Just Some Reflections

I'm thinking about coming back home to Indianola (okay ...Milo!) IA. I'm thinking about the stark contrasts in some areas of life.  I've met very few people who are native Floridians.  Interestingly enough I met a young man in his early 20's from Iowa who moved here about a year ago.  We spent an hour talking about the wonders of Iowa and small town life.  It was obvious that he missed home but he is chasing a dream ...still no job here though.    I met another young couple (late 20's) who left Wisconsin looking for the dream here and they talked about their home in Wisconsin and their family they are so looking forward to seeing when they drive back for Christmas.  What I reflected upon was how insignificant, just about anything is, without the people we love to share it with.

I've reflected upon being alone and fasting.  If not for a specific call from God to pursue this, I'd be a blathering idiot by now.  You ought to hear some of the conversations going on in my head sometimes!  "Oh, isn't this a good sandwich?  The ham is perfectly smoked and that swiss cheese!  Isn't it wonderful?"  Who the heck am I talking to?  I know, that's not "fasting" talk but you get the picture of me being alone.  Fasting is another whole wierd subject for me because I'm wired for wierd.  I can go for two or three days without eating a single thing without a problem but let me miss a meal or a second helping  and I'm miserable.  I mean, I eat a great big ol bowl of something just to see if I like it!  Let me put it another way ...I know fasting is good but I'm not good at fasting.  If I'm too transparent for some of you ...sorry.  I'm trying to be real.

I have been hearing from God in some awesome and transforming ways.  I've been hearing about my lack of confidence in a few areas (preaching being one) that He is giving me back the faith and confidence that I now realized I had lost.  God has also been revealing to me what He is most pleased with about my life and ministry.  I'm finally realizing that God not only loves me (I knew that) but God also likes me.  He's shown me that He has enjoyed ME HANGING OUT WITH HIM.  Now ...how to keep that going and increasing when life and ministry comes crashing down in a few weeks?  That's the question I'm talking to HIM about now.