New Beginnings

Start the Day Start the Day " The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Proverbs 4:18& 19) Those who have known me for a long time know I have always been a morning person. I think there is no better time of day than early morning, even sunrise. There is no prettier sight than the sun coming up out of the sea off of Boston, the early light on the first tee waiting for enough daylight to see the ball's flight, or the sun coming up over a mountain when viewed from a canoe while fishing. I am blessed because the first light is a spiritual event to me. Each sunrise starts a new beginning, an opportunity to do better, and a new opportunity to do God's work. Yesterday is gone and can not be changed, and our future is today and beyond. These devotionals started as something to do during the early hours. The newscasts on TV were (and still are) depressing. The newspapers are full of bad news. It seems that bad news sells. Tomorrow, you will see a "first light." It may be mid-morning if you are a late sleeper or a sunrise. Either way, it is a new beginning, a new opportunity. It will be the first day of the rest of your life. Spend it with hope and joy. Thought for Today: There will be seven days this week. Each is a fresh start. Let us feel the spirit in the first light, the blessing of a new day. Let us live the first day of the rest of our lives with faith and the joy of the Lord. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we thank you for the sunrise, the new beginning, new opportunity. We pray we may use this opportunity to do your will here on earth. Amen

Temptations and Perseverance

Temptations “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1 vs.1-3) We will face trials in our lives. Some are simple, some are complex, and all help us become better people when we deal with them correctly. James is correct; tests of our faith develop character and perseverance. Remember the story about the tortoise and the hare? The hare is overconfident and loses the race. My favorite poster was on my office wall for 30 years. It was of a very long windy road, miles long, and showed a lone runner. The distance to the horizon appeared to be out to infinity. The caption read, “The race is not always to the swift but to those who keep running.” The title was persistence. The hare was the fastest, had all the advantages but lacked commitment and persistence. James and Jesus knew it; we hear and understand it; we must persevere in our faith to improve the world. Thought for the Day: Today, this week, month, and year let us remember our faith. Each day let us spread our love and joy to make our presence a positive force. Prayer for Today: Dear God, we give thanks for your presence in our lives and the ability to resist temptations. Amen

Assertiveness'

Can you be an assertive Christian?

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1, v7) Kenneth Haugk's book, "Speaking the Truth in Love: How to Be an Assertive Christian,” did not promote standing on the corner rattling beads and waving the bible. It asked us to be unafraid to tell people who and what we are through our words and behavior. The simple act of a blessing at the lunch counter, a quiet time during a coffee break, and having a daily meditation on our desk are all subtle but assertive statements. In the workplace today, human resource departments have declared that religious issues may make someone uncomfortable and, therefore, inappropriate. Many companies' email screens quarantine religious terms and other words with language scans. Being an assertive Christian in the workplace is not a good idea. However, behaving in an ethical, Christ-like manner will improve the chance for success. Here are three examples of semi-assertive Christian behavior in the workplace. A small business owner begins each week with a voluntary prayer breakfast; a second has a daily meditation calendar on his desk and says a blessing at all lunches; the third wears a lapel pin feet from footprints in the sand. All three inevitably lead to discussions with other Christians and improve the work environment. We are given power, love, and self-discipline through our faith. It is important to remember to display and practice it every day. Thought for Today: We Christians spend hours doing good things in society. Many simple things have little to do with spirituality but come from our hearts through our faith. This week, let's freely discuss our Christian ethics and beliefs with others so that they may better understand why we are who we are. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Savior, we are approaching the time of year when all faiths have a special recognition of their beginnings. We pray that we may focus on our similarities rather than differences through faith. We pray and give thanks for peace and the opportunity to serve humanity through You. We pray that the peace pledged by You spread throughout society.

Be Strong!

Time Out!

Time Out “Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) Citizens of the World and America are dealing with pandemic issues, environmental challenges, and a world war. We just finished a long pleasant summer; arboretum picnics, pool time, family visits and took our long walks filled our time. Yes, we relaxed through our activities. Many people are still uptight. Attendance in Christian churches goes down in the summer, and people go the entire period without recharging their batteries. They get to the end of August, tired and feeling empty. There is a better way and a way to a better peace. My message is that what we do is fine, but if we feel a bit empty, that is the message to bring the Lord’s holiness into our day. Lincoln put it like this: “All we want is time, patience, and a reliance on a God who has never forsaken his people.” When we are feeling empty, we need to recharge our spirituality. Thought for Today: Let’s reach out and show the world our Christ-like side. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, it has been a long busy summer. We are renewing our fall and winter activities. Thank you for the rest and recreation of vacation times as we move forward into the school year and the fall season. Amen

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