Blessings

Spring is certainly here. I have a baby robin that likes to follow me around thinking I will kick up a bug for him. A cardinal just learning to fly keeps wanting to go into my garage while both his parents and I continue to discourage him. The wrens and bluebirds are in the process of building and my pomegranate is loaded with blooms as you can see.

It has been a full but enjoyable week. I was in the Raleigh/Durham area last weekend with friend Keith. It was good to spend a bit of time with him and enjoy his great cooking. It is always a danger of adding a few pounds when we get together. This has been a busy week at the office but always a blessing to be involved with what the Lord is doing around the world.

Yesterday I enjoyed an early morning breakfast at the NASCAR Hall of Fame to attend the National Day of Prayer. It was a double blessing to see the new facility and join with over 2,200 attendees at the program. Two of us from the office traveled uptown on the light rail train which eliminates the challenge of parking and is a pleasant ride. We were challenged to a more intentional prayer life by Jim Morgan who is the CEO for Crispy Creame. He shared with us the 8-year struggle in prayer that he and his wife had for their son Jamie and the tremendous transformation in his life about three years ago. It was great to have Jamie there also sharing some insights along with music which he had written.

This past week I have been blessed and challenged in reading the book of Ezra. As Ezra prepared to pass through unfriendly territory he paused at the Ahave Canal and “…proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before God and ask him for a safe journey…” (Ezra 8:21) In verse 22 he continues; “I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him…’ The end result recorded in verse 23 was; “So we fasted and petitioned or God about this, and he answered our prayer.” I sure find it easy to seek all sorts of help in a situation before pausing to lay it before the Lord. Hopefully I am learning!

Thanks so much for your faithful prayers.

Love, Chuck