Returning Home

Returning Home

3/30/12

Human have this unique characteristic about them when it comes to the place that they consider to be their home.  It does not matter which place that you call home, but where ever that place is the human heart longs to be there.  There may be no contacts present in that place or any other connections that tie a human there, but whatever the heart considers home that is where a person’s roots are located.

One morning a while back I was coming out of the main hospital building returning to my lab that I call my cubby hole I proceeded down the steps to the side walk that runs along the hospital.  I looked up after completing the downward steps exercise and saw a coworker that I had not spoken to in a while.  She was getting out of her car and as I said good morning to her she bellowed the exact words in return.  I told her that I recognized that she was in a good mood and she immediately returned with the word “YES!”  I asked her what was up and she once again looked at me and said that she only had a few days left of work in the hospital and that she was going back home to North Carolina.  I shot back with I am jealous!! and then gave her a quick hug and told her I was going to miss her but returning home was a wonderful thing.

Now, this coworker has always been a friendly person and very nice person to all of her patients.  She has always been pleasant to talk with and just an all around good person.  But as I spoke with her that morning I could not help but feel the added excitement that flowed from her when she was speaking about returning to North Carolina and how much this wondrous occasion was affecting her.  She was hyped to the point of being jittery which was so encouraging to see and experience.

As some of you know I was born and raised in a minister’s home, which meant that I moved around a lot during my tenure at home.  My travels included the west coast of the United States all the way to the shores of the Gulf Coast with a few states sprinkled in between these boundaries.  The majority of the places that I lived in were pleasant experiences and even with one particular place that I did not like, which I have forgiven, I had no major problems with living there.  I am blessed in the fact that I had an opportunity to see different parts of the country and to experience some of the many regional cultures of the land.

With all of the moving around one can guess that I might have not considered that I actually had a home, a place that where I could refer to as being born and raised, a safe haven if you wish to use that term.  For the main portion of my life I spent in the south, the deep south to be more specific and that is the place where I have many fond memories.  But as I stop and think about things, I have fond memories in the other parts of the country where I lived as well.  I often wonder how it would feel if I had only lived in one or two places in my life, and when I complete this task I return to my original conclusion that I was lucky to have the opportunity to have lived the life that God had placed me in.

But there is one place that I do consider to be my home.  I have lived in western Colorado for almost 20 years now and it is simply amazing to live in this part of the country, but this is not my home.  My parents live in part of the country as well and it is an honor to still have them in my life and my children’s lives, but they too know that this place is not my home.

When I was a youngster my parents would try and take trips to my grandparents whenever they could.  It usually meant holidays and summer vacations in one part of the country.  Christmas time in Colorado was great which meant snow on the ground and snowball fights with my cousins.  Summertime in Arkansas was a bit hot but bearable when it came to seeing my grandparents, uncles and aunts.  All of these trips meant a lot to me but I had no clue what they actually meant to my parents.  In all of these trips, they were returning home, returning to their home.  How exciting they must have felt and all I thought we were doing was taking a vacation.

After I left high school and college I joined the USAF and eventually was stationed in Utah.  The military has an identity procedure which records your home of record, or place where you enlisted into the military.  My home of record (HOR) was Little Rock, Arkansas the place where I was sworn into the USAF.  My HOR was present on all my military documents which I found interesting but did not care too much about it.  When I was discharged from the military my final piece of paper that I signed had all of the pertinent information about myself including my HOR.  Everything pointed back to my HOR even though I was not located at my HOR.

As time has passed here in Colorado I have realized that I still consider the south to be my home, more specifically southeast Texas.  What a place to call home huh.  Well, this is the place where my heart considers home and as of now there is not much I can do to change that belief.  Nederland, Texas was the place where I spent my last two years of high school and the beginning portions of my college days.  Houston, Texas and Cleveland, Texas are considered home as well since both are located in SE Texas also.  It still confuses me as to why this area I consider my home but it is and I was excited last summer when I had the opportunity to return back to the so called homeland.

As time approached to the SE Texas trip I found myself thinking more and more about my time there and how much I had missed the area and the people.  I knew that many things would have changed and that some of the “monuments” that I once knew might not even be standing but I still wanted to see the place once again.  I know that my wife and kids tired of me talking about the area and were probably ready to come back to Colorado even before we had left on the trip, but my excitement could not be contained.

It was an added pleasure to find out a couple of years ago that I have a niece that lives in a town close to Nederland and that we would be able to spend time with her and her family for the first time.  Many memories flashed through my mind about all of the places and people that needed to be visited but reality set in hard when only a few of them were accomplished.  The people I saw again provided me with a few lingering questions I had and seeing some of my old stomping grounds sent my head spinning with other memories.  For some unexplainable reason I felt secure in that area and it truly felt like I had returned home; my heart was at peace.  I ignored the heat and humidity along with the bugs and even the baby snakes in the hotel; nothing could top this feeling, I was home.

The SE Texas trip quickly came to an end and it was time to return back to the place where I live called Colorado.  My heart sank as I said goodbye to the people that I love and to the place I hold very dear in my heart.  The day we left was rough but we had one more stop remaining which would keep me in the area a tad bit longer.  A few hours with a family friend that I actually call my sister ended the trip with even more joy and some goodies and pickles too. J  We left Cleveland and headed north to Dallas where we would spend the night.  The next evening we were back in Colorado to the place where I live and like being and in the place where my children call their home.

As we go through this journey called life we cannot help but have a place in our hearts that is called home.  We as human beings also have a more important home one in which calls to us every day.  It is inhabited by our heavenly father and our creator and His name is God.  God is our spiritual father and He represents our spiritual home, the place where all of us originate. 

Our spiritual home constantly beckons us to return and to restore ourselves to its wisdom and understanding.  Home continually cries out to our hearts for us to come and place ourselves back at the feet of God so that we may be protected and once again be around our Father.  Home continually places information in our paths which allow us to remember where our spirits originated and how much we need to look around and see the patterns that we have made for ourselves.  Home incessantly sings the song that grabs our attention that our heavenly Father loves us and that we need to heed to His words.  Home is where our hearts long to be but in the end it is our choice to remain at a distance from our home.

When prisoners have finished serving their time the one place that they do after getting out is to return home.  When soldiers return from fighting their battles the first thing that they do is return home to their families.  We as humans have been placed in both of those circumstances and it is time that we return home to where we belong; God is calling us home for us to turn our hearts from this world and return home to Him.

