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Waiting for a ride - left to right
my daughter Jenny, Bella Lascon my granddaughter, Bobby Lascon,
daughter Alli Lascon, me the old man, and my son Scott

dumb selfie

Jenny and Bella waiting in line for a ride.

So I’m at Epcot with my family.  I’m lagging behind because I’m tired and my knee is sore. And my daughter Jennifer is hanging back, staying with me.  

I start to apologize to her for being old.  For getting old.  For not being the Dad of her youth anymore. 

And then my brain thinks "no, don't apologize,  show her how to do this, one day she will need to know."  That's it!!!  Let me show you.  Let me show you how to do this with grace. Let me show you that it is ok.  Let me show you that life is good, even when you are old.  Someday she’ll be 40 and 50 and 60 years old and she might need to know how to navigate those difficult waters. 

Hey kids, Watch me - remember well - live well.  I love you.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Quote

My dear friend Grace sent this to me...

"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Christmas Humor

I am so grateful for my KC friend who encouraged the blog to have a little more humor, a little more often.  I enjoy humor.  Sometimes too much.  Here is a little Christmas humor, most of it is from Peggy M and my cousin Rob, so blame them if you need to.

I hope one or two of these brought you a smile.  Smile today.  Life is good.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Why do I blog

A friend wrote and asked some questions about my blogging.  When did I start?  Why did I start?  Why do I keep doing it?  Do I know others that do it?

Ok, so let me start with, I know that a lot of people blog, but I don't personally know anyone else that does it.

I started in 2007.  I have almost always had friends and helpers that covered for me when I didn't have anything to write about.

I started because in 2007 I was reading some things that changed my life paradigm.  They were so new and amazing to me, and I wanted to share those ideas with everyone that I could.  Chief among the ideas was the notion that life is good, that today is a beautiful day, and if we look hard enough, we can see the good.

I continue to blog today for many reasons.  I would like to believe that sometimes I write things that will help those still active in ministry.  I want to remind people about grace.  Being retired, I feel more confident to talk about things and call things out in the world that I might not as an active minister.  In other words, I am no longer worried about losing my job or being punished.  I want to write to call attention to the hurt that some of our church ideas have done to us, and I want to point my readers to a different, a more loving way of thinking.

As I grow older, I find that my heart is yearning to comfort the broken, embrace the grieving, and to do every bit of good that I can while I am left on this earth.

I guess that explains why I still write.  I know that some days my blog does nothing for you, but I hope that there are other days where a bit of encouragement or inspiration might slip in.

I believe that we can get better, more gracious and kind, one day at a time, one moment at a time, one thought at a time.  And if this old blogger can offer something that puts a little more kindness in the world, then I plan to keep at it.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com 

Robin Fisher

I want to take a moment today to say goodbye to my friend Robin Fisher.  He passed on Christmas day after a 2 1/2 year struggle with a particularly difficult brain tumor.  I am sobbing as I try to write this.

Robin was such a good man.  He was kind and smart and funny and amazing.  He had a big ol grin and an infectious laugh.  He worked hard at everything that he did.  In business, in family and in sports, he excelled.

As young men at the church, we played cards, we bowled, we shot pool, we threw darts, and of course we played softball.  Robin was so talented... he was an exceptional athlete.  I think that God let him be that good at sports because Robin was kind to the core.  Most people would not know how to manage such talent, but Robin was always so gracious.

He loved his wife and children.  We all love Anne and Kailey and Colton.  We grieve for them in his passing.  I am glad to know that God has prepared a place where we will see each other and be together again.

Goodbye my friend.  You were loved.  You are loved.  You will be missed.  

Until we meet again.

Robin Fisher Obit

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com 

Remember what we have now.

I got this message from my friend John...

