Icing on the cake

Mmm, Root Beer...

Yesterday was cool. It was my mother-in-law's 50th birthday! Happy birthday, Karen. Naomi wanted to make her Zuppa Tuscana and a bake her a cake but realized her birthday was on Tuesday and not on Wednesday like she thought (this was on Monday...). So, me being the house-husband that I am (and desperatley seeking any approval from good works from her) volunteered to take on these two tasks while she was at work.

Gulp! What did I get myself in to? I can cook... a little. But a fancy-smancy soup and bake a cake?!!

Needly to say, I accomplished both tasks with flying colors and received the blessings of a job well done from my wife. I'm realizing how important her number one love language really is (which is "acts of service"). When I can do things that are important to her and for our family without having to be told to do so, then I am conquering a major trial of marriage. I beleive God honors that.

note to self: when baking a cake, don't stick it back in the warm oven after applying icing...

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I'm once again trying to devote myself to daily Bible reading. It's a hard task. Yesterday I read Hebrews 2, Genesis 46:28-47:31, and Psalms 37.

Today I read Hebrews 3:1-4:13, Genesis 48, and Psalms 38.

Paths of the Sea

What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?... You (meaning God) have made him (humanity) ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the sea.
Psalm 8:4, 6-8

One of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time was made by a man who not only beleived the Bible but followed its insights. In 1839, while recovering from an injury, naval commander Matthew Maury was read to him from the Bible by his wife. When she read to him the above scripture, be began to think. "How can the seas have paths?" Then he began thinking that if he ever got back to the sea, he would do research on the paths of the sea. Two years later, Maury went back to the navy and was put in charge of their depot of charts and instruments. In this post, he launched an investigation of the ocean currents, which kept him busy for the next twenty years and won him the title "Pathfinder of the Seas."

Maury believed the Bible was true. Most importantly of all, the Bible is spiritually true. It will show you how to receive eternal life, how to know that you have become God's child and that your sins are forgiven. Life ceases to be a riddle when you gain God's perspective, and that is the secret of the Bible. GO READ!

shut the door

Being at home all day leaves plenty of room to slack off and waste my time. God knows that I can easily do that especially when I haven’t made Him apart of my day. That’s why I’m choosing to make my quiet time with the Lord the very first thing I do. Today I was encouraged in my reading of the Word.

...hold on...
...sorry, Kirk Franklin just told me to “get up on
my feet and have a Holy Ghost party!” Guess
I got distracted... Ok, where was I?

Isaiah 26:20 NIV
Go, my people, enter your rooms 
       and shut the doors behind you; 
       hide yourselves for a little while 
       until his wrath has passed by.

Hide yourself? Yeah, from the distractions of the world. Go spend time with Him and gear-up to take on anything!

knowledge of his will

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”- Colossians 1:9

Today, as I read this verse, I can't help but feel like I am the person that the author is speaking of. So if you could, please pray that God would fill me with the knowledge of his will. Thanks.

God, in this time of job searching, please help me to understand your will when it comes to opening and closing doors of opportunity and help me to remember you in all of my own decisions. Amen.

Unemployment: Day 3

Day 2 wasn’t the best day to have. But that’s because I went at it alone. I really didn’t accomplish anything. But today will be different. I just asked Jesus to spend the day with me.

Isaiah 25:4-5 NIV
You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat... You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud...

God’s Word can be so comforting at times (ok, a lot of times). A refuge for the poor & needy. Though were not homeless, without me working, that’s kinda what it feels like (poor & needy) because I’m not being able to provide (much) for my family. But my trust in the Lord will overcome those thoughts.

HE IS MY REFUGE! Thank you Lord, Amen.

unemployment: Day 1

Today begins my new journey. You see, last Thursday (October 19th), I was laid off from my job. I had been there since February of this year and I really liked it. It was what I liked to do and I enjoyed going in everyday and working with my fellow artists. But at the end of the day, I was informed that I couldn’t stay any longer as they needed to cut some employees. It was totally shocking!

You know how some people say, “Wow, that sermon was totally for me!”, after attending church? Well, I’m one of those people after this weekend. The message was on “surviving the storms of life”. I think it’s safe to call this a storm ; )

The first point of the message was, “Storms are never planned”. That’s for sure. Being let go was out of nowhere. Just 10 minutes left in the work day and just like that, I was escorted to my car.

Number two was, “Storms are certain”. They are going to happen.

1 Peter 4:12 NIV
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

“Everyone goes through storms”! Everyone. People who go to church, pastors, rich people, celebrities. Everyone. In my daily reading in Isaiah 23, the city of Tyre went through a storm. Literally! It was destroyed and forgotten
for 70 years. But God had a plan for the city.

Isaiah 23:17-18
At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. 18 Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the LORD; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothes.
Matthew 5:45 NIV
...He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

I believe God has me sitting at home (rather than at Countryside) for a reason. I know God has better for me if I just put my faith in Him; trust Him with all my heart and soul. Right now, I’m the most vulnerable to God. So this is the best time for me to get as close as I can with my Father.

Spiritually Alive!

Scripture for today:
The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Spirit can only be known by spirit. The Bible said it. It's why it's so important to have a relationship with Christ Jesus! Only through Jesus do we come to know the Father. And knowing (not knowing of) the Father makes us "spiritually alive"!
Jesus, I pray for those who are close to me that do not truly know you and your amazing love. May they be encouraged to seek a personal relationship with you. Amen. Thank you Jesus.