Transactional or relational

I posted about this a few years ago, but I keep hearing this theology over and over.  Friends, transactional theology is not good theology.

In transactional theology, You believe in Jesus, you accept him and you are in.  In for heaven.  Punch your ticket.

Keep in mind, there is nothing in the Bible about asking Jesus into your heart.  Yet we hear this theology over and over.  My biggest problem with it is that it lets us off the hook in terms of how we treat others.

This thinking leads to some tragic behavior where well meaning Christians tend to think in terms of trying to get others to make the same transaction. Believe like I do, they say, and you are in too. Forcing others to believe like me instead of loving them.

Worst of all, there is no practical application required. The rest of life does not matter in the big picture. Just believe the right things and you are in.

Whoa! Wait a minute!
What about how we live? What about how we treat each other?

There is another way to look at faith, not as a transaction, but as a relationship.

I see the love on the cross. I am filled with the love from the cross. And therefore, I want to, I must share it.

Those who see the love on the cross, want to spend their lives sharing it.

What do you think is more God like? Getting people to believe and say something about God killing Jesus instead of you? Or is it more God like to see the love on the cross and want to spend your life following this God of love and living a life of love.

Whatever we did to the least of these we did it unto him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

these words recently passed to lips of a Christian...

I heard someone say these words the other day, "live to be worthy of God's love."

Now on the front those words sound kind of sweet and positive, but think about it.  God won't love you unless you are worthy of it?  Jesus taught and practiced the exact opposite.

All were welcomed by Jesus, all were worthy to stand and sit with him. No one had to prove themselves worthy.

When will Christians get it right???

Instead of saying that we should live to be worthy of God's love, I suggest that we say this... "live as though you know that you are loved.  In all of your brokenness, in all of your hurts.  Our Father loves us and walks with us."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

The Christian Recliner

Over in the corner, in the room of our life, is the Christian recliner.  We are all tempted to sit in it.  When we do, this is what happens.  We pull the lever and our head goes back and our feet go up.  We relax, and we take a nap.  We thank God for our blessings.  We ask God to give us more.  We remind him of his promises and request that he solve our problems.  We pray for our needs and expect a miracle.  We name it and claim it.  We stand on the promises [except that we are lying down.]  We create the notion of a Christian life that is centered around our comfort and peace of mind.  [God will not give us more than we can handle.]

Since we were not created to live lives focused on our comfort, after a while we experience a crisis of meaning.  And so we double down.  We go to a Christian counselor who lays us down on a couch and listens to our problems.  We are encouraged to believe in a God who only wants the best for us.  We remind ourselves that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives.  And we enjoy laying in the Christian recliner where we are comfortable and where we are served.  [I love God, I got saved, so my life should be easy, right?]

Then one day we wake up.  Sleep is over.  We realize that there is more.  There is a life and a purpose outside of the comfortable chair.  We get up and look around.  We start to become aware of the needs of others.  We begin to realize that our blessings are given to us to help others.  We put on shoes and think of those who have none.  We eat a meal and think of those who are hungry.  We become generous.  We become kind.  We begin to wake to the day and look for those that we can love.

We wonder why we laid in that recliner for so long.  Why we expected God to act, when God was all the time expecting us to act.  We start to be grateful in new ways.  We are thankful for the opportunities to love.  We are thankful for daily breath because in each day are the kernels of life giving love.  Springs of living water begin to pour fourth from our souls.

We are alive as never before, and we are alive to others.  Thank God that we finally got out of that chair!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure   

Systematic Theology

One of the classes that I took in seminary was called "systematic theology."  This is the notion that our beliefs can be listed, organized and explained in a systematic way.  Now if that sounds easy, then just consider how you explain in one book or one series of books: where angels come from, the nature of God, creation, the end of time, the fruit of the spirit, the organization of the church and Jonah and the whale.

Crazy right?  That is a big bite to take on.

Our faith has some very complex ideas that really stretch the mind, and frankly cannot be known.  Many Christians get lost in the details.  They spend their lives straining gnats but swallowing camels.  This is the phrase that Jesus used in Mt 23 when he was railing against the Pharisees.  They made all of their rules and heaped loads on the backs of others, but forgot about the more important issues of justice, mercy and faithfulness.

If you ever start to get lost in what to believe and how to believe it, relax, you are not alone.  In my old age I would tell you this:  God doesn't care what you believe about those things.  Most of what we believe is wrong anyway.  There are 33,000 Protestant denominations with 33,000 different approaches to faith.  Don't get lost in the things that we cannot know.

Instead, focus on the greater issues of love, mercy and justice.  That is a system that is simple, easy to understand, easy to do, and brings great meaning and purpose to those who choose to live such lives.

