Invisible Qualities

Invisible Qualities “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature have been seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1vs. 20) The holiday season is a hectic time of the year. Next year’s budgets at home and work, the snow needs to be shoveled (for us northerners), and increased activity at church, holiday parties, and all the holiday sports tournaments added to our schedule. It is easy to get caught up in human activities and leave our spirituality behind. Merry Christmas. Interestingly, activity surrounding Christ’s birthday celebration may often deprive us of the time to meditate and appreciate the wonders of his gifts. It is a glorious time of the year, full of memories of our youth and the excitement of growing closer to our families. Where is God in all of this? First and foremost, God is with us, even when we are too busy to be conscious of His presence. His “…invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature” are available to us all, every day. All days are not created equal! We all have our ups and downs. On those days when we are out of touch, where is the Lord? He is precisely where we left Him, waiting to support us. Thought for Today: We face holiday activities added to the norm. It is a blessed time of the year. Let us focus on being sure that we bring the Lord with us every day. Yes, He can go shopping, to a youth Holiday tournament, to a business meeting, or any place we will take Him. This week let us silently recognize His presence through meditation and prayer. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, today we thank you for the gift of grace received through your son Jesus. We are blessed this time of year through the memories of his life and the celebration of his birth. We give thanks for your presence in our lives and the ability to reach out to you when we are stressed. Amen

Expressing Yourself

Expressing Yourself “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5 vs. 6) As Christians, we need to demonstrate our best every day in every event. That does not mean walking around handing out roses hugging everyone we see, which would scare many people off. Therefore there must be another way. Greeting people in biblical times included a hug, a cheek kiss, and sometimes water to wash off dusty feet and cool their heads. If we did that, people would be uncomfortable. Times have changed over 2000 years, and however, expressing our faith through love still works. You may do simple things that will help, and you can see the effect immediately. When you open a door for someone, make eye contact and smile; they will almost always smile back and seem more relaxed. In public places, we often see a crying child with a frustrated mom. Don’t look away or walk away! Try to make eye contact, smile, and wave to the child; say something nice. Inevitably if you do, both the mom and child will relax. You would have expressed love. In photos and movies, Jesus is portrayed with piercing, loving eyes, often a stare. No one knows if that is a truism, but it works. We are to be the light of the world we can be through simple acts of consideration and love! Thought for Today: Today, let’s smile at people and see their difference; they will be more comfortable with us. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today I pray that I demonstrate your love and faith through my behavior toward others. I pray that I shine your light brightly. Amen

The Dalai Lama on Worry

The Dalai Lama 

“Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?”

(Matthew 6 vs. 27)           

            June and I have the ability to enjoy our lives, both the pitfalls and the pleasures. We strongly believe that somehow the Lord has been involved in our lives and led us to enjoy simple pleasures. We both believe that the ability to put the events into perspective is our greatest blessing through our faith. 

            Several weeks ago, a “Good News buddy” forwarded this to me. It does not describe a person of faith but is accurate for those who have not developed a spiritual lifestyle. 

            The Dalai Lama, when asked about what surprised him most about humanity, answered, 

“Man. Because he sacrifices his health to make money.

Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health.

And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present;

the result being that he does not live in the present or the future;

he lives like he is never going to die, and he dies having never really lived.” 

Maybe we can help the friends that the Dalai Lama is referring to.           

Thought for Today: Who in our circle of friends resembles the Dalai Lama’s description? It could be a family member, neighbor, friend, or someone in our church. Today let’s think about that and find a way to share our faith with them. 

Prayer for Today:  Dear Lord, today, let us pray for those who have not included Christ in their lives, those who are spiritually weak, worried about physical rather than Godly issues. We pray for them and ask you for a way to help, a way to share, and a way to contribute to their spiritual growth.

            

 

For the second year, we will celebrate the holiday season with COVID on our minds. June and I are planning Thanksgiving dinner with our daughter Claire. Usually, we would be in downtown Minneapolis with over 10,000 others at the Turkey Day 5K that started at our home in the 1980s. There will be no event again this year. 

01111 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, which 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 greetings. Each card and letter that gets addressed is to someone special. The addressees have all played a role in my life, including friends, advisors, mentors, coaches, etc. What a wonderful feeling it is to sit there and think about each of them (you). Are they God’s chosen people?  

            A priest in the UK 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 an excellent 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 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 you have given us. Among them are our friends and contacts, and 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

 

Global Peace 

"Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me,
or seen in me—put it into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you."
(Philippians 4:8) 

            There are over 300 million people in America and billions worldwide. As individuals, we are not statistically significant. But we all know that statistics can be manipulated and misrepresented. Indeed, within our Christian faith, each of us is significant to God. In many of Paul's letters, he advised that "God will be with you." I will add, personally, upfront and close.

            As statistically insignificant as the mathematicians make us, God gives us meaning, power, and faith. We are the power of one. As Christians, we can impact the world one individual at a time through our faith. When we demonstrate that we are at peace, we infect those around us. When we demonstrate good Christian ethics, we lead others to follow us. When we are at peace, others want to join us. 

            We all know of pyramid schemes and chain letters. We have an opportunity through our faith to be at the top of a living chain. Each day we are at peace through our faith, we will positively affect our environment. Our challenge as people of faith is to work our peace so others will join us.

Thought for Today: It is challenging but exciting to think that we can affect others with our positive actions. This week let us consider others and, by example, share our hope regarding our future.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we see and hear ugliness in the world daily. There are wars and revolutions in the mid-east and Africa, a worldwide refugee crisis, many of our streets are unsafe, and there are too many negative financial issues within our institutions. It is hard to understand where you are when we are bombarded daily with these issues. We pray for an understanding of your role and that we may participate in an overall solution.
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) 

            On October 31st in 1991, Halloween was a significant event in the northern part of the United States. We had two 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 snowstorm 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. 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. 

            Tonight 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 

 

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." A freeze followed our first heavy frost, and now we have warm temperatures. Certainly, this is a gift to us by God, and it is something that we all appreciate.

            During this time, the crabgrass has died; there is color in the leaves; the lawn does not need mowing as often; the evenings are cool; the garden does not need weeding.

            There are many blessings about "Indian Summer," and they are easily recognized. There are also many blessings in our daily lives, 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 also need to give thanks and recognize God's role 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