Appreciating the small things

So when I was an active preacher, I had a bible that I used every Sunday.  The same one for 30 years.  In the front I put a sticker that said, "open my mouth with worthwhile stuff and close it when I've said enough."

I still have that Bible.  It also has two bookmarks in it.  One was given to me by the children's department in 1994.  The other I received in 2002 from Denise Lehmer.  Not sure why, but they were the two bookmarks that I kept for all of those years.

On my last trip to KC I ran into Denise at Tiff N Jays.  It was great to catch up.  I told her about the bookmark.  I told her that it was special.  I thanked her.

Saying thank you is always good, always appropriate and always appreciated.

Still have the bible.  The stand I have as well, was 
given to my by Bill and MaryAnn Wiley in 1994

bookmark

 Denise out side of Tiff N Jays 2023

Thank you for your kindness!

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

7 gold jars

Yesterday's post reminded me of this story...

A barber was passing under a haunted tree when he heard a voice say, "Would you like to have the seven jars of gold?" He looked around and saw no one. But his greed was aroused, so he shouted eagerly, "Yes, I certainly would." "Then go home at once," said the voice. "You will find them there."

The barber ran all the way home. Sure enough, there were the seven jars - all full of gold, except for one that was only half full. Now the barber could not bear the thought of having a half-filled jar. He felt a violent urge to fill it or he simply would not be happy.

So he had all the jewelry of his family melted into coins and poured them into the half-filled jar. But the jar remained as half-filled as before. This was exasperating! He saved and skimped and starved himself and his family. To no avail. No matter how much gold he put into the jar it remained half-filled.

So one day be begged the king to increase his salary. His salary was doubled. Again the fight to fill the jar was on. He even took to begging. The jar devoured every gold coin thrown into it but remained stubbornly half-filled.

The king now noticed how starved the barber looked. "What is wrong with you?" he asked. "You were so happy and contented when your salary was smaller. Now it has been doubled and you are so worn out and dejected. Can it be that you have the seven jars of gold with you?"

The barber was astonished, "Who told you this, Your Majesty?" he asked.

The king laughed. "But these are obviously the symptoms of the person to whom the ghost has given the seven jars. He once offered them to me. When I asked if this money could be spent or was merely to be hoarded he vanished without a word. That money cannot be spent. It only brings with it the compulsion to hoard. Go and give it back to the ghost this minute and you will be happy again.

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

Enough

"The secret to life is to know when enough is enough."
                                         Dr. Vincent Ryan

Oh, we poor Americans. Most of us are infected with the disease of wanting more. Don't we realize that 98% of the people in the world would trade their lifestyle with ours in a heartbeat?

But we want more. More TV's better TV's the latest TV's. New cars. [nothing wrong with the old one] We want the best food. We complain when we don't like the service. We want money. More of it.

Years ago, a survey indicated that most Americans would be happy if they had 20% more than what they currently have.

Why not choose to be happy now? Why not choose to be happy in our present circumstances? It is hard to enjoy the moment when you are clamoring for more.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10

It is a beautiful day in God's world. Beautiful, just the way that it is. I don't, we don't need more. Stop, take a moment and see the good.

a distraction

I was reading a note from my friend John who reminded me that "worry is a distraction." Yes it sure is. Most of what we worry about, never comes to fruition. Most of what we worry about will be forgotten soon.

Even if we worry, we cannot fix a thing by it. Jesus made that clear:

Mt. 6 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Every moment that we worry is a moment that we cannot be kind and gracious to another. Every moment that we lose to worry, we can never gain back. Worry is a diversion.  It keeps us off mission.  It makes sure that we are focused on our loss instead of reaching back to the world with love.

Don't waste your time with worry.  Instead, engage positively with life.

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

Golden Rule

When was the last time that you thought about the golden rule? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?

We should think of this one from time to time. It should be pasted on all of our refrigerators. The golden rule is present in one form or another, in all major religions. Yet religions tend to focus on, and embrace, doctrines, and write beliefs that distract people from the golden rule. This ultimately causes divisions and attitudes of separation.

What if we all went back to the golden rule?

And we can one person at a time. It starts with you and me. Stop worrying about and stop arguing about all the other crap. Just focus on the central theme of Jesus life.

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

Friendship part 2

I am fortunate to have two friends named Bruce. Bruce M and Bruce L.

Bruce L and I have had many discussions over the years regarding friendship. Recently he shared these thoughts with me...

A friend is one who loves unconditionally. With this understanding, I ask, do we need friendship? Do we, as part of the human experience, need to be, or have a friend? Do we need to share ourselves with or have more than one friend? Are there emotional and physical benefits to friendship?

Science research professionals have studied these questions in depth and have presented outcomes that support the benefits of friendship both physically as well as emotionally. Some of these benefits include: healthier bodies that lead to longer lives, reducing stress and strengthening self-esteem that enhances our psychological well-being, and increases feelings of joy and happiness. Also, studies show that the quality of friendship is more important than quantity of friends.

With this information, I am thinking that there is more to friendship than I would have imagined. That, on a deeper level than my shallow understanding, as part of our existence, I need, we all need to be a friend and build friendships. We need friendship because we need love!

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to be a friend.

Alan Arkin

Well known Actor Alan Arkin passed away a few weeks ago.  I find it interesting that we see people on TV or in a restaurant, we make judgments about them, but we actually know very little about them.

My friend Bruce M sent this Alan Arkin quote in to me.  If it is accurate, then it appears that Mr. Arkin was more than an actor.  He was a kind actor.

What ever your role in life, what ever your station in life, at the end, may it be said, not just that you were a teacher, but that you were a kind teacher.  Not just a janitor, but a kind janitor.  Not just a pastor, nurse or taxi driver, but the kindest person ever in these professions.

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

I hate this question

So if you have been a reader of this blog, you know that there is a church not too far from our house that posts things on their marquis sign that I do not like.

Here is the latest sign posting that I do not like...

What have you done for God lately?

