Green Eyes

This picture was taken on Christmas day at Grandma's house. I love Christmas espescially for the children. One of the best parts of Christmas is the anticipation, the imaginations (sugar plums dancing in their heads) all that goes in to looking forward to that moment when the gifts will be opened. The best part is often the days leading to Christmas. Then Christmas comes the gifts are opened and many times the kids play more with the boxes the gifts were in than the actual gift! What happens? You know the Christmas day blahs, after all the presents are opened and that deep down in the gut feeling comes over you that says "Is that all there is". It's called disillusionment. We have a vision of what we think should happen and that the things we wanted will bring us happiness and reality falls short. Why is there so much disillusionment in this world. Why so many disenchanted people?
The answer is that many of our dreams and visions for our lives are not from God but from our own fleshly desires. If we would expect in life what God wants us to expect then we would be disillusioned (freed from illusions) to begin with!

Disillusion
1.
to free from or deprive of illusion, belief, idealism, etc.; disenchant. –noun
2.
a freeing or a being freed from illusion or conviction; disenchantment.

Some think that to keep from being disillusioned in life you should just lower your expectations and not think big at all......therefore some are against the whole "Vision" concept. This is not biblical. The problem is that when this is taught the person is assuming that another persons "vision" is not from God! What a presumption! What a judgement! What a sin! Who called you to be an inspector and destroyer of dreams. Did it actually cross your mind that you may be the one causing the the "disillusionment".....but its actually a false disillusionment because the person never needed freed from an illusion to begin with.

God did not call us to tear down peoples dreams or visions. Are you going to be like Joseph's brothers who mocked him, sold him into slavery and abandoned him because of the vision God gave him?.....Who are you to judge someone elses dream?......What if God put that in a person to dream that?......What if you are fighting Gods purpose in that persons life? You might say.....then it will happen anyway......Not necessarily......not every dream is predestined! Just like we may have the blood of the lost on our hands we can end up with the tears of a lost dream on our hands too when we stand before God!

When a person has a vision of what God wants them to do......It usually is pretty big and its usually not accepted by most people. There are those that will try to find something unscriptural about it. Matter of fact in church work some go so far as to come up with the ridiculous notion that "church growth" isn't scriptural and that if your church is growing you're compromising on truth. These same people nitpick and find a handful of random churches across the country and find something unscriptural with them and superimpose that image on all growing churches or at least the ones they don't like. Its interesting to note that most of the time it comes down to opinions and or perceptions not anything substantial or factual.

A God vision is much bigger than what man can come up with and in the end it doesn't bring disillusionment it brings about the workings of God in the lives of men! We accuse those with vision many times of trying to do the work themselves and not letting God do it. We use scripture like "God gives the increase" and terms like "We need the power of the Spirit" to make our case against those who are laboring hard in the Lords work because of a vision. Did it ever occur to you that in reality you are guilty of the judgement you are giving and doing the same thing by trying to work at tearing that persons vision down instead of letting God do that work(if its even necessary)? What hypocrisy! Maybe someone destroyed a vision you had long ago, that doesn't make it ok to do the same thing. Maybe the real truth is that you have Green eyes, full of envy.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" Ephesians 3:20

Distracted

Distracted by the things around us we are! Not to sound like "Yoda" but it's so true. In what age or what generation have men been more distracted? It is amazing to me how many things there are that keep distracting me from my mission in life. I'm not going to make a list of everything because you know what I'm talking about. I want to show you some quotes from an "eyes on the prize" sort of Christian lady. Listen to the focus and feel the mission Fanny Crosby was on. Her eyes were literally on Christ.

"It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

"If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind...for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour."

I am so blind at times that I get distracted even by the things that God is trying to use to get me focussed! I find that the most happy, joyous, fulfilled times in my life are when I am totally focussed on the mission that God has for me. When I get distracted my whole life seems out of whack. Listen to what she wrote when she was only 8 years old.

Oh, what a happy child I am,

although I cannot see!

I am resolved that in this

world contented I will be!

How many blessings I enjoy

that other people don't!

