Our World “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3 vs. 5) As an octogenarian, I constantly wonder about the direction society is going. Remember the good old days? It seems that whatever age you are, they exist. Two of my mom's favorite expressions were "Live and Learn." and "The more you know, the more you don't know." By now, we “Octos” know it all. Hah. In the 50s, TV was going to ruin us. We spent more time watching it than reading, but we still read books. Then, in the 1980s, we bought an Apple IIE computer, and a new age began. In our ever-evolving society, the only constant in the human race is “change.” What has not changed? Nature. We still have four seasons; the sun rises and sets, and tides ebb and flow. It is September, and here in the northland, the evenings are cool, school has started, and a few leaves are turning. Man’s technology changes the way we operate. Our constant is our God-given world. We will read on our phones and tablets and send emails through cyberspace. All the while, God’s world will continue to evolve. Thought for Today: Give thanks for the many fall activities; school begins, kids are excited, and the formal learning process starts. To some, the start of the fall sports season is meaningful. To others, the fall means hunting and being outdoors. It would be easy amongst all the activities to forget God. Remember that all this is God's work, and give thanks for it all. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we thank you for your patient love. We hope and pray that we may use that love to understand this complex world and apply it to everyone's benefit. Amen

Peace

Peace “Who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except for our God?” (2 Samuel 22:32) In late August, Christian church ministry teams make many phone calls and home visits. Our pastor calls everyone in the church directory and invites them to the fall programs. With the help of his team, there will be home meetings, coffee shop visits around the city, and often just messages on answering machines saying that we care. It is a time of invitation to lead people back to the Rock of Stability and Peace. For families, school is about to start. The fall activities are about to begin, the summer slowdown, and the vacations are over. Empty nesters are looking at the leaves turning and thinking about winter, and warm weather travels, and the holidays. For the most part, the human race is kicking into high gear- back to being too busy. In many cases, it means not being at Peace. In the next few months, we may find ourselves in complicated situations and need to be reminded not to leave the Rock, our Lord, behind as we move forward into these exciting times. It is time to accept the invitations from our ministry teams and keep the Lord in our everyday lives. We need to keep Him in our lives to maintain our tranquility and keep us on an even keel. Thought for Today: Let’s look at our calendars and schedule a few minutes with our Lord, a few minutes for meditation, and 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, let’s be calm 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

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