Bring to the Table

Hello Friends,

First, let me congratulate Matthew and Carrisa Townsley on a beautiful wedding this weekend. I'm partially mentioning this because Christian asked if I was going to write a blog about it, but I also just wanted to comment on how great it was to see everyone and share in Matt and Cassy's special day. (The Gatorade bottles on the reception tables were a nice touch!!)

Ok, there are a few things I want to bring to the table tonight. Both are kinda deep and rather meaningful (at least I think they are), so I really wanted to share these thoughts with those of you who read my ramblings on a semi-regular basis. I was thinking today about my life. The ups, the downs, the hills, the valleys.... you know, the whole she-bang. There are a lot of hills in my life that I am very proud of. Things that I wouldn't change, even if I had the chance, but there are plenty of valleys that I wouldn't be so sure about. I was thinking today (as most of us do at times) about what I would change if I could call a do-over on the last few years of my life. There are big things. Big, deal-breaking, life-changing things, a relationship that went sour or a friendship that I let go of too soon. A path I chose to take or a path I neglected to follow. Things like that are what I call the "Biggin's". Then, there are little things. A sarcastic remark that would have been better unsaid or a seemingly unimportant, albeit juicy, tid-bit of gossip that would have been better kept a secret. If I could call a do-over on the last few years of my life, it is the little things, the things that I could have easily prevented, that I would change. Not the biggin's. The biggin's are the things that make me who I am and even if those "biggin's" weren't the best experiences of my life... I wouldn't do them over.

While continuing to reflect upon my life over a Lean Cuisine Chicken n' Cheese Lasagna, I realized that even if I wanted to call a do-over... I couldn't. I couldn't because I don't have the authority to call do-overs. I'm pretty certain that the Lord is the ultimate Do-Over Caller and I have absolutely nothing to do with the calling of do-overs. It's a little thing we like to refer to as the will of God. In all actuality, it's a BIG thing we like to refer to as the will of God. There are a few things I want to mention about God's will. In Acts 9, Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus. Jesus told Saul to go to the city and he will be told what to do. Psalm 32:8 says "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you". Psalm 37:23 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD". There are tons of scripture all over the Bible that talk of the ultimate authority of God's will. Guidance is promised in the Word of God. At times (a lot of times in my case!), it is difficult to rely on the Will of God and rest in His promises. It's harder than it should be to know that the little, seemingly insignificant, preventable slip-ups and the deal-breaking, life-changing "biggin's" are all part of the bigger picture. The bigger picture that only God can see, no matter how hard I squint to try.

Well, now that I have rambled on for an hour past the time I had planned on heading to bed, I'll close this blog entry up with a short synopsis of my point. There are so many times in life that we wish we were given the chance to try again, so many times we want a do-over. When those times sneak around the corner, I challenge each one of you (and myself!) to face them head on with the knowledge and the promise that God's Will will prevail. Even if it seems like the valleys can't get any lower and the "biggin's" can't get any bigger... God's Will will prevail. That is HIS promise, not mine... and in HIS promise... we can rest happy!

Goodnight,
Tempa