So weep or sigh because

I'm blind, I cannot - nor I won't

Its incredible how one that was so blind was so focussed. I want to stay focussed, I don't want to be distracted. I want to teach my kids to think like this amazing woman. God help me not to be distracted, not to turn to the left or to the right........ Help me stay on mission!

Daddy, I Don't Want To See

Wow.....I never thought that I would hear that from anyone. Life sure has a way of teaching us things that are beyond our imagination. My little girl is 5 and a half now and she is asking so many questions and learning so many things. Just today she broke her all time record and brailled her name and the alphabet in 49 seconds. I think she's awesome!

A few weeks ago we were talking and she was wondering if there would ever be a way that her eyes could be fixed. She has asked this question before and we had actually talked about it in our home because of all the wonderful advances that science and technology have made. We told her that there may be a day when the doctors could fix her eyes so she could see. Her response was "Daddy, I don't want to see." We were kind of shocked because we know how much better it would be to see. Having never seen she doesn't know.

Some of her response was due to having to go through surgery, some of it was that it would be so different and change is scary. The largest part of it however was that being blind has become a large part of her identity. She is the blind girl, she gets lots of attention because of this, she gets to do things that other kids don't get to do. She knows braille and they don't. She has 3 teachers and the other kids only have 1. She has never known anything but blindness. It's who she is!

I wonder if many times we too don't want to see......I mean.....if our eyes are opened and we see certain truths more clearly, things may not be the way that we thought they were. What if our identity is based on what we have always thought to be reality. What if the world really isn't the way that we thought it to be.

I liken my daughter to believers because she can see the light but she doesn't see detail. Just like my daughter doesn't want to see maybe many of Gods people are happy just being saved or happy just doing things the way they've always been done. Maybe we too actually prefer being blind. Maybe alot of the changes that are so resisted in so many churches and associations are actually resisted for no other reason than if we did it that way we would lose our identity? I tell my daughter..... "We would love you the same!" We tell her "Don't you want to see your daddy and your mommy?" She doesn't say anything. Maybe we are just like she is, maybe we too prefer our identity more than seeing God work in our lives, our families, our churches, our jobs? My prayer is that I will find my identity in Jesus Christ and nothing else.

Maybe you are without Christ and you are totally blind to spiritual things, maybe you have your identity wrapped up in the things of this world. You can be more than that, you can identify with more than the temporary things of this world......Turn to Christ and find a much better identity in Him. May God Bless.

Once I Was Blind But Now I Can See

Have you ever really thought about what it would be like to be blind? I have two children that are blind and unless I describe things with great detail and clarity they have no idea really what is around them! I think that the main way that the adversary keeps people spiritually blind is simply not allowing them to hear a clear, effective presentation of the Gospel. The vast majority of Christianity is obliging the devil when we continue to use rhetoric and language that the unchurched can not understand. Why do we continue to use it? Maybe its something called "Rhetorical Tradition". There are two types of tradition Ritualistic and Rhetorical. We will gladly blast those that use Ritualistic tradition but what about the Rhetoric!

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" II Corinthians 4:3,4

Over 85% of Americans say that they believe in God. For some it is easy to believe in God especially when they look at the Heavens and the Earth. The Bible says The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament (sky) shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Even though many people believe in God it doesnt mean that they will be going to heaven when they die! The Bible says You believe that there is one God; youre doing well: the devils also believe and tremble.
James 2:19

People say that they believe in God but what god are they talking about? The Bible says Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Isaiah 45:22 Which God you are talking about is very important!

Many people say that they believe in God, but there has never been a change in their life and the way they live. Yes, we are all sinners but the Bible says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. If you are going to heaven when you die it is because you are a changed person not because you say that you believe in God.

So How Do I Become a Changed Person, How do I Receive Spiritual Sight?

First it is good to know that we can't change ourselves. God must change us! To become a changed person you will be shown by God that you are guilty of sin and that there is no way you are good enough to get to Heaven. Even if you've only committed one sin you're not good enough. All men deserve punishment by God for their sin. We've all broken Gods laws. The Bible says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 It also says "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God".

