Thankful Thursday: A Shift in Vision

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

Today Father, we come to the final Thankful Thursday edition of PhatherPhil.org for this calendar year.  When I began this recurring post 31 weeks ago (whew!), I honestly never expected the profound impact it would have on me, or that it would draw me so much closer to You in the process.

As I sit down each week to write out my list Lord, my mind drifts back over the past seven days; revisiting those moments that left their marks on my heart.  What I’ve found in doing so Father, is that even in those situations where things don’t seem to go my way, when I look closely enough, Your Blessings pour out nonetheless.  That little shift in vision Lord, has been a major Blessing all by itself.  I still have struggles and times that tax my strength, but when I look through my “Thankful Thursday Goggles”, I’m much more able to place those moments in their proper light.  It’s been an eye-opening experience so far Lord, and I can’t wait to see what Blessings You’ll reveal to me in the coming year.

Therefore Father, to close out the year on a joyful note, this past week I’ve been especially grateful for:

466. Time spent alone with Shannon last Friday afternoon and evening.

467. Google Music which allows me to listen to my music on all my devices, anywhere, at any time.

468. The pain relief provided by our heating pad last night.

469. Hickory Farms New York Cheddar Spread (Used to be called Chutter).

470. That when my stubbornness blinds me to common sense, my wonderful wife Shannon “nudges” me back on track.

471. The Living Water that satisfies my spiritual thirst.

472. Having three days off over Christmas spent with those I love.

473. A beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service at Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC.

474. Andes Mint Cookies.

475. Sharing the celebration of Jesus’ birth with friends.

476. An inspiring guest post on Tuesday by Jean Wise from Healthy Spirituality.

477. That the stabbing pains I had in my lower back yesterday have settled down today.

478. Seeing the expressions of wonder and joy on my children’s faces Christmas morning.

479. The opportunity to support other local ministries.

480. The trust of a good friend.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for gracing us with such a multitude of Blessings this past year.  As we start anew in 2012, please clear our eyes to reveal Your gifts in all circumstances; both those that lift our hearts in song, and those in which Your Blessings may be masked within our trials.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

The Gift of Reflection

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

Well Father, to start off our week together I want to thank You wholeheartedly for the wonderful Christmas weekend You Blessed my family and I with.  Saturday evening we attended a beautiful candlelight service at Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC, followed the next day by a lovely Christmas morning with the kids and a trip to my (earthly) father’s house for a family dinner.  And most importantly Lord, I was Blessed to have three whole days spent wrapped in the love of my wife and children.  It was an absolutely joy-filled time of respite and celebration Lord, and for that I am truly grateful.

Today Father, I’m very Blessed to have the opportunity to share a guest “Email to God” from a dear lady and fellow Christian Blogger; Jean Wise from HealthySpirituality.org.  Jean’s posts never fail to inspire and encourage her readers (including me), and I’m excited to have her sharing her prayers here today.

Happy New Year, Lord!

I love the end of December – watching the transition from one year to the next. It is a time of new beginnings and renewed energy. You invite me to sit with You, reflecting on the past 12 months and praying about the coming year.

Lord as we “harvest” my journal, sort through my emotional ups and downs, and dig deep into my past experiences, help me to remember You were with me then, You are with me now, and will stay by my side into the unknown future.

I pause and lift up 2011 and my entire life journey once again into Your hands. With a highlighter and my favorite pen in hand, what shall we look for?

• ·      Cherished moments.
• ·      Unexpected joys and obstacles
• ·      Reoccurring thoughts or stubborn nudges that You won’t let me forget
• ·      Bible verses that guided me or still sing to me even if I don’t know why
• ·      Times I felt Your presence and times I walk in lonely darkness
• ·      Lessons I learned and lessons that will take a life time to fully comprehend
• ·      Answered prayers and dreams that still bubbled with life and passion

Lord, be my companion, teacher, and guide as 2012 unfolds. Let this coming year be filled with warm relationships and the strength and wisdom to help those You place before me. Help me to love You more, love others as You do, and to love myself as only You can.

And Lord I ask for a bit a whimsical joy in 2012. Give me childlike wonder to see your creation with new eyes. I ask that You lavishly send love, peace, kindness, and patience to fill my heart and remove the pettiness, greed, and jealously that I hide in its corners.

