person standing asking for money or even just sitting minding his own business. We don't want him to interrupt our little world. We might drop a few coins in his cup or hand him a dollar and drive off. We often judge them in our minds or even out loud. Thinking they should get a job like we have. Or thinking that they will probably just buy booze or cigarettes so why should we give our hard earned money. We forget that it is only by the mercy of God that we have a job, that we have extra money. We will spend $20 on trash willingly but fight to let go of a dollar bill we would never miss and probably didn't even know we had. All the time the judged is probably just hoping, you won't pass him by. We don't stop, we are too busy stressing over holiday parties and where we will spend/waste hundreds of dollars on our spoiled kids while he only wants a sandwich! Or while our kid's friends are wailing to school with old clothes, too big and too cold. We are blessed beyond what our parents were and we hold it tighter and tighter while our brothers and sisters suffer right before our eyes. "But it's my money". Ignoring those people and children is impossible when you have someone reminding you all the time. I have a 4 year old very perceptive, very inquisitive and very compassionate daughter who doesn't miss a thing. Asking why he stands there with a sign, where his mom and dad are, who will buy him presents, where he sleeps, who keeps him warm, who loves him, does he have any friends. The list goes on. If you have kids that ask those questions, there is no turning away and hoping the light changes. It's real because we are called as Christians to love the least of these and look out for them. Feeding, clothing and helping those in need is what divine love is all about. How many pairs of shoes do you not wear anymore? ..... Oh, his only pair shows his toes,,,, it's December. Feeding, clothing, loving. That's God's will. Showing them what true love is. Our own family needs us. Lay it all out on the table and force yourself to look at it, study it, hard. How can we as God loving, God fearing Christians go into His house and see a kid with tattered shoes falling off their feet or a coat too small or too thin for 20° weather and think 'poor kid' and never do anything about it?!?! We are called to help the needy and where better to start than at home. If We were fortunate enough we were all needy at one time and had to do without. Too bad for us of we were never in want of our next meal. We know what it's like although we let our brother or sister go hungry or cold. We think to ourselves that they should trust for their needs. They are. God brought it to our attention and we look away. If we see a need and able to help but don't we are disobeying the Word.

Help somebody. Not just in December but every month of the year.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

My greatest memories....

Some of my greatest memories of spending time with my dad was when I was helping him do something. We used to drive his old stick shift truck from work to get mulch for the garden. He would let me shift through the gears, I was on top of the world! When we got back, I'd help push the hand truck back to the garden with the barrels of mulch. My dad was always fixing things, around the house and for other people. I would always get to tag along with him to watch him work, and come to think of it, back then, i thought I was helping. I learned what a mixing valve on a washing machine was and how a clothes dryer timer works. I learned how to replace a burner in a gas dryer, and how to replace a light switch, I learned how to sweat pipes and how to put brakes on a car, how to change the oil how to drop what you are doing to help your mom, I learned what it's like to take care of your mom and what it means to love your wife, I learned how to plant flowers and care for a vegetable garden, I learned how to be there for the less fortunate, I learned how to give even when you don't have anything left to give, I learned what priorities are, I learned what faith really is, I learned to see beauty in simple things, I learned how incredibly beautiful things like music, children, family and nature is that most people don't see, I learned to appreciate the ones you have, I learned how to give first, I learned how to look after, love and provide for my family, I learned that no job or money is worth missing time with my family, I learned how to respect women, I learned how to drive a car, I learned how to be generous, I learned how to forgive, I learned what truly matters.... I learned all this by the age of 19 and I learned it all from my Dad.

Now, I have 3 of my own to teach a great many things to. My 3 year old son knows how to use a screw driver, a wrench and man other tools effectively. They are all ready to help me do any task or project that I may do. It may take an extra hour or 2 but spending time and making memories is what it's all about. My dad taught me that a long time ago.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Love them... while you can