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages telling us that we need more to be happy, it can be easy to forget the beauty of the present moment and the blessings we already have.  As Lao Tzu once said, "If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled." Instead, we should strive for contentment and rejoice in the way things are. When we do this, we realize that there is nothing lacking, and we can truly appreciate the world around us. So take a moment to relax, embrace the present moment, and be thankful for all that you have. Pure gratitude is a beautiful thing.

I couldn't agree more.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you my dear friends!!!

I was talking with someone the other day and they said that they just didn't enjoy Christmas like they used to.

Hmm.  I thought about that.  The aging process, health issues, the loss of friends, all of that and more can cause a person to grow sullen about life.  Yes, it sure can.

But it doesn't have to.

Did we think that we would be young forever?  Did we think that we were immune to the death of loved ones?

We know better.

And best of all, although things change in our lives, the message of Christmas does not change.  God loves you.  You matter to God.

This my friends is good news.  We all want to be loved.  Christmas is the reminder that God loves us.  You are loved!!!  I am loved!!!

Even if we are home alone this year, even if loved ones cannot make the trip, we can still be filled with the joy of knowing that we are loved.

Find a neighbor, find a friend, encounter a stranger and say to them...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! YOU ARE LOVED!!!

Memories of Christmas Eve

Memories of Christmas Eve

Christmas Play at church -Zion Lutheran, 75th and Belinder St.

bags of candy given out at church.

Cookies and Milk for Santa.

Being sent to bed when we were not tired.

Playing Monopoly with my sisters at 3am.

The purple stingray bicycle.  Hotwheel cars.  The vibrating football field.  White socks and underwear.

Then, later as an adult...

Worship services on Christmas Eve... lots of them.

Sneaking in a visit to Jerry and Dorothy Hedrick's open house in between services.

One year it was so cold that the doors would not lock.  Ephraim Rivers and I had to find a lock and chain to secure the doors after the last service at midnight.

Putting together bicycles.

Hiding presents for a scavenger hunt.

Egg Nog.

Reading the night before Christmas to the kids.

Stu and Bruce coming over for a little bit of Crown and Drambuie at midnight after the last service.

Laughing and loving.

Feeling the joy of the season.

Being thankful...

Dear friends, may you, on this very special day, remember with joy all of the great things that you have experienced through the years.  May you on this day, make new memories of care and compassion.  May you find a way to put the "Merry" into Christmas this year.

giving

My Pastor, Tim Barton, has asked me to preach on January 28th.

The assigned topic is "extravagant generosity."

Oh, there is so much to be said about this.  For example, It is better to give than to receive.  

Recently I got a note from my friend Mike R.  He suggested that instead of giving until it hurts, we should think in terms of giving until it feels good.

This will make the January 28 sermon for sure.  Imagine that we learn to give enough... not just of money, but of time, talent and heart as well... imagine that we learn to give enough, that it starts to feel good.

Imagine thinking... I gave and I gave and I found the joy.  It started to feel good!!!

Now that my friends is extravagant generosity.

time is precious

In a recent email exchange, my friend Harriett reminded me that...

Time is so precious; it is nice to hear about people who stop to give their time to others; that’s the best time spent.  I Think many of us get out of bed & hop on the hamster wheel until it’s time to sleep. So many missed opportunities.

If you are getting on the hamster wheel, slow down and stop.  Do less.  See more.  See more people.  Love more.  Take the time and spend the time to visit with the people that matter to you.   Don't miss your opportunities to care.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

How did you transition?

On a recent trip to Kansas City, I visited the Friday morning men's group.  About 15 of the best guys in the world.  We talked about the church and how it was doing.  We talked about some of the great things that it had accomplished.

My old friend, Bill C asked me a question which I am expanding... "How did you transition from being a part of something like this?  How did you transition from being the pastor of this place to retired life?  How did you adjust to not having this in your life?"