I wonder how non-Christians read that message?  "God wants you/needs you to do things for him, and if you haven't been doing the right things to help God out, then he might be mad..."

In my opinion, this is another well meaning human attempt to help God out.  Unfortunately, guilt is not a good motivator.

Does God really need our help?  I don't think so.  If we do nothing, I think that he can still get his stuff done.  But I do think that he likes to use our hearts and hands in his service.

I would rather see their sign post something like:

"share love, you will be glad that you did"

"be the hands and feet of God"

"joy comes in giving"

I think that there are many ways to share the message about loving others without the manipulative pressure.

Guilt is a bad motivator.  Find a way to share God's love and encourage others without piling on the shoulds and oughts.

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

Snake!!!

As Harrison Ford put it in the first Indiana Jones movie, "I hate snakes!!!"

I don't know why I have a phobia of snakes, but I do.

About a week prior to my surgery  I was leaving a client's home in the next subdivision.  There was a crowd of landscapers blocking an intersection with their vehicles.  I was able to slowly maneuver around and through all of them.  I wondered what was going on.  

I slowed to a crawl and did a rubber neck.  And I saw it.   They were all marveling over a very large copperhead that one of their crew had caught and killed.  I joined the party.  I stopped, got out of the car and took a picture.

This is/was a very large poisonous snake.

Why am I writing a blog post about this?  I guess that I would tell you that sometimes we are afraid of things for no reason.  As long as we just let this snake alone, he would have gone on with his life.  But we have irrational fears, and sometimes we act upon them.

Are you afraid of things that are really just a part of God's normal world?  Are you holding fears for no reason?

Let them go.  

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

pastor quote

When I am in town, and not laid up from surgery, I attend church at Ft. Pierce First United Methodist Church.  I love the people there and I love our pastor, Tim Barton.

He is everything that you want in a Pastor.  Friendly, well spoken, thoughtful, welcoming and normal.  In my book, normal is a big deal - especially for Pastors.  Sometimes we pastors and former pastors forget that we are normal people and we forget how to relate to normal people.  So, I love pastors that are down to earth, normal people.

Pastor Tim is a one of the good ones.

On Sunday June 25, my last Sunday in church prior to my knee surgery, he said this in his sermon... "You are not too anything to be welcome here and to find your place here."      

THAT IS SO JESUS!!!  You are not too old, not too young, not too republican, not too democrat, not too white, not too black, not too gay, not too straight.  

You are not too anything to be welcome here.

Why is that idea so hard for some people?

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

We don't know what to say

My friend Kim sent this in...

Most all of us have lost a loved one.

I lost my 12 year-old cousin to a motorcycle accident, and his funeral was my first day of junior high. As we drove to the cemetery, I thought to myself, “Hey, everyone, I just lost my cousin, can’t you all just pause for a few minutes and recognize that?”  But no one did.  No one acknowledged his death.  No one talked about it.  Everyone just kept on going about their business; it was like no one noticed or no one cared.

Then, when my son was a senior in high school, one of his friends was killed on a motorcycle accident. We were all so very sad.

What do we say? What do we do? Is there really anything to say? The planning. The funeral. The flowers. The pictures. The hugs. The "I Love You’s."  It is hard to know what to say or do, so sometimes we say and do nothing.  Or worse yet, we give a bunch of shallow pat answers.

And then … It’s the day after. The week after. The month after. The year after.

Time goes by and we wonder...  Is it too late to share a memory or a story?  Will it make the mom or the dad or the friend too sad to talk about them?  Will we be reminding them, and will they not want to hear our story or our memory?  No. It is never to late to share a story or a memory.  They didn’t forget that the person died.  What we are doing when we are brave enough to share a story or a memory is we are reminding them that they lived.  And that is our gift to them.

It is never too late to celebrate a person's life.  Such a discussion may open up doors to the heart.

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

we are blessed indeed

Earth's Population Statistics in Perspective

The population of Earth is around 7.8 Billion. However, if you condensed 7.8 billion into 100 persons and then into various percentage statistics, the resulting analysis is relatively much easier to comprehend.

Out of 100 :

11 are in Europe
5 are in North America
9 are in South America
15 are in Africa
60 are in Asia

49 live in the countryside
51 live in cities

75 have mobile phones
25 do not.

30 have internet access
70 do not have the availability to go online

83 can read
17 are illiterate.

33 are Christians
22 are Muslims
14 are Hindus
7 are Buddhists
12 are other religions
12 have no religious beliefs.

26 live less than 14 years
66 died between 15 - 64 years of age

8 are over 65 years old. (Their are more then 8 I'm
sending this to)

If you have your own home,
Eat full meals & drink clean water,
Have a mobile phone,
Can surf the internet or have gone to college,
You are in the minuscule privileged lot.
(in the less than 7% category)

Amongst 100 persons in the world, only eight live or exceed the age of 65!

If you are over 65 years old, be content & grateful.
If you did not leave this world before the age of 64, like the 92 persons who have gone before you, you are already the blessed amongst humankind.
Cherish every remaining moment.

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

staying down

I like action movies.  A pretty good movie, but lots of action and all that goes with it is Extraction, available now on Netflix.

There is a quote in the movie that I wanted to share.  A man was bemoaning some pretty bad failures in his life.  A wise young person told him this...

"you don't drown by falling into the river, you drown buy staying submerged in it."

I don't think that this needs much explanation, but I am going to comment briefly.  Tough spots come to us all.  It is easy to get down.  Just don't get stuck there.  Don't stay down.  Keep working on seeing the good.

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

Songbird

My friend Courtney sent me a song title "Songbird" by Josh Garrels.

click here to listen to the song on youtube

In the song, the singer uses the word, "sarwen."

I had to look it up...

It is an uncommon personal name, but it also is a name or word filled with meaning, just as we would name a person "Grace" or "Faith."

This is what I found as the description for the word/name Sarwen:

Sarwen is a person who is full of love. Your beautiful emotions create harmony and balance for anyone who is lucky enough to become your friend.

Always graceful and charming when dealing with others, your emotional intelligence is very high.

