Day 340- A Decorating First

We did some Christmas decorating at our house today.  We got the Christmas stuff out of the attic (Hannah Grace and Joel both wanted to climb up into the attic this year) and got a good start on putting up some Christmas stuff up around the house.  We went after the tree first. We enjoy decorating our tree together and talking about the ornaments.  Many have sentimental value and some are worth a good laugh. We had Christmas music going and it was a fun family day.  Afterwards, we played games together.

 

 None of this was a "first" for me.  So, I went and decorated the church. If you go to Hopewell, don't freak out just yet.  The last time some men and I decorated the church at Christmas we had a fish and a deer head on the wall.  I did not do that this year.  I put some Scriptures all around the church tonight so they will be found by a few church folks tomorrow. I decorated the church with Scriptures for my "first."

I'm not sure where the idea came from, but I thought it would be cool for a few folks to get to church and there be a Scripture waiting for them where they sit.  Hopefully, this will be an encouragement for some folks and get their worship day started off right.  There is even a chance that God will somehow get a Scripture to someone that really needs it into their hands.  He is certainly capable of that!! God has a way of using His word to really encourage people at just the right time.

The Bible says in Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."  The Bible also says in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."  I love to share God's word.  One reason is because it is God's word and not mine. I don't have any deep philosophy or incredible insights into life.  We all have opinions and they are just opinions.  God has truth.  When I share God's word I know I am sharing truth and it has the capability to change someone's life if they will believe it. The power to change a life is not something I possess, but God can and will change lives when people believe His word.  So, whether it is in a conversation, through teaching and preaching, or simply laying a card somewhere with a verse or two on it, I love to share God's word.

The next time you go to church (I hope it is soon), listen for God to speak to you through His word.  You might also want to share what God speaks to you. There is a real good chance He did not give that to you just for you.  He'll probably bring someone to your life soon that needs to hear that word as well. 

Listening in the abundant life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. The power of His word
2. The availability of His word
3. The truth of His word

Day 339- A Word Filled First

Today has been a full day.  Hannah Grace was in a spelling bee today (she made it to the top 5).  I visited and did some office work.  We had a fun Sunday School party tonight.  It was a good day but not full of "first" opportunities.

After we arrived home, I found a puzzle book that Laura had bought for out-of-town trips.  I found a game in her puzzle book called 4 square.  We play a game with sidewalk chalk and a ball outside called 4 square but this one was different. It is a square with 4 blocks across, down, and diagonally.  Each square has a letter in it.  The object of the game is to make words with the letters provided. You have to use letters that are next to each other to make a word. The letters can be touching up, down, or diagonally.  I did a 4-square puzzle for my "first" today.

The puzzle said there were 53 common words and 6 uncommon words that could be found. I found close to 50; actually I had about 50 but some of mine were not actually words according to the answer key (made by yankees I do believe).  Looking at some of their uncommon words, I'm not too sure about them. I did not get any of the uncommon words.  They look to be very uncommon.  I did not do this alone.  Joel sat with me and helped. He was a good helper in this puzzle and found a good many words.  We had fun doing the puzzle together.  That's part of what a year of "firsts" is about; including the family in fun and meaningful activities.

It was challenging to rearrange the letters to make words.  After we had been at it a while, one of us would suddenly see a word that had been right there in front of us all along but for some reason could not see it.  We would wonder why we had not seen it before.  There were a lot more possibilities of letter combinations than we first realized.  It was a cool exercise for my brain to try to see something new and arrange things in a different way.

 

Spelling bee people

I find this same truth at work when I read the Bible. I can read a portion of the Bible many times and then one day see something there that I had never seen before.  It seems like God slipped it in during the night while I was asleep.  Or, I'll hear someone share about a portion of the Bible and they will point out something that I never saw before and I'll wonder how I missed it. God's word is very rich and we always have new truths to discover.

The truths are always complimentary to each other. They help shed light on a another truth or another aspect of God's character.  For example, I've read John 15 many times.  I saw in there the truth that apart from Jesus I can do nothing and by abiding in Him I can bear fruit.  One day I read a book that pointed out the progression in that passage.  In verse2, Jesus teaches about no fruit, fruit and more fruit. Then, in verses 5 and 8, He talks about much fruit.  I had never really seen the progression there. It was a challenge to me to not only bear fruit, but to bear much fruit.

