March 2005
Monthly Archive
Coffee Conversations!!
Posted by Paul on 30 Mar 2005 | Tagged as: General
Sure seems like an appropriate title since I spend a fair amount of time at Starbucks. Actually my son-in-law, Sheridan, gave me the title for this post.
The time that I spend at Starbucks is a very important aspect of my life. It is a place where I have met a lot of awesome people. People who have all ready had an impact in my life. Who have encouraged me in my walk with the Lord.
Coffee conversations are very important. They are the times that we can sit back, relax and be ourselves. A time that we can be real with one another. To be open, to share, to give out of what has been given us!
There is something about sitting around a table with friends and just sharing and talking, laughing and that is what often happens at Starbucks. I never know who I am going to run into each day. Each day is an adventure.
I am thankful for my coffee friends. For the Saturday morning fellowship at 06:30, when six to eight men get together for fellowship and coffee and encourage one another in the faith. Building each other up. That is really awesome.
It is a blessing when I run into my fellow ministers, Ron, Richard and Todd. They each are a blessing and I am blessed that I can lift them and their ministries to the Lord. I have had coffee with fellow writers and bloggers such as Sally, Vicki, and Paula.
Another awesome thing is that Dave and Lisa, my friends from Ohio, will be moving to Douglasville, Georgia, about thirty-eight miles from Kennesaw. Dave will be pastoring a church. Lisa is the Moderator and list mom of the Christian Writers Group that I Co-Moderate. Is that not awesome. I just met Dave a few weeks back and will be meeting Lisa and family sometime this week. We have been friends for nearly eight years and I am looking forward to this meeting.
The one friend that I really enjoy having coffee conversations with is the Lord. That I can be sitting here in Starbucks in the midst of so many people and yet enjoy the presence of the Lord. That I can pick up the pen and begin to express the things that He puts on my heart.
Let us enjoy coffee conversations. Let the Lord reveal Himself to us in the midst of the day, in the midst of life. Sit down my friends, pull up a chair and relax. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, a glass of tea, or a cool glass of water and enjoy some time with the Lord to get to know Him.
Till later,
Paul
Covered With The Finger Prints Of God!!
Posted by Paul on 29 Mar 2005 | Tagged as: General
What an awesome song by Steven Curtis Chapman!
I woke up at 01:30 in the morning listening to this song.
Oh, how it ministered to me as I listened to the words. Part of the song says “I can see the fingerprints of God When I look at you.”
I truly hope that is what others see, when they see me. That they will be able to say that they see the finger prints of my Father in my life. That they will know that the changes, the things that I have gone through have brought me to the place that I am now in my walk with the Lord.
Is that not what we all want? To be a reflection of the handiwork of God. That our lives, will reflect the reality of the inworking of the Lord. That we come through the times of trials, through the dark nights of the soul, that as we go through the refiners fire, all that is not of Him, will be burnt away.
I know that there are no accidents in our lives. That our Father is well aware of all that is and has happen. All that we have gone through, if we allow it, will bring us ever closer to the Lord and bring us to a place of trusting Him, even when everything within says it does not make sense to do so.
Remember we are the the canvas, and He is the painter. He will create a work of art, that which will reflect Him. That we are masterpieces in His Hands, each unique. There will be a day when the Lord will say, “It is done! The work is finished and I have accomplished my purposes in your lives.”
Know that a day is coming, that when others see us, they will see the reality of the Christ within, and they will want to know more and you will be able to share with others that which the Lord has done.
May the handiwork of God be obvious to all. May others truly see the finger prints of God in our lives.
Till later,
Paul
A Rose, A Lily and The Flower Press Of Life!!
Posted by Paul on 28 Mar 2005 | Tagged as: General
Over the last week a lot of my time was spent wondering and thinking about things. Wondering why we go through the things in life that we do and how much more can we take.
