Author Archives: Rick

Wake Up!!!!!

Sometimes. Sometimes I really need people to be obvious with me. I mean REALLY obvious.

After 21 years of marriage, I think my wife finally has it figured out. Get my attention first. THEN tell me what you want me to hear.

For me, it’s no different when God is trying to get a point across. I really do need the attention-getting moment before He drops a truth bomb on me.

This is exactly what happened to me recently. I can’t go into the details due to confidentiality and privacy issues, but suffice it to say, He woke me up when I heard some shocking words.

After the shocking words, it dawned on me I’d been failing at praying for a situation in my life. Until this moment I had been floating along as a casual observer.

Now that I’m awake, I’m looking back on all the movement, motions, and actions that have taken place surrounding this particular situation.

I should have been praying long ago.

I really thought the situation didn’t fully involve me. I’m wrong.

Instead of being a casual observer, I need to be an active prayer warrior. There isn’t much else I can do. But praying is certainly be the most important thing I can do.

Has God ever “smacked” you awake to a situation going on all around you?

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes (Part 2)

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Last week I wrote about changes. (Read part 1 here: Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes)

This week I’m trying to answer a question put to me by one of you.

At the end of last week’s post, I asked you a few questions.

How do we adjust? When things are changing, what do you hold on to? Is there something in your life keeping you stabilized during changes?

One of you decided to be smart and ask ME to answer the same questions. Seems logical. I probably should have answered them in the initial post. But hey, now I get two posts from one topic! 🙂

I guess the simple answer is I hold on to my relationship with God.

And while this is true, it kind of feels like the Sunday School answer. You know what I mean. Every question in Sunday School can be answered the same way: JESUS!

(Side note. When I teach middle school Sunday School classes, I tell the kids they aren’t allowed to used this answer. It may be true, but they can come up with something better.)

As I’ve been wrestling with these questions, I keep circling back to another set of questions. Am I really holding onto God during changes in my life? Am I really giving my struggles to him? Am I really grabbing hold of him to stabilize my life?

The answer? Sometimes.

Sometimes???

Yep. I’m a failure. I don’t always hold onto, and rely on, my relationship with God.

Good grief. What’s the matter with me? Why wouldn’t I rest all my worry and stress on the rock of my faith? Why don’t I spend time with him every single day discussing situations and life with him?

Simple answer: I’m a sinner.

I fall short. Every single day.

But, every single day I have the opportunity to restore and renew my relationship with God.

Every single day he is waiting for me. He is willing to listen, and ready to help.

So I guess I am going with the Sunday School answer.

How do I adjust? What do I hold on to? Where do I find stability during times of change?

God. Jesus. My Savior.

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes

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Changes. Everything changes. Always.

Over the last few weeks there have been quite a few changes.

My oldest son has graduated from high school. Son number two spent a couple of days in the hospital and was separated from his appendix. In a couple of days he’ll turn 16 (huge changes for him). My wife received her official acceptance into grad school. And for me, the company I work for changed owners.

All of those changes are significant, but they also reflect stability and “sameness”.

The oldest son will continue his schooling, but it will be at the next level.

Son number two is all healed up and back to normal. He’ll turn 16 and get his driver’s license soon. Daily life will continue.

My wife will continue to be a nurse. She will also be going to grad school, but not much will change. She’ll be working during the day and studying in the evening and on the weekend.

I’ll still be performing the same duties and tasks at my day job. New logo. New shirts. Answer the phone in a different manner. But still the same.

We all go through changes. No matter what, change will happen. Stress tends to come with change. We worry about new people, new experiences, new ways of going about our daily tasks. But we adjust.

How do we adjust? When things are changing, what do you hold on to? Is there something in your life keeping you stabilized during changes?