Apply the rule of love to everything that you do.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

I am nobody

I have a friend who told me that they were a nobody.  They were comparing themselves to others.  To people with great careers.  To people who served on civic committees.  To people who had a lot of money.  Comparing themselves to people who were involved in everything.  And compared to them, they felt like a nothing, a nobody.

I agreed with this person that they were not doing any of those things, but that did not make them a nobody.  If they were a nobody, why were they loved by so many folks?

It's because being a person of significance has little to do with your occupation, your civic involvement, your wealth and such.  We have all known church leaders who were not nice people.  We have all known Doctors who were not kind.  We have all known rich people who were mean.

There is something more important than involvement, status, wealth and a job title.  That something is kindness.  My friend is loved because they are kind.  They are somebody, because they are good to people.  They are significant to many many people because they are always reaching out with grace.

Do you want to live a significant life?  Maybe it is time to pursue the simple things of love, kindness and grace.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

Quit

Forrest Gump Quit.

He had run for three years, two months, fourteen days, and sixteen hours. And then one day, in Mexican Hat, Utah, he quit running.

Why he ran and why he quit is never explained in the movie.  Sometimes in life we find ourselves doing things that we cannot explain.  

Sometimes there are things that we need to quit.  You will know it if there is.  Maybe it is something that is not good for you, and you will think that you should quit.  Maybe it is ok for others, but it is not ok for you.  Maybe it is hurting other people.

It is not easy to quit things that are a part of our lives, but it is ok to do so.  Sometimes our lives get better when we quit the things that are not good for us.  

Don't be afraid of change.  It is also perfectly fine to ask God for the strength to help you change.  I know many people who would tell you that God gave them the strength to change.  I believe in that.

And I remember the old saying, "we never change until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

It is time to stop using the Bible

It is time to stop using the Bible to hurt people.  It is time to stop using it to justify our prejudices and fears.  Just because the Bible "says it" doesn't mean that we believe it.  In the Bible, women are property, but we don't believe that anymore.  In the Bible, conquered people become slaves and we don't believe in that anymore.  In the Bible a rebellious son is to be stoned to death.  We don't believe that.

Some people insist that "the Bible says" when really all they are trying to do is justify their hatred.  Friends, the Bible never justifies hatred.  Some people insist that the Bible "says something" so that they can justify their beliefs and practices and never be challenged to change.

Love challenges all of us to change. 

Love comes first.  Love comes before someone's misguided interpretation of the Scriptures.

John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give unto you that you should love one another as I have loved you.  By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love...

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure  

I am going to hurt you

"I am going to hurt you."  Gosh, it hurts to even say such a thing.  But in effect, that is what we do, whenever we take sides.

You are of the other political party so I am going to snub you. [hurt you]  You are not my race so I am going to ignore you. [hurt you]  You are not of my social status, so I am going to scoff at you and think that you should work harder. [hurt you]  You cut me off in traffic, so I am going to do the same to you.  I am going to do to you what you did to me.  [hurt you]  You didn't call me back soon enough so I am going to ignore your call when you do call back.  [hurt you]  You have a different theology than I do so I am going to shun you and shame you.  [hurt you]

Isn't this all so silly.

Jesus did not hurt people.  The only time he got into someone else's grill was when he was trying to get the Pharisees to stop hurting people.

I think it would be interesting to take an audit of our attitudes towards those who are different than we are.  Are we drawing lines of separation?  Are we ignoring them?  Are we sending negative messages?  Are we trying to get them to leave?

What would Jesus do?  We should stop hurting people.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to do the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Tropical Storm

We had a tropical storm blow thru here last weekend.  We got about six inches of rain.

The birds like the rain.

Evidently the worms like the rain too.  This one got a little brave.  Commonly they will crawl out onto the driveway when it rains and then when it stops, they get stuck and the birds eat them.  This guy is like the Mike Tyson/Genghis Khan/Bruce Lee/Chuck Norris of worms.  He climbed all the way to the top of the screen enclosure.  I am sure that something will eat him eventually.

do you see him?

I zoomed in, do you see him yet?

Ahh, there he is.

Some bird is in a tree, watching him, 
waiting for the rain to stop so he can
eat this worm for lunch.

When you feel like you are having a bad day, remember, the sun will come out tomorrow, and we are not in the food chain for some animal that is bigger than us!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Clouds or sky

When you look up, do you see the sky or do you see the clouds?  Is your glass half empty or half full?  The entire question of seeing the good has nothing to do with what is going on in your life.  Seeing the good is not moderated by how many good or bad things are going on with you or me.

