Leftovers

The meals associated with holiday celebrations traditionally have leftovers. Leftovers may consist of anything... turkey, ham, dressing, veggies or perhaps Aunt Bethany's cat food salad. Turkey carcasses yield the bits of turkey close to the bones. The unenviable task of separating edible meat from the bones usually falls to the cook. These deft fingers pull off small pieces of turkey that become the basis for soups, salads, and hashes cleverly disguised to hide the fact that they were presented as the main course of a feast that happened a day or so ago. Ham bones become seasoning for a plethora of similar dishes. The experienced cook finds a use for just about all of the meat. The veggies, breads, and "special recipes" that were presented with fanfare at the celebration meal become suitable side dishes for the rerun. There always seems to be an abundance of leftover desserts. We are a society addicted to sugar and holidays are a chance to feed the addiction. The most memorable part of a holiday meal is the desserts whose recipes have been passed from generation to generation.

In addition to the edible leftovers there are some unpalatable leftovers. A hurtful remark, a senseless argument or a verbal slap seem to find their way into our pile of leftovers. Certainly there are pleasant memories that bring laughter and stories of "funny" things that happened that produce guffaws and belly laughs. What we never know is when the laughter at someone's expense becomes ridicule or an affront. Issues of self-esteem may become tantamount to the laughter and inner feelings may be adversely affected. These become the unpalatable leftovers that we "burp" again and again. In solitude they may become our demons. We can take a slight to unfathomable depths, they become so pronounced that they affect us for months, perhaps years. A precursory look at a smiling face may never uncover the scars of past remarks. An uncomfortable chuckle may be eclipsed by the raucous howls of the group. These leftovers have long ago become tasteless and unappealing.

Lord, how can we deal with these unpalatable leftovers? How can we lessen the sting of thoughtless remarks? How do we cope when memories become unbearable? Jesus, In Matthew 44, says, "but what I tell you is this, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, only so you can be children of your Heavenly Father, who causes rain on the innocent and the wicked".
Have a forgiving heart. Love one another. Love God. Be grateful.

Gifts

Have you noticed the relative importance of gifts in our society? Has the quest for gifts come down to, "I just don't know what to buy for you". For the next few days there will be a frantic effort to find the perfect gift for someone special or someone not so special to whom we feel obligated to give a gift. The retail establishment is built largely on this frantic search. The advertising agencies make products glow with appeal for the gift giver and receiver. We have decided that without that special gift we cannot possibly be happy. Credit cards have allowed people who couldn't afford "have-to-have luxuries" to be able to purchase them and spend their hard earned sustenance dollars paying for that special gift for months or years. Children have developed techniques to get the gift they want. The technique quickly grows very tiresome when it extends beyond one gift to an everyday tirade in every store. Sadly we live in a world of excess whereby we want all that the world has to offer and we obsess over the "newest gotta-have thing". We have assessed a personal worth to the gifts we give and receive. Having to give something special to show "how much we love a person" is a bit absurd yet the mindset is common. If we give and receive gifts using this mindset has anyone ever loved you that much? Has any gift made you so utterly happy that you always remember it as the perfect gift? O. Henry in his short story, Gift of the Magi, has a unique take on gift giving and love whereby a young couple are in a quandary to be able to afford what they consider the "perfect" gift for one another.
Perhaps that's where it all started; Magi, the wise men, came bearing exotic gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the baby Jesus. They came to pay homage to the Christ child. In Matthew 2:11, Today there has been born to you in the city of David a deliverer-the Messiah, the Lord."; God provided the "perfect" Gift, a Gift that can never be equaled. In relative terms this Gift is truly unforgettable. Although we try to obscure the true meaning of Christmas with the mindset of gift giving and all that it entails; the truth cannot be obscured. We celebrate Christmas to honor the "perfect gift", Jesus Christ our Saviour. Christmas is all about Love, the simplicity of Love, our greatest gift to one another should be Love. This Christmas have a grateful heart for the best Gift of all, Jesus Christ.

A certain look of sadness

Have you noticed that there is a certain look of sadness that has pervaded the sea of faces that we experience? Have you noticed how difficult it is to coax a smile from folks these days? Where has our happiness gone? Especially at Christmas where joy reigns. The music brings us joy. The 'magic" brings us joy. Has our daily life consumed our feelings of joy? Hard questions for a hard world.
Comedians are hard pressed to bring raucous laughter to a world in need of a good laugh. Many resort to jokes laced with distasteful inferences and verbal assaults on our civility to get a laugh. Others attempt to lessen the burdens of daily woes by pointing out the absurdities. Even smiles are not forthcoming because we perceive we have nothing to smile about in our day to day lives.

We are well into the celebration of Christmas. A celebration that brings joy to the world. The simplicity of the celebration has been lost to the materialistic world in which we live. We are bombarded by the stress of gift giving. The joy of Christmas is knowing that we have a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. The joy of Christmas is knowing that it is all about Love. God's supreme Love for mankind that sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to save us from it.

Can you conjure a memory of the joys of Christmas that is special to you? Can you remember a special feeling of joy that made you tingle with excitement and anticipation? If you can that should make you smile. Are there Christmas songs that "get stuck in your head" and you find yourself humming, whistling or singing? That should make you smile. When you think of the true meaning of Christmas, that should certainly make you smile!

When we love God, we smile. When we love one another, we smile. Have a grateful heart! Try to overcome that certain look of sadness, SMILE!!

