COVID lingers.
Fear is rampant.
Uncertainty reigns.
I am blessed.
Not because life hasn't taken anything away from me or disappointed me. Not because every dream I ever had for my life has played out in spades.
I'm blessed because the older I get, the more acutely aware I am that life is hard, harsh--unfair, and riddled with sorrow. Yet despite that, as I look back, I see God's fingerprints all across my 67 years.
I'm thankful for my family of origin. It was a perfectly normal not-perfect home, but we were loved with a sacrificial provision! I remember Hody's Drive-in, singing in the family station wagon, Christmas mornings, baseball card collections, my parents trusting me. Back yard barbecues. Working in the family business. My home gave me my foundation, work ethic, and many of my core values and showed me what it means to be a responsible adult.
I'm thankful for my brother and sister, Brad and Tamara. I was the proud younger brother to Brad and the protective older brother to Tamara. I love them both and appreciate all we share and their part in making me, me.
I'm thankful for my Grandma Blankenship and my Aunt Carolyn, who stood in the gap for me, prayed for me, and lovingly intervened when I desperately needed an advocate...for my cousin Patty who was like a big sister to me.
I'm thankful for friends made a life-time ago that have come back into my life through social media. The memories we share form a strong bond and a rich tapestry woven from the community we shared together growing up in a little town North-West of LA called Thousand Oaks. These people helped give me a good start.
I'm thankful for Mark, who showed me what effective faith consisted of and then mentored me in the early years of my walk with Jesus Messiah; introduced me to the girl who would become the woman I've shared my life with for 48 (January 5) years and challenged me to pursue a call into ministry--which extended into 30 years.
I have been blessed by friends in 4 different States; North Carolina, California, Illinois, and Indiana, over the past 46 years. People have loved us well at every stop; they mentored us as a "just married" college couple at Duke, befriended us as co-sojourners with growing families in our early years when I was a young Merchandising Exec, allowed us to lead them as their "clergy couple" over 18 plus years as a Lead Pastor at three stops--California, Illinois, and Indiana. Many of these folks remain in close contact with us.
I'm thankful for the years I spent a Duke University--an opportunity that wasn't even on the radar when I finally sat down to consider where I might pursue my college ambitions--yet when the time was right, God delivered me to that place--and a paid-in-full promise.
I'm thankful for my Talbot Seminary experience. The timing was all wrong but so right. This was such a formative time in my life. My brain finally unfolded, and study became a discipline that shaped my life and my ministry.
I'm thankful for Laura, my wife. She is my very best friend. She has worked alongside me, loved me, made our home a place of nurture for our children, supported us all in the pursuit of our dreams. She has stood by me through some deep water. I'm so grateful. She is an immensely talented woman with special gifts as a musician, homemaker, and grandmother.
I'm thankful for Laura's parents, Gene and Janice. They loved us well and were generous with their love, wisdom, and support. They left such a legacy of Godliness and service. They became the second set of parents to me--so critical because I lost my dad at age 17 and my mom at age 31. They stood in the gaps with me and for me.
I'm thankful for my kids, Erin and Joseph. They have become such good citizens, parents, and professionals. They are raising their kids with love, grace, and sacrifice. They are my friends; intelligent and stimulating, opinionated, and articulate. They have such passion for the ideas they believe in. Best of all, they love Jesus Messiah and endeavor to live in a manner that reflects His image to their worlds.
I'm thankful for Matthew and Miranda, my son and daughter-in-law. They are talented, compassionate people, love my kids well, and are wonderful parents. I prayed even before our children were born for that person they may eventually share their lives and dreams with. God did well. They are companions on the Way with our children and have established homes that honor Christ and serve Him.
I'm thankful for our five grandchildren, Braden, Kellen, Gabriella, Grayson, Chessa, who we lost before she took her first breath, and sweet little Gwendolyn, with whom I share a birthday. Grandchildren are everything right about life: pure joy, delight, potential. There isn't anything quite like the blessing grandkids introduce into our lives. These six make my heart explode with joy, pride, and thanksgiving.
Our firstborn grandson, Braden, marks his fourth New Year in the company of King Jesus. He lost his battle with cancer on June 28, 2016--passing into his Savior's loving arms. He lived it well. The legacy he left behind is a blessing--his courage, his story, touched the lives of thousands of people all across the nation. One of his last wishes was to "see the word of his testimony spread," and it has in a fashion only God could have orchestrated. He was diagnosed in February 2015, and it has been such a difficult journey, a journey God has made with us. We had seen such goodness and generosity from people, many who were strangers before this disease brought us together--many remain, strangers, today, but generous benefactors none-the-less. It's humbling. It's transformative. We will be together with Braden again, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, because of our blessed hope--Jesus Messiah.
I'm thankful for our faithful family pets who have shared life with us and made our lives better in ways we could not have expected...Alphie 12 years, Max 13 years, Barley 15 years, Kate 15 years, Lily 12 years, Chance 9 years (and counting), and Jett, our youngster Black Lab at 21 weeks.
I'm thankful for 30 years invested in ministry, the good, the bad, and the heart-break.
I'm thankful for 19 years with State Farm. A great opportunity to pursue another side of my gift-mix. It's given us the security we never anticipated we would enjoy. It has been a wonderful platform from which to make hard-lives easier--truly a market-place ministry.
I'm thankful for good healers and good health.
So much to be thankful for, so little space and a memory dimmed by 67 years. That said..."Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost."
