Listen!

Listen “Listen, accept what I say; and the years of your life will be many.” (Proverbs 4 vs. 10) Driving to the trail to do my morning walk, a father and son were in the car behind me. The son was wearing a headset and probably listening or viewing something on his phone. The dad had his phone up to his ear. There are parents with their children in our apartment complex but on their screens. Screens and blue tooth are an integral part of society today; we are together but separated by technology. So, not to sound too much like an old fogey, I must admit that most of my communications today are with text, email, or social media. It is a great way to stay in touch with people and twenty-two family members. My question is, “Are we missing out on closeness…or increasing our contact? In the ancient 1950s, my folks and I rode together a lot, and they would not turn on the radio. It was our time to talk. Often, I was getting grilled, but it was my turn to ask and question once in a while. I especially liked to quiz my mom when we were riding to school. She was a teacher and always had the inside scoop. My dad was a talker; with him was my time to listen and learn. I do not remember much about what I learned, but we sure talked. There is a closeness to a personal conversation that we may be missing. I saw no conversation between the boy and his dad in my mirror. They were in different worlds. Sometimes my grandkids do that when I pick them up from school. Alone time is essential. Use it. With that said, the increased communication through technology makes keeping in touch easier. My conclusion for today is nothing. Times are changing, and people change with the times. We are parents charged with raising and mentoring the next generation. Prayerfully our love and Christian values will be passed on. Thought for Today: Today, let us be communicators with those around us. Let us share our love and faith and some hints on life. Prayer for Today: Today, we pray for future generations. We pray that the technology that makes their lives simpler enhances their understanding of Jesus and his grace.

Walk With The Lord

God is with Us "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth." (Numbers 12:3) Like Moses, we are not always enthusiastic about what God wants. We are a humble lot, conservative, and considerate of others' views and feelings. We are humble before God. Many of us are leaders in the community, at work, and church, often in roles that require strength while remaining humble. However, we need to perform tasks that require an assertive posture in our lives. That is a challenging task. God's response to Moses was, "...I will be with you." He will always be with us. When you feel hesitant and inferior, God says, "I will be with you." When you wonder if you can make it another day with the job stress, He says, "I will be with you." When you're faced with a tough decision and wondering what to do, He says, "I will be with you." When you are experiencing great joy, God is with you. You may be a bit reluctant, as was Moses, but we must remember that God is always with us as we go through life. Thought for Today: We need to remember that we are not alone. Through our faith, we have help meeting our obligations. So, we should take control of situations humbly and allow ourselves to lead through the tasks ahead. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, thank you for being with us. We are often confused in a world of activity. Usually, we feel that we control the situation when things go well. We pray that we can recognize your involvement in our everyday lives and have the forethought to give you thanks through our actions and prayers. Amen

Walk with the Lord

Walk with the Lord "But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live; not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity..." (Ephesians 5:13-17) Wow, we are sure busy. When saying, "Hi, how are you?" the reply is often followed by a calendar review. When Paul wrote this passage, he was advising an active lifestyle. It is OK to slow down and smell roses! Many retirees comment that they do not know when they ever had time to work. A good goal for the retirement phase of life is not to feel that way. As "qualified" retirees, June and I often reminisce about our frantic past lifestyle. Many times, the craziest and most out-of-control moments have generated the fondest memories, the blessings. In verses 17 and 18, Paul says, "Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thought for Today: It seems that being busy is a good thing. As we move through our schedules this week, take time to thank God for the opportunity to be involved or engaged; stop, appreciate, and feel good about our contributions. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we live in a world of hate and fear. We pray that it will end, but it seems it is just beginning. We pray this week for some a love attack to break out. Somehow, the world needs to recognize the advantages of Godly love. Amen