Smile

It is as true honor to be called upon to offer a Children's Sermon during the church service. This tradition of providing a segue from the formal church service to the less formal and more entertaining Children's Church has come into prominence in many churches. The subject matter must be sufficient to hold the interest of children of all ages as well as the congregation. It can be tied to the sermon or lectionary or it can simply be inspired by God. One of the sermons was based loosely on a small mirrored picture that inspired the following:

Good Morning! Who here likes to go to Grandma's house? Here's a memory of going to my Grandma's house. In her bedroom hung a small mirrored plaque or picture on the wall. Inscribed on the mirror was a short poem by an anonymous author. It said:

Smile

The world is like a mirror
reflecting what we do.
And if you face it smiling
it smiles right back at you.

So what do you think this little poem means? (Hopefully a response or two) That's absolutely right, when we smile at someone or a group you will see them smiling right back at you. Let's try it! Everyone stand up and face the congregation. Now let's see your best smile. (The variety of smiles should be enough to elicit the proper response) See, it appears the little poem is right, looks like the congregation, our world is smiling right back at you!! Thanks, you can be seated again. What do you think would happen if we made it a special point to smile at someone as often as we could? Do you think that we could get the world to smile right back at us? Let's try it this week. Every time you get the chance let's smile. When you're looking out the window at the car next to you in traffic. When you're passing people in the hall at school. When you catch Mom or Dad looking at you. As many times as you can, put on a great big smile just like we did this morning. We can try to get our world to reflect what we do by smiling. God loves it when you smile. It shows that you love one another. It tells Him that you are joyful. So let's try our joyful smiles this week. When you come back next week, we'll talk about how it worked. Let's pray.

The best part of the Children's Sermon was the smiles of the children. Some were missing front teeth, some smiles were very distinct, some smiles were very sweet. The congregation couldn't help but smile because these were our very best smiles. God makes us all smile. A smile is a depiction of our internal joy and happiness. Never let a day go by without a smile. Have a grateful heart for God loves you. Show that you love one another. Smile!!

Church Memories

We all have memories of Sunday School and church from our youth. These are the happy times that bring you back to church. Many of us go to church every time the door opens when we are young. Sunday School, church services, choir practice, youth fellowship are a few of the reasons that we frequent the church as we are growing up. Then comes that time when we leave home to attend college or begin a career and we seldom darken the door of a church. As life would have it, we marry and children come along; we feel compelled to give them proper exposure to the church. If our experiences at church have been positive and long lasting, we will seek that same experience for our kids. Often it may not be forthcoming but we seem to get around to it, God is very patient.
Take time to recapture those early experiences of Sunday School and church. A great memory was the felt storyboard in the Primary Department at Sunday School. The story of Joseph and his coat of many colors was especially poignant in that it afforded the opportunity to dress Joseph in his coat. The narrative of the story layered the storyboard with Joseph's brothers, some sheep, a palm tree or two, Joseph and finally his coat. Songs were sung about Zacchaeus, a wee little man who climbed a tree to see Jesus and a climb up Sunshine Mountain faces all aglow topped off the class.
Dad was an elder in the church and responsible for preparation of the sacraments for the Lord's Supper. We went into the church kitchen early on Sunday morning to prepare. The tiny glasses (real glass) had to be checked for chips and cleaned. The loaves of white bread had to have the crusts cut off and sliced into individual cubes and placed on the silver plates. The grape juice was squeezed from a plastic bottle with a long tip into the tiny glasses and placed in the silver racks. A chalice was also prepared and a small loaf of bread placed on an individual silver plate. When all was ready it was transported to the sanctuary. The altar table was covered with a white linen tablecloth and the silver plates and racks were also covered with a tablecloth. Taking communion now has a double remembrance.
Children's church was convened in the basement gym of the church. Traumatic memories of a candlelight procession emerge; the procession required lit candles held in a foil protector. The flame of the candle was mesmerizing and hairspray was quite flammable. Lit candles and combustible hairspray were not a safe combination and as the procession made it way up the aisle, a candle got too close to a little girl's hair and it flamed up momentarily; a nearby teacher smothered the flaming hair. There's just something about the odor of burning hair...
Family night suppers were always a fun fellowship especially with all the great covered dishes. If memory serves there were certain dishes that appeared at each supper that were tried and true gourmet delights for a 10 year old. There was a special meatloaf, some very tasty baked beans, potato salad and a great chocolate cake. The entertainment for the suppers were varied but Ed the Magician was a favorite that drew large numbers of young participants.
Sunday night youth fellowship usually included a rousing romp of Capture the Flag in the city park across the street. The skittles game and ping pong were always fun. The tasty fare of Sloppy Joes, chili or hot dogs was always welcome. At Christmas, the youth made bus trips to sing Christmas caroles in local rest homes. the trip was usually accompanied by raucous laughter en route from one facility to another. Shouts of "We are the Presbyterian kids, that's our name too; Whenever we go out, the people always shout,'There go the Presbyterian kids!'" could be heard.
Friday afternoon choir practice was necessary for the children's choir. It was fun and seldom very difficult. The choir's accompanist had a special way of applying lipstick above her lip that formed lasting memories.
Sunday mornings were chaotic at times. Often the latecomers were relegated to the balcony. This was not always the best alternative as it was not carpeted and the click-clack of little patent leather shoes was disruptive. In the event you happened to be seated near the front of the sanctuary there were hand receivers for the hearing-impaired that provided a diversion for youngsters.
The stained glass windows and the huge murals of Jesus the Shepard and Jesus at the Well were a lovely focal point while little minds wandered. Watching choir members mouth instructions to their children was also entertaining.
All these memories made a wonderful reminder of the church and God. Along with the faint odor of Murphy's Oil Soap these became indelible mental images of the good times spent in the presence of God. Have a grateful heart for precious memories. Love God. Love one another.

