Mike Sansone

To Love, Live, Learn, and Lauch

Enough – What is Convenient For Me

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Bread and BibleMost folks are familiar with the verse from “The Lord’s Prayer”, requesting

“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt 6:11)

But is that really enough? And is it only about food?

One focus of the book Enough by Will Davis, Jr. is a powerful section of Proverbs, Proverbs 30:7-9. The writer (Agur) asks God for two simple things:

  1. Keep lies away from his own lips
  2. Supply him with just enough. Not more. Not less. Enough.

Our nature – my nature – is too often to be so focused on the concerns of tomorrow, I miss out on how God answers my prayers today. God is faithful to provide my daily needs (Matt 6:25-34).

Why do I have so little faith, that rather than rest in His promise, I worry about tomorrow.

Enough.

*A Proverbs a day, keeps the enemy at bay.

 

Never Falter, Never Fail

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Mountain Train

Life is like a mountain railroad, with an engineer that’s brave …

Our lives may have lots of turns and dips, peaks and valleys. But have courage my friend, for we have as an Engineer, the One who designs and directs our paths.

We must make the run successful, from the cradle to the grave …

When we think of a cradle, we think of birth. But it’s not only birth, but re-birth and even the dawn of each new day.

Watch the curves, the hills, the tunnels; Never falter, never fail …

If you seek Him in all your journey, short or long, you will find His faithfulness and love endures no matter what – in our successes and in our failures (learning experiences).

Keep your hand upon the throttle, and your eye upon the rail …

Stay contagious and courageous in your forward movement. A friend recently said, See Present Future, Rather Than Present Past. Remember Lot’s Wife (Luke 17:32).

Keeper Thoughts and Wild Bones

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Mike Thinking About WritingWhile I much prefer to write first from the heart, and then rewrite with my head (Finding Forrester clip), occasionally during a quiet time I find myself writing (rehearsing?) in my mind.

As she came into the room, she asked what I was doing.

“I’m writing,” I said, and continued looking out the window.

Truth is, I had already written a draft and was simply polishing the thought, though many additions and addenda came about during this pondering.

And there was a tablet for notes on the table before me to help capture keeper thoughts and wild bones.

Early to Rise

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Toronto SunriseAs I begin to write this, I sit in a quiet dining area of a rural McDonalds. Not quite 5:30 on a Saturday morning, it will remain quiet for a time.

I enjoy the quiet of an early morning. On this morning, I’ve enjoyed quiet for a couple of hours already.

I am early to rise. It’s weird for others; It works for me.

A dozen years ago, I was a bi-vocational pastor, also serving as a property manager for a large self-storage property. Working at two full-time jobs, both of which I enjoyed immensely,

I had to find ways to carve time within time to get what needed to be done and still have the freedom and flexibility to pivot on a day’s need.

  • A 24-hour Walmart.
  • A Home Depot that opens at 5 AM.
  • A Cracker Barrel open at 6AM
  • A self-storage property with no one around until after 7 AM.

I got more work done before sunrise than most people get done all day. By doing so, I was able to answer calls that seemed urgent to others while remaining calm and patient. Able to schedule for serendipity. I got hooked on the early mornings because of the freedom to pivot. I stay with it because of the quiet.

I value the quiet of an early morning.

I am early to rise. Not so much because I can’t sleep. Not because I can’t wait to get to Panera or McDonald’s. I like the crisp and fresh feeling of the beginnings of the day. It works for me. It’s not right for everyone – and that’s good.

I thirst for the quiet of an early morning.

photo credit: paul bica via photopin cc