Nope, it’s not just another day, in MY life….it’s Debi’s birthday, the love of my life for 40 years!!! So before I get started….HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEB!!!

On March 8, 1959 a beautiful baby girl lit up this world and her name was Deborah McIntire (middle name left out for MY own safety)! Maybe the world and people around her didn’t realize who she was, but God knew because He is omniscient! He knew in eighteen years she would impact MY life forever! Not because He pre-ordained it but because He knows what our choices in life will be and He gives us the freedom to make those choices! Thankfully, at that time in my life I was willing to let Him guide me AND my decisions.

As one author, Veronica Wells, wrote:

“God knows we need people to support us in certain capacities. So it’s not hard for me to imagine that God puts people in our lives at certain times for certain reasons, including spouses. But ultimately there’s free will. We get to choose who stays and who goes and at what time”

For those that don’t know “our story”, we met at our church sponsored “Camp Meeting”, at which time I had been dating the same girl for four years. She was a great young lady but God knew the direction our lives were headed and that direction didn’t include each other! Then, thanks to a special friend…..in walks the light on my of my world, the joy of my life, the future mother of my son, the strength in my weakness and my best friend for life, Debi! That little baby girl that was born eighteen years earlier was now standing in front of me and little did I know in 4 months we would be married. I had to lean on God  during this time in my life and ultimately it was MY decision, but my faith in Him was instrumental  in my decision making process!

For the past 40 years of our marriage she has been my “Jesus with skin”! God has always given her the right words, the right actions, the right attitude and the patience to help guide me through our life together yet she has given me the respect as the leader of our household to make decisions without “beating me up” if they were the wrong decisions. I’ve said it many times, she is the epitome of the “perfect wife”!

I could write on for pages about her and the blessings she has been to my life. The most important blessing…she gave me a tremendous son, Brandon, that is the “Crown Jewel” of my life! He will never be able to fathom what he means to me….and of course the joy he brought into my life with my daughter (in-law) Chastity…together they have given me/us Zion, Eden and Canaan! I’m a very blessed man!

Every positive moment I have listed above and those I have not, every tear she has wiped from my eyes, every prayer she has prayed for me and every tear she shed for me when I was on death’s bed was made possible because a beautiful little girl was born on this day, 59 years ago, in Shawnee Oklahoma!

Her birth didn’t impact “the world” but it impacted “my world”! So today, I celebrate YOUR birthday Debi Kizer, because YOU have changed my life and as I sung to you 40 years ago, you STILL “Light Up My Life”!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY

You’re “Prince Charming”
(her words not mine)

 

 

God knows we need people to support us, in various capacities. So it’s not hard for me to imagine that God puts people in our lives at certain times for certain reasons, including spouses. But ultimately there’s free will. We get to choose who stays and who goes and at what time. – See more at: http://madamenoire.com/288505/serious-question-does-god-really-have-a-soul-mate-for-you/#sthash.0beg94k9.dpuf

God knows we need people to support us, in various capacities. So it’s not hard for me to imagine that God puts people in our lives at certain times for certain reasons, including spouses. But ultimately there’s free will. We get to choose who stays and who goes and at what time. – See more at: http://madamenoire.com/288505/serious-question-does-god-really-have-a-soul-mate-for-you/#sthash.0beg94k9.dpuf

“Nothing but manna! They were experiencing a miracle of God’s provision every morning; yet they were no longer excited about it. Nothing but manna!”

In chapter 11 of Numbers, the Israelites had become accustomed to the blessings of God! The Word quotes them as saying “But now our whole being is dried up, there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (v. 6).

Several years ago, I was preparing for a “simple” one hour surgery that quickly turned into a 5 1/2 hour procedure to remove a badly infected organ from my body. Following surgery other parts of my body were affected and thus a fight for my life had begun!

Following multiple “codes”, reactions to medication that made me combative to the surgical team, “seeing” men floating in my room, propelled by propeller driven shoes and two weeks in the hospital I walked out a different man.

Not because of the surgical and medical changes, but because God had used that time to chasten me. Opening my eyes to the fact I had become an Israelite walking in the wilderness, taking the manna that God had blessed me with, EVERYDAY, for granted!

As I recovered at home, I began to understand what I had totally lost site of…I was spending large chunks of time complaining about the challenges in my life, basically having a daily…all day…pity party and becoming accustomed to the blessings I received EVERY DAY from God. My faith had taught me to “trust in the Lord with all my heart” and know that He is always by my side, “directing my path”, but I stopped remembering all of these things and I had focused on the negatives, the struggles of life!