I'm blessed because the older I get, the more acutely aware I am that life is hard, harsh--unfair, and riddled with sorrow. Yet despite that, as I look back, I see God's fingerprints all across my 67 years.
I'm thankful for my family of origin. It was a perfectly normal not-perfect home, but we were loved with a sacrificial provision! I remember Hody's Drive-in, singing in the family station wagon, Christmas mornings, baseball card collections, my parents trusting me. Back yard barbecues. Working in the family business. My home gave me my foundation, work ethic, and many of my core values and showed me what it means to be a responsible adult.
I'm thankful for my brother and sister, Brad and Tamara. I was the proud younger brother to Brad and the protective older brother to Tamara. I love them both and appreciate all we share and their part in making me, me.
I'm thankful for my Grandma Blankenship and my Aunt Carolyn, who stood in the gap for me, prayed for me, and lovingly intervened when I desperately needed an advocate...for my cousin Patty who was like a big sister to me.
I'm thankful for friends made a life-time ago that have come back into my life through social media. The memories we share form a strong bond and a rich tapestry woven from the community we shared together growing up in a little town North-West of LA called Thousand Oaks. These people helped give me a good start.
I'm thankful for Mark, who showed me what effective faith consisted of and then mentored me in the early years of my walk with Jesus Messiah; introduced me to the girl who would become the woman I've shared my life with for 48 (January 5) years and challenged me to pursue a call into ministry--which extended into 30 years.
I have been blessed by friends in 4 different States; North Carolina, California, Illinois, and Indiana, over the past 46 years. People have loved us well at every stop; they mentored us as a "just married" college couple at Duke, befriended us as co-sojourners with growing families in our early years when I was a young Merchandising Exec, allowed us to lead them as their "clergy couple" over 18 plus years as a Lead Pastor at three stops--California, Illinois, and Indiana. Many of these folks remain in close contact with us.
I'm thankful for the years I spent a Duke University--an opportunity that wasn't even on the radar when I finally sat down to consider where I might pursue my college ambitions--yet when the time was right, God delivered me to that place--and a paid-in-full promise.
I'm thankful for my Talbot Seminary experience. The timing was all wrong but so right. This was such a formative time in my life. My brain finally unfolded, and study became a discipline that shaped my life and my ministry.
I'm thankful for Laura, my wife. She is my very best friend. She has worked alongside me, loved me, made our home a place of nurture for our children, supported us all in the pursuit of our dreams. She has stood by me through some deep water. I'm so grateful. She is an immensely talented woman with special gifts as a musician, homemaker, and grandmother.
I'm thankful for Laura's parents, Gene and Janice. They loved us well and were generous with their love, wisdom, and support. They left such a legacy of Godliness and service. They became the second set of parents to me--so critical because I lost my dad at age 17 and my mom at age 31. They stood in the gaps with me and for me.
I'm thankful for my kids, Erin and Joseph. They have become such good citizens, parents, and professionals. They are raising their kids with love, grace, and sacrifice. They are my friends; intelligent and stimulating, opinionated, and articulate. They have such passion for the ideas they believe in. Best of all, they love Jesus Messiah and endeavor to live in a manner that reflects His image to their worlds.
I'm thankful for Matthew and Miranda, my son and daughter-in-law. They are talented, compassionate people, love my kids well, and are wonderful parents. I prayed even before our children were born for that person they may eventually share their lives and dreams with. God did well. They are companions on the Way with our children and have established homes that honor Christ and serve Him.
I'm thankful for our five grandchildren, Braden, Kellen, Gabriella, Grayson, Chessa, who we lost before she took her first breath, and sweet little Gwendolyn, with whom I share a birthday. Grandchildren are everything right about life: pure joy, delight, potential. There isn't anything quite like the blessing grandkids introduce into our lives. These six make my heart explode with joy, pride, and thanksgiving.
Our firstborn grandson, Braden, marks his fourth New Year in the company of King Jesus. He lost his battle with cancer on June 28, 2016--passing into his Savior's loving arms. He lived it well. The legacy he left behind is a blessing--his courage, his story, touched the lives of thousands of people all across the nation. One of his last wishes was to "see the word of his testimony spread," and it has in a fashion only God could have orchestrated. He was diagnosed in February 2015, and it has been such a difficult journey, a journey God has made with us. We had seen such goodness and generosity from people, many who were strangers before this disease brought us together--many remain, strangers, today, but generous benefactors none-the-less. It's humbling. It's transformative. We will be together with Braden again, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, because of our blessed hope--Jesus Messiah.
I'm thankful for our faithful family pets who have shared life with us and made our lives better in ways we could not have expected...Alphie 12 years, Max 13 years, Barley 15 years, Kate 15 years, Lily 12 years, Chance 9 years (and counting), and Jett, our youngster Black Lab at 21 weeks.
I'm thankful for 30 years invested in ministry, the good, the bad, and the heart-break.
I'm thankful for 19 years with State Farm. A great opportunity to pursue another side of my gift-mix. It's given us the security we never anticipated we would enjoy. It has been a wonderful platform from which to make hard-lives easier--truly a market-place ministry.
I'm thankful for good healers and good health.
So much to be thankful for, so little space and a memory dimmed by 67 years. That said..."Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost."
Breathe it in. No plan, no purpose will be left undone...
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and NOT to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be MANIFESTED in OUR mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but LIFE in YOU."
--2 Corinthians 4.7-10. ESV
We don't get to be here long.
We don't get to be here long.
Liveitwell!
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