Bringing people together for a common cause or to solve disagreements is part of your skills. Professionally you could become an amazing mediator. Seeing both sides of a coin lets you constantly find new perspectives to solve any and all disagreements.
It is easy to be gracious because you strive for balance. Knowing the importance of balance in your life makes you into a good negotiator.

That is also why you never close any doors so that there is room left for compromise. Creativity probably runs through your veins. It is up to you how you want to use this artistic ability.

The impression you usually give to people is that of playful elegance and safety. Even if you have a hard time with something, to the outside world you seem to be doing just fine.

People around you feel safe because you give them joy. Giving joy to the world is one of your greatest gifts.


Wow. Would that be a name to live up to. What admirable characteristics!!! May we all strive to be people filled with love.

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

wrong with you, wrong with me

My friend John sent this meme to me.

It reminds me of the old adage, when you point the finger at another person, you have three pointing back at yourself.

I guess I would say that we can disagree with someone and not hate them. We can see people act out of their brokenness and feel sorry, feel pity, and feel compassion for them.

When we react with judgment, it only reveals a brokenness inside of us.

Judgment comes from a broken heart. Compassion comes from a heart that is whole.

May we all grow to be a part of the solution. May we all grow in kindness and generosity.

Judgment will be pushed out of our lives if we can find enough compassion, understanding and love.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good. And be sure to be a part of the good and contribute to the good.

On waking up

Yesterday's post was about how people are asleep.  They are not paying attention.  They are on auto-pilot.  They react to things in this world and do not see the good that is there around them.

They do not see the good. 

They are asleep.

Here are some thoughts about how we humans can wake up and experience lives that are truly full.  Yes these thoughts are repetitive, but it takes practice to change our behaviors.

• See every person as a valuable human being.  One person at a time, treat them with kindness.
• Practice gratitude.  See the man blessings that we have.
• Do not be threatened by new ideas.  Relax, they cannot hurt you.
• Notice your breath.  Notice your heartbeat.  One day it will all be gone.  Appreciate the moment.
• Be thankful for the simple things [yes, gratitude again] When we find something to be thankful for, our attitude changes.
• Invest yourself in others.  Show them extraordinary kindness and you will find joy.

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

Asleep

One of my daily reads comes from the De Mello Spirituality Center.  I loved this one...





Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep.

They’re born asleep. They live asleep.

They marry in their sleep.

They raise children in their sleep.

They die in their sleep without ever waking up.

They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence.

You know, all mystics no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion—are unanimous on one thing:

That all is well, all is well.

Though everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, to be sure.

But, tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep.

On appreciating a day

Today is my birthday. I am 66. I am glad that I made it to that age. My mom passed three days prior to her 63rd.

Recently I have had some thoughts on appreciating a day. I had knee surgery on June 28. So June 27 was a very special day for me. I knew it was my last day before I would be laid up and I made the most of it. I wrote this on June 27...

Today is June 27. It’s my last day of freedom before knee surgery tomorrow. It’s the last day for weeks maybe months that I’ll be able to get around, drive around, or climb a ladder. I’ve been making lists and getting my stuff done so when I have to sit and recoup, I don’t have to worry about all the honeydews. It’s kind of a fun day. It feels like Tim McGraw's song, "live like you were dying." I went skydiving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7seconds on a bull name foo-man-shoo, and I loved deeper and I loved sweeter...

It was a very cool day.

Contrast that with a few days after my surgery when I was in pretty serious pain. Stuck in a chair. Lots to complain about if I wanted to.

But I want to appreciate those days too. Thanks to all of you who sent cards and notes and well wishes. I love you all.

Everyday is a good day. I prefer whole days to broken, recuperating days, but it is great to be alive!!!

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

Memories of the 4th

Today has always been a special day for me. It's the forth of July. It's the day before my birthday. It has always been a highly anticipated day, and a day filled with anticipation. Consequently, it is filled with many memories.

- I remember dad taking me out to the boonies, to the middle of nowhere to buy fireworks. 95th and Nall. When I was a kid, there was nothing there.

- I could not wait to shoot off my black cats. Dad insisted that I wait until 8am. All year long I cannot get out of bed, but on the night before the 4th, I can't sleep. Finally 8 o'clock arrives and I am hard at it. Setting up army men and blowing them up. Blowing up cans and bottles and anything I can find. Throwing my firecrackers at the cat, the dog and my sisters. Ahh, the 4th of July was a good holiday for a young boy.

-I remember learning to throw a firecracker, and the painful feeling you get in your fingers when you let go of them just a little bit late.

-We always went to the pool on the 4th. My sisters swam and swam, I swam and sat in the shade. When I was younger, I had a terrible sun allergy. If I was out in it for very long at all, I got really red, and really itchy. Still to this day, I am cursed with red blotchy skin. At night, after swimming and watermelon, we would lay in the grass and watch the fireworks in the sky. Being good parents, my mom and dad would always tell me that the fireworks were for my birthday.

-I remember the year that we hooked up with 3 or 4 other families. Late at night out in the street, the parents were drinking. Someone had some m-80's. A neighbor who was not well liked had left his trash cans out after trash pick up. An m-80 is loud, but an m-80 is really loud when when it is inside the neighbors metal trash can. Dad bought the neighbor 2 new trash cans.

-After I had kids, the 4th of July was about making sure that they got to blow stuff up too. The girls outgrew that pretty quickly and moved on, but Scott is a demolition expert who is following in the footsteps of his Dad. Boys love fireworks!

It's a good day for reflection. I am thankful for a free country. I am thankful for the ability we have in America to travel, to worship and to pursue happiness. I am thankful for every person who has served in the military to preserve and protect our freedoms. Americans should be a very grateful people. I hope you are, I am.

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

I don't like you anymore

I can't think of more horrible words:  I don't like you anymore.

I don't ever want to hear anyone say that to me.  And I don't want anyone to feel that feeling when they think of me.

Everyone deserves to be liked, to be loved, to be cared about and valued.

