Hello again all you in FMCOG-land and beyond,
I thought of Ezekiel and his vision of the “wheels within wheels” today. I thought of this as I was taking my daily walk on Gin Shoals road (the road my mother-in-law lives on.) On my walk I crossed over four streams (brooks, branches, creeks or cricks if you live in Six Mile); I passed a small peaceful looking fishing pond, enjoyed the sights of nature – blooming wildflowers, budding trees, cows, squirrels (scolding me for interrupting their fun), birds singing (I doubt they even noticed my passing), beautiful hillsides featuring trees and more trees and in the distance the blue ridge mountains.
After the last few weeks of a wonderful but intensely busy Easter season, two trips to Cleveland and the normal hurried pace of pastoring a thriving church it is as if I’ve been dropped on another planet. That’s when I thought of Ezekiel’s “Wheels within wheels” vision. This is not another planet; it is just a different pace of life…a pace that we all need to be reminded of.
It is rare that any of us can get away like I’m doing this week to physically change the pace of our lives, but I sensed the Holy Spirit reminding me that the “wheels within wheels” are at work every day. There is a quiet place that we can get away too even in the hectic pace of life. We have to be intentional about it; but even in the midst of the storms of life God can come to us and give us peace. Well enough preaching for tonight (I’m going to drill down a bit more on this thought…who knows, maybe a “Wheel within a Wheel” sermon is in our future.)
Otherwise, it has been a good day. I also made a short trip over to my parents and enjoyed a wonderful time with my parents and kids. Lee and Jennifer drove up today to check on both sets of grandparents. And of course they brought the “lad” (it doesn’t get any better than that!) Throw in mother’s cooking and you have a “wheel” within wheels that is pretty close to heaven.
Today Ruby also received a copy of the Easter program. As I type this from the kitchen table I am also
watching it. This will be my fifth time! The program was great but five times?! I was outvoted and have no choice. When a man’s wife and mother-in-law gang up on him it’s better to just smile, say “yes ma’am” and go with the flow (a secret to 31+ mostly happy years of marriage!).
Well time to give my full attention to my fifth viewing of the Easter production…good evening from Gin Shoals road, Six Mile…slowly…
dlkemp
P.S. A highlight of the day…great grandfather Kemp, daddy Lee, “the Lad” and “Papa”…four generations of kemps (God help us all!)
The ONE THING 
