Yeah…
That’s where it’s at.
Now, go have a great Friday Fun Day for yourself!!
Friday Fun Days
Yeah…
That’s where it’s at.
Now, go have a great Friday Fun Day for yourself!!
hope
Whimsical Wednesday
Sail on, son. Sail on.
Sail past those trials.
Sail past those pains.
Sail past those failures.
Sail past that shame and regret.
Embrace the sun and soak it in.
Soak it in deep, cuz you’re gonna need it to survive.
Not just to survive but to thrive.
Let the moon of His shadow light the way through the dark.
No matter the abyss of the unknown, the rays of His promise will chase away the haze.
The winds of this world blow hard, always wanting to knock you off course.
The waves of this culture devour fast, always seeking to destroy peace, joy, and clarity of mind.
Stay the course, son.
Never become distracted by what was, what is or what one day might be.
Keep Him at the helm, and you will find a steadier voyage.
Keep Him at the forefront of navigation, and you will find your destination not far ahead.
I may not always be present in form, but you can rest assured, I am always near your heart.
And you will always be held tenderly within mine.
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Monday Musings
I Loved You From the Start
You were so tiny when into this world you came
My life changed in an instant, never to be the same
You stole the show wherever we’d go
Your laughter was contagious, and you let everybody know
I whispered in your ear, you can reach for the stars
My hopes for you, I never wanted them barred
Your dreams and aspirations were so far apart
I knew I loved you from the very start
You were full of so much love and joy
I was thrill God blessed us with a baby boy
You ran and jumped, climbed and dove
Into every mischief and plaything sent down from above
You grew into a man before my very eyes
As you started stepping out, the devil tried to fill your head with lies
Sometimes you would succumb but other times you would fight
I kept pleading for you to always seek out the Light
I’d sing the song of old, hoping you’d remember
Calling you back home each and every December
Your dreams and aspiration were so far apart
You held them deep within your heart
You reached out strong to find your own way
You always had your own walk, keeping conformity at bay
You’d run headlong until you’d hit a brick wall
We’d be there when you’d ask to help heal from the fall
You’d tumble and struggle, forgetting the One
I’d pray and I’d seek, begging Him to awake my son
You’d come back around, dazed and a bit fogged
Yet,, stand back up, never allowing your soul to get too bogged
I wondered if those prayers ever made a difference
Knowing deep down, He would bring you deliverance
Your dreams and aspirations were so far apart
From them, your demons must depart
One day, it was as if the door opened and swung wide
Not to fame and fortune but to the Father’s side
All the tenacity to succeed changed to purpose and hope
Now His ways are always higher in your vision scope
Look what God has brought within your heart and mind
Your life is full of joy from boyhood not friction from the grind
All your goals and achievements have taken a different road
Now, you’ll reap a harvest for the good that you have sowed
Keep chasing all there is ahead of you
The end is giving glory that He is due
Your dreams and aspiration now aren’t so far apart
And He has so many more for you deep within His heart
Penned – MG – 10/5/20
Friday Fun Day
So sorry that I failed to post this before Friday was up!
It seems my Fridays have been quite full lately, but not really full of lots of fun.
So, we’ve found fun in the moments where we can find them and we enjoyed every minute of we had!
Sometimes, the day is brimming to the top with to do lists and deadlines, and you’d rather be sailing.
Sometimes, the second hand on the clock just doesn’t seem to move. It moves along with millimeter speed.
And then, it seems everyone else moves at that millimeter speed, too.
Can’t anyone accelerate? I have things to accomplish before I sleep!
Sometimes, you just drop the evening workload in the office and commute it to the boat.
Because perfect sailing in the fall only happens a handful of times, especially with a spectacular sunset and a breathtaking moonrise…
Yes, go find your Friday Funday.
Even if it’s in a few hours, under an hour, or only a few fleeting moments.
You can do this. You were meant for it!
Happy Friday Fun Day!
Monday Musings
Am I growing old before my time?
I was always told I’m an old soul…
Am I aging with grace and wisdom?
I’ve always been told my heart’s river runs deep…
Am I deepening my knowledge or my love?
I was told to love wisdom is to understand His loving kindness…
We have a choice in life…
We can assemble all those memories, and we can only see the pain and injustice…
Or we can gather the joys one by one, pick out those moments of serene peace, select those tiny miracles that don’t happen every day…
And relish in the here and now while looking forward to that beautiful ever after…
I think I’ll choose the beauty…
I believe I will grasp the sunshine…
I will strive to always opt for the good…
Never ignoring, but rather, discarding the hatred and violence that threatens to distract my journey…
And I’d suggest for you to do the same…
It is possible…
If you will believe…
“Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.”
