P33

Our soul waits for the LORD;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.

Eight=the least of these

God has looked upon my affliction and granted me deliverance.

Several years ago, I could not fathom those words coming from my lips.  Yet now, I continually thank Him for the awesome privilege He has given me.  What is this great privilege bestowed upon me?  It is the gift of children. 

Not my own children, although they factor into the equation.  Many, many years ago I lost touch with my own children and the pain was too great to bare.  I was essentially stooped in depression and apathy.  I had NO motivation whatsoever.  I merely existed.  Life day-to-day meant nothing to me.  All I wanted was to see my kids.  For years that was my prayer to God and He granted it and for two days I saw them and marveled at how they had grown, looked and acted like their mother and I.  That was eight years ago.

Whoa!!  What about the opening sentence? 
Well, what about it?

My kids may be out there in the world somewhere and I long to see them but as I said..."God has looked upon my affliction and delivered me".
In His infinite wisdom God has provided other children with whom I can most certainly call my own.  (Although I am quite sure some of them would deny knowing me with some jokes I pull on them). The void of not having my two kids in my life now has been filled by kids I teach at my church about the Lord Jesus.  It is these kids that God has put a love in my heart for, because He has a love in His heart for them and through me He teaches them of a love that is SO great.

Jesus made two profound statements relating to children during His time on earth.  Matthew 18:3 "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." 
Kids are trusting, open and very discerning when it comes to adults.  Yet, they are without preconceived ideas.  What you see is what you get. 
Matthew 19:14 "Let the children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven." 
Hmm.  Once again, trusting, discerning and without preconceived ideas.  Having faith.  We must come to know God, through the Son, led by the Spirit as a child.  Why?  Children are undefiled by the world system and all its trappings.  Children trust what is being said to them and don't offer their own opinion.  That is how God wants us/me to be with Him.  Trusting in Him.  Unless I have faith in God and what He says and does, I cannot enter into heaven because of unbelief. 

Children are important to God.  We become God's children when we are born again in our spirit.  Oftentimes we look past children because they 'have no idea' or 'they are not old enough to know' or 'they are too young'.  But we can learn a lot by their actions and the amount of faith they put in those around whom they trust.  I, never in my lifetime, would have imagined being used by God for "His eternal purposes" but here I am.  O the joy that floods my soul when we gather together and speak His name.

The least of these, in age, maturity and understanding, have a better grasp of the "eternal" more so than some of us "older ones".  It is with this truth in mind that I lay my two children at the feet of God and lean on Him to keep them and watch over them wherever they may be.  God is big enough to protect them.  I on the other hand need to focus on the children He has placed in my hand and lean on Him. 

   

Famous Quotes

God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.  Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honor and glory.  

Augustine

Movement Three--From Death to Life

The wind, blowing east to west, picks up a mass of dirt and begins to swirl it around in the air, giving it (for a moment) the appearance of life.  Somehow I am moved by this and draw closer to this "dance" between the seen and unseen.  After a few seconds, the music stops and the dirt reconnects with its brethren and becomes lifeless.

Is this how God first saw me?  As a lifeless pile?  No.  If God knew me before the foundations of the world was laid, then I was already a finished product in His mind.
God also saw a "diamond in the rough" if you will.  He saw me!!  God saw me as a person who will be made in His image and hopefully over the course of my life, become like Him. The potential is there (hence diamond-in-the-rough barb). 
When God called me into being did I dance at the sound of His voice?  Did my spirit leap, like John did when Mary spoke to his mother Elisabeth as he was yet still in her womb?

Was my moment of creation comparable to the foreshadowing of Israel's in the valley of dry bones?   Ezekiel 37 tells the story of God (one day) re-gathering Israel in her own land and becoming a nation within the world again. The nation of Israel is dead (its people scattered) into the farthest reaches of the known world, without land to call its own.  When I first heard this miraculous story I was floored, literally. 

Just like God did with Israel, He too, can do to you.  God can reach you in whatever corner of the world you are in and bring you out.  God can do the impossible.  Let him speak over you and bring you back together whole and as a living breathing person called unto Him. 
The inhabitants of Israel were lost among the nations of the earth and needed someone great and powerful to pull them out.  That someone was God.  You too are lost and in need of someone GREAT AND POWERFUL to pull you from certain death.  Jesus, the only Son of God, tasted death so that we may have life, life eternal.   

Relay for Life--Day Two

First, I would like to apologize for the late posting and few pictures.

I can truly say that I was moved by the people I met at this event.  How touching it is to have someone, you do not know, share with you the story of their battle with cancer.  Most people would not want to go down that road of memory ever again.  Why rehash the pain and fear and most assuredly thoughts of, what if, death?   

I have had the pleasure of meeting some of the bravest people I will ever meet other than someone who has served in a military campaign.  As I have come to find out, several of my co-workers have had some form of cancer and are now cancer free.  All I can say is "praise God."

So, without further adieu, here are a couple of pics I took at Relay for Life and will definitely do better next time.  I got there a little later than planned and was only able to get photos of the tents and people as it was winding down.  

 

Here the people are watching a dance group perform

One of the dance troupes finishing a routine.

 

 

 

I did not make it for the whole event but i was there for the announcing of the total raised at this event-- over $125,000 for the battle against cancer.  Once again "Praise God".  

 

Relay for Life--Day One

                                                   

 

 

 

Today I will be volunteering at Relay for Life.  This event honors the people who have lost their lives to cancer and those who are cancer survivors themselves.  This is not my first time at a American Cancer Society event.  However, this is my first time being a part of such.  My mother passed away from cancer a number of years ago and for some reason I never sought out any opportunities to join the fight against cancer.  That will change. 

 

The theme for this years event is:

CELEBRATE.

REMEMBER.

FIGHT BACK.

 

My friend Marlon is a cancer survivor as are several of the people I work with.  As I'm sure you know, the American Cancer Society does a lot of work within communities in support of cancer victims and their families.  So, today I will stretch my boundaries and give back in support of

 the fight against cancer. 

Look for pictures and notes on the teams and individual at today's Relay for Life event from Hazleton, Pa. in part two later today.