Lighten Up!

"Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.   This expression, "Yet once more", denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude by which we may offer to god as acceptable servicer with reverence and awe: For our God is a fire" (Hebrew 12:26-29).

Hey Gang:  I came across this 'Quote of the month" that rang my bell.  "With hurricanes, record snow falls and freezing temperatures, first out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms  tearing up the country from one end to the other, and with the threat of bird flu, Ebola, and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"   Now ain't that the truth?

As I was seeking a word from the Lord this morning on where He would have me go, He whispered in my ear and said, "Lighten Up". Many of your friends and neighbors, including you, are wound to tight.   Now ain't that the truth? 

We spend far too much of our lives tied in huge knots worrying about things that we cannot control.  As one elderly pastor once declared, "There are two days I do not worry about, yesterday, because it is too late to do anything about the creeping alligators, and tomorrow, who have not shown their colors yet so you do not have a clue from where the darts will come.”

As exulted ruler of Eagle Village I never, never, never completed a day as dictated by my daily planner.  With a barn full of highly-wired teen-agers that were under my care because they had demonstrated their need for someone to teach them what boundaries were, I did not have  a clue what challenges I would face, even before the day had a good start.

If I did not get up early, before the troops were getting out of the rack and beginning their day, and refill my batteries by spending time alone with the Lord and filling my batteries with the Word,  I soon found  that I was firing from the hip with an underpowered  gun.  

I learned very early, in my tenure of working with young folks with hurting chest-cavities that God sent across my path, that I needed to out gun the powers of Satan that had a grasp on many of the kid’s lives.  I learned that, if I beat him to the punch by finding that one positive thing that I could build a relationship on when the alligators began nipping at their heels, I could cut him (Satan) off at the pass. 

When a new youngster came into my life, I did not look at the case file to find out what he or she did wrong.  As a matter of fact I did not break the seal on the case file until I had found that one on which thing that I could build a relationship.  Why? Because I also learned early that we spend far too much time dealing the clinkers in our lives and not enough smelling the posies that God provides for us each day.

Soooo, my young friends, if the rubber-hits-the-road today, and in all probability it will, take a minute or wo and do as God told Habakkuk to do, “Look around you and see what I am doing.”  If you are fortunate to have a clinker free day, thank Him who made that possible and share the good news with someone who is going through deep waters.

Blessings,

Gramps