Category : Pilgrim’s Chronicles

In about an hour I’m headed to Nashville to meet with a client. The drive to Nashville is around three and half hours. Lots of time to think. Today I’m planning to make my “point of focus”, stage one of reviewing my personal thankfulness. With Thanksgiving next week, I think it is time to consider all I have to be thankful for. Obviously my relationship with Christ, my wife and family,
friends, and loved ones will all be high on my list. I hope that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit I will dig deeper, and see all the myriad of ways He is working in my life. I will share what comes to me. I believe what I learn will be partly for that purpose.

My challenge for you is to do the same. Spend some of today focusing on with God has given you, taught you, protected you from. Please share your revelations with us. It is never wise to fail to know His gifts and be thankful for them. I wish you a satisfying journey as you delve into all there is to be thankful for. May our exercise bring glory and honor to Him.

In Christ,

the pilgrim

Today, at noon, I will be sharing with business leaders in my community about that subject. I started praying and listening for God’s guidance while on vacation. Monday morning sitting at my kitchen island, the words started to come.

First, we witness because what God has done in our lives, changes everything. If life is the game, what Christ does when He comes into our hearts is the “game changer…..” We become so totally committed to Him that little else really matters. He re-focuses our lives on to a path that leads to His will for our lives.

Second, when Christ’s love indwells us, we must share that love with others, we simply can’t do anything else. Christ’s love is all encompassing and it demands that we live for Him and He gave His life to save the lost. When you love Him with all your heart, you can do no less.

Third, to witness is to live for Him, witnessing is not just what you say, it is who you are, it’s what you do, It’s how you treat others. Witnessing is not something you do when you are feeling “religious”! Witnessing is done; Everyday, Everywhere, and with Everyone you meet.

To witness is to say, God loves me and he saved me, He wants to give you His love, and save you too. I brought you His invitation, will you accept it?

No higher calling exists than to carry His invitations in your pocket, and hand them out freely to all.

the pilgrim

I was looking through my images from last week and found this interesting attempt by an Island plant to reach up for the sun, fighting the obstacles along the way. I think our lives are just like that, we know, what we need to be striving for, but we encounter lots of impediments along the way. I think of my brother, Homer, 61 years old and mixing it up at Glenco with all the much younger guys and gals to finish his law enforcement training. In spite of his age, he came within one point of being one of the three honor students out of nearly one hundred men and women. If you hear my sense of pride in him, you would be right. I mentioned earlier that when they got around to the range he would open some eyes. He hit 149 or 150 in the 5 ring at 50 yards with the M15, his only shot outside the ring was out by 1/4 of an inch! He did just as well in the pistol range, 29 of 30 in the circle, the one that was out was out by one inch. Homer found a way to do what he had to do, all winners do. Homer also leaned on God, he knows where his strength comes from.

Last week Sherelene and I were on our one vacation of the year to a beach, it rained constantly for the first four days after the day we arrived. Sherelene stayed positive and had a great time, even though the weather was not what we went down to the Caribbean for. Winners find a way to press on, even when it is not going according to plan. She also knows where her strength lies, in Him.

My dear friend Vinny Colucci has had a much tougher week than any of us. His newly born, very pre-mature, grand daughters, heart stopped and it took 20 minutes to bring her back, she is stable but not out of the woods. Vinny has been facing hurdle after hurdle for the last several months. Vinny is drained, and down, but not out. Vinny knows that no matter how bad it gets, God is in control, and that he can count on God to hold him up when he has nothing left in his tank. Vinny knows where his strength lies.

One of my favorite quotes includes this thought, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the recognition that something is more important than that fear.” Simply put, life is tough, but it’s worthwhile, and nothing we can face warrants throwing in the towel. When life get tougher than you have the strength to handle, that’s the time to let it go, and let God have it. After several of those sessions you come to understand that every single day, even the great ones, belong in His hands. Your life could find no better place to rest.

the pilgrim

The last breakfast. I came to love the great little Irish Pub/grill called Molly Malones. When I showed up for a very late breakfast Friday morning, Penny my usual waitress, asked where Sherelene was? I said, “She left me because of my affair with Molly Malone.” It got a good laugh. So today it is back to work and facing the daily duties, but I still am very thankful for
s great week off. Sherelene is truly my best friend, and on the drive home, very late last night,
we did our usual recap of the trip, what we liked, what we didn’t. We agreed that this was one of the best destinations ever, we liked almost everything about it.

The one question that
always gets an interesting
response is “what was
the best part of the trip?”
Mine was easy, just being
with her for a week. I
love my job with Nikon,
but being on the road
almost 200 days of the
year is a lot of time away
from my best friend.
We really enjoyed just
getting to take it easy and visit. There is so much you don’t have time to talk about when the schedule is so busy, a week away gives you that time back.

Father, thank you for a wonderful friend in Sherelene, a great partner, and the love of my life.
I know You love me, You’ve given me such incredible gifts. Please help me to honor You for
all of You have done for me.

the pilgrim

Irish Humor………