There is nothing wrong with returning to our spiritual home and once again remind ourselves of our spiritual roots and our origins that gave us our definitive qualities of life.  There is nothing wrong in returning home and feeling secure in the place where your creator lives.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with returning to your inner temple space and cleaning it before your Father, and there is nothing wrong with your Father restoring the peace that only He can instill within our spirit.  The only way that this restoration is possible is if we continually allow God to communicate with our spirits or if you wish to put it like this…a direct link to God which in turn is a direct link to our home.  God is our home and He is our beginning our present and our future.  Let us return home!

DLB

The Shoe That Changed My Life Part III

The Shoe That Changed My Life Part III

3/28/12

One may ask just how one shoe can change a person’s life in a monumental way for the rest of his life.  One may also ask in what way this act can become the center of a conceptual belief that should be learned from.  One also may ask why it is important that we pay attention to this event and keep it sacred in our lives and future usage.  A shoe is an article of clothing that we in the western world deem fashionable and an object that makes a statement to others around us, but what does a shoe really provide for us?

I guess that my actions were of a typical western teenager in the fact that for the remainder of the trip I sat around and did not care to do much on the ministry side of things.  The event of the day really stuck in my craw and I did not want to do much other than lick my wounds and feel sorry for myself.  But in other ways the event hit a home run in the reality scene of my life.  At that time I had not known anything about hunger or having the lack of anything in my life, yes I lived a simple life and did not have all of the toys that were on the market, but my parents did provide for me and gave to me the things that I needed.

But also being a typical teenager, I did not appreciate the majority of the items that were given to me and I took everything for granted.  The kid running to me and carrying one shoe struck a dagger into my world and ripped open the eyes of my heart to another world that I had no idea existed.  My world had just been betrayed by some kid that had idea who I was or even why I was present on his island, he could have believed that I was a French tourist off of the cruise ship right across the bay.

How does a person find themselves fighting on two totally opposite fronts concerning matters of this magnitude?  Are we so sheltered from the real dealings of the world that we actually live in a fantasy world of wealth?  As time has ventured along in my life I have learned that these questions are answered by the majority of the world on a continual basis.  The answers to both of those questions lie within our own society, which in some cases even are abruptly challenged when presented to the questioners.

This one time experience continues to haunt me sometimes when I survey the conditions of my country.  I do not even have to look beyond my present town to see the same attitudes I had when I visited Haiti.  I see these ways in the children in the ways that they demand unnecessary items from their parents, I see these ways through the students of our educational systems usurping authoritative decisions when there is no market value in their actions, and I see it in adults demanding products for nothing.  All of these examples, along with thousands more, send a destructive and lying message to those who do not have anything that they are better than everyone else and that they deserve what they have taken from others.

It pains me to see and hear the ways that we are teaching our children to believe about services and other goods.  We have taught them that getting everything that you want is acceptable and when the word no is used that they can pitch a fit or threaten to hold something against you as a means of trumping the word no.  This lifestyle only promotes selfishness and lack of respect towards authority, so the next time you refuse to discipline your child just remember what they will act like when they have that opportunity with their own children.

I learned that there could be many different living circumstances that I could have been placed into when I was born.  I could have been raised to fight for my next meal or to take my meals from someone else if I believed that they did not need it.

As I sit back and think about this portion of the trip I am reminded of another incident that I encountered when I was even younger.  I had taken a trip to Mexico with one of my friend’s family.  We actually stayed in Texas but took a day to travel to one of the border towns.  We were the typical looking tourists walking around with our uppity attitudes towards our surroundings.  We went into shop after shop looking for souvenirs to take back home. 

We were about to walk in one store when a poorly dressed man came in front of us and politely opened the door to allow us access to the inside.  We could tell that it had been some time since he had a bath and we quickly passed him as we entered the store.  The store was a food stop that advertised cold drinks and since it was summertime it was hot enough that we could not pass up the opportunity to cool off for a while.  As we ordered our drinks and then promptly received them we slowly meandered around the shop looking at the items within the store, and I noticed the same man peering through the window at us. 

We had walked around the shop as much as we could without being considered loiters so we decided to leave.  I took a quick glance at the door and noticed that our door man had left, or so I thought.  We continued out of the shop and turned to our left which automatically met with the corner of the street.  We decided that we had had enough of this particular area and began to look for a taxi.  I looked behind us and noticed our door man squatting up to the wall of the building behind us.  He had a great big grin on his face all the while staring at our drinks. 

We had been told that the majority of the cab drivers did not like to have drinks in their cabs since the drinks had the potential of being spilled which in turn caused people to refuse the driver’s services for someone cleaner.  So as we found a cab we all began to quickly finish our drinks.  We knew that there would be no way that we could finish them so we all migrated over to the nearest garbage can.  As we did this our door man jumped up and began to yell something at us.  He was gesturing at our drinks indicating that he wanted what was left. 

We were slightly repulsed at this act but then reluctantly gave him one of the bottles.  He took it gently yet convincingly at the same time.  He looked at us and said thank you in broken English all the while raising the bottle up in the air.  He walked back towards the wall and squatted back down as we entered the cab.  As we began to drive away I saw him raise the bottle to his mouth and began to finish off the contents.

At the time I just found that scene to be gross and really did not comprehend at just what had transpired.  Many tourist places have these types of people in the area which feed themselves, literally, off of tourists and their handouts.  Flashing forward to my shoe adventure in Haiti, the same scenario played out but had different players and traded substances.  Maybe I was too young back in Mexico to realize what was going on but God had other ideas for me in Haiti.

I have never regretted any of my trips to foreign lands in fact I continue to think about them on a regular basis and long to visit them again.  This time I would take my wife and children along so that they could witness other parts of the world as well.  I believe it would serve my children well in seeing first-hand how the majority of the world lives and how other children their age do not have it “made” so to speak.

Today I continue to live like I could be eating my last meal for a while and to keep it simple in my dress and appearance out in public as well.  I like to be relaxed in dress and only have to dress up on certain occasions.  As I have said many times before I am just a boy that God is using to talk with others about restoration and also share some of my life adventures while writing.  I am not fancy or uppity in my ways just down to earth and average in most things.  I like to be around all sorts of people and I hold nothing against anyone since we are all human and face the same challenges each day.

I do know that God loves each one of no matter what our life status says to the world.  God also loves us for who we are and not what we do or what we have achieved in our lives.  God desires to have a relationship with a homeless person just as much as He desires to have a relationship with a multi billionaire.  I do know God wants to provide each person in this world with abundances beyond our wildest dreams.  I do know God is God and that He is in control of all things and He sees even the sparrow when it falls and I am confident that He sees our needs even when we doubt His existence.

