Cluck Cluck Cluck, or Grilled Chicken for the Soul

Every Thursday, or nearly every Thursday, I go to a local restaurant (The 50s Twist Diner) and grill chicken. I know there are probably some jokes running through your mind right now concerning fried chicken and preachers, but I actually prefer the grilled variety of that particular poultry. And, if I do say so myself, it’s pretty good. I make my own basting sauce, a secret recipe, and nearly everyone who tries it seems to like it. That’s fine with me, especially if it helps the proprietor of diner.

Anyway, I’m very particular about my chicken. Case in point: my very-soon-to-be sister-in-law (sorry I went hyphen-happy there) recently went to a cook out where she said she had some chicken that was “pink and kind of tasted funny.” Needless to say, much of the next day was spent at a hospital where she once again encountered the “funky chicken.”

Having suffered from food poisoning myself, I am quite particular when it comes to making sure my food is “done.” There are some things that I will eat only if there’s a layer of charcoal that must be shaved off the outside. And there are other things that don’t have to be charred for me to enjoy. Chicken, though, is one thing that has to be perfect.

When I cooked today, and on Sunday afternoon when I grilled twenty pounds of chicken (that’s a lot of chicken, and it only took me two hours, twenty minutes to cook it all for a church fellowship that evening), I made sure that each piece was properly heated throughout. I could judge by the time on the grill that each piece should be about finished, but I would also cut some pieces in two in order to look at the inside, just to be certain.

As I grilled, I couldn’t help thinking that the chicken on the grill is similar to us and our lives. We all have some fiery trials that come our way, but the Lord, the Master Chef if you will, knows how long we have to cook. Some of us are thicker than others (stronger in spirit and faith), and might require additional cooking time. But the Master knows when we’re just right. Sometimes He cuts into us to expose those parts of us that need more heat, but in the end, He wants to make sure we come off the heat just the right way. Taking us off too soon, and we may still be raw inside, unable to learn or grow effectively. Leaving us on too long, and we get burned, we get hard and dried out, and aren’t much use.

But the Lord knows exactly what He’s doing. While we’re in the fire, we are getting more and more “done.” He adds different ingredients to our lives which enhance our experience and improve our “flavor.” Then, when everything is just right, He removes us and offers us to the world. What we’ve been through, while sometimes hot and painful, enables others to feast on our experience and find encouragement and growth from us, and from what the Lord has done in us.

So the next time I’m standing over a hot grill, watching the minutes tick by and burning my fingers, I might look at it a little differently. If I put this much care in cooking a bird, how much more will the Lord care for me as He prepares me for His service?

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

One Life

There was a stuffiness in the room, environmental as well as emotional. Over the last few days a seemingly endless stream of people had made their way in and out, a cycle repeated so often that the family was almost numb to the influx of visitors. Each person, each couple, would stay for a few minutes, warmest wishes to those in the chairs and around the walls, a word of encouragement, brief and passing conversations in the hallways.

Everyone had been so considerate over these last few days, despite the close quarters and a small air conditioner that just wasn’t as effective as everyone would like. The days and nights had started to blend together, was it time for dinner or breakfast? Still, no one was very hungry. There would be time to eat, promises made to friends that they would keep up their strength, some vague mention of getting ‘something later.’

Almost without fail, the many visitors would come to the bedside, take the hand of the man laying there, and offer a smile, some half-hearted instruction to ‘hang in there,’ or ‘you’re going to be okay.’ The old man would look up with the same kindness he’d shown for so many years, only this time it was more worn and weary. With a wink and a smile, he would nod and say, “You bet.” As they would turn to make their exit, he could see them from the corner of his eye, a hug for his family, a sad shaking of their heads, some whisper of how it wouldn’t be “too much longer.”

This didn’t bother him. He may be old and frail, but one thing he was not was a fool. He had known for a while now that his time was growing short. He had even told his family not to worry, not to be sad. He recalled his last sermon to his congregation, bidding farewell to the families he had pastored for so long. Of course, there would be deep affection and appreciation to contend with, so it was no surprise to hear them say to him, “Don’t talk like that! Things are going to be okay. You’ll get better.” And in his usual way, he would smile and say, “Sure I will.”

Now, it looked like all their hopes were coming to an end. There was a mix of appreciation and exhaustion, the family never able to adequately thank those who came to be there for them, but also wanting some time for themselves. Why all this fuss? he thought to himself. This is just a part of life. The last part, sure, but I know what’s waiting for me.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of sadness, powerful, unexpected. There was no fear of the beyond, no anxiety of what death would feel like, yet he could not escape the sadness. As a tear rolled down his cheek, his daughter came to his side. “What’s wrong, Dad? Do you need something?” There were no words, just more tears from the still bright eyes. The rest of the family, fearing what they knew was inevitable, rushed to be beside him. It was then the words finally came.