Life is busy, hectic and we are always on the go. But look around you, look at yourself. How much time is spent running around keeping schedules or working late hours & 2 jobs. The Bible says "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" II Thessalonians 3:10. But that can't be taken out of context and used as an excuse to work 60-70 hours a week and never being home. "everything in moderation"- In working unnecessary late hours and always having work on your mind you miss out on..... life.... and the lives of those you love. There is nothing that makes me feel more special than what happened to me yesterday when i got home from work, and it happens every day. I opened the front door and Rowan (3) yells "Dadddyyyyyyyyyyy" and runs in for a full speed hug and just hangs out for a few minutes hugging and the occasional kiss, he might then rub my head or pull on my beard and then hug me again. If I were to work til 9PM i'd miss that every day. No extra overtime would be worth missing that from my little man. Anita (4) is so much more grown up. From her I get the same hugs and kisses, but she has a lengthy speech to tell me. Everything from what Rowan did that was naughty that day, to what she played or where she wants to go and what she got to play that day. Tucker, (Happy Birthday Bud) turned 1 today, just grins from ear to ear and jumps around like he's never seen me before. Every hour of overtime I were to work, means one more hour my beautiful wife has to spend with our calm, docile ---er--- wild indian kids by herself. Just the thought of relieving her from the constant of keeping an eye on the rugrats is enough to bring me home. Men, our wives are not here to "do everything they can so we can work 16 hours a day then come home and be too tired to do anything let alone pull our weight. And don't think that because we go to work and work 'Oh so hard all day long' that we are exempt from household chores... not really.... Most of our wives get up when we do and if we took the time to notice them around the house we'd see they work until it's bed time. All the while most husbands think that because they worked 'hard' all day, it's time to relax. Yo, dudes, she worked too, longer, and most of the time, harder. Show your wife not only the respect she deserves, but the respect God tells us to give her.
There are over 150 verses in the Bible that speak on how a marriage relationship should be structured and carried out, day to day. If a husband and wife read all the verses pertaining to them, follow through and obey them, (married) life will be good. We can't read the ones pertaining to our wives (or husbands for you wives reading) and point out to them what they are doing wrong, because in doing that it makes us 'more' wrong than the thing we are pointing out!
Love them, and everything else will fall into place. If we did all that we do, in and around our home and family, out of love and always thinking of our spouse first, life would be good. You would not argue, you would not fight, and things that might bring some couples to harsh words would not even be mentioned because you are of one mind, knowing not only what each other would decide or say, but what 'should' be decided and say because it's whats right. Love your spouse, think of them first.
Not much should have to be said about parents, love them, honor them, respect them. Enough said. Growing up there can be a longing to be old enough to 'make our own decisions' because we are soooo much smarter than our parents and our parents 'just don't understand what it's like'. Sometime kids can get so caught up in there own lives that they forget about their parents. In my opinion once a child is old enough that they don't need their parents to be there for them 24/7,,, the tables should turn and they should be there for their parents 24/7. Especially by the time a young person reaches the age of 21, they should no longer have their parents do the many things they used to. You are an adult now, it's time to take care of your parents like they took care of you. Looking out for them, doing things for them just because you love them. Not that they need that kind of care... because most of them will be extremely capable to take care of themselves. But it's because you love them and acknowledge that they gave everything to you for the first 21 years of your life and you acknowledge that tomorrow is not promised. For those who do not think about those things, it's going to be a long hard journey always looking for handouts and expecting help from them like they are obligated. That's now how it works. You, as a child of your parents, are obligated to look out for them, help them, be there for them and do everything you can for them as a way to show them you love them, appreciate them and acknowledge them for who they are. No longer do you take take take, but it's time to give give give. And everyone has something to give.... time, energy, presence (or presents,lol) conversation etc. And do it out of a desire to do so, not because you feel obligated! Our parents were obligated to be there and take care of us, we need to turn the tables on that and do it out of love and commitment. Stop thinking of yourself! Think of others, your wife, kids, parents, family....... And find out how much more fulfilling life can be when you think of "others" first. And love them because you do. True love for another person is one that can be felt, not heard. The words "I love you" can become redundant if the person hearing them does not feel it first. Don't get me wrong, the words are very important, and need to be heard everyday. If you don't say it already,, start,, to your wife, husband, kids...... just that little thing will make a change in your attitude and theirs. By saying "I love you" you are bringing to the front of your mind and theirs, the fact that you do love them. Years can go by with the words being said on a birthday or Christmas.. but that's sort of like people who only go to church on Easter and Christmas,,, there's not much to it because it's "what you are supposed to do". But saying "I love you" every day changes a mind set. Say it, mean it and act it out. Don't just say 'love'.... Do 'love'. To do that, you need to be there. To be there you need to sacrifice something else.
Demonstrate the kind of love you have for your spouse and kids. You may think to yourself 'they know I love them'.... but do they, for sure, no doubt, 100%....? Have you told them lately?
All this is said with one thought in mind... "Love them, while you can".You will not regret it.
What you will regret however is never making the transition from taker to giver. Not seeing your parents, spouse and kids for who they truly are. Not giving the love that you should and that people in our lives deserve. Not saying "I love you" to them. Not stopping and realizing who people are to you. Not appreciating those in your life who truly deserve appreciation.

Say the words- "I Love You"