Sep 27, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Sep 27, 2011 | 20 comments
Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!
As I mentioned yesterday Lord, Shannon and I have been spending time recently going over everything we’re involved in, and making adjustments to prioritize our energies on those activities that best benefit the growth and harmony of our family, and glorify Your will for our lives. It’s been a good, productive exercise for us, and we’re making some changes that we believe are the right direction for us at this point in our lives.
Reading through Your Word this morning, I came across a very fitting passage (it’s fascinating how often that happens Lord… 🙂 ). It’s from The Book of Ecclesiastes, and is arguably one of the most well-known teachings in the Bible:
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
Looking back over our marriage, we’ve certainly had a variety of distinct seasons Lord. And while we may not have realized it during those times, each one has taught us something about ourselves, strengthened our union, and helped us grow as a family. These verses speak volumes more than the words alone reveal, and I’m very thankful for their depth and meaning in our lives.
Heavenly Father,
We lift thanks and praise to You for ALL the seasons in our lives; both those that radiate with Your love and compassion, and those which bring lessons born in trial. For while Your plans for us may not always keep us in calm waters, at the end of our earthly journey those seasons of change will have guided us closer to Your arms.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Sep 22, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Sep 22, 2011 | 20 comments
Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!
Well Father, as You know this has been a complicated week for my family and I. As I mentioned on Monday, the respiratory infection I contracted last week blossomed and it’s been beating my body up quite significantly. And although I’m very much still under this bug’s influence, I’m thankful that it seems to at least be getting a little better. Nonetheless, the true Blessing in all of this has been the amazing amount of support I’ve received from family and friends. Be it through prayer, dropping off of medicine, checking in on me, or just expressing concern, I’ve seen examples of Your presence throughout. I am truly Blessed Father, and I thank You for connecting me with each and every one of these kind people.
And now, on to this week’s list! This week Lord, I’ve been particularly thankful for:
271. The kind, caring people who reached out to me while I’ve been ill.
272. Being Spiritually Healthy.
273. Zithromax.
274. Blueberry Tea.
275. Having the “Torchwood” TV series on my media server for entertainment while laying in bed.
276. Officially becoming members of Ewell’s St. Paul UMC last Sunday.
277. A warm dog on the foot of the bed to keep me company.
278. A wonderful day spent relaxing, cooking and chatting with good friends.
279. A wonderful wife who’s picked up my slack and let me rest this week.
280. Banana Cake.
281. Inspiration from unusual places.
282. My staff providing me the quiet to take a short nap on my couch in the office yesterday.
283. A friend with an excess of nebulizer supplies.
284. The “Scrabble” application for my Android tablet that’s kept me from going stir crazy while resting.
285. New opportunities to spread Your light to others.
So many Blessings Father…
Heavenly Father,
We thank You Lord, for all those Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light up the Heavens, and those that grace us quietly without fanfare. For while our situations here on earth may change, Your bountiful mercies in our lives remain constant. We are truly Blessed.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Sep 15, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Sep 15, 2011 | 13 comments
Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!
Well Lord, once again we arrive at the Thankful Thursday edition of PhatherPhil.org. In addition to posting my usual list of 15 things I’m particularly grateful for this week, I also want to pay special notice to one in particular.
Last night was not one of my more restful evenings Father. Yesterday afternoon, I started feeling the tell-tale signs of increased sinus pressure and drainage, and some accompanying stomach discomfort. I increased my fluids and tried to push through it, but as of 3:30 this morning my head felt like it was in a vice and my whole body ached. I was awake, and uncomfortable, and exhausted, and grumpy… Not a good combination. I tried lying quietly in the bed, focusing on the stillness around me, but the thumping in my head readily thwarted my efforts. By that point, my frustration level was elevated and I resigned myself to the thought that I’d had all the sleep I was getting for the night.
“Rest in God’s Word.” drifted through my mind.
I’ll be honest Father, in the shape I was in at that wee hour of the morning the thought of focusing on Scripture (or on anything else for that matter) wasn’t particularly appealing. Nonetheless, I decided to trust the “urgings” and do some reading. I grabbed my Nook Color off the nightstand, fired up YouVersion and picked up where I’d left off earlier in the day in 1st Kings. I’d read three chapters or so when I realized…
The thumping in my head had stopped…
My nerves had quieted…
And I was feeling tired again.
