Foods and Friends

FOODS are like FRIENDS, you need a variety to keep you healthy and strong!



That is what I love about circle of friends:



I have friends that make me laugh,



friends that encourage me,



friends that challenge me,



friends that make me think,



friends that share their wisdom and help me learn.



But mostly, I have friends that love me!



Talk about a healthy diet!

It Wasn't Supposed To End This Way

Have you ever been totally caught up in reading a book or watching a movie, only to be completely let down by the way it ended?

Even though there was conflict, maybe major conflict, you just knew they would figure a way out of, or a way through the situation. But in the end, all you felt was shock, disappointment and maybe even a little betrayal, because of where the writer chose to take you.

We all want the "happily ever after" endings, but in real life, that is not what always happens, and it makes for some very sad stories.

And it is because I wouldn't ever want to discourage others from pursuing or believing in their own "happily ever after" endings, that it is so very difficult for me to share with you, what I am about to share.

When I married Nan, almost 17 years ago, I had absolutely no doubt that we were going to be together the rest of our lives. And though there were many, many rocky times for us, getting through those times only seemed to make the bond between us stronger.

Our love for each other was evident to anyone around us, and caused many people to examine their own relationships in light of what they saw in us.

But something happened to tear down everything that we had built over the years. It wasn't supposed to happen, especially between two God fearing, Bible believing, Christians, but it did, nonetheless.

What happened is very complicated and something that we both would like to remain private. But I would like to assure you that neither of us had an affair, nor are we involved with anyone else.

As a result of our problems, we have been separated for over a year now and our divorce became final this week.

I still hold Nan in high regard. She is a fine person and a joy to so many people who are fortunate enough to know her.

For those of you who know me, or knew us as a married couple, I am quite sure you are shocked, disappointed and saddened. It is, after all, a very sad ending.

We both believe that God works all things together for good, and so we believe He can do just that with the mess that we have created.

I look forward to the good things that God has planned for me as I stand in faith on this firm belief:

Each new day, each new hour, each new moment is a fresh and new beginning, fueled by God's mercy and grace.

Thank you, for all of your love and support for each of us.

North From The South, Or East From The West

Have you ever thought about this?


Suppose you were to decide to go on a journey. Suppose further, that you were only going to travel in one direction--let's say north.


So you set off on your journey traveling north. Perhaps you travel a very long time, but at some point in time, if you travel long enough, you can no longer travel north. At some point in time, you arrive at the northern most point and can go no further in that direction.


The same is true if you decided to travel south. At some point you could no longer travel south. And so the distance between the furthest point north and the furthest point south is a finite distance.


Now suppose you decide to travel east. Did you ever stop to think that you could travel east until you dropped dead from exhaustion or old age, and never arrive at the furthest place east?


And the same is true if you travelled west. So, we can assume the distance between east and west is infinite.


So why does this fascinate me?


It has to do with the following passage from Psalm 103: 11-13 (NKJ)



"For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him."





I am so glad the writer didn't say "as far as the north is from the south"!



For me, it is a wonderfully reassuring mental picture of my God's love for me.

Author's note: This was originally published on my blog on www.Tobri.com

Thoughts From The Shower

Have you ever read something, or heard something, given it a little thought, only to have it come back up again and again into your mind, almost forcing you to take more time considering it?

That is exactly what happened to me this morning. I read a quote, thought about it very briefly, and then as I showered to get ready for work, I couldn't get away from it!

The quote is from the Chinese philosopher, Confucius (BC 551-BC 479).

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

How often do we set off down that road towards revenge thinking only about what our revenge will do to that OTHER person, without considering what it will do to US?

One of my favorite Bible truths is that you will reap what you sow. (At least, it is until I find myself wanting to get even with someone for something they have done!)

We get bombarded on every side with the idea of revenge. It permeates the themes of movies, television, and even water cooler discussions at work! But, too often it is all focused on the satisfaction of "getting back," rather than the consequences to the vengeful one!

