A new day.....

It is a new day today. A day that I woke up this morning and thanked God for before I even got out of bed. I look forward to what the day may bring and in my abilities in what the Lord has given me. I pray that God will use me in a special way today for Him.

I want to tell everyone that yesterday I was so proud of Carol. Not only is she having to be the main caregiver for her dad during all this, but she is still running the household. I mean like every single detail as usual. Yesterday our son Kyle asked if he could go out to eat with his friend and his family. Carol asked where they were going and Kyles friend said they were going to hooters. Carol thought for a minute and said that hooters was a not a place that we want our son to be going to because of what it represents. Kyles friend said, but we go there for the wings! Yea ok .... do you believe that? So once the word got back to the family that Kyle was not going with them and the reason why - a new place was chosen for them to eat at. Kyle had a good time but my point I wanted to share this morning with this story is - that Carol took a stand for what was right and did not bend - even if it meant Kyle didn't get to go out with his friend and his family. The point was made clear of where we stand as a family and where we stand in Christ and His values to his friend and his family. I am proud of you Carol!
Accepting Christ means that your life will change. The tv shows you watch on tv change - the computer time will change and where you surf the internet- even if it is on UTube - the magazines, the talk shows, the places you eat, your language - it all changes. If God has truely come into your heart, you will take a stand for God and for what is right - no matter what. Yes we all fail at times with all this but we always come back and we always ask God for forgiveness. I know lots of folks who go to church, call themselves a christian and seem to do all the right things - but is Christ being used as just a check mark? Is church a place where you meet friends, a check mark checked until the next Sunday and you go back into your life for the rest of the week? That is such a sad place to be in life. You are missing out on the best and biggest of the blessings God has for you. When we come before God on Sundays, the Word should sink in, it should challenge you and change you and convict you - it should give you a new look on life and your daily walk - it should change your week! Church is not a check mark in life - you have to have a personal relationship with Jesus - He has to be the main focus and at the center of all you do, your relationships, your marriage, your work, your children - in your leadership and decisions. Otherwise you are just setting yourself up for failure. I heard someone say yesterday that selfish people have such an easy life because everything revolves around them. What they want to do - when, where and how - its all about them. Once we open our hearts to Christ - we open ourselves up to others - we are about doing Gods work in serving others. It no longer becomes about you - it becomes - about others. Your heart opens up to others and its their problems and struggles before your own. The circle increases and expands. There is such meaning and purpose in that - yes relationships are complicated - people are complicated - people that are selfish are only looking out for what they can get and their hearts are not in the truth and for standing for what is right. Their worlds are small because it only revolves around them.

Carol - I am proud of you for standing strong - for not just giving in but for leading and passing along an important lesson to our son and for an important message to another family of what is acceptable and what is not. What if we all imagine our living rooms with Jesus in the room - would you put that tv show on? Would you visit that web site? Would you let your child do this or that? What if I said - the each morning Jesus is sitting in your living room waiting on your couch for you to come and share a story, a lesson and a conversation with him? Would you hit that snooze button or just walk out of the house headed to work? I think not - Your life would be different and you would be sitting on your couch in the morning having some quiet time focused on God - preparing your day ahead and then leaving for work or starting your day.

Change can happen, loneliness can be overcome, hurtful things in your past can be taken away, life can take a new path, today could be a new beginning to something amazing - a relationship with Jesus and a life centered around serving others - it means dying to yourself and living for others.

My heart is heavy for those this morning who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus.... and it might just be you.

Remember what 1 Corinthians 1:18 says? "Preaching about the cross sounds foolish to those who are dying in sin. But it is the power of God to those of us who are being saved from the punishment of sin."

Randy~