I have to admit, I love coffee. I also love the break that comes with it. The two go hand in hand and in those afternoon moments sharing a coffee and conversation for me is what its all about. This morning I picked up a few of my close kids to take them to YCI and in getting them early - we had time to stop and grab a quick breakfast. I sipped my coffee and they ate, we shared a few things about how life has been since we were last together, we had a few laughs and then as I stopped the truck to let them out to go into school - we prayed together.
I love those coffee moments. I love that pause in life that it brings. Its during those coffee conversations that the real relationships happen. Today, at 2:00ish will be another coffee conversation moment as my coffee buddy here at work will be getting ready for her final exam at 3:00. I look forward to the conversation, though only rarely spiritual but important nonetheless.
Last night while coming back from Kyles last wrestling match of the year, I was getting onto the highway and I said to miss Emilee who will soon be driving - this part of driving is always the scariest. Meaning, as you begin to go down the entrance ramp to get onto the highway - you have to give it some gas and put your foot into it to get up to speed that way when you get to merge into traffic, you are at speed with everyone else. Accidents happen when you get on too fast, drive too slow and merge on and I have even seen some crazy folks actually stop and wait for an opening to get on. Sometimes just getting up to speed with everyone else around you can be a scary thing.
We all have different speeds in life. Some are comfortable speeding around and changing lanes all the time. Some a soft and stick to the rules and obey the speed limits. Some are distracted more than others. As you gain experience so do you gain confidence. Our walk with the Lord is much the same way. Heading down the entrance ramp to Gods highway - we have different ways that we were taught to get on and to stay on. One thing is for certain that the all time great truth in this life is that its difficult and often unfair. The better we are at seeing through trials in our lives and to what they can produce not only in our lives but our childrens, the better able we'll be to provide calmness, assurance, and genuine love to the people around us even in the midst of trying times. I would have to say that often times trials in our life have the capacity to bring strength, maturity, courage, genuine love, righteousness and perserverance to those who are willing to be trained by them.
Notice the word, willing - see often times we see our trials as a road block on that entrance ramp to God highway. We continue to shell out the words in our life - "What if" - What if this thing was not blocking me, what if this person would help me, what if I had the money to do that.
What if - you just listened to God and did what he said loved ones?

Sometimes getting to a place in our journey we have to remove the what if and be willing to look at our trials differently. We have to see them for what they are and see past them. God is in those trials but do we really see God over those trials? So many of us focus on the trial itself, the bad relationship, the child who is chosing poorly, the money that is just not coming in, that we lose focus on the bigger picture. We forget that the trial is there to teach us but we must be willing to see if for what it is and then rise above it.
James 1:19 - My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. BUt the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.

They say life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we react. Isn't that so true? I mean stuff does happen to us in this life but often times how we handle those things often times determines how painful they are.
I want to share this video from the I am Second website. Its part of a bible study message I am doing and this video today really showed me how God puts all things back together in his perfect way.
http://www.iamsecond.com/#/seconds/the_scruggs/

When God is involved in your situations and you are seeking His voice and guidance much like the verse above says - But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but DOING IT - will be blessed in what he does...... Look into Gods perfect words, take his advice and instruction and trails of various kinds and be willing to let those things shape and mold you .... after all if you are walking with Christ and striving for the things of him - You will do these things and see them differently because you are not IN your trials ~ You are ABOVE your trials.

Happy birthday to Kyle today. 13 today which is hard to believe. I am so proud of you. As in your season of wrestling, it didnt go as planned buddy, but you never gave up and you never quit. You have something in you that God has created very special and I am excited to see God use you in amazing ways. Keep him centered and grounded in your life buddy - I will never look at the past mistakes in life but always look ahead in the promises and what God is going to do through you. Love you man ........ daddy.