Blog Repairs

I've said it before ~ and I'm sure I'll say it again: I have good intentions with this blog, but go through spurts when I just do not post as often as I should. I enjoy writing. I really do. But so many times it seems as though I'm merely posting a journal rather than writing with a solid purpose.

Have you ever felt that way? You enjoy doing something. You want to do it more often. But it seems that no one else benefits from it, so it doesn't get done as often as it probably should.

I've thought about giving this blog a complete overhaul. Even to the point of changing the name and address. Maybe the third time would be the charm. Some of you may remember the Seventh Inning Stretch that preceded Faison Focus.

Are there suggestions from those who read this? What would interest you? Leave a comment and let your thoughts be known!

Being Christlike in the 21st Century

Have you ever thought about being the hands and feet of Jesus? I know that's not an original idea, but sometimes we need to be reminded of just what our role as Christians in this 21st Century culture looks and acts like.

Join me in listing some ways we can be relevant Christ-followers where we are. How can we be intentional in our walk with Christ? What will we do today to impact and influence our world (those in our personal sphere) for the Kingdom?

So, What Did You Do This Summer?

For some, school has just started back. For others, school is just around the corner. Inevitably, teachers will assign a project within the first two days of school to either write an essay or give a verbal report (or both) of what the student did during the summer. This week, I've done a bit of reflecting about the summer around our house, and thought I'd share some of it with you.

There have been songs or sermon illustrations that I introduce by asking, "Have you ever had a bad day? Have you ever had a bad week or month? Have you ever had a bad week or month all in one day?" Well, most of the summer around our house has been one of those 'bad months'. On June 30, our Saturn VUE died. I mean, it bit the dust. Gone. Beyond repair. Forget about it, dead. It had been a good ride. After all, we bought it September 30, 2006. Three months shy of 8 years old isn't too bad. It had just over 58,000 miles on it when we drove it off the lot. As it sputtered and gave up the ghost on that hot June afternoon, it had in excess of 216,000 miles on it. 

I'll be honest. It had begun to have things wrong with it that I did not want to repair. I had wanted a new(er) car for the better part of a year. But I wasn't quite ready to bite that bullet just yet. Let's face it, we hadn't had working A/C for 3 years. In south Florida, friend, that's brutal. The driver's side window wouldn't roll down. That made going through any drive thru less than pleasant. It wasn't too easy to activate the gate at the entrance to our apartment complex, either. The back hatch wouldn't open any more, either. Nor would the horn work, and the turn signals were only part time. I'm sure you get the idea.

As circumstances would have it, we couldn't just run down to the local car dealership and pick up what we wanted. There's no need for details, just suffice it to say, that was impossible. I could add to the summer's drama, but I'll spare you the pain. Trust me when I say, it was not pretty. There were days that we really struggled to keep our sanity and our emotions in check.

On the heels of that, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that we had family members and friends who stepped up to the plate to make sure our needs, and some of our wants, were met. Abigail, Randy, Diana, Sam, Betsy, Ken, Shirley, Ron, Pearl, Cora ~~ the list could go on and on and on. All of them went above and beyond in an effort to either help with our vehicle situation or just be an incredible encouragement when we were so down. Thanks doesn't come close to doing it justice to describe their help to us.

I'd love to say, "Fast forward to this weekend," but fast would be a gross misstatement. It seemed to drag on and on, but through God's amazing grace and mercy, we were able to make a purchase. Or at least we were able to sign and drive a car that we'll pay on for a while. A long while.

Tony at Route 60 Hyundai in Vero Beach has bent over backward to help us out. They were not the first dealership I visited, and we didn't make the purchase on our first visit. They were helpful and walked us through the steps we needed to take to resolve our situation. (And if you're in this area of Florida and are looking for a vehicle, please go see Tony and tell him I sent you!)

Our new car ~ just before it became ours

This is the result. A 2014 Hyundai Elantra. We are blessed beyond measure. Even through the pain and irritation of these past few weeks, God has seen fit to provide for us. Even though we (more so, I) was not handling the stress as well as I should have, God meets our every need.

So, what have I learned? I learned that I need to trust God and His plans and timing more. I've learned to give God my heart rather than merely lip service. It hasn't been easy, but God never promised it would be. And the path now isn't automatically easy. After all, I've still gotta pay for this new ride. Oh, and that's another story for another blog. Stay tuned for that one in a day or three! You might laugh a little bit like Robin and I did.

Thanks for sharing our summer and what we did. We learned a lot about God and about ourselves. What did you do and learn? Feel free to share it with me!

