I’m sorry that I’m a day late with this post…
I would like to say that I was too busy celebrating, but the truth is that I have been under the weather. For those of you who have been with me for a while, it should come as no surprise that this is the week each year that I celebrate my birthday. In fact, it was February 19th; and it also marked the completion of 14 years of writing posts for Transitions. What started out as a pseudo hobby has turned into a real mission that is evidenced by 2048 published posts, most of which are close to 1000 words each, meaning that there are more than 2,000,000 words floating around the internet having to do with faith and our daily lives. In fact, many of you have lived life with the Toussaint family and grown older with us. You have lived our ups and downs, have seen our kids grow up, grandchildren graduate and start college (well, at least 3 of the 4 of them so far) and generally followed Janet and me as we have entered our 70’s.
I still teach Bible several times a week, especially during the summer and fall; and I have been slowly dropping business clients as I put a higher value on time than I used to. I know that I am more protective of my time than when I started writing on my 58th birthday. To be sure, writing posts several times a week is the foundation of my spiritual week and I have yet to lose interest in the sharing of our family life events that so clearly affirm that God is present in our everyday lives – taking each step with us.
I’ve written about family birthdays, ancestors who are long gone, theological “nuggets” that I think are important to understanding the Bible, friends, ministry partners and just about everything else that crosses paths in our Toussaint family lives. In fact, I never expected to still be writing 14 years later or sharing life in such an intimate way throughout the years.
I have always been a storyteller, from my earliest recollections. It’s a concept that I think is important to carry on for the sharing of family history to our younger children. Therefore, I have made it a habit to color our family gatherings with memories and stories of the past – many from when I was a very young child. The kids have become accustomed to hearing my stories and they encourage me to keep up my education of them. Admittedly, I think they will get tired of hearing musings of my childhood but so far, it’s all good! Writing these stories down for posterity is another way that I can leave a legacy for younger generations long after Janet and I are gone.
Originally, I had thought that I would start writing TBTB earlier than I did but, like many other things in my life, it got pushed back in priority until I ran across a little New Testament Bible that I had received from my paternal grandmother on my 10th birthday, February 19, 1963. I was in the process of moving some books around my office when I saw the little palm sized testament on my 58th birthday. Frankly, I recalled that I was annoyed that Grandma didn’t even get me a complete Bible. It has Psalms but was missing the rest of the Old Testament. It’s odd that I recalled the exact circumstances that happened when I received the book.
And there it was – something I never got rid of, but clearly still had memories that were buried deep inside its pages. When I opened the cover and saw the inscription that had a Bible verse reference, I just felt compelled to write about it – and that’s how Transitions by The Book was born!
Our verse for tonight is from the inside cover of the Testament that I received. It is a verse from the book of Hebrews and highlights God equipping us to do His will. The author of Hebrews, technically unknown and disputed (I think it was Paul), tells us, in Hebrews 13:20-21, “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
My encouragement this evening is that God equips each of us with unique talents and gifts that are to be developed to conform to His will for our lives. My prayer is that we will will try to study those things that we are good at and realize that we are part of a grander mission to promote the kingship of Jesus and move into a deeper relationship with Him. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…