He could have walked away.  He could have stuck by his claim when he said “Woman it is not my time”.  Out of love for his mother, he went ahead and turned the water into wine.  Not just any wine, but the kind you find on the top shelf.  Wine that would cost several hundred dollars a bottle, in today’s world.  Why not cheap wine?  Why not wine that you would buy at the local convenience store?  Because he came to bring life… to bring it to abundance… not just a mediocre existence but life in full glory.  Should we not do the same, because he did and does?  “When you do something do it as if your working for the Lord”.  Christ never once said “I am only going to do a little because that is all you deserve”.  He never said “I am only going to save a few, because not all deserve my grace”. Instead he worked tirelessly, to fulfill the work of his father, and he did it in abundance.  Daily I encounter people who only want to get by.  Some who claim the title “Christian” but only want to do the bare minimum, in an effort to get a reward.  Those that want something for nothing.  In everything you do, whether for money or not, do it in abundance.  Then sit back and watch.  He will provide to overflowing.  Colossians 3:22-25

I Love You!

Perry  

Why do we insist on playing God?  Daily I have conversations with people that rank sin. They judge other peoples lives based on the sin they perceive.  Those who judge, based on one lifestyle or another, feed their egos by thinking that my interpretation of scripture is right, and yours is wrong.  Why do so many of us, presume to know the heart of God, simply because we can quote scripture, one after another?  When you understand the heart of our Savior, you see a man who embraced all people.  A man who took the laws of the time and threw them out the window.  A man who took every human, from every walk of life, and every lifestyle, and made them his own.  Jews… Gentiles… Samaritans… Prostitutes… Evil infested… Lepers… and everyone in between.  He loved them!  Accepted them!  Sat them in a place of honor and formed relationships with them. He cultivated friendships and sat down to eat with them.   It is not about keeping laws.  It is about love… it is about relationships.  Mostly It’s about forgiveness… and it is a place in the heart. 

2 Corinthians 1:24  (msg)

Matthew 7:1-5

I Love You!

Perry    

Her life seemed to be one tragedy after another.  As I listened to her story of abuse… of harm… of the attempt by her ex-husband to kill her… I thought of the goodness of our God.  I use to wonder how our God could allow so much suffering… so much pain.  If he is a loving God? If we are his children?  Then why does he not protect us?  Our God is so good, that he stands with us in the fire, of this broken world.  He walks with us through the pain… through the tragedy.  The cross!  The most disgusting torture device ever created, by the evil side of our nature, he used for glory.  He didn’t save his son… himself… from that tragic device. He embraced it and used it for good. He took his own son and proved that no tragedy, not even the evil of the cross, can keep us from him.   Every season in your life.  Every tragedy you have gone through.  Every illness or loss you have encountered, had a purpose. To be used for good and to bring glory to him.  God is good, all the time, whether you embrace him or not.  She made it through the fire, her ex-husband set to kill her.  The only part of the house that didn’t burn, was the closet she was in!  Our God is Good!!

Matthew 19:17

I Love You!

Perry

I could read daily, a book about Lorna, my wife.  Daily I could study, read, highlight, and outline word, after word, about my beautiful wife and still not truly understand her heart.  It is not until we have a daily intimate relationship that I came to know her… her heart… and her spirit.  So is our relationship with our Savior.  Daily I study scripture.  Daily I read book, after book, about him and his journey.  I have done that most of my life.  It was not until I felt one with him, that I truly understood his heart… his spirit.  As time passes, I spend day after day praying, contemplating, and walking by his side.  Looking to him for every answer and every direction.  After so many years of that journey, I am starting to understand and feel his heart and the way of his being.  I can feel his spirit in my life, in my heart.  From the deepest part of my soul, I feel his guidance… his love… his grace.  I rest daily knowing what he wants for me and I feel the security that comes from knowing him intimately.  So sometimes put down the scripture.  Put down the book.  Simply walk… and talk… with our Savior.  You will be amazed at everything he will reveal to you.  There is no better feeling!!

1 John 4:13

I Love You!

Perry

They simply did not understand.  It’s significance gets lost in OUR, everyday lives. Jesus washed their feet.  He took off his robe… adorned an apron… got on his hands and knees, then washed their calloused… dirty… stinky… feet!  Three years he had taught them.  Three years they had watched him heal… even bring people back from death.  Now the last thing they saw him do before he was crucified was wash their feet.  Why?  To show them, and to show us, what heaven is about. To show them and to show us what pure love means.  Pure unfiltered… unglamorous… sacred love is simply about humble service.  God and his Son do not have to serve us.  God, his Son, and the Holy Spirit exists without anything from us.  Yet the Trinity out of a deep love for mankind, serves us each and everyday, whether we know it or not. Each day Jesus gets on his knees and washes our feet.  He washes away the dirt, the filth, and the mistakes. We should do the same for those around us. When you practice humility by allowing others to be first.  By allowing others to feel important.  By letting them know you see them.   When you show love, regardless of who it is, you are washing feet. Then maybe… just maybe… those we serve, will catch a glimpse of heaven. 

Galatians 5:13 – 15

I Love You!

