Excellence

Excellence “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossus 3:23-27, NIV) Last weej, I wrote about my “Pickeringism” that all days are not created equal. Here is another example. There are days that we are full of boundless energy and others when we are as flat as pancakes. However, these feelings are mental, physical, and emotional states, and they do not affect our hearts, just our performance or output. As a long-term weekend athlete, there have been too many days when only the heart showed up for the workout; the arms, legs, and head wanted to go back to bed. There were many days when that’s how the day started, but the performance was in the excellent range when it ended. One of my best friends and a four-time Olympic athlete relates to this. Pat has trained every day of his life, and he can relate to the fact that the heart and head often lead the body, “ … work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,” and you will be rewarded with excellence. Excellence starts with believing in yourself and the Lord; the rest will follow. Thought for Today: Remember that “All days are not created equal.” On the day we want to go back to bed, let us trust our hearts and move out, take the leap of faith, and give ourselves the chance to exhibit the excellence God wants us to share. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we thank you for your ongoing presence in our lives. When we are physically worn, you help us recover; when emotionally drained, you recharge our spirits. We thank you for always being with us. Amen

Confidence through Trust "One who trusts in the Lord is secure." (Proverbs 29:25) A Pickeringism is a phrase or idea that is an absolute truth with no scientific basis. A favorite is "All days are not created equal!" Hmm. Truth in all areas of life. Marriages vary daily when one spouse has a gloomy day, or maybe both do! In the workplace, differences are variable despite all the rules and policies. That is what makes life exciting and challenging. In Thomas' book, I'm OK; You're OK," he reviews the four states of every two-person relationship. They are summarized as I'm" OK, you're not OK": when one person has some stress or discomfort with the moment. That same position is reversed with the second condition, "I'm not OK, you're OK. A great place to be is home when all is well and comfortable; I'm OK, you're OK; the state of marital bliss; Live happily ever after. (Wow, is that optimistic.) Then, the whole relationship may be a mess with the condition "I'm not OK, you're not OK." Among all life's variables, there is a constant: the power of one that can work on any day, in any condition. That power is our faith. Pickeringisms can be negated by confidence and the knowledge that God is with us and will bring us through. Joseph Kennedy, President Kennedy's father, is credited with saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." We must recognize that the going will often vary, and sometimes, we need to pray for guidance and help. Thought for Today: Today, let's be secure in knowing that the Lord is with us and will help us through. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we thank you for your support in our everyday lives. We are grateful for your blessings. We are thankful that no matter how the world changes, you will be there when we need you. Amen

God's Gifts

God's Help Wanted (Seven Gifts) Paul's message to the Romans lists seven specific gifts. We have been blessed with some of them and can use them daily. God's "HELP WANTED" asks us to use our gifts to do His work. We, therefore, have two challenges. One is to recognize the gifts given to us. The other is sharing these gifts in our daily lives. The sharing of these gifts in a loving Christian way brings us peace. Thought for Today: Let's focus on our gifts, understand them, and use them to help ourselves and others. Prayer for Today: we pray for peace and justice in a troubled world. We are trying to understand what everything means and our piece in it all. We feel too small to help. We pray that we may recognize and use our gifts to help the world.

Let the Glory Be God's

Let the Glory Be God's "The LORD is my strength and shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped." (Psalm 28: 7) The "Super Bowl" takes place in January, and enormous numbers are associated with it. Numbers like 200 million people watching on TV, six million dollars for a thirty-second ad, five hundred million added to the area economy- Oh yes, some competitors and coaches from both teams will attend a prayer meeting and bible study Sunday before the game. They are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. My sports history goes back to age six as a YMCA swimmer, and my 60-plus years of associating with athletes have convinced me that they are not a group to be proud to know. Their years of competition and "winning is everything" attitude have negatively influenced them for the most part. On Super Sunday, there will be members of the "Fellowship" who have kept a balance in their lives. In sports, I find them a pleasing and significant minority. They represent what I feel every Christian and person needs to be: The best they can be with an appreciation of the Lord and Jesus Christ. Below is the last paragraph of their competitor's creed. "I give my all every time. I do not give up. I do not give in. I do not give out. I am the Lord's warrior- a competitor by conviction and a disciple of determination. I am confident beyond reason because my confidence lies in Christ. The results of my efforts must result in His glory. Let the competition begin. Let the glory be God's." Thought for Today: Let us enjoy today by being the best we can be while keeping the Lord in the forefront. Prayer for Today: Father, today we pray that we will keep you in our lives, that we will be fair in our dealings and competitions. We pray that we will be good examples of your commandments through our faith. Amen

