Well, Angel and I just celebrated 20 wonderful years together. I want to thank everyone who has helped or given to our family through the years. We have been truly blessed.
Looking back at the weekend May 23-24 in light of Phil Strout’s closing words for the leaders in our Mid-Atlantic Area, I have really been thinking about stewardship. Most people think about finances when they hear the word stewardship. But I want to look at this topic from a biblical view. When the bible talks about a person, it usually references or refers to the whole person. Every aspect of your life! Unlike our western view, we have our church life, home life, business life, and so on. We try to categorize, divide, or define every little detail. Taking a kingdom view – a God view – He sees our whole life – actions, feelings, words, deeds, body, soul – as a whole and Jesus of course wants to be the center of that life.
Phil mentioned the parable on ‘talents’ and as he did – I don’t wish to give a bible lesson. Yet, he mentioned that at the heart of the parable was the issue of stewardship. How God was teaching him how to steward his ‘pain’. He shared a story that conveyed his point.
After 20 years of marriage I just want to encourage everyone to steward your marriage. I can not tell you how many times Angel and I have had counseling or went to a seminar or conference when times were great and good. So many couples wait for rocky times to go in for a ‘tune up’ when they really need some real engine work. Angel and I have done the hard work through the hard times. But what kept us strong and going is really reaping the fruit during the great times.
Furthermore, I have recognized a serious man fault within myself. This fault or short coming - I have good attentions. I have good attentions to setup regular date nights with my wife and daughters. Girls, if you’re reading this – I hope you can forgive me…. I am confident you will but that is not my point today. I have good attentions to sit with my wife and pray regularly. I have good attentions to spend quality family time. I have good attention to take the trash out each week and cut the grass. I have good attentions for….. Maybe you don’t have this problem but I have. Father’s – Husbands – Our words really bring a kingdom presence to the direction or stewardship of our marriages and families.
Let’s not mix words or attentions. If you go back and read the parable of the talents, I think the one man who buried his – he had good attentions. Good attentions do not reap kingdom truth, blessings, and promises in our lives or marriages. Good attentions – really are just lost potential or lost moments that could be turning into rotten fruit … We need to be men of good deeds with hearts full of healing words and compassion.
So after 20 years of marriage I can tell you my wife could care less about my good attentions, but she truly cherishes every moment that I am present and connected with her. Touch, words that communicate more then a grunt of affirmation and love. And you know – I have to admit when I do make that kind of effort (sometimes it is just a little effort)--- Life is Good!! Really Good!!
Be blessed
sean hart
Let’s Go Caps!!!!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
So we are already in May – which means hockey season is closing in…. well still 5 months off.
This week I had the wonderful experience to be a part of our legal system. I had received a citation for breaking the speed limitations on RT 28. WARNING: anyone travelling on RT 28 between the Prince William Parkway and Litton Hall Rd – the speed limit is 45 MPH. Anyways I had to go to court. I received the full measure of the law. No driving course for me.
Anyways I was watching people in the courthouse and I was wondering how far I was from falling into this same life path when I was 18. So many young people – so many young people with so much anger visibly displayed. I just was overwhelmed with compassion for their apparent hopelessness. One young girl was excited about getting 30 days in jail and the reset suspended for probation. 30 days in jail! It reminded of the movie, Colors, it was released I think in the early 90’s with Sean Penn and Robert Duval??? Anyways a young man was sentenced and he said “I have more time then money!” More time ----
How much time do we have? How much time do we have to make a difference? How much time do we have to enjoy family and friends? The theme song from the Broadway show, Rent – 525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear, 525,600 minutes how do you measure - measure a year. (you can check out the lyrics at http://www.links2love.com/lyrics-rent-seasons-love.htm) We can never get time back – More time then money. Moments so dear -
Our time is running out – my kids get older each day. My oldest is coming back from her first year of college at the University of Arizona. Angel and I are very proud of her. The next one is driving and soon the other will be in High School. More time ----Moments so dear
It seems I am always needing or wanting more time. There are so many things I would like to be a part of or to do… What are we doing with our time? What am I doing with my time? What am I choosing --- More time --- Moments so dear
One thing I found true in the rat race of life. God does not change or I am not asked to perform anything special to receive His blessings. His Sabbath rest is for me. Anytime and every time I reach for it! God is truly good - Not that His goodness was anything extra for me - But He is good in the sense that I never deserved all that He has given me - matter a fact quite the opposite – 15 years ago He still met me that night and welcomed me home - not necessarily looking past all my stuff - but reaching and pulling me into the life He has for me.... I am starting to understand that God is not one to be taken for granted - He holds those moments so dear...
