AA This Week- Let Go!

Let Go 

“But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”

(1 Corinthians 6 vs. 17) 

            Thousands of people that did not believe have taken a step to believe a power greater than themselves would restore them to sanity; people that were so down and out that the concept of God was beyond them. That is how someone in AA starts their journey to sanity. It is a process of turning over control and trusting; one of spiritual growth. 

            More people than not fail and are not capable of grasping the concept, even when God was referred to as a higher power. They are afraid to let go of control and their dependency wins. Let’s face it, we all desire to be in control and live in fear of letting go!          

  Thursday night is New Year’s Eve and many are making resolutions and setting goals. It was a year of COVID fear, shut-downs, and fear. For next year I ask you to think about something other than exercise and weight. Think about adopting the slogan “Let go and let God.” Make that your New Year’s resolution, seek spiritual growth, and you will have a great year!

Thought for Today: Today let us think about what we can turn over to God so that we may have a less stressful New Year!

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we pray that we may trust in you and allow your control and spirit into our daily lives.

Amen

Christmas!

 

 Bottle? 

“There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens”

(Ecclesiastes 3 v1)           

            Today we awaken a week before the Christmas celebration. We are tired, weary, and excited. Our hearts are full of the joy and spirit that this wonderful season creates. It would be great if we could bottle it all up so we could drink it year-round.         

            Several years ago, good friend Paige said it well on her Facebook site, “I wish it could be Christmas every day..... I'm getting the best present of all this year.” She was moving into a new home near her daughters and grandchildren and they will celebrate Christmas together.

           

            This year our family is having a COVID Christmas. We are busy scheduling small group family visits. We will be masked, socially distanced with knuckle and elbow bumps replacing hugs! The smiles, tears of joy, love, and spirituality will still be there. It will still be warm inside of us on a cold week in Minnesota. 

            Each year one of my best gifts is you; what I like to call my Good News buddies. (Those of you that put up with my weekly emails!) You drive me to read, write, and consider what Christ means to me and the world. Wow, that is a great gift-Thanks. 

“Down in a lowly manger

the humble Christ was born

And God sent us salvation

That blessed Christmas morn.”

(Verse 3, Go Tell It on the Mountain)(John W. Work Jr. 1907) 

Thought for Today:  Today let us all enjoy the celebration. The birth of Christ is fast approaching. Today let’s focus on the excitement, blessings, and spiritual meaning of it all. Also, let us remember that this spirit can be with us all year long- we do not need a bottle, it is in our hearts! 

Prayer for Today: Today we pray for the many families that are experiencing holiday loss. It is sad when there is an empty place at the Christmas table. We also need to pray for peace and give thanks for our friends, loved ones, and the joy of the season.

 Amen

A COVID Christmas

 Problems? 

“From them will come songs of thanksgiving
and the sound of rejoicing.
I will add to their numbers,
and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,
and they will not be disdained.”

(Jeremiah 30 vs.19) 

            Every day is a day to rejoice. We are between our formal day of Thanksgiving and Christ’s birthday celebration. Most of us are enjoying what we call the holiday season. The message above tells us that God wants us to rejoice; to be happy. We need to pay attention to that. 

            An additional reason to rejoice is the pending COVID 19 vaccine. It is great that there is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Also, yes this year there is an “also”; we need to keep in mind the losses suffered during the time of COVID. Christmas 2020 will be different because most will not be assembling in large family gatherings and there will be an unprecedented number of empty plates at the table; people who passed due to COVID. We need to pray about that!           

Thought for Today: Today we will be happy! We will work through the busy schedule, deal with the CIVID style holiday stress, and in the end, we will rejoice! 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, today we rejoice in your name while not forgetting the COVID months, past, and future. We pray that the scientists have the vaccine correct and that by Summer we can look back in relief.  The next two weeks we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the gift of grace, love, and spirit he brought to us.

Amen

Infamy 

“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
   and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”

(Isaiah 14:24) 

            Today is a famous day described as a Day of Infamy. It is one of the most famous days in the history of war. There are a lot of famous battles described in our history books, David and Goliath, Troy, Gettysburg…and the list goes on. I need to wonder and ask why. Most wars since WWII have been un-Godly nobody wins situations that do not seem to resolve anything. After the treaties are signed there has been as much tension as before and does not make a lot of sense to me.           

