Life of Lemon Pies

Day 20 Doxology:  Do you and wife (or husband) have a special fast-food place?

If anyone knows Shannon, they would know that she loves Milo's.  She likes the special sauce, the toasted bun, 3 maybe 4 french fries, and loves, loves, loves the lemon pie!  We laugh every time she opens the little lemon pie container and say in unison..."closure!"

Since we moved to Athens, the nearest Milo's Hamburgers is in Cullman, we thought!  I was in Decatur for a funeral last month when I ran across a new Milo's Hamburger location-only 25mins from home.

I knew that I would have to surprise Shannon.

A couple of days ago I made plans.  I told her that I was going to take her to dinner, but it was going to be a surprise.  She tried to guess.  She asked so many questions.  However, before some of you think this is the cheesiest entry this year, and you might be right, I do have a point!

I praise God today for this reminder...I think it's the small things that make our relationship great!  Who said that a surprise dinner had to be some huge, expensive, or extravagant ordeal?  The small things that we do over and over when no one is looking or without some Mariachi band playing in the background are the gentle reminders for those that we love that we are still IN love.  Anyone can do the big stuff, but the people that can do the little things day-in and day-out win the mate race.

Do this...try to out-do your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, or maybe even mom or dad.  Make life a series of Lemon Pies for those that you love.  Who knows, it may come back to you 10 fold. Today's lemon pie might be tomorrow's morning coffee.

Right Side-Up!

Day 19 Doxology:  How much do you love the messages that people put on the back of their vehicle?  

When I was growing up it was bumper stickers that share some clever message of one's belief or passion. As got older, the method of sharing one's message expanded.  Soon there were magnets that said Roll Tide; window stickers that adhered on the inside to last longer, and still the old school bumper sticker.  I saw a window sticker on a Jeep recently that became my favorite...maybe because I was a father of 3 girls!  It stated clearly:

I am a teenage girl,

parked on a hill, 

in a jeep with a stick-shift.

Should you be close enough to read this?

The advance method now is to have tire covers on Jeeps that act like the bumper stickers of old...which is today's doxology :

The message is clear -If you can clearly read the "problem" message then the Jeep is in trouble and likely to be upside-down!

How many of us find ourselves "upside-down" in life?  I promise if you are there, you don't need a tire cover to name the moment for you! And, to carry the thought further, I bet each of us have felt upside-down at some point in our life.

The message that sparks hope is clear...and it's not so much found in very familiar John 3:16 like most think (even as important as that message is for us!).  However, I think the message that can initiate hope for those that find themselves upside-down in life can be found in the next verse...John 3:17.

John 3:17 says, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn world, but to save it through him."

If you find yourself "upside down" in life or in any problem...you know you are in a problem.  I bet what you need to know is a way to start a process of becoming "right side-up?" Then maybe you'll be open to the idea of a church that can share what Jesus did for us all.

Bar Codes

Day 18 Doxology:   Do you know how important it is to get some sun these days?  This time of year it's almost like we stretch our necks to find any hint of sunlight to warm our post-winter bodies.

It's reported that sunlight exposure helps the body synthesize Vitamin D which helps aid in the function and development of our muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems.  As a pastor I see that light works similarly in our spiritual life.

In short...it's the light that makes us the best us!

Today's doxology made me think about the wide use of "barcodes" in our lives.  I was on an afternoon bike ride (6.5 miles, can I get a witness?) when I saw on the trail the rays of sunlight broken by the shadow of trees.  I thought this looks like barcodes if you rotated the picture below?

Did you know that the way barcodes work is different than one might think?  When we look at the vertical lines of the code all we see is the dark vertical lines that run parallel with one another.  When in actuality, what we need is gathered from the white spaces in between the black vertical lines -the spaces of light!

We have so many examples in this world that point toward the importance of our need for light.  In scripture, light is synonymous with God and the hope for a broken world.  In John 8:12 we are told by Jesus, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light for life."

Spring reminds us that we need the light!  Not just for our body's health, not just because it's Easter, not just so we can scan an object, but more than anything we need "the light" for our broken world!

"Wuv....Twue Wuv!"

Day 17 Doxology:  It's been a really long day, and even though it was a 16 hour work-day, I can't keep from smiling.  The reason is simple and is today's doxology!

One of the hardest and greatest joys of my life is being a parent!  The times that I have failed have far outweighed the times I have done it right.  I look back and think of all of the things I would do differently if given the chance, but as it is I am laying in the bed that I've made. Through it all, my greatest hope, other than they're having an unwavering faith, is for my daughters to be happy.

So, although I'm out of energy for my day, I am distracted!  All my daughter's life I've told them to "stay away from boys because they are distractions!"  So tonight, I am the one that is distracted...because my middle J is getting married.

The reason I keep smiling is...because she is happy!  I keep thinking maybe I'm not as bad a parent as I thought?  And in my mind all I keep hearing is the priest in Princess Bride say, "Wuv....Twue Wuv!"

Congratulations to J-2 and that boy...because of you both and your love for each other, I praise God!

Pork = "Upward" Love

Day 16 Doxology: Today's 15 hours of Upward Basketball provide countless times of doxology moments as we close out our Upward Basketball season.-thank you Charles Deiter!

Today's doxology could have been the joy of serving alongside fellow Christians.  More often than not, it was present as the children heard encouragement from their coaches and parents as they were less than perfect!  A semi-mountain top experience of praise was when everyone in the room cheered for that child that scored their first goal of the season on their last game of the year regardless of which team you pulled for!  It was clearly present when our church matriarch stayed for the last two games of the day to give a devotional for all the young parents at halftime regardless whether they were connected to Isom's.

I can share images from a game where girls dribble underneath the goal and pass to a friend so they can make their first bucket.  I can include pictures of pork and remind you that at the table amazing things happen.  Pork = Love!  And finally, I can include a group of young women that are not confined by age but connected by the single act of service! It made today's doxology a true praise God moment!

So, there is this mosaic of mental images of how God was visible throughout my day that I cannot share!  However, I bet if you could have eyes to see you could remember how vivid God was a part of you day!  What I have done is included just a few real images that brought me great joy in many different ways of my Isom's peeps and a wonderful season of Upward Praising God!

God's Grace is good!

Private Words of Grace!

Day 15 Doxology:  I realize there is a lot of day left for other "Praise God" moments, but I am certain nothing can beat what I've already experienced.  Nothing trumps words from a friend!

Some things simply transcend any words I could add to describe the way I feel from hearing from a loving friend even if you question their taste in cards!  Is that a belly-ring, and what is MSV?

It's Good To Be Me!

Day 14 Doxology: What is the day to you?

Did you know that today is National Peanut-butter Day?  That's sick...in a good way unless you enjoy it too much!

At the end of my day, I was surprised to find out that today was MY Day-a day after my own heart!  I was also a surprise to find out that this evening I would be treated with everything peanut butter!

So, this doxology is more about National Peanut Butter Day than it is about me (or, Jones, or J-3), but at the end of the day I can't lose!  A simple example  of my joy is when J-3 got home and decided that NPD is a day worth celebrating.  She decided to cook me the Ultimate Skillet Peanut-butter Cookie!  If you top this gift with Hershey's chocolate, ice cream, and crunchy peanut butter then you become a poster-child for diabetic insulin.

In short, you mix two passions: a day set aside for your love (Peanut butter), and your loves that set aside a day for you (Jessie cooking the Ultimate Skillet Peanut Butter cookie)...then it's your day, and it's good to be me!

With these two additions to my day, It becomes clear...today is a moment to praise God!