By Accident Or Intentionally

Good morning. Do you think much about your hopes and dreams? If you were a bowling ball do you hope just to stay out of the gutters or do you see a purpose at the end of your lane.  

My friend Foster lives life intentionally and he makes a difference in other folks lives, not just his own. Because of that he has been blessed. He graciously invited us to stay at his home during our visit to Arizona.

We enjoyed our week checking out the sites, visiting, and just soaking in the warm weather.

The last couple of years Jan and I have been intentional about sharing our week with one of our kids and their family. I hope the Lord gives me enough years to complete this privilege.

One of our yearly visits is to go and see how Aunt Ruth is doing. While we were there we enjoyed getting to meet her sister Marion and see her next door neighbor again.

Our Arizona visit would not be complete without taking a drive and checking out the farming communities. This is part of the imperial valley and this is a 75 hp. irrigation motor. Water in this country is the difference between crops and cactuses.

We went to Old Mexico to shop and get my boots polished. We have been there enough we are starting to remember folks by name. This is Joey. He is going to school to be a lawyer.

It's always a good time to visit friends. We met our landlords, Marvin and Jean for supper. They spend their winters volunteering and working for missionaries at Wycliffe Bible Translators. 

Last Sunday morning we attended a nearby church service. The worship team was very intentional about not just telling folks about Christ's love but experiencing it.

I read a book while in Az. written by Foster's friend. Mike is a significant player in the development of the Phoenix valley. He sounds like a neat Christian guy with a plan and a purpose. He and his wife have 6 grown children. I hope to meet him someday.

One of the more important things we need to be intentional about is our visits with our Lord. So often we use prayer as a spare tire just in case we're in trouble when in fact it is the steering wheel that guides our lives.

Another thing that doesn't just happen by accident is generosity. Are we a giving bunch not just with our stuff, but also our time and talents? Are we approachable or do folks steer around us because we are kind of prickly to be around and we use the excuse we are just not the outgoing type? Reaching out to others and building relationships is what the Bible is all about.

Standing in the gap and holding our responsibilities and leadership roles in our families, our churches, our communities, and our occupations cannot stand the pressure without being intentional about our integrity and character. It's not about what folks see us doing. It's how we act when no one is watching.

When we are intentional about making a difference in other folk's lives we are the ones that become the winners because having relationships is the definition of being created in God's image.

Well we are back home safe and sound. Yesterday we loaded a load of used lumber that BJ and Cassia are taking to south Texas for a work trip. The lumber came from a work day our church had tearing down a home and a hog house.

Mike is just about finished with a building pad for a large cattle building for Jason and Val.

It feels like spring might be here for real. Sometimes early springs mean dry summers like 1977, 1983, and 1988. Hope not.

Well tomorrow we will have been married for 41 years. We had 4 inches of snow the evening of our wedding. God has tested us, blessed us, and guided us the whole way. I'd be lost without you Jan and God putting you in my life was no accident.