Tempted? Beware!

There is a principle I learned years ago that says something like this: When you are working diligently to live right, be careful, because Satan is about to attack! Another principle that is similar to that is this: Satan will attack you at your weakest point. He knows the buttons to push and he also knows when we are most vulnerable. There is a reason Peter wrote in his New Testament epistle, "Satan is like a lion, roaming about, seeking who he can devour."

I was ready for work, sitting in the living room checking my phone for texts, e-mail, and surfing Facebook and Twitter. Those sent me to a couple of articles to read. That, in itself, is innocent enough. But I sensed the temptation to go places I shouldn't go and see / read things that would not be profitable to me.

I silently breathed a prayer to God that He would shield me from the temptation. Then I clicked the Bible app on my phone. The Bible verse for today that popped up when it opened? James 4:17, "Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you." Yes, I clicked SHARE! I figured if the timing was right for me, it might be right for those who might see it on my Twitter feed or Facebook wall.

Perhaps you're reading this right now and you've been struggling with some sort of temptation. Maybe there is an habit that you've been trying to rid yourself of. Could there be an attitude you've been harboring that needs to be wiped out? Consider taking that to the Lord and leaving it with Him. It will be the best decision / commitment you ever made!

Going Home, the latest recording project by Trust Quartet, features a song called It's Almost Over. In fact, the title of the album is derived from some lyrics inside that song. Ann Ballard wrote the song and it was recorded by the Cathedrals in the 80s. Mark Trammel, a member of that Cathedrals group, re-recorded it with his own quartet a few years ago, and Trust could not turn down the opportunity to record it as well.

The song speaks about the time fast approaching when Jesus will return and take us home. To our eternal home! Life as we know it is almost over. The pain and struggles we have ~ almost done. The financial burdens and emotional junk ~ about through with it! Although the world doesn't seem to be getting any better, the fights and skirmishes continue, life as we know it is almost over.

Trust recorded that song during one of the very early sessions of the recording process. We left to continue our concert schedule until we could get back to the studio and work on the album some more. When we came back, our engineer / producer, Kevin Hunt, invited us to sit in the control room for a bit before taking our places in the studio. He told us that he had just received word that an uncle had passed away and he had been working on mixing this song. He went on to tell us a little bit about his uncle who knew the Lord and was so ready to see Jesus.  Kevin told us how he was a bit overcome with emotion as the Holy Spirit used this song to comfort him and speak to his hurting heart.

As we began to listen for the very first time to the recording, we were eager to hear what it sounded like. We were about to hear the results of hours and hours of work, so there was an excitement in the air. As the music began, there was talking among ourselves of how impressed we were with our collective efforts. The talking grew quiet as the message began to sink in. The excitement turned to tears of anticipation and joy as we, too, looked forward to the day when we'd see our loved ones who've gone on to be with Jesus. We began to hear this song again ~ for the first time in a long time. We had church that morning in the studio! In fact, I don't believe we've sang that song the same way again since we heard it then.

Take a listen to It's Almost Over and hear it for the first time again like we did that day in Ocala, FL.

Jesus: The Light of the World (Even YOUR World)

"I am the light of the world." Jesus made that claim during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. During that holiday, Jewish women would gather to sing psalms while a huge menorah was lit in the Temple. It was enough light to be seen for miles. Some scholars believe that Jesus was using that menorah as an object lesson to get across His point that He was the light of the world rather than the menorah. As brightly as it shown, He was brighter! In our spiritually darkened world, Jesus is still the light that can break through the darkness!

I'm constantly amazed at the culture in which we live still grasping for hope. The difficulties and distractions that surround us can bring discouragement. But the solution for the world's problems is still Jesus. That may sound over-spiritual and over-simplified. It may come across as trite and trivial. But it IS truth! We must be reminded that His ways are not always our ways. We are not expected to always understand, but we are expected to trust.

The light that Jesus brings, gives life. The life that He gives is abundant. The life He gives is eternal. Are you tired of living in the darkened world? Are you longing for the Truth that is Jesus? Feel free to comment and share how Jesus has proven Himself to you. If you're still looking for a relationship with Him, leave me a comment and a way of contacting you, and I'll be happy to share how Jesus can be your personal light and hope.

Find Us Faithful! (There's A Song In There)

I sang a solo at church yesterday. That's not at all unusual, I do it quite frequently. But before I sang, we watched a video tribute to dads. It was Father's Day, after all. I had not seen the video before, and from where I was sitting on stage, I could not see it well. But what I saw triggered thoughts of my own dad from years ago, and it almost rendered me useless.

