Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

I love this time of year! I love all of the hoopla that goes along with Christmas! Think about it…other holidays get one day, but Christmas is a season. On black Friday when almost every other human being on earth was out trying to find a bargain, I was pulling Christmas decorations out of storage. As I was bringing 30 years worth of accumulated ornaments down to the living room I could not help but think about Christmas’ past…there was the Christmas of ’68 when an ice storm prevented my parents from making it down to “the house” (my grand mothers) to bring my Christmas gifts. I will never forget my grand mama making her way to Orange’s grocery to purchase something for Christmas morning, so that I would at least have a gift. I remember the biscuits and chocolate gravy…I remember making the trip to the coal pile for a bucket of coal for the furnace. Even though we were snowed in, I remember the Christmas magic! A tender Tennessee Christmas. Then, there was the Christmas of 1978. I was in love and I remember all I wanted to do was spend time with this girl named Sheila…even if it meant I had to spend time with this guy named Billy (my soon to be father-in-law) and his entire family (16 brothers and sisters) at a place called spout springs. Christmas of 1980 will always be very special to me; Sheila and I (married now) spent our first Christmas together. I remember decorating our first tree together. We were building traditions and making history…only we did not realize it! It was the beginning of something wonderful, something timeless. I remember Christmas of ’82 was celebrated early. I only had a certain amount of time before my ship would be underway for “West Pac” a deployment made by all West Coast US Navy Ships. It was our first Christmas with our new baby (Emily). The hardest thing that I ever had to do was leave on December 16 to fly back to California. I knew my babies first Christmas would only be something that I would hear about from others who shared it with her. Sheila did a great job making Christmas special, even though it was two weeks early. Then, there was the Christmas of ’84 in North Carolina, our second child (Ashley) there to celebrate with us. Christmas in the low country of North Carolina, I will never forget friends and a family, a time to reflect on what we truly believed in. Christmas of ’90 I was underway and in a foreign land, I will never forget talking to my wife from Toulon France on Christmas Eve. I will never forget the lonesome overwhelming feeling that consumed my body. This was not right, I was supposed to be with family, I was supposed to be with my babies, I was supposed to be watching them as we decorated the tree and listened to Randy Owens sing “Christmas in Dixie” or “Christmas Winn Dixie” as Emily would say. I remember wanting so badly to be home, that Christmas day passed without me even being thankful for a Savoir who gave His life so that I might live! Christmas of 1992 was very special, another babies first Christmas (Boo). God had blessed us with another little girl. Christmas for me at that time was all about my little girls. Each of them special, each of them growing and dreaming of the things they would accomplish. We would sit and listen to Christmas music for hours and I always so enjoyed decorating our tree. Then there were all of the Christmases in Panama City, each one special, and each one adding to our tradition. Christmas of 2000, a new millennium and more opportunities to feel and express the love of a Savior! God allowed me to give away a daughter in 2002 and gain a son. Brian joined us as family the Christmas of ’02. Christmas of ’04 brought us another baby (Hadley), only this time the baby was a granddaughter…it was so nice to have little ones around again and even nicer in ’06 with the addition of another grand daughter (Avery) and life was getting better and better. Traditions were being made and life was grand! Another son-in-law (Jason) in 2007 and I am so looking forward to Christmas of 2008 and being able to share it with my first grand son (Ben). God has been so good to me across the years. Christmas memories reverberate through my life! I love this time of year; it truly is the most blessed of times! I am looking forward to many more traditions that will be made and memories that will be cherished!

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:11 KJV

Thankful

I am so thankful for my family! Sitting around the living room tonight, God reminded me how blessed I really am! I have beautiful grand children, wonderful sons-in-law, and three incredible daughters! I also have a beautiful and wonderful wife! Thank you Lord for all that you have blessed me with!

A Spiritual Eye Exam

A Spiritual eye exam…

“…keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2a HCSB

The older I get the more dependent on my glasses I become! I was thinking this morning that I really need to make an eye exam to get the proper prescription instead of these drug store glasses that I normally wear. I need to be able to see! My job depends on it because I have to read so much, my site is very important! As I was thinking these things, I could not help but think that the 21st century church is in dire need of a spiritual eye exam. The Bible teaches us that we are not to conform to the patterns of the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds! We know this, but the problem comes in when we develop the wandering eye syndrome. It is so easy for us to look into the world and see things that pull our eyes off Jesus! We forget that He is the “source” and “perfecter” of our faith! When we take our eyes off Him, our source sometimes has a way of changing! We start believing in self instead of the savior! Sometimes we develop the lazy eye syndrome, we try and keep our focus with one eye while the other lazily looks around at all the things going on! Can I tell you that you cannot have one foot in the church and the other in the world! It never works! How are your spiritual eyes this morning? Can you see the things that Jesus wants you to see? Turn to the great physician this morning and tell Him that you want a spiritual refraction to correct your spiritual vision! Turn to Jesus…He truly is the source of our faith! I love you all!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

November 12, 2008

Many people today are searching for the right way. I am here to tell you that Jesus is truly the only way! Turn your eyes upon Jesus! Look full in His wonderful face, as I was thinking of this song the other day during my quiet time I could not help but think about what it means to “look full in His wonderful face”. Jesus has a way of changing the way that we see things! When we turn our eyes on Jesus, it helps us to…

Keep our eyes off SELF

Scripture teaches us to “Trust in the Lord with all you heart, and lean not on your own understanding! In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path”. When our eyes are on Jesus we cannot concentrate on the problems and situations that seem to develop around us. To experience true peace and joy, we are going to have to turn our eyes on Jesus! We are going to have to focus on what He wants, not what we want! When we look at self, we internalize. It becomes easy to be selfish, and think solely on our own issues. We need to be selfless, thinking of others…We need to be imitators of Christ! Our lives need to reflect Christ!

