All posts by John

Things Done For Us

December 7, 2014 John Leave a comment

Is it important to realize when someone has done something for us? Obviously I’m thinking first of all that God does for us. Seems there’s an illustration that is close to home for me…literally. When I have a weekend at home I try to do things for my wife, often when she is at work on Sunday.

Several things can happen. If she sees what I have done–she comments. “Thanks for doing ______” Sometimes she doesn’t notice what it is I did while she was at work and I will get a thanks for “everything you did for me”. Kind of a catch all, she knows I did stuff but hasn’t yet seen it so…”everything you did for me”.

So, here’s the interesting question. If she doesn’t see something done…is is valueless? What is the value of something I’ve done that she hasn’t realized? There is some value, of course, cause it was done FOR HER.

With some things, I just tell her, “here’s what I did for you…” And, I get sincere thanks from her for whatever it was. She knows I’ll do stuff….just not specifics of what I did that day. If she asks for something that is the most likely stuff I’d do! I know its important to her since she actually requested I do it for her.

** But here is the thing I’ve noticed. When she sees, she uses/avails herself of it, and then she responds…that is the most valuable/meaningful situation! Isn’t it? I did something and she sees/enjoys/responds. It seems to maximize the impact on both of us…

Hmmm

Interesting dynamic between asking, seeing, thanking, feeling loved/blessed…

Living

Losing the Moment

December 3, 2014 John Leave a comment

Sometimes we do flow into those special moments of intimacy. Of being flooded with gratitude from realization of God’s hand in our lives. Seeing His activity, or maybe strongly suspecting it. Wow…wonderful feelings. Often, we find our hearts speaking out in emotional thanks and amazement. Emotions that are strange but wonderful. So special…

Then, a stray thought shocks us to reality. “It is late, I better get ready for work…” or something else…just a slight jab of reality gently nudging. But that is all it takes. The moment of intimacy and emotion and wonder starts to slip away. We have to fight to keep in it. Sometimes we can, sometimes those “I better…” thoughts are just too strong. Too late, they are gone. Too late…Too late…

Living

Intimate Moments

November 25, 2014 John Leave a comment

Our intimate times with our wives are often like such times with the Lord. We share moments together with our wives…closeness that is more than just sight and touch but feelings and emotions.,..and that delightful sense of being “in the moment” …and experiencing intimacy to its fullest.

We also share such moments with the Lord. We sit and recall the Lord’s Grace, think of recent lovingkindness, past things He’s done…we find ourselves in the moment experiencing intimacy and gratefulness to the fullest. Such times are bathed with emotion, flow into prayer, even a sense of worship…

Structured services like in church try to assist with this process. Songs, prayer, preaching. Though sincere and well meant they aren’t as effective as that relaxed flow of our spirit into such moments. Orchestration is well meant, but such intimate moments can’t be forced. Intimacy with our wives can’t be forced just by certain steps or mechanically doing certain things. It is difficult to force ourselves to feel in the moment…

Both kinds of intimacy require a more relaxed mode with no sense of being forced or of time being limited. There are no precise steps to be taken, instead its a gradual flow and a relaxed sense of awareness. Certain things are helpful leading to these times of being in the moment…

Sitting outside I can have such moments in the morning. I want these moments but they don’t happen automatically. I set up the circumstances and move in that direction. AS with such times with my wife, the circumstances need to be conducive. When they are…such moments often take place…and, whether with my wife or with the Lord, they are sweet. I can be in the moment, hold on to that delight, and savor that enveloping awareness of closeness and intimacy… and feel so much gratitude.

They are indeed wonderful moments… but…they slip away so fast.

Once the moment is over we seem to slip back into a routine or get caught up in the steps of life itself. The moments, though special, recede into foggy memories…though pleasant they fade with the hours and the days. Life aggressively reasserts itself–the calls to be made, the cries of children, even the thoughts of the tasks we put on just hold to have these moments…

God's Activity

Did God…?

November 25, 2014 John Leave a comment

Was God involved in that or did it just happen? When I got this cool place to live in Portland, was it a gift from God and did He have something to do with it? We tend to lean toward “yes, of course He did!” on larger stuff. Jobs, homes, cars, spouses. The big stuff is easy to attribute to God. And, hopefully, we’re aware and grateful for such things.

What about less important things? Did the used TV I just found for a super price have God’s involvement? What about that book I’ve enjoyed so much? The taste of that meal I just consumed? So, where do we draw that magical line that separates the “God blessed me” from the “it just happened” items. Let’s see…car or bigger He’s involved, Tv or smaller not? What if it is a big screen does that change it? Get’s a bit confusing.

We naturally think He is so big He can’t be involved in any less than the biggest of life’s issues. Marriage, jobs, houses, cars…we know the stuff–it just seems obvious. He’s got time and interest in those things and so when they happen we’re aware and grateful. We may even publicly acknowledge it or put it on Facebook.

The part I find confusing is determining when it is big enough, and when it is just things happening. Small TV no, big screen yes? Hmmmm. What if it isn’t size or value that makes a difference? What if, it is simply the impact it has on us? Could that determine whether or not God was involved? Even a small TV, if it really hit me that it WAS indeed a blessing, could be God involved. Do my emotions or how much I pay attention make the difference? So then, what is it that does? And where is that line that separates so I can know and respond appropriately? Where is that line…?

Starting Thoughts

Why Blog?

November 24, 2014 John Leave a comment

Why in the world blog?

It always seemed a bit…odd, and NOT something I’d want to do. Somehow, this morning as I sat and pondered this subject came up. Why? Cause I was realizing some cool things about God’s Will and how He is often not recognized as the “primary cause” behind so much in our lives. As I rushed to write down my thoughts so I could remember them…I wondered …how could I organize these things I want to keep and remember?

I’ve tried a spreadsheet with notes, but…no good. I just don’t keep it up. I’ve tried note cards by my chair so I could keep notes of things. But, alas, they now clutter up my desk with thoughts I can barely decipher. So how to keep ideas from fading into the fog of my daily routines?

I do keep a journal, but it is super personal stuff which doesn’t often work into ideas or scripture wows or stuff like that. It is mostly letting my mind flow onto paper rather than “oh, I want to remember that!” Its not the right format. I know because I’ve kept journals for the last 22 years. And, its not searchable when I want to go back and find something–tough to do if I don’t recall when I journalled something.

In my morning notes was a “#3” item to remember. It was “look into a blog”. I Googled it, found a nice blog posting about blogs, and somehow ended up signing up and actually starting this!

Patio Ponderings