Undeniable Truths

One of the nicest things about Christmas and the New Year is the chance to be with family and have some time off. And for me, time off means a few mornings and late nights where I steel away to my man cave/shop in the corner of the garage to create sterling silver things for people I love. 

Several years ago I developed this habit that anytime I would find something old like pictures, plaques, poems or awards- I would hang them in my man cave. It's turned out to be a very random collection of stuff that's nailed to the wall with only one thing in mind, where is there still room on a wall. HGTV and the "Design on a Dime" staff would vomit if they saw the arrangement... but for me? Well it makes me feel happy while I do something that relieves stress in my life. It's like I get to relive the days when the boys were little and our hairdos were big (you know the Bee Gees period). 

So, I was sitting there yesterday trying to perfect my newest experiment of making earrings out of old silver flatware and I looked up and saw a plaque. It's a very simple photo copy of something I had written on notebook paper back in 1998 when I was preparing to leave Spring Texas to come to San Antonio. I had served for almost 8 years at Spring Memorial Baptist Church in Spring, Texas and it had been the most blessed period of ministry with the greatest fruit we had ever been a part of to that point in our lives.

The plaque which has now been placed in an old natural wood frame is entitled: "10 Undeniable Truths I Have Learned at Spring Memorial." As I read over them it was amazing to me that those truths scribbled on notebook paper almost 15 years ago were basically the same things I had experienced this last year of my life. That's how it is with truth- it's timeless. Some of the things listed on it are so real and so fresh because they involve lessons I am still trying to learn. Others, because people are people no matter where you live and still others, are like old friends sent from God to comfort me as I look ahead to 2013. 

I thought I might share them with you along with some of the verses of scripture that inspired them. If you find them helpful, why not print them out and post them somewhere you will see them often as you start out this year. No need to frame them, they may not be worthy of that, just stick 'em up with a straight pin and see if God speaks to you the way he spoke to me. And then, make your own top ten list this year and pass them along to those you love.

10 UNDENIABLE TRUTHS I HAVE LEARNED AT SPRING MEMORIAL

1. REAL FRUIT IS ONLY FOUND OUT ON A LIMB- Luke 5:4
2. A GODLY MAN HAS THE RIGHT FRIENDS AND ENEMIES- Luke 6:26
3. THE WORLD IS RULED BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP- Matthew 25:14-30
4. EVEN GREAT MEN FALL WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR EYES OFF JESUS- Luke 22:54-62
5. THE ONLY MAN WHO NEVER FAILED IS PREPARING A PLACE FOR ME IN HEAVEN- 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 51
6. GOD IS AS INTERESTED IN THE JOURNEY AS HE IS IN THE DESTINATION- Judges 7
7. A GODLY MAN IS NOT SOMEONE WHO NEVER FAILS OR FALLS BUT SOMEONE WHO NEVER STOPS GETTING UP AND GOING AFTER GOD- 2 Samuel 12:13, Psalm 51
8. WE ARE BETTER THAN ME- Exodus 18:13-27
9. LIFE IS SHORT- GOD IS FUN- John 10:10
10. PRINCIPLES MUST BE HONORED OVER PERSONALITIES- Proverbs 27:6

P.S. In my next few blog entries I will try to walk through some of these and explain how they came to be etched into my heart.

Stay tuned and if you have the time please subscribe to my blog so I will know you are walking with me as I think out loud about what God is teaching me along the way.