Signed, Sealed, Sold, but Not delivered yet...

 The last almost three years, has been a constant roller coaster ride trying to sell my house in Kenmare. From the initial immediate buyer three years ago, and their failed contract, to the next five contracts that failed, to the final closing yesterday. Yes, I know I should be jumping up and down, it finally sold, but so far, I haven't seen a penny due to the late time of the closing appointment yesterday. Today, I hope to see some final paper work and money in my bank account. Did I get what I wanted? NO! I actually didn't even break even. Plus add to the expenses; three weeks ago, my furnace quitting due to a dead battery in the thermostat and the temperatures outside being about -25. The house froze up, including the pipes, and a couple of other things in the house. The last three weeks, has been constant phone calls, and repair men, lots of money spent, trying to get the house back in a livable condition. All the while I was in California seeing my new granddaughter, so all of this was done long distant. Thank God for wonderful neighbors, that opened up my house for repair men, etc. 

   Then I returned home last night, to find my new house here in Bismarck, the garage had totally flooded with the snow melt while I was gone. That would be ok, except, I had emptied my storage unit after Christmas, and everything that hasn't made it into the house, yet, is still in the garage. Anything touching the floor of the garage, is now soaked and water damaged. Today, I will head out there to assess the mess.

    Frankly, I've been extremely discouraged, angry, and just down right upset. Like what else is gonna happen? Someone told me this was only a test? Well, I "feel" like I've been failing a VERY long test. 

   

   Then this morning, I had a song stuck in my head. So I searched for it on YouTube, and found the lyrics online, and sat down and started to play and sing along with it. "I'm so Blessed" by Cain. As I sang this song, I was reminded, it doesn't matter about this mess, because I am blessed, because of Jesus. I'm still alive, my heart is still beating, and there will be better days.

   So forgive me, if you've been one of the ones that heard me complaining, crying or just being discouraged lately. Know, that on my worst days, I'm still a child of God, and my best days I'm a child of God, Every day is a good day, and Jesus is the reason why!!

Shattered Pieces

 Shattered Pieces

    Yesterday, I pulled out some boxes out of my storage unit. Specifically looking for kitchen boxes. Then I found Kitchen Box #15, which I've been scared to open since putting all my things in a storage unit. Unfortunately, as we were unloading the Penske moving truck, this box fell from the back of the truck and landed on the cement. If you've ever used a Penske truck, you know that's about a 4' drop. When my cousin picked up the box, he said it rattled. I looked in my little blue journal, where I had labeled and cataloged what every box had in it. My heart sank when I read "Coffee Mugs." Yes, very breakable. Coffee mugs are not all that valuable, but many are sentimental. You see, I have a collection of random mugs. Whenever I travel, I love to collect coffee mugs from where I've spent some time or some place of significance in my life. 

    As I opened the box yesterday and carefully unwrapped each mug, there were quite a few broken ones. Several survived the fall and were unscathed, and I was thankful. One broken mug brought tears to my eyes, and I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. It was a coffee mug given to Todd when we left the pastorate in Kenmare. The mug says, "A PASTOR is one who speaks to your spirit, listens to your heart, and understands what words can never say."  The whole time I pastored in Kenmare, I used that mug to remind myself of the incredible calling I had again in Kenmare to love on the people and speak life into their lives. So, seeing the mug shattered was just so heartbreaking. It represented ten years of my life, pastoring in Kenmare, and now it was shattered. So this morning, I slowly and meticulously super-glued it back together. It will never be able to hold a drink again, but I can still look at it and use it to hold useful things on my desk. It took me nearly an hour to figure out where each piece fit back together. It was one small piece at a time till the puzzle was slowly reassembled. A few chips are missing, and it will never look new or be what it was originally designed for, but now it will be repurposed and still cherished. Though the other 5 or 6 mugs that were broken ended up in the trash can, this one still will 'live' on, though totally different now.

