I love my home for I get to look through a whole back wall of glass to see into a wetland and witness the amazing shifts in growth and coloration of God's creation. Barren in Winter, shoots of buds and greens in the Spring, beautiful colors of orange and red in the Fall and full greens and whites in the Summer. I am simply amazed at the level of enjoyment I find myself basking in as I read my Bible each morning to look up and see what portrait has been painted for me. And then at times a bonus of squirrels or deer grazing and armies of cardinals and robins stopping by the Williams Bird Feeder Restaurant is only condiment to the beauty of God's Creation. It is breathtaking and I realize that I have rarely ever taken the time to ingest the beauty of our world.
But then reality returns as I click on CNN, read my Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time and the Economist and then pick up the local newspaper and read all the not good stuff that tarnishes the natural beauty I have been bathed in. Killings, robberies, home invasions, rapes, drug overdose, corruption, divorce, abortion seem to flood over the awe inspiring beauty of my early morning time with God and His Creation. So then comes the crossroad for the day; dull, dank news that concerns me all day long or casting off the chains of that bad and enjoying the joy of this thing called life. Which road do I take? You know, life really is boiled down to that decision isn't it?
This is a been a beautiful, busy, wonderful weekend as we are getting to keep our son's three children for a few days. It is my son I wish to focus on this morning in my blog. My son, Taylor, reminds me so much of myself in his drive, focus and leadership and yet he is colored by his mother's sensitivities and servant heart. As a pastor of a growing church, young family, husband, actively involved in his neighborhood and community, has been additional embarked on earning his PhD as well as serving as a mentor to young pastors at a national level. Yes, like his dad, always a very busy, event filled life.
Tomorrow is a major milestone in Taylor's life, thus all our lives, as he sits to defend his dissertation for his doctorate. We have all been invested in this work for months as he has worked tirelessly to bring it together via research, assessments, interviews, writes and rewrites. It is a good paper! But reality is that it is not our thoughts that matter but the board of professors that he will sit with to be prepared to parry with the board on the logic and context of the paper and the strategies for the writing and a clear articulation of the meaning and implication of his dissertation. I realize, as well, it is quite normal in academia for a rejection in this earlier stage gate of the dissertation process and thus the ever present concern of rejection, rework, etc.
As you read this I am asking that you commit at 10 am tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21, to pray for God's Will to be done as Taylor puts to words and thought his heart and his passion for young pastors integrated into his research and work. We are praying not for the time to be easy but that God would give him confidence, calm and a sense of joy as he explains his heart mirrored in his written work. I remember so very well going through that same process for my MBA for four hours and even though it went well, I completely ruined a brand new suit with sweat from nerves; quite normal! This tomorrow is a big deal in our family for so many in my son's life and family have been invested in this journey with Taylor. I want to thank you in advance for remembering this time tomorrow, please.
Enjoy this day to the fullest. Tonight we get to come together as a family at another grandson's baseball game which I will enjoy knowing the "herd" is together once more. Sure, there will be ice cream involved as reward but what a blessing. Thank you God for your blessings on me!
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