Life Is Hard.......But God Is Good

On the way to work this morning, I was listening to the radio as I do most mornings. One song, by Pam Thumb, stood out this morning. A line in the chorus stood out and is the title of this post. When I started this post, I also remembered a t-shirt slogan, "Life Is Hard....Then You Die". Both state the obvious, Life Is Hard, but only one offers hope, the other hangs you out to dry (you are on your own).

This very moment many in America are suffering. They are facing incredible hardships in life. Job loss, foreclosures, family disintegration, war separation, financial distress, and the list could go on and on. It is very safe to say that many are looking for the next president to solve their woes. As has been for over 40 years, many are looking for the government to open the storehouse doors, and pour out blessings (money) on to us to save us from being so dumb.

I have to question if there is any validity to that effort. When the well runs dry, where are you then? Hopeless? You most likely are if you hope is in the government or a man! But from experience, I don't question the goodness and generosity of God.

I have been where so many find themselves today. I have been jobless. I have been afraid. I have wondered how I was going to feed my family, pay the house note and pay the utility bills. Let alone a car note and other expenses. I have felt so low that I felt I would have to climb up to see the bottom of a rut in the road. I couldn't get my bearings and I didn't know which direction to turn. But then, as He has done countless times for countless people, God stepped in and stepped up! He started meeting my families needs one by one. Then the next one, and the next. Did I deserve his generosity? No, except that I am His child and His promise is to take care of my needs. He chose to show His greatness to me over and over again.

This is not prosperity gospel. I don't subscribe to the notion that because I am a Christian, there won't be problems in my life. God did these things, I believe, so I would have a story to share with someone, anyone, that may be going through what I experienced. He has allowed me to tell of his faithfulness and I do so gladly.

More Important Than Gasoline

Moved On

What a morning! It is the coolest morning of the new fall season. It finally feels like fall and I couldn’t be happier.

I am not at home. I am out in the country. The only thing that would make this better is being in my camper at a campground. But this is okay to. I haven’t been here since back in the spring so it is good to get back.

Coming through town last night on the way to her mom’s, my wife and I were making observations about how things have changed. This is where she was born and grew up. Our son was born here as well, and things are not the same. At one time this community had vibrant industry that employed many in the town and the surrounding area. Not true anymore. Retail stores lined Front Street. Not true anymore. The First Baptist Church had many young people, children, and young couples. Not anymore.

Many have moved on…

It is sad, but the reality, towns and people will change. The big question, what kind of change? Is the change better? God instituted change in his creation. The seasons change four times a year. This allows plants, animals, and crops to hibernate or grow dormant to rejuvenate themselves, and then once again bloom and bring beauty and food to our planet. Jesus came to give his own life to gives us a choice of change, to make a choice to move in a new direction away from the old way of sin.

Change comes to our families as well. We marry, children are born, and parents pass away. Our children grow from newborn to toddler, to pre-school, to school age, to pre-teen, to teenager, and then high school graduate. Many will go on to college and then marry and the cycle then repeats itself. In my opinion, good change.

But all change is not good change. Coming soon, real soon, we will elect a new president. Both have promised change. The change one offers is not at all equal to the change of the other. It all depends on the way you would like to see our country move. I will admit this is an historic time in our country, but is that what we want to base our vote on? I have lived long enough to see a lot of history made and much of it has changed our nation. It goes without saying that the space program has offered many new innovations that we all use today. The decade of the sixties brought about many changes and some were not so good. We lost the opportunity to pray in school. The sexual revolution came to the forefront of news, talk shows, and books and destroyed the very fabric of a moral society. Abortion was made legal. Women now had the legal right to kill their unborn child. So, is the opportunity to vote historically a good choice for change?

If you are paying attention, you know that the next president will have great influence over the many aspects of our government. He will most likely nominate 3 and maybe even 4 Supreme Court justices. This will change the dynamics of the court. And since the court has set itself as the last word in the culture war, which way would you like to see it go? I have thought and prayed about this and I will say, Obama is not the change I want for this country. I have never, in my voting life, seen a candidate that is more socialistic than this man. I have never before seen a man that is throwing his radical views on abortion and homosexual rights in our faces in such a way that we will have to like it or lump it. He professes to be a believer in Jesus and yet every policy position that he has is the opposite of the teachings of God’s word. I just don’t get that. Does he think that we are a bunch of idiots and cannot see through him? Sadly, I must admit that many are just that idiotic.

Historical figure? No doubt. The president we need? No, No Absolutely Not!

The only way to avoid this is to vote!

When Things Aren't Normal

The following was a post that I was working on Saturday Oct. 4. I forgot to post it so I thought I would post it now. Jay is recovering fine and is itching to get to his normal activities.

How many times have you had your plans changed? Plans that changed not of your desires but because of circumstances. Well, we have had a week like that. Like most we went to bed Sunday night only to wake up with our son complaining of nausea. I sent him back to bed and his mom called his work to let them know he wouldn't be in. Tuesday still sick. Wednesday still sick and a trip to a new doctor because ours has been sick and out of his practice. Wednesday afternoon in the hospital after finding that he was dehydrated. Thursday test and no clear picture of what was wrong. Hoping to go home Friday, but one more test. Test came back positive as gall stones. Saturday afternoon in surgery to remove gall bladder. That is where we are now.

While I am typing this, I am waiting for a call letting us know how things are going down there. Jay went in nervous, understandably. But some medicine can work wonders with the nerves and that is OK. But the calming for us has been God's Spirit over us. He has given us many promises that He will take care of us when things aren't normal. Although not worried, I am concerned and pray that things go according to plan and I am confident that they will.

The first call just came and the surgery has begun and things are going well.

I am wondering how people handle these things without God's love in their lives. Do they just hope that things are going to be okay? If that is their approach where is their hope placed? Do they depend on luck for the outcome? Is their approach Ca Serra Serra(what ever will be will be)? I have been a Christian since I was 6, so I cannot relate to that way of being. I cannot remember not having Christ to lean on in all my growing to maturity. Sometimes I lost my way but He was right there when I figured out he was my hope.

So as I sit here waiting for the next call, I remember that I ran into some very longtime friends of my family in the hallway of the hospital. Wife/Momma was in the hospital very sick. This morning I read that she passed away last night. I know they are in deep hurt but I also know where their hope is. Pray as they adjust.

Well, the Dr. just left and said everything went as according to plan and he should be back in the room in a few minutes. So, our weekend wasn't what we had hoped to do but, God was in control as he always is and he made provision for what was about to happen.