Answered Prayers

When we are in the midst of life's trials and tribulations we wring our hands, pace and stress our minds and bodies. We often see no way to relieve the stress and cower in a corner hoping our troubles will vanish. We seem to be on a slippery slope of utter despair as we find no instant relief. In the world in which we live if it isn't quick in coming we are desperate for a way to feel better. Doctors listen to our complaints of the rigors of daily life and see an opportunity to prescribe the newest panacea of pharmaceutical wonder drugs. In the few minutes they spend with you, they ascertain your complaints, write a prescription and send you on your way. Unfortunately the diagnosis of your life is similar to others because we all live in the similar realities. The doctor simply "pigeon holes" your complaints with all the others he's heard that day and defers to the "great new pill" that the drug rep had just told him about a few minutes earlier while you waited impatiently to see him. After we get our pills we dash to get a glass of water so all our despair will vanish. Relief is slow in coming. Sometimes we seek advice from our friends about how we should address our lingering problems. We have the pills but they haven't reduced our stress so we seek solace from someone, anyone.
We all seem to have forgotten there is someone very adept at handling our troubles. He doesn't pass out pills and you don't have to wait to talk to Him. You do have to have patience and listen closely for the answer. A simple prayer is the opening of our heart to God as a friend. Our biggest challenge is to be able to persist in prayer.
In Luke 18:1-9, Jesus gives his disciples an illustration to show them they must always pray and never lose heart. "Once upon a time," he said, "there was a magistrate in a town who had neither fear of God nor respect for his fellow men. There was a widow in the town who kept coming to him, saying, 'Please protect me from the man who is trying to ruin me.' And for a long time he refused. But later he said to himself, 'Although I don't fear God and have no respect for men, yet this woman is such a nuisance that I shall give judgment in her favor, or else her continual visits will be the death of me!'"
Then the Lord said:
"Notice how this dishonest magistrate behaved. Do you suppose God, patient as he is, will not see justice done for his chosen, who appeal to him day and night? I assure you he will not delay in seeing justice done. Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find men on earth who believe in him?"
When troubles overwhelm you, will God know your voice? Will He know your heart? Will He give you rest from your trials? Will you recognize the answer to your prayer? Pray diligently! Have a grateful heart! Love God!

Disappointment

We live in a world of high expectations. It seems that we set our expectations far beyond a reasonable level to make goals for ourselves. That's very commendable if we have the ability to meet those expectations. We're taught from a young age that our possibilities are endless, all we need to do is apply ourselves. We each have the opportunities to be whatever we want if only we will try to achieve those lofty goals. If we are born into a family of successful people the expectations rise exponentially relative to other members of the family. A successful neuro-surgeon will beget a more skillful surgeon. A rich hedge fund manager passes his expertise and wealth to his progeny to carry on the tradition. A brilliant trial lawyer gives rise to children who become lawyers as have all their predecessors. Perhaps you are from a family of academia of acclaim, will you join learned colleagues as your dad or mom has done? Maybe you're from a family of plumbers or farmers or soldiers, how soon will you learn to love to use a pipe wrench, tractor or weapon? Will your expectations be higher than your ancestors or will you risk disappointment?
High expectations may lead to insurmountable disappointment. What can we do to combat personal disappointment? How do we deal with not being able to live up to expectations? We must ask ourselves; when we live with perceived expectations do we have the courage to ask if they are realistic for us? Perhaps we simply lack the aptitude to achieve our expectations. Having been a witness to the success of others we may be turned off by the price they paid for their success. How ever we choose to view our "live happily ever after" mindset, we will set the tone for our coping with under-achieved expectations. A brave personal assessment of our success is essential to avoiding the disappointment tied to high expectations. We sometimes build a fairy tale world in our minds. When we find that we are not the "prince/princess" of our dreams, and that our "princess/prince" may never come, it is often difficult to deal with the disappointment. We desperately seek an escape from our reality. A part of the pharmaceutical business is built on the promise of making it all better. The old adage, "take two aspirins and call me in the morning" has given way to "here's a anti-depressant to help you cope". We seek escape from the broken dreams of our fairy tale world so that we can "live happily ever after". We look for someone to blame for our inability to live up to our high expectations. We want to put responsibility for our happiness on someone who is incapable of making that dream come true. If you look closely you will see in the mirror who is responsible for your happiness. Your disappointments are often the source of your unhappiness.
If you bow your head,close your eyes, and pray; you will find Someone who will help you cope with the disappointments of life. Coping with disappointment requires that you see beyond your personal perspectives and expectations. Try looking at those around you and trying to imagine the trials they may be facing. When you "love your neighbor as yourself", the fundamental requirements are that you love God and yourself. God teaches you how to love yourself by turning your attention to those in need around you. There's a certain gratification that comes from helping others help themselves. First, you are not turned inward, concentrating on self at the expense of others and second, you are demonstrating the basic commandments of God.
Jesus came to illustrate Love, to show people the importance of Love for one another. He taught a genuine regard for others. Jesus sees the needs of people, in Matthew 9:35-38, "Jesus now traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of illness and disability. As he looked at the vast crowds he was deeply moved with pity for them, for they were as bewildered and miserable as a flock of sheep with no shepard. 'The harvest is great enough,'he remarked to his disciples, 'but the reapers are few. So you must pray to the Lord of the harvest to send men out to reap it.'" Jesus sees the same bewilderment and misery today. Love your neighbor. Teach him the Word. Be a reaper. Be a shepard. Be grateful. Love God.

