“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

15,701 days ago I married my better half! That makes 43 years…counting leap years. Most folks know our story. I was playing drums in a hotel band in this town. She was on a spring break vacation from Ohio with 3 of her friends. Our eyes met when she walked across the dance floor and 2.5 days later, and under influence from HER, I asked her to marry me. We were married in 2 months. The rest is ourstory!

Last night we looked at each other and were shocked! The years have gone by SO very fast! A perspective, I guess, that comes with age. Maybe it’s the odd number of years…43, but I find it tough to summarize. If someone were to ask me, “what is the secret to a long happy marriage,” I’d have a tough time narrowing it down to just one sentence.

Looking back we had been warned. And rightfully so. Neither of us had a college education and had dropped out. Realizing the mistake, we were each working and taking part time classes. Both of us lived with our parents. So without a good education, a good job, a place to live or any good sense…we fell instantly and madly in love. All we knew was that we WOULD NOT live our lives without each other! We were warned!

After 43 years it is a good story. Even though the warnings proved true. We did it all wrong and life was HARD. Every lesson, from how to fight, share, forgive, make up, disagree, make decisions, tackle finances, having babies and raising them… we learned the HARD way! It seems every lesson came after a failure first! We had been warned. And we weren’t SUPPOSED to last! Except for 1 thing!

This morning, my lovely bride texted me from the other room. And these words really say it all, “Thank you, God is so good to us.” The PERFECT summary of our lives. Even through hardship, difficulty, trial, pain, sorrow and loss…GOD is SOOOOOOOO GOOD TO US! We were warned. And I recommend to NEVER do it how we did! But needing a compass needle to guide us, we pointed our ship toward God and His Word.

We MAY have been too dumb to know anything different. If so, I pray dumb for every young or old couple on the planet. Because we are not lucky.. we are BLESSED. So thanks for the text, honey. The secret to a long and happy marriage really CAN be summarized in 1 word…GOD! And if you don’t believe me…ask HER! Happy 15,701 days Peaches!  

“When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.” Hosea 13:6

I’ve got an earworm. You know…a song that gets stuck in your head that, no matter what you are doing or thinking, it’s still playing in the background? Oh yea.. It’s a big one! Now, I can’t decide if it’s because of the beat or the words. It’s gotten to a point where I am taking exhaustive measures to get rid of it. Maybe if I dissect it, cut it up or break it down I might get it to disappear.

It’s my son Colt’s fault! He loves music. Which means it’s probably MY fault because… so do I. Growing up, ALL my kids heard so much of it, they couldn’t help themselves. When my son got a subscription to an online music service, he offered me as one of his recipients. I am having a blast looking up songs, artists and genres…then listening through the cool headphones my kids got me. But I hadn’t expected this earworm!

The song is “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa. The earthworm is, “I’m not where you left me at all!” It’s about someone who has been jilted, but then has finally moved on. The mood of the song (hence the beat) is celebratory, since the pain of the breakup is over and life seems joyful again. Which may…or may NOT… be the point!

Having been with Jesus a long time, I have learned to know when He is trying to tell me something. Even if it isn’t right away. Like my wife with a look, a ‘hmmm,’ or with silence, I have learned it is in BOTH of our best interests to pay attention. “I’m not where you left me at all” will not stop rolling in my head.

Israel is called God’s wife by God Himself! That said, he did a LOT of flirting and wooing over her. Sadly, Israel wasn’t impressed with God’s efforts. This verse in Hosea summarizes the process of their estrangement. Sadly, even God seems to be questioning His own methods to win His people. Blessing them leads them to self satisfaction! And now I get it!

I am a FOLLOWER of Jesus Christ. I personally committed to go where He leads. But now that my earworm is engaged, I feel like He is wanting me to question my decision. If I am His follower… am I where He left me? And if I am left, which one of us moved? Seeing the hazards of Israel’s reaction to God and His blessings, am I being careful enough to stick with Him, even if He leaves me somewhere for a while.

Hmmmm… MAYBE God is telling Dua Lipa to tell ME that He wants ME to be a little more sticky! Which doesn’t surprise me at all!! Thanks Dua!

“What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?” Isaiah 5:4

Well…the bumper crop has come in and the yield has been MORE than disappointing. About 3 years ago my wife was gifted an avocado tree…professional installation included. I remember when we carefully selected the spot and the tree guy brought it out. We watched him install it and asked a LOT of questions. Even then, we were counting on the day when we would partake of it’s bounty! All we needed was time. Or so we thought.

