Everything matters
by John Fischer

Well I looked over this morning's devotional just now and was relieved. That's because yesterday morning, when I wrote it, I was not on my normal coffee and granola/yogurt bar routine. I was preparing for minor surgery that was to happen at noon, and the requirement was absolutely no food or drink - even water - after midnight the night before. Deprived of caffeine and sugar, I found my eyes closing every few minutes. And the 10-minute “power nap” that I sometimes climb back into bed for after about three hours of early-morning writing turned into 30 minutes. It's a wonder I even made sense. And now I'll have to do it all over again next week.

Halfway to the surgery center I called to let them know I was running late and found out my appointment had been rescheduled. So there I was, depriving myself and rushing off halfway to the surgery center for no reason. Don't you ever wonder why things like this happen? It seems like so much wasted time and effort.

If we're fortunate, we might discover what we thought was wasted time actually put us in a position for something good that wouldn't have happened otherwise. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes these things just happen and we weather them and go on. But is that the best we can expect? I think there may be more.

Just as none of us is an accident, I believe none of the things that happen to us are accidents either. Behind all the causes, effects, and surprises in our lives, God's hand is moving. My history and yours are intertwined with everyone else's in an intricate tapestry of events, none of which are outside God's control. And in this elaborate confluence of things, everything matters. My “wasted” morning may have played into someone else's day in a more significant manner than I can know now or understand.

Perhaps for this reason, we can look back on the events of an otherwise wasted effort and see other things not evident at first glance. In this case, it allowed for my wife and I to stop for coffee on the way back home and have a few moments together. Those moments pointed out some things to me that I needed to act on due to their critical nature. Had I been drugged by anesthesia most of the day and focused on myself, that awareness might have been delayed even further, a delay we cannot afford right now.

What happened yesterday was no accident; what happens today will not be either. We need to pay attention to find out why, because God isn't messing around.

Everything matters; everything counts.
Everything matters; everything counts.
Keep my eyes open.
Keep my hands on the wheel.
Everything matters; everything's real.

- from the song Everything Matters by John Fischer

Favorite Memories

Favorite Memories

Okay I found this on susie's blog and thought I would join in on it.

1. Favorite memory of your mother?
I guess my favorite memory of my mother would be her baking all the the time. We always had homemade birthday cakes. And she would make this 7 minute frosting to go on them. She could bake anything. I miss her chocolate pie's. I can't really make them like her but I am pretty close. I miss her homemade yeast rolls also. She spent most of her time in the kitchen but unfortunally things changed after my parents got divorced after 36 years of marriage. She does not cook the same anymore and she really is not the same person anymore. Which is hard for me.

2. Favorite memory of your father?
My Dad was always taking picutres of us. He always had the camera ready. We had a picture drawer where all the pictures went and I always loved getting into that drawer and looking at the pictures. So I guess that is where I get my love of taking pictures. From him.

3. Favorite memory of your siblings?
My sister and I as kids were always together. We did everything together. We would ride our bikes together all the time everywhere, that is my favorite memory.

4. What one skill would you like to wake up tomorrow and be able to do(though you never learned it)?
Speak spanish. It is so hard to learn a language when you are an adult. I want to learn it so I can speak to the people on the mission trips to mexico. I want to be able to communicate with them.


5. Which of your dreams has come true?
Okay somehow I missed this question so I adding now. Well I would have to say God leading us to where we are now and being apart of a wonderful church and having God back in my life. It has been a long journey to get to where I am. But I can look back and see that God was working in my life even when I thought he wasn't. He had his hand in all the times of despair and uncertain moments in our life even though I did not realize it at the time. I am amazed!

Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado

Those who go to God Most High for saftey will be protected by the Almighty
Psalm 91:1

We create elaborate houses for our bodies, but our souls relegated to a hillside shanty where the night winds chill us and the rain soaks us...We don't have to live outside...God wants you to move in out of the cold and live...with Him. Under his roof there is space available. At his table a plate is set. In his living room a wingback chair is reserved just for you. And he'd like you to take up residence in his house. Why...? Simple, he's your Father.

Katrina at Callapider Days has come up with a great idea for this fall. She's created the Fall in to Reading Challenge. I thought was a good idea. I love to read especially inspirational books. I read a lot devotional books also. I usually try to read before I go to bed if I am not too tired from work. I almost always end up catching up on the weekends on my reading. I have a book shelf by my bedside with a lot books that I still need to read. I usually end up reading several books at one time so it takes me a while to finish one. So here is my list of books to read this Fall.

Only Holy Ground
by Charles Stanley

Voices of the Faithful
by Beth Moore

Prayers that avail much for Women
by Germaine Copeland


Finding God
by John Fischer

Love Him in the Morning
by John Fischer

Grace for the Moment
by Max Lucado


One year of HOPE
by Nancy Guthrie


Women of the Bible
by Anne Spangler











Books I have finished

Your Late again Lord
by Karon Phillips Goodman

A Day with a Stranger
by David Gregory

A Women and her God
by Beth Moore

Dinner with a Perfect Stanger
by David Gregory

I love this Passage in the bible. I read it again last night in a book I am reading called Finding God by John Fischer. This passage seems to keep finding its way to me. I love the last verse in this passage. So I thought I would post it.

Luke 24:13-32 (New International Version)

On the Road to Emmaus

13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.

17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

19"What things?" he asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.

30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"