guiltee

I am guilty as charged.

I find myself guilty of something, something that I am only recently realizing...

Even though the Bible says not to compare, and I agree with that wholeheartedly, too many times I find myself comparing my own life to my father's life. Perhaps because I desperately want to be like him?

And, too often, I feel discouraged, because I hear about all the stories of what my dad accomplished in his life, all the things God did in and through him, and I feel like I will never ever be like that, like I am some sort of abysmal failure. Here I am, a grown man, and I am accomplishing so very little in my life or the lives of those around me!

But lately, I have realized something, something significant...

I look at my dad, and I am proud of him; I see a man of God, a man after God's own heart. He has always been this to me - as far back as I can remember my one over-riding thought about my Dad is that he was and is a Godly man.

Nothing wrong with that, that is for sure!

But to compare myself to him, is so very unfair to me. Also, it is unfair to God. Not only am I a completely different type of person than my father is, but we lead different lives in different times in different ways. And, also, and here is what I found REALLY significant;

Yes, my Dad to me has always been a Godly man. As long as I have known him. But, I may be an adult, but I am only 38 years old. My Dad was very nearly 48 years old, when I was born!

So...even if I started noticing that my Dad was a Godly man by the time I was ten years old, for instance, that would mean that he was 58 at the time. A full twenty years older than I am now!

God just needs more time with me! LOL. He isn't finished yet...He is just getting started!

One day, I will have my own stories to tell of how God touched me and my life. Heck, I have got a bushel full of those already!

I spend too much time comparing a seed to a full-grown tree, and wondering why I do not have the same branches...

Lord, forgive me. Keep helping me grow, even when it hurts me to. Amen.



Billy Talent's song "Tears Into Wine"

(highlighted portions by me)

The gun is loaded when the class is full
Down the hatch and the trigger's pulled
Off the wake and they're back onto the stool

I know that when I stare into your eyes
I can see all the years of lies
Ghosts and demons you never exorcised

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
And I'm in the crowd but I'm all alone

Oh Lord, I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

His fate was written on a neon sign
A DUI never changed his mind
He got hooked like a fish caught on a line

You never gave yourself a chance to shine
Your destination's a chalk outline
And when you get to the gates you'll be denied

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
And I'm in the crowd but I'm all alone

Oh Lord, I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
The tide keeps pulling me down
I try to reach higher ground
I'll never give up and drown

Even though I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine
Tears into wine, tears into wine
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine



'Til next time, faithful readers...
Slainte!


"One idea or direction from God can forever change the course of your life. God can do anything if you will simply stop limiting Him in your thinking."

"One idea...or direction...from God...can...forever...change...the course...of your life."