DLB

We Need To Stop Lying To Ourselves

We Need to Stop Lying to Ourselves

3/24/12

The human mind continues to fascinate me on a daily basis.  The job I have allows me to observe many people but only for a short period of time but in this time period I recognize something about their lives.  The way a person conducts themselves in public places says a lot about who they are and what kind of person they really are.  I know you cannot assess a person by just looking at them or striking up a friendly “hello” but in some ways you can at least get a feel of what their emotional conduct is like.  It has been said that the first impressions can never be changed once they have been observed; this statement has haunted me for many years for many reasons.

As some of you may know when I was a child I began to prepare myself for the experience of the medical field.  My mother was studying to be a nurse when I was young and I used to “read” her nursing books to spend some of my extra time that I had; yeah right you say, but it is true I did do this on a regular basis.  As I got older I began to really read these books and began to understand them.  Even older I began to take high school courses that would prepare me for my medical journey.  College rolled around and I began to study in the clinical laboratory portion of the medical field.  Which brings me to approximately twenty-six years later and I am still working in that capacity.

As I was crossing the parking lot going to the main building I noticed that the emergency Doors began to automatically open and I saw a patient in a wheelchair being pushed outside to the covered area close to the doors.  I then noticed that had an emesis basin in her lap and was wrapped up in a blanket that she brought from home.  As I continued my approach to the doors this patient placed a cigarette into her mouth and then had the gentleman with her light it for her.  I gently smiled and said hello to them as I past bye and pulled open the doors to enter the building.

Now I am not saying that the person that I had just passed was not ill, I know for a fact that the majority of people that arrive in the emergency room do have legitimate complaints; however, the reasons and choices that we allow ourselves to make do have an impact on this type of activity and at the end of the day also have an impact on our lives.  Do we really stop and think about what our actions lead to within our lives and just how much it costs us to maintain these insults to our lives.

As in any habit that we choose to birth we believe that we can quit the habit at any time, but as the old saying goes when challenged on our habit, we are not ready to quit the habit at that time.  Now all of us humans fit into this category so I am not going to single out any one habit or condition, but please realize that what we suffer from actually damages and separates us from the life that God intended for us to have on a daily basis.  Many of us do not recognize this fact and are readily available when the next habit or trend comes along.  At this time the trap has been sprung and we have fallen into another lie that will affect our lives in a territorial manner.  The trap is subtle and has not been picked up by our spiritual radar due to the fact that the other habits that we have incorporated into our lives, and have accepted as part of our lives, have clouded the reality of this process.  This is the part of our existence that tells others when they see us that I know I am doing something destructive but I do not care what you think about me I am going to continue my ways.

Returning to my patient friend at the hospital for a moment, I know that this patient saw me and knew that I worked at the hospital, the blood tubes that I was carrying and my ID badge gave me away.  The couple saw me but continued to complete their task at hand and acted like I really did not exist as I past by them.  Their conversation continued without interruption not concerned that a hospital employee just past them after they had presented themselves to the emergency department while deliberately harming their insides with an instrument that is known to inhibit the immune system.  What mesmerizes this situation is that all of us know that in a few moments these people will be facing the physician with their complaint.

When people arrive at this stage of their lives they are blinded to the justice that they are serving upon themselves caring only for a remedy instead of tackling the problems that have encompassed their lives.  The roots that they have allowed to take hold will create its own chaos within the body and will serve only to bleed dry the everlasting energy that is constantly being produced as the source of life.  It gets me that we as humans fail to realize this effect and continue to excuse the truth as a farce when dealing with the bodily energy crisis.  We continue to look for an alternative energy source while the true energy source that is right in front of our face is continually ignored.  The continual denying presence that humans display for themselves baffles me yet it breaks my heart to see them wandering aimlessly each day.

Now I know that there are millions of people in the world today that have legitimate medical conditions that require the necessary treatment in order to keep functioning on a somewhat normal basis, I am not talking about these types of people but I am not excluding them from the group since they too have a mind and can accumulate the exact same habits.

As we continue to incorporate these habits into our physical lives our immune system, digestive system and all other systems within the body begin to compensate for the lack of cleanliness being introduced on a constant level.  The human body is a remarkable machine which continually works to correct the insults that we choose to partake in and the level at which these systems clean out the impurities can be measured even on the microscopic level.  However, there comes a point that our bodies say to its surrounding environment that it is  tired and needs a rest.  This rest comes in the form of molecular attractions between systems and the result is a condition known as a fever.  Having a fever actually cleanses the body of the bugs that it is fighting and then as the fever breaks the body begins to return to its normal state, hoping that it will not have to react in this fashion for a while.  But it is soon recognized that the former conditions are returning and that the stress of the actions will continue.

As time continues we eventually begin to feel sluggish on a routine basis and we once again go to the physician.  The physician runs some tests and comes back with a definitive answer and we are shocked to learn that we have a permanent condition that no antibiotics can fight.  Our reaction is one of amazement, denial and then anger, not at ourselves but because of the conditions that we now face which will alter our patterns of living.  The door is now closed on the long chapter of our lives that cannot be reversed.  A process in most cases could have been avoided if we had not allowed ourselves to be engrossed in and trapped by a self fulfilling lies some time back in our personal history.

We are told of what type of lifestyle that needs to be adhered to and we are told of what the treatment will be for the possible healing of our physical bodies.  Optimism rules the day with the news of another battle to prolong our lives as it was intended in the first place, but eventually the decision has to be made whether we brush aside this new knowledge and path or to continue along the familiar path that we chose to take some time in our past life.  It is not the physician who is telling us about this news that is lying but we have a tendency to take our response to the news out on her or him.  In all cases where this occurs, it is the result of the lies that we continued to believe in that provided us with this news.  The spiritual aspect of our lives has the same processes occurring every second of our lives and did you know that your spiritual health and well being is just as important as your physical being, in fact it is more important in which there is nothing we can do about our physical bodies they will eventually wear down and we will die, but our spirit will live forever.

We are told in the Bible that we are the temple of Christ and that we should keep our temples holy before Him.  My question to you is how can we do that and still maintain the ideas of addiction and personal torture to the temple on a constant basis.  I urge you to look at yourself and to examine and study yourself to find out what does not belong in your life.  And when you find those things which are not acceptable to your physical being, know that you need to dig deeper and begin that process within your spirit.  God loves you so very much and He wishes to see you live life abundantly and wholly.  We as humans get lied to enough by the world we do not need to add to that heap with lies we tell ourselves.  Allow God to restore you in a manner in which on He can; the perfect restoration created just for you.

DLB

Is Your City Lit? Part II

Is Your City Lit? Part II

3/16/12

One thing about the messages that God gives to me allows for me to have flexibility with the pointed topics.  I recently wrote a message concerning humans being a city on a hill in which our light shines for others to see.  In this part two message I am going to deal with the personal level of this concept and how our heart actually portrays our city and how it conducts its business throughout the day.