I was visiting a fellow writers website, Jan Kern, when I came across the following comments about the Flower Press. She made the following comments in Pressed Flowers (From Intro to Lessons from the Flower Press):
“From my own fieldwork, I know the flowers in the design grew in a garden or field. I once wondered if the weight of the press would crush the flowers I tucked between the layers of cardboard and newsprint. The cuttings would lie in the press for days and weeks, and I would check and rotate the layers. Then I discovered that the press didn’t destroy the flowers after all. Amazingly, it brought out their fine details and deepened some of the colors, just as those in the artist’s arrangement. “
“We are like these flowers. Left alone growing wild, we would eventually wither and die. Time spent within life’s press transforms us. Our Creator and Master Artist uses the trials that seem certain to crush to produce in us an internal and eternal beauty far beyond all comparison. “
As I read this it brought back memories of a wedding gift that my former wife and I received from a friend that we went to school with. It was a drawing done on crush velvet of a red rose and a lily and they were intertwined together, symbolizing being one and the person who gave this drawing to us, reminded us also that in order for the rose and the lily to give off a fragrance, that they would be crushed and from that would come a fragrance, of the Christ within that would draw others to want to know more abot the Lord.
As I read Jan’s introduction to the Flowerpress, I began to weap, to let go and let God to continue to work in my inner most being. To cut away even more things that were hindering my relationship with Him. To remind me that in spite of all that has gone on in my life, in my families life and in my former wife’s life, that the Father is in total control and nothing happens that He is not aware of and that which He has purposed in our lives will be accomplished if we yield to Him.
That even in the midst of the darkest nights of the soul, when all within, says no way will we survive this, yet, we will be transformed, conformed, and changed. That we are indeed in the Master Artist’s hands and when He is finished, we will reflect the internal work that has been done, His handiwork.
And as Jan Kern further shared in that introduction: “When you find you are in one of life’s presses, listen for God’s whisper of hope.” “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NAS
Jan, thank you for what you shared in your introduction to the Flower Press.
Till later my friends,
Paul
Words, Thoughts and Hope!!
Posted by Paul on 19 Mar 2005 | Tagged as: General
“Harsh words can hit and stick like shrapnel in the mind. Tragically a victim might spend the better part of a lifetime trying to get the brain to unload it. Whoever thought up the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” ought to be drawn and quartered. Nothing could be further from reality. Unfair names and ugly words do harm us, and that harm can be permanent. We need to guard what we say about other people, especially our children and loved ones.” (Getting Through The Tough Stuff by Charles R. Swindoll, Page 27)
The above quote is spot on. It is something we really do need to realize. The power that is in the words we speak, the things that we say. They do effect others. They can do extreme damage to the heart and soul of a person.
Even when we know that these are often said in the heat of the moment and we know in our heart of hearts that they did not mean it, it still hurts, the words cut deeply and often takes time to heal
We all know that the tongue, is an unruly member that can get us into intense trouble. That can destroy others in a second if it is not kept under control.
The words we speak can crush anothers heart, their spirit. Learning to control our tongue, the words that we speak is very important.
I can attest to the fact that many in my youth, relatives, spoke words that utterly destroyed me within. Convinced me that I would never do anything, never accomplish anything and I believed that most of my life.
But my Father has made me realize that nothing in my life was an accident. That everything that has happen has gotten me to the place that He wants me. That He can and will finish that which He has purposed for me to do. That I am a pen in His hand. That He is teaching me to know Him. To know His heart and that He is teaching me to love others with His love.
It is only when we are brought to that place of realization, that the only way we can live, have purpose, is to become utterly and totally dependent upon the Lord.
It is then that the Lord can reach down and take this clay, this broken vessel and begin to shape it into a vessel that will bring honor to Him, that will glorify the Lord.
That we will begin to see ourselves as the Lord sees us. With eyes of love and compassion. That He builds us up in the spirit. He restores hope and lets us see with His eyes.
We are not failures. Oh, we have stumbled and fallen but our Father picks us up and says press on and press in. He gives us hope and He lets us know that we are indeed precious in His sight.
That the words, the things that were spoken, the areas of pain, of despair, of hopelessness, will be deflected as we lift up that shield of faith, as we put on the armour of God.
The Lord is returning the heart of the Father, He is bringing restoration to our whole being if we let Him, as we look upward to the hope that is in Christ and not inward to the failure of man.
