Birthday Special

August 21- 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 I 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 fit 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 recognize it, the family will celebrate it, and I will enjoy it. It is a blessing that we all have and a great day to give thanks 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

Rewards

Rewards of Faith 

“Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

you are the praise of Israel.

 In you, our fathers put their trust;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

They cried to you and were saved;

in you, they trusted and were not disappointed.”

(Psalm 22 vs. 3-5) 

            We live a long time, and often, the road is bumpy. The statistics on our world economy indicate some long-term economic decline. Economic difficulties always hurt the lower third of the income range first and hardest. Globally, decisions and priorities are changing. We need to deal with changes.          

            My thoughts are not about policy, elections, or the economy. They are about prayer and priorities. First, we must pray for the lower third of our global socio-economic world. Food in the US is expensive but is scarce and unaffordable in many nations. More people will be starving around the world next year than this year. We need to pray for those that are suffering from hunger.           

            When times get tough, we need to stick with our faith and beliefs as followers of Christ. Pray for our neighbors and those less fortunate and give more of ourselves. Follow the basic principles of our faith. The Psalmist states that we will not be disappointed- we need to believe. It is now that we all need to gather our resources to help. We need to believe that the Lord will be there for us, and we need to be there for Him. 

“I am the LORD your God,who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it.”

(Psalm 71 vs. 14) 

Thought for Today:  Let’s think about trusting the Lord to be there when we need Him. Some on this email list need help, and some can help. Let us all do what we can in the name of the Lord. 

Prayer for Today: Father, we pray for the resources to relieve hunger where we live and worldwide.

Amen

 

 

 

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 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 who is sick, hurting, or lonely. If we fail to find 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. 

 

Marriage

" A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value."

(Proverbs 31:10,11 ) 

On  July 28^th, 2018, June and I celebrated our 50^th wedding anniversary. We were married on her 30^th birthday. She has been a blessing to me, and I often refer to her as the light at the end of my tunnel. She helped escort me from my dark period of the 1960s into something better- that seems to be still growing. Fifty years is a long time, and it was not all romance and happy times. There was alcohol treatment, recovery, career moves, stress, the challenges of raising four children, and just living with Bob, who does not always make sense. 

           I often discuss the many benefits of a good marriage: the great mutual support, the care when illness arrives, and the joint celebrations of the many events that occur. Yes, marriage is truly an extraordinary institution when things are well and blessed by God. 

Thought for Today: Let's keep it simple and enjoy our significant other and those others around us. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we give thanks for the people that you have placed close to us in our lives. We pray that as this week progresses, we can share our love with friends, family, and others we meet. 

Amen

 

 

 

 

Ministers

"You are the light of the world.
A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead, they put it on its stand,
and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
(Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

 

        My pastor says that we are all ministers in some way. Is that true? The term closet minister applies to most Christians. We help, lead by example, attend services to learn more, and silently minister to those around us. Sometimes we do not know we are ministering.

       In every Sunday service, takers, givers, and silent ministries occur in many ways. Several years ago, a young single couple acted in a very special way, holding hands, whispering in each other's ears, and an occasional peck on the cheek. Usually, that would be inappropriate. The pastor announced their pending wedding during that service.

        After the service, the conversation was about how neat that was to have that level of enthusiasm for each other. That couple, without intent, set an example for older couples. They were ministers. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds...".

 

Thought for Today: Be thankful for those around us, at peace, and demonstrate our passion and love for others. Spring flowers have burst into color; warm weather makes us feel great, so let's utilize our spring spirit to demonstrate our faith.

 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, you have blessed us with many friends. We are surrounded and can not avoid them. We are blessed at work, on the streets, and at home. Today we want to pray for them all that they recognize the beauty of Christian friendship.

Amen

 

 

Infants in Christ

Infants

“Brothers and sisters,

I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit

but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.”

(1 Corinthians 3 vs. 1) 

            I confess to you that I cannot quote a lot of scripture; I do not know a lot of biblical history; I have never visited the holy land; sometimes, I skip my Friday bible study to play golf or work out. At best, I am an infant in Christ.           

That is good because it leaves plenty of room to grow, to keep trying, and a reason to keep writing. There is growth ahead when we do the right things. Our life is a spiritual journey without limits or an end. That’s an excellent thought.           

As a young engineer, my mentor used to quote Aristotle, “The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.” It is true with our faith. The more we learn, the more the mystery and the higher our thirst becomes. That may be the best part of it all. 

Thought for Today: Recognize the opportunity to grow in the Spirit, that we are in our infancy and have room for exciting growth! 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are grateful for your presence in our lives and the peace brought to us through faith. We will face challenges today and go forth with the knowledge that you will be with us.

Amen

 

Control

 Today's world seems out of control. We must trust our faith.

 Control 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding."

(Proverbs 3:5).  

Life tests our faith in many ways. We go through valleys before we experience peaks, the good times. We find it easy to take credit for the recovery. After all, we generally "take control" and work through problems. That's the human way.

       

Several years ago, our pastor presented us with a pin, Christ's feet. The pin is symbolic of footprints in the sand, serving as a reminder that we never walk alone. We often think of God as a "Macro" rather than a personal assistant. When in control, we may not be aware of and feel God's presence.

       

Too many outside factors play out in life to have "full control." When we feel in "full control," we are misleading ourselves. We always need to have the trust that our faith teaches. With God as a partner, it is easier to get through crises. He is always our partner.

Thought for Today: Control the ball, keep our problems in our grasp, and handle it all. Then look back and thank Him for the help.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, the world seems out of control. We doubt what role you are playing out with all the ills that exist. Economic struggles, terrorism, and world poverty all seem to dominate our lives. It is hard for us to keep trust and show the needed love. We pray for guidance on trusting you more, doing your will in tough times, and being a good follower of Christ's teachings.

Amen