Scrambled Eggs & Corn Flakes

Humility is not a strong suit of mine. Nor does it seem to be a big value here in the United States. Maybe false modesty, but not humility. The American dream tends to speak to being self-made, strong, virtuous, perseverant, and prideful. Needing assistance is considered an act of weakness. While praising and pointing out one's accomplishments to the world is success. The United States and its citizens (of which I am one) tend to carry themselves with a hint of arrogance. Maybe it comes with being a superpower or having so many luxuries that it gives us a sense of entitlement or superiority. Its a behavior that penetrates our daily lives, our politics, and even our faith. Maybe this happens in other countries, but since I don't live there I wont speak for them. We can even become arrogant with our faith. Like we possess something that others don't and therefore feel superior. I have seen that in fellow Christians towards other non-Christians or other denominations. There...

"God is angry at you" "You'll always be alone" "You are worthless" "No one wants to hear what you have to say" "You're fat & ugly" "You failed once, You'll fail again" "They're all laughing at you" "God is disappointed in you" "Nothing will ever change for you" "No one loves you" "No one cares" "God won't help you" How many times have you believed any of the above about yourself? That last one always gets to me because I can be very impatient. When I have to wait for a long period of time, such as selling my house or the adoption process, it is easy for me to believe that. Why is it so easy to believe those lies? Well we learn to lie pretty quickly in life. We do it to get out of trouble from the first moment we get into trouble. We can graduate to lying about ourselves to get ahead or get something. We lie to ourselves repeatedl...

The first time that I ever prayed on my own, outside of a church situation, was back in 1983. My mom's uncle had just suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital. I was in my bedroom listening to the radio. I don't remember what else I was doing in there (maybe reading), but I was lying on the floor and thought it would be a good idea to pray. I don't remember the specifics to my prayer, other than for him to recover. I distinctly remember two songs played on the radio 104.1 FM. (Funny that I remember such specifics thirty years later). They were "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler and "Who Loves You" by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Listen to them, they're good songs. So, there I was praying on my own for the first time. My mom's uncle would pass away within the next 24 hours. Thus, began my walk with the Lord which has had ups and downs and taken me on incredible journeys. There is an incredible need in us to feel loved. W...

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:1-2 Physical thirst, from what I have been told, is not a pleasant feeling. I have been thirsty in the past and is not a good place to be. The focus being on ending that thirst overtakes every thought and desire. Physically, you need to satisfy that thirst or the body will overheat and  start to break down. Think of those really hot and humid days when you were so thirsty. All you thought about was getting something cold to drink to satisfy yourself. That was it, nothing else mattered at that moment. Just your thirst and your desire to end it. It is compelling that this is the comparison used by David in this psalm. This overwhelming desire is what his soul longs for. That his soul would be so consumed to the exclusion of everything around him. This is David's focus in this passage. He is like a panting deer,...

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33 What is the most important thing in your life currently? What takes up the majority of your time each day? Lots of people will give you many answers to the above questions. It could be family. It could be their career. It could also be their personal health. For others it could be stability, whether that be financially, emotionally, or physically. And for others, it would be their relationship with God. I struggle with that. Making God the center of my day every day. Life gets in the way a lot of times. There always seems to be something which changes my focus. It could be work and the month-end close. Drama with family and friends. It might be an unexpected expense which impacts the checkbook. It is at those times where we can push God to the back of our minds as we take on whatever challenge faces us. That's when stress and worry take hold, and your min...