Can I accept the present as a gift from God? Not all "presents" feel like a gift. But there are many that I still overlook or rush through in the vain hope that if I work hard enough now, I will find in the future, somewhere, the giftedness of God. But right now, in this moment, that I am writing this, it is such a gift. I am anticipating with joy the return of my oldest daughter tomorrow, on her 13th birthday, from a week long work camp in Steubenville, OH. Last year when she came back from her first work camp, there was such joy as she shared experiences, relationships, devotional and Bible study times, the grand view of who God is and what God is doing in our lives now. I anticipate that kind of joy and fulfillment, but I also anticipate just the pure joy of being with a wonderful, creative person with whom I share so much of my time...if I will only spend it awake and focused on the present.


This moment is a gift as I wait to begin leading a service I love, the Taize style service of prayer in song. A peace transcends on me and others every time we worship together on Fridays.


This moment is a gift as my wife Martha and my daughter Molly are at a wonderful movie, "Bend It with Beckham." Molly is such a joy to watch on the dance stage and on the soccer field. This movie is about a girl who plays soccer and how her culture from another continent seeks to come alive in a soccer dominated culture of England.
When I go home in a few hours, they will be home waiting to tell me more about the movie, which I hope to see next week at an afternoon cheap show. And then we will get a pizza and with our two dogs spend an evening together.

Next week I will be in the joy of working with dear friends at a food pantry that is vital for so many people. And I will be talking with Duane Crabbs of South Street Ministry...this is a contemporary story of trust in God, obeying God and going to be with the poorest of the poor, with his family of young children. Duane and I meet regularly for accountability and pumping up of the Spirit. I am so grateful to God to have allowed me a friend of such faith and courage and wisdom...Duane uses his gift to be with the very poor, drug addicts, in a crime ridden neighborhood. He family offers relationship...their commitment to live in the neighborhood for at least 20 years and they have been there for six. They gather neighbors for prayer, Bible study, times of celebration, confrontation of addictive living, and steadfast as people are in hard times and are seeking to turn their life around. God, thank you for helping me to learn your Word from the sources and not simply by characters on a page.