Second you will be shown by God that His Son Jesus Christ was sinless and He loved you and me and the whole world so much that He was willing (not forced) to take our punishment for us by dying on the cross. John 3:17 in the Bible says "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved". This means we need to be saved from the punishment of our sins(eternity in Hell) through Jesus Christ!

Third you will be shown by God that you must be willing to turn from your own ways and sins and trust only in what Jesus Christ did for you on the Cross. You must accept what he did for you as a free gift!
When God shows you your need and you trust only in Jesus Christ for salvation with all your heart and really mean it you will become a changed person on the inside. People will begin to see a difference on the outside as well!

When you turn from your own ways and sins (repent) and accept what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross as a free gift you can know for sure that you will go Heaven when you die! God wouldn't be a very fair God if we lived our life wondering if we were going to Heaven or Hell. God wants us to know for sure! The bible says "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life" I John 5:13

If your eyes have been opened and you have become a changed person on the inside because you have Repented and Trusted in Christ alone for salvation please share the good news! Please go to a church that teaches the same things that this blog has said and tell some people there that youve trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior! Once youve become a saved person the Devil will try to confuse you and keep you out of churches that teach the truth. Read the Holy Bible to find the truth. If you would like help in finding a church that really teaches Gods Word please contact me at www.s-r-b-c.org or www.myspace.com/cityreachdude

Daddy's Here?

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

None of us have ever seen God but we know that he is working in our lives and the lives of those around us. None of us have ever seen the wind but we can see its work as it moves through the trees and over the fields. We can not see it but we can feel it.

When Allison was only 1 year old she started trying to talk. Because she could not see us she doubted our presence even when were sometimes right next to her. She learned very quickly to say Mommy's Here? Daddy's Here? Many times it would break my heart to know that she would become frightened that we had left even when we were inches away. Over and over I replied to her in love and said "Daddy's Here".

To the child of God who is doubting the presence of your Heavenly Father remember these words....."I will never leave you nor forsake you". When your heart cries out for the presence of the Father know that his heart is yearning for you to know his unyielding presence. When like Peter you feel the wind blowing hard against your face, when you can only see the waves, when you no longer see Him......remember, "Daddy's Here"!

Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Claritatem

Claritatem- Clarity in the midst of a changing world and uncertain times.

Clarity, "to make clear". Clarity has become a hot topic, a popular word in leadership vernacular. Everyone seems to want clarity in their personal lives and even demand clarity from their leaders. A clear view, or visionary leadership is important but what happens when the sure minded individual or the leader extraordinaire doesn’t know which way to go next. Let’s be honest.....in a perfect world everyone has 20/20 vision but this is not a world without imperfection. What if God chooses to make the way unclear? What if you must start walking by faith and not by sight? What if his plan for you turns from one of clarity to one where you must walk step by step every day? In an age where change is becoming more rapid and the storms of life seem more severe how can we still find our way? When the winds howl and the lightning strikes, when the rain is as blinding as an East Texas gully washer what do you do?
In 2002, Jill and I had our first child. We had a beautiful baby girl. What a blessing. When she was 2 to 3 months of age we realized that something was wrong with her eyes. We took her to an ophthalmologist and found that our little girl was blind. It took 6 months and numerous tests before we found her blindness was due to a genetic problem. She has what is known as Lebers Congenital Amaurosis or LCA. We were told that we had a one in four chance with each pregnancy and that there is no treatment. In November 2006 we were blessed with a little boy. Within a few weeks it became clear to us that he also had LCA.

Even though the first year or two was difficult to deal with, my wife and I have come to know that we are blessed. Both of our children are healthy and have no other problems related to their blindness. They are both bright children and delightful. God has given us two living, breathing, illustrations of walking by faith and not by sight.

