Diligent-a word study

Diligent: constant in effort to accomplish something, attentive and persistent indoing  anything; done or pursued with persevering attention, painstaking 

Synonyms: industrious, assidious, sedulous, infatigable, untiring, tireless, unremitting, earnest, studious, eager, conscientious, active, careful, constant, eager beaver,grind, laborious, oculied, pertinacious, steadfast, unflagging, persisting, hard-working

Antonyms: careless, disinterested, idle, ignorant, inactive, inattentive, indifferent, languid, lazy, lethargic, neglectful, negligent, thoughtless, tired, uncareful, unconcerned, unenthusiastic, unscrupulous, weary

I'd encourage you to look up the roots & definitions of the following words. Assidious, sedulous, pertinacious & steadfast at www.dictionary.com 

Very enlightening! Then share your thoughts below! 

What does it mean (to me) to be diligent? 

It means I am focused on the end game, the result, the finish line, the other person, the commitment I made. It means that when things are hard I persevere through it. It means I persist in what I've undertaken. I maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty or obstacles or discouragement (even broken human promises). It means I am fixed on my direction and firm in my actions. It means I am constant in my effort to accomplish what I set out to do. I am attentive, willing to work hard and hold on tenaciously to that purpose.*

**What does that look like in the context of seeking God? In my marriage? In my parenting? In my friendships?**

In the context of seeking God, it means I spend time in His Word, talking to Him, asking Him question and LISTENING to His answers, especially when they might not be what I want to hear or the answer comes in a way I didn't want. 

It means I place more value on what God says over my own desires. 

It means like a runner heading to the finish line, I stick close to Him whom I am chasing. 

It means that no matter how I may try to justify mypersonal  choices, God's Word is my guide. 

It means I don't twist His words to justify my actions. 

It means I take God's Word as a whole, knowing one verse doesn't negate another or that one verse taken from it's context (verses around it & the intended audience) can be warped. So I must do my homework. 

It means that regardless of anyone else's interpretation, I will always seek what God is saying and believe His words over those of amy man or woman. 

It means I am constant in my efforts to become more like Christ. 

And it means I will never "arrive" this side of heaven so I must hold my hands open willing to do the work God needs me to do to change me into Christlikeness. 

It means I am careful when listening to other voices (my own included). 

It means I am not swayed by what my heart wants. 

**questions I am still pondering. Would absolutely love to hear your thoughts! 

Pondering...(a peek inside a few minutes in my brain)

I think this 40 day fast from Facebook has been a very good thing...for me. It isn't for everyone 😉

I believe in my last post, I said I would post my journey here...then I realized I did NOT want one technology connecting point to replace another one...controlling my interactions on social media is a HUGE challenge for me. So I have NOT posted anything about my journey for others to read...and I am ok with that too.

When I started my fast I saw a meme picture...on Pinterest (yes, I did still go there...occasionally!) It was a link to a blog post about letting people know you are fasting social media & I did not feel the message was overly positive. In fact, the blog author came across with a very scolding attitude imho. You see, I did let people know, posting on FB as my status that I would be gone & why for a number of reasons...none of which were to 'toot my on horn' as was implied in this other blog post.

For someone who interacts with people alot via FB, I felt it very important for those relationships to know why they couldn't 'find' me or weren't 'seeing' me anymore. For some of my FB friends, that is our only mode of communication, we don't text or email or call. Its also why I chose to have my last post before shutting down my wall, while keeping my profile 'active', be about why I wasn't visibly active on FB. (I did NOT want to just disappear...nor did I want to come back to a zillion posts asking where i was! Okay, a zillion is probably an exaggeration😊)

You see for me, FB isn't about 'the number' of friends I have, it truly is about the quality of relationship. I don't want to just 'collect' friends, I want to interact with them. Yes, many are more what I would categorize as acquaintances than friends (and some are family-another interesting facet to relationships indeed!)...but that is a social media problem in my opinion. The word 'friend' doesn't mean what it used to, kind of like the word 'love'.

I love my husband...I love soup...NOT the same!
She is my friend (we 'do life' together)...he is my friend (we went to HS together)...NOT the same!
Thats a whole different topic for another day.....

Coming full circle in this thought process....
I am so thankful I followed Gods lead to fast FB for 40 days & replace that time with time spent with Jesus...building THE MOST important relationship I will ever have! And I am also thankful that I followed His lead TO post it on FB...to preserve some relationships that are important...yet precarious right now.

Okay...thats what a few minutes inside of my brain looks like....scary place, I know 😏

40 days...

Today, I begin a journey.
A journey I am not walking alone.
A journey to grow...to pray...to stay away.
A journey with a daily commitment to others.
40 days, it seems like a daunting task. One I could never undertake in my own power. One I could never take credit for completing on my own.

