Friday, December 22, 2006

My Journey, Learning From Things and People and Events

Hi Friends,

For some reason I have been drawn to the news accounts of the lost Father and climbers in Oregon the last few weeks. It is not just because they were the local and National news top stories, it was like there was something deeper that was trying to get into my mind and heart.

First there was James Kim who took a turn en route to the Oregon Coast and died trying to find help for his family. Then last week and this week I listened to the story of the three friends that decided to climb Mt Hood in Oregon and got caught in a snowstorm that ended in tragedy.

The one thing that really got my attention was the strength of the families as they faced the press, the daily not knowing and eventually the fact that their loved ones were not coming back. I looked on my own to find some answers and find out what it was that was gnawing at me like metal to a magnet.

One of the first places I looked was for the source of the strength of the family of Kelly James. It seemed that much of what help them together was their faith in God and a simple belief that what was happening was in Gods hands not theirs. I found a church in Texas that Kelly James was a member of and downloaded the Podcast of the past weeks sermons by his Pastor Gary Brandenburg of Fellowship Dallas. They were simple and not filled with catch phrases or fancy speaking techniques like some TV Evangelists. It was Gods message delivered like pure milk and it was very good. Pastor Brandenburg is now one of my favorites on my iPod and his Podcasts are on my must hear list each week.

Then came the interview of Kelly James wife on CBS News. It was full of emotion and was at times difficult to watch. She described what Kelly's family had gone through the two weeks as they went from missing to lost and the recovery of the body of their beloved father and husband. As this drama comes to an end and Christmas/New Years comes our way here are the things I have learned and what I hope to keep from all of this.

God still has a plan for me and has not given up on me no matter where I might be of what I might have become. He has and is using things in this world to get my attention and touch my heart so that I will sit quietly and listen to His voice.

I want to be one that touches others especially my wife, so that when I am gone they look back and can talk about how I made their days a bit brighter or their life a bit fuller. When Kelly James wife talked about how he "...took her to the moon and back." it made me want to be a better husband. I don't know just what that means yet, but I am sure the journey will be exciting as I try to figure out what I can do to make a positive difference in the life of my beautiful wife and others.

Thanks for stopping by today.... May God bless you this Christmas and bring new adventures your way in the coming year.

Lots of Love,

Don