I've got just a few questions...

Life is full of questions. Small children often ask question after question every day. Adults do too, just maybe not aloud. The truth is, people have a hard time with uncertainty, and that is what questions are-things we aren't certain about. The questions that arise in our lives can be simple or they can be complex. One thing stands true to every question though and that is- each question in our life was put there for a reason for it is through questions that sometimes God's master plan for our life is revealed.

For years, I've often wondered why God seems to put good people through bad things. I've questioned how he could allow a pregnant woman to get stage 4 cancer. I've questioned how God can keep two people from being together more often. I've questioned how God can take people from our lives so suddenly.

Through all my questioning though, I sometimes seem to forget what my life would be like if it didn't have questions. Questions lead to answers and answers come in God's due time. A life with no questions is a life that is going nowhere. Our questions-our uncertainties in life are what keeps us motivated to move on. Our uncertainties and questions are what motivate us to fight for what we want.




Clay Walker has a song called "Just a Few Questions I Have". Here are the lyrics:

"A Few Questions"

"How in this world can we put a man on the moon
And still have a need for a place like St. Jude's
And why is one man born in a place where all they know is war
And a guy like me has always been free
And how can two people who've built a loving home
Try for years and never have a child of their own
And somewhere out there tonight there's a baby no one's holding tight
In need of love, to me that don't add up

But I wasn't there the day you filled up the oceans
I didnt' get to see you hang the stars in the sky
So I don't mean to second guess you or criticize what I don't understand
These are just a few questions I have

And why did my cousin have to die in that crash
A good kid only 17, I still wonder about that
It seems unfair to me some get the chance to chase their dreams
And some don't, but what do I know?

I wasn't there the day you filled up the oceans
I didnt' get to see you hang the stars in the sky
So I don't mean to second guess you or criticize what I don't understand
These are just a few questions I have

Why do I feel like you're hearing these prayers of mine
When so many outta be ahead of me in line
When you look down on me, can you see the good through all the bad
These are just a few questions I have"

Despite all the questions in our lives, God can see the good in the midst of the bad. We're going through the bad to appreciate the good. We're going through the questions so that we may appreciate the answers. God hears our prayers and he will lead us to the answers to the questions!

Tonight, let us ever realize that questions will always arise in life. Sometimes we will not understand why things happen the way they do. It's only natural to question things, but as we question things, let's not forget that our questions sometimes make us stronger. When you look back on the questions you once had, you will realize that the answers you now have might just be a big help to someone asking those very same questions one day. So, learn to appreciate the questions and share the answers. Uncertainty can lead to certainty. Are you learning to appreciate the questions? That's one question I have!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

Bound

We're seemingly bound to many things in this world. Perhaps, you seem bound by your job. Maybe you seem bound by school. Still yet, you may seem bound by obligations and responsibilities that come with adulthood. No matter the case, we all feel bound to something.

In a few weeks, I'll be departing for a vacation. The word "vacation" alone seems to connote freedom and loosening of the ties that bind us. People go on vacations to release themselves from being bound.Yet, on my vacation, I'm seeking to be bound. I want things to bind to me.

I want to bind myself to happy thoughts.

I want to bind myself to friendly fellowship with familiar and not so familiar faces.

I want to bind myself to enjoying the little things like small talk and catching up.

I want to bind myself to learning more about people and learning more about my relationships with people.

I want to bind myself to making an effort to make people laugh.

I want to bind myself to spending quiet time in thought and reflection with those that mean the most to me.

But above all,

I WANT TO BIND MYSELF TO LOVE!!!

I discovered a song by Cher Lloyd containing these lyrics:

"And I like it when you call me, I will always find you
When you need me out, I'll come for you
And when you're lonely, I will find a way to
Guide you home to me, I'll come for you, come for you
I will bind your love, bind your love to me, me
I will bind your love, bind your love to me, me"

Love is the greatest tie that will ever bind mankind. Being bound in love with another person drowns out  fear, loneliness, and uncertainty. Why? Because all of those things cannot break the bonds of love-nothing can!

So tonight, remember that it's not always bad to be bound to something-especially if your bound to love!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

It's ok for things to be uncommon

The word "uncommon"- what does it mean to you? There's uncommon cars, uncommon houses, uncommon names, uncommon phrases. I guess anything can be uncommon. Anything can be different. Have you ever considered love to be uncommon?

In today's world, it seems that some, by their own admission or through their actions, have a set protocol for love. Yet, is love really something that can be standard. Can love be something that doesn't change from time to time? Can love be like that same old flavor of potato chips that you grab off the shelf each time? Can love be like that same old toothpaste you've been buying for years? These questions may sound silly, but think for a minute. The world tells us love is supposed to be dinner and a movie. The world tells us that love is supposed to be flowers and a card. The world tells us that love is supposed to be a fancy dinner reservation.

Yet, is that really what love is?