Enjoying God's Creations

There's a special feeling that one gets when they take time to enjoy the everyday wonders of our world. The colors of a sunset from the bright sun setting in the west to the warm glow after the sun is gone and finally the deep purple and pink hues that remind us of the glory of God. A picture painted across the sky by the Supreme Artist. Walking on the beach, simultaneously enjoying the warm sand between your toes and feeling the lapping waves while looking at the endless horizon of rippling water has a significance all it's own, just a reminder of how small we are in the world. Going barefoot in the grass, looking for a four-leaf clover, listening to a mockingbird's song, feeling a breeze in your face or the warmth of the sun. Being able to smell a fragrant flower, like lilac or a rose. Looking up at the puffy white clouds as they changes their shapes and create cartoons in the sky. Let loose, hum a happy tune, sing a song, whistle, dance. If you can... play music, a gentle tribute to God given talents. Look at the symmetry of a tree, the awesome beauty of the colors of its changing leaves. Watch a leaf fall softly to the ground with magnificent grace. See the wind blow through the trees making a ballet. Listen to the symphony of worldly noises. Even the power of a storm with wind, lightning, thunder and rain has beauty.
All too often we are guilty of taking for granted the wonders of our world; of God's creation. We are so caught up in the ways of the world we forget God and the wonderful things around us. You can find them anywhere. Even the hard man-made world has beauty to be found. There is beauty in the faces we see. There is beauty in the voices we hear. There is beauty everywhere. God has given us more beauty than we can comprehend. There is a Constancy in the beauty of God's world. A reminder of God's Love for us. We have heaven wherever we seek it. If you have painted a picture of heaven based on your worldly experience it is all around you. John's Revelation describes the beauty of heaven in worldly terms... crystal rivers of living waters, streets of gold, trees of life, mountains. Take a little time to enjoy your piece of Heaven; it's generally well within your reach. Take a slow long look around you. See your angels. See your wonderful world. Have a grateful heart. Love God. Trust God. Thank God.

Sowing the Seeds

Each week all over America there are folks who are sharing the Word of God indiscriminately to whoever will listen. Sometimes it may be for an hour in a church. Sometimes it may be on a myriad of available media. Sometimes it may a friend or a neighbor who relates a personal testimony. Sometimes it comes to us from unexpected places. The Message is the same, "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself".
Jesus explained this practice in a parable, the Parable of the Sower. After He told the parable He looked around at his disciples and saw blank looks and inquiring minds. In Mark 4:13-20, He says, "Do you really not understand this parable? Then how are you going to understand all the other parables? The man who sows, sows the message. As for those who are by the roadside where the message is sown, as soon as they hear it Satan comes at once and takes away what has been sown in their minds. Similarly, the seed sown among the rocks represents those who hear the message without hesitation and accept it joyfully. But they have no real roots and do not last- when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they give up their faith at once. Then there are the seeds which are sown among thorn bushes. These are people who hear the message, but the worries of the world and the false glamour of riches and all sorts of other ambition creep in and choke the life out of what they have heard, and it produces no crop in their lives. As for the seed sown on good soil, this means the men who hear the message and accept it and do produce a crop - thirty, sixty, even a hundred times as much as they received."
Do you understand this parable? How often have you seen examples of each of these seed locations? Those who hear the Message but are immediately distracted by the evil of the world and lose their ability to pass the Message and to grow anything. Those who sit next to you in church every Sunday smiling as they hear the Message of Love but when confronted by the world and its expectations, turn and run. Or perhaps you know those who are active and do their time in church until society demands their participation and they turn their back on the Message. And then there are the ones who hear the Message and pass it on, tell the stories of Jesus, live the stories of Jesus, love God, and love their neighbors and their seeds produce new believers or renew old believers and by their efforts the Message goes on and on. Have a grateful Heart. Love and trust in God. Love your neighbor and tell the Story.

Uncertain Times

As we view our world with economic woes, wars, a pending election and unexpected health issues, we see a level of uncertainty to which we are not accustomed. The price of gas was escalating every day and service stations began the tasks of changing their price marquees more than once per day. Some of us remember "gas wars" where a station across the street from another lowered it's price for "regular" and "ethyl" a few cents to bring the business from across the street. Gas prices in the 60s were a few cents, usually about 27 cents per gallon but as low as 19 cents per gallon during a "gas war". During these uncertain times we see gas prices at $4.00 per gallon. Foreclosures have become rampant as uncertain times have burst the real estate bubble. Wall Street sees stock prices plummet and rise with each bit of news. The Presidential Election is fraught with uncertainty, who is the best person to lead our country? Uncertainty has become the rule of the day. We are uncertain if investments are safe, uncertain if our bank will survive, uncertain if we can pay our bills, and uncertain if we will continue to have a job. We are faced with an uncertain future. We may be faced with the burden of health issues that threaten our lives. We may be faced with the uncertainty of being able to pay medical bills or health insurance. Seems like every where we turn the element of uncertainty looms large and overshadows our pursuit of happiness.
Jesus knew his disciples were anxious about the uncertainty of their world. In Luke 22-26, "To his disciples he said, 'This is why I tell you not to worry about food to keep you alive or clothes to cover your body. Life is more than food, the body more than clothes. Think of the ravens; they neither sow nor reap; they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. You are worth far more than the birds! Can anxious thought add a day to your life? If, then, you cannot do even a very little thing, why worry about the rest?'So when the uncertainty of the world overcomes you, turn to a Friend who will share your burdens and give you rest. Jesus waits patiently for you to come to Him and share your worry. He will remove your uncertainty by reminding you that it is He that truly matters. Have a grateful heart! Love one another! Trust in God!

Children of God?