Seeing the good is a conscious choice to focus on the good, and there is always some good if we look.  Seeing the good means looking past the difficult and seeing the good.

It is more than, "every cloud has a silver lining."  Seeing the good means that I will maximize the good and minimize the pain.

It is a choice that we all make every day.  May you see the good, regardless of what difficulty comes your way.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

it's ok

It's OK.

Yes it is ok.  It is ok to question your beliefs.  It is ok to question what you have been taught.  It is ok to change what you believe.

Jesus practiced this repeatedly when he said, "you have heard it said, but now I say to you..."  An eye for an eye, Jesus turned into love your enemies.  A teaching based on retribution, he changed into love.

It is time for us to do more of that.  Out with the concepts of retribution.  In with love.

Were you taught that God was mad?  Time to change that.

Were you taught that you were unworthy of love?  Time to change that.

What ever you were taught that is not based in love, well, it is time for those beliefs to go.  It is ok to change your beliefs.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Shoes

I was talking with a friend about shoes... it was a discussion about how many different kinds of shoes 
that we have. Shoes with different purposes.

Rain shoes.
Snow shoes.
Cycling shoes.
Running shoes.
Water shoes.
Funeral/wedding shoes.
Tennis shoes.
work shoes/boots.
Casual shoes.
Basketball shoes
Baseball/softball cleats.
Flip flops.

Imelda Marcos had over 3,000 pairs of shoes.  My Dad would have said, "son, how many pairs can you wear at a time?"

In my closet I count 9 pairs of shoes/boots, plus 4 pairs of flip flops.

And my friend and I discussed the fact that many people have zero, none, nada, no pairs of shoes.  Oh, the things that we take for granted.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Do something for someone else

“A life of faith isn’t just about walking with God, but how one walks with humanity."
                                                                                         Donniel Hartman

I would add to that... a faith that is about God, but does not include how we treat our brothers and sisters, is no faith at all. James said, I will show you my faith by my works... works for who? Works with who?

True faith is not just an internal thing, but it springs from our innermost being and effects the way that we touch and interface with every living thing. If it doesn't, then it is time for a new faith.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Dance with life

Brian Ferry sings a song, "Dance with life."  I got to know the song from the John Travolta movie, "Phenomenon."

If you really look at the lyrics, it is a love song.  But I can never get past the simple idea of dancing with, and celebrating life.

Anyway, I was driving to a job the other day and the song came on my play list.  I heard the music, I looked and saw the beautiful trees and sky, and I started to cry.

I said, "thank you." [to God]

Life is such a precious and beautiful thing.  Dance with it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

What Jesus really taught

When I consider the actual teachings of Jesus, I wonder how good of a Jesus follower I am.  In fact, if we are honest with ourselves, I think we have to wonder if we have not compromised much of his teachings for our own comfort.

"Do not lay up treasure on earth."  Yet we Americans fret over whether or not we have enough.  Do they do tis in Nicaragua?  Or do they just hope for food for the day?

Love your enemies.  Turn the other cheek.

Give to those who ask you... {the man on the street corner with the sign?  No surely not him!}

Do not worry.

Do not judge.  [but those people are wrong!]

All quotes are from Mt. 5-7 from the sermon on the mount.  The core of Jesus' teaching.  I say these things to simply say that I think it is important from time to time to question and/or challenge what we are thinking and how we are living.

We can all afford to be more generous, more forgiving, less judgmental and less worrisome.  I believe that Jesus followers strive to be such.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

appreciation

I believe that we should appreciate people.  Even if they are just doing their jobs.  So many folks are used to being treated poorly.  It does not have to be that way.

We can be different.  We can be the voice of kindness.   We can be the voice of appreciation.  Who is around you in your world that is not used to being thanked?  I bet they will appreciate your thanks all the more.  Your words may surprise them, but everyone likes to be thanked.  Everyone likes it when others show gratitude.

Simply say, "thank you so much for helping me today."

It's not that hard.

Thank you for reading this today.  Thank you for being a thinker.  Thank you for considering the possibility that we can all grow in kindness.  Thank you so much for being my friend.

Thank you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Memorial Day

Memorial Day... a day to remember those who fought in our wars.  Whether we agreed with the wars or not, to fight in the military is a sacrifice that I believe deserves respect.

Memorial Day is also a day to remember our loved ones who have gone on before us.  My Dad, Paul Brinkman.  My mother, Mary Brinkman.  My friends, Dan Horn, Joel Horsch, and Kathy Krueger.

It is sad to lose those that we love.

The older I get, the more time I spend thinking about life.  What a gift it is!  What a joy it is to be alive.  I also believe that whatever is on the other side must be pretty good too.

