Still Going . . .

Grace to you and peace from God, the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen Galatians 1:3-5

For those of you enjoying the lazy days of summer, just a note to let you know the Texas Legislature is still going. Like the pink EverReady bunny, the fun just never seems to end around here. After over 15 hours of debate on a bill yesterday, one of the final pieces of the budget puzzle was passed. It reminds me of the poster that hangs over my desk:

GOVERNMENT

If You Think the Problems we Create are Bad,

Just Wait Until You See Our Solutions

My hope is not in man or government.

So, this morning I return to my desk and remind myself what a joy it is that I live at a time such as this so that I may see the glory of the Lord worked out on a daily basis.

Lord, may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

Boldness

Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that will all boldness they may speak Your word, but stretching our Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus. Acts 4:29-30

Have you witnessed any miracles lately?

Do you expect to?

Would you recognize them if you did?

One of the joys of working in a legislative office that goes against the flow is the ever present reminder that apart from God we can do nothing. We know we are not playing by earthly rules. Our expectation has to be that the Lord will have to get involved for us to have any victory.

And He does.

On a daily basis.

He has blessed us with staff, with favor, with strategy and with boldness. He has intervened in the affairs of men on our behalf.

It is humbling.

Lord, thank you for the boldness to proclaim Your word. Amen

I AM

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:13

My mind woke up before my body this morning. And with it, the words, ”I AM” were playing in my head.

The words were meat to chew on about the Lord we serve.

God says, “I AM WHO I AM.”

And man tries to figure out what that means.

It means, He is who He is.

Before your brain gets totally tied in a knot trying to figure it all out, remember that it is not for man to ever fully understand God. If we could, He would be a very small God indeed.

So, rather than figuring out who He is, reflect on who you are in Him. And then, rejoice in whose you are.

Lord, thank you for who You are and who I am in You. Amen.

Begin Again

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

Today was supposed to be the first day of my recovery period from a contentious legislative session. Instead, after completing the constitutionally required 140 days of meetings, the Governor has immediately called the legislators back into a special session to complete the work they did not finish.

Special sessions can only be called by the Governor. The legislature can consider only the items the Governor states are eligible for consideration. And, they only last 30 days. Those are the good things. The bad thing is that the Governor can call as many special sessions as it takes to work out whatever needs to be worked out.

So, rather than sleep until noon - which has been my fantasy for this day for the past four months - my alarm went off as usual and I find myself back in the office. It is an understatement to describe the feeling as disappointment or frustration.

And yet, I find myself inexplicably content with the knowledge that this too shall pass.

Lord, You know our needs in this situation. I pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in the Texas Legislature. Amen

Life is Not Fair

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world . . . Philippians 2:14-15

Driving in to work this morning, I was engaging in mental murmuring as I digested the news that short of a legislative miracle, we will be adjourning the Regular Session of the 82nd Legislature today and convening the 1st Called Session of the 82 Legislature tomorrow. In other words, instead of having a down time to catch up on sleep and the daily details of life that have been pushed aside for the past five months, we may be coming back tomorrow to complete the tasks we have not finished.

It’s not fair! We have done our part. We passed the bills in the House (even the bad ones). Just because the Senate can’t get their act together we will all have to come back during time that should have been vacation time.

It’s not fair - the three words I never allowed my children to use without reminding them “Mom’s Mantra.” Life is not fair and some people are stupid. That simple sentence explains about 98 percent of all otherwise inexplicable things in the world.

“Can I stay out past my curfew?”

“No.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Life is not fair.”

Then, there are the arguments for “some people are stupid.” Just read the newspaper and for every instance you can not figure out why someone did something, just whisper to yourself, “Wow, some people really are stupid.” You will be amazed how much time you will save trying to figure things out.

I was convicted in my thinking about fairness when I read Philippians 2. Even though my complaining and murmuring was mental, it was complaining and murmuring.

So, I repent.

And, will probably have to do it more than once.

Lord, thank You that life is not fair. If it were, we could not enjoy Your salvation. Amen

Press On

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

It’s Friday! And not just any Friday. It is the last Friday in the legislative session.

Last night our staff gathered in our office for a meal and some end of session fellowship. It was the final day for one of our interns and the last time we would all be together for a while. As we each discussed our plans, it reminded me of the last day of school when i was a kid. Nobody was concerned about homework or tests on the final day of school. They were looking forward to the lazy days of summer stretching out before them. It was not so much an ending of school as it was the beginning of summer.

And, so it is with this legislative session. When the Speaker of the House and the Lt. Governor in the Senate gavel the final session closed, the legislators will go home, staff will all take a well needed rest, and . . . .

And what? Is this an ending for you, or a beginning? Do you think you are you finished with what you have to do? Or, do you have a new appreciation for how much more the Lord has for you to do?

Spend then next couple of days wrapping up the session and a couple of days catching up on sleep. Then, forget those things behind and press on to that upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

You don’t get to stop doing good just because the session ends.

Lord, thank You that You equip us and empower us to do all we are called to do. Amen

Hold Your Peace

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14

Like the end of the roller coaster ride, this legislative session is coming to an end. We experienced the slow climb up the tracks hearing the clanking of the chains, made a few loopy loops, and had a couple of gravity defying plunges ending in extreme turns that take you back the way you just came. Now, as the roller coaster is pulling into the station, you can feel those jerky stops as the vehicle slows down. It is time to think about prying your hands off the safety bar in front of you, taking a couple of deep breaths to get your stomach out of your throat, and stepping gingerly out of the car back onto solid ground.

If you are in one of the offices that still has legislation in play, you are waiting to see if the months of work you have put in will prosper or, with the stroke of a gavel or the tick of the clock be yesterday’s news.

Just a reminder.

All you can do is all you can do.

Duty is ours and results are God’s.

Let the Lord fight for you.

Hold your peace.

Lord, only by your grace can I hold my peace in this environment. Amen