Chat with Hatch

If u r so blessed with the opportunity to care for a loved one, please remember to put yourself first – in other words, do what’s best for u – make no apologies for your decisions & don’t even feel obligated to explain them.  Do this so that u will b emotionally & physically fit to truly care for your loved one as he/she deserves u to b at your best!  Putting yourself first is not self-serving… it’s actually a neccessary evil – it’s important preparation for the effective tender loving care of the very loved one in your care:)  I’ve written about this before, but I’ll repeat myself, with this analogy, because it’s a very important concept!  I’m talking about putting on your oxygen mask before helping your neighbor with theirs – if u don’t, you’ll b of no good to anyone.  Now… all the very best to u & yours:)

In two days, I have the honor of directing the funeral for the former Administrator of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center where my life was saved only five months ago from the on-set of Type-Two Diabetes (with a blood sugar level of 1,509) & Pancreatitus simultaneously.  Seems a bit ironic, huh?!  So… the-day-after-tomorrow, as I serve, it is my hope & prayer that all HBMC Associates present realize I am serving them (as well as the family of Mr. Scott) just as they served me recently!

In my home, I have a few photos of my late wife – there’s like one per room, including a large one over the mantle.  I have a friend who doesn’t have pictures of his/her late spouse, because he/she feels it’s saddening to c those pics.  We’re neither right nor wrong to display pics r keep ‘em in the closet.  I was jus wonderin what u think about it – how u feel about it – what works for u…

Have u ever noticed that before we can ’In with th New’, we first must ‘Out with th Old’?!!  This can b true with our mindset…  As we begin a new yr, lets Out with th Old thoughts of what may not have worked well for us & In with th New thoughts of what may work better for us in this new yr…  U c, any anxiety we may feel is surely the result of our mind(set) & our Heart not being in sync…  We often act on our thoughts, which r often not well thought out.  We really should act on our Heart’s desire:)  However, doing so won’t work IF our Heart isn’t in sync with th thoughts in our mind.  Our Hearts should rule.  I’m afraid I often put my thoughts ahead of my Heart’s desires & that’s not good.  Until 7 yrs ago, I didn’t even realize there was a difference between my thoughts & my feelings – no, I thought they were 1 in the same.  Isn’t that silly of me, to have thought that?  I’m afraid I hafta admit I often ruled with my thoughts instead of my Heart.  But no more!!!!!!!  Can our Heart ever b wrong?!!  Frankly, IDK, but I bet the desires of our Heart is more right more often than the thoughts in our mind.  I’m jus sayin…  So as we begin a new yr, I want to encourage u to join me in trying to reallyyy listen to our feelings & admit them (to ourselves).  And then ask ourselves… why is my thinking not in sync with my feelings?  Is my thinking wrong?  (Ha!  It probably is!)  I don’t know if we can change our feelings about things r people, but I know we can change our minds!  (I’m not saying our feelings won’t ever change… I’m saying we may not can change them.  Make sense?!!)  Let’s strive to get our mindset & our feelings in sync by letting our feelings rule & open our mind to new thoughts:)  And may we begin with the warm, fuzzy feelings we have inside, which is Thee Holy Spirit!  And hey… if you’re not feelin ‘It’, then perhaps u may want to consider inviting ‘It’ to not only take over (your Heart & your mind), but to freakin RULE your Heart’s desires so that u may desire that which Thee Holy Spirit desires for u!  Now folks… if we can get our Heart, Mind & Soul in sync, we can Rule The World!!!!!!!  Happy New Yr!  May this b our best yr yet:)  My Love & Christ’s Love to all of u!!!

I was talking with a friend the other day, a friend who’s had a tough yr.  She told me that she’s having a hard time getting into the Spirit of Christmas.  The Lord spoke to her thru me & I wanna share this message with u too, because you r someone u know may need to hear this.  The Spirit of Christmas isn’t invasive, ‘it’ is to b invited into your heart:)  You don’t get into ‘it’… ‘it’ get’s into u, but only by invitation.  So this week, the wk of Christmas, if u don’t feel ‘in the Spirit of Christmas’, please invite that Spirit into your heart! 

The other day, I ran into a couple of acquaintances – separately.  With both of these folks, we ended up in pretty intimate conversations, which surprised me.  It was fine – not a prob, in fact… it was a good thing, a very good thing!  The point; u just never know what’s gonna come up or with whom you’ll intimately share, so… like the Scouts say… Be Prepared!  What if u were all of a sudden given the opportunity to witness for Christ – u prepared?!!  U better b!  U just never know!!  One thing’s for sure… He’s countin on ya:)

Last night as I was praying, I felt the Lord was telling me neither to feel overwhelmed nor anxious, but rather to just trust & thank Him for doing everything perfectly.  I do trust – though I may not understand… I do trust that He is handling things perfectly for which I want to publically thank Him.  Thank you, Lord, for always handling everything perfectly:)

A big ole heartfelt thanks to all who served so that we may be free!! 

And from The Battle Hymn of The Republic…  As He died to make men Holy, let us die to make men free…

I attended the (beautiful) wedding of a dear friend last evening.  Ever since my wife died, I kinda gasp when I hear the minister say ’til death us do part.  It’s still – after four yrs – just so hard to believe that I’m no longer married!  I’m not single.  I’m freakin widowed!!  So why don’t I date?  Why am I not already re-married?  Because I still feel married.  Because I still feel committed to my (now deceased) wife.  Because I desire simplification, not complication.  Because I desire clarity, not games (some people play).  Because I desire pleasantness, not drama (that appears in so many relationships).  Because I’m drawn more to Christ who strengthens & comforts me than to romance, though I will admit it would be nice to have companionship, you know…  Perhaps I should get that puppy I’ve been thinkin about!  I know pups are man’s best friend & that they love unconditionally, much like our good Lord:)  Hmmm…

Last night, I was fortunate in getting to attend Waco’s Prosperity Dinner on the Suspension Bridge as the guest of a good friend.  There were a few folks who thought the dinner was inappropriate due to the fact that so many of us are going thru such hard times & then there were a few folks, including me, who thought it was very appropriate, because especially in these hard times, we need to LOOK FOR THE GOOD!!!  It’s out there – there’s much good in the world around us right here in Waco.  Plus, the dinner reminds us to MAKE GOOD for the benefit of all of us, especially our children & their children.  The dinner mirrored Waco’s original Prosperity Dinner 100 yrs ago when 4,000 folks gathered downtown for a seated dinner to celebrate.  Last night, we not only celebrated where we’ve been & the folks who brought us to this point… we began to dream about what Waco & her people can be & that’s not only reasurring… it’s down right exciting!!!  We will ‘Rise Up’ and be part of the solution to the hard times & part of the creation of the good times, which are surely to come to those who LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE GOOD!!!