There were no words spoken during the video. It was only a music bed underneath a video progression showing a youngster growing up. There were lots of memories captured in that video, and it culminated with the dad in a bed at home in his later years.

My dad went home to be with Jesus almost 24 years ago. Memories of my childhood came rushing back as I watched the video at church. Memories of playing ball in the yard, fishing at our favorite pond, going to a Braves game together. My dad shared his passion for Christ with me. I remember it was 40 years ago this month, he baptized me. He instilled in me the desire to live for Christ.

All those memories came flooding to my mind as the video played. Then I remembered the song I was about to sing. May all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that I leave, lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh, may all who come behind us, find us faithful!

Yesterday was also a bittersweet day for my family. It was the first and last time for a while that both my daughters were in church with my wife and me. My oldest daughter moves into her new apartment today. She's starting a new chapter of her life. Questions, like yesterday's memories are flooding my mind. Did I prepare her for all she's going to face? If she has questions, will she think enough of me to ask my opinion? Will the memories of her childhood be as precious as mine are? Have I been the kind of dad to her as I should have been?

Time marches on. Families change as we grow older. I'm not an expert on daddy-ism. But in the almost 22 years experience that I've had at being a dad, I've learned that all we can do is our best. All we can do is love the Lord with all our hearts and live that love in front of our kids. Will we fail along the way? Sure, we're human. But through all the years, through the failures, may we look at our lives and be able to say as the songwriter, may all who come behind us find us faithful!

Family Time Highlights

This past Tuesday evening, I woke up to find my wife and two daughters in the living room watching a movie. Now, keep in mind, I work midnights, so my sleep schedule is a bit different from most of society. That, however, is not the point of this blog post today.

The fact that our family is together this week is a huge blessing to me. Our eldest daughter is making the transition to adulthood and living on her own. She's lived the last six months in a different state than the rest of us. She's preparing to take on still yet a different challenge as she enters grad school shortly. She is relocating again about 5 hours from us, so seeing her will not be a normal, every day activity. This week is priceless!

While eating supper, our family was together, in one room. The title of the movie is not even important. I'm thankful that we were able to sit together in one room for a time of family entertainment and enjoyment. I'm thankful that my daughters enjoy being with us.

This isn't the longest blog post you'll ever read; in fact, it's probably one of the shortest here at Faison Focus. But the thrill of being with family this week dominates this Thankful Thursday!

It Changed My Life!

A couple of commercials on television have caught my attention recently. One of them is for a walk in tub. OK, so I work midnights, and watch / listen to a lot of late-night television. Among the phrases used in the commercial is, "This walk-in tub changed my life!" Please understand, the line in its context is a true statement. The walk-in tub probably did change the life of the person in the wheelchair making the statement. But the first time I heard it, it kind of took me by surprise.

The whole idea behind an advertising campaign is to convince the listener that the product could so impact their life that it would make a definite difference. But a tub - that could change your life?

What a message! What a concept! Proclaiming a message that could convince an audience that what you possess could change their lives! That's what every pastor / Bible teacher worth their salt does each week. In fact, that's what every Christ-follower should be about doing every day.

The message we have is powerful enough to change the lives of everyone with whom we come in contact. It has changed our lives! It may not be noticed on the outside, but it has changed our lives for all eternity on the inside.

I read an article in USA Today earlier this week about the late Payne Stewart, the great pro-golfer who was unfortunately killed in a plane crash a few years ago. Interviewed were family members, friends, and other pro golfers who knew him well. Among the golfers who had played golf with him early in his career, were those who didn't particularly like him. He was quite arrogant, was known to drink a bit, and just his attitude was less than positive.

But then he met Jesus. He was gloriously converted and his whole demeanor changed. It was noticeable. His attitude got better. Other golfers enjoyed playing the game with him.

That's what happens when we have an encounter with Jesus. Our whole life changes. Have you had an encounter with Jesus? Do you know Him and His saving grace? Let's rejoice together at His grace! It changed our lives. If you've not had this type of encounter, please know that I'd love to share how you can experience this life-changing grace.

Leave a comment below either sharing your life-changing encounter with Him or let me know that you'd like to know more about it. I'd love to share Him with you! 

Gracious Living in Relationships

Here's a recent picture of Robin and me

This week is a great family week for the Faisons. It all began 24 years ago. Robin and I celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary on Monday. It's hard to believe we've been married that long.

