I have had something on my heart to write about for quite some time but I never felt like I was ready.  I wasn’t sure why I wasn’t ready but I felt something was missing despite it continually weighing on me.  Recently my wife and I went on vacation and after having what I would call a bad experience, I felt I should write a blog about that experience.  A few days ago I realized that our experiences on vacation were not a separate blog but were the missing pieces to what had already been weighing on my heart.  God never stops amazing me!  I am now ready to write…

80 degrees, sandy beaches, all you can eat buffets, sounds dreamy right?  My wife and I headed to the airport at 2am a few weeks ago for some relaxing fun in the sun in Jamaica.  Family and friends had graciously agreed to watch our children while we were away.   We try to have a getaway once a year without the children so my wife and I can remember why we married in the first place. 

I should have known what kind of trip it was going to be when our airplane suddenly soared back into the air when attempting to land in paradise.  After witnessing a bit of a panic around the inside of the plane for several seconds we were greeted with a message from the cockpit saying they could not see the runway due to the tropical storm.  There was no sunshine and sandy beaches to be seen out our airplane windows, only rain drops that were being pulled across the windows as we circled back around for another try.

Once we landed we learned our next bit of bad news, our luggage was not there.  As bad as that news was, it didn’t really seem so bad when they told us they would bring it to our hotel as soon as it arrived.  They knew of its location and assured us it would be just a few hours behind us.  Trying to be optimistic I thought to myself, ‘traveling to the hotel was going to be easy with just a couple small carry-on items.  We will get there, get something to eat, and venture around a bit and then the luggage will get there.’  Only it did not.

We ate, we ventured around, we waited… 5 hours later after checking in with the front desk 4 or 5 times, my wife had a thought.  “I bet our luggage was delivered to their sister hotel.  Why don’t you ask them to call over there?”  I went up to the front desk and offered the suggestion to them.  After waiting 5 hours to receive our luggage, within 60 seconds of my suggestion, it was located and we were on our way to pick it up.  It had been sitting there for 3 hours.  It arrived just 2 hours behind us.  Unfortunately, their golf carts were occupied so in order for us to get our luggage right away we would have to walk and get it ourselves.  After waiting 5 hours, we didn’t want to wait any longer.  We made our way back to our room dragging 3 suitcases and 2 carryon bags while dripping in sweat from the 80 degree weather.   

The first five days of our stay brought rain every single day.  As if the rain falling from the sky was not enough moisture for one trip, water fell from our bathroom ceiling most every night as well.  After having a maintenance man in our room for two consecutive nights and after having him say, “It’s fixed,” two consecutive nights, I began to lose my cool when the ceiling began raining water on day 5.  I went down to the front desk with my frustrations and I was told we would be getting another room.  We were supposed to pack our things and call the front desk when we were ready.

I tried to hurry as I packed because I was about to go the buffet when the water started leaking.  Fawn had an upset stomach so she was going to stay behind.  I was dressed in pants for dinner so it didn’t take long for me to heat up in our warm room when packing.  By the time we were packed and moved, I had a good sweat going.  With it now getting so late, the last thing I wanted to do was take another shower so I walked out the door to make the long walk to the buffet in the warm evening air.  By the time I sat down in the restaurant I was more interested in getting something to drink than eating.  I felt really gross as I wiped the sweat away in between each bite.

Maybe the most telling of all happened to me on the second day.  I was returning from the beach in between rain showers when it happened.  Two, middle aged females were leaving the pool area and were just in front of me as we started to climb the hotel steps to go back to our rooms.  The women were walking side by side but one was hanging back a bit as we climbed the steps.  I quickly learned the female in front mistook me for her friend when she stopped, stuck out her bikini covered bottom, and farted in my face.  Immediately after she released the gas, she turned to her left to see her friend was not behind her but was instead right beside her.  She paused for a second as she realized her plan to drop the A bomb on her friend had gone terribly bad.  She then ever so slowly turned around to see me hanging a few feet back from her still smoking cannon.  Her and her friend stopped walking and began to laugh hysterically as I left them standing there in my dust.  I must have climbed 3 or 4 flights of stairs before I could no longer hear their laughter from below.   

Our trip did not meet our expectations but as bad as our experience was, we still had a great time.  We were sitting down to 3, shamefully sometimes 4 meals a day being served like royalty by the less fortunate.  I am not sure how much the hotel workers make but the average annual income for Jamaicans is only around $14,000 dollars.  The drive from the airport to the resort in Jamaica is an hour long eye opening experience that shows another world from what I know and experience in my life.  Daily I struggled to clean my plate from all the food I piled onto it while those that served me seemingly struggle to get by.  But you would never know of their struggles by the smiles on their faces or their positive attitudes.  Most everyone I have met from there is a joy to be around.

