Last night, we had our Chili Cook-off.  I did not even place.  Today, I am humbled!  After all of the trash talk I did going into the Cook-off, I have had to eat every word I said.  Perhaps next year I should not talk as much smack.

We had very deserving winners who indeed had the best chili.  Our congrats to them.  Among a couple of the winners, there was a little bantering going between us and they indeed had reason to brag.  Their chili was good!

First Place – Kathy Jones
Second Place – Patti Gilliland
Third Place – Laura Boyson

Thanks to all the participants who entered.  We also appreciate the judges who had integrity and could not be bought  I am looking forward to next year now, but I will approach the cook-off a little quieter now.  Humble Pie doesn’t taste very good!

Just tasted the chili for tomorrow night’s cook-off.  We might as well skip the contest and put the ribbon on my chili.  I don’t mean to brag but, as Paul said, “I Boast In The Lord.”  He gave me this recipe:)

By the way, for those who are in the cook-off, we need the chili at the church by 5:50pm.  See you tomorrow night!

My parents have been in town for a week or so and that always means one thing.  Hannah is her grandparents and doesn’t show me the love she normally does.

Last night, I came home and sat in my chair.  I called out for Hannah to come see me.  She refused!  I called out again and told her I would give her money if she would come give me a hug and a kiss.  She came by my chair, leaned against the ottoman and looked me in the eye.  With the glare of a cold distance she asked, “Where’s my money?”

She wouldn’t give me any love until I paid.  I didn’t really have any money and she walked away and refused my IOU.  What is this world coming to?

There is not many things more precious than seeing Hannah sleep.  Last night, she had fallen asleep with her arm around her teddy bear and her hand clasped to her baby doll.  Such innocence when she sleeps.

When she is awake, well, that’s another story!

Recently, as I sat in my office, a feeling of emptiness beset me. My heart was downcast, and I wondered why. The more I reflected, the more I understood the calling and the yearning of the Holy Spirit. My day had been consumed by trivial things, and I pushed God aside. That void I felt was actually the Spirit beckoning me to enter His presence. I did not hear an audible voice from Heaven say to me, “Behold, my child, spend time with me.” It was a gentle leading to draw near. It saddens God that we are too busy doing the “works” instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus. God created man to fellowship with Him. He wanted man to spend time with Him.

In the Garden of Eden, God would walk with man and talk with man, but man walked away from God and he was banished from the Garden. Still today, God desires fellowship with man through prayer. Prayer is not just talking but listening and spending time with Him. In a marriage relationship, the bond is not strong because of the talking, but the quality time spent together. The Father awaits us to enter in. As the Father waits in Heaven for us to get alone with Him and fellowship, I believe He is disappointed day by day as we pass Him by and say, “Maybe tomorrow!” I imagine the Father telling the Holy Spirit to quicken our hearts and beckon us to come. The Father says, “Remind them that I gave Jesus so that they could enter into the Holy of Holies everyday, now.”

In the Old Testament, the priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the day of Atonement. The priest would enter for the people. No one else could go in. This was the place where God’s manifest presence was. Many years later, Christ has died on the cross for us so that Atonement has been provided and we can now enter in everyday.

Hebrews 9:12 says, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

We no longer need a priest. We have free access, but we don’t enter in. We have become accustomed to the privilege; we have taken it for granted. As the Holy Spirit leads and we reject His prompting by saying, “I’m too busy, I have to rush somewhere else, I’m too tired”, the Father says with grace and mercy, “Holy Spirit, maybe they will, tomorrow. I hope tomorrow they will fellowship with me. I love them no matter what.” I am convicted, for pushing God aside and not involving Him in my busy life. What about you? Are you guilty? Maybe you are, or maybe you aren’t, but I would evaluate my time with God. Don’t take Him for granted; He is waiting in the Holy of Holies for you.

Yesterday, the boys went out for a hike while the ladies went “crafting”.  We went to Tanyard Creek in Bella Vista.  The weather was perfect to explore the hills around Bella Vista.  The only down fall was that the water fall was dry.  Other than that it was incredible.

In honor of my two children:

Josh and Hannah both have a characteristic that neither Sonya nor I have.  They are both Pack Rats.  If you look in Josh’s room, it is full of catalogs, books and more.  He doesn’t like to throw anything away.  I don’t think it is sentimental stuff but rather a “what-if I need this again someday” attitude.

Hannah, on the other hand, doesn’t like to get rid of anything.  The other day we were cleaning out the garage and she saw some of the “stuff” I was taking to Helping Hands.  This “stuff” included her toys and old shoes.  She could not part with these things.  She had a melt-down when I told her we were giving these to someone less fortunate.  Hannah did not buy that argument, it was her stuff and everyone else could get their own.  I sent her out of the garage and loaded it up in the car.

She also has the requirement  that when she doesn’t eat her whole meal, she has to get a to go box.  She never touches the food again and we wind up throwing it away, but if we do not get a to-go box, there is a melt-down on our hands.  She is a pack rat with food and her stuff.

I am not sure where my kids got this trait, it certainly wasn’t from me!  But that got me to thinking about how we are as Christians.  We are spiritual pack rats!

We “hang on” to the gospel of Jesus Christ and refuse to give it away to the lost.  We “hang on” to the hurts that someone has caused us and refuse to forgive.  We “hang on” to the compassion of Christ and fail to show it to those who are hurting.  We “hang on” to mercy and judge others rather than showing them mercy and grace.

What are you hanging on to?