I actually had an answer to the question... First of all, it is not an easy transition.  To be a part of something so cool, and then it is just gone from your life... not easy.  But this is what my brain did:

Pastors were not always paid.  Paul made tents and did his pastor work on the side.  The early church did not have buildings or Elders and Deacons.  All of that was made up later.  What they did have was love.  They had leaders and members who understood that they were put on this earth to love others.  That is why we are here.  That is why I am here.

Even without a church, I can do the work of a Christian.  I can love people.  And I do my best to do that every day.  So, yes I left the big organization and the big building, but I still have what matters most.  I have the ability to love people every single day.

I love you - I hope you know that.  

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

An amazing place

Last week I got a tour of the church that I was pastor of for 22 years.  Oh my!!!  The church is doing great, and thriving under the leadership of Rev. Aaron Brown.  The buildings are full of so many memories.  I am so happy that the church is doing well!!!

Original Sanctuary built in 1999

South Window - Old Testament Stories

This was my view when preaching.
Such a holy place to stand!

The foyer looking towards the Sanctuary

The foyer looking the other way, towards the Worship Center.

Entrance to the Children's Wing

Entrance to the Worship Center
So many good places to gather!

East Entrance and Coffee Bar Area

Prayer Wall, filled with prayer notes.
All a dream of my friend Jonny Wells.

Coffee Bar and Seating

Built in 2009, the Worship Center provides
a controlled space for contemporary services.
Worship Center, decorated for Christmas by 
my friend Pam Dittmer.

The visit and tour warmed my heart.  I was so very fortunate to be a part of this place.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Soulful things

I have come to believe that in this life there are experiences that we humans find to be "soulful."  These are the things that cause us to feel an experience of peace and wholeness.  Here is my list, maybe you have other things to add...

• sitting by a fire
• being in the mountains
• feeling the wind blowing
• listening to a fountain
• hearing the waves crash on the beach
• floating in a lake 
• watching the ocean go by on a cruise ship
• sitting with friends
• being in the redwood forest
• the sound of a gentle rain
• watching a sunrise or sunset
• getting a hug from a friend

I celebrate these pieces of life.  They feed us and fill us.  May we all find them a little more often.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Getting lost in the thick of it

Dan Horn, Lion's Den Man, was my right hand blog poster for years. Tragically, he passed away in 2017.  Since then I have been bugging some of my friends to write posts for me. Today's post if from Brian Swanson, one of the Pastors at Woods Chapel in Lees Summit.

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Last Monday night at dinner, my family (Rachael and daughters Livvy, Rosie, & Poppy) sat around the table talking about our week’s schedule. One person has to go here, two out of three need to go there. My wife and I then do the trigonometry of who drives who where and when and and and…and then suddenly—we’re in the thick of it.

Can you relate? Do you ever get lost in the busy crazy?

This week at the office, my desk reflects my mental state: my desk and my brain, they’re both messy with all of the things going on—and a ball of Christmas lights in need of putting up! After all, ‘tis the season!

At work at church, ‘tis the season to be overwhelmed, too. Just as I sit down to take a breath before getting to my next task, I finally see something that’s eluded my attention for three full days.





Do you see it? A note from my 1st grader, Poppy. Unbeknownst to me, she wrote on the white board in my office. I am befuddled with Christmas business and then I see it.

All of a sudden, my focus on THE WHY returns. I am loved. We are here to love. My children love me. Christmas is about love.

Thank you for the reminder, Poppy!

Today, if you are lost in the thick of the season, may you see a reminder that life is about something more.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Kindness can still happen

This post is from Richard Rohr's blog. I don't often post other's stories verbatim, but this story really touched me...


Arab-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye recalls a transformative, unexpected occasion of generous acceptance:

Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal … I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.”

Well—one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly. “Help,” said the flight service person. “Talk to her.… We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”

I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke to her haltingly. “Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-se-wee?” The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment.… I said, “No, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just later, who is picking you up? Let’s call him.”

We called her son and I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother … and would ride next to her.… She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I thought … why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her? This all took up about two hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life, patting my knee, answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.