As we all know the heart is the center mechanism that continues the life giving process to all living creatures.  It does not matter if you are a human or some form of animal the heart is the center of all energy transfer which keeps us alive and functioning.  The heart is an exceptional organ which regulates its own timing and sets its own pace from the time it begins its first beat and stays that course until it beats it last beat.

The entire heart muscle is fascinating to watch.  Not many of us “regular’ people have the opportunity to watch a living heart beat.  Cardiac surgeons, even though they have performed many procedures still are amazed at how the heart actually starts and regulates itself without any help.  Modern medicine has invented many ways to correct natural defects of the heart and have now perfected the heart transplant procedure which is hard to imagine sometimes.  Surgeons say that their success in their procedures is when the heart actually starts beating o its own without any stimulation after a major operation; incredible when you think about it.

I remember when I was in Histology class and I had the opportunity to dissect a heart and look at its cells.  My professor was excellent in his duties and very matriculate in the objects that he wanted us to witness while completing this section of the class.  He took a portion of the heart and placed it on a microtome instrument and made the appropriate settings.  A microtome is an instrument that slices a piece of tissue at very thin lengths and is mainly used by pathologists in diagnosing cancers.  He made a few thin slices and then placed them on the microscope.

The microscope actually had graduated lines on the oculars which would allow for us to measure the cells of the heart muscle.  But that was not our goal at that moment, our goal was to witness the heart muscle cell continuing to contract well after it had been taken out of the dead animal.  As he placed the tissue onto the slide and in isotonic saline, he switched on the light and the overhead screen and focused on the muscle.  It was only a matter of seconds until we could actually see the cell contracting a bit and then relaxing and then contracting again.  Granted this movement would not be able to sustain life any long but the heart cell actually was producing enough energy to try and complete its function.  And to the human knowledge the heart muscle cell is the only cell that has this capability for an extended amount of time after the rest of the body has been declared dead.

Ever since cities have been mentioned in history one certain spot of the city has been considered its center of all activity.  This spot can be a long street or even a portion of the city itself but whatever the geographical location of the city is, it is that point where the majority of the energy of the city occurs.  History has also taught that this city center radiates its activities to the outer portions of the city and continues the life of the city even to the last inch of its territory.  Travel to any one of America’s cities and fin its city center and see what the activity level is and see how it follows this pattern.

So, let us now draw a line of comparison to the heart and the city center.  Both represent the vital function of providing the necessary energy to sustain the business as usual of their respective areas.  Both also represent the center of all activity and where all of the important section heads meet to provide these continual provisions to the outer parts of their respective areas.  Both the heart and the city center set the stage for the flow of life to the outer parts of their areas, whether that flow is obstructed or free-flowing it does not matter.  So it is a safe comparison between these two examples and then would be safe to say that both examples concur with their duties.

All of the activities that we require of ourselves throughout the day depend upon our city center and its continual flow of nutrients to our outer parts and every part in-between.  All of our daily activities require this service and when the provisions are not met the outer parts begin to send signals to the brain which in turn sends more signals to the heart to get itself into gear and produce more; and the reverse is true when the outer parts have too much provisions and a cut back is needed.  The functioning city center operates in basically the same capacity and knows when to allow more activity and reduce that same activity.

You ever see a city sleep?  We all have heard of that term or phrase and in reality cities do not sleep, the slow down at times but they are always on the go.  The same is true with our bodies our heart does not stop when we are asleep it continues its function at a slower pace until it is time for more urgent productivity to be required.  So, in our human thinking we can watch a city and a functioning heart continue its activities without any stopping, their beats go on and on.  In theory we can say that the heart and a city center does not know what time is until its production line is halted for some reason.

The city center is usually the place where the city hall, the courthouses, libraries and other vital governmental buildings and offices are located.  These buildings or houses provide the means for organizations to function and to provide services to its inhabitants.  The heart serves in the same capacity, now can you see why God looks upon the heart to judge a person and not upon their looks?  Now can you understand why God places all of the desires within the heart and why it is important to guard the heart with all of our might?  Now you must understand why the heart houses the important features of the human and serves as the main station for all life.

At some point in time of our life, other people will see a portion of our heart or in some cases all of our heart.  No matter what the government tells you or what any media production informs you, people are NOT stupid and each one of us has the ability to make decisions based upon our hearts even though it is not considered popular or the “right” thing to do.  The heart drives the inner human in ways that only God can understand and it is a part of our lives that God knows better than we know.

The major question is this, what is your heart portraying to others?  What have we been feeding our hearts in order to provide our provisions and through this feeding what do others see in ourselves?  The events of a city define its citizens and the same goes for our hearts.  I have travelled through many cities in my lifetime and I can feel what oozes out of cities and can tell what its citizens are being fed and what they are feeding the people that visit.  The same concept holds true with our hearts and spirit.

Yes, spirit is directly connected with our hearts and our inner being produces the same type of energy that it is being fed.  If you continually feed your heart with junk food, at one point in time you are going to have a heart problem and your vessels (streets) will begin to show the results towards others.  If our spirit is subjected to events long enough, it will begin to portray results that will resemble what it is being shown.  The heart cannot be hidden from anyone; look at a person are they alive?  Then you cannot hide that heart, that specific heart represents a certain portrayal…look at another person, are they alive?  The same is true.

Everything about cities is portrayed through its citizens and through these citizens the vital tasks of the day are completed with little or no obvious obligation, the tasks are just completed.  The same goes with our hearts, but we have to remember people are watching us even though we may not see them, they are.  I am watching the city and how it operates, but did that city know that I was doing this?

All of us get caught up in our routines and we seldom stop and think about how and what we portray to others.  That is a common trait among humans and we would drive ourselves nuts if we constantly placed this thought into our fore-thinking.  That is why it is so important that we feed our spirit with good nutritional food that only God can supply and reject the junk that others try and get us to intake.  Satan understands our need for spiritual food and how it directly affects the heart.  We must incorporate God’s food into our daily lives so that we have a natural defense against the attacks that we will face.  Restore your daily intake of God and it will be shown throughout the world even when you do not realize it.

DLB

The Human Shaking Syndrome

Human Shaking Syndrome

3/15/12

At the time God drops things into my heart to write about I have to admit I really do not understand them at that moment.  I have learned over the course of these past few months that God has a plan for man and that it is His desire for us to live in peace and in prosperity but that shall not happen again until we turn and face Him once again.  This message God actually spoke to me very clearly one morning in October 2011 and like a good boy I wrote things down.  Yet at the same time I was not to write anymore on this topic until now.  This topic is actually things to come I we do not change our ways.