There is a delicate balance between standing up for what is right and seeking out revenge against a wrongdoer. Being able to travel that path is just a matter of choosing to do what is right and good.

Okay, I never said it was easy! I just said it was a choice.

It's All About What You Do From Here!

The other day I was doing a few things on Tobri--a social networking site I use-- and remembered that I wanted to update my status. So I went to my profile and almost immediately this idea came up from inside of me,


"It's all about what you do from here!"


I thought to myself, "Wow, that sounds pretty good!" And so I posted it for my status.



[NOTE: Please understand, I am not trying to claim this as my own original idea (that I came up with it all by myself!).


I have heard other people express this same idea using other words before. Besides, I think that with as many people as there are on the planet, and in this age of information (and the communication of that information), it is probably next to impossible to have a totally original thought!


But, have you ever heard yourself say something, or read over something that you wrote, and said to yourself, "Wow, that sounds pretty good!", totally surprised by what you had just said or written?

For me, it is in those times that I believe it is God talking to me, and I need to pay attention. So I'll just give Him the credit for the quote, if it's all the same to you!]



So, since I didn't consciously work out this quote, I thought I should reflect on it a little, and consider why it seemed like such a good thought to me. I did, in fact, do just that today and here are my thoughts on why I like this quote:


1. It is a simple thought. It is short and to the point, and can easily be remembered.
2. It is profound, broad and far reaching in its potential applications.
3. It is a forward-thinking, motivating statement that encourages both self and others to take action.
4. It requires us to live in the present, no matter what happened in the past.
5. It implies that forgiveness is available to you, or that forgiveness should be extended by you.
6. It suggests that we should plan how to proceed from the point where we find ourselves, now.



"It's all about what you do from here!"

Need to Know

Have you ever watched one of those movies with all the top secret government agents, doing top secret--better that the public sector doesn't know--kind of stuff?

Inevitably, one of the agents is furious when he finds out that he was left out of the information loop about some aspect of the operation.

When he indignantly asks the question,

"Why wasn't I informed about this?"

he is simply told,

"That information is shared on a need-to-know basis only."

From the uninformed agent's viewpoint, he probably figures he should know everything about what is going on in order to better do his job.

But from the perspective of those in charge, he only really needs to know that portion that applies to his part, and he needs to trust the masterminds of the operation to be able to bring it all together nicely (before the movie ends, of course--unless they are setting things up for a sequel!)

I think that it is human nature to want to know things that in reality we would probably be better off not knowing. It's that curiosity thing that most of us have.

The National Enquirer tabloid used to use a slogan that went something like, "Enquiring minds want to know!"

But does being slammed on every side with accounts of the misdeeds of celebrities really help us in life and the challenges we face? Or does it have a numbing effect on our sensibilities?

Is that the kind of information that, at the very least, does not benefit us and, at the very worst, subtly draws us into paths of self-destruction?

And isn't that true of much of the information that we might seek to know?

That also might be something to think about the next time that you are pleading with God to show you things concerning your future. Would you maybe be better off not knowing those things just yet?

Anyway, I think that God often operates like the "government masterminds" of my fictitious movie. I think that He only lets us know what we need to know, and wants us to trust Him to take charge of the overall picture of our lives.

I have no doubt that many a Christian who has accomplished great things for the Kingdom of Heaven would not have done so had they known, from the beginning, everything that they would face along the way.

And just one more thought: Unlike a government mastermind, isn't it nice to be able to actually trust the Mastermind of our destiny to be working at all times for our good.

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
- II Corinthians 5:7 (NKJ)

Two Lives, Forever Changed

Suddenly, everything changed for Aaron.

In an instant, because of a bad choice that someone else had made, his life was forever altered, and he and his mom were left struggling to live.

