Idle time

It seems like I have a lot idle time and I don’t know what to do. I know I work a full time job and thank God for that but its only forty hours. People look at me weird sort of way when I say that. Maybe you do too! If you don’t know I’m so used to working truck driving hours. Working a normal work week is boring. You see as a truck driver you are require to work 70 hours that’s just what the books say. He or she drives for 11 hours plus 4 hours on duty non-driving. Now that’s just on the books. Let’s look at a typical day for a driver.

A usual day I wake up at 4:30 am do the paperwork the Dot wants to see. By 4:45am on the road to finish last part of my run where there is no traffic and easier to find the destination. I get to final at around 7:00am check in with guard and warehouse personnel. Back into spot if there is one usually got to wait a couple hours. Mean while take a nap, if you can because now people are bouncing you all over there place going in and out of the trailer. Also your boss/dispatcher is messaging you when are you going to be done, go find out. You never do that but you play the game because you don’t want the customer mad at you and keep you there longer. About 10:00-11:00 you’re released and now you’re waiting for the next load. You try to find a spot to park in the mean time. Just as you get settled your boss gives you a load but it 70 miles down the road. It’s about 1:00pm now and by the time you get to next destination its 3:00pm. You get out talk to the guard check in to ware house people and get loaded now its 4:30-5:00pm and guess what you have to be at your destination by 7:30am the next morning. Are you tired yet? Hope not because you have 550 miles to drive by then. Most trucks are now govern and set 68-70 mph. So that means 8 hours of driving. You got to get fuel and something to eat that’s an hour and since its rush hour traffic time because all you 4 wheeler clogged up the highways going home from your measly 8 hour day we will add one hour. (A jab)That’s 10 hours I get a 2 hour nap in a rest area. Thank God. Can’t wait till the weekend when I get full nights rest because the warehouses aren’t usually open Saturday or Sunday. Thank you forty hour people for not working my hours because sure do need a little nap. If you refuse the load or are late you will sit where ever you are for a couple days that means no pay. That means staying out even longer, away from your family and friends if you have any left when you get there. The truth is you will not have any friends because you are not in their lives.When you come home you’re dead tired and the last thing you want is to drive even if it’s around the corner.

So I’m trying to figure out what to do. I volunteer at the food bank its only 3 hours on Tuesdays. I am taking classes on line. I am learning to play the guitar. Don’t laugh if you know me because you will understand this is a God thing. I’m not musically inclined at all. And I’m laughing myself because its so funny to see God use me in ways that I never thought of. I still feel like there is so much time I have. I don’t know what to do.

What road are you on?

What road are you on? I got a saying,” God's road should not be different than your road.” What is God’s road? Well lets look at the two greatest commandments in Matthew.

Jesus replied: “‘LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'LOVE your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

Now in both commandments there is a word LOVE. What is God’s love? The love word comes from a Greek word called agape.

Agape (pronounced/ˈæɡəpiː/AG-ə-pee; after the Classical Greek agápē; Modern Greek: αγάπη [aˈɣapi]) is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. Many have thought that this words represents divine,unconditional,self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love.

So now are you getting the picture God loves you unconditionally. In order to follow the road of God you should Love yourself and your neighbor unconditionally. He made you. He loves you. He made your neighbor. He loves your neighbor. Let’s go through the day and concentrate on how we love yourself and our neighbor. Did we simply put on a smile, open the door, and pick up something on the ground to keep someone from tripping on it. Did we make that phone call to your family and friends just to make sure they are having a good day? Maybe just picking up the newspaper in the rain and putting on the porch so they don’t have to walk in the rain. Small things matter to God and that’s what love is, small.

Knock Knock Anybody Home

God’s the greatest don’t you know.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

This verse has been in my head for a few weeks or months. You see here in America I think churches are too closed to people. See I think we see God as one day maybe two day experience. We got it wrong. We are so scared people are going to take things, burn and destroy.Knock Knock anybody Home.

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with your entire mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27

I like to put word “Trust” instead of Love in this verse. It’s easier to “Love” someone than to “Trust” them. It's harder because you’re stepping out on faith. And faith is what its all about-Christianity. We close our churches. Our Churches should be open and I mean wide open to our community. I shouldn’t have to track down someone to unlock the doors or make special arrangements to visit the chapel. You should be able to walk in 24 hours a day 7 days a week into the house of the Lord. It’s His house. He sets the rules. I have never seen an hour’s poster, sign or verse in the Bible. That tells me I can come to him, please make an appointment and I will meet you there. No… No… No… No!!! He will meet you right now, this minute and answer your call. NOW!! He wants a relationship so bad with you that he is calling your name. Every hour… every minute… and every day. I want to see our Churches form a committee. That one person of that committee is going to be at the church 24 hours in time slots. Not to minister to, necessarily but just have the church open and be there. There is one rule for this person. He will not say anything to anybody when they come in. If the people feel they need somebody God will lead them to you. The person coming is coming to be with Lord not with you. God has called them there to talk and listen to their hearts without interference from man. Leave them in peace.