Soar Like an Eagle

Soar Like Eagles "... those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40: 31) Photo By Stephanie Symmes In the nineteen fifties, a bald eagle was a rare sight. Now 60 years later, they are soaring over shopping centers, eating fish out of the local lakes, and generally hanging out with us. Seeing them makes it easy to see why our founders selected them as a national symbol. They are big, majestic, and beautiful birds. Their revival as a species shows us how humans can contribute to God's creations and the world. We changed a few rules, respected the Lord's way, and the Bald eagle is now a common sight. We are always searching for ways to make a better world, a way to soar. I spent my early years in engineering working for AT & T, a huge company. A lot of the policies seemed restrictive and bureaucratic. The younger engineers in the department, including myself, thought we would change the world right NOW. That was not the way company systems worked. When frustration with the system came to the surface, our trainer and mentor often advised us to "Rise above it and move on." Eagles do that. There is a story about Eagles rising above storms. They sense the storm coming and use the wind to rise above the dangerous currents and ride out the storm. In many instances in life, we need to keep our faith while staring at negativity, the storms of life. We count to ten, punch a pillow, and ask the Lord for support when we are wise. When we involve our faith while handling our storms, we minimize our stress and significantly improve our quality of life. Thought for Today: Let us use our faith in the Lord to rise above the problems of everyday life. Prayer for Today: Let us pray to find a way to serve "God's will" rather than "our will" as a country.

Serenity Prayer

Serenity Prayer "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." As we go into the New Year, peace and tranquility always seem to be part of our New Year's goals. Last year we did too much. One more committee at church: the kids need a coach. How can we get everyone to every game, lesson, class, etc.? Oh, the boss wants us fifty hours a week too. It takes faith and courage to let go and let God play a role in our lives. "I... will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body..." Philippians (1:20). At work and in our daily lives, we often fail to take the risk of allowing God to take control. How often do we not accept the spiritual help available? We will handle it all. Where is our humility when we try to do it all? "... humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." James (2:1). We tend to forget the basic rules taught to us by our faith. When we take control, adding stress to ourselves, do we ask for the help available? "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God , and it will be given to you." (James 1:5) We are told to keep God at the forefront of our search for this inner peace. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) The serenity prayer is simple, and that is good. For the new year, let's keep it simple. Thought for Today: Let us focus on peace and tranquility with our families, neighbors, and coworkers. Prayer for Today: Let's use the serenity prayer this week and for the year, especially when overstressed.

Persistence

Persistence "Then Jesus told his disciples... that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1) Bob Dylan's lyrics said, "Times, they are a-changing…" and maybe not for the better. One of life's constants is change. It is like an endurance event or marathon. There will be ups and downs along the way that necessitates keeping our eyes on the prize. It takes persistence to get to the end. We need to "…always pray and not give up." There is a long year ahead, and there will be changes and some stresses: careers, finances, health, to name a few. The holiday season is a period of stressful joy due to all the activities. In January, reality comes to the forefront, starting an annual endurance event called the Year. Dr. Benjamin Mays wrote the poem "God's Minute." I have only just a minute. Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it. But it’s up to me to use it, I must suffer if I lose it, Give account if I abuse it, Just a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it! Mays had it correct, but we must consider a whole year. Thought for Today: Today, let us pray for people in need who are dealing with challenging life issues such as COVID-19, family stress, financial stress, or others. As charity begins at home, it is a given that prayer also does. Have a great day. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we pray for smooth sailing through the rough seas of life. We pray for ourselves and others who are in need. We pray that we will do better and seek a way to do your will here on earth.