It is a challenge to read the Bible while depending on the Spirit to show us more and more truth that is there before our eyes. Of course, the greater challenge is to depend on the Spirit to help me obey the truth that I do see. That is my biggest need. I know more than I obey and that's not good.  Following Jesus is much more than simple Bible study; it is also Bible obeying.

Seeking to be more obedient in the Christian life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Riches of God's word
2. God's truth will stand forever
3. Refrigerators

Day 338- An Opp First

I was in the town of Opp today visiting a friend in the hospital.  As I was driving through town, I saw a sign over a building that read, "Opp Cultural Arts Center." This is a place I had never noticed before and my "first" alarm went off.  I went to the Opp Cultural Arts Center for my "first" today.

This is not the first time I've been to a cultural event in Opp.  Several years ago I went to the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo.  For those of you who do not live in Covington County, Alabama, that is not a joke.  Around the first weekend of March every year, there is a Rattlesnake Rodeo in Opp and they have real rattlesnakes.  We even got to see a rattlesnake race when we went. We did not get to eat any rattlesnake because some people had prohibited them from cooking any in order to protect the snakes.  Who protects rattlesnakes?? I would stink at that job.  The Rattlesnake Rodeo was an interesting cultural event for us.

When I went in to the Opp Cultural Arts Center today, I was relieved to see there were no rattlesnakes there.  It was mostly art.  They were decorating for Christmas so I did not pick the ideal time to visit.  However, they had some art up to look at.  It is refreshing to see the talents that local people have that you would never know without a place like this.  I have zero art talent and when I see art I'm always amazed at how talented some people are. There were some nice paintings, photography, and pencil drawings. The nature photography and art grabbed my attention the most. I love nature scenes.  There was also a pencil drawing of Billy Graham that I found fascinating.  The artist captured him in what looked like a posture of prayer which I thought was so appropriate.  It was amazing to me that someone capture his likeness so closely with pencils.  I enjoyed my cultural "first" in Opp today.

Speaking of culture, tonight was the Andalusia Christmas parade

So, walking alongside a float with a cell phone does not produce the best picture of my daughter ever taken

It is interesting how God gifts us in very different ways. If I had to draw or paint something, I'd be in big trouble.  Some people are just naturally gifted that way.  Others are gifted things like music, organization, building, repair work, speaking, writing, and the list goes on.  The beautiful thing is that no matter what are our talents and gifts are, we can use them for the glory of God.  Every ability and talent is a gift from God and we are fulfilled by using them for His glory.  People can get a glimpse of the character of God when we use the abilities and gifts He's given us for Him.

I read recently where one man saw a picture painted by someone that depicted the return home of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.  The picture spoke very powerfully to him. He thought about it often. He was eventually able to visit the museum where the original painting was and he was able to spend several hours staring at the painting.  God spoke powerfully to him through that painting and it affected his life in some pretty powerful ways.

We don't know how or what God might use to speak powerfully to us.  Let's all stay open to God and use whatever gifts and abilities we have to honor Him.  The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT), "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other."  God has gifted us where we can help each other get a glimpse of something about God: His beauty, greatness, love, grace, truth, etc.  That is a high and noble calling.

Wanting to shine the light on Jesus in the abundant life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Seeing children smile
2. Spiritual gifts
3. Glimpses of God in our world

Day 337- A Discount First

I was out of town visiting a friend who had surgery today (it went well).  Laura mentioned that she needed something from out of town at a store that we don't have in our town.  It was a fabric store and she needed something for some crafts that she plans to make with some junior high students.  My wife is very thoughtful.  She called the store, told them what she wanted, and had them to hold it for me when I got there. All I had to do was say, "My wife called and you are supposed to be holding something for Barry Wilkinson."  That saved me from wandering around a craft store trying to locate something that I don't even know what it is.

I called Laura while I was hunting the store because I was not sure of the name.  She told me and then asked me if I would mind using a coupon.  I said, "Well, I don't think it would be profitable to drive home and get a coupon for 20% off of a $20 purchase."  I said this nicely and I did not use those exact words.  She said she thought she could send it to me from her computer at home. This sounds pretty easy to most people, but given our history I had a pretty low confidence level on this task.  However, Laura was able to send it to me from her laptop and I used an electronic coupon at a fabric store for my "first."