They had become victims of a senseless act of road rage, by a man who was having a bad day. He had twice rammed his pickup truck into the side of another pickup truck, in revenge for having been cut off. The other driver lost control, crossed the median, and ran head on into the car Aaron’s mom was driving.

Rescue workers that arrived on the horrific scene at first thought his mom had not survived, but later realized that she was barely clinging to life. They struggled to free them from the wreckage--wreckage so severe that they couldn’t tell whether or not there was anyone else in the back seat of the crumpled vehicle.

Fortunately, there was not. Aaron’s 17 month old half sister was not with them.

Ten year old Aaron never saw his mom again. She lived only nine more days, in a coma.

In an instant, with no time to react, helpless to keep it from happening, everything had changed for Aaron.



On that very same day, May 11th, another life was suddenly changed forever.

Richard’s life was changed, not by the uncontrollable actions of another, but rather by his own actions, his own decisions. You see, Richard is the man that caused the accident.

He now faces up to 50 years in prison for three felony charges which include vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving a death and reckless driving involving serious bodily injury.

Perhaps even more significantly, he faces a lifetime of knowing that his actions, his lack of self-control, left a woman dead, a boy fighting for life, a husband alone and a baby motherless. How would you feel knowing that?

I can’t help but wonder what he is thinking now. Is he only just absorbed in his own troubles, afraid of the things that will happen to him next?

Or does he feel remorse? Does he find it hard to live with himself, as I would if I were in his place? Is he reaching out to God for forgiveness and mercy? Does he pray for Aaron’s recovery?

There are so many Christians praying for Aaron to heal and to live. Each day their prayers are heard and answered as Aaron continues to surprise doctors who never thought he would . . . or never thought he could . . . do this or that.

And while they pray for Aaron they also struggle with their feelings of anger, disgust and hurt for what this man has done. They struggle because what has happened has shaken them down to the core of what they believe.

They struggle because in part they want justice, judgment, and maybe even revenge against the man that caused this awful tragedy.

Yet deep down, they know that the same God that loves Aaron, also loves Richard, every bit as much. They know that they, themselves, are in need of a savior, no less than Richard is in need of that same savior. They know that in order to be forgiven, they must forgive and they know that unforgiveness in their own hearts, will hinder their prayers.

It is so much easier to pray for the innocent victim.

But doesn’t God want us to pray for the guilty ones, too, so that they might find the same mercy . . . and grace . . . and salvation, that has so freely been given to us?

So my invitation to you is that you join me as I pray for Aaron, but also as I pray for all those like Richard, who need a touch from God just as much.




Heavenly Father, gracious God,

We come before You now with grateful hearts, for You are good and your mercy is forever.

We are thankful for Your great love and compassion for all of us. We are thankful that it is Your heart that none of us should perish.

We ask that You would lead us in Your ways, because all Your paths are truth.

We thank You for opening our hearts to receive Your love, because we know that as we do so, we are able to let Your love flow through us to others who need to know that same love.

By Your Spirit, Lord--that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead--even right now, fill the room where Aaron is with Your presence, and bring Your healing power upon him as You continue to do in him what no man can do. Complete in him the work that You have begun so that he might be whole again, to the honor and praise of God. Cause comfort and strength to flow into his body, in the name of Jesus.

Father, we know there is not one of us without sin, so as we freely receive your forgiveness, help us to freely give our forgiveness to others.

We lift up to You now, those who need to know Your mercy and grace--people like Richard. Envelop them in Your love so they might sense Your presence with them and Your great love for them. Pour out Your mercy and grace upon them.

Draw them to Your side just as you continue to draw us. May they know the peace that passes understanding that can only come from knowing the Prince of Peace. And Lord, make us instruments of that peace.

And to You, God, we give all of our thanksgiving, all of our praise and all of our worship, for You alone are worthy!

We pray these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN!

