This was one of the other "critters" that were available for photo ops on the beach at Cozumel. It is an iguana, probably one of the many which make their home on the island.


Happy Monday!

We had a God moment today. Travis had gone shopping for a desk. He found one at Office Max and it was on sale. The good news was that it was affordable but it was not affordable today and the desk will go back to regular price after Saturday night. I told Travis that I did not see any way we could afford the desk before it went back on regular price. I asked him to pray about this and I would pray also and maybe something could be worked out. We came home and I phoned TCU Financial Services to check on their receipt of a fax I sent earlier today. The bottom line is that I will receive my difference check on this Friday instead of next Friday as I had thought. Travis can have his desk before Saturday. I was so excited and could not wait for him to come home from the gym. When these wonderful God moments happen I always sing the doxology and give thanks to God for His grace and tender mercies. God knew Travis needed the desk and by His providence God has provided once again. Thank you, Lord for one more time meeting our needs.

Micah 6:8 “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

After the scripture of last night in John “How do we perform the works of God?” and Jesus answers “…believe in the One whom He sent.” I thought this scripture from Micah was a wonderful response to the scripture from John. Anyone who has raised children has probably said this sentence (or something like it) to squabbling children, “use only kind words.” I know I have and I use that mantra daily in my classroom. I would love to tell you that I always use kind words, but then I would not be being honest with myself, you or God.

After we believe in God then we must spend the rest of our earthly lives acting in ways to show our belief in God and how He has worked and is working in our lives. What does “do justly” mean? I think it means to always be honest with ourselves and with others. I also think it means to live in truth. I don’t mean the kind of falsehood that doesn’t tell about a surprise birthday party, but truth in living the path of the Way of Christ. If we want to know who Christ is, the answer is simple. He is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the way, truth and life of His heavenly Father who walked around on foot for 33 years and then provided a way for us to also live the way, the truth and the life through His crucifixion and resurrection.

God asks us to love mercy. We need to love mercy because God give us His tender mercies when we don’t deserve them. God still shows us mercy when we sin against Him through the gift of forgiveness. We show mercy to each other when one of us sins against another and instead of getting back at the offender, we forgive the offender and draw ourselves back closer to God and maybe show the one who has offended that even though we are hurt by their actions, we still love them. After all, how many times has God forgiven us? (there are too many to count!)

Walking humbly with God is how we live our daily life as a child of God and brother to Christ. Walking humbly is to see God at work in each moment of our lives and recognizing His loving presence in each breath we take. God wants us to see Him in each task that is placed before us and to take Him with us everywhere we go and to share Him with each person we meet. We don’t always have to speak His name, but when we speak kind words and show tender mercies to those whom we love and especially to those who have hurt us then we are following the words of Micah and meeting what the Lord is requiring of us.

As I told Casey when he moved out into his own apartment several years ago, “Remember who you are. Remember whose you are. Always wear clean underwear and don’t date skanky women, (LOL) but mostly, remember the One who loves you most.”

Take joy in the journey and wear some sun screen. Love you, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.