But for now, let us live, let us love, let us live lives of gratitude.  We only get one shot at this, so let's make the most of every day and every moment that we have left.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Beee Goooood...

That is what E.T. said, "beeee gooooood."  When I was a young father I used to remind my children to be good to their brother and sisters.  Never leave your wingman, I would say.  They will be your brother and sister for ever.

Today I want to say, "be good to each other."  To your brothers and sister in your family, and to your brothers and sisters in this world.  

It is not that hard.  I think that is a new mantra for me... "it's not that hard."  IT'S NOT THAT HARD.  With a little effort, we can be good to each other.  And oh, what a difference it will make.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Smile

I have noticed lately that a smile can go a long way to make a situation more friendly.  Some people are not used to you smiling at them.  Do it anyway.  

It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.  Take a step towards making their day better.  Take a step towards creating good will in this world.

Smile a little smile.  It's not that hard, and it will be good for your soul.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Tip the Skycap

When I fly, I like to make use of the skycap.  These are the guys standing outside of the terminal that will take your luggage and give you a boarding pass.  The line is usually much shorter and you can get rid of your bags sooner.  The line is often shorter because most people understand that the skycap is a tip based service.

You use them, you tip.

Some people don't know that, and some people don't care.  If you did not know this, now you do.  If you use the sky cap, give them $5.  It is a tipping service.

For that matter, almost anyone will take a tip.  The guy who mows the grass.  The UPS man.  The mailman.  The flight attendant.  The server at the restaurant.  The person working the skycap.  

It won't hurt us to tip them.  In fact, it makes us happy to be generous.  Try it.  Take a big step into living a generous or a more generous life.  Find more ways to give yourself away.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

attitude is a choice

I am at the hotel restaurant.  I am flying out the next day.  I order my customary ice tea [unsweet] and a sandwich.  The server is fine with me.  A woman next to me announces a large party and explains where they will be sitting.  The server explains to her that they are short handed and she won't be able to help them.  20 minutes later, I find out that the server is having a bad day.  Back pain and trouble at home.  She does finally serve the large party, but complains to them the whole time.

Nice to me, not nice to the other person.  Why?  

I have made note recently of how a person's attitude can make a huge difference in the world around them.

I was on a plane flight.  I wandered to the back of the plane to ask for a cup of coffee [black].  One flight attendant said, "return to your seat."  That is all that he said.  No explanation, just return to your seat.  Well thankfully there was another flight attendant there.  This one said, "here, give me your cup."  He filled my coffee cup.

Two men.  Two choices.  One chose to show kindness.  One not so much.  

We all have choices to make.  What choices will you make today?  The world is waiting.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

I see her face...

There is a song from the 1970's by the Chi-lites, "I see her face everywhere I go, on the streets and even at the picture show, have you seen her..."

Lately I have been seeing her face, and his face.  The faces, the hair, the body shape of friends that have passed in the last few years.  It is actually painful.  I see this person, and my brain says, "oh, there is _____."  I look harder.  And my brain reminds me that they are gone.  😢

But for a moment, they were here again.  I miss them.  Why did they have to leave?  I don't know.  It sure hurts to lose those whom we love.

But this hurt is not the end.  In times of pain it is important to remember that we have a place to go.  We have a loving Father.  And, he holds the whole wide world in his hands, even me.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

God's reputation

Janet P. Williams as quoted in Richard Rohr's blog- "We tend to encounter God’s reputation before we (knowingly) encounter God. We gather all sorts of bits and pieces of information about God, some of it good and useful, some of it wildly off-center and frankly harmful to us and others. . . "

So there it is... many of us learn so many bad things about God as young people that it takes the rest of our lives to throw off those weights.

Oh, how the world would be a better place if the terrible things that have been taught in the name of God were banned. Oh how the world would be a better place if the true nature of God's love and grace was the only message on the table.

Well, we cannot do anything about what others teach in God's name, but we can dedicate ourselves to righting wrongs and teaching love and grace everywhere that we can.

We can't fix every broken idea or person, but we can step up to the plate and get our licks in for a God who is love.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

WWJD

In the news of late...

Someone was not served communion because of their view on abortion.  Now I don't care what political side you are on, if you are on one, you have a right to your path.  And I am not concerned about your views on social issues.  I have mine, and I am sure that you have yours.  They can get complicated.  I love you no matter what your views are.

So, for a moment, let's set aside our political views and our social issue stances and just ask the question: What would Jesus do?  Given a moment when someone wants to be in the inner circle, but they are doing something that he doesn't agree with, what would Jesus do?

Peter denied him, but he was welcome at the table.  Heck, Judas was at the table.