We are spiritual creatures and we are ruled by one of two kingdoms, there is no other choice or option in this manner.  I do not care what you believe in anything right at this moment.  I do not care if I offend you and I do not care if you discard this message.  I do pray that you read this message and take it to your heart and to allow the spirit to inform you of the coming events if things do not change.  This message is directed towards man, not a single person or country but man itself, the entire race.

I have a direct quote from God and it is a simple in its content and it is to the point.  The statement is this “I will shake all that man has built”.  Now, what immediately comes to mind when something like this is said to a person?  Many thoughts ran through my mind as soon as I shook off the chills that continued to run up and down my spine.  I was numb and really could not talk for a few moments.

Just a few days ago I received the second portion of this message and to be honest I really did not know that it was going to be tied together.  The second part of the message was this and at the time when I received it I do not know why, but I did not realize the implications it had and wheat it meant until God placed the meaning in my heart.  The second part is this:  It is time for us to get off the fence and make the decision to get off of the fence.  The fence I talked about in another message, which was one that needed to be stated as well, but when God told me that the fence represented everything man had created and that He was going to tear down that fence it all fit together. 

The fence is everything that man holds close to his heart on a daily basis all of his securities his plans, his environment, his finances, his existence as he understand it.  This is what God is going to tear down or shake to our core.  This will be a catastrophic series of events that will totally devastate the human race as we know it.  The fence represents everything that we deem right in our physical eyes and minds.  The fence represents every advancement or lack of advancements.  The fence represents anything that the mind can think of that does NOT line up with the word of God.

There are no physical interpretations of the word of God for man’s usage.  God’s word is just that God’s word and His word alone.  And there is a reason that He states not to add to it or take away from it, because when we add to it or take away from it we build a fence.  And when we realize that nothing has happened after our addition to the word, then we add another portion of fence to it.  Then we really become brave and we test the waters further by taking something away from the word of God, which in turn builds our fences further.  Then the ultimate building block is when we decide that we can tie our fences together with others then we have a community or a group of like-minded people.

We have made the fence our foundation and God has said that He will shake that foundation to the core.  Think about what your core is, I urge you to read my messages concerning the core and what actually transpires in that area.  I once again want to stress to you that all people are included in this statement from God, there are no exceptions.  As His word rings true so will the things that He will allow to occur in our lives.  My advice is this, get off of our fences that we have made and acknowledge our ways before God and begin the restoration process.  Yes, this includes Christians as well and we have all heard the call for us to search our hearts and see what is not right within, so we have no excuses.

Whether you want to admit it or not God did create us and He created us for a purpose.  Our purpose can be a voluntarily event or an involuntary event.  The voluntary events are the things that we do for His Kingdom on a routine basis.  The involuntary events are the unusual ones that God allows to occur in our lives to move His Kingdom forward.  See in the end God’s Kingdom will reign one way or the other.  God has also built within us a natural fault line and He controls and will use to bring our fences down and when this occurs there is nothing that we can do to prevent the fallout from happening.

Let us volunteer our lives now to be shaken in a Holy manner instead of in a judgmental manner.  Let us become undone to His will and leave our wants and rants on the ground behind us.  Begin to seek His ways and once again graze in the pastures that He has prepared for us.  Let God repair our foundations while there is still time.

Another thought to remember is that when the shaking begins and the people that have refused this call will act violently against others at this time.  This action is a normal human reaction if God is not in control of our lives.  Ironically man will also take part in its own fence destroying process along with what God allows; in other words man will not even recognize what God is doing and will continue to blame each other for the collapse.

What all will be entailed in this shaking?  I do not know and I really do not want to find out but I have a very strong feeling that the human race will ignore this call and we will find out one day soon.  Remember that God has a way of doing things that are inconceivable to the human mind and completing things in ways that humans do not think about, after all He did create us.

God love you and He wants to bless our nation once again.  Heed this warning and begin the restoration process, yes it will be painful and it will leave scars but I can guarantee that He will restore everything that we have lost.  Keep this message close to your heart and share it wherever you feel you must.  Time is short do not hesitate.  There will be a shaking, an incredible shaking from the inside out.

DLB

The Shoe That Changed My Life Part II

The Shoe that Changed My Life Part II

 3/14/12

After the kids had run away and gone about their business I stood on the pier and just looked at the empty boat tied up to the post.  It was at that time that I realized just what that boat and I had in common.  The boat had been built for a purpose and there was a purpose for my life as well.  I had no idea how many voyages that boat had been through or the amount of times it had been in trouble or even served as a rescue shelter in time of need.  I could only venture to guess that hundreds of peoples’ lives had been touched in some way by that boat, yet it sat there tied up empty.

With my new adventure in life beginning to sink into my brain, I realized that my life was similar to that boat in the fact that I had been in many places throughout my life and encountered many things in the world but had never really been exposed to what the world offered the majority of the world.  Yeah, sure I was still a kid and had many new things to learn about life but this event opened my soul up to a new environment that I had never witnessed before and the reality of the world’s conditions hit me like a boulder.

I noticed other kids playing in the water but was numb from my encounter and really did not pay much attention to them.  There was no way that they could have not noticed my facial expressions of shock but they evidently too ignored my presence and continued playing and laughing in the water.  I caught a glimpse of them as they climbed into the abandoned boat and continued their playing, pirates no less I guess that could have been a popular game with them, I do not know.

I then turned back to my left and had another shock to my system.  In this place of desolation and poverty so bad that we really were not advised to lick our lips, a cruise ship was docked across the bay.  It was a fairly large bay but I could easily see the ship.  I could not believe this scene and how much my modern living conditions could return to my senses so quickly with one glance at a somewhat familiar object.  The cruise ship really set my mind into a spin and posed many questions for future pondering.

I do not know exactly how long I had been standing on that pier, but after some time had passed dad called out to me to return to the car and that it was time for us to leave.  As I looked up at him and acknowledged his request, I slowly turned my head and looked back at the boat and the kids playing, smiled and then began walking towards the car.  I began to wonder if dad had witnessed any of these activities and wondered what he would say about them when I told him the details of what occurred.

As I walked from the pier back to dry land, the entire group appeared from the other side of the shack and looked at me.  Fittingly and ironically at the same time my legs became shaky as I began my walk towards the car.  I was weak at the knees but not for the usual teenage boy reasons and as I continued walking the shakiness continued and I thought to myself I don’t know if I can do this or not.  I found the balance I needed as my walk continued but what a weird sensation to have.  The short walk seemed to take forever to complete but it was over in a few seconds.

