I have many heavy things on my heart today .... stepping back over the past few days, weeks and months. Before I get into anything - I just want you to know that I love you. Those are words on my heart and on the edge of my lips all the time. Why? Because I think far too often we let things go unsaid instead of saying them. We don't talk to our kids because we don't know what to say. We don't lead our families because we don't know how to lead.... Our kids, the give me generation, mostly doesnt want us because we are not providing them with stuff to make them happy and in reality - they would only be happy for a few minutes if we did give them the stuff - they would move onto the next thing. Christmas mornings can sometimes be the saddest mornings of all - not because of what we get - just because we get so much and rip and tear open one thing to the next - never really thinking about the time it took to get that gift, the money spent on it and the time it took for someone to put their heart into it.
Last night during the fair I just couldnt help but to notice the smiles on our faces. Lasting smiles burned into the lives of everyone because we put aside the needs and wants of ourselves and tucked away the complaints and invested in the long term. 20 years from now .... we will remember last night as a time with family, fun, rides, $1 pepsi's, food, the funny dunk tank lady, petting the animals, feeding the animals, whistling to make the turkey gobble..... friendships strengthened and renewed. Investments........

Many of us are struggling with something. We are in either 3 places - in trouble, just getting out of trouble or getting ready to get into trouble. Jesus has told us a life following Him is not easy, it wont keep us from the troubles of this world - but to have FAITH. Faith is what separates us from everyone else... they have fear. Faith us believing the Word of God and acting upon it, no matter how I feel, because God promises a good result.
That is sometimes really hard to do. There are days when we are down, unmotivated and looking at everything that is wrong. Those are the tough days to get through. Faith is seeing the good in all things no matter what and focusing on them. All the while thanking God for the struggles - maybe God is trying to remove doubt in your life - or maybe pride - maybe even a lack of trust.
See God uses our tragedies in life to turn them into His trophies. That is an awesome thing if we would just do our part. See God just doesn't want our money or our time .... he has what he doesnt have.
ALL OF US - every area of our lives. We have to model these things for our kids. If we don't - they will get those things from others and that avenue usually doesnt end well. MTV has raised a few generations now. Look at where that is leading our kids today. They are asking their friends questions instead of coming to us or a trusted adult who is close to them.

You are at a place right now in life that serves a purpose. You may not like it. It may be painful. It has a purpose and God does not waste ANY example or wasted effort. Keep running if you want.... that path surely is not where you belong at least for the best in the long run. May feel good now, it may feel right and your needs are being met above everyone elses... but that will only last for so long. God is in that cancer or sickness you have. God is in that marriage that you are running from. God is in the leadership of your family and of your children. There is purpose in there....... like exercise - we only know how good we are at something until we get on our shoes, dig up our sleeves and get to it. Hard at first but necessary in learning.

Loved ones, as I look around and see the struggles - struggles in our marriages, communications, our children and even in our church.... I can't help but to feel I want to give you the answer. The fix to the issues that are dragging us down. My answer is not just Jesus.... but ALL of Jesus. I don't know what to pray specifically for you for. I am not in your heart or in the hearts of your children. But I do know Jesus does and He wants to hear from you. As I try my best to find common ground in a few places in my own life and in the lives of a few around me ...God is making a way for common ground for you as well. It will either be a tough path to get there or one that has a will of readiness. Yes Lord, Yes.
I am not going to pray and ask specifics, lottery winnings to pay off the credit cards - A new husband - A new boyfriend or a child who doesn't slam the door in my face when he/she is doing wrong. But Lord - what can I do for You? Put aside the things and ask God what you can do FOR HIM? Being humbled is a place that gives us peace.
I can remember when my mom was sick and again when my father n law passed. Folks came to the house and served us - meals for months at a time. It was a humbling experience being served like that. It puts hearts back together again. It puts friendships and marriages back together again. These marriages and relationships will only work when we are all committed to serving. Put aside the differences and serve. Serve your spouse, your children, your marriage - your church.
There is a lot at stake here loved ones. Nobody ever expects the surprises in life. That lunch date next Wednesday is never checked on the calendar for the car crash and the ER visit. They happen when we least expect them.

There is no greater joy than what I experienced last night over those incredible smiles. All because we put aside our agenda's and served each other with our time, money and in our return smiles. Does a heart good for sure.

Lord I thank You for this day. I thank You for last night and the experience of something so small as a smile but so important as a smile. Its because there is heart full of love behind those smiles Lord. I thank You for Your son Jesus, for He showed us the quality of love and the capability of what love does and stands for. Lord I pray that You do the impossible for us on our own but to get in the details of our struggles. Get in the way so that we don't see those struggles as things holding us back but a thing that moves us away from because of the glory and lessons learned from them. May we see only You in front of these things. May we praise you as our hearts are humbled to serving each other and see our lives changed because we know you a little deeper because of all this stuff going on. Yes Lord, Yes........ I pray those are the words of your people today. I pray all this in your sons mighty name in Jesus. Amen