Love and Hospitality

Love and Hospitality "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour that I first believed. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace." (Amazing Grace, Vs. 4 & 5) (Words by John Newton, 1779) There are almost as many ways to find joy and peace as people. We can find it anywhere, anytime, because we each measure it individually. Christians have the tools and knowledge to reach out and find it. However, we often let our everyday tasks and challenges disturb our peace. This past week, it seemed that the traffic threatened many people's tranquility. The construction season and heavy rains slowed things down to a crawl. Frustration seemed to replace grace on the highways. Regarding traffic, a dear friend and author wrote, "...leave early, take the pretty route, and listen to good music." He is right on. As Christians, when we find our tranquility threatened, we need to use our tool kit: prayer, meditation, and even chatting with a friend. They all will work. God did not put us here to be frustrated. Experience grace as He wants you to. Thought for Today: This week, let us all keep grace at the forefront of our daily prayers. Let us expect the daily challenges and be ready with our tool kit. This week, let's experience grace and joy every day. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we recognize that your joy and tranquility are always available, and you are always with us. This week, we pray that we may keep you on our minds and thoughts as we work through the challenges of our Christian lives. This week,

New Beginning

New Beginnings "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) Today is the first day of the rest of your life; believe it. Every day is a new day, a chance to start over. Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift from God. It is up to us how we use it. We can choose to carry around our old baggage or harvest new joys. It is our choice. We can turn bad into good. Using a golf analogy, life is match play, hole by hole versus day by day. A bad golf hole-in-match play does not cost you the match; it counts as one of eighteen. A bad day is painful and certainly not wanted in life and may contribute to a bad week. However, it can be a bottom, and life can be all uphill. If you are reading this today, you are on the right track, giving yourself the opportunity for a better day. Meditation and prayer will jump-start your day and open the window to the light of our faith. Thought for Today: Today, let us start a new beginning. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we thank you for our many blessings, especially for a new day. We pray that we capture the joys of life you lead us to and help someone else find them. Amen

Looking Forward

Looking Forward Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me." (Philippians 3:12-14) Keeping your eye on the prize, the good life, and focusing on the positive events and memories is life's biggest challenge. In my mind, a long-term marriage, career, or presence in any group (specifically a church family) is the most formidable challenge placed before us by the Lord. However, what He asks is to stick it out, focus on the positive experiences, and learn from the negatives. No one is perfect. All the greats of history made errors and remember them, as do all of us. The other side is that everyone has had successes and done good deeds. A life focused on success feeds upon itself, leading to more success and happiness. The reverse is also true. "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead," Thought for Today: Let's become more open in our relationships- with our significant others, family, and friends. Let us look at our resentments, possibly share them, and resolve them so that we may "…press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me…." Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we pray for the courage to be open and honest in our daily lives and relationships. We pray we may become closer and press on toward the prize together. Amen

Play Christ's Way

Play Christ's Way "Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:7) We are faced with decisions every day regarding our relationship with others. Sometimes, there is aggressive behavior. In business, there is competition to get to the top; in school, there is competition to be the head of the class; in sports, there is competition to be number one, etc. It is the way it is. When growing up, I was taught that winning is not everything. It was how you played the game that mattered. In the seventies, I attended a business management seminar sponsored by Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi. The emphasis was on detail, being service-oriented, and planning. Over the years, the operating principles learned at that seminar have made my life very successful. They taught us to have a game plan and work it, but alter it as needed. To play by the rules takes faith in yourself and God and love and caring for people. Weekly recipients of my messages vary greatly from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. Two are very successful Christian CEOs, and their companies' behavior matters to them. Christian ethics take strong faith. No matter where or who we are, fairness and love of others are crucial to success. Then how do we deal with the aggressive ones, such as the inconsiderate neighbor? Cut-throat businessman? The ones that bend the rules? We need to pray for and love our competitors in life. John quotes Jesus in chapter 15:17, "This is my command, Love each other." Thought for Today: This week, let us practice unconditional love. If confronted with opportunistic or aggressive behavior, let us find a way to positively and lovingly navigate the situation. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, let me reach out to people this week. Please help me understand them and care about them. We pray that we can improve ourselves and our surrounding world through our faith in your ways. Amen