Keeping It All About Him

One of the young ladies that I work with recently lost her dad to cancer, after a two year battle against the disease. After his passing, her family gathered together things that he had written as he worked through the challenges to his health, his family, his faith and his relationship with God, and made copies that they bound under the title, “Ramblings: One man’s thoughts on cancer, healing and the goodness of God,” by Mark Mayer.

I was privileged to be offered a copy which I have been reading over the past few days. His writings offer an interesting insight into his doubts and fears as well as the journey of his relationship with his Heavenly Father. What he wrote was refreshingly transparent, as he struggled with his own failures and frustrations as a pastor.

I have not read all of it yet, but I wanted to share one thing that he wrote about that made a big impression on me.

One of the things Mark did was to set about seeking divine healing. To that end he attended a healing conference in Miami.

While there he was touched by the “intense and uplifting worship” that he experienced. He wrote that while he was there he felt God impress a truth upon him in the form of a question. He stated that it was as if God was talking inside of his head asking, “Mark, you want the gift of healing, but do you want the giver of healing?” He further explained that he felt that God was telling him that he needed to seek His face more than he sought after his healing.

So it got me thinking about all the times we mortals make it all about us--what God should do for us--instead of making it all about Him. Far too often we approach God in our need, rather than as an expression of our love.

I am reminded about how the truest worship is all about Him, and how the best we can offer God in return for all that He has already done for us, is to love Him and give Him our praise and our worship.

But that’s exactly what He wants most from us--for us to come into His presence through our love, praise and worship of Him, just to be there, not to ask for anything.

In seeking Him with all our hearts, we will find that which we really need the very most.


“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 (NKJ)

Taking A Day Off From My Life

I just have a question for you.

When was the last time that you took a day off from your life?

I’m talking about a day off from all the “have to do’s,” “need to do’s,” and all the “really should do’s” that consume each one of us and make us forget that what we “have to do, need to do, and really should do” is take a day off from our life every so often, so that we are able to deal more effectively with all those many “things” in our lives that demand our attention.

In Genesis, the Bible gives us a clear example of the key role that rest should play in our lives, when it declares that God, Himself, rested on the seventh day from all that He had done to create the heavens and the earth.

And was it because He was tired? I don’t think so!

After all, the Bible also tells us in Isaiah 40:28 (NKJ), that the “everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.” No, I believe He rested to give us an example of how we need to rest, because unlike Him, we get tired!

It is also abundantly clear in the New Testament scriptures that Jesus followed the Father’s example, and took time to rest.

So that became my plan for today: To take a day off from my life.

I say that it became my plan because it didn’t start out that way.

I awoke this morning still carrying a burden of a multitude of worries and anxieties that had plagued me for most all of the workweek. Concerns about my personal life, my job, my future--both things that are within my ability to affect and things outside of my ability to control--weighed on me and frustrated me. I hadn’t really been very successful at allowing God to carry them for me.

I had gotten up and set about doing some things that I knew I “needed” to do, when I got a call from my brother. After “venting” some of my frustration on him, I made the decision to take my day in a different direction--one that could produce some positive results.

I put all those “things” on hold and set out on a course that would hopefully leave me rested and ready for my week ahead.

After pulling together some necessities for the day ahead that included my swimsuit, my MP3 player, some sunscreen, and a good, uplifting book to read, I headed for the pool at my apartment complex.

And so began a full day of peaceful rest, swimming, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the soft breezes, listening to uplifting worship music, and reading. I was soon absorbed in the book that I was reading--so much so that I finished the entire book, only then to realize that despite the sunscreen, I had slightly overexposed myself to the sun!

There are a lot of things that didn’t get done today, but I feel very good about how I spent the day, and how much more rested I feel.

Today was just a reminder to me, that while it is important to work, and to do so diligently, it is just as important to rest from that work, and give God a chance to speak to your heart.

And what about those things that were weighing on me and frustrating me earlier?

He's carrying those for me now.

So I hope that you, too, can make some time to rest, so that when you work, your work will be a nice reflection of your best efforts and not of your lack of adequate rest.