The gift of 2012 is not for me, but an opportunity to serve You, love You, and give You glory. Father, the One who “makes all things new,” help me keep my eyes only on You the coming twelve months.

Thank You for being the God of our yesterdays, of our todays, and all of our tomorrows.

Amen

~Jean Wise

 http://www.healthyspirituality.org

Thankful… Friday?: That Greatest of Gifts

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful… Friday?

Well Father, as You’re no doubt aware I didn’t manage to get my Thankful Thursday post out yesterday afternoon.  Instead however, of going into the Christmas weekend without listing out some of Your many Blessings in my life, I decided to make this “Thankful Friday”.  🙂

As we focus our hearts on celebrating the miracle of Christ’s birth Father, it seems only fitting to mark the beginning of this weekend by giving thanks; thanks for the daily Blessings You grace our lives with, and thanks for that Greatest of Gifts that Blessed our world so many years ago.

On that note Lord, this past week I’ve been especially grateful for:

451. The inspiring and entertaining selection of Christmas Music that’s been playing on 88.7 The Bridge this season.

452. The official release to the world of the new Ewell’s-St. Paul UMC website.

453. A fun dinner out last night with Shannon and Aidan.

454. A lovely array of Christmas Lights that brighten my drive home from the office each evening.

455. Free overnight shipping from Amazon.com.  🙂

456. That Jonathan doesn’t see brokenness, flaws, or differences in other children, just opportunities for new friends.

457. That Jonathan had a wonderful sleepover birthday party last Friday night.

458. The Light of a Star leading my heart to His manger.

459. A wonderful Chick-Fil-A lunch bought for our office by a good friend.

460. Being asked to write a guest post for a friend’s wonderful blog next month.

461. A wonderful afternoon with friends celebrating their foster son’s birthday.

462. The healing power of a good laugh.

463. Simple beginnings.

464. A fun night of fellowship with our Tuesday night Small Group.

465. The most important Christmas Gift even given; the birth of our Savior.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You Lord, for the multitude of Blessings You grace us with each day; both those that shine high in the Heavens, guiding us to a manger, and those that whisper Your love for us gently on the evening breeze.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

The Light of a Star

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

So many Blessings Lord… So many…

And yet,

I’m unsettled…

And tired…

And anxious.

In times such as these Father,

When my brokenness overwhelms me,

When Your voice seems distant,

And Your presence evades me,

I need You all the more.

And yet,

Through the self-imposed haze between us,

Shines a light;

The light of a star,

Guiding me,

Leading my heart,

To the foot of a manger.

And there,

Wrapped in the Stillness of Your Holy Gift,

I find Your peace,

And I can rest,

Safe in Your embrace.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Meditations Monday: The Simplest of Beginnings

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

Well Father, once again You’ve Blessed my family and I with a lovely weekend.  Jonathan’s sleepover birthday party Friday night was a marked success, and the boys all seemed to have a wonderful time.  Once all the “overnighters” had been picked up by their well-rested parents (smiles), we packed up and headed out to spend the rest of the day at the home of some truly wonderful extended family (eg. Good friends) celebrating the birthday of their foster son.  It was a lovely visit, filled with laughter and love, and we were very Blessed to be a part of it.  Sunday morning began with an inspiring church service including a powerful message from Pastor Kris, with the remaining part of the day divided between cooking, catching up on homework and housework, and just enjoying the company of one another.  All in all Lord, it was an absolutely wonderful weekend, and I thank You for faithfully providing these times of joy and respite to us.

When I thought and prayed about what passage in Scripture to select for this Meditations Monday post Father, one immediately sprang to my heart:

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:1-7 (ESV)

As I read this passage in Luke Father, I was struck by the simplicity in which this miraculous event was described;

No fanfare…

No ceremonies…

No royal proclamations…

No pretense of any kind.

Such a transformational moment in our world Father, ushered in by the most humble of circumstances.

As I look around this Christmas Season Lord, it’s blatantly apparent our world today exists in stark contrast to that Silent Night so long ago.  We fill these weeks each year with lights, and parties, and shopping, and decorating, and yet, in that defining moment some two thousand years ago…

Our world was forever changed, from the simplest of beginnings.

No lighting displays, no flying reindeer, no sugarplum faries…

Just a miracle, in a lowly manger, sent to save the world.

Amen.

~Phather Phil