Birthday Special

 

 Birthday Special 

“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens,

always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Jesus Christ.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) 

 Each year on my birthday, I give thanks for something learned as a YMCA brat in my youth. The symbol for the Y is a triangle, and each side has a meaning, “spirit, mind, and body.” Each year I give thanks for my role as a father, son, and place in society. But let’s talk a bit about what it takes to be in a good place with ourselves. It is being selfish, yes, being selfish in pursuit of a healthy self: mentally, physically, and spiritually. In each of our lives, we must fit into niches in society; a family, a workplace, and a social setting. We do best when the three sides of our triangle are in a healthy balance. 

In all areas of our lives, it is essential to demonstrate the forgiveness and love that comes from spirituality. We need to be physically fit enough to deal with the long days without being fatigued and run down. Also, we need to be mentally sharp when making life decisions. That is a lot to ask of mortals and not an easy task. So be a bit selfish. Take care of yourself so that you may be all that

 God wants you to be and be capable of doing His work when the opportunity presents itself to you. Take care of yourself to be all that your family needs you to be. Remember the logo of the YMCA, spirit, mind, and body. Keep fit and enjoy life.  

Birthday Thought: Today is the day the Lord has made, a day for me to enjoy. Friends will recognizeit, the family will celebrate it, and I will enjoy it. It is a blessing that we all have and a great day to givethanks to the Lord for all of our many blessings. 

Birthday Prayer: Heavenly Father, today is a special day, the day that you brought me into your service. Throughout this day, I thank you for all the opportunities you have provided me and the chance to have a healthy relationship with family and friends. Today I will often hear the words “happy birthday.”

To those words, I say, “Thanks be to God.”

Amen

Our Body our Temple

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit,

who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

            Yes, we own our temple, and it needs constant maintenance. Those who know me are expecting a dialog regarding diet and exercise. As an octogenarian, those are important. But being a happy elder is all about the Spirit.

            Many octogenarians are angry, and I do not mean unhappy. Life is not perfect, and how we deal with negativity makes the difference. Yes, in aging, we lose capabilities and hopefully taper into our “end of life experience.” As Christians, I plead with you to be elderly and happy. Let your family remember your smile and your laugh.

            Thought for Today: Let’s do what we need to be happy.

            Prayer For Today: We Pray that as we approach our end on earth, people will remember us as grateful and happy stewards of our Christian faith.

 

Winning

Winning

 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of

compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so

that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have

received from God."

 (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). 

            Who in our lives are the winners? Some say the one with the most toys wins. That is a materialistic one-liner that gives me goosebumps. However, in our society today, we pursue "things" instead of happiness and peace. So, who are the real winners, and how do they win? 

God placed us here to be his stewards, with our priority to be sharing the gifts we received from Him with others. That seems to be a very tall order. However, we always feel great when we have reached out and helped a friend or stranger. 

God gives us resources in many different forms. We have money that we earn and the knowledge that we have learned. We graciously share these things with our families and children, making us feel good. Many people also reach out beyond their family units and share. There are ways to share and sow the seeds God has given us to plant, and we are real winners when we share our gifts. 

Thought for Today: Let us look for an opportunity to help someone, perhaps someone who is sick, hurting, or lonely. If we fail in finding someone, let's share some extra with our Church. Sharing a bit will make us feel better. 

Prayer for Today:  Heavenly Father, we live in a troubled world. Civil unrest, road rage, families in strife, and other tragic incidences. Today we pray for an opportunity to help and share with someone and demonstrate your Grace through our actions.

Amen.

 Joy and Peace 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

 as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

(Romans 15v13) 

We Christians often seem celebration conscious. Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays trigger family gatherings and create great memories in our private lives. Easter, Christmas, Pentecost, rally day, etc., are grand celebrations holding our church families together. 

The memorial service celebrating one’s life is one of joy, hope, and the power of the holy spirit, a time when the faults, idiosyncrasies, and character defects are forgotten. The end-of-life experience brings grief and sadness and is often a time of depression for close loved ones. 

