Beckoned Call

Last night Easton, Eli and I went to a Tampa Rays game, (only 3 games out of the wildcard) Its always a great time for eating……….everything! We arrived about an hour before the game so we could catch some balls during batting practice, it really was dodge some balls at batting practice. But anyway, we consumed, two Sausage dogs, a large Fry, nachos, a foot long hotdog, Beef Jerky, 2 extra large sodas and a bottle of water for good health.

Once the 1st inning was over, Eli wanted more jerky and he wanted to know when he could have ice cream, while Easton wanted Cajun boiled peanuts. (that’s my girl! ) I said “Good grief we have 8 more innings to go! WAIT!” The second inning came and we had more cajun peanuts than you can imagine.

I missed the 7th inning because I was indisposed …Eli was hunched over in the 8th and Easton was still mun-chin on peanuts till the very end.

WE HAD A BLAST!!!!

Things I will truly remember:

1. That my children recognized and told me about the bad language they heard, with concern.
2. Following threw with the promise of taking my kids to a Rays game.
3. Just hanging out with friends and family.
4. Listening to 18-20 year olds being sworn into the United States Military
5. For a breif moment, listening to 20,000 Americans quietly echo the National Athem in unison.

Some things are worth paying for!

Ok! NCAA football fans, here we are another exciting season on the gridiron. Who is going to beat my team in the BCS championship this year. Will it be Florida, Southern Cal or maybe even a sleeper team like Boise State? I’ve been a Sooner fan since before I was born, and like most of you fans out there, it is a love hate relationship for your colors.

There’s about 5 to 8 teams out there who always end up somewhere at the top every year, I remember one year reading an article about the Sooner fan base expectations. It was when they were headed off to a Bowl Championship Series game, the fans didn’t rally at the airport near as much as the opposing team fans and at the actual game they were not near as electric…it was as if it were merely the expected norm nothing more. Is it arrogance or were they just complacent? I know I’m bias, but knowing the humble mentality of most mid-westerners, arrogance is not a typical trait, except for a fewww…well, never mind.

Do you remember when you were a new believer in Christ? It was great, even in those tough moments, God was great, the Lord was with me, I just praised Jesus through it all, etc. etc. etc…It was as if nothing could penetrate the grace that was on you. You since have grown up, and dare I say, all that has worn off. One to many hard knocks, one to many let downs, one to many sermons that sounded the same or whatever. I’m just kind of making my way through the day. Kind of like Eeyore on Winnie the Pooh.

But wait a minute… stop wait. (pause, take a deep breath)

Friends, the grace of God and His merciful touch has never been less than the day He hung on a tree. He wants you to mount up with Him and ride, you are still His little child.

Oh Lord, teach me to have a child like heart, teach me to be undignified.

All of the things we might have praised Him for then He is still doing today in you. You see, back then it was so different because it was new. Kind of like that team, who for the first time arrived at the big game, and for the other team, pretty normal, or expected.

Oh how that has been me way to many times in my journey…I’m ready to approach tomorrow with a sense of excitement, maybe even praising the Lord a little more. Won’t you give it a try with me, maybe we can get Eeyore to see things like Tigger.

“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The eternal God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth doesn’t grow tired or become weary. His understanding is beyond reach. He gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak. Even young people grow tired and become weary, and young men will stumble and fall. Yet, the strength of those who wait with hope in the Lord will be renewed. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and won’t become weary. They will walk and won’t grow tired.”
-Isaiah 40:28-30 God’s Word

Just in case, if you have never tasted the Forgiving Wonder of the LORD, email me or post a comment, I would love to correspond with you.

Peace to you,

I can remember growing up in Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas. All these states love the Boomer Sooners…well maybe not, but one thing we can agree on is the summers are usually unpredictable. Some summers would be so dry you only mowed dirt, other summers you couldn’t mow fast enough, summers are always hot, like a convection oven, or a steam bath.

The interesting and understandable thing was the cry for rain. We need the rain, or for it to stop raining. We could have weeks and weeks of no rain, and then the flood gates would open out of the blue. Then the rain would stop and a month later, we need the rain, we need the rain. I don’t mean to take lightly the serious issue of a flood, or the terrible results of a bad drought, I just think it is interesting. Especially now, when I live in Florida…It is really interesting that in our dry season there is still dew on the ground every morning.

Its funny, people from the Midwest will come to Florida during dry season and joke, you think this is dry as they wipe there brow, come see me this summer. Of course the Florida folks would say hang out with me during rain season then you will know hot and humid.

Ok Ok, we get it Mark, what is your point?

You see, I’m kind of a foreigner in Florida, like most of us in FL. we are not native Floridians. But, as time goes by we all eventually sound alike, good or bad. We have all started a new job, moved to a new neighborhood or even started going to a new church. All is well, we like the atmosphere the smell the excitement. You know what I mean, like a new car. Then, Jimmy, Betty or Sue you know them well, drop a little joy bug into your brain, it comes via the ear canal and makes it way to your heart. Oh yes it starts like a simple sniffle no big deal, you move on. Then it moves to your chest and it becomes a bother, yup you are mad at your boss, the pastor your neighbor, your spouse, then GOD!! oops.

It is so easy to let the work of the enemy work us over, up down and into a uncontrollable blaze. You see, when the enemy strikes us with the world and we get sucked in, the world does not see us. We actually blend in, therefore unseen. Kind of like these folks in the desert:

Some foreigners among the Israelites had a strong craving for other kinds of food. Even the Israelites started crying again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! Remember all the free fish we ate in Egypt and the cucumbers, watermelons,leeks, onions, and garlic we had? But now we’ve lost our appetite! Everywhere we look there’s nothing but manna!”(Manna was small like coriander seeds and looked like resin. The people would go around and gather it, then grind it in a hand mill or crush it in a mortar. They would cook it in a pot or make round loaves of bread out of it. It tasted like rich pastry made with olive oil. When dew fell on the camp at night, manna fell with it.) Numbers 11:4-9 (Gods Word)

I mean really, these people were slaves for generations, they cried out to God for freedom! the God that saved them and fed them based on the dew in the morning, and gave them water just by striking a rock, come on, think about it, I would not have to go to my wonderful job ever again. I mean, uhhh, I’m not complaining about my job or anything. But free food and water, cool!

Have you found yourself in this place, I have more times than want to admit.
Q.But what do I do, you don’t understand Mark, you don’t understand.
A.I know I don’t.

What if Jesus had been like us on the cross? No, He simply cried out to the Father, and the world still knows who He is today.

Q. So your saying you want me to stand out?
A. No, I want people to know who you stand for.

I like food, all kinds and I’ve been more than blessed. Many of you are just as blessed. So what if the job or whatever isn’t all it is cracked up to be.
Lets approach this week, lets Praise the Lord for manna(dry bread) from Heaven, and see how HE changes our spirit.

Lord we approach the throne of grace today, we come to you saying sorry for the attitude. (now as the conviction from the Lord has come, rest in HIS arms of grace and peace.) Lord we praise you for Manna from Heaven!
In Jesus name, Amen.