Look at this poem by Terah Cox. Dreams, storms conversations and mountains-that's what love is about. Love is so much more than what's on the surface. Love goes deeper than that. Sure, dinner and a movie is great. Sure flowers and a card are a good idea. Sure, dinner reservations are worth it sometimes. However, what really matters are feelings. Can you look at your partner's eyes and tell what their emotions are? Can you listen to your partner's voice and hear their thoughts? Do you know about the dreams each of you have for the future? Do you know the mountains each person faces; and do you climb that mountain with them. Do you weather life's storms with your partner and hold the umbrella for them to keep them dry while you brave the elements? Do you have an uncommon love?

You see, the things that I just described, even though they seem small, are not always found in the couples of today's world. These little things just seem to be uncommon in love lives all around us. It doesn't have to be that way, though. Perhaps you want to give uncommon love a shot. So, start today. Start your uncommon love experience now, this very moment. Stand out from the rest and share in the rapture that comes from uncommon love.

Cherish dreams (know what the other person wants and dreams about and share that dream)

Turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones (make the best of bad situations -TOGETHER)

Weather the storms of life (Don't be afraid to get wet with the other person. After all, you can still kiss in the rain)

Be a lover and a friend (Have passion and compassion)

Have the love that only two can know.

Take uncommon love wherever you go!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

Still crazy over you

"I'm still crazy over you!" How many couples can say that about each other after 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, or even 50 years? In my opinion, if you truly love someone, you'll continue to be "crazy over them" every day that passes. Perhaps you'll become crazier about them each day, each minute. So, how do two people become cray about each other? Maybe the answer can be found in this song:


Look at Us
Song by Vince Gill

Look at us
After all these years together
Look at us
After all that we've been through
Look at us
Still leaning on each other
If you want to see
How true love should be
Then just look at us

Look at you
Still pretty as a picture
Look at me
Still crazy over you
Look at us
Still believin' in forever
If you want to see
How true love should be
Then just look at us

In a hundred years from now
I know without a doubt
They'll all look back and wonder how
We made it all work out

Chances are

We'll go down in history
When they want to see
How true love should be
They'll just look at us

Look at us after all we've been through - There is no greater testament to the power of love as that which is evidenced in how a couple supports each other through all they've "been through." Life packs a mean punch sometimes, but with two people supporting each other, life is a whole lot easier. You see, you become crazier about someone when you know they'll always be with you no matter what. Are you there for someone? Do you know that you're...

Still leaning on each other- We all need someone to lean on- in the bad times, the sad times, and the glad times. A couple who is cray about each other knows how to lean. Are you leaning on someone?

Still pretty as a picture - Some people say that beauty fades with age or time, but I believe that a person can become more beautiful with age and time. If someone truly loves a person, they see beauty not as soft skin and radiant hair, but as a tender heart and a loving touch. Do you know someone who is still as pretty as a picture?

Still believin' in forever- Yes, forever relationships are still possible, but it takes time, effort, and faith. Do you still believe in forever.

I want people to see how true love should be when they look at us!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man.

2015-the year of digging deeper

I resolve to_________. It's that time of year again when people make New Year's resolutions. Some folks keep theirs and others don't. Me, well, I don't even make them. Yet, maybe I should. Maybe we all should. However instead of resolving to eat healthier or save money, perhaps, there is something more worthwhile that we should make a resolution about. Diamond Rio has a song called "Love a Little Stronger" and it will be the focus of my New Year's resolution. Here are the lyrics:

"Love A Little Stronger"

I don't leave any room for doubt
When it comes to you and me
You know all about the way I feel inside
You know how hard I try
But that don't mean that I can't

Love a little stronger, dig a little deeper
Go a little farther, anything to please you girl
Tonight I'm gonna start all over
Show you girl what's in my heart
Ooh, ooh, ooh, gonna love a little stronger

You tell me you're the lucky one
But I see things differently
I have just begun to show you that you mean
Everything to me
I still feel the need to

Love a little stronger, dig a little deeper
Go a little farther, anything to please you girl
Tonight I'm gonna start all over
Show you girl what's in my heart
Ooh, ooh, ooh, gonna love a little stronger

Love a little stronger, dig a little deeper
Go a little farther, anything to please you girl
Tonight I'm gonna start all over
Show you girl what's in my heart
Ooh, ooh, ooh, gonna love a little stronger

Love a little stronger, dig a little deeper
Go a little farther, anything to please you girl
Tonight I'm gonna start all over
Show you girl what's in my heart
Ooh, ooh, ooh, gonna love a little stronger
Gonna love a little stronger
Gonna love a little stronger

Love a little stronger. Dig a little deeper. Those two sentences say it all. For so many people, love is stagnant. We get into our daily routines and, even though we love certain people very much, we sometimes don't "love a little stronger." The good news though is that it is possible to love someone stronger each day, but, as the song so accurately says, it takes some "digging deeper." Do we dig deeper each day to notice things about our loved ones? Do we dig deeper and offer to help our loved ones when they need it, even though we might be tired? Do we dig deeper and take the time to do something spontaneous and special for our loved ones? We could all dig a little deeper, myself included.

