Tis the Season...

As we approach another Christmas I'm finding this one different from ones past. This year, with the prospect of not traveling to see family up in the cold and snowy north, nor having any family coming to visit me in warm and sunny Florida I find myself facing the prospect of spending Christmas alone. Strangely, this doesn't upset me at all, for tho I love family and spending time with loved ones I am looking forward to being able to intentionally focus on the season- its meaning, its significance, and its impact on my life. All too often we blow through this season, busy with buying presents, decorating home and office, parties, baking and cooking, visiting friends and family... it can just be a blur, until after Christmas we sit back and blow a huge sigh of relief that we survived another season.

But what is lost in all the hustle and bustle is the reason for the celebration. Jesus was born. Jesus, part of our Godly Trinity took on the cloak of humanity to live among us, show us how to live, and ultimately pay the price for our sin. Jesus made it possible for me to communicate directly with my God, to seek forgiveness for my sin, and to rest assured that my eternal destiny lies safely with Him. Without Christmas there is no Easter, there is no personal reconciliation, there is no hope of eternal security. And in the light of eternity, my few years on this earth are but a  blip- so Jesus' selfless act is the single biggest gift I could ever receive. This is worthy of remembrance, this is worth the time to slow down and reflect, to appreciate, and to be grateful. It is a time to give God the awe and reverence He so justly deserves for the sacrifice He made. This season I hope to celebrate Christmas with my God.
Food for thought...

The ABCs of Intentional Living...

This year has been a busy one for me, specifically because my first book made it through the publishing gauntlet and became available to the public earlier this year. It is called "The ABCs of Intentional Living" and is a book on how to get more out of our daily lives, how to break free of living in a rut and enjoy life more. It is an easy read, not long, and available on Amazon in either print or digital format. It is also available at Barnes and Noble in print or nook format. Help me out and buy a copy!
My second book is now in the publishing stage, set to be released sometime around Thanksgiving or Christmas of 2018. It is a book on a number of issues that Christians often ponder and puzzle over and offers some new and unique insights, some serious, some fun, and some outside our mental boxes. It is called "Tackling the Toughies: Christian Issues We Ponder and Puzzle". I hope you will support me and check it out too!
Thanks to all who have followed and supported me in the blogosphere!

Hamburger or Steak?

Sometimes we find ourselves faced with a decision- a life-altering decision- and the choice we face is, do I step out in faith that making a change could ultimately be so much better, healthier, and fulfilling for me, or do I fall back to what is known, what may have been comfortable in the past? All too often we are cowards, defaulting to the known, even though it has become unhealthy, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, because something is better than potentially nothing.
What we don't factor in, especially those of us who claim to be Christ-followers is that He has our absolute best at heart, and what we've chosen to pass on in favor of the "known and comfortable" may be abundantly greater for us had we just had the faith.
I know that in my past I have been guilty of choosing the known over the possible. I remember many years ago when I was relatively young at the business, my old boss offered me the choice of a salary and small commission or a much healthier straight commission. I had a family and I chose the salary because I could count on it. It turned out that I was the best salesman he had ever hired and he saved tens of thousands of dollars on my decision. I was a coward. I chose the known.
I know there have been times relationally that I should have walked away from a bad relationship, yet I persisted in it because it was a known quantity, rather than trust God had someone better for me- or even no one at all, if that was best for me at that point in my life. I guess my whole point is, that we need to brave potential new frontiers in our lives, that if our past has been unhealthy then we shouldn't "settle" just because it's a known quantity. Why settle for hamburger when God is waiting to serve you a steak?
Food for thought...

ONE NATION-UNDER GOD?

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Stated of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Under God- really? In this day, in our society we have removed God from almost all aspects of our society. We deny Him in our schools, we segregate Him out of our government, and we even try to remove Him from the celebration of His birth on this earth. We try to pigeon-hole God into “religion”- confine Him to the Church, then label those who believe “right-wing” or “bigots” or “fringe”. Yet I don’t believe this is the belief or desire of main-stream America.