Friends, whatever your views on the news, just remember that Jesus welcomed everyone.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

I hate to admit it

At my age, I don't think that I should be afraid of anything anymore.  But I ran into something else that reminded me that fear is alive and well in this old carcass.

I was driving a 26' Penske truck in Virginia for my friend's construction company.  Difficult driving situations are difficult in your normal car, but plop yourself into a big rig and consider...

• I am driving in a town that I have never been.
• I am totally unfamiliar with the roads.
• I can't even tell, North, South, East and West.
• The lanes are narrow due to construction.
• The traffic is rush hour, stop and go.

If you happen to call me during such moments, you will likely get a very nervous Jeff.  Maybe if I did it more often I would be more comfortable with it.  But for now, I hang on tight and apply my best efforts to making it thru.

Ahh, I guess that is good advice... When you find yourself in a spot that is not of your preference, hang on tight and apply your best efforts.  Robert Shuler once said, "tough times don't last, but tough people do."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

I received a card

I received a card in the mail from one of my favorite humans.

On the front of the card there was a quote.  The inside was blank so that you could write your own message, which this person did.

Here is what the front of the card said:

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Continue to learn.

Appreciate your friends.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

The author of that quote is Mary Anne Radmacher.

This is a reminder that we have this one shot and living and it is today.  Today only.  While mattresses are on sale everyday, and you can always find a blue light sale on Amazon, today is today.  Today is all that we have.

If you have been thinking about making a change, how about today?
If you have been thinking about living and loving with more intention, how about today?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Falling into the God that we don't know

There is much said in religious circles about "knowing God." I hear stories from time to time about someone who "hears from God."

It is my belief that God is bigger than our brains. God is bigger than everything. God is beyond our abilities to manage and control him and we should stop trying.

Isaiah 55:9 says, "My ways are higher than your ways, my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."

Richard Rohr said, “I would not respect any God that I could figure out” St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430) said the same: “If you understand it, then it is not God.”

Maybe instead of spending our lives trying to captivate and force God into a box, we should fall into the arms of a Father who is infinitely wiser and more gracious.  A God who welcomes us in our brokenness.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

it can't be both ways

I keep thinking about this and so from time to time I am going to post about it.

It can't go both ways.  We can't have it both ways.  God loves us but he is going to send us to hell.  That does not make any sense.  If God loves us, why does he need to hurt back?

Why would Jesus teach people to turn the other cheek when God really wants to send us to hell?  Or at least needs to send us to hell?

It is time to find a God that loves you.  It is time to release ourselves from the crazy notion that God has to kill something to be happy.

Today, for the first time, please believe that God is good.  Believe that God is a God of love.  Believe that you are loved and accepted... just the way that you are. 

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

We were Brothers

We were brothers... and sisters.

There is this group of people that I have been in ministry with over the years.  Friends, colleagues, people that I know.  People that I got to know and learned to love.

Every year at Annual Conference, I would read that so and so left our Conference and moved to another Conference in another state.  So and so got in trouble and left.  So and so died.  So and so got burned out and left.

Regardless of why the left, it always hurt to see them go.

Now, I am one of those who has gone.  Over the hill.  Forgotten.  Moved on.  I made the list of those who are no longer appointed.  It feels funny to no longer be in the fraternity.

Every year I read the list of new appointments.  This year, I realized that I knew hardly anyone on the list of appointments, but I knew a ton of names on the list of those who have passed.

It was a wonderful career, it was a wonderful time.  It was a wonderful group to be a part of.  I still live vicariously through all of my minister friends.

But, we all have to remember that we are all still ministers whether we have a church assignment or not.  Even if you were never a pastor, you are still a minister.  Every day we have a chance to wake up in this world and share the love.  That is why we are here.

And that is a list that we will never get off of.  We will always be here to love others.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Savannah Bananas

From the category of "every now and then we just need to laugh" here come the Savannah Bananas.  The Bananas are like the Globetrotters of baseball.  Their stadium in Savannah Georgia is sold out for every home game.

Their cheer leaders are called the Banana Grannies... you can imagine...

They pull all kinds of pranks and jokes and they make baseball fun.  If you have not heard of them, watch some of their videos on youtube.  They will bring a smile to your face.

click here to watch a video of them

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Where are you going?

Friday I was driving to a cruise port for a weekend cruise.  [I should never complain about my life, right???]  Anyway, I just figured that I knew how to get there.  I did... kind of.  When I got close, I realized that there was more than one Carnival ship.  I took my choice.

Wrong choice.  And I am coming up on the edge of boarding time.  I am nervous.  I make a questionable U-turn.  I head towards the other ship.  I made it in time, but in the future, I am going to check my paperwork and make sure that I have the address of the port for the ship in question.

