Busyness

BUSYness "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure I have fought the good fight I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4 6 & 7) Over the years, I have come to relate closely to the race analogies used by Paul in his letters. They are meaningful today because the events around the world have thrown us into a state of high BUSYness. (Spell-check hates that word, but I like it!). Paul's message above is not about a marathon, a workweek, or getting to the children's activities; it has nothing to do with our BUSYness. It has to do with keeping our faith peaked during the process of life. BUSYness! I wrote this today because retired old Bob is too busy with retirement stuff: writing, blogging, helping others in need, increasing my exercise program, and generally being Bob. For the second day in a row, my morning meditation did not fit. In the early 1990s, my daughter gave me a devotional, "With All My Strength" by H. Norman Wright." Before that, I skimmed the newspaper while watching the morning TV news and drinking my coffee. That would increase my stress and negativity. Reading the devotional improved my attitude, and as a result, my life has improved through spiritual growth. Today, I read Paul's message to Timothy before tackling the day's tasks. You see, life is excellent but longer than a marathon. Sometimes called the daily grind. Life is good when the good fight is supported by spiritual growth. Finish your race by keeping the faith. Thought for the Day: In a counter to Paul's message about the race, I read the following from the 23rd Psalm: "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Take a prayer break today and every day. Prayer for Today: Dear Father, today we pray for personal peace.

Peace

Peace “Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. …they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide….” (Jeremiah 33 vs. 6 & 9) Today is a great day here in Minnesota. The sky is blue, the temperature is in the mid-seventies (That’s the twenties for my Euro-friends), and I have had a swim, a jog, and nine holes of golf. I am tired and at peace as I write this. I hope that world peace (which includes family, city, county, national, and any other peace!) is like the weather. It will come someday. After World war two there was the famous picture of the soldier kissing the nurse in Times Square. After all, that was the war to end all wars. In the fifties, a friend from New Hampshire received the Silver Star for his contributions to “keeping the peace” in Korea. At my fiftieth high school reunion, the list of deceased was overwhelmingly male. It had a lot to do with Vietnam and agent orange. These people contributed to peace and protected our country, and I greatly appreciate their efforts. The prophet Jeremiah talked about peace 2600 years ago. We are hopeful and pray for it to come, and most of us are willing to help it along. For all of us reading this today, let us contribute a bit of love to the situation. Let us enjoy our peace and hope that it spreads. Thought for Today: Think about how peaceful life is and appreciate it. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we pray for world peace and peace in our families, communities, cities, and nations. We recognize that is a lot to ask, but we ask you for help. Please show us how we can apply your will toward this lofty goal in our lives. We pray for the safety of the world’s soldiers through the end of hatred and war. Amen

Share Your Spirit

Share Your Spirit "And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but tablets of human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:3) In the early 1990s, the pastor at our small church introduced the concept that we were all ministers, and his function was facilitator or spiritual leader. He encouraged us to speak our faith, demonstrate our spirituality daily, and reach out to people. He used to say that the average Methodist invited a guest to church every 22 years. In our wildest dreams, we may someday achieve world peace, resolve world hunger, and become an ethnically and racially blended society. When that happens, it will not happen through our politics today. It will be a Godly event that we cannot perceive. We are all ministers and have the opportunity to work every day towards an improved society. Language and color divide us into nations and social groups. However, there is a common language,".., not on tablets of stone, but tablets of human hearts." We all have a job to do. Thought for Today: We can easily get caught up in our activities. Families have sports programs, school issues, and business issues, while singles have their way of filling the week. Yes, most people in the world keep busy. Today, let us seek the opportunity to demonstrate and share our spirit with someone. Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, today we thank you for the people you placed in our lives who have supported and led us to grace. Today, we pray for the opportunity to contribute to your will here on earth. Amen

Our World

Our World "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3 vs. 5) As an octogenarian, I constantly wonder about the direction society is going. Remember the good old days? It seems that whatever age you are, they exist. Two of my mom's favorite expressions were "Live and Learn" and "The more you know, the more you don't know." By now, we "Octos" know it all. Hah. In the 50s, TV was going to ruin us. We spent more time watching it than reading, but we still read books. Then, in the 1980s, we bought an Apple IIE computer, and a new age began. In our ever-evolving society, the only constant in the human race is "change." What has not changed? Nature. We still have four seasons; the sun rises and sets, and tides ebb and flow. It is September, and here in the Northland, the evenings are cool, school has started, and a few leaves are beginning to turn. Man's technology changes the way we operate. Our constant is our God-given world. We will read on our phones and tablets and send emails through cyberspace. All the while, God's world will continue to evolve. Thought for Today: Give thanks for the many fall activities; school begins, kids are excited, and the formal learning process starts. To some, the start of the fall sports season holds significant meaning. To others, the fall means hunting and being outdoors. It would be easy, amidst all the activities, to forget God. Remember that all this is God's work, and give thanks for it all. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we thank you for your patient love. We hope and pray that we may use that love to understand this complex world and apply it to the benefit of everyone. Amen