I said I was coming and they began to get into the car, with the exception of dad.  He waited for me and when I was close enough asked me if I was ok and I began to explain to him what have transpired on the pier.  He did not have much to say about the incident but what he did say struck another blow to my already shattered mind, and it was not a mean statement or anything along those lines but it was a reinforcement statement in which spoke volumes in my life at that time and still rings clear in my life today.  He said that we Americans take for granted everything that God has blessed us with and even the things we toss aside are considered treasures to other people in the world.

I do not believe he understood the magnitude of what just had occurred, and the impact that it was having upon my life; I know he did not because I was just realizing the fallout that was happening.  I approached the car and turned around to take a final look at the bay and the pier, the pictures were still there and it was then I realized that what had just transpired was real and I was not dreaming.  I got into the car and closed the door as a few other Haitians approached the front of the car.  With my inner world crumbling before me I really did not care if I ever got out of that city or returned to the modern world again.  At that moment I knew that I had been changed and that I would not view certain aspects of life the same again.

We began the long dirt road trek out of the area, slowly since, to my amazement, a few people continued to ascend from the metal and cardboard shacks from each side.  As we proceeded towards the main road the general conversational topic inside the car was concerning how the recently past situation had played out and the general consensus of all the adult occupants was one of fear for their lives when the vast hoard of people rushed to our location.  I remember a time when President Clinton went to Africa and a similar situation occurred that was caught on worldwide television slightly panicked when the crowd pressed against him.  As I watched that scene I knew exactly how he felt and what was going through his mind at that time.

As we continued the trek to the main road I was continually amazed of how many people appeared out of the alleys and watched us as we slowly drove away.  On each of their faces one could see the deep anguish of poverty and slavery to that society in which they once again realized that hope was slipping from their grasp.  They were not violent in any way towards us nor were they angry that they did not receive any gifts from our party.  They just silently watched us leave the area and then slowly returned to their community confines.

As we turned on the main road and began our journey back to the hotel, I sat in the back seat and basically said nothing for the remaining ride, just listened to the conversations that were continuing between the adults in the car, which was fine I had many things on my mind at the time.  The ride back to the hotel took about thirty minutes or so and no further developments occurred that day.  I did not realize exactly what had happened in my life at that time but as the trip proceeded I found myself looking at the people of Haiti and their living conditions in a different light; which this new enlightenment of mine would continue within me up until the present time of my life.

Dad knew that the events of the day had shaken me quite a bit especially when he asked if I was ok and I immediately asked to opt out for the meeting that evening.  Dad agreed to let me stay in the hotel alone and go on to the meeting without me, in fact I had attended my last meeting for the entire trip the previous night.

One shoe changed my life on a permanent basis.  It is difficult for many people to understand how this could happen with a small kid that comes up to you and says a few words and then leaves could possibly change your entire thinking process, especially when you are a kid yourself.  To be honest, It was God that allowed that change in me that day, it was God that showed that boy where to run to and say thank you.  It was God who allowed my heart to be opened just slightly enough to hear His words speak to me through that young kid.  It is God who opened my eyes, in a very normal and courteous human way that most would have shrugged off as simple gratuity.  Yes, God does get our attention in His own way and timing and yes, it is God who desires to wake us up and restore His love to us.

DLB

The Shoe That Changed My Life Part I

The Shoe that Changed My Life

 3/13/12

The mission field is an open book when it comes to the experiences to those that God calls into this ministry.  Each chapter of these trips or long term stays defines a new opportunity for the person to understand why people are in desperate need of God in their lives.  My first experience on a short mission trip was to a poor country which opened my eyes to how cruel the world can be and also to realize that God does truly bless those who take these trips in ways that are unimaginable.

The year was 1985 and a very slight fall chill was in the air in southeast Texas.  My dad had received a correspondence letter from a “missionary” that lived in Haiti.  Dad was compelled to answer this letter and acknowledge his interest in coming down to Haiti for an observation trip for the possibility of pursuing future projects.  Mom and dad discussed it amongst themselves and presented the idea of me travelling with dad to Haiti.  I agreed and dad made all of the necessary travel arrangements.  We would leave from Houston and go to Port-au-Prince, Haiti in October.

Well, everything was planned, trip mapped out, plane reservations made and even a small banana box of shoes was to be taken down to give out to the people in one of the neighborhoods.  As time approached to leave all of the rechecking of plans, tickets, etc were completed and everything was in order, with one exception….my head J  My head was fixated on a girl from Vidor named Greta and that was all that mattered to me at that moment.  So much so, on the night before we were to leave for Haiti I went to her church in Vidor and after dad calling the pastor of the church trying to locate Greta’s phone number, I showed up home over an hour late and handing my dad a speeding ticket I had just received trying to make it home before curfew.  So, the scene is set for my trip.

Dad and I left very early the next morning and arrived in Houston a couple of hours later.  We got all checked in at the airport, which that process was a whole lot simpler at that time, and sat down at the gate and waited for boarding.  We boarded our flight and took off for Miami International Airport.  I had never flown into Miami before and when I got off of the plane I quickly realized that I really did not want to ever fly into that airport again.  It was ugly and it was a mess.  We had to board our next flight in the International terminal and it looked like the entire international community had just left that portion of the airport.  Another realization that I had found out was that the flight from Miami to Port-au-Prince was actually shorter than the Houston to Miami leg, but that was a minor detail.

We boarded the American Airlines passenger plane and promptly lifted off to the country of Haiti.  The flight was pleasant and flying out of the country for the first time made me a tad nervous but I was with dad who had already been on several overseas trips before, so I was not too concerned.  We were to be met at the airport by the “missionary” that dad had been in contact with so things were looking even better.  We landed safely and began taxing to the building.  We pulled up close to a small white building that was about three hundred yards long.  I learned quickly that I was “not in Kansas anymore” when the little truck brought up the steps to the jet and our journey next took us on a hot tarmac about 50 yards from the terminal.

Now, being from Texas I had been auditoriums and stadiums that held a very large crowd, but I was not prepared for the mass of humanity that greeted us when we entered into the terminal building.  As I stated before, the terminal was not a very large building but there were people everywhere in that place.  This was my first taste of international travel and it was raising my eyebrows right from the start.  It took us quite awhile to get into the hallway of the terminal so that we could proceed to the baggage claim area. 

We saw our contact which he was not easy to miss, besides my dad and myself he was basically the only other white person in the building.  Both parties greeted each other and exchanged formalities at the same time.  We slowly proceeded over to the baggage claim area and retrieved our luggage and began to squeeze our way back through the mass of humanity to reach end of the building and breathe fresh air once again.