Love you guys Penguin

You took something from me and I want it back

You know it’s going to be a good day when you wake singing to the Lord. You know I think God enjoys humor because I am really bad at singing. I can see his face laughing in delight when I sing. Lately I have been really struggling with, “You(my wife)took something from me and I want it back.”

God gives you the answers of unexpectedness, don’t ya know. This morning’s devotional from The Upper Room (sign up for it to be delivered in your email) Genesis 32:9-32. It’s about Jacob wresting with God. I always pictured this, that Jacob had come to a small river bank preparing to cross and God met him there. As they are wrestling together all day and night God is giving him the tools and knowledge so he can cross over to the other side. Mean while God gave him a reminder of their meeting place, a limp. He also changed his whole identity.

This is exactly what he has done for me. He has change me forever. I no longer enjoy the same things as I once did. I no longer desire what I once desired. I live very simple now, so simple some people would call uncomfortable. I don’t want to live for myself but for God and his people. I have an undying love for all and want to help them in any way I can. I have a strong conviction to serve and spread the WORD. I am no way talented in music but enjoy singing to the Lord. It amuses him he even sent me a guitar an agape gift. Which I have no idea how to play, I am learning and my fingers are sore.

Back to what I am dealing with “You(my wife)took something from me and I want it back.”What I mean is? I moan about it ,cry about it, and its in my head all day. No more!! This is my new outlook “God took away and gave me a new identity.”The sun rises each day on my head. I go off limping in remembrance that God loves me and really does care for each one of us.

God Bless Each One of You, Penguin

Things to do After Traumatic Events

Life comes and goes. We have ups and downs. We all have traumatic events. How do we deal with them? Some are harder than others to get over. Others you just do the dance and it’s over. I have come up with 10 things to do. That will help you tremendously.

Ten Things to do After Traumatic Events

1. God -Always keep God your first priority in your life. Read scripture and have quite time some place special in your house don't let others disturb you.

2. Pray -This is your talk it out phase with God. Remember he is on your side forever. Tell him how you feel ask what to do. Ask him for a cheerful attitude. Ask him to put JOY back in your life.

3. Family -These are your top go to people. They can be your immediate family members and extended ones. All conversations should kept confidential. They should be willing to visit you personally and stay with you if need be. There should be lots of encouragement, hugs and personal touch. Prayer should also be involved.

4. Friends -These are not people who you just acquaint with. They are thought of as your best friends. These are people who will check up on you regularly either by electronic device, or physically checking in. Your conversations with them should be confidential. They should know that if there true friends. Prayer should also be involved.

5. Pastor -He or she offers biblical principles and encouragement from God. He is the sub-rock in your relationship with God. He will receive calls and be there for you. He/she will remind you God has something better for you and although doesn't feel like it now. Constant repeating will reach your soul. Prayer should be a key component of your relationship.

6. Church-This is the body of Christ who shows you agape love in all areas. They should bring food, do housework, yard work, love on you, call you and show up at no set time frame. Keep in mind some of all of these will be taken care of by the holy spirit to lead people.You must go every chance you get. Again this is your ROCK. This will not move.

7. Get A Routine Going-This is hard thing to do, so start small. Get out of the bed on the same side. Everything you do exactly the same. Make sure you start and end each day with a sincere prayer to God. As the days go on add another thing to your routine.

8. Job -This is important in your routine. This gets you out of the house. So you can interact with others. If you have panic attacks or just depressing bouts call your support network. Right then so they can help through it. The job will keep your mind off the problem and create another routine of its own.

9.Start A New Hobby-This a new beginning of your new life. Find something totally different than what you have not experienced. It will create the endorphins in your head and you will start living again.

10. Positive Attitude-This is more of a routine in your head. You must say to yourself things like. I will make it. I love myself. I will survive this. I will be strong. Say these things out loud in front of a mirror. Do it often and repeatedly even if you don't believe it now just keep doing it. Over and over and over.

Walk to Emmaus Retreat

The beginnings of a new journey are present in me. I have been home a couple of days now from the walk to Emmaus retreat. I had no idea how to put the experience to words. It was the most powerful Christian retreat I have ever been on. It is a Christian walk, to a higher plane of reality.

The three main things I learned were agape, prayer, and God does things that are not necessarily seen. I won’t go into great details about this. You are going to have to go to experience this yourself. Agape is one of several Greek words translated into English, as love. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. You will learn all about this. Prayer you will learn that prayer is powerful and people are going to be praying for you. And last but not least God works behind the scenes on your behalf, all the time. You will not know it but you sure will get the results. God and you won, satan zero. Game over.

If you see, or know of an individual Emmaus walker. You can ask them about it but more than likely you will not get hardly out of them. Not because it’s a secret. It’s such a deep personal walk there are no words to it. It’s an individual walk with Jesus your Lord and Savior who loves you very-very much. He has such an agape LOVE for you. That’s all I can tell you because there are no words to describe my feelings and yours will be totally different. I do know one thing for sure you are going to have an experience of your life time. God Bless Penguin