“I’ve been a preacher for most of my life. I’ve been where you are standing on more occasions that I can remember. So many times it’s not like this. I’ve been truly blessed.” It was getting harder for him to speak. His son said, “We’ve been blessed, too.”

“You don’t understand,” said the old man, his voice struggling to be heard past the weakness and the emotion. “Most people never get to leave something behind, an explanation or anything else. Death rarely happens as it does in the movies.

“I’m not afraid to go. I love you all, and I look forward to seeing you again in heaven. But I have one big regret, and now it’s too late to change it.”

His wife, a loving woman who had been with him all throughout his ministry, nearly sixty years, gently moved the stray hairs off his forehead, said, “What do you regret, honey? We’ll try to make it right.”

“You can’t,” came the reply. “I regret that I didn’t do more for the Lord.”

The room was silent for a moment. Another son said, “Dad, you were a preacher for over fifty years. You’ve helped hundreds and even thousands of people. You’ve led I don’t know how many people to the Lord, and you’ve seen your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren raised in Christian homes. What more could you have done?”

The man thought for a moment, said, “I don’t know. I just know that the place where I’m going, and the One who is taking me there, is worth more effort that I did or even could give. When I was a young pastor, I thought to myself, ‘I could be doing other things. I should take it easy, relax, I’m already doing more than my share.’ But now, I see things differently. One lifetime just doesn’t seem enough time to work for the Lord. I don’t know what else I could have done, but I would have sure liked the opportunity to try.”

Then, a look of peace came over his face. The tears stopped, his eyes grew wide and bright. He looked around the room, into the concerned and loving faces of his family, and said, “There’s one thing you all can promise me. Promise me that your life will be about more than yourself. Never let a day go by that you don’t share Jesus with someone. Be there for one another, be there to help others. Let God’s light shine through you, so others can see the way out of their darkness. That is the best thing you can do for me. It’s the only thing that counts.”

Each person nodded, said they would honor their father’s request. He smiled again, let his head relax on the pillow. He said, “Mine has been a good life. The Lord has never left my side, and I’m going to a place where I will never again leave His side. After a lifetime of searching, I finally know what life is all about.”

“What’s it about, Granddad?” a granddaughter asked.

“It’s not about yourself. It’s all about what you can do for someone else, and it’s all about the Lord. I wouldn’t trade what I’ve had for anything in this world. I thank God for you all, and I pray you’ll carry on His work.”

The room seemed to grow brighter, even larger, but he was the only one who noticed. He wanted to ask them if they could see the light, could feel the cool breeze, but as he looked around, he no longer saw his family. There was one face, though, that stood out. It was a face he’d never seen before, but he knew it as well as he knew his own. He reached out a hand as the face began to smile, and the man said, “Welcome home.”

He took a deep breath, a sigh of relief, perhaps a sigh of wonder, and everyone knew he was gone. There were tears, low sobs, but no one in that room doubted; each person was sad for themselves, but no one was sad for him. One chapter had ended, but a glorious new chapter had begun, and this chapter would never end. Now it was up to them to carry on the story for him.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

What's Your Point? and other less-than-brief musings

The following is adapted from some impromptu remarks I made during Wednesday evening’s praise and worship service …at least, what I can remember of them. Also included are some fresh thoughts.

I am hesitant to write this entry, not because of any question of the topic, but because of a recent article written by my friend Jason Miller of WebProNews. In the article linked here, Jason speaks of the centrist nature of the blogging world (by centrist, I mean that most blogs center upon the writer and his/her life). Still, while the views expressed in this entry (and all of them, for that matter) are my own, I believe this entry is more. Plus, this paragraph gives me one more chance to mollify Jason’s own longing for publicity (just a friendly jab between buddies there, Jake).

Some over the years have asked me, in some way or another, to “define” my ministry. Why is it I do what I do? What do I hope to accomplish? Depending on my mood on any given day, the answers to those questions, the very definition of my ministry might be quite simple or overly complex.

In order to come up with some answer, I’ve found that it is best to turn to the Scriptures. In searching for some meaning for my own ministerial existence, trying to find purpose and focus for myself and those who come within the sphere of my ministry (through casual contact, church services, or even this blog), I find myself particularly drawn to one area of Scripture. It is one of my favorite passages, because it sums up so well my whole thinking on the issue:

Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I believe that this is my goal, that if I were praying for others, this would be my prayer for them. I believe this should be the goal for every individual, for themselves as well as for their congregation. I believe it should be the goal of God’s Church here on earth.

