Birthday Message

Note that my actual birthday was Wednesday, August 21,

Birthday Week “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 and son and my 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 social niches: 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 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. , “Thanks be to God.” Amen

Temptations

A Pleasant Temptations "Blessed is the man that endures Temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love Him." (James 1:12) In the words of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale," Temptation is the urge to do or say something wrong, something contrary to the will of God and the law of Christ. Temptation often comes in pleasant and seductive form, and the mind always attempts to rationalize it to make it seem right." We face it every day. We can choose the right or wrong path, the opportunistic or the Godly way. None of us has always chosen the right path that follows the law of Christ. We have all crossed that line and felt remorse, guilt, or doubt. Yes, admit it; you are not quite perfect. It is common for us to hold on to the memories of when we slipped and took Temptation. Often, this sorrowful thinking leads to a low self-image or guilt that affects our lives. Working with others for the last 25 years, June and I have seen people turn their lives around by accepting the concept of "spiritual growth" and making amends to those they have harmed. We are not perfect, but when we grow spiritually, we feel good about ourselves and turn down the temptations that confront us daily. The secret of success is spiritual growth through prayer and daily meditation. Thought for Today: In our personal lives, there are temptations, ways to cheat, subtle dishonesty, procrastination, lust, etc. We can choose to follow the Lord's commandments. Let us note our wise decisions and thank the spirituality and maturity that gets us through the week. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, our world is confusing. Religious wars and terrorism abound in the East. Neighbors use their version of God to discriminate against others. Within our society, there are many opportunities for us to help. We pray that we will recognize that part of our lives. We pray we may find a chance to help bring peace and love. We pray for the time to counteract the fear and hate in our world. Amen

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 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.

Help Others

We are helpers!

Love is the Way!

Just a simple thought for today!

Marriage Again

Marriage Again "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) Marriage is one of the world's most challenging jobs. Let me quote from The Mystery of Marriage by Mike Mason. "Marriage, even under the best of circumstances, is a crisis, one of the major crises of life. It is a dangerous thing not to be aware of this. Whether it turns out to be a healthy, challenging, and constructive crisis or a disastrous nightmare depends largely upon how willing the partners are to be changed, how malleable they are." "Crises" seems a bit extreme to me. Still, undoubtedly, marriage is an excellent opportunity for the fulfillment of life, and it certainly is not without its opportunities for either success or failure. A marriage blessed by God, where the partners have allowed God's love to grow in their relationship, is one of the world's greatest experiences. Enjoy it. Thought for Today: We face many distractions in our daily lives; work, busy schedules, pandemics, war, and financial issues are some of them. This week let us look at our primary relationships and focus introspectively, up close. Let us understand that when things are okay in our relationships, the outside problems seem less intense; focus on our loves. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we thank the people you have placed close to us in our lives. We pray that we can share our love with friends, family, and others we meet as this week progresses. Amen

Marriage

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 28th, 2018, June and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We were married on her 30th 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