Yesterday very important people were in charge of the blog. It seems as if the truly very important people in our world are the children. Take a close look at the American family... many households are ruled by the children. The days of "seen but not heard" are certainly not apart of American family life. Generally speaking, many of us are afraid to not listen to our children. Afraid we will be responsible for their unhappiness. Did we all subscribe to the idea that our duty is to make life better for the children? If so, how do we make it better? Is it buying the newest and best toy? Is it by allowing children to dictate the mundane decisions of the day, like what's for dinner or where shall we watch on TV? Perhaps children should have a voice in everything we do. They seem to have learned very well the techniques of getting their way. The antics of children in the shopping environment are all too common, the "I want or else" mentality seems to have won over the weak at heart.
Were these the children of Jesus day? In Luke 18:15-18; "Then people began to bring babies to him so that he could put his hand on them. But when the disciples noticed it, they frowned on them. But Jesus called them to him, and said: "You must let little children come to me, and you must never prevent their coming. The kingdom of Heaven belongs to little children like these. I tell you, the man who will not accept the kingdom of God like a child will never get into it at all." How would Jesus react to a child who acted like children in stores who have been denied something? The children of Jesus' time seem to have had pure hearts and open minds required to faithfully accept the kingdom of God certainly not to demand it. Their hearts had not been hardened by the world. There was a simplicity to their understanding of love.
There's a popular saying, " It's so simple-even a child can do it" although nowadays it's "even a caveman can do it". The former illustration is what Jesus refers to as "accepting the kingdom of God like a child", we must simply believe and trust in Him as our Lord and Saviour and the Kingdom is ours. Could the comparison still be made today or are our children just too worldly for the likes of Jesus Christ? The disciples diminished the importance of children, what would the same scene be today?

VIPs

Many of us know a VIP, a very important person. This person has gained the respect of many by their actions and relative success. They have "risen above" those of us who comprise the not so important people. They are the leaders of the world. Many people hang on their every word thus promoting the VIP's exaggerated image of themselves. Some VIPs get downright upset if you do not accept what they say as "gospel". Some VIPs have a position of dominion over you. They could have you fired for not listening and obeying. Some very important people have taken it upon themselves to tell us how we should live our lives. They put on the robes of self righteousness and stand as "men of God" who tell us of the "Light of the World" but live in darkness. Each week they stand as very important people whose interpretation of the Word is presented without question.
It is with these very important people that Jesus takes exception in the fifth chapter of John. Jesus addresses his relationship with God the Father and His authority on earth. Beginning in verse 37 and continuing Jesus speaks of the Father's testimony about him, " Now you have never at any time heard what He says or seen what He is like. Nor do you really believe His word in your hearts, for you refuse to believe the man whom He has sent. You pore over the scriptures, for you imagine that you will find eternal life in them. And all the time they give their testimony to me! But you are not willing to come to me to have real life! Men's approval or disapproval means nothing to me, but I can tell that you have none of the love of God in your hearts. I have come in the name of my Father and you will not accept me. Yet if another man comes simply in his own name, you will accept him. How on earth can you believe while you are for ever looking for one another's approval and not for the glory that comes from the one God? There is no need for you to think that I have come to accuse you before the Father. You already have an accuser - Moses, in whom you put all your confidence! For if you really believed Moses, you would be bound to believe me; for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?"
Can you feel the frustration? Jesus was a VIP, a true VIP with the utmost in credentials, yet he is relegated to a "not so important" role in the beliefs of the people. We often mistake those who have taken the role of VIP in our churches and spiritual life as a person with God-like status and concentrate more on their interpretations than on the Word. Be cautious, for they are simply a person, there is only one true God. Keep an open heart and mind. Be grateful. Love one another.

It's All About Love

There's an old adage that says, "Love makes the world go 'round". Maybe it's a song lyric or a poetic verse; whatever it is, the implication has merit. Love may indeed be what keeps this old world turning. For without love this world would not survive a single day. As we contemplate the meaning of love in our lives we must see that it was God's love that allowed our existence and subsequent survival.
In the first letter of John we find a succinct description of God's love, in
l John 4:7-13; "To you whom I love I say, let us go on loving one another, for love comes from God. Every man who truly loves is God's son and has some knowledge of him. But the man who does not love cannot know him at all, for God is love.
To us, the greatest demonstration of God's love for us has been his sending his only Son into the world to give us life through him. We see real love, not in the fact that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to make personal atonement for our sins. If God loved us as much as that, surely we, in our turn, should love one another! It is true that no human being has ever had a direct vision of God. Yet if we love one another God does actually live within us, and his love grows in us toward perfection. And as I wrote above, the guarantee of our living in him and his living in us is the share of his own Spirit which he gives us."
Without love in our lives and consequently without God, Creator of the Universe, in our lives the world would not exist. Love allows us to exist, side by side, in the world. Can you imagine a world without Love? Can you imagine a world without God?
The message is simple; Love one another! Love God! Be grateful!

Responsibilities of Faith

Today I was listening to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge over Troubled Waters and thinking God's place in that song. God is that bridge. Trusting that God is always there for us is what buoys us when we encounter troubled waters. Having faith is an important tenet of Christianity, it's all a part of believing in God. Do we have a responsibility beyond simply believing? Paul in his letter to the Romans says we do.
Romans 12:1-8, With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable to Him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity.
As your spiritual teacher I give this piece of advice to each one of you. Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. For just as you have many members in one physical body and those members differ in their functions, so we, though many in number, compose one body of Christ and are all members of one another. Through the grace of God we have different gifts. If our gift is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision. If it is serving others let us concentrate on our service; if it teaching let us give all we have to our teaching; and if our gift be the stimulating of the faith of others let us set ourselves to it. Let the man who is called to give, give freely; let the man who wields authority think of his responsibility; and let the man who feels sympathy for his fellows act cheerfully.
Paul has a very specific look at the gifts or skills God has given us. God calls us to use those gifts to His glory so that others may believe and have faith. A pretty simple task as it relates to our responsibilities of faith. God is your bridge over troubled waters as Paul Simon says in his song. When God provides you a bridge, you should respond by using your gifts and skills to build bridges for others. Have faith. Have a grateful heart. Build a bridge today. And as always, He has a way.