I saw the coupon on my phone and it said, "tap to redeem."   Well, I wasn't in the store and did not know how tapping my phone was going to get me 20% off when I went in.  So, I decided not to tap till I got to the cashier.  When I got ready to check out, I told her that I wanted to use a coupon on my phone. Then, I showed her my phone and asked how this worked.  She told me to tap the tap button.  I said, "Right now?"  I wanted to tap at the right time.  She said yes and a bar code showed up on my phone. She shot it with her little scanner gun and off came 20%.  That was not nearly as hard as I was thinking.  I may even try this again some day.  I do think the scanner gun is probably the highlight of being a cashier.  I also think the fun of using that would wear off in about 15 minutes.

I saw this sign at the hospital today.  What they doing; having gurney races to surgery or something?

Look at what I found on my car after church tonight!!

It's amazing what can be done with electronics.  Laura sees a coupon on her computer, shoots it to me, and I show it to a cashier who scans it and a transaction is made.  That is very simple compared to all the stuff that can be done electronically, but it is still kind of cool. I thought about that as we studied 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 in church tonight.  Those verses say, "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."  It is amazing that God knows everything we do.  All my words, motives, and actions are seen and remembered by God.  One day all believers in Christ will either receive rewards or suffer losses according to what happens at the judgement seat of Christ.  This is not to determine if we are saved or who gets to go to heaven. Praise God, Jesus secured our salvation through His sinless life, substitutionary death and resurrection. We are saved when we repent of our sin and trust in Him.  Yet, our heavenly rewards are determined by what we do with what God gives us.  I don't know exactly what those rewards will look like, but knowing our God I know they will be very good. They will be worth having. They may even turn out to be presents that we can offer back to Him.

Knowing that we are to stand before the judgement seat of Christ should inspire us to keep on living for Jesus in those areas where we are.  The main idea in those verses is found in verse 9 where it says that our goal is to please Him. Pleasing God is the focus.  If we are living away from God right now, these verses ought to be a real encouragement to come back to Jesus today. I don't know what day I will stand before Him so I should seek to be ready everyday.

Sobered in the abundant life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Joy of marriage
2. Coupons
3. Chipmunks

Day 336- A Glitter Appreciation First

I took Hannah Grace to the orthodontist today.  Afterwards, she requested a trip to Sonic for a grilled cheese sandwich and tater tot treat. She emphasized that she did not eat much at lunch. She said that all she had for lunch was a fun size Nestle Crunch bar that someone gave her and the inside of someone's Oreo that was given to her. This was pretty disturbing to me.  We send a lunch and she eats that?? By the way, those little candy bars are not fun size.  The great big ones are the real fun size!!  They are a lot more fun.  My "first" could have been hearing that my daughter ate the inside of someone's Oreo for lunch.

A young lady brought out the grilled cheese, tater tots, and grape slush to us.  After I paid and tipped her, she went back inside and I started to drive off.  Hannah Grace mentioned that she needed some ketchup and salt.  It seems like that would be included with the tots.So, I pulled back in and asked for salt and ketchup.  Hannah Grace wondered if the same girl would bring out the salt and ketchup that brought the grilled cheese.  I said probably. Hannah Grace said that she really liked the glitter on her eyelids.  When the same girl came back out, I did notice that she had quite the glitter thing going on her eyelids and just above the eyelids.  I told the waitress at Sonic that my daughter loved the glitter on her eyelids for my "first."

I've never complimented someone about glitter on eyelids before.  To be honest, I did not know she had that until Hannah Grace made me aware of it. Hannah Grace thought this should be my "first" for today and so it is. When I told Hannah Grace that I should have told the girl that I liked it, she disagreed because she said that might have been a little creepy.  Nothing like a 7th grader to keep a Dad from being creepy.  That is definitely not what I am aiming for in a compliment.

Things I do see and appreciate!!

It was not surprising that Hannah Grace noticed the eye glitter and I did not today.  She is much more into fashion and facial accessories than I am. As long as I don't have something gross on my face, I feel like I'm doing well.  Hannah Grace notices things like earrings, glitter, necklaces, how colors match, etc.  She is much more in tune with seeing those things than I am and I feel like that's the way it ought to be given our situations in life.

