Good morning!

I have not put a morning blog on for a long time, but I was just sitting here doing some devotions and meditation, looking out the back window into the woods (wanting to be on the sun porch but it is too cold) and at the ground so pretty with the new dusting of a couple inches of snow and thought “you have to express your feelings on the blog”. God is so good – all the time! All the time – God is so good. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Lord!

God and God’s creation is so awesome. As I look at the white ground this morning I think of the purity of God, the perfection of God, the grace and love of God. And as I look at Buddy’s paw prints, my foot prints, and the tire tracks it makes me think of the way that God allows us, creates us to be a part of the awesome creation of His. There are some many ways that we leave our mark on His awesome creation – some good and some not so good. It has also made me think about the way in which we shovel and plow His purity, perfection, grace, and love out of the way. Of course, that particular symbolism has its good points and its bad points, I guess. Or at least we feel it has its bad points because we could slip and fall or have an auto crash and get hurt or killed and that is why we move it out of our way. But on the other hand is that a way that God is trying to tell us to slow down and enjoy Him and His creation? It seems that we get so involved in the business of our day, and trying to be successful in our materialistic world that we miss so much of the spiritual aspect that God has given us as well. Of this I am as guilt as anyone! Yes, I try to take some time each morning and each evening to be with God, and some times during the day, especially when I am driving, to have those special times. But now that I am spending most of my evenings at the office, and being involved in ministry 10 to 14 hours a day, it doesn’t seem right. What do you think, is that a place where we are going wrong in our society? Even when we include God in those things, are they more important than our personal relationship with God?

God is being so good to me, I feel His presence with me, but I am still trying to avoid too much of the loneness. It is certainly a new experience that I am finding not the easiest thing to get use to – but I am doing better, I do believe. As I have talked with a number of people, Marty and I were such a team. It was so awesome that she was a Christian, a believer, a disciple, a wonderful child of God’s before she ever came into my life and me into hers. And when that happened there was no question in my mind that it was indeed a “God thing.” Just this week I again had someone say that Marty filled the picture of what they imaged as the “perfect pastor’s wife.” Praise the Lord! What an awesome legacy to leave. But what is even more awesome it that it was true. Marty was not “pushy” but she was a “presence”. A presence of love, helpfulness, grace, a ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or with, a fun person to be around, a servant of the Lord’s. And what was also so great in our team effort was that she knew me, she knew how to help me, and to not push the limits. What a wonderful friend, wife, mother, daughter, sister, nurse, child of God’s! I praise God that I can know where she is, and that as I get closer to Him I can be close to her, and that He is with me and helping me in making the transition. Thank you Lord!

I really had no idea that this is where God was going to take me this morning; I thought that I was just going to comment on the beautiful picture of God’s creation out the back window. But again God had other ideas! Praise the Lord! I do need to move on and see what else He has in store for me this day. So I hope that you have a positive day, feeling God’s presence, taking care, and being blessed.

Jack
Romans 8:28