Personal Reflections

With your permission I would like to digress from the thought that I shared yesterday concerning our acts of service being defined as a means of worship to God. As the Lord directs I will pick up that inspiration in the near future. Yesterday was a wonderful day in my life; I was able to celebrate another birthday. Little did I realize that my wife, Ann, had planned a surprise party for me with most of our immediate family who lives near to us. I just thought that we were meeting one of our sons and his family at a local restaurant for a meal. I must give credit to Ann she certainly played down the importance of the meal and she was very calm and serene as we left home to make our way to the restaurant. But as we entered the restaurant I noticed setting to my left the members of our immediate family ready to celebrate with me another year of life and a year that has been full of many blessings and opportunities. A time of hugs, embraces, and greeting took place as each of them welcomed me into the festivities of the moment. Our grandchildren and "adopted" grandchildren began to share their cards (some of them were prepared through their own design). Our children began to share their gifts and kind words with me and my heart began to respond to the warm feelings of love and thoughtfulness that was being shared with me. Ann shared her card and her gift as we prepared to share our meal together. It was during those moments that the Lord reminded me that "I was truly a blessed man." I began to look around the table and realize that each of the individuals present had provided an unique revelation of God to me. Each of them had brought special gifts in my life and each of them had influenced and impacted my life in some significant way. God had used each of them to help me feel loved, appreciated, respected, and encouraged (just to name a few of the blessings they had brought to me). Each of them had played a role in my spiritual development; my wife who had stood with me in the years of our ministerial service; our children who had supported our decisions even if it meant a time of transition for them. And now these same children are praying for us to continue our pursuit of God. I am truly a blessed man. I could continue about the reflections on each of those who were present but I will save that for my own personal musing. I looked around the room and realized that the most important people in my life were sitting with me sharing a meal and sharing some great fellowship. In my heart I began to thank God for those who mean the most to me and I asked Him to forgive me if I have ever taken them for granted. That "conviction" from God is what I need to share with you today. Do not take for granted those wonderful people that God has placed in your life. I can tell you that we have faced our set of challenges and difficulties as a family but we have also learned to stand together at those times and draw strength and encouragement from one another. Take some time today, look around your home and recognize and reflect on those people whom God has placed in your life. Bow your head in a moment of prayer and thank Him for placing His love in their hearts so that they would love you even though you are imperfect, even though you make mistakes, and even though you fail to express your love to them as often as you should. Remember the greatest gifts (next to receiving Christ as your Savior) is sitting near to you. Make a commitment that from this day forward you will not take your family or friends for granted but you will offer thanks and praise to God for sharing them with you. I also received many emails, e-cards, phone calls, and warm wishes from family and friends around the world. I thank each of them and each of you for your love and kindness towards me and my family through the years. I am a blessed man!