Controlling Your Tongue

James 3:2-12 says:
"We all make mistakes in all kinds of ways, but the man who can claim that he never says the wrong thing can consider himself perfect, for if he can control his tongue he can control every other part of his personality! Men control the movements of a large animal like a horse with a tiny bit placed in its mouth. Ships too, for all their size and the momentum they have with a strong wind behind them, are controlled by a very small rudder according to the course chosen by the helmsman. The human tongue is physically small, but what tremendous effects it can boast of! A whole forest can be set ablaze by a tiny spark of fire, and the tongue is as dangerous as any fire, with vast potentialities for evil. It can poison the whole body; it can make the whole of life a blazing hell.
Beasts, birds, reptiles and all kinds of sea creatures can be, and in fact are, tamed by man, but no one can tame the human tongue. It is an evil always liable to break out, and the poison it spreads is deadly. We use the tongue to bless our Father, God, and we use the same tongue to curse our fellow man, who are all created in God's likeness. Blessing and curses come out of the same mouth-surely, my brothers, this is the sort of thing that never ought to happen! Have you ever known a spring to give sweet and bitter water simultaneously? Have you ever seen a fig tree with a crop of olives, or seen figs growing on a vine? It is just as impossible for a spring to give fresh and salt water at the same time."

We have all felt the poison of the tongue, we have all delivered the poison of the tongue. Gossip is far too salacious for us to control. Once it enters into our ears it goes straight to our tongue. An angry feeling usually exits our body via our tongue. A jealous heart starts the tongue to wagging. How can we overcome the evil of the tongue? Perhaps a grateful heart will still the tongue. Perhaps a forgiving heart will bridle the tongue and render its poison useless. We must practice the control of our tongues. Often it means engaging our minds during conversation. We have all said things we wish had never crossed our lips for we can see the poison at work. Pray for forgiveness, be eager to forgive and for all things be grateful and thank God. We are all created in God's likeness, let the things we say be in God's likeness as well.

Cutting Grass

Today was a grass cutting day. There are reasons we sweat our way through that task each week. Keeping up appearances is important after all we don't want weeds and grass growing up so high that its unsightly to look at our yards. This time of year it's a great way to dispense of leaf raking. Cutting the leaves into mulch is much easier that raking and bagging them. Our memory gets the treat of remembering the smell of freshly mowed grass from special times in our lives. Smelling newly mowed grass brings back to mind a simpler time in life when we could spend an hour looking for a four-leaf clover. There's something special about the way freshly mowed grass smells when you're lying in it looking at the sky and clouds. Mowing the grass was a way to make a couple of bucks in the summertime to go to the movies with plenty left for popcorn, Coke and treats. Grass cutting today was accompanied by an Ipod and headphones.

Cutting the grass does other beneficial things for the grass. By occasionally mowing off the top third of the grass the roots of the grass grow deeper, the grass gets thicker and its better able to withstand the effects of drought. Perhaps that is what God does on occasion to deepen our roots. A little pruning is what we need to make our roots grow deeper and to help us withstand the lack of good things in our lives. Just about the time we begin to think a little too highly of ourselves God cuts us back a little. As a result we remember the roots by which we are sustained. When we get too tall and too weedy in our neighborhood, God takes a little off the top and leaves us smelling fresh and clean. Jesus draws a similar comparison in John 15; "I am the real vine; my Father is the vine dresser. He removes any of the branches which are not bearing fruit and He prunes every branch that does bear fruit to increase its yield." God knows that everyone needs a little pruning to restore its dependence on the Vine and to bear bigger and better fruit. Seems to work for grass as well...

Gone Fishin'

Yesterday was a fishin' day. No fish were caught but it was a day of fishin' none the less. Many baits were cast, much time was spent in the act but no fish were caught. Yesterday was a day spent in the salt air, a day spent listening to the cacophony of seaside sounds. Gulls laughing, waves crashing, the occasional shouts of surfers, the squeals of happy children as they ran from the oncoming waves. It was also a day of wind. Steady wind blowing from the east. Wind that straightened the flags. Wind that blew unceasingly. Wind that blew hard. A hat stealing wind was blowing. There's an old saying, "wind from the east, fishing's least". The saying was proven yesterday. No matter what bait was used, live or artificial, there was no fish caught. The wind brought the waves in quick intervals, cresting and crashing far from the shore. The white caps at the top of the ocean water testified to the steadiness of the east wind. The large contingent of surfers was evidence of the steady wind and waves.
The vastness of the ocean when looking toward the horizon gives one pause to think. While gently retrieving a lure, it is very insignificant in terms of this huge body of water and the number of available feeding opportunities for the fish. Sometimes we use a bobber to suspend our bait and it takes a committed focus to keep it in sight. Yet we continue to catch fish somehow.
How small we are in the scheme of things. Upon seeing the bobbing heads of the surfers, how small they were when scanning the waves and water. No wonder there is difficulty in spotting a lone soul floating in the water when the search and rescue team is about its work. Yet we hear of rescues almost daily.
How tiny we must be in the vast sea of humanity. From God's perspective we must akin to the lost soul floating for days in the sea waiting for someone to spot them, someone to rescue them. The din of cries for help must be deafening but still He hears. Still He comes with open arms to drag us safely to shore. He often saves us from drowning in self-pity and denial. He is always there.
Many of the stories of Jesus relate to the sea and fishing. His disciples are men of the sea and stories of life at sea illustrate His life. He tells the men where to fish to fill their nets to capacity ( Luke 5:1-11) and tells them they will "fish" for men. He calms the storm in Matt 8:23. He teaches his disciples about faith by showing them through their own lives how faith will work for them. Are you a lone soul in a sea of doubt? Are you afraid you'll drown? Seek Him, call out for Him, He will save you!