Scholars say diamonds are formed about 100 miles below earth's surface and are mined about 800 feet below earth's surface. Diamonds are precious gemstones. Our love for others is also a "gemstone" of sorts and can be uncovered more and more as we "dig a little deeper." So, this year, in 2015, let's make it a point to "dig a little deeper" and "love a little stronger." Let the ones you love know how you feel in your heart. Love a little stronger!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

Be in the company of a companion

Two heads are better than one! It takes two to tango! They're two of a kind! They're two peas in a pod! Well, what word or phrase comes to mind when you think of two people, especially two people who are close to one another? For me, the word companionship comes along. From the beginning of time, man has desired companionship. God even said early on in Genesis that it was not good for man to be alone. 

So many times in life, people get lonely and all they really want or need is a companion. Something that I aim to do each and everyday is to be a great companion or friend to all that I come into contact with, especially those whom I love the most.

So, we know what companionship is in a general sense but what does it really encompass? What makes us a companion? Being a companion to me is so much more than being a "friend." The word "company" can almost be found inside the word "companion"-all you're missing is the "y." I really think that is what a companion is-someone who is company to another person-someone who is there at all times and in all kinds of ways.

Reba McEntire has a song called "I'll Be" and I believe it accurately describes what we should all "be" as a companion. Here's the lyrics:

"I'll Be"

When darkness falls upon your heart and soul.
I'll be the light that shines for you.
When you forget how beautiful you are
I'll be there to remind you.
When you can't find your way,
I'll find my way to you.
When troubles come around,
I will come to you.

I'll be your shoulder when you need someone to lean on.
Be your shelter.
When you need someone to see you through.
I'll be there to carry you.
I'll be there.
I'll be the rock that will be strong for you.
The one that will hold on to you.
When you feel that rain falling down.
When there's nobody else around.
I'll be.

And when you're there with no one there to hold.
I'll be the arms that reach for you.
And when you feel your faith is running low.
I'll be there to believe in you.
When all you find are lies.
I'll be the truth you need.
When you need someone to run to .
You can run to me

I'll be your shoulder when you need someone to lean on.
Be your shelter.
When you need someone to see you through.
I'll be there to carry you.
I'll be there.
I'll be the rock that will be strong for you.
The one that will hold on to you.
When you feel that rain falling down.
When there's nobody else around.
I'll be.

I'll be the sun.
When your heart's filled with rain.
I'll be the one.
To chase the rain away.

I'll be your shoulder when you need someone to lean on.
Be your shelter.
When you need someone to see you through.
I'll be there to carry you.
I'll be there.
I'll be the rock that will be strong for you.
The one that will hold on to you.
When you feel that rain falling down.
When there's nobody else around.
I'll be.
I'll be.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Shoulder, shelter, rock-those are just words used in this song to describe a companion. We should be that shoulder to lean on-that companion. We should be that shelter from life's storms-that companion. We should be that strong rock that stands the tests of time-that companion. Being a companion all comes down to just being there for someone and that's something we all can do. Let's all create an atmosphere where those around us will always "be in the company of a companion."

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man! 

Don't let the river run dry!

Has anyone ever told you to control your emotions? I've sure we've all been told that from time to time. However, is controlling your emotions really a possible task? I don't think it is possible to control your emotions. Therefore I try my best never to tell someone to control their emotions. Actually, I'd do the opposite and encourage people to let their emotions out.

If you stop and think about it, on any given day, each individual experiences a range of emotions. Sadness can change to happiness in an instant. Peace can change to fear in an instant. Nervousness can change to calmness in an instant. Emotions are ever-flowing and it is high time that we let them do just that- flow.

When you think of a river, you think of a body of water that is always flowing. Emotions are like that. There's a Garth Brooks song called "The River" and it talks about dreaming and how a dream is like a river. Here's the song:

"The River"


You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin' as it flows
And a dreamer's just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores...and

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all...yes

I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
'Til the river runs dry

So, what is this river that the song mentions? Emotions and dreams make up that river and they go hand in hand. Emotions are the current that drives the vessel or the dreams. We can let our emotions drag us downstream or we can use them as a valuable asset. Wait! I sound like I'm contradicting myself, but I'm not. You see, the negative current or the negative emotions we experience in life are there for a reason or perhaps reasons. Maybe those emotions of sadness and hurt will allow you to feel the pain of others sometimes and help them through that pain. Perhaps the emotion of defeat will help you to encourage someone else to be a fighter and not give in.

On the other hand, positive emotions can do the very same thing. Our emotions are there in our lives to make us act, to make us think and to make us reflect. When we use our emotions to do those three things, we have learned to sail our vessel, to sail to our dreams. Are you sailing today? Or are you letting the rough waters drive your ship aground?

This river of life will not run dry as long as you let your emotions flow. Emotions are not a bad thing and, when seen correctly, can be so pivotal in helping your own self and others.

Sail your vessel! Let the emotions flow! And don't let the river run dry!

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!