THINK+++

Today I just have one simple thought. Sometimes my Lord calms the storm and sometimes He calms me. When I feel the storm I will cry to Him and ask Him to calm the storm or calm me. Thank You Lord for being more powerful then the storms.

We all love to be on the mountaintop emotionally. We like to be popular, we like to be needed. However, someone recently told me that fruit is not grown on the mountaintop but in the valley. Is it in the emotional valleys that we get the strength and wisdom with which to help others? I want to grow enough fruit to share with others.

My heart is like a home. What do I allow in there? I want to make room for my children, my wife, family members, others. I want selfishness to leave. I want worries to leave and joy to come in. I want fear to leave and peace to dwell instead. I want the dark thoughts to leave and thankfulness to be present.

Can a marriage last ten years? Can man create something as beautiful as the sunrise? Can we do a good deed for others without being rewarded with joy? I see the voice of God in little things like these. Thank you Lord that I can recognize Your voice.

I heard a story the other day about Fact, Faith, and Feelings. Fact, Faith, and Feelings were sitting on a fence, Feelings got hurt and jumped off the fence. Since Feelings was off the fence then Faith was tempted to jump off too, and since Feelings refused to get back on the fence Faith eventually jumped off too. Now Fact was left sitting there all alone and didn’t want to get off but eventually Faith worked on him so hard and confused him enough that he jumped off too. I want to keep my Feelings in check so that Faith and Fact can remain strong.

I like to dwell on the happy times in life. Today I was thinking of when our eldest daughter was about 1-year-old. She would ride in her car seat with me in the tractor for hours. Sometimes I would hold her on my lap, sometimes I would read her stories. I just remember the sense of things being right in the world when we could spend happy times together.

While the crying of a child can fray even the toughest nerves the cooing of a contented child can sooth. Children go very quickly between emotions. I am so thankful for the times I hear the cooing of a child; the happy sounds of contentment.

I am a stranger passing through this life. I seek a home that I have heard of but have never seen. I journey but these things around me are not mine. I seek a home called Heaven.

The other day a friend of mine saw the load I was struggling under. He knelt in prayer and he asked the Lord how he could help. Then he came to me, touched me on the shoulder, and told me he was praying for me. I am unworthy to have such friends. Help my hands and heart be useful for my Lord.

I have exchanged nothing for everything. I came to Jesus with nothing to offer and He, in compassion, gave me everything. He has put a song in my heart. He gave me peace and quietness in exchange for the din and roaring inside of me. I reach for His hand today again that I might receive enough of this living water to help me rule my day rather than my day ruling me.

I read about the crowds that followed Jesus and my heart cries to be one of those followers. Jesus had a way of connecting with them. He could look right into their hearts and they needed only to look into His eyes to see the compassion He had. Many believed in the change He held out to them and corrected their ways. Those miracles are still happening today even though they are not as obvious. Be part of the multitude.

My Mom used tell me and my siblings when we fought that “The smartest one gives in.” I can not always be right and I can not always win arguments and I usually get hurt when there are arguments but I can always give in. No matter if I am hurt, right, or wrong I can always give in. I want to be thankful for this small blessing.

I have been with my wife more than ten years. It is good. I love her dearly and she loves me. We have had our ups and downs but we have both learned forgiveness. The only thing I could wish for was at least another 10 years.

The Comforter is spoken of in the scriptures and I have experienced the Holy Spirit as a Comforter. He come sometimes when I am lonely. He comes when I am sad. He comes when I have been tempted and the fight has been hard. Sometimes we sit in silence together. Sometimes He holds my hand. Sometimes He has a few words to say. I long for those moments with the Comforter.

I witnessed a gravestone that said “Forgiven” on it. I suppose the lady laid to rest there wanted the testimony left that God had forgiven her sins. Is there not a story behind each time forgiveness happens? Have you experienced such a story?  What is your story? Have you heard other stories? I wonder that when I am laid to rest would others be able to write “Forgiving” on my grave stone as a testimony to how I lived?