I like you.  Yes we might have had that moment, but I still like you.  I still love you.

May we all work harder to like people and to make sure that everyone knows that we value them.  Even when, especially when, there might be differences.

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

Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

2 kinds of people

My friend Bruce, who is a great thinker, sent me this quote...

My father said that there were two kinds of people in the world, givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better. 

Marlo Thomas


that quote reminded me of this one. One of my favorites...

My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.
Indira Gandhi, Bits and Pieces, April 1990, p. 11.

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

Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

facing the challenges of aging

I remember something that happened when I was 20.  I went up to the local track at Center Jr High to run a couple of 440's.  My time in high school was around 57 seconds for that lap around the track.  Not exceptional, but not bad.

So I looked at my watch and took off around the track.  I ran just as I had been taught by Coach Sullivan on the Leland High School track team.  You divide the race into four quarters, four 110 yard sections.  The first 110 is the start... get out to a good start.  Not too fast.  The second 100 section was about position.  Determine your position among the runners and hold it.  The third 110 was about surviving.  Hold, hold, hold the pace.  The final 110 you can guess... you unleash hell.  You let go with everything that you have left.  You give it your best kick and head for the finish line.

I gave that lap my best, but my time was 65 seconds.  I was disappointed and I talked to my Dad about it.  I told him that getting old was not easy.  He laughed and said, just wait.  He knew much more about aging than I did.

Today I am mindful that I am in the last 110 of life.  I am almost 66 years old.  We can deny the fact of our aging, or we can see it for what it is and embrace that which is unavoidable.

Here is some advice that I have for myself, and for anyone else that is willing to consider it.

Advice as we grow older...

1.  when you look in the mirror, don't think of what was, don't think of how you used to look.  Instead, consider your current image to be an award for traversing the many challenges and joys of life.

2.  Stay active.  Just because you can't run a 110 yard dash does not mean that you have to sit in the rocking chair all day.

3.  Take time to rest.  When I was young, I laughed at the rocking chair on the front porch.  Now I see it's value.  Stay active, but also listen to your body.  It is ok to sit and rest from time to time.  A good deal of good thinking takes place when we sit down and rest.

4.  See what is really important.  As Connie Zweig says, it is no longer about roles, it is about souls.  Learn to see people and value them.

We all have a choice as we age, to get bitter or to get better.  I choose to pursue the better, I hope you do as well.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

thoughts on being a friend

This is from my friend Bruce...

“What can I do to be a better friend?” was posted on June 1st, 2023 with a list of ideas and thoughts around this question. That blog post provoked me to think about friendship a little more. What can I do to be a better friend? First, I need to understand what friend means.

Merriam-Webster defines friend as: a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another.

The American Heritage Dictionary lists the history of the word friend as originating from Frēond, the Old English source of Modern English friend, it is related to the Old English verb frē̄on, “to love, like, honor, set free (from slavery or confinement).” Specifically, frēond comes from the present participle of the Germanic ancestor of Old English frē̄on and thus originally meant “one who loves.”

Friend: one who loves.  That is about it... a friend is one who loves and honors you.

To me, this is a great starting point for all thoughts and ideas about friends.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to be a friend.

changing opinions

Surgery update... all is well.  The doc was happy with the results.  I am doing great.  I am trying to stay off of the opiates.  One day at a time.  I will update again in a few days.  Thank you for your prayers...  Now on to todays post...

Most people have an opinion.  Opinions are like eye sockets.  Everybody has one or two.  Ha ha did you like that???

Most people believe that what they think is the correct opinion.  If they thought that it was wrong, they would change it.  So as we go into a discussion about opinions, let's face it, everyone thinks that theirs is the right one.

I am glad for you to have opinions.  I am fine if they are different than mine.  I can love you, and I do love you, even if we disagree.

Changing my opinion is not easy, and inviting others to change their opinions is even harder.  Most, or at least many, are not even open to a discussion, especially if they think that the Bible says so.

Friends, things are more complicated than, "the Bible says."  There are a lot of factors in play in life.  There are also many things in the Bible that no one believes ie stoning a rebellious son.

I just want to encourage all of my readers to keep an open mind.  We cannot learn from people like us.  We only learn from those who are different from us.  And that will only happen when we listen to them and take their views seriously.

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

to reply, send an email to jsbrink57@gmail.com

So where does it end

Today I am having knee replacement surgery so please toss up a prayer for me.  If I get enough prayers, then it will go well, if I don't, then who knows.  No seriously, please throw up a prayer for the surgeon.  Thanks.

Today's topic... where does it end?  

If I finally choose to love and accept homosexuals, where does it end?  We used to be against divorced people, women pastors and interracial marriage.  Now we accept those.  If I accept homosexuality, where will it end?

Will I one day be asked to condone men marrying 10 year olds?  Will sex with animals become something that we must accept?

My answer is easy and it is this... No.  We don't accept sex with people who can't offer consent.  We don't approve of a person hurting another.  It is that simple.  Gay people don't hurt each other.  Pedophiles hurt people so we cannot support that, it is a behavior that will always be against the law.

So again, it is back to love.  We love people.  We don't hurt them and we don't condone people hurting people.

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

Send replies to jsbrink57@gmail.com

But I don't like what they do...

WARNING - ADULT MATERIAL AHEAD... Continue at your own risk... 

This might get a little uncomfortable... [honest, straightforward discussions often do...]

Many people are against homosexuals because they don't like what homosexuals do behind closed doors.  People assume that homosexuals are out doing all sorts of homosexual acts all of the time.

Well, let me go a couple of places with this... first of all, most people struggle to find intimacy.  Gay and straight people both probably wish that they were held more, kissed more, etc.  Especially as we get busy in life and as we grow older, intimacy is hard to find.  There are lots of lonely people out there in the world, more than you might think.

So it is unfair to think that gay people are out having sex all the time.  They struggle with intimacy just like all the rest of us.

Now back to the idea that you might not like what they do behind closed doors.  [as if that were our business]   Well friends, I know heterosexual people that do things behind closed doors that I would not do.  They do things that I find to be gross and repulsive.  But I don't hate them for that.

