You are privileged

I was holding the door and greeting folks as they entered church yesterday morning. As one of our younger couples walked up, I said, "Good morning young folks." To which they both replied, "You are one of the young ones too." Trish was standing there with me and said, "We are much older than you think." When Trish told them our ages, they both said that they couldn't believe it, that we looked and acted so much younger. Now, don't forget we are at church, which could explain the nice compliment. Plus, they may have meant that Trish looks much younger, and I act much younger.

So many people worry about growing older and the things that advanced age will bring along. Don't get me wrong, there are those concerns but I don't dwell on them. GOD will not bring me to it without bringing me through it. Growing older is a natural part of living, a natural part of life.

With those thoughts in mind, today's word is an anonymous quote about aging that really resonates with me: "Don't regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many."

We often worry about growing older and miss the joys of growing older. I will never be twenty-one again, but I can be the best whatever-year-old that I can at whatever age I am. Living a little longer allows us the opportunity to share experiences and joys and memories. Living a little longer allows us opportunity to share with others the knowledge and wisdom that life has taught us along the way. They may not listen but it is why we are here.

Instead of worrying about another gray hair or another wrinkle or another ache or pain, let's enjoy the life GOD has blessed us to live. Will every day be good? No. Will there be ups and downs? Plenty of them. Will there be pain and regret? You bet there will. Will it be worth it all? Absolutely. Long life is not a privilege that all get to enjoy - enjoy it. You are privileged.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

She's to be praised

Well, I know some may find this post a little mushy but, on some calendars, it is "National I care about you Day", and, I just felt it time to sing the praises of my lovely and wonderful wife. She is absolutely the greatest! Period. I began praying for GOD to bring me the lady I would marry when I was twelve; I wanted to be sure that I found the one that He had made for me, and He certainly provided more than I could have ever thought, dreamt, or imagined.

Trish is a beautiful lady - BEAUTIFUL. She has grown more beautiful with each passing day, and I am amazed each day that I am blessed to spend with her. I am sure that when people see us together that they wonder what is wrong with her. I can tell you there is nothing wrong with her, other than GOD made her to love me. (I know, bless her heart).

Today's word is a tribute to all those lovely, godly, devoted women from Proverbs 31:30, ESV, which reads, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Trish is beautiful on the outside; she is even more beautiful on the inside. I am amazed at her giving spirit and her unselfishness. She is the greatest wife I could ever imagine. Yet, she is also the best Mom, the best friend, a devoted and hard-working employee, a confidant, and so much more. Where does it all come from? First and foremost, Trish loves the LORD and strives to do His will.

If you are blessed to have someone in your life that is beautiful inside and out, please let them know. I know how blessed I am. I thank GOD every day for the lovely and loving wife He had blessed me with. She is one who fears the LORD, and I just want to praise her.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

As you please

It seems that we have a couple of paths that we can take. We can choose to please the world, which is what is often expected of us; or, we can choose to please GOD, which is what is best for us. When I say that it is best for us, I do not mean that GOD is going to send lightning to strike us because we disobey. If we are His children, He will correct us, but, He isn't going to strike us with lightning.

What I mean by it is best for us is that it will lead us to peace, happiness, fulfillment, and contentment. Walking the path GOD has established for us may not always be easy but it is the best path for our lives. The more we walk it, the more we become more like the creation we were intended to be and the closer we draw to the FATHER.

Today's word is a reminder about Whom we should try to please: "Decisions become easier when your will to please GOD out weighs your will to please the world."

When our focus is more on pleasing GOD and doing His good will, we find that we are making better decisions. And, the longer we walk His path, the longer we make decisions based on His principles and His will, the easier each decision becomes. We can continue to try to please the world and find ourselves making the same difficult decisions or we can rely on GOD to direct us and help us with our decision making.

I still make a lot of mistakes and a lot of poor decisions. Most of the bad decisions come from the fact that I was more concerned with what someone might think of me and allowed my desire to please the world to influence that decision. I pray that I will be earnest in my desire to please GOD, and that will make my decisions easier.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

What are you chasing?

I may have mentioned before about my dream of being chased by a guy with a fork. It was when I was younger, maybe a tween, and I dreamt of a guy chasing me with a fork. In the dream, I knew he was going to try to kill me with that fork, and I ran and ran. To make a long story short, I made it safely back to my parents' house, just to see him kick in the front door, holding a spoon. And, the pursuit began again.

Ever feel like you're being chased? It seems that we are constantly being pursued: schedules, deadlines, monthly bills, etc. It can be overwhelming at times if we only focus on the bad things that are pursuing us. However, if we will sit down for a second and really dig into things, we will find that we are being pursued by some really good things as well.

Today's word is Proverbs 13:21, NLT, which reads, "Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous."

