Rejoice, the Season is Upon Us!

Dear Lord; Well Father, December is upon us and at least here in Delaware I think you left the water running up there.  🙂  And although it’s a dreary, wet day outside my heart is opening to rejoice at the Season of Celebration for the Holy Birth of Your Son.  I started this morning by shifting my iPod playlist over to Holiday music to get myself “in the spirit”.  There’s nothing like the joyous sounds of Judy Collins, Bing Crosby, Harry Connick Jr. and Amy Grant singing Your praise to get my spirits in the right place.  As I noted in yesterday’s email, music has a way of getting into my heart like not too many other things can, so I make sure to have appropriate uplifting songs playing for much of my day to keep me in the right frame of mind.  Thank You for inspiring so many talented people and using their gifts as a conduit to our Souls.

Today’s prayers Lord, are for all those struggling to find their inspirations during this Blessed Season.  It’s very easy to get mired down in the day-to-day troubles we all face, and to completely miss the Miracle that this time of year celebrates.  Please open peoples’ hearts and minds to receive the true depth and meaning of this Blessed Event, and to focus on Your Loving Gifts to us instead of dwelling on earthly issues.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

Remembering a Moment

Dear Lord; Sometimes Father, music can reach into our soul and touch our hearts in ways that words simply can’t.  Most people I know have one or more songs that just hit a raw nerve and evoke amazing emotional responses.  In my case, it has to do with one that I first heard shortly after Jonathan was born and we were living at A.I. Dupont Hospital for Children dealing with his Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.  As You know, I spent each evening driving back and forth to the hospital to spend as much time with him and Shannon as I could while still keeping the bill collectors off our backs.  The radio was my friend on those long lonely rides, and one night while coming home a new song came on that I hadn’t heard before.  It was a dedication on the Delilah show for a man whose son was fighting cancer.  It didn’t hit me at first, but as I listened to the haunting music and lyrics my heart caved, tears started pouring from my eyes and I had to pull the truck over.  The song was by a Christian Artist named Mark Schultz and it was called He’s My Son.

There were a lot of life-changing moments during those years Father, and that was one of them.  I of course ended up buying the CD with that song on it, and have listened to it many times since (as well as the rest of the music on it… He’s quite good).  Thank You for bringing me that emotional release that night, and for speaking to me in the darkness.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

Inspiration for a Monday Morning

Dear Lord; Good morning Father!  To start off with, I want to Thank You for a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with my family and friends.  It never ceases to amaze me that when I focus on the blessings in my life, how truly rich I feel.  Thank You for that.

This morning however, I’ve been having a difficult time getting motivated Lord.  Maybe it’s just the “coming down” effect following a four-day weekend, but I started the day feeling a little rough.  After a little searching for inspiration though, I found Psalm 18:32-36 :

It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

I love this one… I know that no matter what Lord, You are my strength, my heart, and my salvation and you never leave my side, and this Psalm describes that perfectly for me.  While I know this week is going to be filled with personal difficulties, I can approach it knowing You’re there for me.  May everyone that’s dealing with fear, uncertainty or personal turmoil feel Your Loving Presence, and know that all Your Children are Blessed with Your Grace.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

From the Voices of Children

Dear Lord;  Good morning, and Happy Thanksgiving Father!  Over the last few days, I’ve been focusing our correspondence on some of the Blessings that I’m thankful for, so today I thought I’d share our time together and get my children involved in our chat.  Quite often I’ve heard Your Voice or seen Your Light in them, so it made sense to me to find out what they were truly thankful for.  This morning I asked them, “What would you like to thank God for?”, and here are their replies…

Aidan, Age 8 : “I would like to thank God for giving me a family, a home, for my pets, that my family’s really smart, that our new kitty wasn’t too sick when we got her, that I have nice friends, that I’m healthy, that my whole family is ‘mostly healthy’, that Me and Jonathan get along sometimes and that I have a good time at school.”

Jonathan, Age 10 : “I want to thank God for a healthy family, a caring family, great friends, a house around me, food in my tummy, for all the things You’ve done for me, having pets, having things to do, for having good education, having a brother, being able to go off and do things, for having clothes, making it so I can have video games, making me able to play with my family, forgiving me when I’ve done wrong and giving me courage for getting through tough situations.”

As I’ve mentioned before Lord, these two little boys are up towards the top of my Blessings list.  My heart is shaped daily by their presence, and I lift my prayers of thanks to You for having them in my life.

May all of Your Children feel Your Loving Touch on this day, and know Your Grace that we may honor Your Presence and go forward in Love.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil

Prayers of Thanks for Prosperity

Dear Lord; In keeping with my “Prayers of Thanks” theme this week Father, I’d like to talk about something else I’m very thankful for; Prosperity.  Now, at first glance this may seem to also be ironic as financially this has been one of the worst years we’ve ever had, but I’m focusing on the “Big Picture” here, but it really isn’t.  Let me explain.

I’ve learned to look at the concept of prosperity in a different way over the last several years.  Yes, there’s certainly a prosperity that comes along with significant financial gain or business success, but I also think it plays into other areas of life as well.  For example:

• I have an amazing family, and although money has been very tight as of late we’ve never been closer.
• I’m surrounded by a plethora of wonderful friends who truly care about us, and for whom we care in return.
• We have a lovely home, we’re warm and clothed, and we have good food in our bellies each day.
• Shannon and I both have jobs we enjoy, and although self-employment does hold a large number of challenges, I have the ability to forge my own professional destiny.
• Our children go to a good school, are doing extremely well and are growing mentally, physically and emotionally.
• My relationship with You Father, has never been stronger and continues to grow each day.

I think I can safely look at these and say I feel prosperous this year Lord.  Today’s prayer therefore, is for all of us to look at prosperity through Your Eyes, and to try to see the “Big Picture” so we may be truly thankful for Your Blessings and Grace.  Amen.  ~Phather Phil