You ever get tired of doing good?  Doing good things for your family, your friends, your coworkers, or your neighbors.  Let’s be honest, it can wear you out, especially when no one seems to notice.  I know you’re not asking for a parade in your honor celebrating every time you help someone out, but wouldn’t it feel good if someone validated your actions?

It’s your flesh that seeks this recognition.  If you received the few minutes of gratitude here on earth each time you did something good, then there might not be anything for God to reward you for in heaven that will last forever.  So ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”  Is it really to share God and His love, or is it for you?

God doesn’t require attention-getting devices. He won’t overlook what you are doing; he’ll reward you well.  “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or–worse!–stolen by burglars.  Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars.  Mat. 6:18-20 (MSG)

Keep doing the things that bring God glory in secret.  For there will be a day when you stand before Him.  Let God validate your ticket.  Hopefully you will hear these words from Him, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.” (Mat. 25:21)

“Quick, God I need your helping hand.  The last decent person just went down.”  This quote is from my daily scripture reading this past week in Psalms chapter 12 verse 1.  (“The Message“(MSG) translation by Eugene Peterson.)  After I read that verse I paused and wondered, am I a decent person?  Also I had the thought, what would cause me to go down?  Probably my go to sin.  You know it.  The one Satan uses most often to trip me up, to pull me away from God.  To be honest if my actions today were the only ones used to answer that question then the answer would be, “No!”

Fortunately for me, and for all of us, God forgives us of our transgressions when we ask, and He “chooses” to remember them no more.  I hope He chooses to not remember today’s words and actions rather quickly.  I am so blessed to have such a loving heavenly Father.  He made me, therefore he understands me.  Now I am just crying out to God the first part of verse 1, “Quick, God I need your helping hand.”  I really do need His help to someday (soon I hope) learn to face my go to sin and turn away.  Thank you Father, for though I am not always faithful to you, you’re always faithful to me.

She has taken on average 815,731,200 breaths as of today.  Every breath has gone in and out of a person that today celebrates her ninety-seventh birthday.  Every breath has contributed to a life lived well.  She has been there breathing through the good times, the fun times and the hard times.  There was a breath taken when her two younger brothers were each born.  A breath taken with excitement when her to be husband first kissed her.  A breath sighed heavy when her mother passed, when her husband passed and when her first brother passed.

With every breath has come and gone a lot of friends, a lot of family times, a lot of working hours, some hard times, disappointing times, a lot of love, but a lot of life.  I once told my great aunt she is living so long her friends who have passed on before her are going to start thinking she died and went to hell, for she is not with them in heaven yet.  She came back with, “My bags are packed, but I’m just not ready to leave yet.”  You could always count on my great aunt to have a zinger or two to share.

Never having children of her own, she has treated my mother as a daughter, and my sister and me as her grandchildren.  Believe it or not, she still lives alone in her own home.  She is an inspiration to all who know her.  Her body may be putting in overtime, but her mind is still sharp.  She loves to relive and share the moments when her breaths were associated with happy times.

So you see “life” is in every breath.  Make the most of each one.  Every breath comes from God, from when He breathed into Adam’s nostrils, to the first one He gave you.  Happy 97th birthday Great Aunt Betty!  I love you.

I was emailing one of my writing friends this past week for the first time this year.  I wanted to wish her a “Happy New Year”, but what came out was even better.  (And it surprised me as well.)  I wished her, “Happy New God-Filled Moments Year”.  Good, right?

As I thought some more about this statement of faith I realized in order for one to know if they are having God-filled moments they have to see them, they have to feel them, and they have to recognize them.  Not every moment is God blessing you either, but many God-filled moments can be you blessing someone else in His name.

This year try your best to open your spiritual eyes, so you may see when it is “Only God” doing something in your life, and so you may see when God wants to touch someone else’s life through you.  It may take time, but one thing I have learned is this: God can use anything the devil intends for harm and use it for good.  Another thing I have learned is: When you are helping someone else your own life’s troubles seem to fade.

So will you make this faith acclamation?  Will you say, “Here’s to God-Filled Moments”?  As this year progresses I would love to hear about “God-Filled Moments” in your life.  I will most likely keep a journal of them and who knows even share them with others with your permission.  Email me at: bradymarka@gmail.com

In the mean time, “Happy New God-Filled Moments” to you!

In the video link below you will witness 4 year old Lea taking her first acrobatic flight with her dad.  She sits back and enjoys it tremendously, and I don’t know French (I think it is French), but I swear she is begging for more.

Laughing in the midst of things upside down, bouncing around, and rolling from side to side?  Could we ever accomplish such emotion as this little girl while going through life?  Yes.

Yes we could.  You see the secret to Lea’s giddiness is she knows her father has control.  He is going to get her through the upevil and plant her feet firmly on the ground again.

Can you say you trust your heavenly father that same way?  I hope so.  When life gets bouncy sit back, tighten your seat belt, and I dare you to laugh, because you too can know that your heavenly father will once again set your feet on solid ground.  (Ps. 40:2)