This 40 day journey, will take discipline, iPad reminders, & accountability.
This 40 day journey will find me disconnecting yet connecting.
This 40 day journey will change me, my relationships & most importantly my life.

I will spend time...
In prayer.
In His Word.
In self-inspection.
In my journal.
In growing.
With my Jesus.

Today, I begin a journey.
A journey I will share with you here.
A journey that I hope and pray will change my life forever.
A journey that I pray continues well beyond the 40 days.

Here's to New Beginnings...

In light of the new year, I have a new blog layout...and a new"er" purpose for my blog!  If you read my tag-line up there ^, you will see that my purpose for TKM is to be a place to talk about the one thing that matters most in this life: RELATIONSHIPS...with God, Family & Friends!


I truly believe that NOTHING is more important than these relationships!  After all, it is why we were created...to have a relationship with God & each other ("it was not good for man to be alone"...in all of that perfectness that was the Garden of Eden...God created man-and then woman...for the purpose of relationships! He sent His son to die for ME, so I could have restoration to a broken relationship with Him...the break that sin caused!)


So....here is my question to you...in regards to TKM's purpose, what would you like to chat about this year?


Leave me a comment & let me know...and please invite others into the conversation by sharing TKM with them!!


Until next time.

"Yaweh-Yireh" (from Genesis 22)

Today in my devotions I was challenged to 2 things: 
1. Read Psalm 91. List the promises God has for those who love Him.

2. Read the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22. What are some of the things Abraham did right that I can apply to my situation?

So, I set out to do just that...

After listing out the promises I read in Psalm 91, I read Genesis 22-a story I was very familiar with, yet I took new eyes to it today.  What did Abraham do in spite of the circumstances that I can apply today...right this moment?  Well, my answer didn't come exactly the way I expected it to...But here is where my thoughts took me today...

Genesis 22-God spoke. Abraham didn't understand. YET Abraham obeyed! He got up, gathered what he needed for the "job" ahead and walked!  And walked some more...then when he had walked for days, having been questioned by his son, he continued to walk.  Then he began to build-do the "job" he was told to do.

Still unsure, probably scratching his head, even shedding some tears I would imagine.  Totally confused by what God asked of him, what God EXPECTED of him. I can just hear his anguish filled thoughts, "GOD! This-referring to Isaac-is what YOU promised to me AND NOW YOU are going TO TAKE this from me!" Abraham's actions show that even in the confusion-he just had to be confused didn't he?-he STILL believed and trusted God. He did NOT run away OR have a back-up plan in his pocket-he moved in the direction that made NO SENSE to him whatsoever. HE TRUSTED GOD TO KEEP HIS PROMISE!

And when the time came to let go of his son, completely & utterly without understanding why God was asking this of him-God did His part-HE KEPT HIS PROMISE and provided the way out-the one needed piece that only HE could provide AND in such a way that credit could ONLY be given to "Yaweh-Yireh"-THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!

What promise has GOd given to you that circumstances are making it look impossible?

Where do you need to walk in faith when those steps make no sense?

May I encourage you to read Psalm 91 & Genesis 22...and record your thoughts in a journal.

To read more about what inspired my thoughts today check out:

Proverbs 31 Ministries  today's devotion was entitled "A Ram Is On The Way" by Glynnis Whitwer

Keep Your Chin Up

One year ago today, we lost a wonderful woman,daughter, sister, wife, mother & friend... and heaven gained one beautiful angel. Her life was her family... those she loved the most. I was blessed to know her if only for a few short years. (12 to be exact...and boy did they pass quickly)  Her life was her Lord...whom she loved above all else.

This was so very evident in her life...and her death.  One year later, her children, husband, family & friends still miss her and yet their lives go on... on to do wonderful things and touch the lives of others because of the example she lived out... They don't want her message to die with her... her message (at least to me) was that God loves each one of us and He is faithful no matter what comes our way. Walk with Him for it is the ONLY journey worth walking...no matter where it takes you...even if it seems you've been taken too soon...Keep your chin up...not because your tough and it's what the world tells us... but because it keeps your eyes focused on Him!

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."  Could I really? Could I really do ALL things...you see all means...well...all...even death Lord? Yes child, even death. Could I leave my family behind? I really don't know Lord... My child, if I called you home...I know you would come. Please trust me with those you love...I will never let them down.

So... I keep my chin up... eyes focused on my Savior... and when everything around me feels like it is falling apart or spinning out of control... I trust myself into His arms-the creator of the universe, who named every star, knows the number of hairs on my head, and promises He will never leave me.  Well... at least I try really hard to do that!  I need to be reminded every now & then to Keep My Chin Up!

