Missing it

There are a lot of things I wish I could hold onto for just a little while longer & its amazing how none of them have a price tag attached.  It's funny how in a country where u can buy just about anything u want, it's the things u need to hold onto that go by the wayside.

I miss having extra time in my day to read the BIBLE that has carried me so far.

I miss having extra time to talk to a friend who stickers closer than a brother...CHRIST my KING.

I miss the time that my daughter accepted CHRIST & the joy no amount of cash could buy.

I miss not having more church during the week...sometimes 4 times a week is not enough.  

I miss having the time to count all the blessings I have received.

I miss friends gone onto heaven that used to lift my spirits.

I miss being too busy to listen to GOD direct me.

I miss taking time to sing praises in the shower.  (I don't think anyone else misses that!)

I miss walking just for the sake of walking to enjoy the outdoors.

I miss enjoying GOD for who HE is, and not for what HE does for me.

I miss most days...as they zoom right by with chores, tasks, work, bills & problems.

Thank GOD HIS mercies are new every morning...maybe today I stop missing & start enjoying!

TEXT VERSE:  Philippians 3:14.  "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS"

  

All gave some...some gave all.

  Any holiday is a great time of year to set aside the busy "tasks" life brings you to help you re-focus yourself and your priorities.  It's like GOD's way of reminding you to stop for a little while, take the focus off of yourself and think of others. 

  Memorial Day is coming up and I decided this year to not only take time to be thankful for those who fought the battles that have awarded us our freedom in this wonderful country but to take time to remember all of those that have passed through my life unto death.  Because they too gave all they could to me before leaving and I really didnt thank them as much as I shoudl have.  Its so easy to be very grateful when you remember who has touched your life.

Years	Location	Killed
1775-1783	Revolutionary War	25324
1861-1865	Civil War, North/South	562,130
1917-1918	World War I	116708
1941	Pearl Harbor	2388
1941-1945	World War II	408306
1945	Iwo Jima	6503
1950-1953	Korean War	54246
1957-1975	Vietnam War	58219
1990-1991	Persian Gulf, Op Desert Shield/Storm	363

Just these totals from some of the biggest battles / wars through the years of this country sums up to over 1.2 million lives of folks who gave all for their country.  This does not count the many millions who gave what they could before being pulled from the battlefield due to injuries.  It shouldn't matter if you think that wars are "just" or "right", this is not the debate...its the fact that these men and women gave all they could so that this country could be what it is today.  They gave their lives so we can live ours...remember them and leave the debating to someone else.

As I stated above, I don't want this holiday to pass without also having it remind me to remmeber those that have touched my life in such amazing ways.  Many friedns and family have passed through this life and left me with so much to grow from.  Not many details here, just the names of some of those folks. 



Heather - for your pure joy and the love of life you taught me to have
Nana Alice - for your wisdom
Bro. Ryman - for your compassion and tender heart
Fern - For your giving spirit
Dave - I miss your stories
Papa Joe - for your stories
Papa Casmier - for listenting to me
Harold - for your witness that led to my salvation

Memorial Day should be a day to remember those who gave all to our country and those who gave all they had to us to make us who we are.  When you appreacite the past....you will learn to respect the future.

Enjoy the hot dogs, hamburgers, cook-outs and time together this holiday weekend!!!!!   Make it a special one for those you are with and make a difference in someone's life!

Verse application:  John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

 

One vowel = A big difference

  I wanted to start this blog because I have made some major errors as I have progressed on in my 41 years of life and instead of having my kids / grandkids make the same mistakes, I wanted to at least impart some wisdom I have gathered from my screwups. Its so much easier to learn from the mistakes of others than to take the hard knocks yourself!  I have a burden for our younger generation and the struggles they will face so I hope that these posts, sometimes funny (to me anyway), sometimes serious, sometimes random, will always be a help to those it reaches. Todays post.....You have GOT to start "getting to".

  Life is all about the view you have when you live it, so for the kids...start early!  Many folks you will meet or talk with will tell you they have GOT to do a lot of things....I say challenge that myth and realize how little we have GOT to do and just how much we GET to do:







I GOT to go to work (yes, the English language is important, just not here.) turns into I GET to provide for my family and my needs / wants.

I GOT to walk the dog turns into I GET to exercise.         




I GOT to clean my room / house / car / shrubs, etc... turns into I GET to tidy things up.

I GOT to pay bills turns into I GET to honor the commitments I made to my creditors.

I GOT to have dinner with relatives....well that just may have to stay a "GOT"....just kidding my lovely extended and homegrown family!!!!!!  I GET to spend time with those who care about me.  By the way, having a sense of humor and laughing at yourself will be in future posts. 

As you grow up it seems the GETs move out and the GOTs move in.  Evict those bad "GOTs" today....and start GETting to do things.  Your world and your life will be better for it.

Get it?  Got it?  Good.

Thats an AMEN!




Verse application:  Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."