Communications Rock!!

In these days of electronics we find ourselves communicating with one another at an unequaled level. We are sending instant messages, texting, blogging and talking on wireless phones. We don't have much face-to-face interaction, Sunday afternoon visiting, or hand written letters but we communicate freely via our electronic devices. Actually we are tethered by our electronic devices. We seldom are able to escape the "tug" of an email, text or instant message. Cell phones vibrate insistently even in quiet places. If we choose we can be constantly connected. Our curiosity tells to check our email at least daily if not hourly or relentlessly. The world is at our fingertips. The ad campaign by a phone company told us to "reach out and touch someone" and to "let your fingers do the walking" those slogans seem prophetic . Our fingers are constantly on the move, reaching out, typng on our various keyboards that facilitate our "touching". The dexterity of a teenage texter is amazing as they "walk" over the tiny keys. The tiniest of keyboards deliver a coded cipher that can evoke the most fundamental emotions. We can choose to confront a correspondent face to face with an attached camera or not. We can sit across a room, face buried in an electronic device while the person we communicate with is within earshot. There's no love notes secretly passed across the classroom but a silent vibration to alert a boo or BFF to check vitals on their crackberry. Without some knowledge of basic electronic jargon we are left out, as were previous generations, of the communication of young people. My understanding is that "a boo" is the same as your "main squeeze" ; a BFF is your Best Friend Forever; to "check vitals" is to take a look at your electronic communications devices, one of which would be your "crackberry" or Blackberry if that means anything to you. Each of the terms are probably already dated in this fast moving world or are, as we used to say, "L7" or "square". These references are at best, ridonkulous!
To our chagrin, the 50+ folks cannot operate the equipment of our time. The changes of this part of life are so fast and furious that we are left dumbfounded, sitting dazed and confused with a complicated remote control in hand and a blank, silent television screen in front of us. Many of us couldn't turn on a computer and "couldn't work one because we didn't take high school typing". Our fingers are much too stiff to dial "them little phones". We are caught staring at the phone with tears in our eyes longing for a simple "Hello". We hate to call a business with no "real person" to answer the phone because we know we can't react fast enough to "push all them buttons to talk to someone". Even the doctor's office phone tells you to push this button or that for this reason or the other while all the time you inch closer to the Pearly Gates.
With all this frustration we are elated to begin a conversation with "Dear Lord" and know that the world will soon melt away and our heavy hearts will be lifted. We know there is Someone to hear our pleas for help and we know that through prayer we still have a steadfast BFF to help us through our darkest hours. His blog is as close as our Bible, His peace and comfort a thought away. We will always feel the "vibration" when He calls. OMG (Oh, my God) is just as viable today as a lamentation for those in need as it is a slang exclamation to others. No electronic devices required. No buttons to push. Just a reverent and grateful heart and a simple "Lord," is all it takes!!

The End of the Rope

We have often heard someone say, "I'm at the end of my rope", implying that he is about to fall from a high place or slip into the darkness and drown. Life gives us many reasons to believe that we are grasping precariously to a rope. A rope that will ultimately either slip from our hands or pull us to safety. Imagine if you will an old rope tied to the limb of a tree; the tree is on a high place on the shore; it hangs above a "swimming hole"; a place in a stream or creek where the water is deep and wide enough to allow a person to stand on the shore, grasp the rope, swing out over the water and at his disgression release his grasp and plummet to the water below. It is quite often peer pressure that causes you to grab the rope and swing out over the water. Having observed your friends running, grabbing the rope, swinging out over the water, yelling "Geronimo" (the accepted term to use when jumping off or out of something), and releasing the rope just at the right part of the arc to propel them out, over the water, then plummeting down to a splash into the swimming hole. The first time that you attempt this feat there is a bit of trepidation and sometimes your grasp of the rope won't release, "Geronimo" can't be uttered and you must struggle to regain your perch on the solid ground above the hole. This aborted attempt immediately evokes cries from peers of "Chicken" or "Are you scared". Your response can be a little bravado, "Naw, I slipped!" or "I need a better hold!". Or your response could be grabbing your clothes and running home. The latter in most circles would be totally unacceptable as the relentless razzing from peers would be unbearable. So you grab the rope again, swing out, yell "Geronimo", and drop to the water below. This is usually followed by shouts of elation and raucous laughter. The shouts and laughter are more a release of tension as the feat is accomplished and without ill effects than true joy. As the day goes by the rope gets slippery from the water. It is the time when you swing out with the slippery rope to the highest arc, high above the hole that you may be at the end of the rope...
That slippery rope may not always be associated with the ol' swimming hole. It may be a euphemism for our life. We may not have a solid grasp as we climb, we may find the rope too slippery to hold. At the precipice we may begin to
lose our grip and find ourselves slipping to the end of our rope. "I'm at the end of my rope!" has little to do with ropes and the implications are huge. It is at this juncture that we search desperately for a knot to stop the slide. God can supply that "knot"! You may be the "lost sheep" or may need to renew your faith. You simply must trust in God and remember that He has a way! When you are at the end of your rope, pray relentless. If you are lost, He will find you! When everyone has turned their back on you, He is there! His grace is truly amazing and He will save a "wretch" like you! Paul in his letter to the Romans says "I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today nor what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God's whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! "(Romans 8:38)
Let God be your "knot" at the end of your rope!!