So where is God in all of this? What would Jesus do? How come both sides can think God is with them? These are great questions and I am not even going to try to answer but refer them to Abraham Lincoln as he analyzed God’s presence in war.           

In Abraham Lincoln: A History by Nicolay and Hay, Lincoln is quoted: “The will of God prevails. In great contests, each party claims to act following the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war God’s purpose may be something different from the purposes of either party—and yet the human instrumentalities working just as they do, are of the best adaption to effect His purpose…God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet. …He could give the final victory to either side any day. Yet the contest proceeds.”           

            Today we need to remember Pearl Harbor, a day in infamy. We also need to pray for an end to all conflicts, we need to contemplate world peace. 

Thought for Today: Contemplate world peace. 

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord and savior today we are wondering where it will all end. Throughout history, the world’s people have found ways to battle. Today we pray for some understanding as to your role in all of this. We pray for understanding so that we can represent your will in search of peace.

 

December 2020-Christmas Time!

 

Happiest Season

 

“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi.

On the way, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist.

others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

(Mark 8 vs 27-29)

            It is a great time of the year when we look forward to celebrating Christ’s birth. We are blessed because we believe and are warmed by His presence in our everyday lives. Amongst the daily stresses that our society places on us, we have a God-given relief. 

            Interestingly, 30 plus years after his birth Jesus was asking who they believed he was. My thoughts are that the Christmas story would be enough. But then, nothing in this world is ever easy; not then and certainly not now. 

            So what is Christmas really about? Gifts, material giving, and recharging of our spiritual batteries. It is a great time of the year, the happiest time of the year. We need to enjoy the season while we recharge our batteries, reinforce our beliefs, and prepare for the New Year ahead. 

             Katharine McPhee said in her song:

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles
Will be out of sight” 

Blessings to you all for a great season of Joy! 

Thought for Today: The Christmas season is not all joys. We will encounter stress, financial hardships, bad weather, and all the events of winter life. They are all blessings that are part of our lives. We need to keep Christ as our focus and our stresses will be overcome. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father we give thanks for Christmas and all the festivities. We give thanks that “our troubles will be out of sight” through prayer.

Amen

A COVID Thanksgiving!

 

We are celebrating a COVID Thanksgiving. Let's pray that holiday travel and celebrations do not triple the infections as happened in September. Below is my Thanksgiving Devotion from God Is My Spinach.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

 

01123 Thanksgiving 

"As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so live in him, rooted and built up in
him and established in the faith,
just as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving".

(Colossians 2:6-7) 

            June and I are especially thankful for a family running event we started in 1990, now called the Turkey Day 5K. Each year we are tearfully proud when 10,000 plus runners, walkers, pets, and wheelchair participants enjoy their Thanksgiving morning in downtown Minneapolis. As an aside, but probably more important, will be the contributions of food and cash that will be received by the Second Harvest food shelf. We both feel blessed that the Lord inspired us to start this event and placed people in our path who have made it special. 

             Thanksgiving is the traditional start of what we call the holiday season. While giving thanks we must be aware and focus on the good rewarding parts of our lives.

 

In his book, With All My Strength, H. Norman Wright puts it this way, "Thanksgiving is not to be limited to only the times when we are aware of blessings. Let us give thanks even when we have a problem to solve when there are difficulties to be met.  At these times, we give thanks to God for unconditional love and goodness, for unlimited wisdom and abundance. When we give thanks continually, we are rejuvenated- spirit, mind, and body."

    Let us hold those thoughts and be thankful for all of our blessings.

Thought for Today: Let us focus on giving thanks to God for the love we have for each other and the support we both give and receive.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we give you thanks for our friends, families, and our troubles. Yes, we give you thanks for our financial crises, our family stress, and the waves in our seas of tranquility. Through our troubles, we learn to pray and appreciate the many blessings that seem greater when compared with the ripples of life. We give you thanks for our lives, your love, and your Grace. 

Amen 

  

Universal Hope!

 Universal Hope

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

 There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.”

(Psalm 19v1-4) 

The holiday season is a time of hope. The Psalmist notes that there is one clear message from the heavens, one God with one message in all tongues to all peoples. This encourages us to believe that there is hope for universal understanding and someday world peace. 

We live in a troubled world. This year along with the Pandemic there have been natural disasters, terrorism, attacks in schools, layoffs, and too many ungodly events. They capture the headlines. It is reasonable to question God’s role in all of this.  