How often I have heard it said, America is blessed or God blesses America but is America really blessed?  I mean, yes we have so much and every good thing comes from God but do we have what we have because of what we do or because of what we do not do?  There is a popular movement in the church that says the Christian life is full of riches and blessings.  If you seek God He will fill your houses with an abundance of blessings and prosperity.  But often the blessings that come from God in the Bible are not material blessings but are blessings of peace, and joy, and hope.  Give a Godless man a million dollars and he may seem to be filled with joy.  Take away his million dollars and his joy will show to be what it always was, fleeting.  Give a man peace and joy and hope from God and take away every possession he owns and he will still be filled with peace and joy and hope. 

Riches and prosperity does not show Godliness.  In fact, if we are to be perfect in God’s sight we are to sell our possessions (Matthew 19:21).  And James 2:5 says that it is the poor that are truly blessed.  “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”     
          
That is not to say God can’t and doesn’t prosper some people who obey His commands.  In fact, Psalm 37:4 says to, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  But we are to seek God because we love God not because of what He can do for us.  Unfortunately many times in the past I sought God for what I could get.  That is not love.  Do you know someone that only calls when they want something from you?  Does that make you feel loved?      

If you place a frog into boiling water and it will jump right out.  Place a frog in cool water and slowly raise the temperature and the frog gets cooked without realizing it.  If you live in America more than likely the water feels pretty good to you.  You will undoubtedly experience pain and heartache like we all do but most of us can say we are pretty comfortable by the worlds standards.  But your feelings of comfort and security can blind you to the changing temperature of your heart.  A full bank account and a full refrigerator can make you drowsy and drunk.  If you are not careful you can assume material blessings are an approval from God for how you are living your life.  You can easily get more interested in where you are going out to eat than the fact that you are getting cooked yourself.     
   
I was going to share a particular verse to wrap this blog up but it cannot be found.  I have searched and searched and prayed to find it but I can’t.  I was praying about it today and came to Malachi 3.  Coincidentally, I ‘randomly’ found Malachi 3 several times when I was praying to find the verse I was looking for.  Each time I realized what I was looking for was not in Malachi and moved on.  Today I realize God was taking me to where He wanted me all along.

Malachi 3:13-15  “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.  “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’  “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?  But now we call the arrogant blessed.  Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.”
 

It's a constant struggle to keep the lights off at our house when we don’t need them on.  At times I feel I am going to lose my mind as I make my rounds turning off bedroom lights only to find the room I started with is back on with no child to be seen.  Imagine the weight I would gain without my daily light switch workout.  That’s a scary thought.

The upstairs hallway lights are also almost always left on.  But unlike the bedroom lights, the hallway lights shine underneath our bedroom door and can make sleeping difficult.  I have often awoken in the morning frustrated when the first thing I notice to start my day is the hallway light shining into our bedroom. 

Not long ago, I woke up to once again see the light shining underneath my bedroom door.  But this time I was not upset.  As I was walking to the bathroom I was thankful the light was shining.  At that moment, this blog came to me.

Why do my kids always leave the hall light on?  When they go to bed they turn the hallway light on to find their way to their bedrooms.  I suppose it’s partly out of fear and partly to make sure they don’t stub their toes.  My kids walking in darkness is an accident waiting to happen.  Without light they could easily get turned around and without light they wouldn’t know which direction is the right direction to go. 
  
Without God, this world would be like the hallway without the light on.  How blessed we are that God has sent His Spirit into the world throughout history to show us the way.  Most of creation only saw glimpses of God’s spirit through prophets.  But then God did something mind blowing when He sent His son Jesus Christ into this dark world.  Not only did Jesus come to be the light, He also came to die for our shortcomings.   Through His death, we all have the opportunity to be the light with Him.  No longer was His spirit given to only a select few for periods of time.  His Spirit was given to all that believe in Him and repent.  Every time another person believes and repents, another light starts shining. 

Our job as servants of Jesus Christ is to keep our lights shining brightly for Him.  We were made to serve God and bring Him glory.  Jesus illustrated this in the Parable of the ten virgins.  When God comes back for His bride, He expects our lamps to be burning bright.

Matthew 25:1-12 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  At midnight the cry went out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’  Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’  ‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’  But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.  Later, the other virgins arrived and said ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’  But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

So what changed that morning when I woke up not angry about the light being left on?  I realized I needed the light.  Even though I didn’t want to pay the cost of leaving that light on all night, it was guiding my way.  Without that glimmer of light, finding my way to the bathroom is difficult.  Sure I could turn on the bedroom lights to make it really easy but my wife is still sleeping at that time.  If the lights were to come on, she would probably wake up.        
      
Are you willing to pay the cost of leaving your light on all the time?  There will be troubles?  There will be persecutions for shining brightly.  But if your light shines bright enough to wake up just one sleeping person, wouldn’t that be worth the cost?  Be the light that shines underneath some else’s bedroom door.  You might annoy them at first but one morning they may wake up with a changed heart.