Psalm 107:43
“Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
Proverbs 4:5-9
Friday Fun Day
Sometimes, Friday Fun Days may not be exactly as you plan, but how about just making it the best you can?
We had to return to my home state to honor a great man whom we will miss dearly.
We couldn’t stay at our “regular places” due to the recent hurricane that had left devastation in its path.
We couldn’t eat at our “favorites” due to the same demise.
We couldn’t take time to spend with all the loved ones with whom we desired due to having to come and go so quickly and staying at a further distance.
But we took the hours that we could just to make the best of the trip that we had.
We sat out on the beach in the early morning hours and just soaked in the wind and the surf.
We took an adventure to shop for some fun souvenirs for our boys.
We enjoyed an amazing dockside seafood fare and savored every morsel.
We stopped at a fun little coffee roaster and drank in the delightfulness.
Then, we said our sorrowful goodbyes, packed our bags, and headed back home.
Sometimes, Friday Fun Days might not seem so enjoyable, but if you search hard enough, you might just find a little sunshine peeking through those clouds.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:15-16
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Whimsical Wednesday
Let me glide on the sea of glass…
Let the wind rustle my hair as it whizzes by…
Let the sun deepen the glow and bring strength to my soul…
My mind settles from all the distractions…
My eyes rest from all the blinding pain…
My ears relax from all the blasting rain…
Just breathe deep…
Exhale slowly…
And my focus can return…
My vision can reform…
My hearing can be revitalized…
Just another minute… and another…
Just a little while longer…
And my heart can begin to sing again…
“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?”
Job 12:7-10
Monday Musings
There is so much truth in this statement, it almost hurts to embrace it.
If you’ve never hiked a strenuous trail, this may not be a reality for you.
If you’ve not experienced the deep exhale of stiff action after a treacherous climb, you might not quite understand.
But if you’ve climbed Brasstown Bald in Georgia for the first time on a hot August afternoon…
If you’ve used your trekking poles to achieve the heights of The Chimney Tops in the Great Smokies…
If you’ve had to take a break as you traveled toward the top of Mount Mitchell in the Blue Ridge…
If you’ve had to slow to catch your breath as you stretched toward the heights of Pike’s Peak in the Rockies…
If you’ve questioned your abilities as you pushed toward the peaks of Mount Rainier in the Cascades…
And if you’ve ever struggled in life to achieve more than the day before… if you’ve stayed up all night and the next day just to get the job done… if you’ve beat your chest through the turmoil, the heartache and depression just to reach the other side of sanity…
Then, you might just understand and appreciate this statement.
Because if you’ve ever climbed the malicious mountain to experience the refreshing breeze and behold the overwhelming landscape of the summit , you’ll fight and claw to encounter the next ascension.
“Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong…”
Psalm 30:7a
Friday Fun Day
I know it’s a day late, but…
Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem like a Friday Fun Day.
As a family member, a great man who made you laugh till you cried, suddenly breathes his last…
As a hurricane, that’s not traumatic in size but traumatic in results, rips through your hometown wreaking havoc and demise…
As distant family members try to pick up the pieces of their lives and dreams…
As church family members die or become deathly sick, and all involved wonder if that precious saint will suddenly walk those streets of gold…
As calls of desperation filter in from various places, each needing help, restoration, healing in some form or fashion…
Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel much like a Friday Fun Day…
However, this is that thing we call living…
And you either put on your hat of perseverance and move forward with a strain and a push, or you’ll get trampled in the gate of ambition and determination…
Or worse, you’ll garnish that cloak of heaviness and despair and enter your grave while walking on your feet…
So, you look up and glimpse the sunlight peeking through the clouds…
You look beyond the debris and see the sunset light up that western seashore…
You look through the demise to find a hidden treasure, a cherished heirloom, a forgotten dream…
You look into the eyes of that neighbor, and despite the pain, you smile and embrace…
You remember the good times of friends, the memories of the fun, the love of family, and the sweet goodness of God…
You see the resilience to repair, the fortitude to rebuild, and the temerity to thrive again…
You watch the horizon of dreams as they creep over the surf as bright as the sun, brightening the path to another day, another aspiration, another hope…
And you smile…
For the Friday Fun Day will return…
If only for this moment held deep within your heart…
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”
Psalm 147:3-5
Whimsical Wednesday
The pirate ship glides on glass without a care in the world.
Those on board aren’t consumed with the latest media scam or the twitter trends.
The sun shines brightly on the bow as they skim the ocean’s tide.
The breeze catches the sails and shifts their eyes to the horizon.
The voyage ahead is to embark on an adventure that only time will tell.
Oh, how I’d like to be a pirate today…
Are You not the One who dried up the sea,
The waters of the great deep;
That made the depths of the sea a road
For the redeemed to cross over?
Isaiah 51:10
“He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
Micah 7:9
the grizzle grist mill 