The Journey - Month 6

 I haven't posted about the journey lately. It's been six months since I moved into the camper. January is a rough month to be in an RV. It's cold! Actually, the newer RVs are very well insulated. As long as you have propane, you'll be ok. Fortunately, the cold usually doesn't last very long in Alabama.

Besides the weather, everything else seems to be getting more routine. Working from home is a little different. Since the space is relatively small (basically 2 rooms) you have to be diligent to separate work from leisure. This hasn't been too much of a problem for me.

With the changing temps, social contact has been minimized. I haven't made any new acquaintances lately. Most of the people I met early on have left. I'm still amazed at the number of resident campers there are. I had no idea so many people lived in RVs.

I'm spending more time writing lately. That is a goal for the new year. I'd like to finish at least one of the writing projects I have started. There are several in the works. The primary one I want to finish is "The Road Back from Nowhere." I started it back in 2022 when COVID broke out.

There are a few writing projects which I started years ago and would like to get back to at some point. One is a book on Baptism. Another is one of my favorite titles: Managed Expectations. I'm also working on "The Names of God II" in hopes of getting 365 names, which could then be turned into a daily devotional.

Beyond writing, I hope to find a new outlet for music. I had the privilege of singing in a Christmas choir. It was very enjoyable. I love the dynamic of choral music. I've also considered auditioning for a musical. We shall see.

I'm recovering from foot surgery. It was a much longer recuperation than expected. It took me off my exercise routine. It's been difficult getting back in the routine, but I'm working on it. Coming off daylight saving time made it harder to get to the gym early. I will get back there soon.

I found out another grandchild is on the way. This time it's a boy! The first male grand. I'm pretty excited.

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/14/2024

Pursue dreams, but be grounded in discipline

Reach for goals, but hold fast to God

Visualize your future, but maintain your focus

Live with purpose, but never lose passion

Look for adventure, but always remain alert

Seek to be vulnerable, but only with those who value you

Laugh easily

Love deeply

Believe in faith

Reflect Jesus’ face

Simply “be” to God’s glory

Winter - a poem

The coldness of winter brings sadness and drear

Chilled by the bitter wind of the sun’s withdrawal

Makes everything somewhat of a burden

Trudging through the weather-beaten days

Only to find dark nights, sometimes alone

This annual occurrence does not come as a surprise

For it happens once with every revolution around our star

Yet somehow we feel it as an intrusion in our life

Something undesired and hopefully avoided

Until we are once again in its frigid grip

We rejoice at the first sign of springtime’s warming

Elated by the vision of budding plants and trees

The return of birdsongs in the air around us

Knowing we have made it though the death season

Returning to new life with an optimistic burning within

But what of this winter season in which we languish

Surely there must be a purpose for a full quarter of our time

Let us not waste this precious commodity of minutes and hours

Days and months must be spent with intention and purpose

Lest we waste this wonderland of death and dying

Instead of lament what if we rejoice in the waiting

Put aside the doom of lethargy expressed by so many

Find the motivation to embrace the learning opportunity

To see the vital part of life’s cycle and experience

Willfully pressing into these moments as precious

Many things in nature goes through a form of death

So that they can live more fully when made alive again

The caterpillar to butterfly, the planted seed, to name a few

So to, the human who finds a way to die to self

And allow God to become life among the waste

Without a death there is no rebirth to spur us on to growth

Without a yielding of our members to someone more able

We can never achieve the heights, depths, lengths, and breadths

To fulfill the purpose we have in this lifetime

And become the very essence of God

Creation - a poem

In the bleak midwinter

When snowfall blankets the ground

It turns even the most unsightly things 

Into beautiful art all ‘round

The snow hasn’t changed a thing

Only hidden it from view

The ugliness is still beneath

Nothing has been made new

When the white beauty melts

All beneath is now revealed

The unsightly is seen again

No longer by beauty concealed

To truly make a work of art

A fundamental change must occur

The beginning state is of no import

Its inner beauty will not deter

The beauty is in the eye

Only the artist sees it

It’s not so much a creation

More a matter of transit

Such is the case with you and I

When God’s hand is applied

He transforms us from earth dust

To something beautiful inside

The soul of man is the real person

Not the meager exterior

Beauty is still just in the eye

To see you must look more

Don’t judge the person by what appears

It’s only the human earth-suit

The real treasure is what’s inside

Which requires an honest pursuit

Take time to find out what’s inside

Before making your decision

A quick judgement will risk the loss

Of a diamond crafted with precision

Sunday’s Blessing – 01/07/2024

May today be filled with awe of the Creator

May every tick of the clock expose a new facet of God’s character

May every sound remind you of His voice crying out through His creation

May every heartbeat remind you of your purpose

May every thought be of the goodness, mercy, and grace of the Father

May you be immersed in the unfathomable love of Jesus

Sunday’s Blessing – 2023/12/31

Today, may you know the One Who knows you best

Today, may you love without limits

Today, may you believe without doubts

Today, may you give from abundance 

Today, may you share without reserve

Today, may you worship without hesitation 

Today, may you know the truth untainted 

Today, may you live with purpose 

Today, may you not wait for tomorrow 

A New Year’s Blessing for 2024

May the coming year be filled with wonder.

Wonder at the faithfulness of God.

Wonder at the opportunities which present themselves.

Wonder of dreams dreamed.

Wonder of victories won.

May the coming year be filled with peace.

Peace from the Prince of Peace.

Peace when disappointments come.

Peace when dreams are not realized.

Peace when loss is the outcome.

May the coming year be filled with grace.

Grace from God which is new every morning.

Grace to make good choices.

Grace to be content.

Grace to live thankful.

May the coming year be filled with love.

Love from the One Who loves you most.

Love given to those in your world.

Love received from family and friends.

Love for life lived to the full.

May the coming year be filled with hope.

Hope in the promises of God.

Hope for a better future.

Hope for desires fulfilled.

Hope, even when you can’t see it.

May the coming year be filled with faith.

Faith in the unlimited God.

Faith to believe beyond what you see.

Faith to carry you through the next step.

Faith to believe you can.