The Perfect Space

(From theFish.com) My buddy Kelly casually dropped the name of a group last summer that he thought I might look to add to the iPod rotation. The band he mentioned was the Avett Brothers and the scouting report was superb. Today a song by the group inspired this week’s iPod Devotional. It is called “The Perfect Space” and the lyrics resonated with my season of life. I wanna’ have friends that I can trust, that love me for the man I’ve become not the man I was. My Truefaced friend John Lynch says it this way. “What if there was a place where the worst of me could be known, and I would discover in the telling of it that I would be loved more, not less?” Wouldn’t that be amazing? To have a friend that you could trust with all that is true about you and feel safe. All of us have a deep need to be known and
Continue reading...

A Time to be Grateful

(From theFish.com) I love Thanksgiving. I love watching the giant balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade floating through New York as wide-eyed children watch. I love the traditional football games. The official start of the Christmas season. The post feast nap. I love it all and Thanksgiving Day is here again. Thanksgiving Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter captures the intimacy of this wonderful holiday. Grateful for each hand we hold Gathered round this table. From far and near we travel home, Blessed that we are able. Grateful. That is a powerful word that is so easy to overlook in the tension of life and the depressing cycles of usually bad news. I have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. I am grateful for another year with my best friend and bride Joni. I am grateful for three wonderful sons, two amazing daughter-in-laws and one fantastic grandchild. I am blessed that we are able to be together this Thanksgiving.
Continue reading...

I Fall Apart

A lot of people dear to me are going through some difficult waters right now. Some are in physical pain, some in emotional pain and some in financial pain. Sometimes even the most sold out followers of Jesus want to raise their face to the heavens and scream. “WHY God? WHAT are you doing? HOW can you let this continue?” A song by Josh Wilsonresonated on the daily walk and is the basis for today’s iPod Devotional. The song is called “I Fall Apart”. Why in the world did I think I could Only get to know you when my life was good? When everything just falls in place The easiest thing is to give you praise Now it all seems upside down I wish that wasn’t true. I wish I was mature enough to recognize God’s blessings every day and praise Him without ceasing in my normal life of comfort or when things go off course. The truth is
Continue reading...

Love Them Through It

(From theFish.com) This is an interesting time of year for me as stores pull the pink paraphernalia off the shelves and put up the Christmas items. October has become known for pink reminders everywhere of the battle against breast cancer. I am grateful for all that is done to defeat this dread disease. My dear wife just passed the five year survivor mark this year. Today a song from Martina McBride brought back waves of memories from a difficult journey. The song is called “I’m Gonna’ Love You Through It”. She dropped the phone and burst into tears The doctor just confirmed her fears Her husband held it in and held her tight Cancer don’t discriminate or care if you’re just 38 With three kids who need you in their lives He said, “I know that you’re afraid and I am, too But you’ll never be alone, I promise you” I remember facing those fears with Joni. I remember promising
Continue reading...