Friday Coffee with PJ

As I write these words, I have just finished up my fourth cup of coffee. So I am thinking I will call that cup my last ... maybe! 😃  Thanks for joining me for some random insights into life. 

1. This week I met my son for lunch. Over a breakfast wrap and a cup of decaf coffee (it was after the noon hour!) we talked about life. All in all, a wonderful hour catching up with each other. Afterwards, as I was driving back to the office – it hit me. This little baby boy that I once bounced on my knee causing him to giggle hysterically is all grown up! He has earned two degrees and has parlayed that into a very responsible job at an institution of higher learning. In addition, he has bounced three of his own children on his knee! I could not be more proud! But wow!  Where have the past 36 years gone?  When did my little boy become a man? 

If you are a parent of young children and you just happen to be reading this (which in and of itself would be quite remarkable considering all the time you must give to your kids!), I encourage you to make time with your children a priority (which is something I always tried to do).  This WILL mean saying “No!” to some things you enjoy doing or even possibly to some career “advancement.”  Don’t buy into the lie that when it comes to your kids what they need is “quality” (vs. “quantity”) time.  Nope.  I think kids need both.  They need more of your time – and when you give them time, they need more of YOU!  So it’s not a question of either or (either quality or quantity) but BOTH AND!  Even though my children are no longer little (they are all adults now with kids of their own), this is a lesson I am still trying to get down. The next time your little one comes and says, “Daddy, please read me a book...” or “Mommy, please play a game with me . . .” – remember, they are only young once.  Build into them while you’ve got the chance.  There will come a day (trust me on this) when you will long for the days when your kids were young (although I must admit those days are few and far between)!

2. The other day when I drove my son's 2 year old home, whenever I would ask him a question he would answer with "I don know." It did not matter whether he really knew the answer or not. I would ask and his response was always, "I don know." I am guessing it was his way of playing a game with me. 

Sometimes people ask me questions about why certain things (usually difficult things) are happening to them. I will often answer in the way my grandson was answering my questions, "I don't know." But then I always add this: "But I do know God, and his ways are always trustworthy" (Psalm 119:138). William Cowper was a British poet and hymn writer in the 18th century. To the very end of his life he battled deep bouts of depression. Through it all, he clung to his faith in Christ. One of his most loved hymns is the well known (and well sung) hymn, God Moves in Mysterious Ways. The fourth stanza ends with the words, "Behind a frowning providence God hides a smiling face." In those words, Cowper captures a truth that we must all grip and never let go! God has a plan for us (providence). Often, in his infinite wisdom he knows that we must endure suffering if indeed we are to become what he wants us to be and all of us long deep inside to become. James understood this and wrote to his readers to rejoice when trials hit (James 1:2-4). God is not a cosmic sadist, getting a thrill out of seeing us suffer. Rather, he is our Father in Heaven ... and as such, he has our best interests in heart. As C.S. Lewis reminds us, "Pain is the megaphone of God." 

So my friends, if you are hurting today, take hope. Behind your pain God is wearing a smile! And the hurt you are experiencing is ultimately for your good and HIS glory! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 
pj