An absence of clarity is exactly what my children have. Metaphorically they are like many children of God...."they see the light", but there is absolutely no clarity. I have asked my little girl many times, "What does Daddy look like to you"? Her answer from the very beginning has been "You look like a blob daddy". My children have absolutely no clarity but they do see light, shadows and areas of extreme contrast. They are able to see the line where a white tile floor becomes a dark colored carpet. To survive in a very unclear and changing world they have developed four modifications in their behavior. They do not despise the changes or the uncertainty but instead have made adjustments. These modifications have helped them go forward. I believe that these modifications can help anyone who is unclear of Gods direction during the uncertainty of storms and changing times.

Turn to the Light

My little girl uses what she has! We must all learn to use what we have. A wise man once said “It’s not what you have that makes you great, but what you do with what you have". Since she can see light she uses light to get a bearing and use as a standard for movement. She can come back to that light and know where she is in relation to everything else around her. It is the same in our lives. We must use what we have. You have seen the light, so use the light, and use what you know to be true. Truth is always truth. You may see it from a different angle, but it is still the same truth. What are your "Lifetruths"? Don't abandon them in a crisis of vision, but stick with them. These are principles that God has laid down for your life in his Word. The world may look different than it did 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago, but the gospel is still true and it’s still saving souls. If you know something to be absolutely true it will always be absolutely true. My daughter has two categories for light. They are "God light" and "Man light". She learned early on that the light that comes from God’s creation is more trustworthy, but light that man has made can be easily turned off or moved. Unfortunately, many have built their lives and ministries on what they assumed to be true light but it was manmade light or a mirrors reflection. My little girl often goes by mirrors and says "Daddy, what is that light coming from that room"? She sees the light but doesn't know it is a reflection. If she were to walk toward that light she would crash. Follow the true light; use it to get your bearings and don't settle for manmade light or mere reflections. Jesus is the Light of the World and the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.

Take Your Time

My little girl takes forever to do a number of daily things. Many of you parents can sympathize with what I am saying but this is even more than that. Allison has learned that if she goes fast and collides with something it hurts more than if she was going slowly. So, one of her modifications is that she has learned to walk in a way that gives her the most speed with the least amount of pain. Just like an apex is the fastest speed at which a car can go through a curve without hitting anything, Allison has developed an apex for travelling without a clear view. This speed is sloooooww. If you don't have clarity in life you could go ahead and put the pedal to the metal and travel a hundred miles an hour if you wanted. Frequently you will hurt yourself and others in the process. How many times have we felt "pressure" to make a quick decision because everyone was waiting or because "That's what good leadership does"? Did you ever think that God wanted them to wait, and he was expecting you to wait on him to show you the way before you made a decision? Did it ever cross your mind that God was trying to use you to teach people who are immersed in a "Drive-thru" culture to learn the forgotten Christian virtue called patience? Maybe a lack of vision in life, family, ministry, company, job, etc. is God reminding us that patience means to "wait on the Lord". Don’t come to hasty judgments about things you don’t understand or when you don’t know what’s going on around you. Let the Lord show you how things really are. When you can't see its best to go slow!

Trust His Voice

God had to slow Elijah down. Elijah was emotionally spent and thought he was the only one still serving. God got him alone in a cave, showed him some grand things and then "a still small voice". So many times I am blinded by my ambitions, my visions, my accomplishments, my victories, my disappointments, my defeats, my voice, and the voice of others. I fail to see that I am exhausted and in a bad state of mental being. Sometimes I become so wrapped up in a God given vision or message that I forget that there may be more to come. My first vision seems to be running out of gas. Like Elijah, despite my past victories, suddenly it seems my enemies are overtaking me and I wonder if God really knows what he is doing. God takes away my certainty. He does not need me to understand what he is specifically doing. He strips me of everything that might say "I'm in control, I know what’s going on, and I’m in charge". This is almost debilitating, however, it is only when I come to that place that I am qualified to lead. It is then that I am ready to listen to His voice, it is then that I am reminded I need him and there is nothing I can do without him.