And then the airline broke out free beverages … and two little girls from our flight ran around serving us all apple juice and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought, this is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate—once the crying of confusion stopped—seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too. This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.

Love it!!!


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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure


If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Generosity

I love stories of generosity.  By the way, my Pastor asked me to fill in for him on January 28th.  I said yes.  I asked if there was a topic.  The topic?  Extravagant generosity!!!

So I love stories of generosity.

Five of my friends are going out to lunch.  They arrive at the restaurant and find that there has been a hit and run accident.  A young girl of 19 is standing next to her crunched car.  She is crying.  Evidently someone backed into her car and left without taking responsibility.

Well, lunch goes on... turns out the young woman is the hostess in the restaurant.  She is still shaken by the experience and is comforted from time to time by other employees.  My friends overhear that the young woman has no money for this repair.

They decide to act.  I love that.  Someone's heart is moved to generosity!!!  The friends decide to take a collection.  All of the cash that the five of them have on their persons.  

They finish their meal and pay the bill.  On the way out the door, they hand the young woman $180.  She breaks down in tears.

I love that story!  I love stories of kindness and generosity.  Maybe we can create such a story today!!!

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

the non-anxious presence

The last few years that I was active in full time ministry, I got to hearing about the phrase, "the non-anxious presence."

The non-anxious presence is the person that keeps their cool when others are freaking out.  It is the person who is nice when others are not.  It is the person that smiles in the face of a frown.  When others are nervous, they are calm.  Circumstances do not overtake the non-anxious person because they are tied to a greater good:  the reminder that all people matter and deserve to be loved.

Such people are very welcome in any and all situations.  As we live out the holiday season, may we all find the strength and peace to be the non-anxious presence.

Everything is ok.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Road Trip

On October 21st, I began a fantastic road trip with my friend Bruce Letner. I flew from Melbourne Florida to Atlanta to LAX to San Jose. My friend Bruce flew in from Kansas City. We took an Uber to my sisters house and made the last payment for her 2010 Ford Mustang.

We fired up the car and started out. We and stopped in Fairfield California for round table pizza. It was very tasty. We made it to Reno at 9:30pm. We met up with one of Bruce's friends and then hit the hay.

Sunrise in Reno

On Day 2 we drove across the Nevada desert. There was lots of road work. Lots of barrels down the center lane with the left lane closed. But when the barrels were not there, the speed limit was 80. And man did that mustang like to fly.

That night we stopped in Rawlins, Wy. The next day we drove in to Kansas City. We hung out there for a few days and went to Paul McClain's daughter's wedding.

Then we were off... down the road again. We drove to Chattanooga and spent the night. The next day we drove the final leg to Vero.

Tennessee Hills

A few days later, we went on a cruise.

It was a great road trip. We listened to lots of our favorite music. We told stories. We explored questions. We listened to comedians and laughed so hard.

I love the new car. I love hanging with my friend and making memories.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

Thanksgiving

From the category of "everyday should be thanksgiving"

Here is my friend John Muller's list of thanksgiving words.

List of my Thanksgiving Words:

Gratitude
Pie
Family
Friends
Feast
Turkey
Holiday
Celebration
Love
Blessings
Dinner
Prayer
Desert
Stuffing
Home
Traditional
Grateful
Parade
Leaves
Gathering
Blessings
Thankful
and finally... nap 😊😊😊

May everyday have a bit of thanksgiving in it for you!


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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com 

How do you feel about yourself?

How do you feel about yourself?

If I’m going to be totally honest with you, sometimes, I feel old, I feel tired, and I feel sore. I feel weak. I feel like I’m much less than I used to be. I feel worried and afraid. Sometimes I feel lost in the world of adult issues and things.

But then I stop and take a deep breath. I call upon the God that I know, the God that loves me.

