You've Earned It

I love that my children work hard for what they want to achieve. They don't expect successes to just land on them ... they earn them. Anton will receive an award on April 20 for Most Outstanding Student in the Hospitality, Sports & Tourism Management School at Troy University. It is quite an honor and he is wholly deserving. We pray his education and acknowledgements will help bring his career dreams to fruition and know he will work his hardest make that happen.

We are equally proud of Kayla and her diligent efforts at school in locking down exactly what she wants to do and giving her all to achieve it. We love bragging on Rob when we see what he has accomplished as executive chef at The Blue Rooster, enjoying a delicious meal he has prepared (or drooling over one we get to see pictures of) and appearing relaxed and confident in television appearances. And we are so proud of Ayla who achieved a bachelor's degree in just three years, then a master's to make her dreams of working in the culinary industry a success. How could we not be in praise and worship of the Father for the people you are and progress you've made?! Glory to Him.

While doing my devotion the other morning, I came upon this verse in Deuteronomy 8:18, "It is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth." Our Father has gifted us individually to do what we do. When people have discovered their talents and put them to good use, it is so satisfying. When Moses wrote Deuteronomy to the Israelites wanted them remember Who to praise when they achieved job successes. To God be the glory.

We pray that all four of you will be vastly successful in your careers. In the movie Flashdance, the love interest, Nick Hurley, in the movie says to Alex Owens, the main character, "When you give up your dream, you die." So reach for the dreams you've set for yourself. We know you will work hard at whatever you do because we've seen your track record thus far. While wealth would certainly be an added blessing, it is our hope especially, that you will be content with whatever you have in whatever circumstances you find yourselves (Phil. 4:11). And remember to always thank your Father in heaven for those successes. For it is in Him that "we live and move and have our being" (Acts. 17:28).

Discussion: What are your talents? Dreams? What is success to you?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the abilities You have given us to care for one another in our jobs. We pray, Lord, for your blessings on both couples and their careers and that You will be glorified in it all. In Jesus, Amen.

How Will You Handle It

The other day, Daddy and Anton went golfing. Golfing is not Anton's favorite sport, but he wanted to be with Daddy, so the two of them headed to the Robert Trent Jones Senator course to take advantage of the $22 green fees on the 22nd of the month (celebrating the 22nd anniversary of the course. Your daddy loves all those 22s). Anton was having one of the best rounds of his life. He was actually within four strokes of your Daddy. Daddy said he was playing beautifully. Then it happened ... it began to rain. The grips were wet. His hands were cold. And Anton's score began to go up. It brought thoughts of the bishop on Caddyshack lifting his club in a torrential downpour and saying, "The Good Lord would never disrupt the best game of my life." Your Daddy saw this as a great teachable moment for your brother. He said to him, "Everything could be going along just great in your life and suddenly something unexpected happens to change everything. So how are you going to handle it?"

If you have an unexpected situation that happens in life, you may need to change your approach. A job loss, financial strains, illness ... the plan changes. How you handle that change could effect the end result of that path. It is not all about attitude, but it certainly makes a difference. We are not saying you have to be Pollyanna and handle everything with joy. But we do recommend an attitude of hope. We do recommend patience. We recommend stepping back, reaccessing and pressing through in grace. A friend with a deadly cancer looking for opportunities to testify about God's blessings in the journey. Another friend whose mother died unexpectedly proclaiming that everything is in God's perfect timing. My son frustrated at not getting an NFL internship he wanted, realizing God may have needed him somewhere else, then ending up working with youth at the Y for the summer and becoming a mentor for a boy who had lost his father just months before. Job, who at the loss of his children, job and health, replied to a wife that told him to "Curse God and die," instead replying, "The gives and The Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of The Lord."

You are going to have curve balls thrown at you in life. Trying to look at them from God's perspective - or at least stepping back to let Him have control - is a wise approach. We pray as these circumstances affect your life, that you will be an example of grace and integrity, leaving behind you a testimony of glory to God.

Discussion: Tell of an unexpected circumstance that happened in your life and how you handled it. Could you have handled it better? Was God glorified it it?

Prayer: Father, we pray you will help us when we face difficult circumstances in our lives. Give us clarity and help us press on in grace. We love you, Father. In Jesus, Amen.