Tree or Deck?

My sister recently posted about her experience on a cut up tree. I remembered my ordeal with trees and a deck.

When my parents bought their house in Anderson on Nordonna Ln.. There was a line of trees across the front fence of the property. In my memory they had to be 70 feet tall, of course I was only 7 or 8 years old, so they were probably 25 feet tall. I believe they were Birch trees. I used to climb to the top of the tree on one end of the fence and get the tree swinging back and forth, and jump from tree to tree, crossing all of them and then heading back. My mother caught me one time and told me to stay out of the trees.

Our neighbor who lived beside us just to the East had a real nice tree growing in their yard. I knew I could climb that one and get to a birds nest out on one of the limbs, my other neighbor Pam who was a couple years older was there with me as I set out to climb that tree.

I started up the tree made it up high enough I could see over the shed next to the tree that was in our yard. I kept going up higher and higher, finally I reached the branch with the nest. I took a
hold of a small limb and stretched out to grab the nest.

I can still the hear the sound of that small limb breaking off, I turned my face to the hand holding the branch and watched as it tore free of the tree and I started to fall in slow motion it felt like forever. Next thing I new I was in the neighbors yard and scrambling to get back into my yard because the neighbors also had a big German Shepherd named "King" I was scared to death of him, as I cleared the fence into our yard Pam looked at me with huge eyes and sayed your bleeding. I reached up and touched my head and brought down my hand covered in blood.

I knew I would be in trouble for being in the trees again, and mom would say I told you, you would get hurt....(Think Charles think what to do)... I went over to the front patio-deck all concrete with a wall around it. actually shook off some blood onto the deck and went next door to Pams house where my mom was visiting Pams mother. I told her I fell of the wall around the deck. She took one look at me and the next thing I knew I was on the way to the Doctors office.

2o years later I told mom the truth about that day. Do you know what she said?
"I told you to stay out of those trees". She actually chewed me out a little. I couldn't believe it.

Faith of a child.

The Little Children and Jesus: Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

I was trying to think of what "child like faith" actually is.

I thought of when my boys were young and I would pick them up and hold them up over my head, they would have a look of fear of the height, but in time they came to love being held up. Then as they got a little older I would throw them in the air and catch them, they would flail their arms and I would catch them. Later I would put them on my shoulders, then I would swing them around, step by step they learned I would never let them go. They would later come to me and lay on the floor in front of me begging to be swung around, thrown in the air or anything. Calling out again, again dad more. They knew I would never allow harm to them. They trusted me completely.

Our Heavenly Father will never let you go. He wants you to come before him fall before him put yourself in his hands and let him swing you around, throw you in the air and trust him. He wants you to trust him so much that you have absolutely no fear. God wants us to cry out more daddy more. Perfect Love casts out all fear.

Josh Update

Well a year has gone by. I say hard to believe, Josh says its about time. I guess perceptions can be different.

Friday the 31st, Joshua is released around 6:00am. We will pick him up and spend the day I am sure letting him eat some real food for a change.

Mashelle has been working hard, talking to people all over the area about housing for him. She found a place in a different county, and after submitting the information the courts agreed that it would be OK, Praise The Lord. That means he won't be released as homeless.

The hard part is that being in a different county we will have to submit request for him to come visit, go to church with family, or anything that involves leaving his assigned county. But we as a family are (Prayer warriors and things are subject to change).

Keep Josh in your prayers, now the hard part starts, Trying to live in a society that doesn't care about you. He will need to find work and he will need strength, he will be on his own.

Boldly before the Throne

When you walk into a Bank to withdraw money from your account you are full of confidence and boldness if you know you have money in that account.

Let's imagine you have 1,000 dollars in your account and you want to withdraw 500. You hand your signed check to the cashier and wait patiently as she fiddles about with pieces of paper and the computer keyboard making the necessary arrangements to get you your money. She occasionally takes a glance at you. You are not bothered. You have the money in the account and you know it. Her short delay in getting you the money does nothing to dampen your confidence and boldness.

Now imagine another situation where you only have 500 in your account. You are not quite sure of the exact amount. You desperately need 510. You walk into the Bank, hand the cashier your signed check for 510 and wait nervously in her presence. Each time she takes a glance at you makes you feel uneasy. The longer it takes for her to sort out the money the more nervous and uneasy you get. Boldness is the last word to describe your situation.

God wants us to come boldly into His presence. Our confidence and boldness should be based on His mercy and grace. Indeed His very presence is called the Throne of mercy and grace.

God blesses us and gives to us because of His mercy and not His greatness. Millionaires don't dish out their riches to everyone around simply because they are millionaires. The motivating factor to giving is love, mercy and grace. Our God has an abundance of these.

Next time you go to His presence bear this in mind. It will give you the boldness to hang around long enough in His presence to receive from Him.