Birthday Wishes

Dear Brent,

As you rise in the morning may the day greet you with peace, contentment, and health. Be blessed with the joy of living and giving of your self to others. Know that you have done enough. Live free from the weight of regret. Cast off guilt. Today, focus on all that you have instead of all you have failed to attain. You are truly blessed. God has shined His face upon you. Live like it, today. You are His child. He loves you. He loves you. Live in the awareness of His love. Be as He intends you to be. Stare intently into His face, into His eyes. Slow down and look at Him. Receive His love. Be blessed with the faith to hear your Father say, “Well done!” Happy Birthday.

That which is profitable

While driving home last night, I read Proverbs 14:23 on a church billboard. It struck me because of my recent rumination of what I will do in the future. I can talk something to death and never complete the thought with action. My problem is that I have too much time before I need to do something. However, I need to take the time I do have and start planting now so I will reap when I need to.

I few thoughts come to me:

1. Drop insurance altogether and have people give what they think the service is worth. This would require me to market myself in a different direction then I have previously. I would want to focus from an overtly Christian standpoint. I would come from a holistic perspective with minimal medications. If you treat the whole person – body, soul, and spirit – then balance and wholeness will be achieved. Medications are too often a salve for the symptoms and not the cure for the core issue. I’m not totally anti-medication, however, I think they are prescribed way too much. Our society has developed a sense of entitlement regarding the immediate. There are no quick fixes.

2. Going a completely new direction, unrelated to counseling (at least directly). I’ve been researching franchises and thinking what does Spfd need next. Also while driving home I realized a new hotel going up next to several other hotels. That takes guts. What impressed me is that I don’t need to focus primarily on what others are doing but to just do it better. My problem with franchises is that if someone could start it up to begin with then I wouldn’t need to pay them for having their name, I could start up my own thing. That is what I did with my counseling practice. There were several that asked me to be a part of their practice. It didn’t make sense for me to give them a cut of what I make and still have to develop my own caseload.

3. I want to work with people. I want to develop people, especially young people. I want to have something bigger then just my own plot of land. I want to help others develop their plot as well. I want to contribute to the economy of Spfd. I want to make others successful. I receive a great sense of satisfaction in knowing I had a part in another’s success.

So, where to start? What do I need to be doing now? How do I get my rear end in gear? Three things come to me as I write:

1. In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14: 23
This tells me that I need to get moving and make the most of my time.

2. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. John 12:26
There is so much to focus on that I can become overwhelmed with the stimuli. The only One I need to focus on is Jesus and trust that He will lead me each step of the way. Priorities.

3. On Thursday I have lunch with my pastor. I need to utilize his wisdom and his emotional detachment from the situation to see clearly.

On being responsible

Recently I finished Deep Economy by Bill McKibben. It was recommended by a blog I read. The blogger is strong on community which is probably what drew him to this book - the one redeeming point. He focuses too much on green. I'm not against green but his seems to come from a humanistic standpoint. It strikes me as funny how the green folks only focus on the fatalistic part of science as it serves them. It seems an emotional response.

The book has redeeming qualities but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Mr. McKibben starts from the wrong premise so his outcome is wrong. I'm not here to *argue* about global warming or the demonization of America. These are emotional issues and they get us no where, certainly not toward solution.

The bottom line for me is that God is in charge and we are responsible. Period. We have been giving a stewardship as humans (take dominion) and as Christians (personal and corporate obedience to God). I don’t drive a vehicle that saves gas because earth is going to hell. I don't shut my water off in the shower when I lather up because I'm afraid we will run out of water. I don't buy local because I'm against corporate America. I don't manage my money responsibly out of fear. All I do is because of faith. It is not kingdom standard to be or live wastefully.

I had a youth pastor once who picked up pieces of trash and took extra care of living creatures. (It really was sickening as he would catch flies in his house and release them out doors.) He didn't talk about this much but demonstrated a stewardship. He cared for things like God cares for things. He is his Father's child. So are we. All that we do must be out of a life of faith and not of fear. I heard a lot of fear while reading this book.

The community part was on target for the most part. We have lost that sense of community in our culture and sadly in the culture of our churches. We are disconnected and are suffering for it. The more I read Scripture, and especially Paul, the more I get the sense Father thinks more of us as a body than as individuals. As a group. As a church. As part of or an extension of Him. We are all a part of Him.

We are His care-takers of the earth. Just as the body cannot continuously take in garbage and not suffer, I expect the earth to be the same way. The earth is very resilient because it is by Him that all things consist and hold together. This book sets out seemingly with the premise that we are both in charge and responsible. We are responsible, yes, but He is in charge. Our responsibility lies with being obedient to Him and modeling a kingdom lifestyle.

This may not be his best, but close.

Rain

There is something stirred in me with the Fall rains that no other season provides. Maybe it’s because of the relief that latter rains give after the hot, weighty summer. The pressure is relieved and you feel like you can breathe again. Although it is still summer here in the Ozarks (90*+ temps isn’t exactly Fall) but the heat doesn’t have the bite it once had. It is hard to describe how the gentle rains refresh the soul.

I have been irritable lately, probably by a combination of things. It looks as if in a year from now I won’t be doing the same thing because of changes by the state. The summer heat has drug on thanks to global warming. I haven’t had as much Chad time as I usually get due to the projects he’s had this summer. Then there is the restlessness of pre-deer season. It all adds up to a sort of melancholy. However, there is a peace in this experience as I know this is Father’s way to stir me on to growth. He’s making some changes to continue my development process. This is really the source of my irritability. I’m not in control. I don’t know what is around the bend. I have to trust Him. Last week He impressed on me that He was my greatest need.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

I believe it’s starting to rain.

To do great and important tasks, two things are necessary: a plan and not quite enough time.

Author unknown

I Bless You

I bless you with joy and peace
And love that won’t let go
I bless you with grace and faith
And fire in your soul

I bless you with dreams and visions
Most men don’t know of
I bless you with deeper knowledge
Of our Father’s Love

I bless you with joy and laughter!
I bless you with a steadfast faith!
I bless you with the hopes and the dreams
that your heart goes after!
I bless you with amazing grace!

I bless you with strength and power,
Grace through any trial
I bless you with wisdom
And with comfort in your smile

I bless you with great adventures,
Journeys yet unknown
I bless you with a heart gone wild
Because you are His own

I bless you with the heart of a warrior,
Grace to stand and fight
I bless you with brothers
Who will stand right by your side

I bless you with courage
Till your battles have been won
I bless you with the faith to hear your Father say,
“Well done!”

I bless you with joy and laughter!
I bless you with a steadfast faith!
I bless you with the hopes and the dreams
That your heart goes after!
I bless you with amazing grace!

by Dennis Jernigan

I heard this song last night and really liked it. There is a genuineness, a substance about Mr. Jernigan that is refreshing. Mr. Jernigan has written over 2200 songs. I did a search and found the lyrics. It was sad that between the title and the lyrics was an advertisement to see Jessica Simpson “exposed.” I’m sure Mr. Jernigan can’t wait to spin in his grave about that one.