Miss you Beth... know this though... you've left a legacy that will not end!

What is keeping you from God's best today?

Hey all-I tried to mobile blog this am & it failed miserably!!! I cannot figure out WHY it keeps "wing-dinging" it for me... here I am... so this was what I WANTED to post this morning...

Good morning (afternoon now) on this rainy Friday! Since a blog is a place to share what we are pondering... here goes! I hope you're ready =) "Don't let discouragement dull your faith or procrastination steal your opportunity. You've go to decide whether you're going to accept what God has for you now and move forward OR return to 'your house'... because unfinished business can cause you to miss God's best (as can waiting for others-see John 5:70 NOTHING is more important than what God is saying and doing IN your life right now: NOT what's going on in your house, NOT the actions or opinions of others. What matters is being ready"-READY FOR WHAT GOD WANTS for you. What do you need to let go of OR leave behind in order to be ready for God's best?

There ya have it~what I am pondering today. Will you ponder with me? How do you let go of what is holding you back? Feel free to share in the comments below. I would love the tips and will gladly pray for ya!

the Dance

Ok... I have borrowed this from another blogger-Billy...but it spoke so deeply to where I am right now that I just had to add it to my blog as well. You see life is full of stuff-good and bad-will we give up just because life happens or will we dance til the dance is done?

(Okay, I promise this will be the last repeat for a while. Promise. I've almost managed to surface from the mounds of balled-up paper surrounding me, but before my coffee buzz fades and I wind up in a heap in the middle of my bed, I want to say this:

I first wrote this post back in October, but it's haunted me ever since. Our small town has been rocked with the sudden passing of several people lately, and this was the first thing I thought about with every bit of sad news. Death is often a shock, isn't it? I wonder why that is considering it's common knowledge that we can't bolt the doors of our lives to its entry. But what you'll read here is good advice, offered to me by a very special little girl who thinks I teach her. I think it's the other way around.)


Here I am, a man in a most unmanly place, huddled together with four others in the same predicament. We talk sports and trucks and the year's corn crop and anything else with masculine connotations, if only to take our minds off our surroundings:

A ballet recital.

My six-year-old daughter has been taking ballet lessons for a month now. Tonight is the culmination of all that study and work, and it is an event that requires my presence. Thankfully, other fathers of other six-year-old daughters have been similarly persuaded. I have company.

Within our conversation, I watch my little girl. She twirls and steps and trips and repeats. And she laughs.

("I love the dance, Daddy," she has told me often. "I think God loves the dance, too.)

Another twirl and step, but two trips this time. She turns, looks at my wife, and wiggles a finger. Come here, Mommy. The two meet in the middle of the elementary school gym, and I know what's wrong. I excuse myself from the group and join them.

"My sugar's messy," she says. We retreat to the stands for her glucometer. Her reading is 389.

"We should go home," I say.

"We can't!" she pleads. "The dance isn't over." She looks back to her teacher and classmates. "God wants us all to dance until the dance is done. God loves the dance. He said so."

Both look to me. It's my decision, and I offer a reluctant shrug. Who am I to argue with God?

Smiling, she returns to her group. But I remain apart from mine. I am instead alone, lost in this little girl, in her spirit and her joy. She dances in spite of her disease. With her disease.

And her bow is deep at the end.

Our evening over, we are confronted in the parking lot by a sea of red and blue lights across the street. A mangled white car, it's top shorn, lay upside down in the median. Police, firemen, and rescue personnel scramble in choreographed chaos. A medical helicopter waits, blades churning, an angel of metal and wires, death and life.
My family stands silent.

"God bless the wrecked people," murmurs my son. We all join him, grasping hands in prayer.

My wife and I exchange a look. Our town is small, the identity of the injured likely an acquaintance. Come from the school, perhaps. Football practice. A child? One of my wife's students? Regardless, it was someone who was here and is now gone. Breathing and now not.

The suddenness of life presses into me. So fragile is our existence in this world, so easily taken and taken for granted. To love is to risk, and the opening of our hearts invites not only the warmth of joy, but fear's cold winds.

"How can I live with this fear?" I whisper to God.

Silence.

"How can I bask in your light while standing in this shadow?"

The helicopter blades swoosh.

"How must life be lived

("God wants us to dance until the dance is done," my daughter had said. "God loves the
dance.")

in the face of death?"

I look down at my child, safe in the crook of my arm. She rests her head on my shoulder
and sighs. She is safe here, in her father's arms. We are all safe there.

Yes, God loves the dance. And so should we. We should hear the music in this life, surrender to its rhythms. We should make its cadence our own.
And we should always dance until the dance is done.