What's in your dish?

What’s on your "Blessing of the Day" menu?

Every morning I feed my little dog, Gizmo. Usually he has his dry dog food mixed with some baked fresh chicken breast fragments. I give him a little taste of the chicken as I am placing them in the dish. He likes to pretend he doesn’t want it, lets me drop it between his paws as he lies on the floor watching me. He eats it as I return to the task.

Placing his dish & fresh water on his mat, I retire to the living room, coffee in hand, ready to have my morning quiet time. In my home I have a wall fireplace in the living room that looks through to the dining area also. I can see him as he lays there waiting to see if this is it or should there be more food to be offered. He doesn’t see me, but as he stares at the hallway & back at his dish eventually something registers with him that that is all. Mosey over to the dish, & enjoy. When he is done, I can hear the little slurp sounds of the wash it down water, and then he proceeds to stroll to the living room, and purposely brush against my hand to say thanks, as I reach down to touch his head as he passes by me. Japanese chins make little gurgle sounds & this one likes to lick his lips, nose, & paws as he takes his resting place upon a small homemade landing at the edge of his sofa. The morning is young. The blinds are still pulled. No one is up in the house except us.

It is quiet, peaceful, & an anticipated moment of the day. So, we share the morning routine- Gizmo with his interesting reviews of the cuisine he enjoys ending in a power nap, content with his world. And me...my coffee, my quiet moment alone with the Lord...and Gizmo, I pray that we may learn to take a lesson from our pets we are entrusted with to love & care for ... accept and enjoy what we are given - For the Lord provides our daily bread, just what we need & when- the blessings of each day. We can rest confidently on His provisions.

We are fed by the Word of God...Are you tuned in? Or waiting for more of...what? Yubw8n? Dig in! It's good for you...

Thanks-Giving...Giving-Thanks!

“Either way you look at this, it is a giving thing...of thanks. We set aside this time to do just that. So, for that time...even if you do this wonderful expression often...let’s pause & seek to discover the moments, people, & purpose that is your reason for a grateful heart.

When the Lord is the center of our appreciation, we are no longer strapped to the economy that waivers & causes wondering worry of what will happen next. God never changes. After the festive feeding frenzy of thanksgiving...people have already established a plot, plan, & proposed agenda in order to purchase some-‘thing’ to give to someone else. Have we really taken the time to evaluate the priority of that gift? For it is not the price that is important...if it paupers you later, the cost will continue to haunt you for months to come. The richness & prosperity of a person is weighed in the value placed in the relationships they are given, not the gifts. A gift is free.

So, as you stand at the check-out line, really look at your ‘pile’ of presents in the cart. Ask yourself: Was there frustration or freedom in your spirit as you reviewed the names of those you ‘wanted’ to give some token of thankfulness? Or was there a sense of satisfaction knowing that what you have for them is truly something they ‘need’ in their everyday living? Is yours a relationship that is not only wide in understanding but also deep enough to determine their true lack & you wish to provide the present that will fulfill their need? There is satisfying warmth in true giving- not to get-but to complete.

If you buy just for the sense of buying, you have taken the joy away from yourself. It is not how many or how costly the presents...but rather the sentiment, sincerity, & satisfaction in knowing that what you gave was exactly what the person(s) really- really- really need in their life. This is how Thanks-Giving continues throughout the year...not just for the one day we have titled it to be.

For God so GAVE HIS ONLY Son.... The Lord knew what we needed & gave His very Best. May you know the joy of accepting HIS GIFT with a Thank-Full Heart...” Yubw8n? Give thanks always....

can you hEAR Me now?

Let me tell you about a dream I had. In this dream I awakened to discover a question mark tatoo on my ear.

As I looked in the mirror, behind my reflection I saw words that had embedded within them or had the sound of the word ‘ear’. These included Ear-a-tating, Ear-rational, Ear-agate, Ind-ear-ment, Ear-regular, Ear-aresponsible, Ear-atable, Ear-raplacable, Ear-regardless, Ear-reversible, Ear-respective, Ear-reverant, F-ear-ful
Then I realized that the tattoo was attracting attention to my Ear.

When others would engage in conversation they would be looking over my shoulder. They were seeing my question-mark and the words that had caused doubt in my life. So no matter what I 'said' or how conviencing I tried to be... the doubt was staring them in the face. Doubt stood behind every word I had spoken.

At this point I heard a voice…you guessed it, whispering in my ear.

“Can you hear Me? I long to answer your questions in life. This dream is to remind you that I, alone, have the answers you seek. Look, listen and you will learn to discover My guidance in My Word.

And as you take heed of the words I continue to give you, you will see that they are designed to lift you up. The world uses words to discourage and confuse you. Please don’t follow your own understanding. I will enlighten you with the wisdom you are seeking.

When you seek Me, you - will - find - Me. As you hold My Words and hide them in your heart, you will discover that the ‘ear’ that is clearest in hearing me is the one that is in the Center of you H-ear-t."

Can you hEAR Me, My Child...Let's talk. Yubw8n? I've missed sharing time with you!"
Love, GOD.