We are not a mistake. We are chosen for a time such as this to remind others of the hope that is within, of the life changing power of Christ.
I trust my friends that what I am sharing with you makes sense, for I try to share from the heart of the Father and sometimes I feel like I have fallen so short but yet I know it is the Lord that is responsible for the results and what I often think won’t make sense, is what makes the most sense to others.
Our Father has a sense of humor. He loves it when we come into His presence and chat with Him. To instant message with the Lord. I know, I know, Paul, your stretching it. Am I?
I know that as I go through the day that there are thoughts going back and forth between my Father and me as He leads me through the day.
I am saying all of this to say, what we say, what we speak, what we listen to effects us and it effects others. That the words that we speak will be life or death, hope or despair and it is only as allow the Lord to change us, mold us, that we will be vessels of life to others as we speak and share from the wells of living water, as we share the Lord. As we build up, not tear down one another, but building up one another in the faith, sharing the reality of the Christ within.
Till later,
Paul
Refocusing!!
Posted by Paul on 17 Mar 2005 | Tagged as: General
That’s what has been happening my friends!
Over the last week and a half I have been in the process of refocusing, of sitting things in order in my life. Over the last couple of weeks I found it very hard to focus but yet it is something I needed to really do.
Hill Country Thoughts is not about me, though I am part of it. It is about the Lord, about what He has done in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
It is the Lord, His word and the Spirit that gives us the knowledge, the understanding of what it means to be a servant, a father, a grandfather. It is the Lord that shows us the awesomeness of who He is.
That we begin to see people as the Lord sees them. Not with an eye of judgement, though that comes into effect sometimes. He sees us with the eyes of compassion, with love, with the heart of a father.
Over the last week and a half I became so focus on my pain and lack of medication, that my focus became blurred. I could not see clearly and because of that, I backed away from the pen, saying why write and then the Lord reminded me why I am writing and for whom I am writing.
So here I am at 02:30 in the morning sharing my Fathers heart and love. He loves me so much that He woke me up to remind me how blessed I am.
I am blessed to have three great children, Gloria, Joshua and Elise, who love me and their mother very much. I am thankful to be here with my daughters. I am thankful for my son Joshua, who always encourages me to write.
I am blessed to have three great grand children, Rebekah, Jordan and Keian, who love their papa very much, who with that twinkle in their eyes, bring a joy to my heart.
I have been blessed to have had Jodie as part of my life for nearly thirty years. Our children, grand children are a testimony of the Lord’s blessing to us. I know that the Lord will bless her. His plans for her are good plans.
I can look back now and see how blessed I have been to have Mom and Dad Shelley in my life, for the love they have for all of us. They were super in-laws.
I am blessed to have friends such as Pastor Scott, Lewis, Bob and Diana, Robin, Von, David and Marc and many others who have been there in prayer, in encouragement, for that I am very thankful!
I am thankful to the Lord for Hill Country Thoughts, that the Lord is allowing me to be a pen in His hand and I am thankful my friends for you, for taking the time to drop by, to read, and to encourage me. You all have touched my heart and have given me a purpose to press on. To share the simple things that the Lord puts on my heart.
I am thankful for Crossmap and for the team there. That they chose me to be one of their writers and they have encouraged me often. Thanks Roy, Jessica and the rest of the Crossmap team.
I am saying all this my friends to let you know that I am truly blessed. That the last three years have drawn me closer to the Lord. What the enemy meant to use to destroy me, did not work, it has pushed me closer to the Lord.
Now I am here in Kennesaw, Georgia with many new things happening in my life. New friends, new relationships, doors of opportunity. The Lord has even given me a Starbucks nearby where I have made a lot of new friends.
I have not disappeared, I just had to refocus and remember what Hill Country Thoughts was about. It is about the Lord. About the great things He has done and how blessed I am to know that He is the Lord of my life. That He has chose me to be a pen in His hands.
We are indeed a blessed people when we realize that we serve the creator of heaven and earth and that His plans for us are good plans. That He will fulfill His word to us.
He has called us. It is up to us to follow, even in the midst of the battles, during the storms, let us follow and walk with Him. Let us stay focused on Him!!
Till later,
Paul
