Relationships

What If?

It’s a strange time in my life. I wrongly assumed that the things I have done and continue to do would have reached more people. Somehow, I came to the conclusion that the things I love to do like writing blogs, plays and music, my book, leading worship and preaching sermons would lead to a wider audience. I’m not saying I expected to be famous or even well known. I’m not going to lie; I dared to dream once in a while that I could be more than I am, be someone who’s name came up when people talked about this thing or that thing  but now my dreams can be best described as backwards. Instead of a vision of what I want my future to be, my dreams revolve more around the past and the question, “What if?”

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What Would Jesus Say About 9/11?

A special guest blog by Dennis Menard

In His earthly ministry, Jesus did speak to the deeper realities behind tragic, seemingly senseless deaths. In Luke 13:1–5 (NIV), we find Him addressing two catastrophic events: one, an act of mass murder ordered by Pilate; the other, a deadly accident—the collapse of a tower in Siloam. Both would have stirred deep emotions and raised profound questions, much like 9/11 does for us today.

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Better The Devil You Know Than The One You Don’t

Sometimes it’s just easier not to change, not to risk being more let down than you already are. It is often the reason behind why people vote the way they vote. It can be the reason we put up with bad service and return to the same restaurant or retail outlet. We may remain at the same doctor with the horrible bedside manner or buy the same car brand with the not so sexy looking models. Bad service, bad government, bad manners or bad looking may seem much safer than taking a chance on something new; at least I know what I’m getting. These situations are rather benign in comparison to areas in our lives that choosing the devil we know over the one we don’t, is not only lazy but it is also ungodly. Maybe that should be a given since choosing any devil is not godly…

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The Delight of Disease

Before I go any further, I want to make a few things clear. First, I am not a silver lining type of guy. I do not try to find the good in the bad or try to look for the light in the darkness. While it is a good practice to be thankful and to remind oneself that God is at work, I don’t think that every situation has some type of good in it at least good that we can see this side of heaven. Second, I have always had a great marriage. People have commented on how in love we are and how we interact with each other. Third, I hate two “T” words, trigger and trauma. These words have been stolen from those who have had real trauma and suffer because of real triggers, your coffee being served to you cold is most likely not a trigger of past trauma. Why are these important points for me or at least why were these points important for me to make before you read on…?

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My Eden, My Forest.

I have a forest; it’s my garden of Eden. Each tree is an idea, a principal, or an opinion that I cling to for protection. The trunks are unbreakable. The branches can bend in a breeze and double over in a storm but always stay attached to the trunk, while the foliage is lush and strong, standing up to any rain, wind, hail, snow or survive any drought. My forest, my mind is everything it needs to be as far as I can see but then again maybe I can’t see the forest for the trees.

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Be Present – the Greatest Gift

It’s 11am, 4 days into our 5 day getaway, a break from life that was way overdue but also will be far too short. We will pack up tomorrow not only the clothes we brought, the wheelchair I now need and finally used almost all the time but also the memories of what I can only describe as what my marriage should have been every day for the last 37 years. Sadly, it has not been like this. I understand that not every day can be a holiday, but every day can be a great joy. I can face all that comes my way with God and my wife, the only person that I would ever want to face the good and more often the bad things that just are life.

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