WORK

It's really been a busy week at work but man, I've really enjoyed it. WHAT? Yep!... I've really enjoyed working this week. I had to fill in for my wife so she could take vacation. I learned quite a bit about the business and helped a lot of folks with their business needs. Work is good, when you enjoy it. So, find what you enjoy and do it the best you know how and you'll be rewarded.

Still Small Voice

I mentioned the still small voice in the last blog. That's taken from the Bible. I'll discuss this in a future blog but for now it's when you just know something or something happens and things just fall into place and you sense it's a confirmation of what you've been considering. That ought to confuse you.

THINGS THAT MATTER

A couple of days ago I was looking for something to read. I looked on all the shelves on the bookcase but the bottom one. I almost didn't look because most of the books are photography books and catalogs but suddenly I found myself on my knees. My eyes fell on a book that I had forgotten about. It was recommended by a friend a couple of years ago but for some strange reason I remember looking it over and scanning a few pages. It was interesting so I placed it on the bookshelf but never thought of it again. I took the book off the shelf and again thumbed through the pages. I was tired of working on my computer, watching TV and just plain bored with life. I needed a new cause, a reason to do something productive, a new purpose, perhaps new direction but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I lay on the bed and started reading and the more I read, the more I wanted to read. The book is by Hal Urban and it's called Life's Greatest Lessons, 20 Things That Matter. After reading for about an hour I decided to get up and send the writer an email. I thought that this guy should have a podcast so I went to his website and saw how busy he was and put the thought aside. Then it hit me. I was the one to have the podcast. After all, the thought came to me so maybe I should be the one. I have lots of stories and ideas about the subject. I wrote my friend and fellow podcaster, Tom Wiles and told him about the idea. He wrote back and said the idea was great and that I should do it. So with that settled, I put it out of my mind until today. Late this afternoon I decided to go outside, sit in the shade and continue reading the book. I opened the closet door to get a pair of shoes and something caught my eye. It was another book. My wife has some books stored in the top of my closet but I never pay attention to them. This book was the Daily Guideposts 2004. I didn't even know we had such a book. It turns out that it was a gift to my wife from a church friend. I felt drawn to the book but didn't know why. I just knew I had to check it out. I took it outside with me leaving the other book inside. I pulled up a yard chair and was admiring the golden rays of the evening sun for a few minutes and at the same time, not looking, I opened the book and stuck my forefinger in it. Why, I don't know, but when I finally opened the book it was on a page about Christmas and the title of the chapter was " Advent With Things That Matter". Wow, it was an awesome moment. I just stared at those words knowing that something special and divine just happened. I read the chapter and got some ideas for the first podcast, closed the book, looked on the back cover and at the top it reads, "Welcome, Join our family of sixty writers and read about the Things That Matter in life. Things like this just don't happen everyday and when they do I've learned to listen to the still small voice inside because it just might be God telling me what to do next. In this case, I have to believe it was God. Too many things have been happening or showing up that point to what I am to do. All of this started when I made a commitment to use my time better and put some things aside that I could live without. I'd been looking for an idea for a new podcast and had given up. I wanted to do more then just play music and talk about unimportant things. I wanted to leave my listeners with something to think about. Perhaps I'll keep my other podcast and have a feature called Things That Matter but for now I'm considering making a totally new podcast and of course it will be called "Things That Matter". I'll keep you posted when it starts.
One that matters to me now is that I continue to listen to that inner voice more often.
That's all for now. Have a wonderful summer.

UnSeen Things - Mother's Day 2006

It's been a long Mother's Day. I put over 80 miles on my car picking up my mother and going to my wife's sister's new home and back again. It was a nice time but I was really saddened to see how much my brother-in-law had gone down. He's lost at least 30 pounds and is beginning to look like another person. He seemed to be having a good day today and was up and about and talkative. God bless him, he has a rare form of stomach cancer and has been given only a few months to live. His name is Larry Averitt and when you pray, pray for him. He's a wonderful person. I've known him for nearly 30 years and I've never seen him mad, angry or upset. No one could ask for a better friend then Larry. I'm glad I had some time to spend with him today.

Of course, there's nothing on TV tonight, no movies worth watching or anything interesting. I'm bored and a bit tired. I bought a book at Wal-Mart on the discount table and I've started reading it. It's a Christian book but not the usual preachy type. The writer is a thinker and has really put some thought and time into the subject. He says the empty feeling we all get sometimes is home sickness. Not for this world but for something that God put in all of us. It's the longing for home. Not an earthly home but for heaven. Since we are body, soul and spirit, it's in our heart (spirit) and was placed there by our Father, God, and it's a longing for our real home. Our final destination. It's a longing for something more then the riches of earth offer. I think he's right. The name of the book is UnSeen Things by Mark Buchanan.
Have you ever stood alone on the side of the road watching the sun go down. That big red ball of fire slowly sinking out of site only leaving an afterglow of beautiful golden rays that soon disappear into darkness. That feeling of loneliness, emptiness, abandonment or whatever you choose to call it is telling us it's time to go home. Kind of the way I feel right now. I think it's a time to reflect, to pray, to seek God, to draw near Him. It's as though He's pulling us to Him, placing His arms of mercy around us, telling us that He's there.

I've only read the first 3 chapters but those are my thoughts about what Buchanan is trying to say.
Here's a quote from the book,

"It is eternity in my heart, It is a taste, however elusive, of some Other Thing, some Unseen Thing. It is a reminder that the world is not enough, and that every bone and cell in me knows that. It is a desire for something that earth can make me thirst for, but never quench"

The quote is from a memory of his youth of his parents laughing. They have long since passed into eternity. It's the feeling that best describes a desire to go back to that time and place, but of course, it's not possible. It's the longing he feels for that time. A haunting memory.
Although we haven't seen God, we know He's there and we long to see Him. It's as though we have a memory of Him. If we are made in His image, then we must have a longing to know our Creator and Father. It's a desire to be with Him in His house. It's that drawing in our hearts that let's us know He's there and is also longing to be with us.

I think you know what I'm saying. The more you read the Bible and get understanding, the closer you get to God. The closer you get, you begin to understand and hear His voice. Listen, it's not in the wind or the fire or storm. It's in your heart, you spirit. The Bible calls the heart the "candle of the Lord", meaning where we get our understanding. It lights the path of our life here on earth. It's the only place where you'll hear that familiar voice calling us home.