I'm quite proud of my family. Robin has certainly been more than gracious throughout our marriage. In fact, I'm convinced that in any 24 year marriage relationship, there is a lot of grace extended in all parties. I remember during a particularly difficult stretch, that lesson being drilled into my head and heart. In our lives, we all do things that are not wise. Actually, some of us do things that are just downright stupid. Such was the case in my own experience. I had been stupid - very stupid! Yet Robin extended grace. You know what she told me? I think I could almost quote it, but she said that if God has forgiven her and extended grace to her, she had to do the same for me. And I thought I was supposed to be the spiritual leader!

God's grace and forgiveness has been extended to all of us. As we walk this journey of life, we all do stupid stuff. We all come far short of God's expectations and standards, yet He has forgiven us and continues to extend His grace.

God gives grace time and time again. What we must remember is not to abuse that grace. That's something else I'm learning. Just because we know God's grace is available is no license to do as we please, expecting God's grace to cover our stupidity. Eventually, there comes a time of accepting a more mature attitude of living a life God is pleased with.

Yes, we're human and sure, we'll make mistakes. We're not going to live a sinless, perfect life. But to knowingly continue to abuse God's grace will eventually cause more and more trouble. There are definite consequences for our actions. In Paul's letter to the Galatians (6:7), he writes, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

Our Christian Attitude

June began a new quarter in our Sunday school lessons at our church. The new study began in 1 Corinthians. The ancient city of Corinth was rich in worldly wisdom and philosophy. The missionary Paul spent several months laboring there and starting a church. Not long after he left, he received word the worldly influence had begun to corrupt the church.

Paul's first letter to the church was one that expressed frustration and concern over their lack of spiritual growth and discernment. Yesterday, the study focused on chapter three where Paul stressed the importance of not allowing 'preacher religion' to enter our church. We must remember that although our pastors / leaders are gifted individuals and likely will have winsome personalities, it is not that personality that we must follow. We must follow Christ! If our pastor is doing his job properly, he is following Christ and in following our pastor, we are following Christ. But Christ is the Shepherd ~ our pastor is the under-shepherd. 

Our Bible study leader also mentioned a great piece written by Chuck Swindoll, the well-known pastor / author / radio host. I wanted to pass it on to you today. Our attitude toward our spiritual leaders must be in line with God's Word. Please consider this and pray for God's wisdom today concerning your attitude to our church and spiritual leaders. 

ATTITUDE

by

Charles Swindoll

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company... a church... a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes”

Just Wait Til Your Father Gets Home!

Oh, the words ring out as if I just heard them yesterday. How many times did your mother say them to you? "Just wait til your father gets home!"

Those seven words were most likely followed closely by, "Now go to your room and think about it!"

That was probably the worst punishment any kid could ever ask for. The wait. The wondering. The worrying. You know there is an impending wailing and gnashing of teeth!

Dad would come home and mom would reveal, no doubt with much embellishment, just how the earth was about to end because of your latest mischief. Of course, her embellishment was not nearly as exaggerated as the defenses you had been working hard to devise.

All these memories came flooding back not long ago when I went to the doctor. An old P.E. football injury is now coming back to haunt me in all its fury. It was my sophomore year at a small Christian school in Southeast Georgia. We were playing football on a cool October day. I was playing defense and the guy running with the ball zigged when I thought he was going to zag. When I tried to recover, my left knee ended up underneath my body in a formation God didn't intend it to bend. Thankfully, I was only a fourth the man I am today!

Now back then, I was young and thought nothing of it. Yes, it hurt; but I had to be tough. I had to get over it. There was no way I was going to complain about it. Over the years, I'd notice with much activity, it would tend to swell a bit. But it didn't dawn on me the damage that might have been done that day.

Yep, this is gonna hurt!

So, here I sit in the doctor's office. I know what's coming. I've been here before. They know me well enough not to call me by my first name. (Yes, Steve is a derivative of my middle name.) I've been through this type of visit enough to know the drill.

The Physician's Assistant has taken my statement for the day. He found out the pain level and I've gone back to X-Ray to let them take a picture of it again. Only when I'm taken back into the exam room, the PA sets up as if I'm having surgery. There's the sterile silver tray with the sterile instruments. The medicine that will go into the syringe and the needle. The long, very pointed needle!

If you know me at all, you know I hate shots. I hate any needle stick. I cringe at the very thought of a syringe with medicine heading my way. And now, I'm left in an exam room alone with those ~ THINGS!

