Month: January 2022

We had been to an interesting museum. We were lost in a maze of mirrors.  If you have never been in a mirror maze, you get so lost, because each way you turn, looks like the last.  It wasn’t until I looked past the mirrors, that I started to see a way out. As I stood there, the thought of our lives played in my head.  Our faith, our beliefs, our way of living, should not be a hall of mirrors.  God wants authenticity.  God wants people, who move past what they are told, and raised to understand, into a place of contemplation. He wants people who focus on the outside, instead of the inside.  As I read the red letters, in my new testament, I see more parables than anything.  Sometimes our Savior taught with words, but more often then not he taught in parables. Why?  Then as now, he wants us to think.  He wants more than just followers. Jesus wants people who think for themselves, and openly choose his teachings.  God wants children who not only love, but freely choose to do so.  If he wanted robots, he could have simply made millions, in his image.  However, the greatest gift he gave us was free will, and a mind to think past his teachings.  As you read, as you discuss, as you contemplate life, look past what you have been taught to believe.  Look past the mirrors.  It’s the only way to find true happiness, contentment and joy.  Galatians 5

I Love You!

Perry

You don’t have to spend a lot of time with him, to know he has a kind heart.  Our grandson… is an old soul, with a heart that mirrors our Savior.  As we talked, his comment was “being nice to people is important”.  We were talking, as we encountered people, being ugly to each other.  Why do we have to tear others down, in order to feel good about ourselves?  We look at those that are different than us, with disrespect. We judge, based on factors we find to be important, and we tear them down.  We talk about their lifestyle…  the way they dress… or the appearance of their hair.  So many times we judge simply because they are different. I have come to believe that sin is not so much that of disobeying laws, but that which takes you out of the place of love, our Lord wants for us.  Sin is missing the way of your being.  Sin is not about rules.  Sin is about missing the love that was placed in your heart, by the Holy Spirit,  through the DNA of God.  When we tear down, and abuse others, we are really tearing down God.  Anything… outside of love for others is moving you into a place of sin, and away from the presence of Christ.  When we find ourselves missing the way of our being… STOP!  Pray.  Then remember, your true self is one of love for others.  

1 John 4:7-21

I Love You!

Perry

Do you truly appreciate the fascination of it all?  Every minute, of everyday, provides a moment for wonderment at Gods’ world. At Gods’ power.  As I sit in Radio City Music Hall, waiting for the show to begin, I am filled with awe to the point of tears.  The history… the grandeur…the ability to see it… all came together, to fill me with wonderment and awe. So it should be, in the presence of our Savior.  We spend countless days… countless hours… trying to understand his word. We spend a lifetime looking for a way to understand the Father… Son… and Spirit. We try so hard, to justify the beliefs we have, so that we can feed our egos, by believing we are earning his love, and a place at his side. We lose sight of the wonderment, and the fascination, of God and his Son. We can never truly understand his ways, his words, his heart.  Why do we try so hard?  Why do we feel as if we have to understand… we have to justify… in order to please him?  There are days we need to stop trying, and simply stand with awe and amazement, at his grandeur.  We need to come to the realization, that we will never fully understand. We will never fully comprehend.  Instead we need to appreciate the fascination, that is God.  Then.  We need to simply love, and bow at his glory. 1 Corinthians 2

I Love You!

Perry   

The light of Christ that shone from her, illuminated the room. We had a rather trying day.  Airport mishaps and hotel mistakes.  As we checked into yet another hotel, she greeted us with open arms. Her smile was contagious, and her first words to us were “I’ve been waiting for you”.  She offered us love… kindness… and special treatment.  She threw open her arms and embraced us as if to say: I know we have the same creator and that makes us family.  She said “I am from Ethiopia and as we may be from two different worlds we have love for each other”.  As I stood in the middle of such warmth, such goodwill God spoke to me.  We are to treat our fellow man, no matter who, no matter where, with love such as this.  A love that says: Don’t care where you came from.  Don’t care what color your skin is.  Don’t care if you are clean or dirty.  Don’t care what your lifestyle preferences are.  Don’t care.  I am going to love you with all that is in me.  I am going to show you respect and I am going to shine the light of Christ upon you.  Being Christ followers, means we spend each day, trying to imitate our Savior.  Being kind and loving, as he was.  Being meek and lowly, as he was.  Looking for those to help, as he did.  As you do, you will start to see the holy spirit in everyone.  And they will see Christ in you. Philippians 1:9

I Love You!

Perry