Some Reflections From The Past
Over the past few days, staying mostly inside due to the hot weather, I have taken some time to reflect back on my entire life. Having lost my father when I was a year old has caused me to wonder often, how would it have changed my life as a child if he had lived. Having a father during my early years, how would it have changed my relationship with my children during their childhood? This is one of the things I think about most often. Maybe its getting older that causes one to reflect back and try to determine what changes they would have made. I must say my children were great growing up. However, i learned in later years they would slip out at night and take the family car for a spin or to see some girl.

I am so thankful that I have a father. God is my Father. God is my Father in the sense that he looks upon me as an individual child. Growing up I don't recall anything about mercy being taught in my home. This is not being critical of my mom who was raising 7 children on her own. I do and always will love and respect her life and struggles she went through. I really did not know much about Christ during those early years. It was at the age of sixteen when I began to be taught and come to realize that Christ lives in me through my obedience to him. I realized that if Christ is in me, then Mercy is in me.
I have come to realize more vividly that it is not about me. The importance is HE who lives within me. I believe without any doubt that it is HE who
has forgiven me of all my failures. I know that when we become too concerned about "self", we are blinded to the needs and feelings of others. We must deny "self" and give up our own desires and own will. As I mentioned in my last post, we are faced with many struggles in this life. We must continually pray that the Lord's energy be powerful within us that we might have the inward compulsion to labor and struggle.
In John 15:6 Christ has made it clear what will happen if we (branches) are not fruitful. If we are not laboring, struggling,preaching,teaching,warning and presenting will be cast forth as withered branches and will be destroyed. Paul to the Galatians, 4:16 states. "Am i therefore your enemy, because i tell you the truth?"
I can humbly say, I have been blessed far more than I deserve. With the struggles that lie ahead, somehow with God"s help, we will make it. Prayer is always welcomed.