I dated girls in high school and college who did things and wanted to do things that I did not.  I might have stopped dating them, but I did not hate them for what they wanted to do.

There is plenty of behavior that we are uncomfortable with on both sides of the aisle.  Don't use it to hate someone.  Don't use anything to hate someone...

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

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What Jesus was for

More on the same theme of accepting and loving all people...

The word homosexual was not found in the Bible prior to 1945.  The Greek word was translated in different ways prior to that, usually referring to those who prey on others, those who hurt others, such as adult men taking on children as a partner.

Jesus said nothing about gambling, yet gambling was done at his death.  Jesus ran with prostitutes.  He did not shame them.  Jesus says nothing about abortion.  Jesus says nothing about homosexuality.  If these things were that important for Christians to be against, don't you think that Jesus would have come out against them?  He focused on other things.  He focused on the positive.

So you see, Christianity is not a faith that is identified by what it is against.  Christianity is for love.  It is for loving the outcast, for welcoming the stranger, for embracing the broken.  

If Christianity is against anything, it is against judgment, it is against hatred, it is against pointing the finger, it is against self-righteousness.

True Christianity rejects setting others aside for any reason.  Jesus taught love.  If we focus on love, we will find the right path

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

Some of you are thinking, "but Jeff, the Bible says..." 

Well, did you know that most people know just enough of what the Bible says to make them dangerous.  Be careful when you say that you believe the Bible... It is a big complicated book.  Often what people mean when they claim to believe the Bible is that they believe what they have been taught by their pastors.  They have integrated into their lives what they believe is in the Bible, but most people don't really know all of the things that are in the Bible...


The Bible says…

That we should not eat shrimp - Lev 11:10

That we should not eat pork - Lev 11:7

That we should not have round haircuts - Lev 19:27

If you curse your father or mother you should be put to death - Leviticus 20:9

That slaves should honor and respect their masters - 1 Peter 2:18

That women should not teach or speak in church - 1 Tim 2:11

That if your city is under siege, it is ok to eat your children - Deut 28:53

Someone born out of wedlock cannot attend church - Deuteronomy 23:2

We should not have savings accounts - Mt 6:19-21

If a woman interrupts a fight between her husband and another man, her hand should be cut off - Deuteronomy 25:11-12

If your brother dies, you should have sex with his wife - Mark 12:19

That non virgins are to be stoned - Deut 22:20-21

That an unruly son should be stoned Deut 21:18-21

That we should not get tattoos - Lev 19:28

That handicap people cannot approach God - Leviticus 21:18-21

As far as believing the Bible, everyone picks and chooses which passages to affirm.  I choose to hold closely to those passages that focus on love.  

And as my favorite theologian, Terry McCarty says, "the Bible is not a hammer."

The Bible is never to be used to hurt others or push people away.  It should not divide us, it should draw us together in love.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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No * allowed

Today I am beginning a five part series on what I believe regarding Christianity and homosexuality.

As you may know, many people and many churches are leaving the United Methodist Church.  That is because the United Methodist Church is normalizing the acceptance of homosexuals.  The United Methodist Church is accepting and welcoming them.  Hmm - isn't that what Jesus did?

Missouri lost 10% of it's churches this year.  Some Annual Conferences in the south lost 50% of their churches.  So in the future, you will be able to attend United Methodist Churches where gays are welcome and accepted, and you can attend former United Methodist Churches who still use the asterisk.

The asterisk in this case denotes the idea that "we love you, but."  "we love you, except that you need to change."  "we love you except you are gay."  We love you*

Jesus had no asterisk on his love.  True Christianity has no asterisk on it's love.  It is time that we follow the example of Jesus and just love people.  All people.  No * allowed in my faith.

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

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anxiety

For a number of years I have been trying to put my finger on the brand of anxiety that I feel from time to time.  And I am not alone.  I know of many people my age and older who struggle with this type of anxiety.  It is hard to name - it is hard to put your finger on it.

But a few weeks ago, I had a nice talk with my old friend Kyle Hern.  He named this anxiety.  He hit the nail on the head...  He called it:

The anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

I could make that line into a song with verses and a chorus refrain...

I don't look like I used to look.
I am not in the physical shape that I used to be.
I continue to lose muscle mass.
I cannot carry or climb big ladders.
and that's the anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

My children have grown and moved away...
my children don't need me like they used to...
my purpose used to be raising children, now I have no purpose.
I was connected to my children, now I am less so...
that's the anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

I don't have that job any more.
No one looks to me for answers.
I have lost my ability to create income.
The sense of value that I got from working is gone.
The anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

I am no longer wanted.
I feel alone
I feel sad
I feel like less than what I was
and its the anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

yes, the anxiety that we feel when we lose what we were.

And although I feel these things, and maybe you do as well, it is our responsibility to fight off such feelings.  For me, identifying them, and naming them helps me.  But it is a constant challenge to see the good, and so we continue the daily battle to fight off the worries and look for the good.  It is still all around us, just in different ways.

Just because we are not what we were, doesn't mean that what we are today does not matter!!!

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

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Grace

My friend Sherry shared a Bob Goff quote with me.

By the way, if you are looking for a good book to read, try the Bob Goff book entitled "Love Does." Another great one is titled, "Everyone Always."

Here is the quote that she shared...

"Grace means we can put down the chalk and quit keeping score."

Do you need to put down some chalk? Or if someone has been keeping score against you, just remember that the rain of God's love always washes the chalk away.

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

I heard someone on a talk show the other day.  They were talking about how they refused to have someone else's views forced on them.

It is an interesting phrase "forced on me."

Well there are some things that are forced on us... taxes, speed limits, various laws and finally death.  All forced on us.

But ideas are not, and cannot be forced upon you.  You have a choice.  You can agree or disagree.  You can open yourself to an idea or not.  