I can look back at my life and see times that I was being pursued by all the wrong things because I was doing and pursuing all the wrong things. It isn't hard to see that I was attracting what I was emitting. We have a saying around our house that we have really tried to instill in the youth: "Trash in = Trash out". If you find yourself being pursued by all the wrong things, maybe it is time to really evaluate what you are pursuing.

On the other hand, if you are striving to do GOD'S will, you will find good things pursuing you. Now, that is not to say that there won't be bad things chasing you, that's not to say that you won't have bad things happen, it is to say that despite that, if you will really look around, you will see the blessings that are chasing you and the ones you are chasing.

Knowledge

I have been blessed to be around some REALLY smart people; unfortunately, they have not had the same privilege being around me. But, honestly, I have been taught and instructed by some folks that are super intelligent, especially in their particular fields. You do have to be careful, though, when they venture out from their respective fields.

We have lots of people in our world today that are super intelligent, or at least seem to be, that people will believe anything they tell say. Some of these folks aren't even smart, they are just popular and powerful, thus, we associate them with being intelligent, and we listen to what they say. It's important, though, that we don't confuse knowledge with wisdom.

Today's word is 1 Timothy 6:20, NLT, which reads, "...Guard what GOD has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge."

I really like this verse for several reasons. First, it instructs us to "GUARD what GOD has entrusted to us". We have to be on constant guard to keep the hungry wolves from trying to take and destroy those blessings that GOD has allowed us in our lives, and they will if we don't keep a diligent and constant watch. We need to watch what our children listen to, what they watch on television, who they associate with and the influence that those associates have on them. We need to protect our wives/husbands by praying for them, by nurturing those relationships, and by eschewing anything that doesn't.

Then, this verse tells us to avoid arguing with those who "think" they know everything because they are smart about something. Just because someone has success as a movie star doesn't mean they should dispense financial advice. Now, they can dispense it but we shouldn't listen to it and apply it. Don't let those who seem smart influence you with their so-called knowledge. If you do, you may find that they catch you with your guard down.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

The value of a moment

I have been blessed to experience some very important and interesting moments in my life, some good, some not so. As time passes from some of those moments, I begin to see just how poignant they were and what they really mean. It is in the passing of time that we truly begin to see the value of each moment.

I have very fond memories of times with my grandparents, who have all gone on. They were good, honest, hardworking folks who loved me and left some eternal memories. With my Pops joining them in eternity, there is seldom a day that passes that I don't remember some precious moment with him - all so valuable.

Today's word is a quote from Dr. Seuss that serves as a reminder to cherish the moments. It reads, "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

As I look back and remember things, it is not the huge events that stick out. Oh, they are remarkable memories, but it is the everyday, simple moments that most often come to mind. It is rarely a deep conversation that is remembered, but a moment of just enjoying someone's presence that spews forth a memory.

My Pops was a history guy. Not that he studied history or knew a lot of dates and such, but he knew historical moments when he saw them: landing on the moon, President Nixon resigning, Operation Desert Storm, etc. When these events occurred, he would say, "You need to watch this - it's history." Those events are certainly historical but it is the emphasis that Pops put on each one that is the memory I carry. You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Face your Fears

Today is National Face Your Fears Day (on some calendars). So, what's your fear? Trish always says things to me such as, "I am amazed at all that you can do." Or, "It is impressive all the things you know and can accomplish." From this we can determine a couple of things: Trish is a really good person, and she is easily impressed.

The fact of the matter is, and I have told this to Trish each time she compliments me in this manner, is I am not afraid to fail. I tell her that what separates me from some others is that I am willing to make a complete mess of things. Now, as I have shared before, I have cost us several dollars by trying to undertake things myself. However, if it needs to be done, I will try to do it. But, what is your fear?

Today's word is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, which says, "Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing."

We all have things that we fear that keep us from moving to the next chapter in our lives. I have shared before that FEAR has two meanings: 1. Forget Everything And Run or 2. Face Everything And Rise, the choice is ours. There's also another meaning to fear that I like to share: False Evidence Appearing Real. We are often bound up by something we believe, which is completely untrue.

So, as we take on the challenge of facing our fears today, let's keep in mind that most of the time, fear is a false illusion. And, every time we overcome a fear, each time we refuse to run from fear, each time we face our fear, we will become stronger, more courageous, and more confident. Face your Fears!

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Ordered

If you look up the definition of "order", you'll find that it means, "give an authoritative direction or instruction to do something". As a former military guy, and a husband of many years, I know how to take orders. Now, following them is sometimes a different story.

When you are given an order, it is usually from a superior that has experience and know how and has the qualifications to evaluate the situation and formulate a direction in which to take. I know there are exceptions to that but orders usually come from those above us that knows the direction we need to pursue.

