What in the world was I thinking?

     What in the world was I thinking when I learned that someone had lost a loved one? What in the world was I thinking when I learned that the lady down the way had fallen a broken her hip? What in the world was I thinking when I heard that a church members cancer had come back and she is only given a few short months to live?  What in the world was I thinking?  Did I remember Christ's word's, "What ever you do for the least of these my brothers, you do for me"? I am ashamed to admit it, but I didn't.  I've had to do some serious soul-searching today because I have learned that I have failed to live up to this, among others, command.  The lady with cancer was a very active member of my church until she got sick. When no one came to visit or try to help, she reached out to someone else.  Fortune smiled on her, in the face of someone from another church family. God blessed her with a support system and people willing to help when her own church family seems to have failed.  I am guilty before GOD.  What in the world was I thinking? "I don't know them that well. What can I do? I'm sure someone else is taking care of that.  I'm not part of that ministry team." Feeble excuse's come on adnauseum and I have no viable answer for my failure.  When I stand before JEHOVAH to answer for my life, as surely we all shall, what answer can I give that will appease His righteous anger?  Truthfully, there is none. I will only fall on my sinful face and beg mercy.  Blessedly, Christ will say,"He belongs to me, Father." What were you thinking? What will Christ say about you?

Learning...

Where do you learn the lessons of life?  A favorite school teacher? A sunday school teacher or parent?  What about your grand-parents.  Tonight I've learned from a teenage girl. "Hello takes a few seconds but Goodbye takes a lifetime." (Mariah Peralez)   How often do we say hello, without ever thinking of the impact that we may have?  How often do we say goodbye and never again consider how this person has affected us?  Our cheerful hello is the beginning of a relationship that may last for minutes, hours or days.  It may be a pleasurable relationship or one that brings sorrow, headaches or even regrets.  Either way, it only takes a few seconds to say "Hello".   Goodbye, on the other hand, is often preceded by a relationship that has been positive and long lasting.   A situation that we hope will not end, even when we are separated by distances of thousands of miles.  Hello or goodbye? Either one can be positive or negative, depending on how we conduct ourselves during the ensuing relationship.  Our own outlook has an effect on everyone that we meet.  Our smile or our scowl, our positive or negative manner?  Each affects the other. A cheerful "Hello" and a tearful "Goodbye".  Together they say, " You are a friend that is important to me.  You are someone that I will miss.  You are someone that I can't wait to hear from again.   Think about it the next time you say "Hello".  It just might be the beginning of something really grand.  Just thinkin.....(and thanking someone special)

Just thinkin'

Sitting here at the house,  reading the weird and wonderful world of FB and thought, "Is this really a good use of my time?  Sure, it's fun. Sure it's funny! (thanks to Darin Kidd) But in the grand scheme of things, what good is it when considering the immortal soul? But then, how much of our day to day inter-actions and activities have any purpose and benefit in God's great plan. We never know when someone is watching us, wondering why we have a smile when times are hard and why we seem to have a glow of contentment during a hard day.  Of course, they probably wonder why we claim to be Christians and laugh at or tell that off color joke and listen to certain types of music.  What effect is our day to day walk having on our co-workers and family?  What are we doing to present Christ to the cashier at the convenience store where we buy our morning coffee.  What have we said to that grouchy old man at the sandwich shop, that might help to alleviate his constant bad mood.  Could it be that the cashier and the old man have the mood that they do because WE fail. Yes, our failure to present Christ in our daily talk (and walk) could be what is causing these strangers to have their outlook.  What good is our vocal claim to Christ without the walk and what good is our walk in peace and good will without telling people why we feel so blessed.  Our completion of the "Great Commission" is more than reading our bibles in public, witnessing or passing out tracts or walking with a peaceful countenance. This aspect of our Christianity is a multi-faceted intertwined thing that must be blended together and presented day to day. Christ didn't say "sometimes go or sometimes share", he said "GO!"

New things

  Having spent 30 plus years traveling the highways of this great land, I have spent many hours listening to teachers on talk radio, talking to other truckers on my old 2-way and LOTS of time talking to God.  I can't help but wonder if some of my experiences and insights could help someone else in their day to day interaction with others and with God. This blog is just my feeble attempt at giving back some of the help that I have gotten from pastors, truck stop chaplains, friends and mentors.  Lots of us have traveled the Interstate highway system and have gotten confused on the cloverleafs and switchbacks in major cities.  I believe that life is very much like these confusing interchanges.  Without signs, maps and information, we would all get completely lost and never find the proper destination at the end of our trip.  My bible, the God who gave it to us and whose story it is, are the road maps that I have used , and still use, to get to this point in my life.  I can only say that these, and the teachings of Godly men and women have helped me to survive the cloverleafs on the highway of life that has been set before me.  Welcome to my world and the musings to come as I try to give back some of what I have been taught.