A Still Place

A Still Place "Be still and acknowledge that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) The world is a busy place. Americans are overbooked; families are tied up daily with career and children's activities; empty-nesters seem to have filled the time with commitments; often, retirees do not know how they ever had time to work. That leads to a lot of stress, tension, and often family failures. That's correct; the family that plays too much together may not have enough quality time to survive. They do not have time to call for help. In his book Bread for the Table, Henry Nouwen says it this way, "These are words to take with us in our busy lives. We may think about stillness in contrast to our noisy world. But perhaps we can go further and keep an inner stillness even while we carry on … It is important to keep a still place in the "marketplace." This still place is where God can dwell and speak to us. …with that stillness, God can be our gentle guide in everything we think and do." Do you have a still place? How do you keep your sanity? Thought for Today: COVID and other conditions in our world are causing many of our friends and neighbors to go through unplanned life changes. Let us pray that God will be present in their lives as they pursue new opportunities. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, the world around us is confusing, sometimes cruel, and always challenging to understand. Please allow us time to step aside and dwell upon "your will" rather than "our wants and needs." Let us find the peace or stillness to allow "thy will to be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Commitment

Commitment “Whatever your lips utter, you must be sure to do….” (Deuteronomy 23 vs. 23) One of the ways to be successful in life is to keep all of your commitments. If you say it, do it, even after having second thoughts. Become known as one hundred percent reliable. It is probably impossible, but the closer you are, the more you benefit. Do you have friends who cancel at the last minute? …show up late? ...or not at all? Are you one that lives that way? We all have missed a few deadlines; some make it a lifestyle. At work or in business commitment is even more critical. On the job, it can determine your future success or failure. In sales, it generally means to win or lose. Abraham Lincoln said this: "Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.” At some time in your life, you committed to God. Today, we have the opportunity to review that commitment and recharge our batteries, stay engaged, and stay on track in a world of distractions. Thought for Today: Today, be committed. First to God and then ourselves by being the best we can be. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we thank you for your many blessings. We give thanks for being Godly people who will be accepted and liked by others. Our families, friends, and people that we do not know yet.

Washington

Washington “As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protection of the civil government. I hope to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.” George Washington Today is George Washington’s Birthday. There are many stories and fables about his life. He allegedly chopped down a Cherry tree and threw a silver dollar across the Potomac. These are unproven myths but great folklore. It takes a great man to recognize a weak position and make the proper corrections. He was a man of great vision and envisioned that his ragtag army could defeat the British. He realized when he was wrong and intelligent enough to involve the French as allies. The quote above expresses his dreams for America, and it is also a stated Christian dream delivered through Jesus. Today, our challenge is to accomplish the justice and equality these two men desired. We all need to do a little every day. Thought for Today: Take a step toward bringing equality and justice to our world. Prayer for Today: Today, dear Lord, we pray for equality and the opportunity to contribute to creating a just and equal society. Amen

Also Ran

Also Ran? Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Joshua 8 vs.1) Being an also-ran is a way of life. We rarely finish first. Russell Sanders uttered the famous quote, "Winning isn't everything. It is the only thing." It is not valid, and here are some: My friend Pat McNamara qualified in four different Olympics and did not win a medal; my brother Wayne swam for years and was a national top ten in four events but never had a national championship; Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski played years for the Red Sox and never received a world series ring, and the list goes on. None of the above is a loser, and all were proud of their accomplishments. In my instance, I have three triathlon trophies out of 21 races: a second, a third, and an only. There was always someone faster until the Summer of 2011 when no one else my age competed. Did I lose? Never. In each Triathlon I did, I would well up with tears of joy from the sheer pride in my accomplishment in the last mile of the run. The pain experienced during the run would disappear, the legs would seem fresh again, and the finishing sprint would feel and look great. Second, Third, or twentieth did not matter; I was winning inside. We rarely are number one, but we are always winners since God is always with us. Thought for Today: Today, we will have battles we do not expect. Let us be winners with God's help, no matter how the battle turns out. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, thank you for being with us everywhere. We thank you because when you are along, we will be winners. Amen

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.