Christian, I want you to ask yourself: why do I bow to God in the first place? Sadly, I believe too many Christians have lost sight of the point of Christianity (by Christianity, I am not speaking of the religious aspect, but the practical application or lifestyle of it) and have replaced it with other things. The Christian life has been boiled down to certain dos and don’ts, showing up at some church one or two times a week, believing whatever some preacher says about anything and accepting it as gospel.

What has been lost? Practically everything Paul mentions in the above verses seems to have taken a back seat to personal preference or misguided goals. I am a minister, but I will say this: never simply take a preacher’s word for it. Study, pray, explore the Scriptures for yourself (with an open heart) and discover the truth of God’s Word. If you will indulge me for a moment, I would like to once again step into the narcissist role and tell you what I think about these verses.

First of all, I choose to acknowledge God as supreme in my life, knowing through faith that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. All people, everywhere, are created through the power and providence of God, and it is His desire that all should come to know Him through His Son Jesus; still, this is our choice to make. The question now is, what do I hope to get out of this relationship, out of my choice? And as a minister, what is it I want the Church and my own congregation to get out of it? For the sake of this entry, I will speak for myself, but understand that it is what I want for the Church and my congregation of God’s Church.

All we have comes from the riches of God’s glory, and His supply never runs low. Every good thing we have, and everything we need, is supplied from His richness. Therefore the only rationing that takes place is on our part; how much or how little we wish to receive is entirely up to us. To desire the good things of God should stem from the idea that we can receive in abundance. I want strength, the ability, desire and intelligence to face my battles with courage, knowing the outcome lies in God’s hands and that ultimate victory belongs to me already, through the victory of Christ. During the hard times, I need to be reminded of my own weakness, and that in my weakness, the strength of God is brought to bear within me. And it’s not about physical strength, but the inner man, the soul, that benefits from this strength.

I don’t want to be alone. I want to know that no matter what I face, I have a Companion, a Friend to go with me and do battle for me. I know that Friend is Jesus, and that by my faith (not just believing that He is with my intellect, but making a choice to believe and live the Christian experience) the Lord lives within my heart. He not only goes with me, but goes through it with me. But I cannot have Jesus dwelling in a broken home. By this, I mean that my heart must be strengthened in love; my life, my very existence, should be firmly rooted and grounded in the power of love. I speak not of “flower power,” or “have you hugged a tree today?” but that love truly conquers all. It takes strength to love, because human love is conditional. My prayer is that I can love in spite of circumstances, not because of them.

I want to know more. I have a thirst for knowledge, but my hunger for the things of God is never slaked. Granted, Jesus said that He is the “living water,” and all who drink of Him will never thirst again. What this means is that we find what we’re looking for, and we never have to go anywhere else. But like with any great love, the more we love, the more we want to love; the more we discover, the more we want to discover. Our limited understanding of God can never reach perfection, but with each passing day, I want to know more about Him, about what it means to be His child, about who and what Jesus is. It is not just one- or two- or even three-dimensional. I want to know how wide, how long, how deep and how high God’s magnificence is, and every day I see it’s more that I could imagine. My prayer is that I can join my experience with all believers, and that more of that width, length, depth and height can be made manifest within my life, more understood and more practiced in myself, and more visible to others.

I can’t explain it, nor do I wish to explain it. I cannot fully comprehend it, for it is beyond my weak understanding. But by faith, I know it is real, and while I cannot express it in words, I know that God’s love is what I aspire to know and show. I want to be filled with all the fullness of God, not filled with a portion of God, not to show a godly characteristic here and there, every now and then. I want every part of me to belong to God and to show God, so I pray for His fullness. This is what I pray for the Church, and for my congregation, that God’s fullness fills every heart, every word, every act, so that His fullness is seen by all.

All of this can be accomplished, for my prayer is directed not at empty hope, some wish upon a distant and powerless star. I ask my own heavenly Father, the Creator of it all, through the name of His Son and my Big Brother Jesus, and I know that God’s power can do not just exceedingly, not just abundantly, and not just above all we ask, but all three: exceedingly abundantly above all we could every dare to dream. But we must allow that power to work within us. We must let go of self, of preconceived notions, of prejudice against faith or against God’s people (remember, we’re all children, and we all make mistakes, none of us are perfect, and we all have the capacity to grow), and let God show us what He is capable of doing in and for us.

And finally, let it never be about us. It should never be about me, about my abilities or eloquence or efforts. Everything I am, say and do should bring glory to the Savior who made it all possible for me. In years to come, my prayer is that I will disappear, and that Christ will appear in me. If I receive any praise or glory, never let me fail to say, “Thank you, but it’s all because of Jesus.

