My sister, Jody, and mom taken at my surprise birthday lunch 04/25/2009.
Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies. Listen! It's God raising his voice! Job 26:11 (MSG)
I love a good thunder storm. I especially enjoy laying in bed at night and having the windows cracked open. The cool breeze brings clean fresh air into the room, wafting over me. The white noise of the constant rain fall lulls me towards sleep. The thunder always reminds me of Job describing it as God raising His voice. Rather than fear the thunder, I find it speaks to me.
There is something about a thunder storm that whispers to me of my relationship with God. The incredible power of lightning, water and wind remind me of how massive and potent my God is. And yet, in the midst of that awesome display of force, I sleep like a baby.
How wonderful it is to know that the God of the universe holds me safely in the palm of His hand.
Madison sent this picture she took of Wendy & me watching the Tulip Time parade this year. Thanks, Maddy!
"God is sovereign, God is fearsome— everything in the cosmos fits and works in his plan." Job 25:2 (MSG)
Do you remember what your hearts desire was as a young teenager? I look back now at some of the things that I desperately wanted: girls I wanted to date, schools I wanted to go to, places I wanted to live, and things I wanted to do with my life. I'm sooooo glad that God did not listen to me and grant my every adolescent whim. I'd be miserable if God had followed my situationally rooted, hormonally charged, teen-aged road map for life.
A friend asked me, over coffee last week, to look back with 20/20 hindsight at my life's road, and some of the strange paths on which I've found myself. Even stretches that seemed incomprehensible at the time now show their purpose in God's grand road map. Others are still coming into focus. There are a few I still don't get at all. Yet, I can see that a plan does, indeed, consistently emerge though I don't see the whole map at once. I may only be able to see the stretch of the road I'm walking, but the context will, in the long run, be revealed.
Faith fuels endurance for life's marathon.
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and cottonjeni
This was the third year in a row that Wendy and I spent the weekend before Memorial Day with our friends, Kevin & Becky, at the lake. With Madison's choir concert on Thursday night, it was about 10 p.m. before we left Pella. That meant we rolled into the Playhouse about 3 a.m. and tried to catch a few winks.
Friday was a nice day. Kevin and Tom took the opportunity to mow, rake, and burn leaves. Wendy and Becky spent a lot of time sunning on the dock and Wendy got a nasty sunburn! Tom got the waverunner and boat running in the afternoon and the four of us went for a boat ride. It was a great evening to chill out, and Kevin enjoyed playing baseball on the PSP. We grilled out in the evening and enjoyed a wonderful meal. We were all so tired that we were in bed early (we're getting so old).
Saturday was windy and cold. It was a good day to head into town. The girls shopped while Kev and I tried to find a place to watch the Cubs game, but it was blacked out everywhere. So we sat at Applebees and listened to the audio on my cell phone. It was early evening by the time we got back to the playhouse and headed up to Captain Ron's for dinner. The place was rockin' and we enjoyed dinner on the heated patio, then headed back to the playhouse to watch a movie together. Becky had never seen "The Fellowship of the Ring" and we watched that (providing running commentary so she could keep characters straight!).
Sunday morning was sunny, but a chilly 48 degrees. We'd planned on taking the boat to Paradise Restaurant for Sunday brunch, but opted to drive. Nevertheless, we enjoyed brunch while looking out over the lake (see above) and then headed back to play with our friendly neighbor, Bella, who greeted us with a ball when we returned.
As usual, the weekend flew by way too fast and we're already looking forward to next year!
This was the third year in a row that Wendy and I spent the weekend before Memorial Day with our friends, Kevin & Becky, at the lake. With Madison's choir concert on Thursday night, it was about 10 p.m. before we left Pella. That meant we rolled into the Playhouse about 3 a.m. and tried to catch a few winks.
Friday was a nice day. Kevin and Tom took the opportunity to mow, rake, and burn leaves. Wendy and Becky spent a lot of time sunning on the dock and Wendy got a nasty sunburn! Tom got the waverunner and boat running in the afternoon and the four of us went for a boat ride. It was a great evening to chill out, and Kevin enjoyed playing baseball on the PSP. We grilled out in the evening and enjoyed a wonderful meal. We were all so tired that we were in bed early (we're getting so old).
