101 Degrees

“Dad, my entire body is hot.” Have you ever had a sick child? This morning my six-year-old came into my room, woke me up, and told me that he wasn’t feeling good. When he told me that his entire body was hot, sure enough, it was hot!

I can remember when I was sick that my Dad would take me to my Grandparents house. They lived about five blocks away from us so it was not a long trek to get over there. When my Grandfather would find out that we were sick, he’d call some of my aunts and uncles to come over to his house for prayer. Then they would all circle around me and my Grandfather would tell everyone that he was going to pray and believe that God would heal me. As soon as he started to pray out loud, everyone else would start to pray out loud. It was neat to hear the prayers because they were in Spanish, English and Tex-Mex! Not too many hours after the prayers my sickness would be gone.

Now I know that people generally believe that whatever medicine that my parents gave me was the cure. I really don’t believe that it was the cure. I think that God answered prayers for healing. Some would say that the illness just ran its course, but I really don’t believe that it was just that the sickness ran its course. Again, prayer really does bring healing. But what type of prayer?

God answers prayer. There has never been a time that He hasn’t answered the prayers of His people. His answer may be “Yes” or “No” or “Wait.” Whatever the case may be, He always answers.

This morning, I have prayed believing that my Elijah will be healed of the fever that he has. I believe that God still heals. Did I give him medicine? Sure I did, but that does not discount the power of believing prayer that God still heals. So, with this said, I am grateful that God has given me opportunity to pray for my Son’s healing and wellness.

“Tee Tee”

Tee Tee

So I was rocking my two-year-old this evening. Ever since we have had him he has said, “Tee Tee!” Normally when others hear him say that they think that he needs to “tee-tee” but what he is saying is , “Thank you!”

Now for some this may sound childish…well…it is! He’s only two-years-old! He’s a child! He acts like a child and he thinks like a child. But he says, “Tee Tee!” Have you noticed how there seems to be such a lack of gratitude now-a-days? People go about their business but they act as if they deserve whatever it is that you have done to show kindness to them. I noticed that when I open doors at restaurants for people they don’t even acknowledge me. But my two-year-old will say on their behalf, “Tee Tee!” When I went to the garage the other day to have some work done on my car, even the people behind the counter didn’t say thank you. But when they saw my two-year-old, he said, “Tee Tee!”

What’s happened to our society that we are a bunch of ingrates now? I pray that my two-year-old, and my six-year-old for that matter, never forget to be grateful. Oh, I’m sure they will be ungrateful at times. But I will do my best to help them to learn to be grateful for everything they have and everything that they are. God has given to us every thing that we need. Paul the apostle said it like this in Philippians 4:19:

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (NASB)

Paul again says in 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18:

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NASB)

By the way, for you reading my blog, “Tee Tee!”

Cheese Sticks & Sprites

Sonic Cheese Sticks

So, I took my six-year-old to school yesterday and enrolled him. It was an exciting day for him. As soon as we arrived at the school I could tell he was a bit anxious. But his anxiety was eased when he saw Eli, a friend of his from Church. He immediately went into his classroom and started to talk to Eli when Eli shouted out, “Elijah!”

His first grade teacher is very nice. She keeps in touch with parents on a regular basis and has even given her email to us to keep in contact with her. I wasn’t sure what the reason was for this, but I am discovering that children don’t always tell you what they have in the backpack from school and from their teachers.

So after picking up my son from school today — his second day — he has a busted lip. Apparently while he was playing at recess he fell and busted his lip. The office secretary told me that she gave him an ice pack and he asked, “Can I go play now that I have an ice pack?” In other words, he’s just fine, no worries.

After picking him up from school, I asked to look at his lip. He said to me, “How did you know I busted my lip?” I answered, “Because Dad’s always know what’s going on with their kids. And you’re my kid!!” Elijah just smiled and chuckled. Then those words that every parent wants to hear, “I love you, Dad!” After that I had to take him to Sonic for some cheese sticks and a Sprite. I mean, what kind of parent would keep his Son from eating cheese sticks and drinking a Sprite from Sonic?

Then I started to think of my Heavenly Father. Are you aware that He gives gifts to His children? To those who have believed and trusted Jesus Christ in salvation? Read what James said:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 5:17, NKJV)

Every good gift! It’s not just a gift here or there, but every good gift is what God gives to us. And these gifts aren’t just good but they are also perfect! But what gifts is James speaking of? He’s speaking of the good and perfect gift of salvation from sin and temptation. He gives us gifts! Now this is nothing equal to Sonic cheese sticks and Sprites. However, it is great to know, just as I bought something for my Son that he would enjoy, God has bought something for His sons by paying with the very price of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. See what Paul the apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:20:

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (NKJV)

Now if you ask me that’s great news! In fact, it’s far better than cheese sticks and Sprites!