We should know where we are going.

Having said that, I was talking with someone the other day who does not know where they are going in life.  One career has ended and they don't know what is next.  I can relate to that... one big section of your life comes to an end...  there are questions...

What happened?
Why did this happen?
What is next?
What will I do while I am in between?

Well, I have to tell you that it has taken me years to adjust to the big vocational changes in my life.  But I think that I am now landing comfortably in my new territory.

If you are "in-between" what was, and what will be, let me tell you that although it is an odd time and there are odd feelings, things can and will get better.

Try to relax and make good decisions, one day at a time.  Give yourself some time to navigate.  We can't always know where we are going, but we can relax along the way.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

Silence is golden

I was recently around a person who had to announce how much money they made.  They informed those listening that they lived in a 6,000 square foot house.  On and on they went about how much they had.  I found this very annoying, especially because a number of people who heard them say such things will never have that level of income or that size of home.

I think they were telling the truth.  I think that they do have all of that stuff.  But it just didn't sound good.  I think people who need to tell you how cool or how good they are, are probably suffering from feelings of inferiority.

I feel bad about myself so I have to tell you how great I am.

It just doesn't sound good.  Sometimes silence is golden.  I wish that more people were ok with just sitting in silence.  

John Wesley said, "preach the gospel, when necessary, use words."  O how I wish we used less words and spent more time just loving people.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

perspective

I ran into a string of bad luck.  My car has started burning oil.  One quart every 600 miles.  Ouch.  We have had an unexpected home repair of $970 which added nothing to the value, it simply fixed a broken thing.  And to top it off, I was flossing my teeth and a crown popped off.  I was grousing about this run of bad luck.

image from our mantle.

A friend stopped me and asked:  How are your legs?  Can you walk?  How are your eyes?  Can you see?  How are your ears?  Can you hear?  Can you hear me right now?

Oops.  I forgot to see the good.  Lots of negativity can collect around us and we can get sidetracked.  During these times, remember all the good.  The car will get fixed or replaced, the house is fixed and the crown is already back on.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

I'm angry

It is 5pm and I am writing for tomorrow's blog.  When you read this, remember that I wrote this yesterday.  So it is 5pm and I am angry.

Someone, [not a family member] said something to Scott that they had no right to say.  In a world where I am trying to build a relationship with my son, someone said something that was not helpful.

It made me mad.

Or, I chose to be mad.  Anyway, I felt, I still feel mad.

After about 30 minutes I realize that the only person that I can do anything about in this story is me.  So what to do with this anger?

First, I recognize that it is there, and that it is ok to feel angry.

Secondly, I choose to take steps to move on.
1. I justify the person who said the words: they don't understand, they are not very smart, blah blah blah
2. I put on some Fernando Ortega. Soothing music calms the savage beast.
3. I eat some chocolate. [always a good option.]

Whew, I feel better already!

Anger does not have to last forever.  Feel it, and then take steps to move on.  You don't want to get stuck in anger.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

What if everyone...

What if everyone did what I was doing?  Would the world be a better place or a worse one?

I have a few pet peeves.  One of them is people who won't park in a parking spot.  Instead, they park in the fire lane.  They want to be close to that take out place, or maybe their loved one won't be in there for very long.

What if we all did that?  No one would be able to get into the restaurant or place of business.  There would be mass anger...  Everyone trying to get the special spot that only the most entitled can take.

So back to the question... What if everyone was doing what I am doing???  Would the world have more love or more selfishness?  Would the world have more generosity or more greed.

If everyone drove as I do, would the roads be peaceful or a series of road rage incidents?

What we do matters.  We are all connected.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Despair

So when I posted yesterday's blog I knew that the fugitives had been captured.  I did not know that Vicky White, the correctional officer, had shot and killed herself.

How sad.  How sad for her family and friends.  It is just sad.

Yesterday I posted about her loneliness, and in effect, our potential loneliness.  Today, I am thinking about the despair that she must have felt.  What was she thinking???  Maybe she thought, "If this does not work out, I am just going to end it all?"

Anytime we end a life, it ends the chance for things to improve.  But as long as we are alive, there is good to do, there are people to love and things can always change for the better.

If you are feeling despair, please get help.  There is still a purpose to your life.  There is still good to be seen.  Do not let loneliness, hurt or despair have the last word.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Looking for love

Here is to the strange case of Vicky White.  A correctional officer who was days from retirement.  Evidently had found a romantic relationship with a convicted murderer.

People are lonely.  Some people are really lonely.

