faith

Home Coming

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.                 Matthew 11:28 ESV

Fed up with the rules at home, I decided one day to go to live with my grandparents. “I want to live with Gammy and Cap-Cap!” I stated defiantly to Mom.

“Okay, I’ll help you pack.” she said. “How are you going to get there?”

“I’m going to walk up Route 6!” I said confidently. Technically this was possible but I did not know that 300 miles separated me from their home in Connecticut. Mom just smiled and helped me close my suitcase. After my stepdad got home from work they helped me put my things in the car and drove to the edge of town then pointed me in the right direction.

I bravely got out of the car and started walking away but each time a car sped by I flinched. “See you later!” Mom said waving as they turned and walked out of sight. But my world seemed suddenly so big and frightening that I started to cry. At that moment my parents magically appeared, scooped me up in their arms and took me home!

I bravely got out of the car and started walking away but each time a car sped by I flinched. “See you later!” Mom said waving as they turned and walked out of sight. But my world seemed suddenly so big and frightening that I started to cry. At that moment my parents magically appeared, scooped me up in their arms and took me home! Have you ever decided to run away from Jesus? You may think He didn’t notice when you started down the road; but He was watching and waiting for us to cry out. He is prepared for our home coming and has a place where we will always belong!

P1040710

This is the Lake Retreat cottage we were loaned named SImplicity. It has the benefit of no Wifi, TV or Cell service. What a wonderful place to call home for a few days!

Trees Walking

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

And he looked up, and said. I see men as trees walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored and saw every man clearly. Mark 8:24-25 KJV

This year I have been through two operations to remove pterygiums which had formed on my eyes during a lifetime of outdoor work.  Unlike cataract surgery this procedure requires about a month of somewhat painful recovery. While I knew that I needed those dog-goned pterygiums taken off, I just wished there was an instant and painless solution. Maybe the story of this blind man was written for people just like you and me.

“So why the slow crawl towards a miracle?” – You might ask. Maybe a better question is, “Why does God only let us see men like trees walking?” After all, most of the miracles that Jesus did were spiritual slam dunks. He commanded a storm and – Bam! It obeyed; Water into wine? No problem!! I love it when God’s answer to my prayers comes like Publishers Clearing House showing up at my door with a million dollar check. But when God works on changing my attitudes; now that takes a lot longer. If you are struggling through a painful rehab or are facing God’s “heart attitude surgery” just trust Him. He is working for our good and His loving care plan is to walk with us through every day of our pain until the day we will be able to look up and say, “Oh Lord Jesus – seeing trees walking is a miracle!” Then as we rest in His plan, the the day will also come when we can say, “Thank you Lord, today I can see all men clearly!”

KIMG2127

He Matches Our Pace

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

The funny thing about walking is that we never know what a gift it is until we can’t do it. For the last two days it became too painful for me to walk or even sit for long. I am so thankful to God that my hip decided to quiet down last night.

Today as I resumed my morning walk by the pond it struck me how God walks with us. He chooses to match our pace because we can not keep up with Him.

When we are little children He runs along with us. When we are teenagers he zigs and zags through our growing pains. In adulthood He sticks by our side through every wilderness and storm. Now that I have begun my senior laps I discovered that He slows to match my halting stride. By faith we can walk anywhere with Jesus, who promises to be our walkway to the Father. Thank God for our Savior Jesus Christ who chose to walk the rough hillside path to Calvary. He painfully slowed His pace to match ours so that He could lead us all the way home to Heaven!