Peace, Rely on Him!

“My God, my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my Shield,

The Horn of my Salvation, my Stronghold,

My Refuge and my Savior”

(2 Samuel 22:32)

Peace

            It is the time of year when ministry teams in Christian churches make a lot of phone calls and home visits. In August many pastors connect with everyone in the church directory and invite them to the fall programs. With the help of a ministry team there will be home meetings, visits in coffee shops around the city and often just messages on answering machines saying that we care. Now is time of invitation, a time to lead people back to the Rock: the Rock of stability and peace.

            For families, school is about to start, the fall activities are about to begin, the summer slowdown and vacations are over. We empty nesters are looking at the leaves starting to turn and thinking about the winter season, warm weather travels and the holidays. Here in Minnesota, humanity is kicking into high gear- back to being too busy. In many cases it means not being at peace.

            In the next few months many of us will find ourselves in busy and challenging situations, we need to be reminded not to leave the Rock, our Lord, behind as we move forward into these exciting times. We need to keep Him in our lives to maintain our tranquility and keep us on an even keel. It is a time to accept the invitations from our ministry teams and keep the Lord in our everyday lives.

Thought for Today: Let’s take our look at our calendars and schedule a few minutes with our Lord; a few minutes for meditation; a few minutes to give thanks and a few minutes for ourselves. Let’s do this so that we will be at Peace and be better able to help others.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today let us be cool and relaxed, patient and observing, caring and loving as we deal with others. Let us shine your light so others will recognize we are at peace.

Amen

Thank You

August 21- 80^th Birthday Celebration

“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and

may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless...”

(1Thessalonians 5:23)

            Hi all. Please know that today on my 80^th birthday I am thinking of YOU. My “Good News Buddies”, Facebook Friends, God Is My Spinach Page and Blog followers…every one of you. Today will be special with June and family, it has been a great ride. You all help me every day keep in focus that happiness is what is important.

From August 21^st in God Is My Spinach.

            From the early 1980’s through the late 90’s we hosted Pick’s birthday run and cookout. The guests were truly a diverse group, economically, religiously and socially. The bond of physical fitness crossed all lines. (We also had the desire for good food and a party!). There were opportunities for the differences to show through, but none were apparent. This is the group that helped June and I start a charity event in 1989 that had 12,000 plus attendees on Thanksgiving 20 years later.

            If you are a relative of friend of mine, you probably have received special attention on your birthday. June, my wife, dreads what I may do next. She does not like surprises, and we have had a few. Other friends have been taken on mystery rides, special lunches, walks etc. You see, everyday each of us is special but one day a year we are “extra special.” Two days ago, I used the following passage from John, “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:17) The bible does not say not to love yourself. On this one special day, love yourself as Christ loved you.

You have earned it.

Thought for Today: Love is a world leader. When it exists, people are happy and successful.

When love is not present, everyone suffers. Let us search for opportunities to convert our

anxious moments into positive events. Let us recognize resentments, jealousies and other negative forces and cast them aside with a loving heart.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we give thanks for friends. We find them everywhere we look; all colors, shapes, sizes, nationalities and faiths. Through your love we cannot see the differences. We are blessed.

Amen

Do It

“Never tire of doing what is right.”

(1 Thessalonians 3:13)

            One of my Pickeringisms is that there are two types of people in the world; givers and takers. That is certainly a gross oversimplification I use to describe humanity. It came from my sales and business training and has overflowed into my teachings on living.

            In business I was taught to watch for those who would want to win at any cost; those who would think they were climbing a corporate ladder rather than building a pyramid of support. On a ladder you step on the rungs as you climb and often the ladder breaks. In the pyramid you build a base wide and tall as you move forward and up. I like that.

            It Christian life there are also givers and takers. We are all people in need and the level of that need is relative. Often our needs vary from year to year, decade to decade. When June and I were raising four children we were active in our Christian family. However, we often needed love and support from our peers. I feel there were times when we took a bit more than we gave; emotionally and financially.

            Today we are in what I think of as the elder mode; we have more time and the children’s educations have been paid. Today we give more than we take. That gives us a much warmer and more rewarding feeling.

Both being a taker and a giver in the Christian sense is OK. You see, if there were not people in need, there would not be anyone to give to and that would be a conundrum.

            Paul’s message says never tire of doing what is right; my experience is that when you are doing what is right you will not get tired! OOPS- is that a Pickeringism?

Bless you all for being my friends.

 Thought for Today: Today let us live as good Christians. If we need support let us accept it without guilt and recognize that we have made the giver feel good. If we are givers, let us give freely where there is need.

Prayer for Today: dear Lord, today we pray for those in need. Whether the need is great or small, physical or emotional, we pray that we recognize it and give them support in your name.

Amen

Fitness

Fitness

“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, Vs 13 & 14) 

             The following three people have been my mentors in spirit, mind and body. Yes, we may all have a compulsive disorder, but we are strong in our faith as well as our bodies.

            Bob D is a friend in Christ that I met in my years of excessive training for triathlons and running. He once had a business career but that went away and became a personal trainer. There was a very difficult transition from a commercial cash flow to that of a club trainer. His strength and faith have kept him a positive role model and he has contributed to people as both a social and physical example. In the challenging financial time, we are experiencing today people who can emulate his example will be better for it in spirit, mind and body. Winning the battle has a lot to do with having a strong faith and keeping it in focus.

