Looking Back...
If you are a subscriber to my feed for this blog, then you probably noticed that my post kind of slowed down a few months back. Scratch that, my postings came to a virtual stand still. With just a few months left in the year my family and I went on a trip to visit family members we had not seen in quite a while since we moved from the West Coast. I can't speak for the rest of the members of my family, but that trip was the start of a lot of soul searching and questioning for me. I thought I would share some of those with you today...
Stewardship...
My California trip wasn't all fun and games however, one of my agendas on this trip was to clear out a storage space that I had been paying for, for more than 4 years now. Looking back that was thousands of dollars that I could have utilized elsewhere or even applied toward charitable donations, which led me to the conclusion that I must become a better steward of what God has blessed me with. There really was no excuse as to why I prolonged getting rid of that storage, I have visited California several times over the past years, but I allowed myself to be distracted or hindered by other people.
As I began clearing out the storage I new that I was going to have to make some tough decisions, after all I hadn't seen a lot of this stuff for more than four years, so obviously I could live without them. Again I was convicted about my stewardship as I perused items that I had repurchased, and items that were very costly just sitting and gathering dust. I found myself repenting and promising to do better.
As I began to separate the items that we were keeping from those we were getting rid of, my thoughts began to go in a different direction. It began to bother me that there was no one in my West Coast Circle that I could have depended on to take care of this for me (pause)
Friendship...
Before I finish the previous thought I must tell you that there was one person that I knew would take care of it for me, her and her husband have been absolute God sends to my wife and I, my wife has had the pleasure of knowing her all of her life and I had the pleasure of meeting her after marrying my wife...she has always been there for us, and I feel that she has done more than I could ever repay her for, and she is one hard working woman...I'm still amazed that she manages to find time to read my rantings and leave me encouraging messages. When I look back at the major events of our lives, she was there good or bad. I am thankful to God for her, because she and her family are truly one of the great treasures He has blessed us with. It warmed my heart to be able to spend time with them during our visit to California. I even enjoyed her sister who all but held up flashcards with math problems on them to see if homeschooling has made my children retarded. (she must not read any of my blogs or articles) I pray that in 2009 I develop closer friendships, but I doubt that any of them will be as special :)
While I'm on the subject of friends, I learned who my real friends were in 2008. I began conducting an experiment about halfway through the year. It was simple, just start telling people no, don't offer an excuse just tell them no...I can't do it. I expected that there would be a few people who would be upset with me telling them no...but I was not quite prepared for people to begin to dump on me and tell me what they really thought about me and my family. Even now on the last day of the year I still haven't heard a single word from some of these people I said no to, and some of them have only spoken to me because we were in the same spot at the same time and it would have been to awkward for them to have to try and explain to everyone else why they were avoiding me. On the bright side however my phone rang a lot less and I was pretty sure that the people who continue to talk to me and come around even after the no's were around for me and not for what I could do for them. Do you need to weed out the bad seeds among your friends...try telling them no.
Life & Family...
After returning from my trip to California, I seem to be plagued with back to back injuries or illness. Several times I was at the point where I couldn't do much of anything. During this time my wife and children were my lifeline. I am grateful that God has equipped them with the patience and grace it takes to live with and deal with mmog37. If you know me then you know that nothing bothers me like having to sit still or be served by others, and it seems like God has a sense of humor in the sense that something periodically happens that causes me to have to "be still and know...."
Looking back I am thankful for all of the time we have had with each other, our trips, our first Major League Baseball Game together, Our first Online Revenue competition (which they spanked me royally) and many others. I pray that our times together mean as much them as they do to to me...
Remembering...
My excavation into my storage, yielded a major find for me, I discovered a collections of journals and prayer books I had been keeping since 1996. More than thirteen years of me spilling my heart and thoughts on paper. I rejoiced as I saw that many of the things I had been praying about over the years, had been answered. I was ashamed as I saw some of my entries during the time in between those prayers being answered. My prayer books were my own person hard copy that God really does hear and answer prayer...and that He always goes above and beyond. Those prayer books also helped me see that many times the delay in them being answered was due to me asking for wrong reasons, or even me getting in the way...
I also recognized how powerful and therapeutic those journals were, especially the prayer books. I noticed that over time after writing my prayers down I was better equipped to trust God, and go on with what I needed to do and let Him do His part. These long lost journals I found helped me see my growth process, and they encouraged me and gave me hope that I even though I am not quite where I should be, I am not where I used to be...but more than that I am am encouraged and motivated to go all out to get where I need to be...
Thanks...
As 2008 comes to a close , I want to say Thank you for taking the time to read any of my writings, I hope that something I have written has either encouraged you, challenged you or at the very least made you smile. I encourage you to stay tuned in 2009, because the limits are off in the New Year and who knows what's I'm going to write about, and hopefully I will be announcing the completion of my book. Thanks Again and God Bless