She sold her house for 50% of it's value, took a bunch of money out of the bank and broke her boyfriend out of jail.  How long did she think that she could stay on the run?  Relationships can be crazy, imagine that one:  law breakers, jailer and jailee, on the run... it had to be a crazy ten days.  How was that worth it?

I don't know what to think about the whole story.  I remember the country western song entitled, "God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy."

And I guess that people are really lonely.

If you are reading this and you are lonely, don't do anything crazy.  Find a friend.  Spend time with people that you like.  There are lots of normal ways to combat loneliness.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Learning to love, one more time...

This is my last post in the series, learning to love.  But, I would hope that all of us, every day, are looking for ways to love others.  Looking for ways to love those who are good to us and those who have not been good to us.

One of the most important things that I can say about learning to love, or really about anything in life, is that it begins with a desire to try.  It begins with the awareness that you want to improve, you want to learn how to do it, you are willing to make the effort.

Without a desire to try to improve, we are dead in the water, but once the desire appears, we can begin our journey of forgiveness and love.  We can begin our journey of releasing them, and at the same time, releasing ourselves from the prison of bitterness and resentment.

Just making a conscious decision that I want to try, puts my mind in a better place.  If I want to try, I am already one step down the road of healing, and my mind can now be engaged in looking for the proper tools and ideas to help me release those who have hurt me.  [see posts of the last few days for some tools.]

I hope that you are willing to try.  I hope that you are willing to begin.  I hope that you can take that first step.  There is a better day, there is a better way.  There is a life where we are no longer dominated by resentment and anger.

But we must take that first step.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Learning to love part 4

I posted this a few months back, but since it is a part of my journey to forgive and learn to love, here it is again...

Regressive memory therapy

I was seeing a counselor a few years ago and she told me about RMT regressive memory therapy. The idea of this is that you remember the times that hurt, and that still hurt…

• When I was three years old and my Dad screamed at me on Easter Sunday.
• When I got that anonymous letter in 2004
• When I was 13 and my mom smacked me in the mouth [one of many times]
• When someone wrote a book and said untrue and hurtful things about me.
• When I was rejected by a church member or staff person.

Such things hurt.

In regressive therapy, the idea is that these things still hurt because part of us was “left behind” in those moments. Part of us, part of our hearts are still stuck there in the past.

The theory is, that in order to release ourselves, and the others involved in the painful story, we need to journey to the past and recover our broken self.

So in this therapy, you journey in your mind back to that moment. Take a plane, drive a car, and get to that time and place. Find the you that is there… say to yourself… “Jeff, look, it is me… do you see me? Do you see that I am you? Look, I know you are hurting now, but you will survive… I am proof. I am sorry that I left you behind. Come with me now. Join me in my heart and lets be together. Let’s be whole again.”

And you take your broken self, left in the past, with you now, into the present.  You rescue yourself from that painful moment.

Repeat as necessary.

This approach to healing our memories has helped me a lot.
And I am still working on it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Learning to love Pt 3

I recently heard a teacher talk of a three step method to learn to offer love to someone who has hurt you.

Step one.  Think of someone that has never hurt you.  Think of someone who you love and who loves you.  Think of the perfect relationship with someone that you are close to.  The teacher said that for many of you, this may be a pet.

Bingo.  I picked George the dog.  George is Jenny's dog and he loves our family.  If he hasn't seen you for a while and you walk in the door, he will start yipping and hopping and spinning around.  He will run and jump into your arms and give you a big hug.  Everyone loves George.

George napping with his favorite toy.

George getting ready for a drive.

George with Grandpa Jeff at Lowes.

So step one, think about someone that you love.  George the dog for me.  Feel the feelings that you feel for that person or pet.  Let your heart be filled with love.

Now step two.  Think of someone that you are ambivalent towards.  Someone you know of, but don't know.  The mailman, the trashman, the pizza maker at the pizza store.  Now, in step two, transfer the feelings that you have for the person or pet in step one, to the person that you are ambivalent towards.  Think of the ambivalent person with the same love, care and affection that you feel for the person/pet in step one.  Let your heart be filled with love for this stranger.

Now when you have mastered step two, you are ready for step three.

Step three:  Think of the person that has hurt you.  Get them in your mind.  Then transfer the same good feelings that you shared in steps one and two to them.  Offer them the love that is in your heart for George the dog and a complete stranger.  Offer that person, all the love that is in your heart.

It is a simple exercise.

Repeat it as needed.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Learning to love Pt 2

One day Abraham invited a beggar to his tent for a meal. When grace was being said the man began to curse God, declaring he could not bear to hear His Name.
Seized with indignation, Abraham drove the blasphemer away.
When he was at his prayers that night, God said to him, “This man has cursed and reviled me for fifty years and yet I have given him food to eat every day. Could you not put up with him for a single meal?”