I shut of the Nook, and lay back down. I’m not sure exactly how quickly I fell asleep Father, but it certainly didn’t take long. And while I didn’t have long before the morning alarm broke the silence and jolted me into the day, it was sleep I would not have had otherwise. Therefore Father, I want to give special thanks for #265 on today’s list. 🙂
Continuing from where I left off last week Lord, this week I’m especially grateful for:
256. Our cat curled up on my chest, purring softly.
257. A strong cold front coming through bringing with it mid-60s temps for the weekend.
258. Allergy medication.
259. Unexpected opportunities.
260. Discerning Your whispers in the noise.
261. Courteous, responsive customer service at the online pharmacy I use.
262. The opportunity to host an upcoming Small Group Bible Study in our home.
263. Free stock photo sites from which I can pull images for my blogs.
264. Finding three pairs of jeans in my size at the local JC Penney, and on sale.
265. That on those nights when I can’t sleep, I have Your Word to bring my spirit rest.
266. The opportunity to read the Old Testament Scripture at church last Sunday.
267. Pizza nights with the kids.
268. Inexpensive, reasonably reliable high-speed Internet at my home.
269. Key Lime Pie.
270. The daily devotions found in Stand Firm Magazine which start my days off in the proper frame-of-mind.
My life is truly “chock-full” of Blessings Lord…
Heavenly Father,
I thank and praise You for the multitude of Blessings You bestow on us each day; both those that light up the Heavens in glory, and those which grace us in relative silence. We are truly Blessed!
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Sep 13, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Sep 13, 2011 | 26 comments
Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!
As you know Father, I didn’t post to PhatherPhil.org last Friday. It was odd for me, because I’ve conditioned myself and put time aside to write to You each day, but on Friday the words just didn’t come. For whatever reason, I felt disconnected somehow and couldn’t hear Your voice with the clarity I’ve become used to. I struggled with it, and even tried to force myself to post something, but in the end I decided against just…
Going through the motions.
Although at the time I felt like I was reneging on some “unspoken obligation”, I’m happier that I chose not to post anything at all rather than something that wasn’t of Your inspiration.
And today Lord, I came across a passage in Isaiah that brought it all into wonderful perspective for me:
The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
Woe to those who go to great depths
to hide their plans from the Lord,
who do their work in darkness and think,
“Who sees us? Who will know?”
You turn things upside down,
as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,
“You did not make me”? – Isaiah 29:13-16 (NIV)
We’ve all done it at one point or another Father; followed the worship “bouncing ball”, but done so without that deep communion in our hearts that gives the spiritual expression it’s purpose. For many years when I was young, I went to Sunday school and church simply to appease my parents. It was very much “textbook worship”, and throughout that period I never truly felt the deep, yearning connection to You that I’m Blessed with now.
You know our hearts Lord, and have no interest in hypocritical worship.
Thankfully Father, the “spiritual cloud” that obscured You from me on Friday passed quickly, and I even managed to gain some insight in the process. I find it wondrous and fascinating that even in those unusual moments when my connection to You isn’t as clear, that You’re still teaching me nonetheless. 🙂
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Your unending faithfulness and patience with us. I pray that we all come to You presenting an open heart; with the lessons of Your Son firmly in our minds and enthusiastic praises of You on our lips. Lift our spiritual clouds Lord, and make the Holy Spirit in us shine like the beacons You intend us to be.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
Sep 12, 2011
Posted by PhatherPhil on Sep 12, 2011 | 20 comments
Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!
To begin our week’s conversations Lord, I want to thank You for yet another lovely weekend filled to the brim with Your Blessings. Friday night we attended a spaghetti dinner at Ewell’s St. Paul UMC to benefit the “Jesus Freaks” youth group. The food and fellowship were wonderful, and it was very well attended. Saturday, the boys stayed with friends for the day while Shannon and I got the opportunity to attend an end-of-summer pool party. Sunday began with an inspiring church service, and then while Shannon played her viola in the Dover Symphony at a local patriotic concert, the boys and I were able to catch up on overdue housework, grocery shopping and laundry. As seems to be our “normal” lately Father, it was a very busy weekend, but certainly time we’re thankful for.
As You know Father, each morning I’ve been reading a daily devotional message from the Stand Firm magazines that Shannon got me a subscription to for Father’s Day. This morning’s message was focused on love and commitment, and it very much resonated with things that You and I have been discussing quite a lot as of late. The passage cited in the devotional was from the first chapter of the Book of Ruth, and details Ruth’s response to Naomi when Naomi attempts to send her back to her family following the death of Ruth’s husband (Naomi’s son):
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” – Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)
Such a powerful statement of commitment Lord, and unfortunately something we see far too little of in society today. Unwavering devotion to those we love, and to You Father, should be our firm goal and desire each and every day. If we all looked to replace our selfish, wayward thoughts with the yearning to care for and serve others, and to praise You with each waking breath, our world would be truly transformed.
It’s certainly something I’ll be praying on this week Lord.
Heavenly Father,
As we go through the day Lord, please fill our hearts with the desire, devotion and drive to unselfishly and openly bring Your love to those around us. Grant us the resolve in our hearts Father, that we may committedly focus ourselves on those relationships that You Bless us with; our marriages, our families and our friendships, that we may glorify You thorough those connections.
In Jesus’ Name we pray,
Amen.
~Phather Phil
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. 
