I WANT TO SING A warm morning at this time of year was rare, but this morning was just that. As I sat on the porch and enjoyed the coffee, the warmth, the peace … the quiet was interrupted. The interruption came not as a boom of thunder, or a blasting stereo from a passing car … the interruption came as a simple song from a single bird. As I searched the branches and caught a glimpse of the troubadour; the balladeer; the serenader; …I asked myself, “What was this bird made for?” “Why did God put this bird in Oklahoma?” “Why my tree?” “Why this morning?” And the answer became clear, “To sing for you.” This bird was created to sing for me, today. Not for you, not tomorrow. For me. Today. Because this songbird has no worries, no cares, it is free to fulfill its purpose. It’s purpose to sing for me, today. As I listened the seemingly random whistle of it’s song changed to a familiar tune “I want to sing a song for You”. As the words to the Third Day song came to mind, I realized I needed to be more like that bird. The details …Read more
Two years teaching life skills to families whose children were at IMMINENT risk of being removed, may have ruined my ability to sit with problems…When things need to change so that families can keep their children, there is an intensity that is needed…Empathy/sympathy now comes with a healthy dose of reality, and problem solving… Spending hours teaching parents how to re-frame the stories in their heads from toxic to healthy has become the default for how I approach almost any situation. My ability to accurately asses a situation and separate the truth from the ‘bunk’ is finely tuned… After some encouragement from a friend to start a podcast where I can provide my words of wisdom (read informed opinions) regarding a range of topics I decided to go slow… While I am not at all ready for a podcast both in courage or equipment, I do think that I would like to test the idea out here at Careless in the Care of God… SO, I am asking for your questions… Questions that you think someone with a social work background might be able to shed some light upon…I have extensive training in parenting, REBT, Motivational Interviewing, how to communicate with others… Seriously…throw some questions at me, …Read more
I try to see things the way God sees them. As a mere human, there’s very little chance in that. Since I’m created in His image, I like to think I share some of the same frustrations. I’m a father to three children. My daughter, twenty-one, is living with her fiancé. More than once, I’ve made mention my disapproval of their living arrangement. Never using a condemning tone, I’ve suggesting they make their relationship Biblically official if they are going to continue down this path together. I have the proverbial plank in my own eye. She is in college and he works for a government contractor making decent wages. I visit their home on occasion, noting the newest video game and the ever growing wine cork collection. Inevitably, every six to eight weeks, I’ll get a phone call or a text; one of the vehicles needs a repair, or there’s a needed trip to the doctor, or they’re short by a few hundred on the house payment. I silently sigh with minor frustration and transfer the money to cover the emergency into their account. I’ll never say no. As much as I love my children, it’s but a grain of …Read more
When I found out that April was doing a series on Matthew 6:26 and was looking for guest posters I figured that this was a good time as any to take my maiden voyage into the blog world. So here it goes: The first thing I did was to check my American Patriots Bible (NKJV) to see if there was any special note about the verse there wasn’t. What I found interesting is that the heading right before the series of verses says: Do not Worry. Seeing that made me look at the verse in a totally different way. It made me realize that our heavenly Father will take care of us if we let him. I am a walking example of that principle. August 2008 I had a ruptured aneurysm and so things happened that when added up all together meant that God was watching over me. For instance the surgeon who was one of the best in his field happened to be on call. So many other things happened along the way with my recovery that all add up to my premise that God was watching over me that night. From what I understand I should not …Read more