                We need to remember that “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands,” The press and media report on other issues so it is up to us to focus on the message and live a life of faith; display a strong spirit! It is our time to infect the world with faith, peace, and hope.

The parable of the seeds points out the greatness of a well-planted thought. John F. Kennedy said it this way, "One person can make a difference and every person must try." 

Thought for Today:  There will be bad news and will hear it, see it, and sometimes feel it. We need to overcome it with the faith and hope of the Lord. Let us show others our spirit; Be that one person! 

Prayer: Dear Lord, this is the time of year when all faiths celebrate you. We celebrate your presence in different ways with the common thread of thanks, love, and peace. This season we pray for the guidance to share our faith so that we may sow a seeds in your name!

Always Friends

 We approach this busy holiday season with COVID on our minds. June and I are planning Thanksgiving dinner for two. Normally we would be in downtown Minneapolis with over 10,000 others at the Turkey Day 5K that started at our home in the 1980s. We will miss our friends but will pray for you and all of them! Stay safe and enjoy this season!  

Always Friends 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

 clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

(Colossians 3, 12-14; NIV) 

            Most of us have a problem with feeling like one of “God’s chosen people”. The control freak in us wants to believe that we chose to follow Him. That is ego-centric and introspective. We all know that we chase Him until he catches us. In our lives, who are “God’s Chosen” and what do they do?  

            This month is Thanksgiving and one of my traditions is to do Christmas cards. Each card that gets addressed is to someone special. The addressees have all played a role in my life. Each in some way has been a friend, advisor, mentor, coach, etc. What a wonderful feeling it is to sit there and think about each of them (you). Are they God’s chosen people?  

            There is a priest in the UK who included me in his daily prayers during my cancer period, another is a running buddy of over thirty-five years duration, and several former pastors who were spiritual advisors… the list goes on. The holiday season is a great opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth and life. It also a chance to think of the many people God has placed into our lives that have demonstrated to us “… compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...” 

Thought for Today: This week let us simply think about our friends. Let us remember why they are, who they are, and what they mean to us. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we have many blessings that you have given to us. Among them are our friends and contacts. Each of them is in some way a blessing. This week we offer our prayers for their health and happiness and thank you for presenting them to us and that we may all get through this 2020 holiday season healthy and thankful!

Amen

For my friends who celebrate Diwali!

 

Be Real

 

Be Real 

“Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

   Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

 Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.

Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

(Romans 12v9-13)           

            Open and honest is a great way to go through life. Where did Jesus end up when he tried it? There are two answers. One is “On the Cross”. The Christian answer is “At the right hand of God”. In our world, it is sometimes a good idea to keep our thoughts to ourselves. Sometimes being open or real will cost you and in workplaces differing from the opinion of the leadership can hurt your career. At church, differences are often divisive and we need to pray about that. 

In 2005, at my workplace, I chose to be open and honest with a new vice president of the company. My openness accelerated my retirement and ended my employment. It is something that is OK at age 66 but would have been a crushing blow at age 55. It is an issue that all faithful Christians have to deal with. 

As we travel through life we always need to work to keep bread on the table. Sometimes we will be tempted to hold back for self-preservation. We do need to “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” In the long run, we work for the Lord, but there is a fine line that we need to walk in life! 

Thought for Today: We often have to make decisions regarding "being real". Today let us focus on demonstrating sincerity, zeal, and joy through the patience we are blessed with through Jesus. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we are surrounded by the love of Jesus as we approach the holiday season. It is a time of social pressures as well as great joy. Today we pray for those who have a problem experiencing this joy. We pray that they find the belief and experience the circumstance that will give them everlasting peace. Amen

                                                                  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 1^st. 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, 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 were six inches of snow on the ground and we did pray for the safety of the children. 

            In the morning there were 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 twenty-minute drive 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. 

            Today is Halloween, enjoy it with your neighborhood goblins! 

Thought for Today: Halloween 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 are safe and have a great evening. We give thanks for their presence in our lives.Amen

Thank You

 Thank You

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

(Romans 12: 11-13)

 

            This week’s message is a simple thank you. To all that read my online messages, visit my blog, receive my weekly emails, or check out my Facebook pages and group. You are all a blessing to me and have helped me grow to a place of peace.

 

            Last week Google advised me that this would be my 600^th blog post. So what? Am I bragging? No, I am humbled. You have kept me going with your support, your love, and maybe some respect that I do not feel is deserved. You are the greatest.