Perry    

As I entered the room he spontaneously came running to hug me.  No hesitation… no worry… no wondering who I was… he simply came to hug.  This little boy had so much love in his heart, that he was willing to hug a perfect stranger.  He told me his name, asked for mine, than went back to play.  Did he feel a connection?  I know I did.  Did he feel the love of Christ as we embraced?  I know I did.  His teacher said she had never seen him do that.  Spontaneous love… it was pure… it was holy.  Isn’t that what Christ wants of us?  No hesitation to love.  No hesitation to find a connection.  No stranger in the room, only people we love.  Did our Savior not take perfect strangers and ask them to spend their life with him? I observe, as so many people go through their day, with no thought of the person right next to them.  The clerk behind the counter,  the waitress, is just another person, in a sea of people we encounter daily.  Thought is never given as to their life and how we might help.  A kind word or a concerned prayer.  So as you go through your day do you see people or do you see a person?  We could learn from this young man and the spontaneous love he had to offer.  I’m certain it made our Savior smile.  Colossians 3:14

I Love You!

Perry 

As he welcomed us, to the hotel, he said happiness and peace radiated from us!  We then talked about how all of that comes from Jesus… I could tell he was uncomfortable.   As we showed the love of Christ to this young man, he shared his life with us, and told us he was gay.  He explained he was tired of those that say they love Jesus, being so judgmental.  As I hugged him I said… me too!!  The religious community has driven him to a point of not caring about God or his Son.  How can that be what Jesus would want?  How can that be LOVE!  Should we not take the log out of our own eye before pointing out the speck in his?  Our Savior welcomes everyone.  Our Savior is much more comfortable with the sinners, than with those that claim to not be.  Our western religious culture, has put so much importance on rules, that we have forgotten, nothing is more important than love of others.  As Christians, our job is first and foremost, to live a Christ centered life. To show his love to all those around us.   As all people experience us… they should always see Christ shining… from every angle of our existence.  Hypocrisy… what our Savior hated the most.  We would warrant his favor if we hated it too.   Matthew 7: 1-5

I Love You!

Perry

I see large, white, clouds, as if they are made of cotton, bellowing up into the heavens.  What an amazing God!  I watch as the sun sets, and turns the sky  to a golden yellow, followed by an awesome deep dark orange, with remnants of sun beaming through the clouds.  What an amazing God!  I marvel at a lighting bug, as it flies here and there, beaming its’ signal to other fire flies.  What an amazing God!  As if that is not enough, I look into the faces of my family and I see Christ!  What an amazing God!  I look into the eyes of my wife and I see infinite love.  What an amazing God!  From the people I work with… to the lady that cuts my hair… to the homeless gentleman we give shelter to… to my dear friends… I look with amazement as Christ shines from each of them.  What an amazing God!   Even through tragedy I see his hand in everything that I touch… smell… see… or experience.  He is an amazing God!  So worthy of our praise, simply because he is God!  Tomorrow as you wake… thank him for the amazing God he is.   Then trust that he will provide, in you, an amazing day!   2 Corinthians 2:14

I Love You!

Perry

What is normal?  Her comment was “why can’t they be normal”?  I see people treat others with disrespect because “their lifestyle is different or they dress or behave different then I do”.  Daily my heart prays “father make me blind to peoples differences and actions… so that I might see you, in them”.  We should not allow ourselves, as followers of Christ, to worry about how others dress, talk, or behave.  As we observe the world around us, we should see Jesus, in all people.   Each person, regardless of behavior, or lifestyle was made in his image, and carries within them the spirit of Christ.  Mother Teresa said “I see Jesus in every human being. That is why I help them”.  What power!  What understanding of our Saviors heart!  To be a Christian is to see Jesus, in everybody and everything. The very person you look at with distain… because of the way they dress, the way they wear their hair, the number of piercings on their face, or their lifestyle, is the very person you should love the most.  I use to be the one who judged.  I use to be that person, that looked at others different than me, with disapproval.  Through much contemplation I have come to better understand my Saviors’ heart.  Suddenly each face looks like him.  What glorious people he has put on this earth!!         Matthew 7:1-5 

I Love You!

Perry    

He had waited so long.  For lack of hope, he knew not what to do, but try the water.  If he could only be the first to touch the moving water maybe he would be healed.  A lifetime of not being able to use his legs was almost more than he could bear.  Then came Jesus.  With a few simple words he healed the man and told him to take his bedroll and walk.  Twelve years she had been bleeding.  Twelve long years with no help from doctors.  One simple touch of his robe and the bleeding stopped.  As he turned she made herself known.  Jesus knew, Jesus felt, and Jesus blessed.  My heart tries hard to imagine how these people and others felt.  To be healed by the Son of God.  To be healed by the Savior and to look into his loving eyes.  To know that he cared enough for each of them, to use the spirit of his father to heal… to save… to bless.  Daily I can feel him in my heart.  Daily I know that he resides in my soul and his spirit is one with mine.  Still I long to sit and visit with these people. To hear the incredible stories of his healing and to know first hand how they felt.  One day I will get to look into his eyes and feel that amazing touch.  Then and only then will my soul soar.. as it did for these. 

Romans 15:4

I Love You!

Perry