Sunday, July 19, 2009




The Bible

It is many things to most people but most of all, it is a playbook for the game of life. No, not the Milton Bradley version. The real life, the messy one that we live every day. The one with jobs that we go to day after day that we hate, the one with the dirty diapers and runny noses that never seem to stop. That life!

I don't care what your question might be, the answer is there. But, yep there is a "but", you must study, read and most importantly understand the Bible. To understand the Bible you must be on a first name, interactive basis with the author. Without that relationship and indwelling of The Holy Spirit understanding the Bible as you should is nearly impossible.

Understanding on man's level isn't going to get it. Understanding on God's level, His instructions, His guidance, purpose for our lives, that is the understanding you should be seeking. On man's level, understanding the Bible is no more than an in depth history lesson, interesting but useless, simply a text book with thin paper pages and bound sometimes in leather.

When you have that precious relationship with The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, you will have a new perspective of God's Word. You will seek that fountain of knowledge constantly. You will seek the face of the author with such a fierce thirst that nothing but the Word of God can quench. You will drink to fullness, only to be thirsty and drawn again to that fountain very soon.

Dive in! As the song DIVE by DC Talk says:

"I took a dive
I took a love plunge into your arms
I took a dive
I took a love plunge into your arms
I took a dive
I jumped in with all my heart
I took a dive"


I can think of no better way to prepare myself for eternity with God. Can you?

Friday, July 3, 2009

Happy Holidays! Are they....really?

Holidays. Some I can totally do without. The Fourth of July isn't one of them. I love the fireworks, the patriotic music, the Twilight Zone Marathon on SciFi and the cookouts. I enjoy gathering together with my family, the fun that ensues.

I read and hear others talk about their relatives living several states even on other continents away and wonder how they do it. I would go stir crazy without my family near by. There are even those that I hear say that they can go without ever seeing their family members again. That I don't understand. But I'm sure they have their reasons. Thankfully, that isn't the situation in our family.

However, there is a "delicate" situation in our family. We have the "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."(listen, do you hear Tammy Wynette singing in the back ground?) Word going on. My middle brother and his wife decided a few years back to end their marriage.

Now holidays are a minefield. So and so wasn't asked or invited to Thanksgiving dinner, then they didn't invite what's his name to share any time on Christmas. It goes back and forth, over and over. Harsh words, hurt feelings and even worse, the children are dragged into it by both mom and dad. It is the typical tug of war. And it is nasty.

There is always someone that will say, "that is their life, it shouldn't affect you." Oh Brother! It does, and will for ever. Now at every gathering, there is someone missing, because the children aren't there. There are the usual comments and questions with no answers.

Divorce destroys not just the family at the center, it destroys the entire family make up. And it stinks.