But after High School, I moved out on my own and out of ear shot of my parent's 'you ALWAYS or YOU nevers'.  I was now living in the land of grown ups, working a grown up job, and married a  wonderful 'grown up' Christian woman. I made no time for any weak you ALWAYS or you NEVER accusations.. UNTIL my marriage introduced a new 'strain' in the form of the dreaded Honey-Do-List.  And though my wife is very patient with me, it is fair to say Jeff ALWAYS need to be reminded to work on 'the list', and Jeff will NEVER finish it. 

But to fair, a honey-do-list has no real end.  

Now while this all makes good fodder for my smirking blog as I reminisce on my lifetime of you ALWAYS & you NEVER moments, the truth is.. it is simply not good practice. It implies a basic hopeless scenario, and no one wants to hear the you ALWAYS & you NEVER scolding.. this certainly is NOT the Gospel message of Grace.
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So I pray each of you have a great day knowing God ALWAYS keeps his promises (Deuteronomy 7:9), and He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

AND.. no matter your big or small prodigal son/daughter moments, your failures, your down moments, your rebellions,  your SINS. are ALWAYS forgiven as our Heavenly Father rejoices in our return and forgets he NEVER gives up on you. (read the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32)

Jeff

ps. While my Honey Do list is as endless as the universe itself, this morning I replaced a bad electrical outlet, hung a flag pole outside, put down a first coat of paint in our downstairs family room/office, and worked in the yard transplanting ferns and trimming branches.  I am finishing this blog while my bride is away browsing neighborhood Garage Sales..Fortunately, she does not read my blogs so this will be our secret.
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Breaking Bad was the hit TV show on AMC a few years back where unassuming high school chemistry teacher and family man Walter White evolves over 5 seasons into someone truly bad.

Maybe.. Not since God tossed Satan out of Heaven has there been a comparable BREAKING BAD moment.

Walter White's life was a slippery slope of compromise, and his white lies evolved into massive cover-ups. Walter White changes over these few years into a ruthless big time meth producer responsible for countless murders, and in the end, he dies alone, his family is destroyed, and the wake of his truly bad choices on those around him was far reaching for both innocent and guilty. Even those who survived DID NOT live happily ever after but were truly Badly Broken.

I live in the beautiful state of Minnesota, and one of my favorite places here is on the North Shore of  Lake Superior.  I can sit on the rocky coastline and listen to and watch the peaceful waves as they roll in. So soothing  to  my  mind  and  spirit and in stark contrast to the rush hour pace of life back in the city. 

But there are  other  times where the winds and waves are stormy.  Just  last October 2018 there were strong winds and spectacular waves crashing into the shoreline. I did not have time to  venture North for the 3 hour drive to see this  example of  nature on display, but the news and social media shared many pictures  like the one on the right->

My fascination with waves is ironic since I don't like the waves in my life.  Of course the waves in my life are a ripple in my kiddy pool existence compared  to others, but still they are real, and they affect me.

The answer of  course is Jesus who calmed the literal stormy seas with three words "Peace be Still".
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There was the other time when Jesus walked to his disciples on the sea, and Peter following Jesus instructions stepped out of the boat on to the waves defying physics and walked on the water too, UNTIL he put his focus on the very real real waves instead of Jesus who both walks  on the waves and calms the  storms.

So I need to remember any financial, family, or health crisis I may face is not greater than our Jesus who calms the literal and figurative seas. Even when the waves are from our own mistakes, Jesus is still the answer. 

​Impossible situations do not exist for the creator of  all things and master of the seas. Jesus does not look at any circumstance and think .. "Hmm, this  one  is going to be a challenge."

​Personally,  I am an  alcoholic (sober now for about 5 years) but there were about 15 years where drink compromised my  life.  I thank God for grabbing my hand while I was  sinking like  Peter into my  stormy  sea.  From here I found God's  Grace, and a path for restoration.

That's just one piece of my story, but I know everyone  has their own story filled with ups  and  downs and waves. Some waves we are to enjoy as part of God's creation like  the peaceful waves rolling in on the North Shore of  Lake  Superior,  while other waves we need the master  of the waves close by. In these stormy waves, and when you feel you  are sinking know God is with you. Be prayerful, dillegent in your obedience  to God, and focused on Jesus knowing He is your safety in all circumstances.

​Simply put I think I deserve the BEST in life. I deserve all that life can offer, and more! I deserve a wonderful wife, kids that make me smile, dogs that don’t eat food off the kitchen counter, and a cat that does NOT hack up hair balls. I deserve true friends, a healthy family, a rich church heritage, and I deserve HEAVEN.

You may be wondering if have been sippin’ from the ‘Name It, Claim It’ and/or ‘Prosperity Gospel’ koolaid. Well, I do claim God's promises and a prosperity that is measured in Heaven but not necessarily in this life.

​This is the name of a great song from Matthew West with words of truth and perspective for those traveling through life's  'valley of the shadow of death' (Psalms 23). 

Below is an excerpt of lyrics from this song.  Note: A link to the video is at the end of this email.

Hello, my name is regret .. I’m pretty sure we have met  .. Every single day of your life I’m the whisper inside That won’t let you forget.

This is the name of a great song from Matthew West with words of truth and perspective for those traveling through life's  'valley of the shadow of death' (Psalms 23). 

Below is an excerpt of lyrics from this song.  Note: A link to the video is at the end of this email.

Hello, my name is regret .. I’m pretty sure we have met  .. Every single day of your life I’m the whisper inside That won’t let you forget.

Like most folk, I have regrets for a number of missteps, and fall on my face moments.  But for these past faux pas and for the ones ahead of me that I will still make God's Amazing Grace and perfect love relaxes my shoulders and perspective returns to me with a smile.  I am a child of the one true King.

And so are you.

Blessings

Jeff