This mug seems to parallel my life—shattered but put back together with God's SUPERnatural Glue and redesigned for another purpose. That's what God does best: bring us into newness of life and hope to a life shattered by the 'falls' of life. That's why His grace is so amazing, and it's always 'unfolding' in my life.

   "So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace."

2 Corinthians 4:16 MSG

Encouraging Myself in the Lord

   

   This morning, I picked up my book, "Unfolding Grace Notes," and began reading some of it, randomly reading the different entries. I smiled on several, remembering writing it and what it meant to me, how God had unfolded that truth in my life. Why would I go back and read the things I wrote?  Because those are truths and encouragements God had brought to my life that I wanted to share with others to encourage them. Rereading them encouraged me again.

    I thought of King David in the Bible. (Story found in I Samuel 30:1-20)  He came back from a victorious battle to find his town had been raided and their families carried off as captives.  His warrior men with him were devastated, as was David, to find their wives and children gone and homes burned down.  And how most people react in a time of loss and pain, they find someone to blame. These loyal men turned on David and threatened to kill him.  They were bitter, and wanted someone to pay, and decided David was the one to pay.  Since they were following him and fighting his battles, it was his fault they all had a loss.  

  If you step back and consider it, their blame was misplaced. David had lost, too. But David's reaction was far different from his men's. David turned and encouraged himself in the Lord. He sought the Lord and asked God what he should do. And God answered. They pursued the raiders, conquered them, and recovered all that had been stolen. 

    I Sam 30:20 "Nothing of theirs was missing whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David recovered it all."  

  They all got their wives and families back, and they all got their belongings back, because one man sought the Lord, and followed what God had said to do.  David didn't play the blame game, he played the encourage himself in the Lord game, and He won!  He went back to what had always brought him encouragement and direction, and through God, there was victory.

    When life gets discouraging and you feel like blaming others for the mess you're in.  Stop!  Turn to God and find out the truth.  He can lead you into victory.  Go back to the Word and seek the Lord while He may be found.  Who knows, maybe your turning to God for encouragement, can bring victory and encouragement to others around you. 

   

 If you haven't received a copy of my book Unfolding Grace Notes, it's available on Amazon.  It might encourage you like it still encourages me. 

Walking with Heat

 

  I did something today, that I've never done before. I went for a walk. LOL. I've actually done that a lot, but today, I went for a walk, and packed my gun with me. Why? Because a neighbor had spotted a mountain lion the other day. Since I walk down dirt trails between fields, packing a gun is not a bad idea. I thankfully didn't see a mountain lion, but did get startled by a pheasant flying up out of the golden barley next to the road. After I jumped I had to laugh at myself for being startled by a bird. LOL! I took my walk quite early before the heat from the sun kicked in again. Yesterday it was 107, today is supposed to hit 100 again too, but early this morning at 6 am, it was in the cool 70's. The cool air felt so good after yesterday.

    Carrying a gun, packing heat, conceal carry, open carry, these are all fairly new terms and phrases for me. I'm still in the learning mode. I have actually surprised myself, that I'm a fairly good shot. I typically shoot around 60%, or out of every 10 shots, 6 of them are in the bulls eye zone, the others close by. Not too bad for a beginner. I'd love it if every shot made the bulls eye, but I'm not there yet, nor am I in life. I often am shooting at the target, but miss getting it straight on. I mess up, I miss. I'm human. In shooting, I'm a beginner, and just learning how to sight in my target. I've had a little more experience in this game of life, but still often miss my targeted bullseye. Thankfully my God is a forgiving God, and like the game of Horse Shoes, 'close' can often still score you points. My perfectionistic personality wants me to think I'm a failure, but thankfully God doesn't see me as that. He tells me that He began a good work in me and He will complete it. As long as I'm still aiming at the target, He can work with me. 

So don't give up. Keep on going. Keep aiming for the mark, and try again. God has great things in store! And carry heat when a mountain lion has been spotted in your area.🙂 And walk when it's cool before there's too much heat.🙂 

"I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]." Philippians 1:6 AMP