With the tree, installation, fertilizer and netting to protect it buds from birds, there’s about $250 in cost. The hours spent in babying it are incalculable. When we saw the first fruits (only 5) we covered them for protection and waited. The other day we saw that the fruit was still small… and already ripened. All 5 fit in 1 hand. 3 days later…the tree was dead!

The average cost of a Haas Avocado it around $1.00. I have found them for as low as $.50. Even at the most expensive price, AND with not counting labor, we could have bought over 6 bushels ( I know I looked it up). I believe it a fair assumption that this experience has been a failure.

I am an avocado! Or an apple, pear, tomato or kumquat. I am not my own. The creator customized me with His what, when, where… and He has a why. Likewise, I am offspring! I also have offspring. As a Believer I belong to a church of Spiritual Offspring, united with His hand and purpose. All my sins and failures have been paid for in advance, and God’s purpose is clear. To bear much fruit (John 15:8)!

A Vineyard is used as a HUGE illustration for God. He uses it to describe Israel in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New. In John 15 He even takes MY life and carefully grafts me into His plans. He teaches and guides me with the Word and His Spirit… just like a farmer cares for his crops. He does all the work and expects a return on His investment. My job is to simply to abide in Him.

Like any human I have good days and bad. There are times I forget that He has forgiven me and set me up for success…then do my own thing. But even then, I can feel His hand as He constantly oversees me. I love when He does that. Because then I know He cares. I’ve been hanging around for a long time now…And I am trying harder to focus on HIM. Because He’s coming…and so is His expectation. I must remember that whatever He does with me… is 100% up to ME!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

At Easter time I wore ‘The Suit.’ I call it that because it was given as a rite of passage. My father used to wear it that 1 time of the year to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection. When He died, I got the job…AND ‘The Suit.’ That was over 20 years ago. Naturally I have replaced it, due mostly to its shrinkage! This year I had to have it cleaned. A painful process at best.

I spilled something on it this year and it had to go to the dry cleaners. Since I have until NEXT Easter, there’s no hurry. It sat around for a couple months, until about 3 weeks ago when I finally remembered to take it to the Dry Cleaners. History tells me that I usually remember dry cleaning AFTER I have driven PAST the place. FINALLY, yesterday, it all came together and I remembered. Pulling up to the drive-thru, I was told I’d have to come back later. “Our computer is down so we can’t do business!.”

Obviously, getting a suit cleaned is NOT a huge priority. And I DO have PLENTY of time before I need it next spring. Besides, it’s not a big deal…I have other priorities AND a backup suit if needed… though it doesn’t fit me very well now. And then this Bible verse fell from above… right into my spirit.

One of the greatest dangers facing Christians is time. Even though we KNOW we are mortal, it is SO easy to forget about important stuff, like our purpose for our Savior. At first we may not notice. But everything goes on as usual…need fall way to time and time to other priorities. Tick Tock…and then life goes down.

Jesus said that we were created for HIM. To truly do what we were created to do, we are required to REMAIN in Him. If not…we can do NOTHING. His business with us is not possible if we do life alone. We are not called just CLING to Him in difficulty. We are called to Bear Fruit! A business that requires a CONSTANT connection. I’m not going to forget that. 

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2

As usual, I opened my email to spend time with Jesus. I subscribe to almost a dozen devotional sites and love reading them. They help guide and grow my faith as I add them to my reading of God’s Word. For the last week I have resisted reacting to an underlying theme that has been coming through their messages. That I…and Christ’s Church…are racist!

It is a common and successful method used to change society. Say something long and loud enough and it becomes truth. With repetition, masses of people begin to believe, or at least ACT like they do. Often a person or group will willingly buy into a lie, simply to avoid being labeled a ‘hater.’ The next step is to at least SAY something favorable about the subject, even if that something is nothing more than a platitude. Then…the hook is set!

‘The Church,’ the body of born again believers and disciples of Jesus Christ, is the ONLY ‘God ordained,’ life changing, organization on Planet Earth. She is called ‘The Bride of Christ’ in the Bible because she IS! Though comprised of sinners, hypocrites, failures and even the confused, she is the ‘weak’ vessel that God is using to bring HIS truth to this planet. That ALL have sinned and need a Savior. If you are a true member, you smiled at the word ‘weak.’