If you have never asked Jesus to come into your heart as Savior and Lord, I ask you this: to what do you bow your knees? There is an emptiness within your heart, somewhere, and you will never be able to fill it until Jesus comes in and fills it for you. Solomon said, “All is vanity.” Everything is temporary, and eventually comes to nothing. But in Jesus, you find completeness, you find a family and a hope, you find a Friend. It’s all a matter of grace, and your choice to accept it. And if you do accept it, allow it to fill you and change you, not just occupy some out-of-the-way corner of your life. I love the Lord, and He loves me. He loves you, and so do I.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Pink Stuff? No thanks, I'm driving

So, just a quick update on what’s been going on with me in the physical sense. After seeing a doctor (which is a miracle in itself, given my notorious aversion to seeking medical attention for anything at all), I was given some medicine to hopefully ease the pain and problems; I was also set up with an appointment for further tests. In the modern-day definition of “rush,” my appointment to schedule said test isn’t until mid-September.

Anyway, I began taking the medicine Tuesday evening, and by the next day, I was already enjoying its benefits. Today is Thursday, and I can say that I have had the best two days (especially in a row) that I’ve had in nearly two months. No longer am I as afraid to eat as I have been. Life as I have come to know it has been good.

The heat here has been awful, as it has been in so many different parts of the country. They say today is to be the hottest day of the summer. Just a little while ago, it was 94, high humidity, with a heat index of 101. What better day to stand over a grill? What better day to stand over a grill on two separate occasions?

That’s right, I went to grill at a local restaurant as I do every Thursday. This evening, I plan on grilling at the house. Why do I do it? Apparently I’m a glutton for punishment. I have truly been blessed.

Well, I hope to post something later tonight or tomorrow with a bit more spiritual substance. For now, though, I will bring this entry to a close. I would like to thank my good friend Jason Miller over at WebProNews for linking to my blog in an article he wrote. For all who happen to stop by and read this, I want to welcome you, and let you know that I’m glad you stopped by. My hope is that what is said here might inspire you, encourage you, make you smile, or at the very least, make you think.

See you soon!

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Could You Please Pass the Pink Stuff?

I’ve been sick for a long time. Now, before you rush off to the store to pick up a nice get-well card, I’ll tell you that it’s not a constant thing. For many years, I’ve had on-again, off-again bouts of stomach trouble. I’ve been poked, prodded, and medicated, and once I go to the doctor next week, I’m sure a whole new round of fun will begin. And that’s okay with me; I think a person would have to be one meatloaf short of a potluck dinner to be as sick as I was a few weeks ago and want to repeat it.

Now, I’m fairly certain you didn’t come here to read of someone’s gastrointestinal difficulties, but I do have a point. There is nothing better than illness and pain to bring you closer to the Lord.

One evening as my family and I were enjoying dinner at a local restaurant, I became seriously ill. My wife, in-laws and the waiter wanted to call an ambulance, but I, in my infamous stubborn way, refused. Needless to say, while at the restaurant and subsequently at home, I did a lot of praying. And I believe my prayers worked.

I know that many people, when the going gets rough, begin to pray, whether they are a Christian or not. But for some, once the issue has passed (in some form or another), they go about their routine, giving God little if any thought. For me, though, my prayer was not only about getting better, although it was a ‘ginormous’ part of it. My illness had the potential to impede my ministry.

There have even been church services where, in the middle of delivering a message, I would have a flare-up. There have been times I needed to attend to some member of my congregation and was unable to do so. I believe this was the deciding factor in setting up a doctor’s appointment.

Throughout it all, though, the Lord has been with me, seeing me through. And while I don’t enjoy those moments of intense, unexpected and unpredictable pain, I am glad the Lord can use them to bring me closer to Him. He does this by giving me the grace to see me through those moments, as well as think of “something else,” some bit of Scripture or spiritual principle to occupy my mind. And the wealth of illustrative material it has given me is unbelievable.

So, what’s the point of all this? Never allow circumstances to get in the way of your Christian growth. Even during the worst of times, the Lord can show you what He is capable of doing. Early this morning, a member of my congregation passed into eternity. While his family, and others who have recently lost loved ones, will experience the hurt of such loss for the rest of their lives, it is now that God can truly show them what His grace is all about.

It is okay to hurt. It is okay to grieve. But never turn loose of the Master. Hold to Him when things are great, so you’ll know how to find Him when things fall apart. He will never let you down. Give Him the praise for seeing you through. Let someone know how much you love Him and how much He loves you. There are great opportunities in our lives, and we should take advantage of every one of them.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Who's that handsome guy in the mirror?

