Sometimes the creative flame in me runs out of fuel and life goes on cruise. I best express the creativity within by using tools in my hands. Being able to use my hands this side of the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) detour requires getting creative in grasping tools to be creative. One of the easier methods I find now for being creative is wordsmithing IF I have something to say. Computers are now one of my tools. Problem -- computers best exist indoors where creativity is least stimulated for me. Result -- putting words together can be a tedious task I keep pushing to the future. So in those rare moments when inspiration of words begin building momentum I find myself painting word pictures with the brush of Dragon NaturallySpeaking on the canvas of Microsoft Word.
Browsing through some files earlier today searching for a particular document I stumbled onto the following document that was written when I was in a more reflective frame of mind on my 40th birthday seven years and three months ago. Sometimes it is helpful to look back to measure my progress. See if what I had to say then is of any use to you now.
I have received telephone calls and cards today reminding me of the blessing of life. One card from my brother Darron and his wife Ruth said "Do not let this one fact escape your notice, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years..." (II Peter 3). Considering the facts that there are 365.25 days per year and I have lived 40 years today (April 11, 2000) I can say that I have lived 14,610 days. Multiply that times 1,000 (a day is as a thousand years with the Lord) and it could be said according to the Lord's time I am 14 million 610 thousand years old. If plugged into immortality we will have a good thing going.
The second part of II Peter 3 also says "a thousand years is as a day". That being the case, I am only 25 days old with the Lord. Considering the fact that this mortal has not put on immortality I am much more inclined to be drawn to 25 days old vs. 14 million 610 thousand years old. What all this tells me is that when this mortal shall put on immortality I will be as oblivious to age as a 25 day old baby and as intelligent as a 14 million 610 thousand year old man. When the twinkling of an eye therapy (immortality) takes place at the Second Coming I will be inclined to use God's vocabulary He used in the Genesis 1 context, "And God saw all that He had made and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).
While lying in bed this morning I began to consider what elements would be contained in the best day of my life. Looking back, I wondered if it would be a day in my childhood, a day in academy, college or a day in my working years. Could it be a day in the mountains? Not able to identify any one particular day as the best day of my life I began to pull elements from many days to manufacture the best day. My life has been filled with many elements that I would choose to repeat and certainly events and processes that have brought much pain. But when I read I Peter 4:13 I am reminded to rejoice even when the rug gets jerked out from under me. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” ”For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” (II Corinthians 4:17).
When blessings are being dished out I wouldn't mind them to include mountains and meadows and clean mountain air because that would mean the view is fabulous and life is crisp. "Yarn spinning" on the porch of a friend on a warm summer evening would for me remain an eternal treasure. A bag full of peas in their pods fresh from the garden for me to shell would mean that my fingers worked and that I would have another meal. A kite in the wind would mean my chores are on hold and cares are covered without having concern for food. Another best day of my life could very well include a one on one fireside chat with a friend as we poked at the fading embers. Soaking wet pant legs as a result of an early morning walk through a due drenched pasture would be cause for rejoicing.
Not all the above options are available to me today but one option that is mine is that of extending an invitation to you my friend. Because today I am very much aware of my environment, why not consider it the best day of my life? Because "This is the day the LORD has made; ... rejoice" with me "and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). Come be a part of the best day of my life (you choose the day) while we "spin yarns" of days gone by, the "do" of this day and share dreams of days to come. That's 1052 Mt. Pleasant Road, home of the Boyd’s and the out of tune piano.
Warmly,
Michael
P.S. Our rocking chairs rock.
Browsing through some files earlier today searching for a particular document I stumbled onto the following document that was written when I was in a more reflective frame of mind on my 40th birthday seven years and three months ago. Sometimes it is helpful to look back to measure my progress. See if what I had to say then is of any use to you now.
I have received telephone calls and cards today reminding me of the blessing of life. One card from my brother Darron and his wife Ruth said "Do not let this one fact escape your notice, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years..." (II Peter 3). Considering the facts that there are 365.25 days per year and I have lived 40 years today (April 11, 2000) I can say that I have lived 14,610 days. Multiply that times 1,000 (a day is as a thousand years with the Lord) and it could be said according to the Lord's time I am 14 million 610 thousand years old. If plugged into immortality we will have a good thing going.
The second part of II Peter 3 also says "a thousand years is as a day". That being the case, I am only 25 days old with the Lord. Considering the fact that this mortal has not put on immortality I am much more inclined to be drawn to 25 days old vs. 14 million 610 thousand years old. What all this tells me is that when this mortal shall put on immortality I will be as oblivious to age as a 25 day old baby and as intelligent as a 14 million 610 thousand year old man. When the twinkling of an eye therapy (immortality) takes place at the Second Coming I will be inclined to use God's vocabulary He used in the Genesis 1 context, "And God saw all that He had made and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).
While lying in bed this morning I began to consider what elements would be contained in the best day of my life. Looking back, I wondered if it would be a day in my childhood, a day in academy, college or a day in my working years. Could it be a day in the mountains? Not able to identify any one particular day as the best day of my life I began to pull elements from many days to manufacture the best day. My life has been filled with many elements that I would choose to repeat and certainly events and processes that have brought much pain. But when I read I Peter 4:13 I am reminded to rejoice even when the rug gets jerked out from under me. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” ”For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” (II Corinthians 4:17).
When blessings are being dished out I wouldn't mind them to include mountains and meadows and clean mountain air because that would mean the view is fabulous and life is crisp. "Yarn spinning" on the porch of a friend on a warm summer evening would for me remain an eternal treasure. A bag full of peas in their pods fresh from the garden for me to shell would mean that my fingers worked and that I would have another meal. A kite in the wind would mean my chores are on hold and cares are covered without having concern for food. Another best day of my life could very well include a one on one fireside chat with a friend as we poked at the fading embers. Soaking wet pant legs as a result of an early morning walk through a due drenched pasture would be cause for rejoicing.
Not all the above options are available to me today but one option that is mine is that of extending an invitation to you my friend. Because today I am very much aware of my environment, why not consider it the best day of my life? Because "This is the day the LORD has made; ... rejoice" with me "and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). Come be a part of the best day of my life (you choose the day) while we "spin yarns" of days gone by, the "do" of this day and share dreams of days to come. That's 1052 Mt. Pleasant Road, home of the Boyd’s and the out of tune piano.
Warmly,
Michael
P.S. Our rocking chairs rock.