As I spent time reflecting, something began to change, every blessing in my life began to “look” so much larger! To the point that all of my problems looked so very small in comparison and my faith began to set me free, again!

Time won’t permit listing ALL of God’s manna in my life, but at that time in my life the most simplistic things came to my attention….the phone calls from Brandon that ended with “love ya dad”, the smiles from Zion when she would see me walk into a room, the “hello babe, I’m home” with a sweet follow-up kiss from Deb, the “love you Pop” from Chastity and Eden thrusting of her little legs in excitement as I pick her up (at this time in my life, Eden was a baby and Canaan was a hope and prayer)…..the most simple things became so much greater!!

I was reminded of a time early one morning at my home. The kids were visiting, Zion and Eden were sleeping with us, as always. I woke up from a sound sleep, which I never do, and in the still of the night, I heard the very faint “snoring” of Eden as she slept peacefully close by! What a beautiful sound, what a tremendous blessing…at that moment, I had no problems, all was well, God was in control! I looked at her with amazement, a smile on my face and I went back to a peaceful sleep.

So many things I would have never enjoyed had God not saved my life! I am so blessed and don’t have one problem that God can not solve. So I have chosen to enjoy His blessings, tell the world about Him and His promises and enjoy the days ahead that He has given me!

PLEASE, don’t wait for a major event in your life to get your attention! Begin right now thanking God for all He has blessed you with and I promise, that will be the beginning of a new outlook on your life!! Your problems will become His and your joy will be renewed!

You are blessed!!

The last several months I have been reminding myself that I am only months away from the big 6…0….I wish I could stop it, but it’s all part of that time in your life when you wish you had the ability to go back and make up for stupid mistakes you have made along the way. But there is one main thing that I have determined through this time of soul searching….. I don’t want to act my age!

I might raise the ire of some of my fellow “older people” but I really feel this is a good thing to consider. As we get older we tend to feel that because of all of our “life experiences”, we have most of the answers to just about any problems that our younger generation faces and we have EARNED their respect and basically, they need to listen!

Respect is not something we earn because of our age but we earn respect by respecting others and their feelings! I’ve listened to people my age share their thoughts with a younger person many times, the attitude and verbal disdain they use while communicating makes me wonder why anyone would listen to any of their thoughts!! The disrespect they show by “talking down” to them simply infuriates me!

I have been blessed to work with many young people and young married couples through the years and  I have learned more life lessons from people much younger than me than I have from those my own age. I have made it a point to really listen, while they share their thoughts with me, and not mentally prepare my response to a portion of their comment, ignoring what they are saying! This has allowed me to truly understand that they just want to be heard, not immediately told why something won’t work, how foolish that is or “no way I would ever do that”!  There is just a time when they want to be heard and they have no desire to hear a comment or opinion!

During his teenage years, my son Brandon told me during a conversation we were having

“…dad there’s just some things I’m gonna have to learn the hard way!”

and my first thought was “how foolish is that” but as we traveled though life together I learned, he wasn’t talking about the life changing things, he was talking about the everyday events where I often felt like I had to inject my opinions! He just needed to be his own person and find HIS way through life!

I have been honored by having young people, outside of family, set in my office and seek my advice on a potential husband or wife, marital problems, job decisions and many other life events and I have made it a point to ask questions, listen to their answers, their thoughts and their desires for that situation, THEN give the advice they were seeking. BUT, they have to be heard and they have to be respected!!

You never reach an age where you can be disrespectful, inconsiderate, closed minded or “tell it like it is” without consideration of the hurt you will cause to others. REALITY, most people don’t really want to hear your opinions unless they ask for them! If you have to start a conversation with “this may hurt your feelings, but…..”, SHUT UP because you probably going to do more harm than good!

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;” James 1:19

Bottom line, my opinion (you didn’t ask for it but you read this far so here goes), DON’T ACT YOUR AGE! Never stop learning, don’t disrespect others, make a concerted effort to LISTEN and the respect others will have for you will cause them to seek you knowledge and advice, when needed…and wanted!

I NEVER want to be offensive, I just want to be as Christlike as possible…my desire is strong, my ability is weak without His help! I am NOTHING without HIM!

Have a blessed day!

