Some Say I'm Damaged - Defective

Some Say I’m Damaged - Defective 

Some say I’m damaged goods. I am defective. You see, I had heart surgery three years ago and my heart is still considered less than perfect. Two months ago, I had all of my toes on the left foot amputated. That is permanent. My days of running races and doing the broad jump are over.

I can’t do what I did when I was a younger man. Am I damaged goods? Some may think so.

However ... consider my worth in spite of these alterations to my body. My mind still works. I can think, and write, and produce podcasts. I can still function in this day-to-day world at my own level and with the contributions I am still able to make. I’m not finished, yet. I’m not giving up, yet.

Perhaps this message is for you as well. Whatever your ailments, or faulty functions in your body, I imagine there are skills, crafts and creative functions that you can still offer. Maybe this is the season in your life where you recreate yourself in some new something. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to write. Then write you should. What if tutoring some young upstart appeals to you. What a worthy pursuit in which to throw yourself into. Somebody somewhere might need your insights, your slant on what they are attempting.

My wife gave me a daily quote calendar at Christmas. Today’s quote is appropriate to this idea today.

“Setbacks always have an upside. They fuel new dreams.”

Are you facing a setback? Has some challenge come along that has altered your game? What newness can come from this alteration in your life?

Remember ... you’re not damaged good unless you give in to that mindset. Find the new way of expressing yourself.

Morning Notes Blog Site

P Michael Biggs Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

This is my morning reflectio

Imagination

Imagination 

I found a quote that needs expanding. Here goes.

Imagine everything you can imagine, 

then keep on going.

That is the seed of creativity if there ever was one.

What if the industry of flight had stopped with the Wright brothers first successful 12-second flight at Kitty Hawk? Thankfully mankind didn’t stop there, and we now have a space station, and probes to Mars and beyond.

Think of the medical advances we now experience, and imagine life if those ‘steps beyond’ had never happened. Some of us wouldn’t be alive today but for medical advances beyond even thirty years ago.

Charles Dickens didn’t write A Christmas Carol as his first book. Oh, no. We are richer for his persistence and for the fact that he kept on going.

And think of Alexander Graham Bell’s invention, and compare that to that mini-computer in your pocket called a ‘Smart Phone’.

My friend Ken is one of the finest musicians I know, and yet he is not limiting his creativity to just music. He is one of the most highly regarded music editors in the business and now he has turned to authoring a book. Ken is living up to this thought and he is continuing to keep going.

What is your imagination begging from you? What fresh thoughts continually stream in your conscious mind? Perhaps you have an idea that just needs a bit of imagining. Perhaps you need to keep on going.

Go a bit further. Dig a bit deeper. Tinker a bit more.
The end is not in sight yet. All the good ideas are not taken. There’s room for your imagination.

Morning Notes Blog Site

P Michael Biggs Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

This is my morning reflection.

God Doesn't Have Stubby Arms

 God Doesn’t Have Stubby Arms

In what situation do you find yourself today? No matter where you are, God’s arms can reach you and lift you up.

This is ONE strong and encouraging thought.

~Are you soaking in an alcoholic stupor? God can reach you.
~Are you so in debt you can’t find a way out? Call out to God.
~Are you in relationship conflict with someone? Let God help you with a remedy.

Regardless of the human predicament in which we find ourselves, God is still able to reach out to us and bring deliverance and help in our time of need.

I was reminded of this verse last week when a close friend of ours came for a visit. Leanne had been studying this particular verse in her women’s Bible Study group.

And the Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” Numbers 11:23

This concept of God is a strong part of my own personal God-concept. However, remember this important part of the equation. We have to call out to God for help and we have our own part to play in this work of deliverance.

That is, perhaps, the part we sometimes want to skip over, and yet it is true. Are you and I willing to do our part along with God reaching down to do His part?

At present, I am recovering from having my toes amputated on my left foot. At the seven-week mark I am doing well, and it is because God is reaching out to me AND I am doing the smart thing of eating better, bringing my medical numbers down into proper range, losing weight and moving about as my scars and body allows. No one can do that for me except me.

I’ve recovered from divorce. Of course I felt God’s presence with me in those dark moments, however, I had to do my part and do the acts of recover from those painful experiences. I had to read books, talk with trusted advisors, and set my mind on a future with hope in the middle of the pit in which I found myself. And God’s arms were continually reaching down to me and pulling me along.

I hope you are finding God’s arms to be long enough for whatever predicament you face in these days.

He truly does have strong and long arms!

Internet Church Blog Site

P Michael Biggs Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Baloney and the Banquet

 Baloney and the Banquet 

We had some good friends over for a meal recently. Never in our wildest imagination would we have considered serving them baloney sandwiches. Not on your life. Carolyn whipped up an amazing lasagna with all the appropriate side dished and we feasted.

Baloney ...

Not the food for kings and good friends. Now, I like baloney as an occasional sandwich for lunch, but not for serving to guests.

Keep reading, please.

This story is from Come Share the Being by Bob Benson
Do you remember when they had old-fashioned Sunday school picnics? It

was before air-conditioning.
They said,
“We’ll meet at Sycamore Lodge in Shelby Park at 4:30 Saturday. You bring your supper and we’ll furnish the tea.”

But you came home at the last minute and when you got read to pack your lunch all you could find in the refrigerator was one piece of dried up baloney and just enough mustard in the bottom of the jar so that you got it all over our knuckles trying to get to it.

And there were just two stale pieces of bread.