What makes you happy?

This is a question for the ages. Happiness has become an elusive dream for many of us. We chase it. We cry out for it! We search desperately for it! Yet many of us would truly be hard-pressed to define it. We place a huge premium on our happiness. It is often so important that we bequeath it to another person. We are satisfied, no, we demand that someone else define our happiness. We look to our spouse, a loved one, a friend, a pet, or perhaps to a complete stranger to make us happy. Have you ever heard someone say, "You don't make me happy anymore." or "I am just not happy"? We say these things but we don't really know what defines our happiness. We perk up our ears when someone says, "happy". We look around for happiness. Does a smile or laughter define happiness? What about a giggling baby, is he happy? What about the folks who laugh hysterically at a comedian or a movie, are they happy? Who teaches us happiness? Perhaps it's the ever-present "media", if Oprah says that a book will make you happy, how many of us would race to the bookstore to get it.
Webster's dictionary defines "happy" as; 1: favored by luck or fortune; 2: notably fitting, effective, or well adapted; 3: enjoying or characterized by well being and contentment; 4: characterized by a dazed, irresponsible state. What do you think? Which one best fits you when you're happy? Do you have good luck, a pile of money, effectiveness, well being, or are you simply in a daze? Guess it's all about how we decide to define our happiness from the choices at hand. Sometimes we dwell too much on the complexities of our lives, the changes that bombard us daily. One definition contains the word "contentment", can we be content with our lives? The therapist is booked with people seeking contentment in their lives.
There is a contentment that exists apart from the world, a spiritual contentment. In Matthew 5, Jesus defines happiness to the multitude like this;
"How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
"How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!
"Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them!
"Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied!
"Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them!
"Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!
"Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known as sons of God!
"Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kindom of Heaven is theirs!
Jesus knew that happiness was an unanswered question in our minds, so he provides an answer by teaching the meaning of happiness. Now how will you define happiness. What makes you happy?

Roller Coaster

Life is like a roller coaster... Thrills to chills, highs to stomach dropping lows. We exhilarate as we start the climb to the top. We hold our breaths when we free fall to the bottom. Anxiety is the rule when we approach the entrance to the ride but still we MUST get on and ride it to the end. When the clickety-clack of the cogs are pulling us to the precipice we feel an uneasiness about what's about to happen but we are strapped in and there's just no way to get off. We know from past experience that the impending plunge will be wide-eyed, white-knuckled, gut-wrenching, excitement but we know it's inevitable. When we get on the ride its a release, as an opportunity to emit a primal scream, an attempt to bring some heart-thumping, breathless exhilaration to the quiet. In the scheme of things a brief encounter with an assessed ultimate thrill and then its over. Do we take risks because we feel safe all locked into our seat? Is the thrill of the floor falling away, hanging suspended, legs dangling as the coaster dips, twists, climbs, and dives always hurtling us forward toward the end. As the ride ends we know that we will rejoin our friends and loved ones who have exited before us. We'll all stand on solid ground, look at one another and say, "Wow, that was a GREAT ride!!". Or will you proclaim, "I'm not ever getting on a ride like that again!"

Hymns to Him

Can you imagine a worship service without music? That "joyful noise" has been a part of praise and worship forever. It is the elevator that lifts the heart and spirit. Ironically, hymns are a direct avenue to Him. When we raise our voices in grateful praise on Sunday the cacophony of song lifted heavenward must be deafening. It is the songs of praise that lifts our spirits and directs them to Him.

Mainstream churches have raised that elevator with guitars, drums, brass instruments and jumbo trons. You can look to Heaven and open your voices and never look down as the words of the song appear on the screen. Perhaps by so doing our voices are directed upward and the intensity of our praise is amplified in keeping with the musical instruments on stage or the altar if you prefer. We are so used to staring at "screens" all day that it's only natural that praise and worship screens are the order of the day. I attended a church recently that had no hymnals. Incidentally there were no book racks on the pews, no pencils, no paper, no prayer request cards. The rustling of pages to find the hymn was gone. The occasional thud of a hymnal hitting the floor was gone.
Don't worry there's plenty of those "old-time religion" churches left so the choice as always is yours. You can still hold a tattered old Sacred Harp or shaped note hymn book if you wish. You can still sing praises in the shower if you wish. God just wants you there, In the Garden or at the foot of The Old Rugged Cross as He gives you his Blessed Assurance that you are Leaning on His Everlasting Arms as He calls you Softly and Tenderly to tell the old, old story...

Thunderstorm

Today a terrible thunderstorm is raging outside. Perhaps the same storm rages in your soul. Flashes of lightning and rolling thunder makes it hard to concentrate. In the moments of relative calm there is an interruption and the storm begins again. When thunderstorms rage outside, we run to the television or computer to assess our peril and to see where the clearing exists. If the meteorologist tells us to seek immediate shelter we listen. We don't always take action but at least we listen. Our experience with these storms tell us that there will be a clearing, an end to the storm, usually sooner than later!
When the storm in our soul rages, where can we go, where can we seek shelter, when will it end? Not such easy questions to answer. Often we seek shelter in drugs or alcohol. Sometimes we seek shelter from a loved one or friend. The shelter we find may not completely shelter us from the storm. With no end in sight we spiral downward.
Our soul cries for spiritual shelter, the shelter that comes from God. This shelter will completely protect us from the storm, all that is required of us is that we listen with an open heart and mind. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Jesus invites us to come to Him and allow Him to quiet the storm. Allow Him to take on your burden and He will give you peace. This is shelter from your storm. Just as the hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, says we can allow Jesus to bear all our sins and griefs. ...what needless pain we bear.