I started thinking about what I notice.  The thing I want to notice is how God is at work around me. God is always at work around me.  Jesus said in John 5:17, "In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”   God is at work in the world, the people around me, and in me. What I need is to be sensitive and aware of what God is doing so I can join Him in His work.  God gives us ways to notice. When a particular verse of Scripture shows up in my life several times in a short period of time that may be God alerting me to something  When I see someone several times that I don't normally see that may be God alerting me to His work.  When I pray for someone and then see them later that very day, I should ask God if He is up to something here.  If someone talks to me about church or spiritual things, I should look for what God is doing in that conversation.

I'm glad God is still at work in His world. I desperately need Him and it is such a privilege to be included in the grand story God is writing in our world. That is something and Someone worth giving your life for and to. Nothing can compare to being in on what God is doing!

Looking for God at work in the abundant life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. He is at work in His world.
2. Glitter
3. Grilled cheese

Day 335- A Trashy First

I taught a small group Bible study tonight. It was our last night of an 8 week study titled "Follow."  Since I am a pastor, you might guess it is about following Jesus and you would be correct.  While I was driving home, I was thinking about a "first."  I had tried to do one earlier in the day but it just did not happen.

As I neared my house, I saw what looked like a case of beer in the road.  I assumed it was trash and not actually full of beer. This was a correct assumption.  I thought that was pretty inconsiderate of someone to throw out a box like that on the road.  They make a thing called a trash can and it does not take a whole lot of effort to drop an empty box in a trash can.  Then, it  hit me.  I stopped and picked up an empty case of beer for my "first."

Just like it does not take a lot of effort to put an empty box in a trash can, it does not take a lot of effort to stop and pick up a box out of the middle of the road.  At least not on our road at 9:00 at night.  There were no cars coming in either direction for as far as I could see. I've often seen trash on the road before, but I've never stopped at night to pick up an empty beer box.  It actually was not completely empty; it had 2 empty cans in it.  I did kind of wonder how 2 empty cans managed to stay in there. Why would someone only put 2 empty cans back in there and how did they stay in when it was thrown out of the window? As I thought about that, I did wonder how it stayed in the middle of the road. Shouldn't it have landed in the ditch?  Maybe it was a secret signal for Jason Bourne (think spy if you don't know who he is) and I moved it causing him to be in great harm??? Should I go put it back??  I did not mean to mess with national security. It was probably just trash, I guess.

Hannah Grace's trash can



 

The moon is not as photogenic as I would like

A touch of air freshener is in order

As I thought about this rather meaningless "first," I did think of how it easy it is to complain about something that is not right rather than to do something to make it right.  People should not throw empty cases of beer out on the road.  It could scare someone and cause an accident.  Well, probably not, but maybe I saved someone's life tonight.  Maybe I have an overactive imagination.  At least the trash got picked up. 

This reminded me of an old poem I read many years ago titled "Building or Wrecking Crew."
Ten little Christians, all standing in a line. One disliked the pastor, and then there were nine.
Nine little Christians, stayed up very late. One slept in on Sunday, and then there were eight.
Eight little Christians, on their way to heaven. One took the low road, and then there were seven.
Seven little Christians, chirping like some chicks. One disliked the music, and then there were six.
Six little Christians, seemed very much alive. One lost his interest, and then there were five.
Five little Christians, each busy as a bee. One got her feelings hurt, and then there were three.
Three little Christians, knew not what to do. One joined the sporting crowd, and then there were two.
Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done, differed with each other, and then there was one.
One little Christian, can’t do much ’tis true, brought his friend to Bible study, and then there were two.
Two earnest Christians, each one won more. That doubled the number, and then there were four.
Four sincere Christians worked early and worked late. Each won another, and then there were eight.
Eight splendid Christians, if they doubled as before, in just a few short weeks we’d have 1,024.
In this little jingle there is a lesson true. You either belong to the building or to the wrecking crew.

Philippians 2:14-15 says, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."

Seeking to be a builder in the abundant life,
Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. Mr. Frank
2. Laura's beautiful blue eyes
3. Jesus forgives me of the trash in my life