In the blink of an eye

How fast is a moment?
From our trip to California to this hour, we have been filling in the moments.
School, work, family and life have crammed into every hour.
We have been sailing along so fast that we haven't taken a breath.
Then we recall... breath...
The soul is nourished as the breath of God fills our lungs,
surrounding our heart with love, strength and the Holy Spirit.
We are rejuvenated for a moment...
for an hour...
for a lifetime.
Breathe deep...

The practice of breathing connects us with our most primitive and natural roots. It is the miracle that gave the first humans life, and it is the miracle we all share daily. It is also the simplest form of prayer. A connection to the divine that we share every moment we are present on this earth. Without effort, we can stay in prayer and present with God.

So, here is an exercise in breathing:

sit quietly in your chair...
find a place of balance in your posture...
your being centered and comfortable...
now, take a breath in...slowly savoring the scents, the temperature, the life giving fullness of your lungs.
pause... note the Holy Spirit within you.
and breathe slowly out... releasing the tensions, concerns and hardships you carry to the wind... allowing God to carry them on wing and lift them...supporting you in your journey.

Again... breathe in...take in the strength of the moment... absorb even the smallest particle of God's strength within you... fill your lungs with the stamina for this moment and those to come.
pause... feel God with you...cherish the moment knowing that you are filled with the Holy Spirit and cleansed of all you have been for this is a fresh new moment, a fresh new breath...
and breathe slowly out... let go of your guilt and shame... release them knowing you are perfect in the sight of the living creator... you are filled with the breath that has always belonged to us and that keeps these vessels we dwell in connected with God from birth until death.

Breathe in... note the peace filling your body... be present with it... hold it for this moment and experience the tranquility of the Heavenly Spirit flowing through you... knowing you are one with God.
pause... release everything from your being to the God that is residing with you... let go of all you are burdened with and picture the peace of the Lord... let your heart be alive
and release... just let go... as you allow the air to pass from your lungs, know that you are living in communion with the creator of all and the spirit that dwells within each of us... that connects us and makes us one with God and each other.

Peace -

The month of April

April has passed us more rapidly than we first expected. Looking at spring all we want is for it to be here. The moment it arrives we rejoice. Spring, Easter, new birth. It is more than we can ever expect. God is great.

Ephesians 4:24 And to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

coming home

Did you ever have so much that you could not put it all into words? 6 states, over 2 thousand miles, Disney Land, the Pacific Ocean, Tide Pools, Friends, Friends, Friends, Sea Shells, Sea Shores, Hollywood, Food, Fun and so much more!!! This one says it all...

Psalm 23.5: my cup overflows.

Having a ball...

We left this morning at 3:30 am. to get a jump on the bad weather and get down the road. Arrived at 6:30 pm our time in Las Vegas to see Brandi and Dave. The boys did great on the trip so far. Thank God for the DVD player and good movies. They watched "UP" and laughed through the whole thing. What a great sound! When we got to Las Vegas, they had to run around and blow off some steam. So, out came the scooters and balls. We all had a ball! Dave had out his new pool table and we played a little, and Brandi made tacos. Kim and I enjoyed the hospitality and the brief respite from our travels. Leviticus 25.10 - It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family.

Anticipation

So here we go... Big snow storm in Denver could hold us up a little, but Disneyland is just around the corner! There is nothing like a road trip to truly test a family's metal. Packing is fraught with excitement, indecision and yes, the occasional frustration, but in the end everybody packs into the family car and goes to sleep. (Except the driver!) It can be one of the most peaceful times for a family. And then, there is the rush of family, friends, seeing this or that, Mickey... (after all what is Disney without Mickey?) It can become a bit daunting from the front side, but WOW, what an adventure. I will keep you posted through the week. Genesis 18.4: Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

A day with the boys

Sooner or later it has to happen, one of us has to work on a weekend and the other gets a day with the boys. I don't know the point where it happened, but for a moment I forgot about the work that had to be done and was looking at the works that were being done in my midst. Children haven't any worries, they just live. So there was Zach in the bottom of the extra large basket at Costco, with an even larger item covering the top of the basket, a surprise for Mom... He was having a ball! Joe and Isaiah were in the front of the cart with the new water sprinkler controllers just as fixated. And I was lost in the moment. Children... What a wonderful gift and blessing. Psalm 1:3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

First Day

It is common for me to hit the office and ask, "Are you having fun yet?" It seems harmless enough and really tells me something about a person's mood and indicates how we are starting off the day. The other day I was abruptly stopped in my routine by someone exclaiming, "This is work, it is not meant to be fun." Should work be fun? Or should it be serious stuff that we should each be concentrating on and making the most of what we are doing? For that matter, isn't parenting work? I hear how hard it is and see how exhausted it makes both Kim and me sometimes... But aren't we in charge of the outcome of those little lives entrusted to us, and isn't that serious stuff? So, this morning I am on the way to work and Kim is in the car in front of me. She has been focusing on fundraisers and work all week long and I have been focused on finals... not much of a fun week. As we are driving up the street, I see a VW repair shop and spot a Beetle outside the offices. "Slug Bug, Black" is all I left on her phone. Life is fun. If we put our nose to the grindstone and never look up, we become near-sighted and nose-less. Look up from your work. Take a moment to enjoy the life you have. Smile... It's Friday! Matthew 5.16: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.