Let me try to be more clear... I am working to explain my thought... when an idea comes in that you don't care for, you don't have to react to it.  You don't have to see that idea as an enemy.  Just see it and put it on the shelf.  We don't have to be upset by other ideas that people may bring to us.  We do not have to make it an us vs them situation.

instead of this... "an idea was forced on me."
try this... "I keep hearing that idea. I got it. I am going to but it on a shelf for a while."

There is no reason to react.  No reason to be upset by it all.  Take their idea and smile at it and put it on the shelf.  Maybe you will want to think about it later.

I am trying to reduce the reactions and over reactions that people have to other's ideas...  We don't have to be threatened by ideas that seem to be outside of our general path of thought.

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

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Good People

In a world where we are bombarded with negative stories about bad people, I still find that there are good people that are out there.  From time to time I sell things on facebook marketplace.  When I do, I often check the profile of the person that I am selling something to, especially if they are coming to my home.

I almost always find good things on their profiles.  There are lots of good people yet in this world.  Last week, I found this self description on a person's profile.  [I substituted my name for theirs.  You can put your name in there as well if you like...]  Here is their self description...

I am Jeff

I am someone who does not judge others for being different.  

I am kind to everyone I meet, and I respect people regardless of who they are.  

I never hesitate to help those in need, and I never hesitate to give back even when there is nothing left for me.

I am Jeff

I loved it.

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

permission

I heard a very good sermon the other day by Rev. Daniel Hilty.  The core of his message was this... "we don't need the permission of others to love like Jesus loved."

I think that what he was driving at was the effects of peer pressure.  Maybe we have friends, family or coworkers that don't like a certain group of people.  In such a situation, there would be pressure on us to join in their distain of said group.  At least we would not feel comfortable to be nice to the folks that our friends, family or coworkers didn't like.

To this, the message was "rubbish."

We are people of love.  We know that we are to love.  We want to love.  There is no reason for us not to love.  We don't need anybody's permission to love others.

Just do it.

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

Ugly

Please don't be ugly. There is no reason for it. We can be upset with someone and still be civil. My mom was not always civil, but she tried really hard to teach us to be civil.  If I heard it once, I heard it 1,000 times... "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

One of Jesus' very important sayings, as far as I am concerned is this, from the sermon on the mount... "Do not render evil for evil but overcome evil with good."

Sure, things happen. We get hurt. We get upset. We get testy. We get on edge. But we can still resist the urge to dump on other people.

Whenever possible, identify what is happening in your brain and stop yourself from saying those words. Or from saying those words in a hurtful manner.

Yes they hurt you or me, but we are not here to hurt people. Just becuase someone does it to me does not give me the right to hurt them back...

Let us break the chain and so make it a beautiful day in God's world.

what one thing

If Jesus only asked us one thing, what would it be? If he only wanted one thing, what would that one thing be?

Would it be to join the church? No. I am in favor of joining the church, but this would not be the one thing
Say prayers for people? No. This is good, but this is not the one thing.
Attend church? No.
Wear a cross? No.
Share your faith? No.
Listen to Christian music? Go on mission trips? Donate money? Believe in the trinity? Believe this or that?

There are tons of things that the church asks us to do. Some of it is good and some of it is worth supporting. But most of it is not the main thing. In fact, without the main thing, none of it matters.
Too many "Christians" have all of the peripherals, but have left out the main thing.

If Jesus could ask us to do one thing, what would it be? Love one another. LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

No prayers prayed, no checks written, no perfect attendance, no mission trips, no perfect beliefs will suffice for Christianity if there be no love.  Without love, it is not the faith of Jesus.

The famous theologian John Sherley once said, "and for those of us who are slow, Jesus made it easy when he said, love one another."

One thing.
One thing. One thing. One thing that we are asked to do. One thing.

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

My opening statement...

They say that you only get one chance to make a first impression.

What is your first thought of the day?  What is the thought that rolls you out of bed and propels you throughout the day?

Some people get up in the morning and begin their whining about what is wrong.  My knees hurt.  I can't see like I used to.  Why can't I sleep better.  Why don't my kids call me.  On and one it goes.  Those who begin the day like this can count on a day that is measured by how things affect me.  The world revolves around me, and it better be good to me today or I am going to be upset.

There is another way to wake up in the morning...

What if we woke up and said, Good morning Lord!  Thanks for the opportunity to be alive.  Thank you for the wake up call.  Thank you for the ability to make a list for today.  May I show your kindness to every person that I encounter along the journey today.

How we begin the day will say so very much about how the rest of the day goes.  Our driving life principle can be one that is self centered or one that is self giving.

The choices that you make will drive the tenor of your life.

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

More on prayer

Too often our prayers are filled with self interest...

Lord, please don't let my adult children move across the country.  I know that they have their own lives and their own ideas, but I would miss them too much.  Do you see how that prayer is about me?

Lord please help me have an easy recovery from this knee surgery.  That is definitely about me.

Sure it is fine to pray for what we want, but we need to keep in mind that God is not Santa Clause and God's job is not to solve all of our problems.

One of my favorite old sermon illustrations goes like this...  A woman was testifying in church... I want to offer praise to the good Lord today... back during the war, we prayed for God to keep us safe.  And he did!  All of the bombs fell on the other side of the city.  😲😲😲

If you are looking for something to pray that is healthy, I suggest this... Lord, thank you for the gift of this day.  May I show your kindness and love to every person that I come into contact with today.  May your grace fill me for every moment, the challenging ones and the glorious ones.  Thank you for the opportunity to be alive in your world.

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

Prayers

A friend recently asked me to pray for someone who is transitioning into the end of life. This is a situation that we do not like and are not comfortable with. We know that we all will die one day and that our loved ones will all die, but we don't like watching it happen.

The impending loss of someone that we love, can be terrifying to our own sense of well being. What will we do without them? We don't want them to suffer. We don't want to lose them.

Yet the fact of the matter is that sometimes people begin to fail healthwise. Sometimes they can’t live where they used to live. Sometimes they can’t take care of themselves. Sometimes their health takes a serious turn for the worse.  Modern medicine has the ability to prolong life far longer than in the past.  I’ve been asked many times over the years to pray for people whose health is in decline.