As I worshiped with my son and daughter (in-law) this morning and felt a tremendous move of God fill the church, my joy and spiritual pride brought tears to my eyes!! Then I realized…I had just felt a small portion of what my mom felt for so many years!!

Her support in EVERY facet of my life never dwindled…my failure or not. Her unconditional love never wavered and her desire to “protect” me and my “new” little family was like a mother sparrow chasing a man away from a nest of her babies, diving at his head with ruthless abandon!! In fact, I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble…but if you didn’t like me, Debi or Brandon…she would “love” you spiritually but, honestly, she probably didn’t like you much either!! 😉

Because of the early loss of my dad, I was only 18 at the time, she became dad and mom to me, experiencing all of the joy, sadness, pain and victory that entailed. Always encouraging me to do God’s will, never forcing her will upon me but praying hard enough that I had no choice but to listen and follow.

Then, no doubt in my mind, she prayed Debi into my life whom she loved as much as me because Debi completed me. Then the true gem of the marriage came into her life…Brandon…her pride and joy! Every ball he threw was a “pretty ball” even if it hit a foot in front of the plate!!

I was blessed with a special gem!

I don’t say all of these great things about mom to “brag” or act like my “mom was better than yours”. I say them so YOU don’t make the same mistake I did!!! I didn’t tell her enough how much she meant to me, I didn’t thank her enough for all of her prayers, I took her presence in my life for granted, but most painful as I have reflected, I felt there were times I didn’t “need” her guidance and I pushed her aside!! Wow, kind of like my relationship with God!

Yep, this “man” that she loved so much failed in so many ways as a son, but she had those God like attributes that He saves only for mothers…unconditional, unfailing love and she NEVER failed me!

It’s our job as children to accept the gift of God that is only ours for a season…mom! That season is NEVER long enough and sometime, unexpectedly, much too short.

Well, I’ve done it again, probably went on a little to long but if you read to this point let me close with a challenge: Call your mom TODAY, tell her what she means to you and attempt to give back a portion of the love she has shared with you!! Don’t allow yourself to look back one day when you miss her so bad and say “I wish mom was still here so I could tell her….”!

Happy Mother’s Day Mom, I really miss you….but you still walk with me every day!!!

January 15, 2010 “I fell in love. Not something I was expecting at my age – but I feel as deliciously, deliriously happy as I was when it first happened in my teens. I was strangely nervous about meeting my first grandchild, but the moment I held her in my arms and her tiny fist tightened round my finger, I was lost.” Author, Penny Junor

As I read this quote, I felt it summed up what I felt 4 years ago, today when Zion Bliss Kizer was born! I know millions of grand parents have felt this way and your experience can not be duplicated, but this time it was MY grand daughter and for that first few hours and days there was not another grand baby in the world….at least in my world.

The grand baby photos began to fill my phone, cover my Facebook page and clutter my desk at various locations. I would show them anywhere with absolutely no encouragement needed. Of course the “show me yours and I’ll show you mine” grand parents would flash their photos after viewing Zion, but I’ll be honest…I really didn’t see them because that beauty of mine was forever etched in my brain!

“You could touch the moonlight
When your heart is shooting stars
You’re holding heaven in your arms
Have you ever been in love?”

She absolutely consumed my life! I would set for what seemed like hours and just watch her hands try to find each other and, once they did, not really knowing what to do with them. I watched her kick her legs as either myself or Debi would go to pick her up and that would light my world!

Today she turned 4. Where has the time gone? I don’t know, but I remember all of the time between her birth and today as if it was only yesterday. Every bonding moment of feeding her, changing an occasional diaper with total fear, holding her head while she was in my arms, hoping it wouldn’t fall off during that awkward time as an infant. Then the rolling over, standing up, walking, talking and talking some more! Each of those things…..they were only yesterday? Where did the time go?

At the young age of 4, Zion has taught this old “Pop” something….enjoy life, be happy, laugh, run, play and don’t worry! Take time to enjoy every moment of life!

I know, you’re thinking,  “she’s only 4 she doesn’t have a care in the world”….she DOES have cares, she just knows to place them in her fathers hands and he will protect her, he will guide her, he won’t let any harm come upon her….he would part the oceans for her!

We all have the same Father, in Spirit, we just need to have the faith of a child to enjoy Him and the life He has given us!

Zion Bliss, happy birthday and thanks for teaching Pop a few things about life!