Well Lord, I had every intention of writing You a completely different post today. It came to me this morning, I thought about it throughout the day, I researched the Scriptures involved at length, and then…
You shifted gears on me.
It happened while I was driving back from picking up a prescription refill at our veterinarian this afternoon. I’d elected to take the back way there; giving myself a little added “quiet time” to gather my thoughts and contemplate my post a bit. There I was, riding along deep in thought, when all of a sudden I got that “pay attention” nudge I’ve come to know. The song on the radio had just changed, and the lyrics immediately caught my notice…
Wow Lord… I’ve felt like this more than once as of late…
You think I’d have it down by now
Been practicin’ for thirty years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doin’ here
Reachin’ out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me what’s a boy supposed to do?
I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless…
Clumsy… What an apt description of how I feel on my journey to You sometimes Father…
I stumble…
I trip…
I take the wrong “fork in the road”…
And yet…
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah
Looking back over the last year Lord, so much has transpired here at PhatherPhil.org. Hundreds of “Emails to God” were shared, precious connections with fellow Christian bloggers were formed, friendships were developed and nurtured, and each word I wrote drew me ever closer to Your side. It’s been a powerful first full year Father, and I’m excited to see how You’ll use this ministry in the coming months.
Continuing my weekly tradition into the New Year Lord, I present You with the first Thankful Thursday list of 2012! And even though we’re only a little less than a week in, signs of Your gracious love abound. This past week I’ve been especially grateful for:
481. Our Tuesday night Small Group Study gatherings starting back up following a two week break.
482. Seeing the excitement in Jonathan’s eyes working with his new electronics project kit.
483. Seeing Your Blessings showered on a friend and her family this week.
484. Sharing a stuffed crust pizza with the kids.
485. The “Walking Dead” marathon on AMC last Saturday. 🙂
486. A wonderful visit from our good friend Katie over the weekend.
487. Seeing Your influence in unexpected places.
488. An extra day off this past Monday to relax and rejuvenate.
489. An inspiring and uplifting message delivered by a guest pastor at Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC last Sunday.
490. That during the many struggles I faced in 2011, each time You used those times of trial to draw me closer to You.
491. A reminder from a dear friend today that even in the midst of our struggles, Your Blessings abound all around us.
492. Your calming restraint when I feel myself getting angry.
493. Celebrating the beginning of the New Year in the company of close friends.
494. The cleansing appearance of our first (albeit minor) snow this morning.
We thank You Lord, for the many gifts You grace us with each day; both those that announce Your glory like the first light of dawn, and those that Bless us subtly like the shadows of the setting sun.
This morning Lord, I spent some time chatting online with a friend regarding some trials she and her family were going through. We were discussing the importance of remaining open to finding Your assistance in unexpected places, and a story I’d heard some time ago came to mind…
There was a man whose farm was located on the banks of a flood-swollen river. As the water rose, a neighbor drove up in a Jeep, urging him to leave before the farm was flooded. “Oh, no,” said the man confidently, “God will save me.”
The water rose higher, and the man was forced to move into the second story of the farmhouse. A police boat soon came, and the officers called for the man to hurry and get into their boat.
“Oh, no, that won’t be necessary,” the man insisted. “God will save me.”
Finally the house was completely engulfed in water, and a Coast Guard helicopter swooped in to rescue the man, now perched on the roof. Again he refused. Just then, a huge wave of water swept over the house, and the man drowned.
When he got to Heaven, he stormed at the Lord, asking WHY God had let him die when his faith had been so strong.
“What do you mean?” asked the heavenly Father. “I sent a Jeep, a boat, and a helicopter … and you wouldn’t budge!”
When I look at some of the most powerful Blessings You’ve brought into my life Father, a good many of them came about in ways that I never would have expected.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
Help us Lord…
To realize Your Blessings don’t always present themselves as we expect,
To recognize Your gifts when You place them in our path,
And to suspend our disbelief, accepting Your aid when it’s offered…
Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday, and Happy New Year Father!
As we bid farewell to 2011 Lord, I confess that my feelings on it’s passing are somewhat conflicted. In a number of respects, this past year brought with it some of the most difficult trials our little family has experienced in quite some time. And yet, along with those stresses and struggles, I can honestly say that Your presence in our lives has never felt more powerful, or been more obvious…
In the midst of our fears, You comforted us.
When we struggled for direction, You guided our hearts.
When we doubted our value, You reminded us that we’re Your Beloved.
In our moment of need, You provided a path.
When we sought for community, You led us to our church family.
As our financial security was threatened, You showed us that our true wealth lay elsewhere.
The world knocked us down Father, over and over…
And yet, You were there… each and every time.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV)
While from a worldly perspective 2011 was a trying, difficult year for us Father, every time we stumbled, You picked us up and drew us to You.
The drought came Lord, but in You we were nourished.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