When walking in a crowded room or a place where furniture has been rearranged, Allison has learned to listen more intently to my voice. She trusts that my eye is on her. She knows my voice in a special way. She has learned to depend on and trust my voice. She knows I love her and want no harm to come to her. If I call out to her through the noise in a gentle voice, "Allison, stop". She hears my voice in spite of the crowd, and she stops. She knows she cannot see and that I can. Many children would keep walking or running until their parents chase them, but not Allison. She knows her daddy's eyes are on her, and she listens to my voice. Maybe, it is time again to remember that we are blind and that it is God who sees. Maybe you have started to think it is you who does the seeing. Maybe things shouldn’t get crowded or people shouldn’t move furniture, but that is unrealistic. It’s time again to trust his grace and not our ability. In the midst uncertainty and changing times rather than trust my ability or memories of how things were its best to trust His Voice.

Take His Hand

There is something special about holding hands. I can still remember the first time that I held my wife's hand. I can only imagine how special it is for someone who is blind to hold the hand of a sighted loved one. There is incredible safety, an easing of the mind and heart. A voice brings comfort, gives direction but is gone. Was it real or was it my imagination? Was God really speaking to me or was it my own thoughts ringing in my mind? Holding hands is a constant contact.

Allison was not very old when we realized that she was doing something unusual. To our amazement her fourth modification was to interpret what we were doing subconsciously with our hands. When we were stepping up on a curb we would raise our hands slightly before we got to them. She was alert to our movements and began stepping up before we could tell her there was a step. She knew by the movement of our hands when we wanted her to walk in front of us, to walk behind us, to go right, to go left, to stop, to back up, to duck, and to step down. To this day we can guide her through a very crowded or small area and she will not run into anything at all. She is so good at it that while holding our hands most people never notice that she is blind. When your way is unclear and your path is uncertain....take your Father's hand. Keep constant contact with him and know him so well that you can discern the very intimations of his will. This isn’t something you learn by going to church once, twice, three times a week. This knowledge comes only from an experience gained by walking with the Lord daily. When my child wants to hold my hand without saying anything and without knowing where I am she stretches out her little arm and hand. Sometimes it’s in the wrong direction, but like a good Father that doesn’t stop me.

Psalm 139:10 "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

Isa 42:6 "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee."

If you would like to learn more about LCA or think you may know someone that has LCA and it hasn’t been diagnosed please go to http://1sttouch.org/project3000.html.

Seek His Face

One morning, soon after we learned that our little girl was blind I was overwhelmed with emotions and struggled with something that was deep within me. At first I thought that I was being silly and over-emotional but then I realized that this was deeper than worry or selfishness. I was very moved and began expressing to God that I did not think it was fair for a little girl not to be able to see her own daddy's face. I cried from my heart and felt sorry for my 4 month old baby girl.

As I walked over to her room that same morning I remember leaning over the rail of her crib and saying "Good morning sunshine". She responded almost immediately by reaching up her little hands and feeling my face. That was the first time that she had ever done anything like that. Suddenly I realized that she could see me. It wasn't the way I preferred but I realized that in her own way she could still see my face. I began to cry even more and held my little girl like the precious gift that she is!

While I was holding her God spoke to my heart. "Jonathon, I too deeply desire for my children to see my face". I then realized that the emotions and struggle I had were not sinful or selfish but the desire of a loving father, a desire that our heavenly father also has for us. Sin has blinded the human race. We cannot see God with our eyes but we can still know what he looks like if we will SEEK HIS FACE.


1Ch 16:11 "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."


2Ch 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


Psa 105:4 "Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "

InSIGHT Into Our Lives

Jill and I would so much like to thank everyone that has been so kind to pray for us and Matthew over the last months. It is such a blessing to have so many people that care for you in so many ways. We are so blessed with a church that truly loves and cares for us.

As many of you know we took Matthew to have his vision checked by an ophthalmologist. We made the appointment not because we thought Matthew had normal vision but because we already believed something to be abnormal. The doctor confirmed our concern and told us that Matthew has the same genetic problem as Allison.

Allison and Matthew have what is known as Leibers Congenital Amaurosis. Approximately 3,000 people in the U.S. have this genetic problem. Some can barely see light while others are just very farsighted. Allison has light perception and can see shapes and shadows. Jill and I believe that God may have given Matthew more than that but we will not know how much until he is able to communicate with us. If he is like Allison that means he will be speaking in 15 word sentences when he turns two.

