BONUS DAY #275

Watching a grandchild open a Christmas present is one of the most interesting things in a Grandparent’s life.  You never know what response you are going to get, but you do know it is going to be authentic!  If they like it, you can tell.  If they love it you can tell.  If they already have it, you can tell.  BECAUSE THEY WILL TELL YOU!  Adulthood makes us so sophisticated we can’t always or don’t always know what adults are thinking because they (adults) can put on a mask, but children don’t know what a mask is.  Jesus said of children, “Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  The expectation, the excitement, and the transparency of childhood are all components of that spirit.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

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BONUS DAY #274

I down loaded Sandy Patti’s song from the 1980’s “Was it a Morning Like This” to my Holy Land Playlist.  It has been years since I had listened to it, but since I am always thinking about how to enhance the experience of each the 30 Christian Holy Sites we share when we take people to the Holy Land, I thought I would download, listen, and experience the song.  It was as unique listening to Sandy’s song was as it was Don Fransisco’s “He’ Alive” I down loaded a couple of years ago.  It really took me back to the sights and sounds of the day I heard both songs.  It is interesting how our senses  can do that–take us back.  Yet, the work of God in our lives uses those experiences of the past to take us (move us) forward–“forgetting those things in the past and straining toward what is ahead….”  “DID GRASS SING, DID THE EARTH CRY OUT BECAUSE IT MISSED YOU–HE IS RISEN..”  It had been a while since I imagined the earth actually missed feeling God.  Why not?  Genesis says that God “walked with Adam in the cool of the day.”  If that meant God’s feet touched the soil of the earth, why wouldn’t the earth miss that experience?  Silly?  Maybe.  But think about it:  WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOD–a force greater than all forces of all forces ever in existence all combined.  It wouldn’t be impossible because “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.”  Let’s just be sure everything is “WITH GOD” we we do it, or attempt it.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #273

Advancing the Gospel is like running a football play in that the objective is to advance the ball down the field.  The ball breaking the plain of the goal line is the symbol of a conversion to Christ.  It takes all kinds of players and plays and coaches and coaching techniques to achieve the goal.  Some teams having winning seasons and some teams have losing seasons.  It is that part of December 2018 where all the Bowl Games will soon begin.  The Bowl Games are the culmination of the football teams season.  Some games are played for the championship of certain regions, and now even a play-off of sorts to see which team is the best of the year.  Just like advancing the Gospel needs to be the primary goal in the life of the Christian (and the life of the Church), advancing the ball needs to be the primary goal in football.  YET, in both Christianity and football there are objects of distraction, miscommunication, egos, divas, and attitudes that all find their way into the endeavor.  These negative factors are constant barriers and obstacles to achieving the basic goal of advancing–(Christianity or the football).  Let’s get back to the goal of advancing the Gospel.  Ask yourself the question about things in your life:  “How does this advance the Gospel?” The reason we exist on this planet is to connect people to God.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #272

Working on a new book for 2019 from Job 31–“I will make a covenant with my eyes.”  I am calling it (at this point), “Take a Breath and Bring It Down A Notch”–looking at how we can manage our drama by controlling our thoughts, our will, and our emotional responses.  Working at it a chapter at a time, I discovered early this morning a notebook from last year where I had done preliminary research on the passage.  It was a word by word study of Job Chapter 31 that got put into the wrong stack of notebooks during our move in October.  Worse yet–much worse yet–to forget the notebook existed makes me wonder if it is old age or being a cardiac patient! Ha!  Job 31 is a powerful chapter.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #271

Standing in the parking lot of a Lowe’s Store, I stopped a guy from our past we hadn’t seen in 10 years to say hello.  He talked about the his church, his pastor, and shared his opinion on the general condition of all things political/ideological.  I can’t say there was anything he said with which I disagreed.  Yet, it occurs to me that we need to–WE MUST do more than just “talk about it.”  We need to get together with others and make conscious decisions on how we can make a difference in our world.  We need to but a process in place to deliver more than just opinion.  Opinion is important in that it starts us on the course of what we believe and even why we believe it, but we must also but process in place for change.  Talk needs to lead to process which leads to change.

Every day is a Bonus Day.

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #270

The truly spiritual way of life is to love one another–treat others the way we want to be treated.  Accept DON’T reject.  Take things in stride by taking a deep breath and bring your own drama down a notch or two (or three or four).

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #269

We went to a zoo that was a rescue facility.  They called themselves “non-profit” yet it cost me $55 to get into their rescue facility.  Everything cost extra and they always asked:  “Would you like to round up for the animals?”  Even in the gift shop they wanted us to round up.  I finally replied, ” No thank you, I think we have made a good enough contribution today.”  I am still trying to process the experience.  It was one of those situations where it is really hard to believe the place was as selfless as they would have you believe, and yet, if they help the animals, it is a good thing.  I wonder if that is how our lives end up appearing to God?  We try to come off looking like “heroes,” but what is real and what is not so real? (Fake).  Think about it.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #268

I spent the morning on the phone trying to get the best price on the airfare of a Holy Land Tour.  This particular time frame was coming in at least $1000 per person higher than I have ever seen it.  Stress and concern for people’s interest gripped it.  It gripped hold until I realized airfare is something I have NO CONTROL OVER it.  When you don’t have any control all you can do is your best in the situation–AND–turn it over to God!  (Should have turned it over to God in the first place).

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #266

I always thought one of the biggest reasons kids loved Chick-fil-a was the indoor playground most of them have.  I watched something today that stupefied me.  A dad with his son (they looked a lot alike) were eating a mid afternoon meal.  They weren’t really talking.  The dad was really into his sandwich, the son was more into watching the kids play on the indoor playground.  I could see his smile and reaction while the kids played and he sat trying to eat with no dialogue with his dad.  On their way out the kid was trying to get his dad to allow some time on the playground.  I watched as the dad saw the stack of shoes in the shoe “cubby.”  The dad literally wriggled up his nose and said, “No, I don’t want you taking off your shoes to go into there.”  The kid literally said, “But dad…but dad….but dad…but dad…”  (At least another six more times as they walked out the door).  I thought about how to the dad is must have been about the sandwich–to the kid it was about the play.

DAD—EVERY DAY IS A BONUS DAY…. COME ON….”OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!”

Much Love,

Marc

BONUS DAY #265

I got nailed by my hotel bed last night and discovered the injury was still bleeding today.  (The “blood thinners” my doctors have me on are definitely working).  I took a picture of the bed frame and my leg and presented them to the lady working at the front desk of the hotel.  She had me meet the head of housekeeping to show her the spot of collision.  They were all very apologetic and open about what happened.  No one was trying to cover anything up.  It was actually pretty refreshing that they knew they goofed up and didn’t realize they left the bed in that shape.  It occurred to me we need more of their attitude through our whole culture:  Openness, apologetic, kind, and interested.

Every day is a Bonus Day!

Much Love,

Marc