And then I look in the mirror and I try to get His perspective. I look in the mirror, and I see that, even though I have a knee replacement, I’m learning to go up and down stairs. And even though my face is sagging, it’s the face I would expect to see at 66 years old. And even though my hair is falling out, I’ve known my whole life that this was coming. And even though I’m weaker than I used to be and there are many things I can no longer do, I see some things that I can do, and I choose to focus on them.

As we grow older, life can be dominated by the negative of what we are not.

Or there is a completely other way to look at life. And that is to just be thankful for what is and what was and what can still be.

It may not be the same, but that does not mean that it is bad. See the good.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

Sign

This message is painted on the wall of the grocery store on Woods Chapel Road in Lee's Summit, MO.

I was so glad to see this message in such a public place, and posted by a private business.  It is an important reminder that kindness is free.  Anyone can give it.  It brings joy to the recipient and it warms the heart of the giver.

Never underestimate the value of your kindness to others.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

The phone booth

Please bring back the phone booth.

Do you remember the phone booth?  It was a place for a private conversation.  And if there were a bank of phones, at least you knew that you would be on a call and others near you would be as well.

There were designated places for our jibber jabbing.  The rest of the world was quiet and off limits to phone calls.  Shy reclusive people like peace and quiet.

So here is my rant... the airplane is not your phone booth.  The grocery store is not your phone booth.  The check out line is not your phone booth.  Do your business and talk to whomever it is later.  Speaker phone?  No way... talk to them later.

I have had employees on jobs who knew that they were not supposed to be on the phone during work hours, but they just could not help themselves.

Please can we bring back the phone booths or at least learn some manners regarding cell phones?

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

War is hell

More on what is happening in Israel.

War is hell.  I am against killing.  I am against death.  I am for love and kindness.

But, there are times in this world when evil must be vanquished.  Unfortunately, this means war.  Vietnam was an unnecessary war.  There have been many other needless wars.  

But there have been wars where good fought against evil.

Allies vs Nazis in WW2.  Good vs Evil.

Ukraine vs Russia.  Good vs Evil.

Israel vs Terrorists.  Good vs Evil.

While I am sorry for every civilian casualty, let us remember that Hamas hides among civilians.  It creates the civilian losses and then points them out for political gain.  in 2006, Gazans voted Hamas into power.  While many Palestinians oppose Hamas, many support it, even helping to hide hostages.  One hostage that escaped was actually captured and returned to Hamas by residents of Gaza.

War is hell.  When there is a war, cities are bombed.  People are killed.  It is a tragic fact of life.  Good, moral nations seek to minimize civilian casualties, but this is difficult when the enemy hides within.

May this war, and all wars end soon.  May evil and hatred be vanquished.  May there one day truly be Peace on Earth.

Why I side with Israel

I hesitate to post this because there are many opinions on the war in Gaza and Israel.  I hestitate to post this because I have some level of fear of backlash.  If I were in Israel, I would fear for my life to post something like this.  However, I must speak out against what I consider to be a growing voice of anti-Semitism.   I do not agree with everything that Israel does or has done, anymore than I agree with everything that the USA has done.  But, let us remember that the hatred of Jews resulted in the murder of six million of them by hate filled Nazi's during WW2.

But this is not the only time that Jews have been persecuted.  And this list is just hitting the high notes.  There are many instances that I have left off of the list.

722 BC - Jews deported to Assyria

597 BC - Jews deported to Babylon

139 BC - 50 AD - several incidents of Jews being expusled from Rome and Egypt by the Romans.

70 AD - Jewish revolt against Rome is put down.  Many Jews are dispersed or killed.  Eventual name change of the region from the Roman Province of Judea to the Roman Province of Palestine.

Over the next 1,000 years, Jews were forced to leave by Visigoths, Byzantines and Crusaders.

1250 AD - Jews expulsed from areas of Spain

1276 AD - Jews expulsed from Bavaria.

13th - 14th  Centuries, Jews are expulsed from various regions of France.