It takes a LOT of work, patience, persistence and grit for a Believer to avoid losing control. We are called to ‘love,’ but not to blind ‘tolerance.’ To serve…but not ‘enable.’ To give, but to do so knowing that our very motives will be judged by our Lord. We are NOT called to be foolish or deceived. The latest groups of devotionals I have received are baited hooks for the deceived. And God’s Word DOES have something to say about that!

‘In later times’ is now. Deceiving spirits are the demonic liars who make evil pronouncements in an attempt to deceive and sway the masses. God’s Word goes on to say what Believers are supposed to DO when we see or hear their outRAGEous rants. Verse 7 says ‘be Godly’ and to ‘have nothing to do with the godless!’ So hey man… don’t try to label ‘The Church’ racist! She has been trying to reach and teach Christ’s Truth to the world for over 2000 years. The label just doesn’t stick….and this fish, in particular, ain’t bitin!

Get Jesus!

“He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:26-28

I can count the number of months on 2 hands, though I cannot remember the actual date. It was a typical Sunday Morning at Church, though that day we would be celebrating our Christian Faith by remembering those who brought us, and kept, our United States of America. Freedom, Sacrifice, Duty, Service, God and Country! It started typically, but did not end that way.

‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ was sung in an upbeat, lively manner. That historical old Civil War song actually had it roots in an unexpected book of the Bible…Revelation 14:14-19. No matter who you are, the song still applies, for this prophecy has not actually happened yet! It states that in the end, some will receive God’s Glory. Other’s…God’s wrath. One of our parishioners was caught up in the Glory part!

Diana is a little lady with more fire in her bones than most people a quarter of her age. She had served in the military during WWII! When we sang the part, “Glory Glory Hallelujah,” she became animated and joyful. When everyone else stopped… she kept singing. Her daughter succeeded in gently calming her down, but after a while, Diana would start up again…”Glory Glory Hallelujah.” Even during the sermon. At one point we all joined in with her… again.

It is one of those times that I can’t forget. Nor do I want to. Her love for Jesus Christ AND her Country made her the highlight of the day. She became the perfect symbol of what we were trying to celebrate. She served her God and Country, and without regret. Even now I smile when I see her in my mind’s eye.

Last night, I received an email from her daughter, Amy. It said, “Diana passed away peacefully in her sleep last night. She was 97 (and a half) years old. She was not sick nor was she in pain — only affected by dementia which gradually took away her personality.” And I just could not let this opportunity pass.

Thank you Diana for your spark, flame and persistence in your love for God and Country. At times like we are living right now, we really needed to hear your voice again. “Glory Glory Hallelujah!”  Please save me a place in the choir.. right beside YOU!

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

I guess that I can say my wife was acting like a child. In a GOOD way that is. The title I gave her long ago, “greatest preschool teacher in the History of the World,” still applies. She has a way of making things come alive to kids and to make learning exciting! School is out now, so for the last 10 days she has been naturally using her skills on ME!

One of the things she likes to do is show her kids live feeds from the International Space Station. She knows ALL the apps for tracking, history and news. For the last 6 days or so, the Space Station was going to be flying overhead. All she had to do was look up and see it with her own eyes! What she DID was try to drag me with her and see clouds! She’s SO cute that way. With all the rain… there was NO way she would see it! Until last night!

I was lying in the couch when the door burst open, “COME.. YOU CAN SEE IT!” I hadn’t even noticed her get up and go out. Now she was taking the time to come and tell me about it and invite me to join her! Rushing out, she was standing there like a little kid with some space app on her phone…pointing to the sky! And then I saw it! And I fell under the spell! MAN that thing can MOVE!!! As it dipped behind the trees, I heard her say, “G’bye guys…see you again soon!” Silly girl!

You don’t have to be a genius to know where this is going. We are here on Earth and God is in Heaven. Yes, we have The Holy Spirit and CAN message back and forth using a sophisticated communication system. But it isn’t the SAME as BEING there WITH HIM! We have all the apps and tools to learn about Him. But SOMEDAY!!!!! We will SEE HIM AS HE IS… and get THIS for a promise…BE LIKE HIM!!!!

