Monday, October 26, 2015

Precious Lord Take Me Home!

This Hymn was part of my mother's memorial service last week.






Halloween 1991

 Halloween 1991

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. …which transcends all understanding…?”
(Philippians 4 verse 6)

            Halloween, October 31st in 1991 was a significant event in the northern part of the United States. In our neighborhood we had two significant events to prepare for; children trick or treating and June’s departure to the UK for a family visit on November 1st. Mother nature also had a plan that she had not consulted with me on; the great Halloween three day blizzard in Minnesota which was a piece of what is now known as “The Perfect Storm.”
            Paul told the Philippians “Do not be anxious about anything…” but millions of Americans were anxious that weekend! People died on lost ships on the Grand Banks and Minneapolis had 30 inches of snow. But it was not all bad on our end. Let me explain.
            In the early afternoon on October 31st we had a temperature drop and a snow squall started. That is not unusual in Minnesota in the fall and we did not expect it to be anything but a fun Halloween! You see, I had already decorated the outside of the house with Christmas lights so we turned them on. The lights drew a large group of Halloween revelers. We met them with a special greeting, “Ho! Ho! Ho! Happy Halloween.” There was six inches of snow on the ground and we did pray for the safety of the children.
            In the morning there was 15 inches of snow and the visibility was near zero. A trip to the airport seemed impossible. Prayers were needed. We decided to depart after lunch for a 6:30 flight and the 20 minute trip took over two hours and was very dangerous. June’s flight departed 3 hours late and I had a three hour ride home. Happy Halloween.
            I assume you all know about the perfect storm and sinking of the Andrea Gail from Gloucester. Our trials are minor when compared with the loss of a ship and lives. When we heard the story, it put our events into perspective.  Saturday is Halloween, enjoy it with your neighborhood goblins!

Thought for Today: This Friday is a special day and we should enjoy it with the revelers. We should also think back to 1991 and be prayerful.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, this week we pray for children on a day they look forward to each year. We pray that they be safe and have a great evening. We give thanks for their presence in our lives.
Amen 

Monday, October 19, 2015

Indian Summer

June and I have now spent over four weeks in Sterling Mass and other parts of New England. Yes, mom passed on October 7th after a short illness it was her time. I want to share that it was a spiritual time of learning, praying and giving thanks for mom’s 98 years. Last Thursday we had a great celebration of her life. She was supported and loved in this small New England town. We were blessed to be with her.

Indian Summer

"This is the day
that the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it"
(Psalm 118:24)
            June and I are in New England experiencing a wonderful autumn. An "Indian Summer" as it is called. Our first heavy frost was followed by a freeze and now we have warm temperatures. Certainly this is a gift to us by God. It is something that we all appreciate and offer our thanks.
            During this time, the crab grass has died; there is color in the leaves; the lawn does not need to be mowed as often; the evenings are cool; the garden does not need weeding.
            There are many blessings about "Indian Summer" and they are easily recognized. In our daily lives there are also many blessings but we often do not see and acknowledge them. We try to control our lives and often do not turn enough over to God. The more we allow Him to take over, the more blessed our lives become.
            The Psalmist says "...But may all who seek you, rejoice and be glad in you..." As we give thanks for good weather, we need also to give thanks and recognize God's roll in our daily lives.
Thought for Today: The fall season is upon us. The busy holidays are approaching us all too swiftly. This week we have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the dwell in activities between the end of summer and the holidays. Let us enjoy by allowing God's will into our daily lives. Let Go and let God and appreciate the things he will do for us.

Prayer: Father, we pray specifically for those in the World that need food, shelter and a quality of life. In our country there are too many people out of work or threatened by unemployment. In many countries the Holy season approaches many desperate people. We pray for them and that somehow the prosperous peoples of the world can find a way to do your will. We pray that we may find a way to contribute.
Amen 

Friday, October 9, 2015

Our Rock

Our Rock

There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
(1 Samuel 2 vs. 2)

            Growing up in New England we often fished in streams and frequently crossed them by stepping from rock to rock. When we stepped on a loose one or slipped from one we got cold and wet. The analogy I am getting at is we chose the wrong rock! That is not an option with God.
            The Lord is the rock of our life; our foundation and always with us. There are times when we forget that simple truth; when we feel lonely; when we will not let Him in to help. During those times we can feel cold and lonely. (Hopefully not wet!)
            Prayer and devotionals will help that situation. If you are reading this today you are probably sitting squarely on the rock.

Thought for Today: Today let’s be aware of our foundation; our rock!

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today I recognize you and give thanks for being my rock and foundation. Today I pray that I may recognize someone who has slipped from your rock and help them..

Amen

Monday, October 5, 2015

Positive Christian II

Positive Christian II

Even youths grow tired and weary,
       and young men stumble and fall
;”
(Isaiah 40 vs. 30)
            For the last several years I have exercised with an older retired physician, Phil. We walk/jog/waddle 15-20 miles a week and we have a lot of time to talk. He has completed over 25 marathons, 20 ultra-marathons and most of you know my triathlon history from 1998 to 2011 and we talk about our youthful days. We have determined that we just do not recover as fast as we used to, in fact we think that it takes three times as long to get our strength back from a good day. During that time, we feel a bit sluggish and it is hard to stay positive. June can tell you what I mean!
            Phil and I have several friends who have lost their spouse. I believe that they are faced with the ultimate challenge and half of us will face it. They are facing different challenges in different ways. Each has shown great growth and seems to be recovering through the grieving process. Each shows a faith and spirituality that they rely on. They seem to be staying positive under the most difficult conditions.
            All of the above sounds a bit negative and that is not intentional-it is just data. The reality is that it is great to be a Christian. We have a great perspective on life and a lot to share with future generations. In our later years we have the support of our Lord and have time to help others, time to share, time for ourselves, and time to recover from our ills. We need to be positive Christians, set an example on how to live and be happy. As we struggle through our many challenges, we need to remember the following:

but those who hope in the LORD
       will renew their strength.
       They will soar on wings like eagles;
       they will run and not grow weary,
       they will walk and not be faint
.”
(Isaiah 40 vs. 31-32)

Thought for Today: Be happy, be positive and share our enthusiasm with others.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we thank you for our blessings and the ability to focus on positive feelings through your love. Today we pray that we may be positive and radiate joy to those around us.

Amen