Today's word is Psalm 37:23, KJV, which reads, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way."

As GOD'S children, our direction is through Him. If we will listen and follow orders, we will find that we are always moving in the right direction and that we have all the instructions that we need to accomplish the goal. It is when we deviate from the orders that we have chaos (chaos is the opposite of order). So, if we will follow the order, we will find order.

The last part of the verse strikes me from two points: 1. When we follow GOD'S plan, His order, GOD delights in our way. 2. But, what if the "He" isn't GOD but the "good man" and it read, "...and he delights in his way"? What if the emphasis is that GOD orders our steps, and IF we follow that order, we will find that we are enjoying the way? I think both are true: if we follow GOD'S plan, He is delighted in our way; and, if we follow GOD'S plan, we will find that we wouldn't have it any other way.

Follow GOD'S path. It is ordered.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Situations

Ever find yourself in a predicament? I mean, there's a situation that is really uncomfortable and really unnerving and, yet, that is where you find yourself. Now, you don't know why you are in this particular situation. You don't know what you've done to be caught up in the situation. All you know is you want a way out of the situation. I think we've all been there.

Before I go any further, allow me to emphasize that I don't for one minute believe that GOD causes bad things to happen. Again, we live in a broken and fallen world, and sometimes bad things happen to good people. When a situation arises for a "good person", we need to see what GOD is trying to show us through their example.That is today's thought...

Today's word is just a thought from something that I read once that I now paraphrase: "We often ask GOD to change our situation, not fully understanding that GOD can use our situation to change us."

I don't like situations either. I don't like finding myself in uncomfortable, unnerving predicaments. I am a doer - I do things. I like to find solutions, implement them, and move on to the next situation. It drives me crazy to find myself in situation that I cannot control, I cannot fix, I cannot find a solution. But, I have gotten better in recent years to remember to say, "LORD, I don't know why these things are happening but don't let me miss the lesson."

Maybe you find yourself in a situation that is more than you really want to think about or even more than you can even comprehend. Keep in mind that GOD can grow us, He can mature us, He can use our situations to change us.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

Talking about it

They say that the first step in overcoming a problem is admitting that you have a problem. Well, I readily admit that I am a TALKER. I talk a lot, any time, any place, any where, I talk. I have said before that I don't even have to know a subject, I just have to have an audience. I'm a talker.

Some folks, like me, like to talk about things but they don't get a lot done about things. They will tell you all their woes and all their problems and all their concerns and all their worries but they seldom do anything to change those things they are talking about. Now, I know that our circumstances dictate things, this fallen world dictate things, other people and red tape dictate things, but there is something constructive that we can all do besides talking about it...

Today's word is something I heard on the radio or something I read somewhere; I don't really remember where I got it but it tells us that there is something we can do. It says, "Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it?"

When this came to mind this morning, from wherever it originated, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Yeah, we all talk about things, we all like to have someone sympathize with us, but NO ONE knows our hearts and our worries and our concerns and our needs more than JESUS. Yet, it seems that we will talk to everyone else about all that is going on far more than we talk to Him about all that is going on. What a reminder that I can be doing something more constructive and more tangible than just talking about it.

You've heard me mention it before: we are all going through things. Some people are going through far worse than I could ever imagine but we all have things on our minds and on our hearts. When we get burdened down with concerns and worries, we like to talk to others about the things going on in our lives. The question for today, though, is, "Have you talked to JESUS about it as much as you've talked to everyone else about it?" I am really going to try to apply this to my life. I think I may just be surprised at how much better I feel talking to JESUS than just talking about it.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T

A LOT

I talk about how blessed I am a lot, I know. But, there is absolutely no doubt that I am truly, truly blessed. I look around at all the blessings I have and I stand amazed and humbled at GOD'S goodness and mercy and grace. I am truly blessed and I give Him all the praise.

Why does GOD bless me so much? I don't know. Just because He can? Because He loves His children, even, in my case, His defiant, silly, children. He blesses us all with more than we could ever thank Him for but we so often allow the distractions in this life to steal the joy of our salvation; we allow the darkness of this world to push out the Light of this world.

Today's word is just a positive quote that I try to remember. It says, "Pray not only because you need something but because you have A LOT to thank GOD for!

GOD is always available. He is there to listen to our pleas anyplace, at any time. He knows what we need even before we ask. Yet, He listens to our deepest needs even when we can't put them into words. Yes, when we need something, pray! But, don't just stop there.

When you are talking to GOD, thank Him for all that He has given you and for all that He has done for you. I would dare say that if we started truly thanking GOD for all His many wonderful blessings, we would find out how truly blessed we are. I bet that if you start thanking GOD for all that you have, you'll find that you most definitely have A LOT to thank GOD for!

Be Blessed,
Mickey T