1290 AD - King Edward expels all Jews from England.

1360 AD - Jews expelled from Hungary.

1420 - Jews expelled from Austria.

1490's - Jews expelled from areas of Spain and Portugal.

1683 - Jews expelled from French Colonies.

1862 - Jews expelled from Kentucky and Mississippi by Ulysses S Grant.

I have to condense the list... it is too long to continue... but in the next 250 years, Jews are forced out of many places in Russia, the Ottoman Empire and many Arab states.  And let us not forget the holocaust. 

It is no wonder that they have a deep desire to protect their homeland.

And, Israel is their homeland.  They are indigenous to the land.  They have a right to defend their homeland.  They are God's children, God's chosen nation.  What other race has ever experienced the kind of hatred that they have and still survived for centuries?

I encourage everyone to consider the historical plight of Jews and to be a voice of support for Israel.

My opinion.

Oops!

I have lots of handyman clients in Florida.  Among my favorites are Bill and Sharon Murphy.  Some weeks ago, they were trying to reach me.  They were unsuccessful.  Their calls went to voicemail and their texts went unanswered.

So they were out to dinner with friends, also clients of mine [and also great people].  TheMurphys expressed their concern to their friends that I was not answering their calls.  Had they offended me?  Did I not like them anymore?

Coincidentally, I had been working at the friends house a few days prior.  The friends reached out to me.  "Jeff, the Murphys are trying to reach you, but their calls are going unanswered."

I was out at a restaurant, but I went outside and called the Murphys.  I had no idea that they were trying to reach me.  I had received no calls or texts.

I did some research.  I had accidentally blocked the Murphys on my phone.  I felt terrible!!!  Now it is kind of a joke between us.  But if you aren't getting through to someone who is important to you, drop a note in the mail or have a friend call them.  You may have accidentally been blocked!

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

thoughts on money

Things are so expensive these days!

Some people have money because they inherited it.  Some people earn a lot of money in this life.  And then there are the savers.  The people that still have the first nickel that they ever made.

I love to save money.  I love to find ways to do a thing correctly, but affordably.

Sometimes I am out of town for work for weeks at a time.  When this happens I often go to the store for peanut butter, bread and jelly.  It is tasty, and it saves money by not buying lunch every day.  Heck, prices are up... a sandwich at Subway with a drink is easily $10.

I think that taking an inventory of where money is going can be very helpful.  I love to identify ways that I can, we can save money.  If you want to have more money, then spend less.

John Wesley used to say, "make all you can, save all you can and give all you can."

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

the temporary fix

 

I parked next to this car the other day.  I was impressed... not really... with the duct tape body work.  Maybe everyone cannot afford real body work, maybe this was "good enough" for an old car.

I am ok with a temporary fix, but usually they should be temporary.  It is always my goal to stay with an issue until it is fixed properly.

Sure in life there are things that are messy and cannot always be fixed.  I am speaking today more of broken things and physical repair work.

Baling wire and duct tape are fine, but they are not a long term solution.  What will it take to fix a thing right?  That is the direction that we ought to be going.

When you fix something the right way, you don't have to worry about it anymore.  Take the time, do the job, and then move on.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

We need more Barry Sanders

Do the Bears not know that they are in last place?

We need more Barry Sanders in this world.  The retired running back for the Detroit Lions is featured in a documentary called "Bye Bye Barry" on Amazon Prime Video.  It is well worth the watch.

One of the things that I learned about Barry is that when he scored a touchdown, he did not dance or create some theatre of celebration, he simply handed the ball to the referee.

This is what should happen in football.  Stop the dancing.  Stop the ridiculous celebrations.  Every week I see some team that is down by 21 points score a touchdown and then they dance and celebrate as if they just won the Super Bowl.  Do they not know that they are still down by 14 points?

One of the quotes from the documentary was this, "when you score, act like you have done it 100 times."  After all, this is what you get paid for.  

