JRMITCH85 Ramblings

34

Today I turned 34. Thank you for so many of the loving birthday wishes.

Days like these, whether they are birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. are times that we celebrate, times that we remember, and times that we get a new start. I had an opportunity to do each of these today.

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Today I was celebrated, through song, through food, through gifts, and through time spent with my family.

Today I remember that I have been blessed with 34 years in this life. I remember that even though everything hasn’t been perfect, God has been beside me every step of the way. God reminds me of how much I am blessed through celebration, and the abundant love my family has shown to me throughout the years, no matter what.

Today, though, I am excited that it is an opportunity for a new beginning. Every year between 25 and 30 I always said that would be the year I would lose the weight and trim down. Unfortunately, most of those years showed a net gain, rather than loss. Thankfully, starting with my 30th Birthday I began losing weight. Over the past four years, I have lost somewhere between 130 and 150 pounds. Birthdays showed an opportunity, a jumping off point for me to get my life in order and pursue a change for the better.

Today, I want to make my life better, my walk with God closer, my family more complete, my world a better place. May I work toward new beginnings. I want to dedicate myself to making me a better me in this 34th year.

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JRMITCH85 Character, Faith, Hope

Ugh

More than once as I have journaled my prayers I have uttered the UGH which has been my way of expressing complete frustration and an inability to put my thoughts into words. Should I feel bad about not being able to articulate my prayers? A quick reading of Psalm 5 reveals that the important act is not the articulation of my prayers, but that in fact that every morning I come to the Lord with my prayer is paramount.

Give ear to my words, O Lord ; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord , in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. (Psalms 5:1-3 ESV)

Additionally, the prayer time is our worship and should be part of our sacrifice to the Lord. This is followed by a time of watching. This is too often the part that I end up skipping. Once I pray, I feel as soon as I am done with all of the elements of my prayer are complete, I am done with the worship time, but rather the prayer and worship need to continue by watching and waiting for the Lord. It isn’t certain that God will always turn the “ugh” into something, but the Holy Spirit will intercede for us. Even though sometimes all I can muster is “ugh”, this can sometimes be used by the Holy Spirit as something that is too deep for any words we could ever muster.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26 ESV)

Even if all I can bring is “ugh”, God wants it, but I am called to more than simply bringing my “ugh” but I also need to sit and wait and watch what the Lord is going to do with my exasperation.

JRMITCH85 Decisions, Faith, Hope

2013 will bring trials of all sorts, but…

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This New Year will not be perfectly harmonious, I know that may not be the most clairvoyant statement, but it is one that we should take to heart as we look into the new year. For many of us it has already presented its first trial or two. Some of these trials are unavoidable, some we create ourselves; some will be big, some will be small; some will make us feel like giving up, some will make us want to dig in our heels and fight. For each trial we have options and directions that we can go, but whatever we face, there is always hope.

The bible is full of passages about trials of all sorts. David faced many trials. Some of them he caused himself, some he couldn’t avoid, but in the face of every trial he turned to the face of God. I admire that about David.

David, by no fault of his own, but powered by jealousy, was pursued by Saul. Each of these times David asked for God to deliver him. He did not betray the blessing of God as he would not take matters into his own hands by killing Saul, as he had opportunity to do so, but rather he leaned upon God to take care of him. He wrote about it, he sang songs about God’s blessing.

Even in his darkest hour, as he transgressed God’s commandments and committed adultery, and then covered up his adultery by committing murder (2 Sam 11), when the prophet confronts him he repents. This repentance didn’t help avoid the death of his child, it didn’t help avoid the loss of power to his son, but it got him back in right relation with God. To David, his relationship with God was paramount, not all of his earthly possessions.

2013 is here, and we will face challenges of all sorts, but if we try to emulate King David in his earnest pursuit of the heart and mind of the Almighty God, then these trials may make us into better followers of God, and more equipped to face trials of all sorts. That is my prayer, “May I learn to be more like David leaning upon You more and my own understanding less, may I sing to You God in good times and in times of need. Help me, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, that I may be completely yours, and help me to remain yours no matter what trials I may face.” Amen.

JRMITCH85 Uncategorized

Merry Christmas

As we have arrived near the peak of the holiday season at Christmas, packages that have been prepared and wrapped carefully are about to be torn apart to reveal the prizes that await their benefactors. I know I am excited to watch my kids check out all of the toys, games, and goodies that my wife and I have prepared and carefully placed under the tree. As much as we try and avoid the commercial aspects of Christmas, somehow it always sucks us in, and we look forward to the stuff waiting under the tree. 

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However, the “New” Hope that we don’t have to wait to open is the love of God that readily awaits us to accept and then pass along to all those with whom we come in contact. God has given this love to us fully. We don’t deserve this gift, our lives would probably place us on the “Naughty List”, but God sent Christ as an infant, taught us, and sent us a huge gift by dying on the cross for our transgressions. Through the life and death of Christ, we have hope, peace is upon us, joy is available, and by all of these God wraps us up in love.

On this Christmas, I wish you all hope and peace, joy and God’s love abounding in all of your lives.

JRMITCH85 Uncategorized

Self Reflection

Reflections on Self, Christmas As My Mirror

Holidays are often a time when I do some self reflection, however the season, and the emotions around the season often distort my perspective, and thus don’t provide me with the clearest picture of myself. This year, as I reflect on the blessings that have come, as well as the challenges, I must reflect on the man that I am, as well as ponder the man into which I want to grow.

“Lord, I ask your blessings in my reflection, help me grow into being a better husband, a better father, a better friend, and through the power of your Spirit may I be a better follower of you.” Amen