Does that excite you? It does me! I get all giddy like a kid at Disney World when I think about it. If you are around me enough, I may even drive you crazy with my zeal… and press YOU to see what I see! Katie didn’t DRAG me…her zeal and invitation LED me. When I saw what SHE saw, her excitement became contagious. How do I know?? Well…last night, I caught myself actually WAVING goodbye to an object on the horizon. What a dork, huh?

Are YOU excited to see God?

“So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Romans 7:25

The week of the mower finally came to an end. Deciding between buying a new mower or ordering a new cable to try to fix old one…again, I succumbed to the temptation of ‘cheap’ and ordered the cable. When the wrong one came in, I reordered it. Having just spent 2 hours rebuilding and repiecing what I had rebuilt and repieced FAR too many times, I began cutting the grass. After 1 pass around the yard…the engine blew up!

I confess that when this kind of thing happens, my NORMAL reaction is absolute rage! After all, deep down it SEEMS that that there HAS be SOME kind of overseeing judge, or equalizer, that dishes out ‘fairness’ after so much suffering. Other religions refer to it as ‘Karma.’ But if there is such a thing…I had just been ripped off! With mower still smoking, all I could do was laugh.

The world is going crazy and it has been taking me along for the ride for FAR too long. Grasping for some kind of solid ground between the ‘Covid 19’ and ‘racism’ eruptions, I have been screaming to God for some kind of answer, “How can all this be FIXED, God?” With the old mower still hot and smoking, I finally heard His answer…”It CAN’T be!”

It took me a lot of years reading, meditating, asking and pondering to finally MENTALLY reach the mucky bottom it this Bible verse. Persistence kept me searching because living with nonsense is not acceptable. “My mind is a slave to God’s law!” But God’s LAW is impossible to KEEP! Furthermore, ‘my flesh is slave to sin,’ from which I can NEVER break free! Crying out, “WHAT CAN I DO NOW??” The smell of burnt oil hit home with God’s answer…”not a thing, my child!”

Slaves have no rights. The only hope for a slave is freedom. But freedom HAS to come from the outside, as it is NEVER an inside job. What EVERY sick or protesting person needs is freedom and a new life. Karma or slave justice carries no weight in the eternal realms of God. The GOOD NEWS is, wat “I” cannot do.. Christ did FOR ME! He paid the ultimate price for my slave life, and then offered me His life in exchange! For FREE!

The lesson of the smoking mower??? When ya can’t fix the old one, it’s time to get a new one! Thank you Jesus for the offer of NEW LIFE!

“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’” Nehemiah 8:10

Since I don’t like to repeat, and because it’s just me and no staff, and because we had an anniversary and got to bed late last night, this devotional is going out later than normal. I feel guilty about it…but know I have no reason to be. I mean it isn’t every day a 4 year anniversary comes around. So why not celebrate…right? Even if the Anniversary it isn’t mine!

Our youngest daughter married my favorite son-in-law 4 years ago. I know…I performed the ceremony. ALL my kids were there, including my other favorite son-in-law. The ONLY way that the happy couple could enjoy the evening was if they made provisions for the care and safety of their 2 children. Being their grandparents, we joyfully accepted their request.

As you can see, it poured down rain last night. Taking them out to the garage to ‘LOOK’ at the rain turned out to be TOO much of a temptation. “Uh uh uh” turned into “no no no” and then into “you’d better go get ‘em” from Gigi. I have a short video. If I could…I WOULDN’T play it for you. It’s embarrassing.

The rain proved a playground for my grandkids. Being responsible for their safety, the video is FILLED with joy sucking phrases (mostly from my wife). When correction and instruction finally became exhausting, this ol goat threw in the towel and took to the rain. And I had a blast! They giggled, I laughed and we all got wet. Except Gigi!

The intro and body of this writing are filled with protective excuses as I attempt to keep favor among people, my grandkids safe, get myself off a hook, or use my age and position to justify my actions. At the writing of that last sentence, I could literally feel God smile! And I just realize why!

When God delivered Jesus home from the graveyard, after an intentional trip of suffering, He was FINALLY able to deliver what He had promised His people…JOY! HE took the responsibility, called for the party… and then WE jump ahead and mess it up with a bunch of rules. Instead of celebrating with our Savior…we became God’s OSHA!???

I forgot how much fun playing in the rain can be. ESPECIALLY in the company of little ones who have no fear of fun. SO THANK YOU Parker family, and God, for the opportunity to experience REAL JOY!  And Happy Anniversary!