And what have I done with my time – with this life He has provided for me? He is truly good and His good demands a change in my heart to receive all that He has for me... He is good because it has always been my choice... My choice to present and to seize the moments to cherish the many blessings in my life. More time --- moments so dear
More time or more money – which would we choose? Today, I think I would like more time. Even to go back in time. Not to change my life but to cherish those moments and take less for granted…To tell people good bye and to tell them how much they mean to me… Maybe just to be present in life that I missed!
So what will we do with the next 525,600 minutes - - I am not sure – but I am not taken moments, or people for granted. I desire to grip the courage to tell people that I love and cherish them. I look to experience more of the Life that God has blessed me to have.
Happy Mother's Day -----Mom
Let’s Go Caps
Sean
Psalm 8
This week I had the wonderful experience to be a part of our legal system. I had received a citation for breaking the speed limitations on RT 28. WARNING: anyone travelling on RT 28 between the Prince William Parkway and Litton Hall Rd – the speed limit is 45 MPH. Anyways I had to go to court. I received the full measure of the law. No driving course for me.
Anyways I was watching people in the courthouse and I was wondering how far I was from falling into this same life path when I was 18. So many young people – so many young people with so much anger visibly displayed. I just was overwhelmed with compassion for their apparent hopelessness. One young girl was excited about getting 30 days in jail and the reset suspended for probation. 30 days in jail! It reminded of the movie, Colors, it was released I think in the early 90’s with Sean Penn and Robert Duval??? Anyways a young man was sentenced and he said “I have more time then money!” More time ----
How much time do we have? How much time do we have to make a difference? How much time do we have to enjoy family and friends? The theme song from the Broadway show, Rent – 525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear, 525,600 minutes how do you measure - measure a year. (you can check out the lyrics at http://www.links2love.com/lyrics-rent-seasons-love.htm) We can never get time back – More time then money. Moments so dear -
Our time is running out – my kids get older each day. My oldest is coming back from her first year of college at the University of Arizona. Angel and I are very proud of her. The next one is driving and soon the other will be in High School. More time ----Moments so dear
It seems I am always needing or wanting more time. There are so many things I would like to be a part of or to do… What are we doing with our time? What am I doing with my time? What am I choosing --- More time --- Moments so dear
One thing I found true in the rat race of life. God does not change or I am not asked to perform anything special to receive His blessings. His Sabbath rest is for me. Anytime and every time I reach for it! God is truly good - Not that His goodness was anything extra for me - But He is good in the sense that I never deserved all that He has given me - matter a fact quite the opposite – 15 years ago He still met me that night and welcomed me home - not necessarily looking past all my stuff - but reaching and pulling me into the life He has for me.... I am starting to understand that God is not one to be taken for granted - He holds those moments so dear...
And what have I done with my time – with this life He has provided for me? He is truly good and His good demands a change in my heart to receive all that He has for me... He is good because it has always been my choice... My choice to present and to seize the moments to cherish the many blessings in my life. More time --- moments so dear
More time or more money – which would we choose? Today, I think I would like more time. Even to go back in time. Not to change my life but to cherish those moments and take less for granted…To tell people good bye and to tell them how much they mean to me… Maybe just to be present in life that I missed!
So what will we do with the next 525,600 minutes - - I am not sure – but I am not taken moments, or people for granted. I desire to grip the courage to tell people that I love and cherish them. I look to experience more of the Life that God has blessed me to have.
Happy Mother's Day -----Mom
Let’s Go Caps
Sean
Psalm 8
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)