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!