I implore you to bear with me through this beginning. I do have a point, and it’s not what it seems by reading the first portion of this entry. I’m really not like this. Really.

I enjoy a plethora of interests: reading, writing, movies, fishing, discussions, ministry, computers, photography, and other sub-categories of these. But of all the hobbies that keep my attention, of all the things that bring me enjoyment, of all the stuff that occupies my time, on thing stands out; there’s one subject that means more to me than anything else.

That subject is me.

If we were really honest with ourselves, I would venture to say that all of us are very dear to our own hearts. I mean, if it came down to getting a $10 billion check or getting served with an arrest warrant, which would you rather have the guy next door get, and which would you rather receive? See? We like ourselves, and sometimes we think it’s great to just sit back and ponder just how much better we are than so-and-so down the road.

I believe you should give people an occasional “pat on the back.” If they help you, if they do you some good, tell them how much you appreciate them. I have received some wonderful compliments over the years, and while I can’t list them all, some hold a special place in my heart and a vivid place in my recollection.

Now, if you’ve managed to make it this far, allow me to desist with the self-aggrandizement and return to reality, however skewed my own reality may at times become. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m really not like the person I described above. Yet I do feel that those who are indeed important in your life (in whatever manner that might be) should be told what you think of them.

I have a dear friend, Jason Miller, who for all that we potentially disagree upon (you can check out his blog to see for yourself; parental advisory—sorry Jake!), I wouldn’t trade for the world. Well, maybe for a nice pie recipe and a pinball machine. Anyway, last year Jason gave me one of the best compliments I’d ever received. He hadn’t been thrilled with my decision to go into the ministry nearly a decade before. But he said, “I’ve given it a lot of thought [over the last eight or nine years], and I’ve finally decided that I respect you.” That did, and still does, mean a lot to me.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to help in leading a woman to the Lord. After we had prayed, she said, “You know, when I listen to you, it’s not like you’re preaching at me or to me. It’s like you’re talking to me, like you’re teaching me.” That, she said, is what made the difference in her decision to accept Christ. That I made the Word of God easy for her to understand and practical enough to apply to her life was a compliment any pastor would love to hear.

But to these and other positive comments, I would like to say something. It’s not about me. If I am of benefit to anyone, if any of my words make some impact on a life, it is because the Lord has used me for that purpose. God has been so good to me, and I feel that anything I can give in service to Him makes my life have meaning. The Lord deserves all the praise and glory, not me.

I would be lying if I said that some little part of me wouldn’t like to have my name up in lights, or that I wouldn’t like to say or do something that would be remembered through the ages of time. That would be nice. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter whether the world remembers your name. What matters is that God remembers your name.

Contemporary Christian artist David Phelps has a song called Legacy of Love (album: Life Is A Church), and one part of the lyrics speak of my thoughts on this topic:

And as I look into the eyes of my daughters and my sons,
I hope I’ve stood for something that they’ll want to carry on.
‘Cause life is far too short not to finally realize
That it’s long enough to make a difference in someone’s life.

One day my time on earth will end. On some headstone in some cemetery, some wanderer will see my name carved in marble, a date of birth and a date of death. These dates will be separated by a little dash, one tiny hyphen. It is that hyphen that will symbolize my life, the choices, the triumphs and tragedies, the difference I made in some life. Some may think that I gave up a lot, or too much, in giving my life to the ministry. But another song on the latest album by the Gaither Vocal Band, Give it Away (same title as the song, by the way) sums up my feelings:

If you want more happy than your heart will hold,
If you want to stand taller if the truth were told,
Take whatever you have, and give it away.
If you want less lonely and a lot more fun,
And deep satisfaction when the day is done,
Throw your heart wide open, and give it away.

My desire is to make an eternal impact. To change one life for the better, to offer a word of encouragement, to be there as a source of strength or to lend a shoulder for crying, I can think of nothing better, nothing more fulfilling to me. I hope that my contribution to this life means something to someone, and that my children and grandchildren might one day look at my life and say, “I’d like to be like him.”

If I go unnoticed in this life, that’s okay with me. I’m only here for a little while, anyway. But to know you’re making a difference somewhere is really what keeps me going. Allow the Lord to guide your steps, no matter where you happen to be walking, and let Him show you how you can be there for someone else. You’ll be hard-pressed to find something to compare to it.

Also stop by CREEations, a great blog by Chris Cree. I’m sure you’ll find some encouragement and maybe a laugh or two! You might not see everything eye-to-eye with him, but he will stir your interest in your Christian relationship.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.