One day I will be one of those people and so will you. So it’s good that we pray for them. Sometimes the families want me to pray that their loved one will be healed and live forever. Once someone asked me to pray for their grandmother - for their grandmother to get well. I asked how old her grandmother was - the answer... 92 years old.  

I do pray for those who are aging, and who are in failing health. And I am very appreciative that I am in relatively good health for being almost 66. It’s something to be thankful for, grateful for.

So let’s pray for those whose health is failing: "Lord please bless them, touch them in their body and their mind. Strengthen their hearts and their knees - ease the pain of arthritis. Give them clarity of thought and sight. But mostly let them know that you are with them. Let them know that they are not alone. Let them know that the God of the universe stands by their side. We pray for their recovery, for this is what we desire. But we also put our faith and trust in you, no matter what. May we find comfort in knowing that you are present with them and with us in every stage of the journey of life, in Jesus name. Amen."

Life is beautiful, but it does come to and end. Prayer can help us along the way. Trusting in God, no matter what, is always the best policy. May we all be grateful for our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

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

Why we should listen to others

We should listen to other people because:

• they know things that we/I do not know.
• they know people that I do not know.
• they have connections that I do not have.
• they have ideas that I do not have.

Therefore, I can always be enriched if I spend some time listening to others.

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

I love this guy

I love this guy...

My friend John has been diagnosed with inclusion body myositis which is a neruo-muscular disease. He started a charitable organization to raise awareness regarding the disease. The web address is www.gettingup.org

He sends emails from time to time and I was so blessed by what he wrote one day last week... Here is his post:

I am so honored and so blessed to be given this opportunity to be on the scenic path of love. For many years, my ego and self righteousness drove my actions. If anyone contradicted me, I’d push back and fight harder. But, now I know that the tests and the struggles have all been blessings, especially now as I realize that I am not in control.

Love gives us the strength to endure the difficulties of life. This I say as a man with a disease that has no cure and no treatments.

God has not forsaken me but has blessed me more than ever. I look back over these 67 years and realize that we should all ride “gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream”. I trust all of us can find all the love that is around us, keep our eyes open and look for the love. Its there, it’s everywhere!

How ever much time each of us may have on this earth, and whether you’re a spiritual person or a secular person; it is love, love is all we need. Try it, what have we got to lose?  I'm on the scenic route to the end of this world and my eyes are open. I have many dear people in my life and each is a blessing. Thank you all!

I am not in control but I will do what I can to assist the best ways I can. This is just the beginning.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my lovely sister Julie!

First let me say a few words about the picture of her above.  This was taken in my room in 1973.  The poster on the right hand wall is a John Pitro "Overpopulation."  I still have a copy of it.  

For some reason, there is a small confederate flag on my bookshelf.  I guess back then, the confederate flag was acceptable in my home.  Not any more.  

The drapes... California - 1973.  

The yellow bird hanging on the spring on the left side of the picture is one of these:

Now back to my sister... Today is her birthday!

Julie is married to my brother in law Mark.  A great guy in his own right.  They have a lovely home in Vero Beach.  They live just down the road from us.

Family are those people whom you grew up with.  In our case, family are those people that you survived your family of origin with.

My sister is an animal lover.  She is a hard worker.  She is a cancer survivor.  She is fantastic.

Everyone deserves a day to be told that they are fantastic.  I hope that someone tells you today that you are fantastic!!!

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

The Trader

"The Trader" is the name of a documentary on Netflix.  It is only 30 minutes long.  It is English dubbed over Russian or Georgian.  It is about a trader or junk man who lives in the country of Georgia.

For some reason, I am interested in the living conditions of other people around the world.  Probably because I continue to be confounded by how nice things are for us here in the US.  

We have clean running water, full grocery stores, paved roads and most of all, we have opportunity.  The list could go on and on.  

The people in the documentary are very very poor.  The trader is poor.  He buys things cheap and then sells them in the towns.  The currency that the people use is potatoes.

Imagine that what we are using as currency is the ability to eat!!!

Two boys look wild eyed at the items in the
back of the trader's van.  What is this the boy asks.
It is a sponge.

boy reaches for sponge.

Tell your parents to bring potatoes so they can get you 
what you want.

Imagine a world where you have never seen a sponge.  Imagine a world where you look wild eyed at a van full of junk.  Imagine a world where you beg your parents for a potato so that you can buy something.

We have so much to be thankful for.  And friends, we should do everything that we can to help God's other needy children in this world.

who do we sound like?

In Jesus' ministry, the only people that he squared off with were the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were against people that did not see the world as they saw it.  They were against the different, the broken, and the outcast.  They were against the common people.  They used their power to "lord it over" those whom they perceived as sinners or as less than they.

Jesus was different.  And that is why he was loved.  Jesus broke down barriers of separation.  He welcomed the broken, the outcast and the least of these.  That is why they loved him and that is why we love Jesus.

So I have a question for you and for me.  In this life as we live day by day, who do we sound like?  Do I sound more like the Pharisees or Jesus?  Do you sound more like the Pharisees or like Jesus?

If you take an honest look at yourself and find yourself filled with judgment for those who are different than you are, then maybe it is time to take  a fresh look at which side of the field your are sitting on.

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

wrong with you, wrong with me...

 

My friend John sent this to me.

It reminds me of the old adage, when you point the finger at a person, you have three pointing back at yourself.

I guess I can say that we can disagree with someone and not hate them.  We can see people act out of their brokenness and feel sorry, feel pity, feel compassion for them.

When we react with judgment, it only reveals a brokenness inside of us.

Judgment comes from a broken heart.  Compassion comes from a heart that is whole.

May we all grow to be a part of the solution.  May we all grow in kindness and generosity.

Judgment will be pushed out of our lives if we can find enough compassion, understanding and love.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.  And be sure to be a part of the good and contribute to the good.

Tabloids in the U.S.

Please read til the end, this is more than a rant...

