A brief summary of 2013 – the ups and downs and thanks for it all.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
It’s hard to comprehend just how much you have done for me. But let me try.
So many sicknesses that you have healed or enabled our bodies to fight. Family members that have been drawn closer to you through brushes with ‘terminal’ sickness – and opportunities for continued restoration of relationship through it all. As well as increased faith of my children as they pray and see direct answers to prayer regarding fear, faith and healing. Laying a foundation for their faith and the start of a real relationship with you. Thank you dad.
So many near misses in cars, trucks, bobcats, motorbikes and more. Much more – many due to my own stupidity or lack of insight, yet you still protect and slowly allow me to see the folly of my ways. I’m still alive! No major injuries for myself or family. Wow, just wow. Thank you dad.
And safety from a vast array of animals that could cause serious problems or death. An ever deeper understanding that these creatures are indeed amazing and dangerous and powerful – but they do not control our destiny – but you do. The enjoyment and thrill of these creatures in their own habitat, when respected – up close and tightly interdependent on the land they live in. The owls, lizards, eagles, snakes, scorpions, monitors, spiders, stingrays, magpies, all so different and each brings it’s own marvel. Thank you dad
And the millions of little things that would mean nothing to anyone else, but are so big for me – the individual things, the things no one else knows about. When you and you alone were there – the only One I could turn to. Thank you dad.
And even in that – you have helped me turn to you – breaking down such a stubborn and independent habit to rely on myself and turn away – so that more and more, sooner and sooner I turn to you. Thank you dad.
You have continually blessed me with protection and provision of food, shelter and finances – even when I mis-use it. Thank you dad.
You have put people around me to encourage, share the journey, challenge me and also rub against me the ‘wrong’ way so that I can see my own faults. And with those faults, you are gently helping me and removing the reasons. Thank you dad.
As I look back it is easy to see so many wrong decisions, so many mistakes and continual fumbles and guesses – but at each one, I see you with your love, grace and forgiveness. So caring, so tender, so strong. Thank you dad.
And when I step back and look at it all – you have somehow turned all this mess into good for me and those around me. My failures and bad decisions, and those of others, somehow work out for my good and theres thanks to your love, kindness and wisdom. Thank you dad.
You have walked with me, encouraged me, rebuked me, called me closer, deeper and even, in your love, turned away at times. But you have always been there for me, ready, when I decide, to turn to you. Thank you dad.
You have given me life, created a planet for me to live on with food and environment to sustain my life and put things here for me to enjoy – too many to name. More and more I am starting to actually look, listen, smell and enjoy. Thank you dad.
Despite your incomprehensible Holiness, and my complete dirty sinfulness, You have made a way for me to made perfect in your sight, totally forgiven and even adopted as your own child! Thank you dad!
Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for your Son – without Him the story would be so different.
Help me Lord, by your Spirit, to live the life you called me to and planned for me so long ago. Draw me closer and let me continually remember that it is *all* about you. That when I trust in you, the pressure is off – I know I will make wrong decisions and mistakes, but I can let myself fall into your arms of grace, trusting not only will you catch me, comfort me and put me back on my feet, you will somehow turn the bad decisions I make into good for me. Please let me remain thankful.
And help me be that sort of dad!
Thank you dad. Thank you God
And Thank you to those, who despite my extreme and weird ways, are still there. A heartfelt thanks.
Psalm 68:5-6 (NLT)
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
But he makes the rebellious live in a sun- scorched land
Ephesians 3:1-8 (NLT)
All praise to God, the a Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual b blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. * Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. * God c decided in advance to d adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. * So we praise God for the glorious e grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. * He is so f rich in kindness and grace that he g purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. * He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding
We have a choice, worship God & give Him thanks or allow the results to follow:
Romans 1:20-32 (NLT)
* For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
* Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. * Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. * And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever- living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
* So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. * That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. * And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
* Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. * Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarrelling, deception, malicious behaviour, and gossip. * They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. * They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. * They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too