COURAGE FOR TODAY

The Best Path For The New Year

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.  Psalm 16: 11 (NIV)

It's that time of year again when we all start agonizing over our New Year's Resolutions.  There's just something about the starting of a New Year that seems to motivate us to start a new exercise program; or begin a new weight loss program; or, perhaps, make a different career decision.  It's almost as if starting "fresh" in the New Year makes us forget about the past and become more determined than ever to succeed at our new goal, whatever that may be.

I was spending some time today thinking about what might be the next path in my own life and where life's journey may take me over the next few months or year or even several years.  I have a lot of things swirling around in my mind, but I don't yet have peace about any major decisions at this point. 

The Puzzle of Faith

 And without Faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek him.  Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

Faith is one of those concepts that has always been hard for me to grasp.  Not only that, but I would just get downright mad at others who would sometimes just tell me to "have faith."  I already knew that I should have faith, but I spent many years wondering how?  I wanted someone to tell me how.  These well-meaning friends that were telling me to "just have faith" didn't ever tell me HOW to have Faith or what exactly to do.  I know there isn't some magic formula, but there had to be something to grab on to.  It was just an abstract concept to me and I struggled with how to attach some "meat" or a real meaning to this thing we call Faith.

Come Sail Away

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

My wife and I are just returning from a short holiday at the beach.  We decided to get in one last Summer trip during the Labor Day Holiday before the cooler weather sets in.  It was a wonderful trip.  The weather was perfect in the mid-80's and no rain or clouds to be found.  It was simply breathtaking, even for only a couple of days.

Guide Us Over The Mountains

"I will lift up my eyes to mountains; From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber." Psalms 121, Verses 1-3 (NASB)

I have to admit that I'm not much of an adventurer or outdoorsman ,although I do like to enjoy outdoor activities.  I like to camp and fish occasionally, especially when I was younger.  Now, it seems that I just don't have the time or make the time to relax as much as I should.  I suppose we're all caught up in our daily lives and the ongoing hustle and bustle.  It's no wonder that most of us are too stressed out for our own good.

The 30,000 Foot View

I just returned from a two-day business meeting in New York. Unfortunately, I don't care much for flying in airplanes although it's obviously necessary sometimes.  I am actually afraid of heights.  Whenever I go to an amusement park, I avoid the sky rides or any ride that has height involved.  I think it must be something about the whole "losing control" thing that bothers me.  I like to control my own destiny and I don't like being high in the air totally dependent upon a wire to hold me up or a pilot to land a plane.  But, somehow, I endure flying even though I'm usually a nervous wreck going and coming.

Thick As Pea Soup

Our family camping vacations were always an adventure.  I'm not quite sure why? Maybe, it was some type of curse, or some "on-the-job" training for life.  Whatever the reason, there was never a dull moment on any of our camping trips.  For this particular year, our family decided to travel to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee and we were going to camp in Cherokee, North Carolina.  I couldn't wait.  I was always fascinated with the American Indian Culture and I always loved Westerns.  There's something about being on an Indian Reservation as a young child that brings to mind thoughts of the great westerns and John Wayne riding off in the sunset.

We Only Have 24 Hours A Day

Let's face it, we all have too much to do and not enough time to do it.  One of the areas in my life I have always struggled with is that of maintaining the balance between time at home and time at work.  Whether it's activities with the kids, or church activities, or hobbies, I always found myself having to choose between "shorting" my family life for the sake of my career, or "shorting" my career for the sake of my family.  Most of us face those same daily decisions.  It's a tough decision sometimes, especially with bills to pay and the economy as it is.

I Was on the Mountaintop

I'm talking a literal mountaintop here.  Our family decided to visit beautiful Gatlinburg, Tennessee one fall weekend.  We liked to go there occasionally for the shopping and food and, of course, the beautiful mountain scenery.  It was always relaxing to get away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta and enjoy everything that Gatlinburg and, its sister city, Pigeon Forge had to offer.

Walking the Line On the Tracks

I always like trains.  Not as much as my younger brother, but I did like trains as a child.  My paternal Grandmother lived in a small Georgia Town of about 450 people.  This small town had a railroad track running through the middle of town.  Half the town was on one side of the tracks.  Half was on the other side of the tracks.