When I was a kid, the National Enquirer was a tabloid... a news source that wasn't really news.  They provided sensational headlines for purchase at the grocery checkout lines.  No one took them seriously.

Over the years I have watched our normal "news and weather."  I have watched them over predict weather and sensationalize headlines.  It used to be relegated to a snow storm that was supposedly going to bring a foot of snow but actually only brought 1/4 of an inch.  Living in Florida, the hurricane warnings and descriptions are always over blown.  No one on the news or weather ever apologizes for scaring people to death.

Recently we watched the "mainstream" news bring us warnings about a government default.  If the congress did not raise the debt ceiling, we would be in default and face an economic collapse.  It was on every channel.  Some people chose to be terrified.  Others realized that an agreement would of course be reached.  And sure enough, an agreement was reached.  Default averted.

Did the news outlets apologize for spending weeks trying to terrify people?  No.  They will put anything up there to gather headlines.

So what is the point of this rambling blog post???

Psalm 20:7-8 says, "some trust in horses, and some trust in chariots, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."

We should all remember that no matter what the news says, no matter what actually happens to the value of our dollar, no matter what happens in our world, God is bigger.  God's ways will continue to be important.  Love and kindness will never be run off by scare tactics.

Love and kindness are important in the poorest countries, and in the richest.  Love and kindness are important for the educated and the illiterate.  No matter what our standing or situation in life, kindness should be a constant.

I am not sure that we can trust the news.  But we can always trust in, and lean on our God.

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

Wise as a serpent

 Mt. 10:16

"Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

I thought of this passage the other day.  I ran into yet another oil change for the car that turned into an upsell opportunity for the mechanic.

They suggested that I needed a cabin air filter.  Their cost, installed, was $127.97

I can buy this cabin air filter online for my car for $9.83!!!  It takes 5 minutes to install, or less.  There is a video on youtube to show you how.  Heck, call me, I will install it for you!

I am forever amazed at how some businesses will systematically try to take advantage of people that are not paying attention.

If a mechanic tells you that you need something, simply tell them thank you.  Then get a second opinion.  Talk to someone who knows about cars.

Be wise as serpents.  Use your head.  Don't take what they say as the gospel.  Some folks are just looking for ways to help you part with money that you don't need to part with.

Pay attention.

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

persecution

"They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God." John 16:2

People will put you out of the church, they will set you aside, they will shame you and speak in terrible ways to you. They will do this because you represent something that is threatening to their view of, and their ideas about God.

It is a terrible shame. In the name of religion, people persecute and pummel each other.

Please remember this: God does not need to be defended. God can handle different ideas that people may have. Love should rule in the local church. And if love rules in the local church, then we are kind and gracious to everyone, even and especially to those with whom we disagree.

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

Grateful living

Before we have today's post, I wanted to give an update on my knee surgery...  It was originally scheduled for April 10.  Then moved to June 26th.  Now scheduled for June 28th Wednesday.  Several people have asked and I am sorry for the confusing information, but it is now June 28th.  Thanks for your care and concern!!!

Now for today's post...

From the website www.grateful.org as shared by my friend Bruce M...

Death can come at any minute, in any way. We do not know what is in store tomorrow, or, whether there is a tomorrow, or even a tonight! But still, we have the golden present. Now we are alive and kicking. What should we do now???   Love all, and serve all.

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

Why the bride and groom face the altar

Over the years I would hear complaints about people not being able to see the bride and groom during the entire wedding because they were facing the front of the church.  I guess they wanted the bride and groom to face the audience.

Evidently there is a new push for this on social media.  The officiant stands in the aisle and the bride and groom face the guests.

Officiant - Pastor?  in the aisle.

bride and groom facing the guests.

Now if you want to get married and face the guests, I am glad to do that for you, if that is what you prefer, but here is my challenge with it...

You don't get married before the guests.  You get married before God.  It is a commitment between two people and God.  It is not a commitment involving the guests.  The guests simply witness the couple's commitment before God.

This is why the bride and groom face the minister.  It is why they face the altar.  It is why in some churches, they kneel before the altar.

A wedding with the bride and groom facing the crowd may work in a random wedding venue, but the visual in a church would be devastating.  Image that for the entire ceremony, the bride and groom have their backs to the altar, the candles and the Bible.

Again, people have their own opinions on this and I am glad to accommodate what ever the bride and groom want, but I want people to understand that the facing of the bride and groom towards the altar is for a particular reason.

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

temporary worries

I am fortunate to know a lot of smart people. I think I collect them because I need them. They pull me up along the grading curve of life.

My friend Grace L. sent this in:
"shadows cast by candlelight always fade with the dawn."

I had to ask her to explain... it just means that what you are so worried about tonight won't even be there when the sun comes up.

And again I am reminded of the scripture in Psalm 30, "weeping lasts for a night, but joy comes in the morning."   This too shall pass.

Don't ruin today with worry. You will get thru whatever you are facing. Tomorrow is another day and the sun will come up. The shadows of this night are temporary.

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

To improve our friendship

So I have been thinking about friendship.  What can I do, what can we do to make it all better?

Well for me, it starts with, I need to be in town more.  I need to be around and available to spend time with you in order to enjoy our friendship.

I think our friendships need:

• more time
• more breakfasts
• more lunches
• more Royals baseball games
• more Sunday mornings in church
• more stories
• more jokes
• more hugs
• more smiles

Time is short.  Let's keep working on it!!!

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

What can I do to be a better friend???

I was in the car with a friend.  He was taking me to the airport.  Our visit was over.  He asked me something that I found to be both unusual and profound.  He said, "what can I do to be a better friend?" 

Is there anything that I need to do to be a better friend?

I was surprised by it, but I loved it.  I thought of my friends.  I thought of my church friends.  I thought of my KC friends.  What can I do to be a better friend?

It is a great question.  It is a question that is only asked by those brave enough to potentially hear a painful answer.   I want to be a good friend to you.  

Let me know if there is anything that I can do to be a better friend to you.  And let us all work harder on being the best of friends to those whom we call our friends.

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