With Christian love I thank you.

 

Thought for Today: Today we will be tested; things will not all go well. We need to find a way through our faith to be an example to those around us; an example of good living and happiness.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, today we pray for our country and world. It seems out of control. We pray that through your guidance we can contribute to a solution. We pray for good health, abundance, and peace for all.

Amen

Popeye: I Yam What I Yam

 

Popeye turned 90 this week. He was not a philosopher...or was he? I credit friend and editor, 

Steve Rossi

, for "God is My Spinach" as a title for the 2012 devotional. It is a great concept to reach out for help when troubled as Popeye reached for his spinach!

I Yam what I yam

"You made all the delicate,

inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. ...

Your workmanship is marvelous."

(Psalm 139:13-14, TLB)

Was Popeye a philosopher? Cartoonists often are. When Popeye was confronted with difficult situations he would state "I yam what I yam?” gulp down his spinach and defend right!

We are not all Popeyes and we are expected to conform, often to standards below those of our Christian faith, and may face difficulties if we do not. In any case, it is necessary to understand who we are, what we are, and keep the Lord in our daily lives. We need our "spinach"

.
In many ways, we are continually fighting an image syndrome. Conformity is the word, and clones are the result. Quite often we get flack because we don't fit.
If there was a right way to be, how would some of the prophets or John the Baptist fit in with the rest of their society? Probably not too well at times.

The truth is you are you. You are who God created you to be. He wants you to know who you are and understand your unique characteristics. You were created by God and then the mold was broken. No one else is exactly like you.

You are unique. You are special and it is all right to be you. Don't let others shape you. That is God's task He started with you, he will finish with you and he will be with you. He is our spinach.

He does want you to be you.

Thought for the Day: Let us search for the person that God wants us to be so that we may serve him better.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we travel through our weekly chores, we need to see a way to help You. We often lose track of your plan. Sometimes we are too busy and do not understand it. This week we pray that each of us may find a better way to serve You and make life better for everyone.
Amen.

  Indian Summer 

"This is the day
that the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it"
(Psalm 118:24) 

            In Minnesota, we are 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 offers our thanks.

            During this time, the crabgrass 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 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

Don't Fake IT

Don't Fake IT 

“Woe to you …you hypocrites!

 … on the outside, you appear to people as righteous

 but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

(Matthew 23v27)

 

            One of my favorite themes is been being true to our faith by being open and honest. It is something that we all desire, but it also comes with some social consequences. There are too many people in the world that have a different reality than Christians.

             In America and throughout most of the world, life is competitive. It is as if the resources are limited. As Christians, we are taught that the world has an abundance supplied by God and I believe that is true; but there is a major distribution problem in the world.

             Dealing with the wealth of Western civilization and how it relates to Christianity is scary. Recently when talking about a stewardship campaign at our church it was mentioned that if all Christians would tithe we would not need the government to run social programs. That would be great.

             Each of us needs to be as good as we can be to contribute to the positive factor in society.  We need to take social risks to reach our real rewards.

"He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

who does not lift his soul to an idol

or swear by what is false.

 He will receive blessing from the LORD

and vindication from God his Savior.”

(Psalm 24v4,5)

Thought for Today: We will have to make a choice today; to be straight and true or hold back a bit. We need to make the tough choices and keep a pure heart to improve the world around us.

 Prayer for Today: Dear heavenly Father, we give thanks for the many blessings and opportunities you bring to us. This week we pray for the chance to demonstrate our faith to others; to help. We pray to be able to do your will here on earth.

Amen

 

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 came to relate closely with the race analogies used by Paul in his letters. They are meaningful today because the events around the world have thrown us into a high state of BUSYness. (Spell-check hates that word but I like it!). In Paul’s message above he is not talking about a marathon, a workweek, 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. 

            This was written 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 was pushed down the priority list, BUSYness. 

            There was a time where I skimmed the newspaper while watching the morning TV news, drinking my coffee. Thirty minutes of stress building and negativity. (Especially during this election year!) In the early 1990s, my daughter gave me a devotional, “With All My Strength”  by H. Norman Wright, and the TV and newspaper were replaced with morning devotions. My attitude and life improved through spiritual growth!    

             Today a few events were put off until later while I read Paul’s message to Timothy. You see, life is great 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 also read the following from the 23^rd 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.