Saturday was windy and cold. It was a good day to head into town. The girls shopped while Kev and I tried to find a place to watch the Cubs game, but it was blacked out everywhere. So we sat at Applebees and listened to the audio on my cell phone. It was early evening by the time we got back to the playhouse and headed up to Captain Ron's for dinner. The place was rockin' and we enjoyed dinner on the heated patio, then headed back to the playhouse to watch a movie together. Becky had never seen "The Fellowship of the Ring" and we watched that (providing running commentary so she could keep characters straight!).
Sunday morning was sunny, but a chilly 48 degrees. We'd planned on taking the boat to Paradise Restaurant for Sunday brunch, but opted to drive. Nevertheless, we enjoyed brunch while looking out over the lake (see above) and then headed back to play with our friendly neighbor, Bella, who greeted us with a ball when we returned.
As usual, the weekend flew by way too fast and we're already looking forward to next year!
"But if Judgment Day isn't hidden from the Almighty, why are we kept in the dark?" Job 24:1 (MSG)
Part of the service my company provides is the monitoring and analyzing of phone calls. You know, the "your call may be monitored to ensure quality service" you hear when you call companies. Whenever we begin a project, our group goes in to explain to the front line Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) that we will be analyzing their calls. One question that is often asked is, "Will you tell the CSRs that you're listening to their calls?"
Interestingly enough, we've discovered through the years that people tend NOT to behave any differently on the phone, even when they know someone else is listening and they are being monitored and analyzed. They may think about it for a call or two, but once the calls start flooding in and they start taking call after call after call, they don't think about it.
Human nature is a funny thing. Job questions why God doesn't let us in on when Judgment Day will be. Based on my experience, I'm not sure it would really make much of a difference if we knew or not. On the whole, I'm not sure people think too much about their behavior.
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and James Sherman
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We're really proud of Madison and the way she's developed her singing voice. Last night was her high school choir concert, which is always amazing. I taped the choir's rendition of "The Battle of Jericho." If you listen at about the 1:55 mark you'll hear Madison lifting her high soprano voice above the choir!
But he is singular and sovereign. Who can argue with him? He does what he wants, when he wants to. He'll complete in detail what he's decided about me, and whatever else he determines to do.Job 23:13-14 (MSG)
It's interesting to sit back and watch my daughters as they prepare to leave the nest. There are so many options open to them. I've watched them each rifle through different dreams and aspirations. Art school, free lance photography, art therapy, worship leader, mission field, state school, private school, internship…so many doors are open to them. It will be fascinating to see where their paths take them.
I look back at all of the options that were open to me. I think back at dreams and aspirations (some of them are hard to remember). Then I look at where I am in the journey. I am nowhere near where I had planned, dreamed or aspired to be. Nevertheless, I am right where God purposed.
And, He will complete, in detail, what He's decided about me. I take comfort in that. I'll just stick to the path ahead. No telling where it might lead.
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and shirokazan
Do you think it's because he cares about your purity that he's disciplining you, putting you on the spot?
Hardly! It's because you're a first-class moral failure, because there's no end to your sins. Job 22:4-5 (MSG)
Reading the book of Job, I'm aghast at how Job's "friends" trash him. The guy goes through hell on earth and these guys come around to stoke the coals, trying to convince Job that his circumstances must be his own fault. With friends like them, as the saying goes, who needs enemies? God not only tells us, throughout His message to us, that we're not to judge others – but we're also warned not to let others judge us. Perhaps it's better to say we're not to let others' judgements get to us.
I learned a long time ago that I can't control what others think about me or how they may judge me. I can only control my own actions and reactions. Job has been a good reminder for me. Who am I to pass judgment on others? They are walking their own path and God is not finished with them any more than He is finished with me. Neither can I worry how others may judge me. Like Job's friends, their judgement comes out of their own finite perspective and is rooted in ignorance. I can only keep pressing on.
"Make it your ambition," is says elsewhere in God's message, "to lead a simple life and to mind your own business."
If you'll pardon me, I have my own business to mind.
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and madmannova