On one of the blogs I frequent, the topic of conversation over the past few weeks, off and on, has been the existence of God. People seem to think that when bad things happen to good people, God should intervene and make everything alright. So, they think, that when bad things do happen to good people, God is either not there, or doesn't love His children enough to make things right.

What a "me, me, me" mentality! If God lets His people suffer, then He must not care for them. Then the decision is made that, "If God is mean and acts like that, He is mean, and I don't want anything to do with Him."

Just for a minute, let's consider what would happen if God decided not to let suffering happen to us. First, nobody would die. Life would go on, and on, and on ... until every single person, from Adam and his lovely wife Eve, would be roaming around the earth. Nice, huh? Think of all we learn about life through our trials and tribulations. Face it, take that away, and we take a lot of who we are away.

This reason for not believing in God makes no sense. We (mankind) made the decision at Creation to "go our own way". With that decision came a great responsibility and burden. God watches out for us, and shares out burdens, but they are ours to bear to conclusion.

I commented on one of these blogs that our lack of belief in God doesn't make Him cease to exist. He doesn't require our acceptance and belief in order to be real. One of my favorite quotes is explained below:

"Bidden or not bidden, God is present."

Carl Jung, the eminent psychologist, had this quote carved over the front door of his Zurich home, as well as on his tombstone. It is an English translation of the Latin "Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit", a quotation he came across when studying Erasmus. The words are said to originate from the reply given by Delphic Oracle to the Spartans when they were planning a war against Athens: "Yes, the Gods will be present, but in what form and to what purpose?"(http://www.irishongrand.com/detail/179)


We live in this corrupt, dirty, violent world and, face it, it's not easy. We need to know the obstacles and dangers that get in our way, and how to avoid them. Living here, on this planet, in these times, takes special skills that we can only learn through trial and error or through the experiences of others. God gives us the tools we need to live; it is up to us to use them.

So give God the benefit of your doubt.  Realize that He knows what is best for us. Know that He is with you always, live your life as He leads, and where you are is where you are supposed to be.

Be Careful What You Pray For

A few years ago Connie and I were discussing our future, and how we would be able to retire. We have changed jobs so often over the past 20 years that we didn't have much retirement to count on. Connie would retire in about 6 years, and I would follow 5 years later. Or at least we thought.

We prayed about it, and turned it over to God. Little did we know that He would answer our prayer soon after, and not in a way we had imagined.

A few short months afterward, Connie had a massive stroke, spent seven days in Intensive Care and an additional 23 days in Rehab. Due to the associated problems, she is on permanent disability, and is receiving disability pay. Ding. Ding. Connie is not working and receiving pay ... a type of "retirement" in a sense.


Fast forward one and one-half years. My health has gotten to the point where I am no longer able to work. I too am placed on permanent disability, and receive disability pay. And, ding, ding. I am not working and getting paid ... again a type of "retirement", not asked for, but provided.


God most certainly answered our prayers, but not in the way we would like; but they were answered. When we pray, we must be willing to have our prayers answered in any way that God sees fit. He knows our lives, and He knows what is best for us. How He chooses to get us through life is His. I feel it is most important to pray for His guidance, and our acceptance of where that leads. 


So pray, not for your goal in mind, but for His guidance and leading to wherever we need to be. That is true "trusting and obeying"!


The greatest tour guide in the world: just hop on the bus, and he'll take us where we need to be.















 

A Church Can't Function Without the ... Paperwork

In the United Methodist church, churches are all "connected". This guarantees that none operate independently, but function consistently under the guidelines established by the General Conference, which meets every four years. Below this are Conferences, which are usually make up of a state, region, or sometimes multiple states or regions, depending on size.

Below that are the Districts, which are various-sized areas within a Conference. Within the District are the churches, which are governed by a Church Council. Once a year, a Cluster (small group of churches, similar in demographics, size and location) gathers for their Annual Conference meeting. It is here that budgets are approved, appraisals of property are presented, the trustees present their progress on building maintenance, verification of property ownership and current membership breakdowns.

We are told that all of the paperwork nedds to be turned in two weeks ahead of the meeting (which rarely happens) and must be accurate (which never happens). I just received an email from our district office informing me that four signatures are missing on the forms, and it needs to be corrected immediately. With all of the needed signatures coming from volunteers, the possibility of getting them together immediately is, oh, let's say, about 0. So, I offered to sign the forms for them, using their names.

I am waiting on the approval for that to happen. I mean, they will give me approval, so no harm, no foul. And with the possibility of my relationship with the church ending, I have to admit that I'm not too worked up over it.

So, in summary, let's look at the stressors in my life at the moment:

1. Possibility of losing job

- income, insurance

2. Helping Connie recover from the stroke

3. Selling the house

4. Moving to Florida

If God were not in control of my life and Connie's, I really think I'd give up. But, there is a plan, and He will see us through this tough time.

One closing "God Wink" (you might call it a coincidence):

Right before we listed ourr home, we gave in to the pressure from our friends, and buried a little statue of St. Joseph. It is said that if you bury him upside down facing the house, that your house is guaranteed to sell. In addition you are supposed to pray to him every day for 40 days, imploring that he see that the house is sold. Well, I haven't been consistent with the praying aspect of the process.

So, I went down to where I buried him, apologized for being lazy in my praying, and asked him to continue to see to the selling of our home. About 10 minutes after I went back into the house, our realtor called to arrange for a couple to look at our house. Really. (By the way, when I do pray to St. Joseph, I always pray to Him in the name of Jesuus Christ.) I guess doing this makes the process more Methodist).

More later.