And now back regularly scheduled Tod So while I was in the prayer processing center waiting for prayers

to be answere d (approved) it wouldnt be me to just sit and wait . Its more in my character to continue being tod . So I went on like I usually do . This time I paid more atte ntion to my immediate surroundings. Over the past weekend I was compelled to do the good deed of raking leaves up on the block. Its therapeutic. It gave me a ch ance to think. The year was coming to an end and I always say every thing Im doi ng now is happening for a reason, its preparing me for the next thing. As I rake d I thought about my small accomplishments and my loftier aspirations. How much closer was I to achieving them. Of all the aspirations I had, getting closer to what I knew to be God remained at the top. In spite of my shortcomings, flaws and idiosyncrasies quirks, and eccentricities, God still remained at the top of the list. I was determined to get on that G list. Im jus sayin. And not bec ause I get my way all the time, but because I dont. When I dont get my way I end u p with a bit more than I asked for needed or deserved. Rake , Rake, Rake This menial, thankless effort that I was putting forth was just enough to keep m e humble. In springtime, my hands in dirt, planting vegetables or flowers puts me in touch with God. In the fall it does the same with raking. The more I raked the more they fell. And when I said thankless I spoke too soon. Remember how I said earlier Part of my thing was to speak to 10 people in the morning and get 1 0 responses? That was a good thing because those were the people who greeted me first and said Hey Thanx, Nice Job . To you ,that means absolutely nothing and i t shouldnt . To me it means that no good effort goes unnoticedno matter how small . Rake Rake Rake You see , a long time ago, because of the people who Im lucky enough to know, I learned how to be thankful.Everytime they complained about something or made lig ht of my accomplishments or found mirth or mistake in everything I did, I secret ly blessed and thanked them for that. It taught me to take value in myself the same way something higher than myself does . Its the thankless jobs that build character because they are being done without expectation of reward, the thing s that people despise doing. Theyd rather be doing anything else.These are also the things that people who refused to do willingly, will complain about other pe ople doing it. See, these are the lessons that a life lived, teaches us.Thats why I like to do things like raking or working alone, so I, and I alone could look back at what I achieved, correct my own mistakes before some one else tries to . Their job is to do just that. Theyre in the processing center too, Pointing out e veryones mistake . The flaws and mistakes we see in someone else are actually in ourselves . Thin k about it, if all an individual can see in someone else are their flaws, then i ts likely that is all they have in them .Im jus sayin. Im sure we all know someone like that. Its best not to ever take advice from someone like that because its obvious they havent tried their own . They are the people you come across in the prayer processing waiting room. They have all the answers and advice , but its hard to detect that advice having an effect on them .Im jus sayin .Its difficult for them to give a compliment but easier to find flaw. Its easier for them to as k for our prayers but harder to pray with someone. Its the magnificent Obsession that God has with us that shows us how to exercise that same conduct, discipli ne and compassion that we have within ourselves, with other people . Hmmm. Good thing I didnt take value in their opinion. A Higher opinion means more to me . I feel a lot better when I see myself as God does .Just like I am. Imperfect. Rake, Rake Rake As the weekend went on I noticed that I had some text messages thanking me. And not just from one or two or three people. In fact I actually thought that they w ere complaints . Remember ,I told you I was lucky enough to know people who are

in charge of pointing out my mistakes and flaws and looking at what I was doing wrong or finding fault in things. Im so lucky to know people like this because I can check myself and see what I would look like if I did those things. So when I saw messages thanking me from the most unlikeliest sources, I just thanked God for letting me know that no good deed goes unnoticedno matter how small. And just because someone else notices it ,it doesnt make it any gr8er. And if they belitt le it ,.it doesnt diminish it either. You just get another chance to say thank yo u. It doesnt give us a free pass to anything except gratitude to be able to take part in the smallest way in Gods gr8 tapestry. The small insignificant things th at I do without recognition are what weaves itself into that tapestry. The diffe rent types of people who are woven in intricately will teach me the gr8est lesso ns in life , and I will learn those lessons from their experiences. Oh yes, life is the gr8est teacher of life itself, but only as we let life live itself -tod. Im jus sayin. This is how I fuel my ambition instead of my fear. Its a constant walking alone w hile knowing something gr8ter is near . Its really not about us at all because we are insignificant. But heres where it gets interesting. As insignificant as we a re, we are also God s Magnificent Obsession . I know right? How can that be?Lets not tarnish it by using logic to find out. Im jus sayin. Logic banishes any chan ce we have at being awestruck at the sheer magnitude of his power. We find out t hat we are a part of His Obsession every time we weave ourselves into that tapes try. Its woven with threads of compassion,you, understanding ,obedience, me, pr ayer,friends prayer and a little more prayer. There is a bit of that person tha t you hold a grudge against woven in there. Oh yeah, did I mention prayer. And no, not the prayer that our great grand parents had. Its the prayer that evolved from that. The kind that excludes doctrine and law. The kind that just requires us to be honest . With ourselves. Yeah, that kind. It kinda abolishes the need for that prayer approval committee , doesnt it? Im jus sayin. The operators will still be standing by though.. Its exactly that kind of dialog we can have with ourselves dashed with humor as a side benefit that gives us glimpses into the inner workings of a Creator wh o could refer to each and everyone of us as His Magnificent Obsession. Rake Rake Rake Welcome leaves, Ive been expecting you.