Anticipation!

I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:6-7 NIV)

Today is the last day of 2014. Tonight millions of people will hold off on their rest to ring in the new year. The anticipation will grow and grow until the last minutes will seem like hours. In the mean time celebrations will fill the void and make the waiting fly by. I often wonder if we are celebrating last year or the year to come. I'm not really sure it matters to most people. I am sure it is some of both. 

The anticipation of the new year is a wonderful time. I am always excited to see what God has set before me. When I turned my life to Christ, I vowed to let his plan guide me. I know I don't always follow that plan, but even when I mess it up, he has a way of bringing me back to his will. That is why my anticipation for the new year grows just like waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square. Who will he bring in to my life? Where will he take me? What adventurers will I be apart of? I just can't wait.

My anticipation of 2015 is fueled by the great year I had in 2014. This is the year we got a new grandson as my daughter adopted a wonderful young boy. This is the year, I was blessed with some great CMA adventures including Iron Butt rides, Rolling Thunder, my first Changing of the Colors Rally and so much more. Although my wife broke her elbow to cut short our vacation, I had many great times with my wife and family traveling all over the Midwest. It is my wonderful 2014 that builds my excitement for 2015.

Praise God or this wonderful life I live and I look forward to serving you Lord through all situations. Please Lord, direct me to serve those you want me to serve. Grant me the words to spread your message of grace, mercy and love. Fill me with your spirit. Help me love all people including those that don't love you. Help me to be the best husband, father, grandfather, teacher, CMA president, and servant of Christ I can be in 2015. 

Praise God for 2014 and the 2015 to come!

Blessed are the Rich!

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. (Psalm 113:7-8 NIV)

I am a blessed man and have really never been in want. I don't know what it feels like to struggle for the basics of life. I've always had a home, clothing, and food. Why would I be taken care of, blessed so immensely, and so many people have nothing? I've not done anything to deserve what I have. I'm not anyone special. I'm not the smartest, bravest, kindest, or the most gifted. I just don't get it.

I think it's obvious that I am not blessed because of who I am. But I do pledge to use all that I have been given for the purpose of serving the Lord. None of what I have is mine. It all belongs to him. I will continue to look for ways to serve Jesus with the "things" I have been blessed with. "Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee." That means taking all I have and use it for your kingdom. That means different things to different people. My daughter has opened her home to adoption. I am serving within the Christian Motorcylist Association. Others will use sports, wealthy giving, or their many gifts/talents. We all need to look at our gifts. We need to open our hearts to the leading of the spirit in service. Then we need to act on that leading. We were given stuff NOT for our purposes, but to serve the kingdom. 

Thank you Lord for your wonderful love and grace. Thank you Lord for blessing me beyond all I could imagine. I am humbled by those blessings and am honored that you trust me to use them for you!

Let's get on with Winter!

He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. (Psalm 147:17-18 NIV)

We didn't have a white Christmas and the winter, so far , has been very mild compared to the craziness of last year. I'm not complaining and I am sure most of the Midwest is in agreement, we need a mild winter. But, I'm guessing the odds are against us and we will be dealing with a winter storm or two, soon enough. 

Sometimes I feel the same way about my life. After you've been through a "season" of storms in your life? You become skeptical of the blessings, the good weather. As Christians we can develop a toughness when we deal with rough weather. As a matter of fact, that is the reason for the rough parts of our lives. God allows them for the development of our character and witness to others. It makes our lives more credible to the unbeliever and we develop more empathy and compassion for the lost. 

The storms of life are blessings to all people as we can learn from our own lives and the lives of others. Lord, I thank you for your love and the many circumstances in our lives. We know you are always with us. Thank you Lord for teaching us through all of our lives special moments. 

A wonderful Counselor is born!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

Yes, Christ is born this day! The salvation of the world is here.

We have all heard this verse many times in our lives. Countless Christmas sermons, Christmas Eve services, and seasonal messages spread these truths. If you know me or have read this blog for any length of time you know many of my eccentric thoughts. Here is another: 

Is there meaning to the order of these names, these characteristics of Jesus. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This is not the trinity, it's different. It's somehow more practical. It directs my thoughts to why God even came to Earth at all. There is power and strength in the names Mighty God and Everlasting Father. Identifying Jesus as the Prince of Peace also is fitting of his royal status. Any of those three characteristics could have been first, primary in this list. But, "Wonderful Counselor" is first. I think that is not by chance. It is first because it tells us of Jesus primary mission. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit identify who God is. But, Wonderful Counselor is WHAT God is. 

I praise God for his wonderful counsel. I treasure our times of prayer, communication, and words of advise through out my day. I can't picture my life, where I would be, without the loving counsel of Jesus. For those that don't pray you won't have a clue what I'm talking about. Thank you Lord for caring enough to send someone, your Son, to guide me through this life of peril. Thank you for sending your son, subjecting him to the persecution of the government, thank you for sending him to the cross, defeating death, and going to prepare a place for me! I praise you for the direction in my life. I pray it will always be directed by your will!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

A brief encounter with Jesus!

Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. (Matthew 8:34 NIV)

It's Christmas Eve, my one and only shopping day of the year. I am not fond of shopping but today, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I really enjoy walking the mall, watching people, and choosing just the right gift. After this day is done, I will loath shopping and the crowds. I would rather submit to water boarding than step into a Walmart! 

Tonight churches worldwide will be packed with "Christ-Ers", or those people that attend church only on Christmas and Easter. Like my shopping trips each year, they CHOOSE to spend one brief moment in the worship of Jesus. It is not a recommitment, it's not a conversion, it's an annual recognition of the power of Jesus. After tonight, they will neglect to include Jesus in their daily lives. They send him away until they need him. Some of these same people will even loath the faith and live lives completely contrary to the teachings of Jesus. 

I weep and Jesus weeps over those that reject him. I have seen the power of the savior in my life. I know the countless miracles I have seen. I have witnessed first hand his love, mercy, and grace. The idea of living without him is unimaginable. To think so many people miss that is tragic. But, there is hope. There is the chance that someone innocently attending a Christmas Eve service will see the light of Jesus. I pray that as they sing Silent Night in the solitude of their own thoughts, they will hear his voice. I pray they will open their hearts to his wonderful love and that they will be changed forever. I weep, but do not give up hope. I mourn the blessings that my friends and neighbors are missing. I am saddened by the lack of hope they have. I will not give up on them and neither will Jesus. Ilove to see them and worship with them, even if it's just for a brief moment in time. Praise God for the gift of his son and the joy of worshipping him!

Merry Christmas!