            We often encounter people experiencing or expecting end-of-life events in their families. We need to pray for them, pray that the Lord will help them celebrate the lives of their loved ones and they find joy and peace as they move forward in their grief. 

Thought for Today: This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice. We will experience ups and downs, but with the hope of God in our hearts, the downs can be short, the ups can be high, and a day of joy. It is our choice. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we live amongst the wonders of your creation. We have four seasons, mountains, oceans, and the grandeur of creation. Today we thank you for everything and the beautiful lives we live through you.

Amen

 

Let Go and Let God

Let Go and Let God

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

(Hebrews 13:5) 

        What do you do when a problem seems unsolvable? The solution is to let God show you that there is a solution. Do not be troubled if you are uncertain about the future or have difficulty releasing the past. Let go and let God guide you in this present moment. God is with you now. 

        Let go of worries or concerns about how you think something should be done, andlet God guide you to the best way to do it. Do not become overwhelmed by the number of tasks before you. Let God's spirit lead you step-by-step to a new life of fulfillment. 

        As you let go and let God take charge of your life, you will realize that seeming obstacles can be opportunities in disguise. God will never fail you. 

Thought for Today: Let go of the stress and tasks that seem impossible and out of our control; do what we can and pray about the rest. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we thank your presence in our lives and our future. We have confidence that by letting go and turning things over to you, and living by your laws, grace will be ours.

Amen

 

Follow Your Heart

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00708 Follow your Heart 

“Above all else, guard your heart,
   for everything you do flows from it.”

(Proverbs 4:23) 

            We need to make decisions to get through every day. Sometimes we know we are wrong when we make them. My bad choices involve skipping exercise sessions, eating an extra cookie, and putting off something until tomorrow. During the 1960s, my dark period, my daily decisions were challenging and created a life of darkness. My focus during those years had much to do with “self.” I was not listening to my heart and ended up divorced and chemically dependent. 

            Somehow, we get punished when we focus too much on our self-interests. As a young married adult, part of my focus was education; another was earning enough money to survive; a third was my golf game. My family life was a distant fourth priority. In summary, I attended Northeastern University two or three evenings a week, worked full time, had a part-time job at the YMCA teaching fitness and coaching, maintained a seven handicap, and maybe had too many beers. My focus was all on myself.         

            Dr. Joyce Meyer says, “You cannot be selfish and happy. The two never go together.”  My life from the late 1950s through the mid-1960s confirms that. Somehow, there was a conversion through my church, twelve-step programs, and my newfound attention to family. I am blessed. 

            Today, my message is simple: if you are not as happy as you would like to be (And is any of us?), the solution lies in spiritual growth, both personal and within our family and friends, or being true to your heart. 

Thought for the Day:  For today, stop when you feel stressed or unhappy. Try to feel what it is all about. Then try to be more faithful to our hearts. Chances are, it will be a conflict between doing what our heart says rather than what our calendar says. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we give thanks for the many blessings you have given us. We are incredibly blessed by friends, family, and those around us.

Amen

 

Stand Free

Stand Free

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again

by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5 vs. 1 

            You that know me probably have heard my definition of retirement; having four days a week without a calendar commitment and a long to-do list with the opportunity to choose. That is the definition of freedom and the way Christ would want us to live. Unfortunately, few careers offer that kind of flexibility, and most families today have two jobs working to clutter up their calendars.           

            The new normal economy and the financial status of the American family do not always allow freedom. It is easy to get caught up in the pursuit of becoming an average family or average Joe. It takes a certain amount of control to take a deep breath and step out of line to seek peace. The “…yoke of slavery...” has become habitual, and many feel uncomfortable when they have free time. We need to evaluate that, each on our terms. 

            We can experience freedom through meditation and prayer. It takes a few minutes to unwind when we focus on being at peace. My old standard of balance, the YMCA triangle of Spirit, Mind, and Body, is a model we need to keep in our lives. We must stop, look, and listen to Christ, be at peace, and be the best we can be. 

 Thought for Today: Let’s evaluate our “yoke of slavery” to determine what is necessary and what is not. Let’s accept the guidance from Christ and take one step closer to being free. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we pray for a light at the end of our tunnel.

Amen