December 30
“Everything will be fine you’ll see,” his mother said lovingly.
“But suppose the world does end,” the boy insisted, “I won’t ever see you again.”
She assured him, “I’ll see you in Heaven. You will go up from here and your Dad and I from the Civic Center.”
“How will I find you in Heaven? It will be more crowded than the Civic Center.”
She hugged him. “Remember Heaven has pearly gates? Wait for me there. Ok?”
“That’s a deal Mom.”
“Mizpah, because he said, ‘May the Lord watch between me and you when we are absent one from another.” (Genesis 31:49)
(That's a deal friend. Travelling, see you early next year.)
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Day After
December 26
The Christmas wrappings are trash, the stockings are empty and soon it will be time to store the decorations for another year. I admit to a day after Christmas let down. Why can’t we smile some more and wish each other happiness as we did yesterday. I want to linger a little longer to the notion of peace on earth. I want to hold onto Christmas everyday and not go back to ‘normal.’
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)
The Christmas wrappings are trash, the stockings are empty and soon it will be time to store the decorations for another year. I admit to a day after Christmas let down. Why can’t we smile some more and wish each other happiness as we did yesterday. I want to linger a little longer to the notion of peace on earth. I want to hold onto Christmas everyday and not go back to ‘normal.’
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)
Christmas Away from Home
December 25
It is my first Christmas away from home courtesy of the U.S. Army. I’m stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. My view of Christmas is snow, sleighs and evergreens.
Here there are palm trees, plastic wreaths and cardboard snowmen. I’m just not in the Christmas spirit. I go to the chapel for a candle light service. Leaving it dawns on me that the first Christmas was in a desert. I get the message loud and clear.
“Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the City of David Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
(Luke 2:11)
It is my first Christmas away from home courtesy of the U.S. Army. I’m stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. My view of Christmas is snow, sleighs and evergreens.
Here there are palm trees, plastic wreaths and cardboard snowmen. I’m just not in the Christmas spirit. I go to the chapel for a candle light service. Leaving it dawns on me that the first Christmas was in a desert. I get the message loud and clear.
“Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the City of David Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
(Luke 2:11)
Christmas Eve Services
December 24
It is Christmas Eve and we are to give the “moment of sharing” tonight at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Ct. Joy has a bad case of laryngitis. We pray hard.
At the 5:30 service she is barely audible.
By the 7:30 her voice is a little louder.
At the 9:30 service her voice is stronger.
At midnight she sounds like herself. I share with that congregation how the Lord has been answering our prayers. There is applause for God. Driving home Joy turns to say something and her voice is gone. It doesn’t return to normal for two days.
"With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)
It is Christmas Eve and we are to give the “moment of sharing” tonight at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Ct. Joy has a bad case of laryngitis. We pray hard.
At the 5:30 service she is barely audible.
By the 7:30 her voice is a little louder.
At the 9:30 service her voice is stronger.
At midnight she sounds like herself. I share with that congregation how the Lord has been answering our prayers. There is applause for God. Driving home Joy turns to say something and her voice is gone. It doesn’t return to normal for two days.
"With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ice Breaker
December 22
Many of us hadn’t met before so the hostess played a game to break the ice. Each of us was to say three things about ourselves, one of which was a lie. I said:
“I spent a day with poet Robert Frost;President George Bush Sr. greeted me; “Tony Randall said he saved my life.”
Actually it was Barbara Bush who greeted me. The game is an exercise in how to deceive by twisting the truth. The master deceiver, Satan, does this all the time..
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5)
Many of us hadn’t met before so the hostess played a game to break the ice. Each of us was to say three things about ourselves, one of which was a lie. I said:
“I spent a day with poet Robert Frost;President George Bush Sr. greeted me; “Tony Randall said he saved my life.”
Actually it was Barbara Bush who greeted me. The game is an exercise in how to deceive by twisting the truth. The master deceiver, Satan, does this all the time..
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Advent can get Personal
December 21
It is Advent but our nation is at war.
The Priest’s heart is heavy with the killing and by the atrocities men do to other men.
He says he turned on the TV and a woman is asked what she would like most this Christmas. She sings, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."
The Priest says, "I wept. I knew what I had to do and it has to begin with me," We agree, to find peace it starts with us.
Jesus lived the words of that song, "Let there be peace and let it begin with me."
"I did not come to judge the world but to save it." (John 12:47)
It is Advent but our nation is at war.
The Priest’s heart is heavy with the killing and by the atrocities men do to other men.
He says he turned on the TV and a woman is asked what she would like most this Christmas. She sings, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."
The Priest says, "I wept. I knew what I had to do and it has to begin with me," We agree, to find peace it starts with us.
Jesus lived the words of that song, "Let there be peace and let it begin with me."
"I did not come to judge the world but to save it." (John 12:47)
The Best Place to Be
December 19
The front page of The Hartford Courant has a picture of toll stations on a bridge. Both have green lights but one is empty while the other has a line of cars. The caption explains the commuters are going out of their way to show their appreciation to a friendly toll taker on his last day at work. That picture shows me I can be God's aroma of love to everyone, no matter what I'm doing or where. Isn’t that the best place to be, in His will?
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
The front page of The Hartford Courant has a picture of toll stations on a bridge. Both have green lights but one is empty while the other has a line of cars. The caption explains the commuters are going out of their way to show their appreciation to a friendly toll taker on his last day at work. That picture shows me I can be God's aroma of love to everyone, no matter what I'm doing or where. Isn’t that the best place to be, in His will?
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
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