There are many ways that I could take this story but I have to concentrate on one area, but I will give a short account of the countryside before I proceed.  The majority of Haiti is mountainous with a few cities that dot that landscape.  Port-au-Prince and its surrounding communities basically make up the entire valley along the coast.  The roads are mediocre at best with cars flying around in all directions and no matter where we went there were a multitude of vehicles.  The entire country is not very clean and one can see a steady flow of sewage running down the street curbs at any point of the day.  In a nutshell, Haiti is considered to be the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and we could tell that statement is true not one hundred yards away from the airport. 

My official job on the trip was to be the photographer.  Dad had some speaking engagements lined up for him and I was to roam around the room and take pictures of the scenes as they unfolded.  This went well for the first meeting and I believed that I could handle this status.  People always want their picture taken and placing them in a crowd with the white preacher was something that they seemed to like, so for the next hour or so, I began to burn up a roll of film.

The next day’s events changed my plans for the remaining trip, in fact those events still flash through my mind when I hear of some people in this country acting in a certain manner.  The event as it occurred was not a religious moment at the time but it was a slap in the face ego smashing moment that awakened my inner being to an entire new realm of humanity.  Many of you remember the major earthquake that struck this country a few years back.  The part of the city that was struck dad and I visited and from viewing the living conditions of that area I could not believe that people had the ability to live in a state like these people did.  It absolutely blew my mind.

As we pulled off the main highway and entered onto a dirt road, I began to notice that on both sides of the road were shacks that were just placed next to each other; literally next to each other since the wall of one shack served as a support to the neighbors wall, it was that close.  And was we slowly drove down the path I would glance at the smaller paths of dirt that separated the sides of the “street” so to speak and as far as my eye could see, I saw shacks.  The dirt path that we were on was approximately one mile long or so and it ended at a pier.  The driver turned the car around and faced the nose of the car back down the path; which I learned in  due time that this maneuver was strategic.

We got out of the car and opened the trunk and pulled out the single small banana box of shoes and stood around for a few minutes talking.  It did not take long for the news to filter through the “neighborhood” that some white folks were here and they had gifts to hand out.  Now, playing sports most of my life and noticing when the opponents are closing in around you, you realize that you have to make some quick adjustments so that you are not trapped hence the strategic parking of the car.  Within five minutes it looked like an entire city was descending upon us, and to be honest most of the population of that area was approaching.

As the people began to press against us they we finally were able to hear the language that they were speaking, it was Creole but we could not understand a word they said; however, dad and I understood from the looks on their faces and their bare feet that they wanted and needed shoes.  Our one box of shoes disappeared within seconds.  As more people began to come along the dirt path some men came along side us with wooden clubs.  Boy, the thoughts that now plagued our minds and the brief moment when we believed that these men actually were going to beat us with the clubs.  This was not the case, they began to beat the people to get them away from us, but the people continued to swarm; and then fun times ensued shortly afterwards J 

I stood there and watched these six or seven men drive an entire crowd of people away with their words and small pieces of wood.  The panic levels begin to recede within us and we finally got a grasp on what had just occurred.  I could give so many details of these few minutes but I once again must stay on my projected path.  I slowly eased my way over towards the car and looked at the pier that went out to the water.  I noticed a small boat that was tied up against one of the poles.  It was very old and run down but I knew that some people had to have called that place home.  I walked towards the boat along the pier and stopped about 2/3rds of the way down.  I heard some boys running and eventually realized that they were coming towards me.  I also noticed that all of these boys had no shoes on their feet yet they were trucking down that wooden pier like they were on a groomed track.

The boy that was leading the pack was the tallest of the group and most likely the oldest, but I dare not venture to guess his age.  As he approached me I noticed that he was carrying one shoe in his hand.  My first thought was that he wanted me to get another shoe for him, but clearly that was not his intention.  What this kid was about to do would bring my spirit, mind, body, soul, appetite, way of thinking, crumbling to the ground.  The kid walked up to me took my right hand, knelt down on one knee, kissed my hand, looked up at me and in Creole said “thank you for my shoe”  Haitian Creole is a mixture of English, French and Spanish, with a few other tribal dialects thrown into the mix.  The boy then got to his feet and ran off with the other boys, never for me to see again.  The one small detail that I noticed about that one shoe that he carried was that it was probably three sizes too big for his foot.  A kid who was grateful for one shoe was what brought me to my knees and what would change my way of thinking about everyday necessities forever.

Up until that point in my life I had never known hunger or lack of a necessity.  This experience also showed me what a necessity really was and how important the difference is between a want and a need.  What does this have to do with restoration or God?  Many aspects point to a loving God who supplies all needs of humans.  One shoe was supplied to a kid that day and he acted like he had just won

As humans, we need to make sure that our spiritual ears are open to what God is saying.  Dad had no idea of what one small fruit box of shoes could stir up and I had no idea of what just one shoe could mean to a child.  Be open to other people’s needs and allow God to show you what you can do to help out these people in their time of need.  I have no idea what that kid did with that shoe but God does and God also knew that he needed it for some reason.  It is very easy for us to forget that people live in these types of conditions and that they need to know that God loves them, and also we must not forget that God loves them just as much as He loves us.

DLB

P.S.  As I was writing this message, God placed many more ideas in my mind for future messages.  This short trip that dad and I took brought to light so many different aspects of life and how we perceive it.  I understand now why God allowed me to take this trip; it was my first divulgence into the spirit world.  Part 2 of this message is to follow….

The End of the Highway

The End of the Highway

3/12/12

Life portrays a fast lane experience that provides the human eye with an array of opportunities and choices that will supply every want of the race.  Modern living sets the stage for a liberal agenda which seems so vast that its invitation is clear to the soul that it is the correct choice of opportunity.  What life does not tell you is that when we have consumed ourselves at this pace we as humans tend to focus on our own worlds and ignore the oncoming traffic.  This message came to me years after the event occurred but it is so fitting for the situation of the current times and should serve as a thinking point to our surroundings.

Ask my parents, Keith Green has always been a favorite composer of mine and I have always held his music close to my heart.  Keith passed away in a plane crash in the early 80s, but thanks to modern technology, I am still capable of listening to his music when I feel the need.  Keith Green wrote a song called “Run to the End of the Highway”.  Back in the 80s it became one of my favorite songs.  I have listened to this song for decades and loved its message each time it is played, but at least I thought I had heard its message.