It was worse than hearing those words again - Just wait til your father gets home! And then when he gets to your room, where you've been waiting, worrying, wondering, he has the nerve to tell you that what he's about to do will hurt him more than it will hurt you!

I must give kudos to the doctor and his brave assistant for not using those words as he began to spray the freezing agent on my knee before the needle stick. He does handle a needle much better than the doctors I had when I was a kid. Yes, it still hurt; and the medicine going in was no fun. But it did the trick for a few days. The inevitable knee replacement surgery and therapy loom large in my future. I'm not eagerly anticipating the pain, but the relief will certainly be welcomed!

Chaplain with PTSD returns; shows troops there’s a way out of darkness - Army - Stripes#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook

Chaplain with PTSD returns; shows troops there’s a way out of darkness - Army - Stripes#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook#.Us9wf4jTj08.facebook

Great Helps To Lead Your Family in Knowing Jesus

In the days long ago, it was common for parents to spend quality time with their children talking about spiritual matters. In fact, in the days long ago, grandparents would spend time with their children and their children's children talking about spiritual matters. The writer of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy intended it to be so when he (under the inspiration of God) instructed the parents to talk about spiritual matters from the time they rose until the time they lay back down again.

Obviously that didn't mean no other subjects could be discussed. Nor did it intend that the conversation would be constant during all the waking hours. It is much like in the New Testament when we're taught to 'pray without ceasing'; it is an attitude of prayer. Our discussions of spiritual matters should flow naturally. We should be seeking opportunities to share those spiritual nuggets with our children throughout the course of the day.

Parents should be eager to share with their children the spiritual truths found in God's Word. We have the responsibility to teach and train them in what it means to have a relationship with God. We are not Christian because of a baptism into a particular church. We are not Christian because that's the blank we check when no other form of religion applies. We are Christian because of a personal commitment that we make to follow Christ. That commitment is one that is more likely to be made when we grow up in an environment of learning at an early age what it means to follow Christ.

Maybe you're a parent (or grandparent) who desires to bring your children up in an atmosphere of knowing

God, but you're a bit unsure or not quite confident in how to do it, let me pass along a great resource to help you. Visit www.randallhouse.com and begin to learn about the various opportunities they offer in helping you do just that. You'll find links there to download Bible studies or find books on a variety of parenting topics. You can also find links that say D6 or Splink. Click on any of those links for some invaluable assistance for you with ideas to help creatively share your relationship with Jesus with your child. You won't regret it! It is time well spent and the investment is far beyond your wildest dreams!  

Three Guesses Why We Ask, "Where'd The Time Go?"

It's 2014. I mean, it's REALLY 2014! Where has the time gone? New Year's Day tends to always illicit the same response, though. Why is it that simply turning a calendar from December 31 to January 1 every year brings the same questions? I don't have any scientific answers from research for that question. I'll offer the following opinions, though.

I think perhaps the obvious reason is during this time of year we have been trained to be more reflective. We reflect on what we wanted to accomplish in the past year. We reflect on whether we feel we succeeded at those goals. This is not a bad thing, by any means. We should take time occasionally to evaluate ourselves and what we've accomplished and the improvements we might need to make.

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions in 2013? If you did, how successful were you? I've heard this week only 8% of those who make New Year's Resolutions actually keep them. Are you in the Top Eight? Did you  make any resolutions for 2014? How do you intend to make sure you end 2014 in the Top Eight? Will you be a part of an accountability group? Will you have the will-power to do it alone?

Another reason we perhaps tend to be more reflective is the media. New Year's Day was Wednesday. It seems as soon as Christmas is over, the newspapers are running feature articles on the events of the year. They remind us of the big news stories of the past year. They remind us of the notable deaths - and this year in England, the notable births. We are bombarded with reminders of sports stories, political scandals, and crime scenes of the past year. It's no wonder we are asking where did the past year go!

I think perhaps the most common reason we ask ourselves the question each January 1 is ~ drum roll, please ~ are you ready for it? Because grandma and grandpa did! We probably have inherited the dialogue because it was what was always talked about. We learn from our surroundings. We learn from our environment long before we enter a school room. That's not to say these are the best teachers, but they do influence us ~ heavily.

That could open a pandora's box of topics in and of itself, but suffice it to say, much of our traditions and conversations that tend to be based on traditions are most likely learned early on in life - at home. What a challenge about our spiritual heritage. Oh wait, that's another topic, albeit a good one to think about. Maybe that will appear in a later blog post.

Until then, Happy New Year - and Happy Reflecting!