What If...

The title of this blog is The Path We Take. I have always been one who looks back at decisions I made that got me to where I am today. What if I had made a different decision?...

I just finished screening a movie that will be out this fall entitled "What If" that took a look at the exact situation. It is about a guy named Ben, played by Kevin Serbo (best known for his role as Hercules in the 1994 television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), who decided to take his own path instead of the path that God had marked for him. Years later he is given the chance to see what would have happened if he had chosen God's path. An Angel, played by John Ratzenderger (best known as Cliff from the sitcom Cheers), takes Ben on a journey to see what would have been different if he had made one different decision along the way. Ben experiences what his life would have been with his wife, Kristy Swanson (best known for playing Buffy Summers in the 1992 filmBuffy the Vampire Slayer), and their family. I will not going to tell you much more about the movie except that I believe it has a message that we all need to hear. Are you on the path that God planned, or are you chasing your own dreams?

For me... I am very glad that I chose to take God's path 16 years ago when I believe I was at a cross road in my life. Sure, I'm not living where I thought I would be and I don't have the profession I thought I would have... but I know that I am where I should be! I have a wonderful family and a great job! God has been so good to me even though sometimes I tend to "push" my ideas on Him. He is always there to listen and then to correct.

Where are you at in your life? Can you see God at work around you? Can you sit back and know that you are where you should be? If you cannot answer yes to these questions, I challenge you to get on your knees and seek out what God has for you. I promise that even though you may always look back and wonder "What If"... If you are where God wants you to be, there will never be any better place!

Be sure to look for "What If" in theaters later this year, and plan to take your friends and family to see it. We really need to support good wholesome films and show Hollywood and our local theaters what we want to see.

Learning through a 3 Year Old

It is amazing to me to watch Karter change. He seams to learn something new almost everyday. It was even more amazing to me when I realized things that I could learn from him.

It all started last year while Karter was going through the "terrible three's." I know, everyone says it is the "terrible two's," but trust me in this case it was when he was three.

It seemed to me that he would never listen to what we would tell him, and many times even telling him multiple times did not seem to matter. If you are reading this and knew me at that age, I know what you are thinking... "yep, it's payback time". That might be true, but it has nothing to do with this story! One day, while standing in the hallway less than three feet from Karter, I was trying to talk to him when I realized he did not even notice I was talking. So I simply said his name, which got absolutely no reaction. Like any parent, I kindly repeated his name in a slightly louder tone. Again... no response. So, just like I learned from my childhood experiences, I repeated his name again. This time with that tone that says "you better pay attention or else!" You guessed it, he simply went on playing. This of coarse really got on my last nerve and I yelled (excuse me, I mean spoke loudly); "Karter you better pay attention or you will lose those toys for the rest of the night!!! Why don't you pay attention to us when we are talking to you?"

That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. How many times do we respond to God the same way Karter was responding to me. When I asked Karter why he does not pay attention when we are talking to him, God instantly spoke to my spirit "Why don't you?"

My attitude changed immediately when I realized that I treat God the same way Karter was treating me. All to often I am too busy "playing with my toys" to hear what God is trying to tell me. The difference is that unlike me, God does not get mad or yell at His children.

Maybe we need to slow down and pay attention to hear what God is trying to say to us, and what we are supposed to be doing.

It is amazing to me that I can learn about God from a three year old, but God does say that He will use the simple things to confound the wise.....

Father, as I go through this day,

please help me to not only hear

your voice, but to listen to what

you are saying. I don't want to

miss what you want to say. I don't

want to miss what you have for me.

So today, I just want to take some

time; sit quietly; and listen....

Give me patience and the will to obey.

Thank you for you loving hand

and that sweet still voice that calls

my name.

Amen

The Path's We Take:

Have you ever thought about how you got to where you are? What happened in your life to get you to this place? I am amazed to think about all the decisions in my life the got me to this place in my life. At any point if I made a different decision, where would I be today? Would I still have made it to this place? It just makes me even more amazed that God could guide my life through all those decisions, and still get me here... right now! Our God is awesome! If you ever have trouble believing that, just look at the path you have taken to get where you are.