Dream on?

(10.15.21–Hidden Blessings –Matthew:15-14)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Sometimes do you you are chasing after blessings that God has said "No!" long ago? Perhaps it’s time to discover your dreams are blessings at all?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Last night as I went to let the dogs in and turn off the lights on the back deck, I was met with a cascade of tiny white moths circling around the porch light. Did you every wonder why moths are attracted to light? When little Frodo and Sammy had made their way in and the door was shut, I decided to "google" that. As it turns out, moths typically are active after nightfall as they search for food and mates. Although we don't know everything about moth navigation, we do know that they use the stars and moon as navigation tools, keeping on track by using a light point as reference. I thought to myself, "If those moths are trying to get somewhere, porch lights weren't a good choice. I went back out to the porch and turned the light on again. In a matter of moments the misdirected travelers and hunters had returned.

Those moths were looking for something they would never find. But that didn't stop them from wasting the energy trying to get there. Sometimes you and I are no better, chasing after blessings that God has said "No!" long ago.

Here's a story: In his book, "Mind Your Own Business," Murray Raphel shares the following story. "Years ago, in Russia, a czar came upon a lonely sentry standing at attention in a secluded corner of the palace garden. 'What are your guard- ing,' asked the czar. 'I don't know. The captain ordered me to this post,' the sentry replied. "The czar called the captain. His answer: 'Written regulations specify a guard was to be assigned to that area.' The czar ordered a search to find out why. The archives finally yielded the reason. Years before, Catherine the Great had planted a rose bush in that corner. She ordered a sentry to protect it for that evening. "One hundred years later, sentries were still guarding the now barren spot." (Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.)

Unfortunately moths fail to comprehend the concept of artificial lighting. Because they've mistaken a dead end street for a highway, they never get where they long to go. Fortunately for you and I God has given us the ability to discern such things. At least, we ought to be able to do that. But when, whether out of stubbornness or habit, we flutter around pursuing things in this life that God has said "No!", we only end up getting hurt or never achieving the potential God has ordained for us to achieve. Are you guarding dreams that have long since vanished? Perhaps you're guarding dead space and nothing more. Dreams are great things but often God blesses us in ways we can't see. Don't flutter around dreams that you haven't entrusted first to God. Dreams that are not blessed are dreams that are empty and fleeting. They really aren't there at all.

We pray. Heavenly Father, whether out of stubbornness or habit, we flutter around pursuing things in this life that You have said “No!." Unfortunately, we only end up getting hurt or never achieving the potential You have ordained for us to achieve. Forgive us Father when we end up guarding dreams that have long since vanished. Often it turns out that we are guarding dead space and nothing more. How sad. Dreams are great things but often You bless us in ways we can't see. Help us by Your Spirit to avoid fluttering around dreams that we haven't entrusted first to You. We know that dreams that are not blessed are dreams that are empty and fleeting. They really aren't there at all. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Dream on?

(10.15.21–Hidden Blessings –Matthew:15-14)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Sometimes do you you are chasing after blessings that God has said "No!" long ago? Perhaps it’s time to discover your dreams are blessings at all?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

Last night as I went to let the dogs in and turn off the lights on the back deck, I was met with a cascade of tiny white moths circling around the porch light. Did you every wonder why moths are attracted to light? When little Frodo and Sammy had made their way in and the door was shut, I decided to "google" that. As it turns out, moths typically are active after nightfall as they search for food and mates. Although we don't know everything about moth navigation, we do know that they use the stars and moon as navigation tools, keeping on track by using a light point as reference. I thought to myself, "If those moths are trying to get somewhere, porch lights weren't a good choice. I went back out to the porch and turned the light on again. In a matter of moments the misdirected travelers and hunters had returned.

Those moths were looking for something they would never find. But that didn't stop them from wasting the energy trying to get there. Sometimes you and I are no better, chasing after blessings that God has said "No!" long ago.

Here's a story: In his book, "Mind Your Own Business," Murray Raphel shares the following story. "Years ago, in Russia, a czar came upon a lonely sentry standing at attention in a secluded corner of the palace garden. 'What are your guard- ing,' asked the czar. 'I don't know. The captain ordered me to this post,' the sentry replied. "The czar called the captain. His answer: 'Written regulations specify a guard was to be assigned to that area.' The czar ordered a search to find out why. The archives finally yielded the reason. Years before, Catherine the Great had planted a rose bush in that corner. She ordered a sentry to protect it for that evening. "One hundred years later, sentries were still guarding the now barren spot." (Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.)

Unfortunately moths fail to comprehend the concept of artificial lighting. Because they've mistaken a dead end street for a highway, they never get where they long to go. Fortunately for you and I God has given us the ability to discern such things. At least, we ought to be able to do that. But when, whether out of stubbornness or habit, we flutter around pursuing things in this life that God has said "No!", we only end up getting hurt or never achieving the potential God has ordained for us to achieve. Are you guarding dreams that have long since vanished? Perhaps you're guarding dead space and nothing more. Dreams are great things but often God blesses us in ways we can't see. Don't flutter around dreams that you haven't entrusted first to God. Dreams that are not blessed are dreams that are empty and fleeting. They really aren't there at all.

We pray. Heavenly Father, whether out of stubbornness or habit, we flutter around pursuing things in this life that You have said “No!." Unfortunately, we only end up getting hurt or never achieving the potential You have ordained for us to achieve. Forgive us Father when we end up guarding dreams that have long since vanished. Often it turns out that we are guarding dead space and nothing more. How sad. Dreams are great things but often You bless us in ways we can't see. Help us by Your Spirit to avoid fluttering around dreams that we haven't entrusted first to You. We know that dreams that are not blessed are dreams that are empty and fleeting. They really aren't there at all. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.