Snow Days

We were suppose to have a retreat at camp this weekend.  The group canceled which is OK because camp is no fun in the snow.  I spent the last 2 days shoveling trying to find all of the sidewalks.  Supposedly "the sun will come out tomorrow" and start melting some of this away.  The sun was out yesterday and it felt great.  The sun always gives me the feeling that everything is going to be alright.   The other day, we did a surf and skateboard movie marathon just to see the sun and summer stuff on the TV. 

If it wasn't for dreary days , I don't think we would appreciate the sun as much.   Maybe that's why some days it feels like God is not there, just so we would appreciate Him more on the days He totally shows up.

"So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped."   -Exodus 4:31

I read this passage this morning.  At this time, the Israelites are still in slavery in Egypt.  Life sucks for them.  When they hear that God cares about them and their suffering, they bow down and worship Him.  

Is that how we respond?  Or do we tend to worship only when things are going well for us?  It's no secret that things may not always go as we plan or dream.  Maybe never. Remember that God loves us and cares about our situation.  Then let's worship Him no matter what our situation.  

Nothing!

This morning as I sat and stared out the window, Romans 8:39 popped into my thoughts.  ..."nothing can separate us from the love of God...."  I glanced down on my desk and noticed a twenty dollar bill, an ipod, a cell phone, and a to-do list.  These things can surely rob us from time with God, but I think Paul is going much deeper here.  Our successes, our failures, our sin, our works, our relationships (good or broken), our abilities, our inabilities, . .  None of these can separate us from the love of God.  If we feel separate from God today, it's not God.  Go ahead, reconnect with the God who loves you inseparably!

January Newsletter!

Click to enlarge :)

This happens every year.  I look forward to taking a few weeks off.  Of couse, I have high expectations for my time off.  With all this time, I surely will get a lot done.  For the second time this year, we cancelled our vacation, so I had nothing on my calendar at all.  I have definitely crossed thing off of my list, but I am so antsy that I think it has affected my ability to attack all of the projects that stare me in the face daily.  Maybe I'm just stir crazy from the cold weather and all of the snow.  Yeah, good answer.  No, not really.  I think the real reason is that I am unsettled in my spirit.  Everything I read or hear or watch makes this worse.  There is a world that needs God's love! That's it! I want to do something more about it.  I will do something more about it.  Maybe that's my New Year's resolution; no, it's just what God is stirring up within me.

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."       Zecheriah 7:9-10