The Island of Misfit Toys

The Island of Misfit Toys

I was in a massive rut this weekend, especially on Friday and part of Saturday. Just feeling down and a bit upset. I realize these feelings come and go, so I just sort of held on through the weekend. As I was walking through the slightly cluttered living room on Sunday, I paused to reflect on this and the memory from a childrens show about Rudolph the red nosed reindeer came to me.

In the show there was an island of misfit toys. Each of them had some unusual difficulty they faced. There was a bird that swam but could not fly, a Jack in box named Charlie, a choo choo with square wheels, and an airplane that could not fly. They all had several things in common. One was that no little boy or girl in the world wanted them because they were different. Another was their universal anguish at not being accepted; not being loved. Also, they all wanted to go with Santa to be presented to loving children on Christmas day.

By now, you have probably guessed where I am going with this. All of us here on Earth are misfits in one way or another. Some have unfulfilled love; others, unrealized hopes or missed loved ones. Death, divorce, and tragedy mark us all in ways we do not see, but are real nonetheless.

It seems at times, it’s impossible to carry all that can weigh one down, but there is hope. Jesus says, My yoke is easy, and my burden light. Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. God can help, and He desires to be involved in our lives.

Now this may seem to be a pat answer. One might think, that this has nothing to do with my circumstances and it’s not going to help pay my bills, help my relationship with my spouse, or satisfy my boss. Perhaps. But when the spiritual is engaged, when prayer is utilized, there are things unseen which transcend our earthly concerns that begin to move. Angels, who are as real as you or me, act. God’s Holy Spirit can change the hearts of men. He can change us.

I believe that God does not desire for our brokenness to be the center of our attention. Paul compared our lives to a great race, with spectators looking down from heaven. It’s hard to run with our eyes on ourselves and the weights we carry. Let us run the race freely then, without our gripping hold on the weights that we have no control over whatsoever.

May the peace that passes all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until that final day- Christmas day. When our lives will be unwrapped and we will be presented to the Lord of Love, the one who loved and gave himself for us, while we were yet… misfits.

G.Houtchens
armchair coach
amateur historian

Prayer

Prayer

Well, a new blog entry. I’m thrilled. Frankly, I’ve been doing other things over the summer, starting and stopping the rewrite of my novella several times, writing poetry, and generally chilling out. Several articles had come to mind, but 1. I did not want the Houtchblog to just become a place where I complained about things and 2. I didn’t think anybody read it.

So, with that out of the way, I’d like to invite anyone and everyone out there to pray with me. Prayer is something that changes things. The unknown and invisible is engaged, and while seemingly futile from the world’s standards, angels act and tremors silently resound. God Himself responds to prayer. So please join me.

Dear God,

I thank you so very much for this journey, my life. Each day, each moment, is a blessing from above. I humbly ask You to forgive me of my sin, which I have willingly wrapped around myself. Like vines, it has grown but You are the ultimate gardener. You look down on our lives with love, mercy and compassion. Help us and forgive us all. We all so desperately need You. I need you. Forgive us by the blood of your son, Jesus.

I thank you for the long lives of my family, Amy, mom and dad. Their presence has been a comfort to me, knowing they are there and being able to lean on them in times of difficulty. I pray they would direct their eyes towards You, that You might receive glory.

I pray for those who have passed, that You might gather them and receive them to where You are, that Your will might be done. Comfort them and grant them peace. I pray for Bubba Hartsfield, Cindy Farbolin, Harry Weisgerber, Craig Staples, Reverend Bob Becknell, and all those I knew in high school and college. Bless them and keep them. Let Your love, which is beyond thought or understanding, shine upon them.

I pray for my students and colleagues, especially the following, who have passed: Floyd Neece, Michael Stemen, Joshua Runyan, Tasha Morris, Steven Shipman, Donna Deaton, and Stefan Ngkonchin. Gather them and keep them Lord, and comfort them, that Your will might be done, and that You might receive glory.

I pray also for all the students I have had that were troubled, especially those I did not get along with. Bless them, You know who they are. Guide them, protect them. Let them come to a place where they look to You and see Your love! I pray also for the silent ones, the non verbal ones whose life issues are no less important, and just as relevant. I thank you for the countless times You have intervened in our lives on our behalf without us even knowing. Thank You for Your love, Lord !

It seems that the world is focused on earthly things, much as it was in Pilate’s day. Open our eyes that we might see, our ears that we may hear what You would tell us. For what we see is the illusion, what we hear is the temporal.

I thank you for my companions, the ones whom You personally brought into my life to teach me about love, Snoopy and Mikey. If there is a place for dogs, I pray you would especially bless Snoopy. Please help Mikey in her old age.

Thank you for Pastor Alex and Caroline. Bless them in their ministry at Calvary Chapel, Ayre. Please also bless Steven Hunter and all the folks I have met at Christ the Redeemer.

Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for our times here. Thank you for our trials, our joys, our sorrows. When it comes down to it, our whole existence here really is all about You. Give us strength, desire, and a willingness to live in such a way. Amen.