So, you made your baloney sandwich and wrapped it in some brown bag and went to the picnic.

And when it came time to eat, you sat at the end of the table and spread out your sandwich.

But the folks next to you – the lady was a good cook – and she had worked all day and she had fried chicken, and baked beans, and potato salad, and homemade roles, and sliced tomatoes and pickles, and olives, and celery, and topped it all off with two big homemade chocolate pies.

And they spread it all out beside you and there you were with your baloney sandwich.

But they said to you, “Why don’t we put it all together?”

“No, I couldn’t do that. I just couldn’t even think if it,” you murmured embarrassedly.

“Oh, come on, there’s plenty of chicken and plenty of pie, and plenty of everything – and we just love baloney sandwiches. Let’s just put it all together.”

And so, you did and there you sat, eating like a king when you came like a pauper.

Sometimes, we don’t have much to offer ... in life, to friends and family, and to God. It seems our contribution is a dried-up piece of baloney between two pieces of stale bread, and yet we’re offered a feast from some kindly neighbor next door, or a friend far away, or a measure of mercy from God himself.

This is not a pity party, so please hold a more lofty thought of me for a few minutes.

At this very moment, it seems I’m in the baloney days of my life. I had amputee surgery 4 1⁄2 weeks ago on my left toes. For three weeks, I had to be waited on hand and foot, no pun intended.

As I write this, I can see a dozen cards from friends and family wishing me healing, peace, comfort and good thoughts and prayers. And my in-box has been filled with words and expressions of love and healing thoughts as well. My baloney has turned dry and moldy during this ordeal, and yet, these cherished ones of mine have given me banquet food to eat in the form of thoughts, prayers and actions. I haven’t even been able to respond to anyone, but I cherish each and every gesture, prayer, meal brought in, and kind word expressed.

I have received grace and kindness, my friends. God has turned my baloney experience into a banquet of esteeming loving gestures and thoughts and prayers of health and good will.

It has been 4 1⁄2 weeks since surgery. I am now able to hobble about our condo sometimes with my walker, but most of the time without. I hold onto walls and furniture for balance and am making it OK. It’s not pretty, but I’m improving.

God’s grace IS sustaining Carolyn and me through it all. Her care for me is the BEST, and to my medical team – you are my heroes.

If you’ve ever gone through ‘baloney’ days, be encouraged. When you can’t give out as in days past, perhaps it is time to feast on the goodness of others. They will graciously take your ‘baloney’ offering and replace it with your own personal feast.

And know this ... God is nearby. Always and forever.

Morning Notes Blog Site

This is my morning reflection.

P Michael Biggs Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Your Worst Enemy Is You

Your Worst Enemy Is You 

And you thought you fought an enemy somewhere out there, didn’t you? Oh no.

Got creativity? Then your enemy is self-doubt. You perhaps doubt anything good could ever come from your hands and thoughts.

Suzy Kassem said this:

“Doubts kill more dreams 

than failure ever will.”

Do you have some something you long to do? No doubt, DOUBT is riding on your coattails, whispering in your ear, “Don’t”, "You can’t”, "Others have done this and failed," "You will too.”

Maybe you are waiting to be picked. Oh, surely, somebody somewhere recognizes your talent, your voice, your stellar writing ability, your widgets and gadgets. Oh, someday, they will pick you.”

Perhaps now is the day to pick YOU. Sometimes our idea makes sense and we make a start simply because it needs to be done.

Doing nothing can cost you.

Will you rise up and overcome the voices in your head? Will you pick you, your idea?

Today could be your day to make a start!

This Is My

Morning Reflection

Morning Notes Blog Site

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

This is my morning reflection.

A Few Reminders About God

A Few Reminders about God 

~If I forget to say my prayers before I go to sleep, God still watches over me. 

~If I forget to call on Him in time of trouble, He still is near.

~If I stray from the path on which I know to go, He still goes with me and He is near.

~If I make a wrong decision or two, God stays nearby. I sense His guiding hand even in the middle of my bad moves.

~If I forget to say “Thank You,” God still moves on my behalf and protects me.

For my God is grace, and His grace is greater than any sin I commit.

P Michael Biggs

Internet Church Blogsite

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

You Have a Chance to Get Back Up

You Have a Chance to Get Back Up

If you are reading this blog, that probably means you’ve gotten back up a time or two during this past year. Everybody, EVERYBODY gets knocked down on occasion. That is a lesson from Life 101.

Ah, but the secret is this ... you have a change to get back up.

The year 2020 was not kind to a lot of people. Businesses were shuttered, fortunes lost, hope and dreams crashed and burned. I regret that for all of the losses that were lost and all the burned up and burned out and hoped-for ideals that suffered setbacks.

Now what? Do you have the strength to rise up one more time?
Do you have one more idea that isn’t quiet dead yet?
Somehow, some way, can you try one more time to bring about your Phoenix from the ashes of your loss?

What does it look like for you to try one more time? What will it take to re- tool your idea, re-form your brilliant idea?

Have no fear, several somebodies will do just that. These forward-thinking individuals will rise from the ash-heap. Will you be one of them?

Remember the past. Remember where you’ve come from. Remember the struggles you’ve already mastered. This is just one more lesson that you must conquer to be the success of your dreams.

There is an ancient saying that goes like this. It is a fitting close to my thoughts today.

Fall down seven times. Stand up eight.

This is my morning reflection.

Morning Notes Blog Site

P Michael Biggs Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration