How many times have you been in that boat??

At the end of Matthew 28:20, we are told to "be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  He says always, but really, how many times has he been there and I've failed to recognize him, just like the disciples failed to recognize him in the book of Mark.  There, in the sixth chapter, we hear a story of their having struggles controlling their boats because of wind and rain. 

I wanna make that "boat" our lives.  How many times have we gotten into some situations, we're getting pushed around by the storms in life and because we're humans, perhaps our idea is that we can do this on our own.  Our God and creator, he takes note of this and he, by his own will, he steps forward to help and we get all frazzled and we don't even recognize him.  Our creator just wants to help, lead us away form the storm, directing us with his right hand to victory.  And just like he said in Matthew, "I am with you always," in Mark he's backing up that statment by saying, "don't be afraid, take courage, I am here."

Trust me when I say that I am also speaking to myself by saying this: always rememeber that in whatever the situation, Jesus wants to be apart of our situation.  He's a loving man, allow him in! I just pray that my heart isn't so hard that I'm not allowing just that.

Let's not be afraid when its our Creator and Savior,  walking toward our lives, to help, to love...unconditionally.  God bless!!

Sestina

                                               

                                                Amigos                                

Fooled? Yea. I came in with this lofty hope of having fun.

I’m not saying there wasn’t some joy, but those moments were short.

You see, while we ran, dam in our rear view, it was that water.

It just wouldn’t go away! It appeared to flow with our every mile.

Looping to the left, finally, the water no longer with our every step.

Oh, but here it comes again, this had better make me stronger.

The Veterans Memorial bridge we cross. They made us stronger!

Did they gripe and complain? I doubt they did it for the fun.

Abuelo, he just did it. Defending was the purpose of his constant step.

Unlike our mini trainings, his time of defense wasn’t done in short.

Over the years, wow, what’s his final count of foreign miles.

And while I wanted more of it, I’d guess he was tired of it, water.

Maybe it did make weak, but the friends told me to drink, water.

And because he’s a doctor, drinking it made me feel stronger.

Sight of it no, taste of it yes, either way, water stalks my every mile.

And I know with every step, closer to the finish, closer to the fun,

Donuts. It’s our running tradition, and yes, in our running shorts.

Butt in chair, donuts in hand, finally no reason to step.

Regardless, laces were knotted and you were required to take another step.

And while you pushed harder, sweat rushed down your face like water.

There wasn’t any give up, and no, this run needn’t be short.

The hills you would be facing wouldn’t melt, you had to be stronger.

Keeping that finish line in mind, yes, just maybe then we’ll all have some fun.

We’ll all be done. Finished, done completely with 13.1 miles.

Reality, check please. We’re nowhere close to our final mile.

And so dam, here we go again. Though finally closer to that finished step.

As we move into the distance, how can’t I see the fun?

No better group of friends will ever race past this dam water.

That is why we run. It makes our friendship stronger.

It’s our friendships, unlike these runs, not at all short.

The quick and short of it’s this; these runs will only make our friendships, that much stronger.

We’ll always find a way, with each new “mile,” to continue, to always push on to the next,

And  with each step, we’re that much closer, to that liquid, that water of life.

Really...

I dunno, but there, this time, was just something different. And while yea, the crowd was different, really, it was the same. No, but this time, instantly, you could feel it, the differnce was automatic. What had changed? I dunno, how 'bout hmmm, nothing. But yea, seriously, this carried with it the defintion of different.

Ya know what, the wide open feeling I felt then is the same I feel, doing my thang, on the move; just run, baby, just run. When doing my thing, gosh, it can be such a pain, literally! Remember, self, been there before, will be here again, just do it!

With that thang, quite frankly it's quite  humorful, or wait, shoot--humorous! Bringin with it, a swagger, when my focus, mind set, shifts and attempts a focus on what can't, shoot, do it baby, let's get it on! If I look at you long enough, i'll most certainly refrain, but if only looking at what I can, the hills, their tops, most certainly i'll gain.

Focus on the can't, you won't! Never worry about what you see in the distance, regardless of its closeness. Instead, worry about that current, motion and stride. And what you want, from what you see, it will be, when you no longer worry about what it can't be, current.

And with that, it all becomes relavent. Sitting there, same story, same scene, it's really all the same as I track across the same path that I continue doing, over & over, again & again. It's this, at least this is what I suppose it to be.

There's no perfect part of me, but this time, yes this time, i've got the joy-joy-joy-joy down in my heart. Before, heck, I just thought I had to have it. It was all about me, and what I had to have. Since that first, i've got a new friend, and a friend that makes the me a we.

What's sad is that I fight off, at times, this new purpose i've found with and for in life. I sit, and I run, with a newly found confidence. A confidence that will so easily, work itself away if I don't want it. But we, we need it, and while at times I fight it, i'll keep it and please Jesus, don't let me go. Not only do I love you, I need you, really.

In Portland, running...

As I looked down, and acrossed the river while crossing the bridge, in the distance, farther down the waters, a person, which I thought to be male--stood unwavered. From where I ran, a top the waters, the smooth and peaceful waters crawled down, and along in their own way.  As the waters continued-- south, that's where the "peace" flowed out, and that's where rough waters came into view. There in the difficult waters, where the waters no longer crawled, in the jumbled mess, that's where this man stood, alone.

It got me to thinking. Isn't that God? Isn't that where he stands, even if he's alone, in each and every one of our lives?

At least to me, this is how the God I serve, this is how he works, or at least where he works, too. He doesn't bring us to peace, lead us, watch us come up on the rougher, turbulant waters, to just step aside and stay in the "easy," and to watch as we enter into the hard times, but wish us the best, "good luck, be careful, I love you."

Nope! The God I serve, the God who watches over all of us, he's with each and every one of us, all the time and forever.

And because he is always with us, he's with us in the peaceful times, the easy waters aka the kiddy pool, and the hard times, but remember this, if in fact we are to be following in our Lord and Saviours footsteps, he's at least one step ahead of us, and like the man in the rough waters, God is just waiting for us to enter, to call him. If we stumble and fall, he's going to fish us out of those hard times.

Trust me, while unfortunate, hard times will come our way. Remember what it is that he tells us in Mark 5:36, But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, "don't be afraid.  Just have faith." It's just that simple, have faith, not fear.

Mother Teresa felt the same, or should I say, she was influenced in the same way.  She said, "God didn't call us to be successful, just faithful." It really is all about having faith. Hard times are a comin' but guess what? Jesus isn't a comin' friends, he's already here, with us. or I guess you could say, there, in the rough waters.

Remember too, when blessings come, they might be coming even after these hard times, these rough waters. Troubles will come but just have faith.With our faith in Jesus, he will always provide for those of who believe, in him of course.