Since this is my post and I get to write anything that I want then I will write about the things dear to my heart.
First and foremost is my relationship with God which if you read my book or even the letter then you know how much Jesus means to me. Besides a spiritual journey I am on health journey of sorts. I have been into health for a few years now, ever since a bout with skin cancer, arthritis, and sinus infections had me believing that I was going downhill and fast.
I started taking a product called ‘Juice Plus’, which is fruit and vegetables in pill form. These vitamins changed my life, physically that is. I have not been sick in the three years I have been taking them. Along the way of this journey I started eating organic food only. My goal is to limit my intake of man made preservatives and chemicals as much as possible. What a difference. My body has responded so well to organics and ‘Juice Plus’. I have never been this healthy, not even when I was young.
I also started working out. I had a lifetime membership to a fitness club that I never used. I love working out. It is so good for my posture, self esteem, and energy level, not to mention that I no longer have trouble getting up in the morning. The aches and pains are kept to a minimum. I do a slow lifting circuit routine which allows me to workout twice a week for an hour. I highly recommend lifting weights, and or cardio.
Lastly, but of equal importance are my finances. I believe that God honors those who stay out of debt. I am trying to pay off all my debt and get myself debt free. No credit cards; at least that is my goal. God has always blessed me Spiritually and physically. Why would I not honor Him with my money?
This is a letter that I wrote this past summer. I am not exactly sure why, maybe for self edification. Whatever the case, here it is for you.
I was sent up to the office of the big boss today; at least that is what I might call Him after a meeting like the one I had. He was wonderful and terrifying all at the same time. It was really something to meet Him in person, but His countenance and presence kept my eyes averted and my knees knocking. I did not know that today was going to be my day. Oh, I knew eventually, down the road, in the distant future that my time would come, however the set up for the meeting happened so fast. As I was being whisked there, and boy, oh boy they were a couple of big husky guys who had me by each arm, I thought about what He would look like. I had seen so many sketches and pictures however, they did not do Him justice, not from a few feet away. I also thought that maybe I was not as ready for the meeting as I would have liked. I always figured that I had all the time in the world.
The big guys turned me loose as I entered His office, but kept themselves handy just outside. The office, I use that term for lack of a better word, was magnificent. It hurt my eyes to look at its brightness; however, the look in His eyes was like home; warm and comforting. “Welcome,” He said to me as He put an arm around my shoulder as if it were the most natural thing, then He sat me down and set Himself in what had to be the nicest executive chair ever. I wanted to say something smooth and at the same time could not find a single word, which seemed appropriate. Sensing my dilemma, He started in. “You have done well in service to Me,” He said. These words were the ones that I had hoped for, a vote of confidence for all my hard work done in His name. “You will be kept on with the company,” He said with grace and authority, “for not only have you known Me, but have been a faithful employee since being called in. However, I have a few questions before you are to be given your new assignment up here at corporate headquarters.”
The pure joy I felt enabled me to tear my eyes away from the floor. He had praised me and was going to give me a new job. What could be better? “Can you give Me a detailed account of what you have done with the assets that you were put in charge of?” He asked. Detailed account, I thought. I tried to grasp what He was asking when out of thin air a screen of sorts materialized with me on it. There I was sitting at my desk. A bank statement was before me. Each line item became larger one at a time showing where I had spent each dollar. I cringed on the inside and said nothing. I wanted to avert my eyes however, knew that it was important to pay attention. So I kept watching as my house came into view. There I was watching sporting event after sporting event, T.V.show after T.V.show. I wanted to make an excuse, to say that I was just relaxing but one look from Him dispelled the thought. There I was driving my vehicle to a fancy restaurant, a fitness club, a golf course. The screen showed me spending so much time on the computer and not all of the websites were the kind of which to be proud. My mouth went dry. There were my children living for themselves with nary a thought of the CEO or His Corporation.
“What did you do with the good news that I gave you?” he asked. I immediately thought of the people who I had told about the company. Some had even received the call. The screen showed these people, and without being smug, I stole a glance at Him. He seemed pleased by what He saw, however the screen began to show others, those to whom for whatever reason I had not been willing to speak. There were so many. I had forgotten them, but He did not. He wanted to know why. I had no answers. Had I been lazy? It was not much of an excuse.
“Did you clothe the cold, and feed the hungry?” He asked. Well I really wanted to think that I did. I gave money to the local mission, the food bank, the fund for the poor at my church. There were many faces and names flashing by. I knew that I had not been as diligent in my duties as I should have been. Some of the faces were street people that others had called scam artists. I wanted to say this in my defense. He silenced me with the slightest of scowls. Clearly, I was not the first to have this thought pop into my head. He answered my thought, “some were my servants in disguise sent to test you. All of them were precious to Me. Did you not know?” I had withheld a portion of my time and money, and He knew it.
“Did you make time for all of the widows I put before you, the orphans, and the prisoners?” Again there were faces and names; more than I would have believed. At this point, I was self critiquing along with Him. No, I thought, if people were not in my direct path, the one I decided I was going down, then they were not in line for any help from me. Rarely had I gone out of my way for anyone. His expectations were high, and I had proven to be lacking.
“What did you do with my forgiveness?” He asked. I had been willing to forgive, I thought. It was the least that I could do for one who had forgiven me. Surely, I had been diligent in this. Once more there were names and faces galore, some of which I had forgiven wholeheartedly, while with others I had been reluctant. The truth went unspoken and yet was there. I said that I forgave them with my lips but I had shunned them with my actions. “Did you not understand that in forgiveness the full measure of the power of My love is displayed? The course of human history changed with one kind act of forgiveness. Why did you withhold that which was given so freely to you?”
Desperately I wished the interview to be finished. I was beginning to wonder why He had called me faithful when I was anything but. I was beginning to think that another would better serve the company. He was quiet for a long while, at least it seemed that way, and then He rose and put His hand on my shoulder. “Since you showed a little faith, you will be kept on in service to Me, however little shall be your reward. Many are the blessings that go to them who have shown great faith. Remember that he who has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves Me shall be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him. Now take what you are given and serve me well.” I think I shall.