When we first learned about Allison 4.5 years ago we were shocked and very grieved but so many of you comforted us by things that you would say or do for us. God is good and we learned in a very special way that God is "the God of all comfort". II Corinthians 1:4 says "God comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God"

Jill and I have made no formal announcements before this. However as we have shared the news with many of our family and friends we have come to realize that many are taking this very hard. This is quite understandable in every way. We would like to comfort you now by the comfort that God used you to comfort us

1. Many of you told us that we must be very special parents for God to give us a child like Allison. We would like to let you all know that our family and friends and our church must be very special also for God to allow this to happen in your midst.

2. Many of you told us that God must have a very special plan for Allison's life. We would like to let you know that in this circumstance that God must have a very special plan for you our family our friends and our Church also. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose"

3. Many of you comforted us not because you could understand what we were going through but because in tears you tried to understand. We know that this is difficult for you also and in tears we too want to understand your hurts even in this matter.

4. Many of you comforted us because you loved Allison and now will love Matthew. Know for a surety that you will be comforted also in being loved by Allison and Matthew.

Jill and I deeply care for and love all of you and we have been aware that many are and have struggled with the news of Matthew in a great way. It does not offend us that you may struggle with it especially when so many of you were praying so hard for this situation. Some of you may have wondered why we have not seemed to struggle with it as much this time around. There are several reasons why this is true.

1. After living four and a half years with a young girl as delightful as Allison it is very difficult to be overly sad about having another child with the same thing.

2. We both knew that we had a 1 in 4 chance at having another blind child and we had decided about 3 years ago that it didn't matter to us.

3. There was a point at which the doctors told us that we may not be able to get pregnant again and so we are just delighted that God did give us another child.

4. There are 5 types of Leibers Congenital Amaurosis of which 3 include mental retardation. We are blessed that the kind our Kids have is not those. There are so many other things that cause blindness, which include brain abnormalities, tumors, diseases that lead to organ failures and even childhood death. We have been blessed.

5. We have learned to appreciate things that we see so many other people taking for granted. One example is the use of the other senses. Not only is it amazing to see how Allison uses her sense of smell, hearing and taste but Jill and I have both noticed that our senses have become more sensitive because we are more aware of them. Allison's memory is absolutely amazing and we have actually come to rely on her memory in our own work at times. We are learning Braille and have been absolutely amazed at the careers and accomplishments of the blind. In some ways God has opened a door to world that we never even knew existed!

6. Unlike many of you Jill and I deal with this on a day to day basis. We have had several years to adjust to what it means to have a blind child. Having another blind child in many ways is actually an easier adjustment even though that is hard to imagine…..in other words this is our reality and what God has given us and we are at peace with that! As the great song "It is Well With My Soul" says " Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say it is well with my soul".

7. In some ways were hoping to tell Allison that she had a sighted brother and we were even preparing her for that possibility. One night before Matthew was born we were talking about it and Allison started crying and said "Daddy that wouldn't be fair if Matthew was sighted and not me". In some ways it was a blessing not to have to tell Allison that her brother was sighted.

I could go on and on but I think that many of you get the point.

In John chapter 9 the disciples of Jesus asked Jesus "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered and said "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the workS of God should be made manifest in him." The works that were shown in him were many. The obvious one is that he was given sight. As we read the entire chapter the main and central work that was being shown through this man however was the work of Redemption that Jesus Christ was going to do! Many may have privately wondered if God was punishing Jill or myself for some sin in our life and I would like to help you but there is nothing that can help someone with that kind of thinking. Just be assured that Jill and I live with Allison and Matthew everyday and we have asked ourselves that question probably a few hundred times more than you may have thought it about us!

The bottom line is that God is good all the time!

My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me
I can not choose the colors
He worketh steadily
Oft times he weaveth sorrow
And I in foolish pride
Forget he sees the upper
And I the underside
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why
The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern he has planned

In Christ,
Jonathon and Jill Smith