Lent Day 31 - Friday

“For the Lord is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

If you recall, a few weeks ago, I spent a few days up in the mountains of North Georgia with some good friends, just to get away from schools, jobs, traffic, bright lights and the confusion of the everyday world. That was when I soaked my jeans and shoes with gasoline and had to wash my sock, shoes and legs in the Applebee’s bathroom. We stayed in a cabin perched high on top of a mountain with a 360-degree view of God’s creation. From our deck, you could see a lake shimmering through the trees, hear and see birds all around that are different from the ones at home and watch the squirrels and chipmunks playing in the leaves and undergrowth. It was a good thing.

  The one thing that was a source of discontent is that there was no cell service there. Not even one bar. Not a single G in sight. We were incommunicado since there are no telephones in the cabin and, certainly, no wireless signals for email or web-surfing. It’s been years since I haven’t been able to pick up my Blackberry or iPhone and call anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted, send an email, check on Facebook, all those things that I’m realizing make up my day. During the night, I did hear a beep from my phone over on the dresser and almost broke a leg scrambling out of bed to see if a signal had been found. Surprising, a momentary signal must have gotten through because several emails and text messages had uploaded, but this morning…back to nothing except a sporadic beep or click indicating a brief moment of connection. Can’t trust it. Can’t depend on it.

  As I was falling asleep one night, one of the last songs I remember playing on my iPod was a nice ballad version of “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” I realized that it is a wonderful thing that God is the epitome of faithfulness. His presence is with me, everywhere, everyday, no interruptions in service and no problems in connecting (except on my end). I think that at that point in my journey, I needed to realize that. A lot of changes have occurred in the last 30 days. And I needed to be reminded that God is always faithful to His promises to me. When Lent ends and I finish up with this trip, I want these changes to be permanent. I want to stay receptive to God and his workings in my life as I have become.

  You have held me accountable….not necessarily by words, but by the fact that I am writing every day….in the hopes that some of my thoughts may mean something to you. And some of you have commented if I have said or done things opposite of what I have written….for example, during a fierce game of “Mexican Train” one night, I got a bit carried away with my verbal use. Of course, it was close to 2 a.m., and I’m not at my best after 9 p.m., but, one of my friends reminded me of a previous day’s journal. I apologized to them, felt terribly guilty, apologized to the Lord and now apologize to you. Oh, I didn’t let loose with a string of profanity, that’s not it…I just made a few inappropriate comments. But, as I always try to remind you….I’m human, I falter…and do not put me on a pedestal.  So for today, know that God is faithful to you. He is always on your side. Always.  Forever.

  And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!