            George is a church associate who impressed me when we started attending church here in Minnesota. Early on I can remember sitting in an annual meeting when he was talking and thinking that I hoped that someday I could contribute as much to the church. He was a leader that I wanted to emulate. He was blessing in my Friday bible studies as well as a positive example of both fitness and spirituality. George’s name came up today, RIP George.

            Paulette, a Good News associate, is someone that I love and respect. WE worked on a family fitness event and run together. Next year she will complete her 100^th 26.2 or longer running event and I hope to be there at the finish!  She is a great Christian friend and fitness example.           

            In Summary, we are what we are; born in a state of near perfection, we spend a lifetime trying to mess it up. The Lord gave us some marvelous equipment and an opportunity. It is a wonderful life and we need to take care of our spirit, mind and bodies in His name. 

Thought for Today: Today, let us focus on our physical selves. Let’s park a bit further from the door, say no thanks to the desert tray, walk the stairs as we are able. Let us be as good as we can be. 

Prayer for Today: Father, today we give thanks for who and what we are and the many helpers that you have sent us along the way.

Amen

Positive Focus!

 Positive Focus

"Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it."

(Psalm 34: 12-14)

            Many of us today are challenged with issues. Some have lost jobs, some have divorced, others have significant others who are terminally ill; anger, fear and resentments are fostered in this way. How do we deal with the issues without destroying the peace in our life?

            Obviously challenges that threaten our livelihood and families are difficult. Some are hard decisions but get dealt with quickly; others seem unsolvable and could drag on forever. The quickies are best dealt with on the spot and then go away. The long-term issues need other techniques and the best are through our faith.

            Several years ago, there was a serious issue that involved discrimination within our church. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of it and there was no obvious solution and prayer did not work for me. So, I went with plan B, when prayer does not work, pray again- but the second time was with my spiritual mentor. It eventually worked out the way the Lord wanted it.

            I like to say that when the going gets tough the tough start praying! Sometimes that is the only solution. 

Thought for Today: Today let’s recognize the tough spots or bumps and pray for a win-win solution.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father we give thanks today for the ability to insert you into our life’s problems through prayer.

Amen

Grace

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,

who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

(2 Thessalonians vs.16 & 17)

            My friend Michael is the master of simplification and understatement. He has a great life, gives to more causes that I even know of and is one that is always joyful. His style is simple because he has accepted grace given to us through Jesus Christ.

            He often makes me a bit jealous because when I am confused by the facts of life, he will often ask me where grace fits in. Recently I was bemoaning the terror attacks, the refugee issues and the state the world in general.  Michael pointed that I had almost no control over those issues and asked; “Bob, you are so blessed why wreck your day on that stuff?  Do what you can but the best thing you could probably do is be happy!”

            He was correct. My light was not shining at that moment. My contributions were going to be negative for that day. However, with the oversimplification on accepting grace, life will always be good. When we are not in a good place we need to remember that. We need to use our grace to power the lamp inside us as lights of the world.

Thought for Today: This is the day the lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it. Accept our grace which is God given and enjoy!

Prayer for Today: Dear Heavenly Father we here on earth are blessed with your grace. We pray that we can keep that thought in perspective as we work through the confusion of our society.

Amen

Differences!

Differences

"...let us stop passing judgment on one another.

Instead, make up our minds not to put an obstacle in our brother’s way."

(Romans 14:13)

            Growing up in the 40’s and 50’s my family was very strict on who were acceptable and who was not; prejudicial to the max. I have come to believe that attitude existed from the fear of competition within our society. Fear that the immigrants would become equals to the old time New Englanders. My great grandmother from the deep south was a segregationist, the rest were from the “Irish need not Apply” school…only expanded to include all Catholics. There was a definite trend to block the social development of certain sections of the society. It was a sad time.

            I was blessed by being a YMCA brat growing up. The “Y” were leaders in treating people as equals. Mixing with all factions I never saw any difference, so it was hard for me to buy into my family’s ideas. At the “Y” my friends were of all races and religions (Oops, I need to tell a Jewish story in the next paragraph!) I remember at one point being pulled aside by an elder and told that my Italian friends were not welcome at her house. Geeze!

            My Jewish story: My friend at the Roby School, Richie, was Jewish. We shared an interest in swimming and the JCC (Jewish Community Center) was one bus stop before my stop at the “Y”. You see, YMCA and JCC did not mix in the late forties. How sad is that, two good friends going to segregated swim-team practices on the same bus! I am not describing “the good old days”!

            In America we came a long way in the sixties and still have a way to go. Christians, that is us folks, need to lead the way. Last week message was Matthew 5 about “…shine your light…”. Recent events in our world, the good old USA, indicate how correct that is. We need to demonstrate our Christian love and acceptance of all; every day, everywhere, all the time!

Thought for Today: Today we will interact with people of all kinds. Let us recognize them as equals and recognize the blessings of our differences.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father somehow America, home of the free, still harbors prejudices within our society. Today we pray that we can learn to accept others as St. Paul suggested.

Amen