Sometimes, it helps me to remember that people are broken.  My mom did the best that she could.  She was a child of the depression.  She had no college education.  She always felt inferior herself.

If we choose to react to what people do to us, we can get ugly really fast.  But if we remember that everyone is broken, we can allow the hurt, the slights, and the rejections to roll off of our backs.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

When is Cinco de Mayo this year?

Today is Cinco de Mayo. Cinco = five. Mayo = May. The fifth of May.

I love to ask people, "when is Cinco de Mayo this year?" Many people recognize it as a holiday but do not understand that it is date specific. Much like someone from another culture might hear that we celebrate a holiday called July 4th. If the words July and fourth don't translate well into their language, they might not know it was a specific day.

Did you know that Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated very much in Mexico? Cinco de Mayo is actually a fabricated holiday for Americans to drink margaritas and have a party.

It is also not the Mexican day of Independence. That is September 16th. Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, May 5th 1862.

Anyway, today is Cinco de Mayo. When is it next year?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Star Wars Day

Yes it is here again... Star Wars Day!

I remember when the original Star Wars movie came out. I was 19 years old at the time and visiting my friends in San Jose, California. I was there for two weeks. I saw the movie seven times during that visit.

Why is today Star Wars Day?

May the Forth be with you!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below. And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Learning to love those who hurt us

It is one thing to say that we should love our enemies, it is another thing to actually learn how to do it.  In the next few blogs I am going to give some ideas on how to love your enemies.

Today's tip:  See them with Jesus.

[I don't mean see them dead in heaven!]

See them with Jesus.

When we think of those whom we don't like, we often feel sour.  But when we think of Jesus, we feel good, we feel peaceful.  We feel love.

Now think of the person that you don't like.  Feel the sour.  Now think of Jesus in the room with that person.  If Jesus is in the same room with that person, my feelings calm down.

Now see that Jesus is walking over to that person and putting his arm around them.  Now I look and there they are, the two of them, arm in arm.  Jesus even hugs the person that I have not liked.

My heart changes a bit towards them.

If Jesus can love them.  Maybe I can too.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

experiencing love

Hearsay.  That is when someone said that someone said.  Although not admissible in a court of law my friend Brian passed some on that was worth sharing.

Richard Rohr says the only way we can experience joy is by learning to give love away.

I don't have the date and location of the quote, but I believe Brian and it is a really good quote.

Are you having trouble feeling love?  Do you need more love?  Why not start with giving some away.  Invest some goodness, some kindness, some grace in others.  Give it to those you love.  Give it to those that you don't.  Give to anyone and everyone.

What goes around comes around.  If you want to be filled with love, give yourself, give your love away.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

May Day

May Day.

This is not a distress call.

When I was a kid, May Day was a thing.  It was celebrated on May 1st.  We would put flowers on someone's door.  We would dance around the maypole.  It was a celebration of Spring.  It was a celebration of life.

One year I was asked to be one of the dancers around the maypole.  We were supposed to skip.  I only knew how to gallop.  So my mom and my sisters had to teach me how to skip.  I still remember that.  

It was a simpler time.  When was the last time that you gave someone flowers?  When was the last time that you danced?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure 

strange dream

I had a strange dream.  I had it repeatedly in one night and then again the next night.

In my dream I am married to a Chinese woman.  Suddenly in our 40's she begins to age rapidly and dies.  I am shocked, I am stunned.  I grieve.

Dreams are strange.  And it continues... 

I walk into the next room in my dream, and there she is, but now she is an embryonic late elementary school age person.  She she is aging.  She is 40. Then she is aging, then she dies.

I am shocked.  I am stunned.

I walk into the next room and there she is again, a late elementary school size person.  Then she is 40.  Now I ask her what is happening.  She does not know.  I ask her if it will continue.  She says that she thinks it will.  And then she is aging and then she dies.

But now I am not shocked, and I am not grieving.  I walk into the next room and there she is.  And the process begins again.

It was like the movie Groundhog day.

Dreams are strange.  I don't always think about what dreams mean, but in this case since I have had it repeatedly and since I can recall it vividly in my conscious mind, I am thinking about it's meaning.  Here is what I have come up with.

Life is short.  Death is certain.  Death is normal.  Death does not need to be feared because just in the next room there is life again.

Enjoy the moments that you have with your friends and loved ones.  Don't fear death... it just opens the door to the next thing.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am, along with Sherri Swanson and Aaron Brown, leading a trip to the Holy Land January 23-February 2, 2023.

For more information, click the link below.  And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Click here for the brochure