I took a trip with my dad and my brother in late summer of 1997.  It was a trip to Africa!!!  It would be my first trip outside of the western hemisphere, to a distant country to experience another type of living.  I had previously journeyed with dad to Haiti and El Salvador but this trip was going to be different in many ways.  Yes, it was going to be a spiritual conference, with evangelistic sessions, and even a baptismal service that you would have to personally experience to put it into words.  Scenery that you have read about in books, seen in movies, but to see it first hand, what an amazing experience it was going to be.

The scene would be war torn Cote D’Ivoire; a hard country with a very captive history both physically and spiritually.  It is known that in the colonial periods of world history that the Gold Coast, as the entire area was called, has many riches in its land.  Ivory, gold, fruit, oil are common but the more expensive commodity was slaves and the entire slave trade industry.  Its leaders of the recent past have also been hard on the people and the country itself.  Many known and unknown atrocities have occurred during this recent past, with suffering that is mind boggling if studied closely.  And now I have stepped foot into this environment…welcome to the new surroundings and everything that it has to offer.

The Africa portion of the trip begins in Abidjan, which is the largest city in the country and the financial capital of the country.  All major dealings of the country are directed through this city, both nationally and internationally.  The American group, which accumulated in New York City, will be divided between two hotels, the Hotel Golf and the International Hotel.  A few days stay at this location and then we would be off to the conference for the remaining of the trip.  Abidjan is a thriving metropolis with the majority of modern accessories located within a few miles of each other; however, at the same time you still notice the oddities that surround the entire area.

Yamoussoukro is the main center of attraction for the trip, the place where all things were to accumulate with a huge revival and spiritual meetings which and it actually happened.  It was a wonderful experience that I shall never forget and one day would like to experience again.  But the Yamoussoukro meetings and revival is not the focus of this message.  It was the surroundings that were present that began on the way up to Yamoussoukro and would continue until…the end of the highway.

Yamoussoukro is a town that was “built” literally by a past leader of the country.  It was his home village and he wished that it would be a center of attraction for his country.  Billions were spent on the infrastructure of the town with nothing spared.  Five star, high rise hotels were everywhere, a golf course adjacent to one of them groomed as a golf course should.  The second largest Catholic Basilica in the world was built in the town along with one of the world’s largest Mosques.  At least four universities outlined the town with most of the modern courses available to students, whether or not the courses and degrees offered were useful to the land was of no consequence.  Roads and highways lined the town, beautifully constructed and easily driven upon when needed.  And I am not going to mention the huge United Nations building complex that was used only about twice a year and would be the place where the leadership meetings would occur.

Sounds like a well developed place, right?  As you drove by these monuments and rode on the streets, even with their beauty one thing stood out to me; the majority of the streets ended abruptly, with no warning, with the jungle staring at you.  The scenery kind of reminded me of the south where there are many trees that surround the roads, and sometimes you can feel like you are living in a hole.  But this place was different, so much that in the back of your mind you know you are in Africa but you see modern buildings right in front of you.  What is different? The jungle makes the entire difference.

After a rally in the local soccer stadium, we loaded up into the bus and were heading back to the hotel for lunch.  Now, I am not familiar with the roads in Yamoussoukro so I cannot tell you if this way was a normal route, but I do know that my eyes were opened when we stopped at an intersection, and then made a turn towards the direction of our hotel.  It was a quick glimpse to my left and for just a second and then it was behind me.  My eyes saw the jungle, only about 15 yards from where we were turning.  Not just a few branches or a few trees…but a jungle.  So thick that you could not see anything past the first row of trees.  Yes, jungle.  I had been drawn into the beauty of the monuments and the surroundings and then all of a sudden reality hits jungle. 

I remember that I could not believe my eyes with the sudden change of scenery.  A few hours ago, a few streets over, I was standing in front of, and then entering, the second largest Catholic Basilica in the world, taking pictures of a well groomed banana grove, and a few minutes before I was sitting in a modern stadium with thousands of people present and now a few hundred yards down this one road I am staring at the jungle.  The road just ends; no warnings nor signs present, it just ends.  It looks like the jungle rose up and claimed what it was rightfully its own.  My modern mind could not believe that such a thing could happen, but in this land, this reality occurs on a daily basis. 

I was always told, watched movies, and read books that Sub-Saharan Africa was nothing but jungles.  This was not news to me; yet, when I was told that that it takes so many man hours to keep the jungle in “its place” and if man did not keep up with the jungle, the jungle would actually take back claim its territory over the roads, I could not believe my ears.  What??  All of the groomed yards and buildings cannot keep the jungle away?  Even the banana groves clustered around have the same issues?  See the jungle in sub-Saharan Africa is the natural terrain of the land and humans have to continually work at keeping the jungle from reclaiming its territory, which this process serves as a monumental task to complete.

Stop and think about our paths in life for a minute.  What happened??  We were fine, having it easy, everything is running smoothly and then “it” happens.  We realize that we have been following a grand path that leads to nowhere.  We stop and look around..jungle on three sides of us and a long road back.  The first thought that enters our minds is….how far does the jungle, or obstacle in front of us, go and I wonder how long it would take to get through it.  As we turn and look at our fourth option, we realize that taking the long road back is not enticing, we also now realize that while driving this long road we are now alone and nowhere else to go.

Don’t forget that the jungle is actually the natural landscape of the country and all of the easy travelling has been paved before you.  You have to know for sure that you are headed in the correct direction and that the person giving you directions, or driving you, knows exactly what they are doing and knows where they are taking you.  The jungle serves a purpose but so does the road that you are travelling; which of the surroundings are you going to pay attention to more closely.  The answer is obvious, as humans we are going to take the easy road and the more scenic route.  But what is your guide saying?

Be still…and know your driver J  He shall lead you down the straight, narrow and safe path.  It may get rocky and have bumps along the way, but He will guide you as long as you listen to Him and what He is saying.  Don’t get caught looking at the surroundings and lose sight of the master plan in your life.  I am not saying not to look at your surroundings, there are many wonderful things to experience in life; but remember to keep your eyes on your driver and your ears open to his voice.

Once again it took over a decade for me to figure something out that God wanted me to see.  It was shocking to learn that, at least for this moment the convention was not the center of attention, it was the road that led me to the convention center and where that road eventually ended.  If you do reach the end of the highway…stop, turn around and locate your driver again.  Talk to Him and listen to His directions.  It might seem a tad silly and people might look at you funny, but in the long run it will be worth it.  Be still…..and know.  Keith, the message that you gave to us decades ago still rings out loud today. God is the ultimate driver of your life, even though He allows us to make our own turns in life He is always ready to help when needed.  My advice is this; stay on that long straight road and keep your heart’s eyes and ears on your driver and your road, even though the jungle is present, your result in life will be greater in the end.

DLB