Earth Prayer

“THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND THE FULLNESS THEREOF, THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO DWELL THEREIN…….BLESS THE LORD, O  MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME BLESS HIS HOLY NAME.” -----THESE WORDS OF WISDOM, AFFIRMATION, CONFIDENCE WILL BLESS YOUR DAY AS YOU PRAY THEM ALONG THE WAY TODAY…

DAD/PAPA

Encourage

“Encourage one another…..” it can be discouraging when the answer we hope for is slow coming and maybe does not come at all. Sometimes it seems bad news is all the news. Things to do not come to fruition when we expect or want….in these times we can slump, begin to lose hope, want to give up……in these times we need a word, of encouragement, a little push to keep walking, a call to lift our head and look forward………encourage someone along the way today to do good and not bad…….

And remember I love you,

Dad/Papa

accountable

A GOVERNMENT NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE CANNOT HOLD THE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. A PEOPLE NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH AND INTEGRITY CANNOT HOLD THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE.

DAD/PAPA

value

“VALUE THINGS NOT FOR WHAT THEY ARE WORTH-BUT FOR WHAT THEY REPRESENT.” – I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN, MARION GAVE MOTHER A INEXPENSIVE GLASS BOWL AND WHILE HE ACKNOWLEDGED IT DID NOT COST MUCH,(HE COULD NOT AFFORD MUCH)  HE SAID IT WAS THE LOVE IT REPRESENTED THAT MATTERED.

DAD/PAPA

Book of Ruth

The book of Ruth in the Old Testament is a beautiful story that  reveals the practice of people without adequate food supply going to the  wheat fields and gathering wheat that is left behind by the reapers. -The left over.-  this was one way of helping persons In need.  One lesson here for me is that a way is devised for helping the needy, but it also expects them to participate, to do what they can.(if  they are not able to participate this way that is another story)…..something to think about …..

Dad/Papa

No Other Gods

“YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.” ---  UNTIL A PERSON COMES TO TERMS WITH THIS CENTRAL TRUTH OF LIFE, EVERY THING IS OFF CENTER, OUT OF FOCUS, MISGUIDED, DISTORTED, MISERABLE. WE DID NOT CREATE OURSEVES, ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING OURSELVES AND WANDER AROUND LOST UNT IL WE FACE GOD AND FROM THE DEPTH OF OUR BEING SAY..”NOT MY WILL, BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE.” FROM THAT MOMENT ON WE LIVE FREE, REALLY FREE…….

DAD/PAPA

Life Isn't Fair

“Life isn’t fair. But God is…” – life is not fair and stop there. What happens? Nothing. You just sink deeper into despair. You just think what’s the use to try?  So you roll around in the mud day after day and moan about how unfair all is. But the really smart person says  “there is more to life than meets the eye…I am going to find out what is going on.” So begins the journey of faith into realizing what in this world and what in your life God is doing and how you are going to participate.

Love you,

Dad/Papa

“Life isn’t fair. But God is…” – life is not fair and stop there. What happens? Nothing. You just sink deeper into despair. You just think what’s the use to try?  So you roll around in the mud day after day and moan about how unfair all is. But the really smart person says  “there is more to life than meets the eye…I am going to find out what is going on.” So begins the journey of faith into realizing what in this world and what in your life God is doing and how you are going to participate.

Love you,

Dad/Papa

from April 21, 2010

“….and understand with their heart….” (Acts 28: 27) ---I think little children understand with the heart before they understand with the intellect….I think adults who keep in touch with heart understanding and following heart intelligence make wise persons….

Dad/Papa

Nuggets

Many years now I have gleaned nuggets of truth couched in a phrase or sentence----it is like seeing a beautiful flower growing in the woods or beside the path----it is a special word from God that blesses my mind and spirit----and I delight in sharing these thoughts with my family each day---truth transcends all forms and religions; yet is personalized in the person/persons we meet in the flow of life---“the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14)----what this says to me is that the best way to see God is in a person-very likely the person next to you now.

Blessings and love,
Dad/Papa

Miracles

I like this one—“A MIRACLE IS NOT THE SUSPENSION OF NATURAL LAW, BUT THE OPERATION OF A HIGHER LAW.” – the people working to save the coal miners in the West Va. Accident kept talking about hoping for a miracle. This was not shallow thinking. These people who live every day in the face of death know there is a higher law. Even when their loved ones did not survive, they were confident in the Higher Law ---

The MIRACLE OF LOVE. IT IS MOST DEFINITELY THE OPERATION OF A HIGHER LAW….