"I Love You Even When...."

Having just overheard a mother speak in a demeaning manner while she reprimanded her adult child in a public setting, I believe this story needs to be shared. Fortunately, the daughter proved wise and respectful in this scenario. She looked at her mother, said “Mom, I love you even when…”

What a shame that this kind of scene is more common than not. Although, in most situations, the calmness of the daughter’s reply is not as prevalent. Most of the responses are wrapped in anger and defensiveness at having been publicly reprimanded as the duties of parenthood were over scripted so they could be ‘heard’ in an authoritative role.

I remember a presentation regarding these familiar Bible verses: “Children, Obey your parents… (Ephesians 6:1) Parents/Fathers, don’t exasperate your children... (Colossians 3:21)”
When you are a ‘child’ you obey or you will be disciplined. And as a parent you teach right and wrong by example and with mutual respect to your child. As maturity in years evolves, the adult is no longer 'the child' and possibly a parent as well. Then it becomes obedience in the form of respect…from both.

Parents...never step on the emotions of your children to exercise your parental platform. And as an adult child,always show respect for the authority God has placed in your life. Each will give an account for their actions & responses to these actions. Love gently as you encourage and edify. Never embarrass another in order to be right.
For should you make it a practice to loudly exercise your parental authority in public, don’t be surprised if your adult child walks away from the situation and sadly even the relationship.

With all due respect, whether you are the parent or the adult child, would you stand there and have someone who says they love you speak to you in that manner? Maybe you are uncomfortable with the story I just shared. Maybe it hits too close to home. Maybe that parent is you. Or maybe you are that child who is also the adult ~ wondering why.

People~Life is so precious.Resolve your conflict of hearts.

Be loving. Ask yourself~Yubw8n?

Casting Call "What's Your Net Worth?"

Reporting live from the Shoreline Press on a recent fishing event that has people talking. According to the actual recount of the events (Luke 5:4-11) this is what we know so far: Luke 5: 4-11
When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water,& let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night & haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come & help them, & they came & filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees & said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he & all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, & so were James & John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything & followed Him.

Here we are at the local market & folks are calling this "The biggest catch of a lifetime!" But many ask what became of the catch; the fishermen? Did they catch & return the fish to the water? Some are curious why they abandoned the fish & even the opportunity for fame & money they could have made from selling their catch. The Word on the street is that the men are following Jesus & they are reflecting a love for others which appears to be more important than any local success story. Surely they would have had a book deal with a story like this*Wait- I think they did sort of*
Imagine an interview with Peter:
~So, Pete, tell us your story~
"Well, Jesus wanted us to put out in to the deep. After dropping the nets- within minutes we had a haul far larger than any we had ever experienced.
Truly astonishing. We still talk about that day.

The love we saw in Jesus was worth more to us than anything else. So we left behind our ‘everything’ right there on the shore. It was kind of like leaving your past on the sands of time, ya know.

When we were asked why we ‘pulled our boats’ I want to say the boats are kind of symbolic of our faith to follow Jesus; we were indeed acknowledging our desire to be fishers of men. I mean, after all, we had been fishermen all our lives. By simply believing in & following Jesus we have learned, shared, & introduced others to the loving message of salvation. This is indeed a life changing journey. And it is one that requires the heart to be willing to learn as He is truly able to teach. He seems to draw men unto Himself very easily.
~What do you fellas do for Jesus?~
We do many things~ like making sure there is food available after the teachings on the hillside. I'm sure you have heard that this guy really knows how to draw a crowd. They come from everywhere to hear Him. Amazing healing power! Some travel for days & want to touch the hem of His robe.

I am certain there will be many divine stories shared for generations.

As for the nick-name we now have, you know...'Fishers of men’; fairly certain that this is more than just a fad & will go on for years to come.

Picture it. There will be bumper stickers on the back of local camel busses & bill boards that line the roads from village to village. They may even have restaurants that serve only fish. Who knows? The possibilities are endless, right.
Spiritually ~ it is going to evolve in to the true art of people gathering together, & learning how to be at peace as we cast our care. Many will begin to do even greater things for Jesus.
We have been able to learn the true meaning of a Net Worth through this.
Let me ask you~ Do you know what your net is worth? What are you doing with each casting call you hear to share your Faith? Do you stand on the shoreline & wait for someone else to do something? When you are in the deepest part of the waters, how's your trust~oar does your boat of faith toss about? Do you believe in the One who knows where it is best to let down your net?

Bottom line- Are you a fisher of men or just in to Christianity for the ‘sport’ of it? Be genuine in your trust while you sit in your boat as there is going to be many areas of deep water throughout your life.
So go ahead; cast away ~ a miracle awaits you. You can be absolutely shore (sure) of it!

Ok, got to run. Nice talking with you. Be sure to read the Book that will include this event. It is the Best Seller of all time~The Bible.

I even have a couple chapters that are divinely written. Oh & the end is going to change the world forever. Be ready! Well, just read it. Heed it. And by the way, do you believe it? If not, let me ask YOU a question- Yubw8n?"