Our country was founded on the principal of freedom of religion, the belief that each person or group should be able to worship God in their own way. Our founding fathers were men of faith, and God played a prominent role in the establishment and structure of our country. And our Republic has lasted longer than any other, our Democracy a model that other free nations have tried to emulate. And yet we have placed our Democracy in peril, because we have listened to the voice of the few over the silence of the many. Our apathy has removed God from the very institution He played so prominently in establishing.

We wonder today why our Congress is so inept, with approval ratings in the single digits. Perhaps it is because we no longer look to God for direction or instruction. We were created to be social beings, to live in community with God and each other. However, when we stripped God from the equation – the creator of that desire for community- and we rely on our own means to get along we fail miserably. We need God in our government; we need God in our schools; but most of all we need God in our homes, for that is where revival will have to start. God has been removed from the home, the grassroots of our society, and when we choose, as individuals, as families, that we want God back it will start in the home.

Food for thought…

Relationships- Sometimes it's All About Timing

I've often said that relationships can be difficult, and for a variety of factors. Sometimes relationships have run their course, the shared desire to make one work is gone, or perhaps distance has strained it, or one side has allowed the relationship to become inequitable in an unhealthy way. There are many other factors that could lead to the termination of a relationship, but what affects the beginning of a new relationship?
One of the most damaging things to the life of a new relationship is wrong timing. If one party is not really ready to enter in then the relationship could be in trouble. Let's say, for example, that I was just in a long-term relationship- one that I invested several years in- and at the end I was the one who decided to walk away. I still need time to grieve over the loss of what was a very prominent part of my life. I am not ready to just start pursuing  a new relationship. And then there's my ex-partner, who may still desire to try and fix the dysfunctional relationship, so there will be attempts to talk, to reconcile, before final acceptance is achieved-if ever.
My first relationship after my divorce was with a woman who divorced her husband, despite his desire to try and make their marriage work. She was done, but he wasn't. During our four-year off-and-on relationship he was constantly in the picture, for she continually allowed him to do work around the house, build her a deck, et al., because he desired to be close and she was willing to use him. It caused a serious strain on our relationship. When it comes to romantic relationships one needs to be finalized- on both sides- before beginning a new one if one wants a chance at optimal success.
If you don't allow time for healing then what does that do to your new beau? He or she becomes a "rebound" relationship, a filler that helps alleviate the pain and aid in the finality of the previous one. Now, it's possible that a relationship with this beginning can survive, but it causes unease for the new beau. (Add to that the game-playing that seems to permeate the dating scene nowadays and it's a wonder we have healthy relationships at all today).
Personally, I have become accustomed to being alone, and am perfectly comfortable being single. Being single is not a sickness. Yet there are times I remember the beauty of a good and healthy relationship- the sharing, the love, the memories. I would welcome being in relationship again, but I will refuse to play the stupid dating games. I'm too old for that. I don't want to be a rebound, I don't want to be used to teach someone a lesson. I want to pour love and attention out on someone special, and have that love reciprocated. I want to know what my mate expects, what they want in a relationship. I have so much to offer, but I need to know their expectations to see if it's viably possible to achieve. I am willing to make that monetary commitment to a relationship, and the time commitment that relationships require- most are willing to do these- but I am also willing to make that emotional commitment, which is laying my heart out there to be vulnerable to hurt and devastation if my mate chooses not to protect it. Being emotionally available is perhaps the most difficult element of new relationships.
So timing is important if we want optimal success. I know a woman, a beautiful woman, inside and out, and was attracted to her from our first meeting some several years ago. At that time she was engaged in a long-term relationship, which recently she left. Now the temptation is to move in and sweep her off her feet with romance and attention, but that's not healthy for her or me. I'm sure there will be residual contact and effects from her last relationship that need time to be dealt with. I'm sure that she needs to lay that relationship to rest, and that takes some time. she needs to recover emotionally so she'll be able to give her best to the next relationship. Now I risk losing the opportunity to ever develop a relationship with her, to her old beau or another new one, by allowing her time to heal, especially if she wants to move forward immediately- but I only want the best- for her and for me, for we deserve nothing less. Sometimes it's all about timing.
Food for thought...