The bible teaches us to Love God and Love people! Scripture also teaches us not to think to highly of ourselves. We need to trust God, He knows us, the bible says “Lord you have searched me and know me…” We have to turn our eyes toward Jesus and keep our eyes off self! Think about this, if you merely pretend that you enjoy God or love Him…He knows. You cannot fool Him. He knows exactly how you feel about Him. Many people try and make a big deal about their relationship with God and unfortunately the relationship is sham! We are going to talk most about the object of our affection. Can I ask you a question? What are you talking about?

Tell God how you feel! We sometimes get so caught up in self, that we think that the same God that created the heavens and earth cannot deal with our little problems. Can I remind you, He is God and He can deal with anything. If we turn our eyes on Jesus, we are going to have to stop lying to Him and telling everyone that He is the most important thing in our lives and make Him the most important thing. It will require change; following Jesus will cost you everything. Is it a price that you are willing to pay?

We need to get real, and realize that He already knows how we truly feel about Him. He is God! So today, if we were to turn our eyes upon Jesus, many would have to apologize for the way that they have treated Him! He knows, and I believe that He wants to be in a real relationship with all of us. I believe that revival could breakout if we simply would trust instead of acting like we trust! If we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we are going to Keep our eyes of self. If we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we are going to…

Keep your eyes off STUFF/SIN

The Bible teaches us to flee…to run away…“Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith love and peace along with all those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2nd Timothy 2:22) The Bible also teaches us “Therefore submit to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Turn your eyes upon Jesus…keep your eyes off the stuff, the sin that so easily entangles us. Think about it, we are all capable of doing wrong. For all have sinned…we all fall way short of the Glory of God!

Flee from youthful passions. Some scholars believe that Timothy was around 40 years old when Paul wrote this letter. Forty years old in 21st century America is not exactly what most would call youthful! The older I get, the more I like being considered youthful. Pursuits of passion pursuits of pleasure or power are things the Bible warns us that we are to flee from. We are to flee, to run…to get out of dodge! We are to

Pursue righteousness
Pursue faith
Pursue love
Pursue peace

We can turn our eyes on Jesus when we keep our eyes off stuff. We can keep our eyes off sin when we pursue God with a pure heart! God also wants us to…

Keep your eyes off SITUATIONS



We are to turn our eyes upon Jesus, and keep our eyes off of situations. So many times situations dictate our response. We are to always be ready to give an account for the hope that we have. How do we do this? By turning our eyes on Jesus, and keeping our eyes of the situation. So many times we get caught up with all that is going on, and we fail to wait on God. Many times, God may be trying to direct us, but because our vision is so clouded by the situation that we cannot see or hear how to overcome. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face…and the things of this world will go strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace…

I envisioned this the other day. I thought about the words, and I began to focus on Jesus…and guess what? The things in the periphery, the things going on around me became strangely dim. I could focus on my Lord. The white noise of life was overcome!

Turn your eyes on Jesus today! I love you all!

Perfect Peace

Perfect Peace

You cannot go back and change a past that you created…

But you can be at peace!

Peace…illusive peace…scripture teaches us “Blessed are the peacemakers because they will become the sons of God!” I have purposed and determined to be a peacemaker!

I am determined through dialogue and discourse to disarm and defuse situations that are not peaceful.

I want to be known as a “Son of God”

I want to bring comfort and reconciliation, I want to be a medium of grace, I not only want to live and exude peace I want to be known as a person of peace…

Real peace comes when men sent from a Holy God, sit down at a table of negotiation and search from the scriptures for solutions…

Men who stand on their convictions but also listen and learn from others ideals!

I believe that there can be peace without compromise…

Peace comes when people discuss peace, maybe agreeing to disagree, maybe by giving up something little to gain so much more

Peace, also known as grace truly is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!

Peace needs to be on our radar; Simon Peter encourages us to keep our love for one another at “Full Strength”! Peter realized that “Love” or “grace” or “peace” covers a multitude of sin. Real peace will help us to see other people the way God sees them. Love always covers our (believers) shortcomings!

My prayer is that when people look at me they look through the eyes of love!

Peace…

Christmastime on Bearwallow

Christmastime on Bearwallow…

Cold, brown, bleak…dampness
The smell of wet leaves, wood smoke, coal soot
Trees…the bare branches moving in the cool air
Frost on the windows…behind the windows soft lights from lamps on end tables
Warmth from a gas stove…warm socks on wood floors…a ten year olds dream
Wonderful smells wafting from the kitchen…iron beds…mattresses to soft…wardrobes with secret drawers. A pocket knife, colored lights on a fresh cut cedar that does not fit well in the stand…simple ornaments, each one having a specific and special meaning…conjuring thoughts of Christmas’ past
The here and now…grand children…children…family and friends, a season of joy, a season of hope! A love for God and a love for people…memories that transport you back to a place and a season…Christmastime on Bearwallow…

A spiritual mirror

Looking in the mirror

Calling yourself righteous and claiming to be a Christian and in a real relationship with Jesus would be like being at a worship service or Bible study and looking in a mirror and seeing a righteous person…but, if the same person leaves the worship service or bible study and goes out into the world and gets involved in things no Christ follower has business being involved in, and then looks into same the mirror, what do they see? Do they see a righteous person? Of course not! The Bible teaches us that we have deceived our self! I believe that many claim to be a part of the church and today find them selves in this predicament! A righteous man will not forget that he is righteous! He will not forget what he looks like in the spiritual mirror! A righteous man is a hearer of the word, which progresses toward being a doer of the word! When you look into the spiritual mirror what do you see? More importantly, when Christ our Savior looks at you what does He see?