This world needs a bit more humility and a lot less showboating.  Just play the game.  In this life, do your job and work hard.  There is no reason to call attention to yourself.  Let success be judged by the results.

If you know any college or professional football players, feel free to pass this blog post along to them.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

But for the grace of God go I

Before we get to today's post, let me say that I will be in Kansas City this coming week, Tuesday thru Sunday.  I am coming to visit folks and to go to the Chiefs game on Sunday.  I will have some free time to do small handyman jobs.  If you live in the KC area and need help with small things Dec 5-11 you can reach out to me at jsbrink57@gmail.com.

Now on to today's post...

And so I was staying at this hotel in Omaha.  Next-door to it was a small homeless camp.  I am not sure that Omaha is a good place to be homeless in December.  But is there any location that is good to be homeless?

So, in the picture you can see why they chose this place.  Trees for shade and a hill for protection from the wind.

The thought struck me... but for the grace of God go I.  Our lives can turn in one moment.

Things are fine... we are riding the wave of the joyful life.  Then suddenly... heart attack, injury on the job, stroke, financial ruin, cancer, brain tumor...

All of this could come to us at any minute.  And let's be honest, we all know friends and relatives that these things have happened to.

So, but for the grace of God go I.  I could, you could, be there in the snap of a finger.

So, let us be thankful.  Let us be appreciative.  Let us seize the day.  Let us give thanks to God and live every day to the fullest.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

I hate this hotel

So I am staying at this hotel in Omaha.  It was a good price... $89 for a Sheridan 4 Points which is a Marriott property.  I stay at the one by the KC airport a lot and it is great.

So I check in to the hotel and I should have know from the get go.  There are almost no cars in the parting lot.  The place is deserted.  Never a good sign.

I check in and go to my room.  The room is a nice room, an extended room, a gift from my wife's travel status from when she was on the road every week.

But something is wrong with the extended room.  The table and chairs pictured on the web site are not there.  The second sink has been removed.  The full size fridge has been replaced with a dorm room fridge.  There is no microwave.  No coffee table.  UGH.  I hate this hotel.

I have to go to the lobby to make popcorn as there is only one microwave in the entire building.  No wonder the cost was $89 per night.

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Then I start to think... these are pretty small first world problems.  I think a little bit harder... [this is always a good thing.]  There are some good things about this hotel...

1. The ice machine is never empty.
2. There is never a line to talk to the clerk.
3. The computer in the lobby is always free.
4. When I go to the elevator and push the button, the door opens immediatly because it is right where I left it last.
5. The bed is very comfortable.
6. The place is quiet. Very very few guests. Very very quiet.

Friends, sometimes when we think harder about our situation, there are some good things, some positives that can be discovered.

Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda, here I am at Camp Granada... Hey everything really is ok in the big picture.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

Beautiful world

I travel from time to time for work, and to see friends.

On one recent trip I had this view from the window of the plane.

Sometimes the beauty of the world is obscured by clouds.
But in their own way, if we are paying attention, 
the clouds can be beautiful too.

We got past the clouds.  

Usually in life we do.

Oh, how beautiful.  

We need to remember when

life's good is obscured, 

that the clouds will eventually part.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com  

Board in my eye

Jesus said, before you focus on the splinter in your brother's eye, take care of the board in your own eye.

So I was thinking of Christians who don’t love this group or that group. They don't like Russians or this race or that race or fans of a particular team or they don't like gay people, or whatever.

People will say that they love those groups, but if their attitudes and actions tell you otherwise, then you know that they don't love them. I have been thinking about how many people are guilty of the sin of withholding love.

As a Christian, I think that is a pretty core mistake. To claim to be a follower of the God that is love, but to withhold love from someone, I don't think it is right.

Before we sneer at the splinter that is in the eye of that other person, let us work to remove the board from our own eye.

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

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com