GRADUATION

I have decided to write this blog before I am any older and still in good health. Unless we have the joy of being caught up in the rapture, the day of death will come. I believe we have the joy of being close to our grandchildren, but that makes death even more of a trauma. When that day comes it is so important to be able to see it as "graduation". I have had two small visions that have left an impression on me. They were brief, but very real and the picture I saw was indelibly imprinted on my memory. The first was shortly after my dad died. I saw him and I would judge that he appeared about age thirty. He appeared to be so happy. I remember him having that look when he was really pleased about something. It left me with a lasting impression of his present happiness. The second was seeing a grandson who seemed to be in his early thirties or late twenties. I didn't recognize him, but I knew who he was and he was a very handsome man. I was in the picture in bed, but not very distinct. I assumed I was about finished with my time here. From our perspective here death is always a sad thing because of separation and the weakness that accompanies it. I want my grandchildren to know that when that time comes; It will be GRADUATION. I will be happy, even as I had that impression about my dad. You grandchildren will have life before you and a mission to complete. Rejoice in the blessed hope we have in Christ, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord".

2011 Challenge to Family

As I was walking and running at the arena early this month, I had an inspiring thought. Why not set a goal of running and walking 1000 miles in 2011. My next thought was, why not challenge the family to that goal. I have always found that if I am more disciplined physically it helps me be on track spiritually. I passed that on to the family with a financial incentive. Then the Lord reminded me of I Timothy 4:8 "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Therefore I added reading through the Bible in the year also. I added some smaller goals so the grandchildren could get involved as well. It ended up as follows:
$100 reading through the Bible
$30 reading through the New Testament
$100 for 1000 miles of purposed walking or running
$50 for 500 miles of the same
$25 for 250 miles of the same
Must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011
God has encouraged me to invest in the family. I trust this is helpful. May God bless our family.