Monday, May 13, 2013

A Blessing in Our Backyard


The story of Ruth shows how God can bring blessings out of our tense, stressful difficulties.  I wonder how many blessings or miracles we miss because we’re not sensitive to God’s Spirit, or we’re not open or ready to receive it.  Is it possible that God is ready to give us miraculous blessings, if only we’d watch to discern it in our busy, crazy lives?   

Have you ever seen a blessing or miracle in your family or in your backyard?  I have; in fact, I’ve been blessed more than I deserve.  On Mother’s Day, our family celebrated with a special meal and a couple gifts for my wife Jane who was truly appreciative of her gifts.  When I was in seminary, a classmate named Harlan was searching for a children’s message for Easter, when he discovered a brick with a small flower growing out of it (new life coming out of death –> Easter resurrection). Guess where he found it?  In his own backyard.

We don’t need to watch a TV faith-healer or go far, to discover God’s blessings or miracles.  We do need to be open to God’s Spirit that works in amazingly creative ways in our lives.  We have a wonderful blessing in our own backyards here in Southeast Oklahoma.  

Goodland Academy is blessing boys and students.  Goodland has students and residential boys from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just Presbyterian.  God is using Goodland to bless children whose families are unable to care for them.  The Goodland Boy Scout troop is very active and has produced 6 Eagle Scouts in the last few years.  God is working through the staff to bless youth by helping them to advance spiritually and academically.

Our faithful and wonderful God has been blessing many right in our own backyard.  Goodland’s Homecoming is this Saturday, May 18.  It begins with lunch at noon, followed by a Scout Court of Honor.  At 2 pm, a Choctaw Powwow will feature Choctaw dancers and drummers.  If you go, you’ll be blessed.  If you want to learn more about Goodland Academy, go to http://www.goodland.org.

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