LOVE YOU,

DAD/PAPA

Paying Attention

I share a   quote I  read in Guideposts magazine: “The  greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of inspiration.” People sometimes tell us their troubles or discouragement and we distractedly  say some words and they go away realizing we were not really listening or interested. Words of encouragement, words of understanding-simply paying attention may encourage them in a moment of need.

Dad/Pap

Friend

“What helps you most when you feel sad?”……”A friend who listens and doesn’t try to rush me into  ‘happy’.”…….I read this in a recent Daily Guidepost. Sometimes it is normal to feel sad. The experiences of life are not always happy….What is important is to know that whether you are happy or sad holy Spirit is present. That Presence maybe in the person of a friend who will listen and not try to fix you into ‘happy.” …… one of these ladies also said that sad was like a dark hallway she was passing through and God had something for her to discover there.

Love you,

Coal Miners

When I turn on the lights, I think of the coal miners who died doing their job for the sake of their families and  a nation of people….pray for those who are filled with heartbreak and grief—do not take lightly their testimonies of faith in the midst of their pain…

Dad/Papa

Bad Person

I have never known a bad person. I have known plenty of people who have done bad things, sometimes I was one of them. But when I do bad things there is a- Presence,Word,Spirit,Conscience- deep in my soul that lets me know I can do better than behave badly. It also counsels me to expect and encourage better behavior in the other person too. How can a person made in the image of God  who is Good be a bad person?   

Dad/Papa

Temperance

I try not to overdose on the daily news, but I do listen enough to know what is going on. Of late I note a lot of anger and  language and behavior that is stirred by persons who are adept at stirring up the crowds. People say things to other people that are insulting and violent. Politicians and their families are threatened. Now, it is true that our free speech…allows for this, but the irony is that without the government or some sensible  presence this could lead to anarchy. There keeps floating to the surface of my mind the teaching from childhood, “exercise temperance,(moderation,self-control )in all things. -----so in these days let us pray for sober, sensible, wise minds and leaders who can sort this and provide help in working things out to the real benefit of our people and our country. Extremism to the right or the left does not solve the problem, but I believe that somewhere in the middle people can meet and dialogue and resolve, calmly and respectfully.

Well, I hope I got it off my chest without being out of control……

Dad/Papa

Stray Dog (Angel)

He was just a stray dog-don’t know where he came from-but he became part of our family-vulnerable, followed daddy on his walks to town-waited outside the store and followed him back home. Never spoke a word, but showed his love and faithfulness----just a stray dog? Or a angel sent to teach us something about living?  I don’t know, but I still remember……….

Dad/Papa

Easter 2010

“…I believe in the resurrection…..and the life everlasting…”  these are words of my spiritual and  religious heritage-they are words that come to mind on the Easter morning-the truth of these words is indicated everywhere I see the performance of nature. It is a beautiful time of year-new life is springing into the world all around us-and most of all we can experience this because our own inner being is being renewed-our innate nature recognizes God’s expression of Himself and the joy of His salvation fills us with wordless fullness.-we celebrate life, ……

Love,

Dad/Papa

Easter 2010

“…I believe in the resurrection…..and the life everlasting…”  these are words of my spiritual and  religious heritage-they are words that come to mind on the Easter morning-the truth of these words is indicated everywhere I see the performance of nature. It is a beautiful time of year-new life is springing into the world all around us-and most of all we can experience this because our own inner being is being renewed-our innate nature recognizes God’s expression of Himself and the joy of His salvation fills us with wordless fullness.-we celebrate life, ……

Love,

Dad/Papa

Weather (April 1, 2008)

Some times we smile at old people who constantly watch the weather report. I don’t have a explanation for this interest in the weather. However, this realization brings my attention to the weather persons reading of the signs and learning the patterns of weather behavior, but their predictions do not always work out as they predict. That is because like in all else of life nature has her own mind and timing. No matter how much we learn, it  is the tip of the iceberg of what is yet to be known. So where does all this lead?  ---- “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Love you and have a great day!!

Dad/ Papa