Hitch Hiking

Hitch Hiking "No Servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Luke 16 vs. 13 and Matthew 6 vs. 24) In the 1950s, hitchhiking was a primary means of transportation for teenagers. We hitched to the ball field, the next town, the beach; we hitched wherever busses did not go. We have fond memories of the people we met and the rides shared. When mom would give me a nickel for the bus, I would stand there with my thumb out, hoping to save the nickel to buy candy. H. Norman Wright, in his book All My Strength, writes about hitchhikers. Below are his thoughts: "But consider the hitchhiker for a moment. He wants a free ride. He has no responsibility at all for the vehicle. He doesn't have to buy a car, pay insurance, upkeep or gas. Have you ever had a hitchhiker who volunteered to pay for gas? Not likely. He wants a free ride, a comfortable ride, a safe ride, and sometimes imposes upon you to take him out of your way. It's as though he expects you to do this for him. There are a lot of spiritual hitchhikers today. They know the Lord, but they want a free ride. They want all the benefits of being a Christian but none of the responsibilities or the costs. They bail out without accountability, commitment, willingness to serve, and if it begins to cost. The decision to serve God or serve ONES self is a big one. We can't do both. We can hitchhike in our faith, or we can serve our God. The ride is better with Him. Thought for Today: Let's think about the hitchhiker and the driver. The hitchhiker has a need and thus is a taker. The driver is a willing giver. That describes Christians well, and it is OK to be a taker. We must decide who we are and who we will be rather than what we want to be. This season let us take a step forward and up. Let us pursue a better ride. Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, today we offer prayers of thanks for the opportunity to serve and contribute to peace on earth. Amen

Birthday Party

As leaders and teachers, we must recognize that those around us often need encouragement. Romans 12 lists one of God’s gifts as “encouraging.” In the 1950s, parenting seemed critical. Slogans included: walk softly and carry a big stick; I’m taking you out behind the woodshed; switches and wooden spoons were commonplace. I had two coaches to compare. My football coach was a very successful negative motivator. I left football in my senior year and went to a private school to swim for a great coach. The newspaper published an article quoting the coach saying thet my leaving left a big hole in the program. That was the first positive thing I had ever heard from him. The swim coach was a positive motivator and sent several swimmers to national championships and Olympics. Our small prep school defeated high-ranking first-year college teams with several future 1960 Olympians. When one of us lost, we were surprised- Coach Al was a positive motivator and teacher that had us believing in ourselves. Today’s teachers use positive reinforcement, and most parents also do. Future generations will benefit significantly from enlightened parenting and teaching. People with the gift of encouragement are blessed, and I pray all of you have it. Thought for Today: We will all have an opportunity to “encourage” someone. It will be a natural “gift” to some, but it will be a chore to many. Let’s recognize where we fit and utilize God’s gifts in our lives to make God’s world a better place. Prayer for Today: We pray that we may use ou God given skills and knowledge to encourage as we lead our families and others. Amen.

86th Birthday Today

“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Each year on my birthday, I give thanks for something learned as a YMCA brat in my youth. The symbol for the Y is a triangle, and each side has a meaning, “spirit, mind, and body.” Each year I give thanks for my role as a father, son, and place in society. But let’s talk a bit about what it takes to be in a good place with ourselves. It is being selfish, yes, being selfish in pursuit of a healthy self: mentally, physically, and spiritually. In each of our lives, we must fit into niches in society; a family, a workplace, and a social setting. We fit best when the three sides of our triangle are in a healthy balance. In all areas of our lives, it is essential to demonstrate the forgiveness and love that comes from spirituality. We need to be physically fit enough to deal with the long days without being fatigued and run down. Also, we need to be mentally sharp when making life decisions. That is a lot to ask of mortals and not an easy task. So be a bit selfish. Take care of yourself so that you may be all that God wants you to be and be capable of doing His work when the opportunity presents itself to you. Take care of yourself to be all that your family needs you to be. Remember the logo of the YMCA, spirit, mind, and body. Keep fit and enjoy life. Birthday Thought: Today is the day the Lord has made, a day for me to enjoy. Friends will recognize it, the family will celebrate it, and I will enjoy it. It is a blessing that we all have and a great day to give thanks to the Lord for all of our many blessings. Birthday Prayer: Heavenly Father, today is a special day, the day that you brought me into your service. Throughout this day, I thank you for all the opportunities you have provided me and the chance to have a healthy relationship with family and friends. Today I will often hear the words “happy birthday.” To those words, I say, “Thanks be to God.” Amen