When All Hope Seems Lost

No matter how much you love someone, if they have their minds set on a wayward path, you cannot change their course.

If a loved one has chosen to descend into the depths of a dangerous cavern you may not be able to save him.

The heart set on the ways of the world is not easily turned to the ways of the One who planned something more satisfying and more  lasting.

Our prayers and tears ascend to our Father on behalf of those who will not listen to truth and those who are perishing. He hears us, and he stores those tears in a safe place.

The Father does not forget our petitions, nor does he grow tired in his attempts to call the prodigals home, and rescue the lost from destruction.

When our words and warnings fall on the deaf ears of hardened hearts there is only one thing for us to do. We can only seek the righteousness of Jesus and pray to the Heavenly Father, “for the prayers of the righteous avails much.” Pray that they will hear the Father’s beckoning words, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Armed and Ready

Some of you who are reading this may feel like 2017 has knocked you down, run over you  and stomped you. Illness has plagued you or someone close to you. Death has visited your home. One thing after another has caused you to struggle, worry and despair. This has been a rough year for you, and you are glad to see it end. Your hope is that 2018 will be much kinder to you and to those you love.

The fact is we never know what the future holds. Any of us may face some unimaginable, horrific circumstances next year. How do we manage to hold our heads up, and dare trouble to get us down? There is only one thing that can sustain us, and keep us from giving up. That is the knowledge of the love of God. Our faith in a loving, caring Savior will help us in times of difficulty. We will not be defeated if we know and trust Jesus. Remember what the Apostle Paul said about dealing with those time when life becomes hard.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than CONQUERORS through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We face an enemy who is trying to destroy us, and he is trying to destroy our family. But we are stronger than he.
Paul says that we have the ability to conquer anything the enemy throws at us. We are not just a formidable adversary for the evil one, we are More than just Conquerors through Jesus!


There is nothing that Satan can do to separate us from the over power love of our Heavenly Father. You are armed and ready for the year 2018.

Scripture reference Roma’s 8:35-39

Silence After the Storm

Silence can be peaceful. Since retirement I have been able to enjoy the stillness of the early morning. All I hear is the steady ticking of the mantle clock and its hourly chime. The silence welcomes me to a place where I can meet God and talk to him. Silence is peaceful. Silence is a good friend. Silence is conducive to prayer. “Be still and know that I am God,” the Bible says. In the quiet moments of knowing He is God, He speaks giving thoughts and encouragement for the day. My time with Him is filled with inspiration just for me and also plenty to share with others. It is only when my heart is still that true silence visits. The heart is the threshold of the Lord’s presence. That quiet place is where all the wrongs are made right and the raging storms are tamed. If you listen you might hear, or at least sense, that calming voice speak His stern command, “Peace be still.” Yes, silence can be very peaceful and comforting! Very peaceful!

Presents Not Wrapped

This giant remote controlled roach was my personal gift to Brady. He was very excited when he opened it. Holly did not like it nearly as much as Brady.

Brady got everyone a gift, except me. He realized yesterday afternoon that he had forgotten to get me something. He asked his dad to borrow his credit card so he could get some gas to go to Target and get me something. That was a negative. So he asked his mother. She let him have her card if he would also get her some Velveeta Cheese that she needed for our Christmas Eve snacks.

Brady got his gas and went to Target. He got the Velveeta Cheese, a gift for me, and when he got ready to pay he couldn't find the credit card. He had enough money to pay for the cheese, but not enough for my gift. He called his dad, and told him what had happened. Clay cancelled the card, after telling Brady to go look in his car. Still no card. So I got no Christmas gift from Brady, except that he did tell me that he had a good Christmas story for  me. I guess that is one way of looking at it. I do have a funny story now to share.

Let me share what he got for Sasha, Sherri. He and some of his friends went to a very nice lady's shop in Wake Forest. Brady had a couple of females he wanted to buy gifts for. He picked out some relatively nice items since this place only has nice things. He got Sherri a cute little necklace, very different from Brady's past gifts. He was ready to pay for what he had gotten. The lady totaled up his things, and told him what he owed. Brady reached into his backpack and pulled out a jar full of change. I'm not sure how much his bill was, but I do know it was close to $40, paid in full with loose change. He had been saving up for about two years. This was probably a first for the lady that waited on Brady.

I think that a Christmas gift doesn't have to be wrapped in a beautiful package. Brady's gift to me was priceless, maybe the best one he has ever given me. He did try to get something for me. That just didn't work out.

By the way, the credit card was found. It was in his wallet all the time.

Our Amazing Gift

Merry Christmas to all those who read my blog. Many of you I have never met. 
Some of you are old friends, and some are new friends. But which ever you 
are you are a blessing to me, and I loveyou. Jesus , my Savior has given me 
reason and purpose to write each day.
What you read today is a song our choir sang at our Christmas concert. It is a beautiful song 
called “Who But the Lord”. The words penned by the composer express what Jesus has done for 
those who believe, and will do for those who have not yet chosen to follow him. Who but the Lord can save us from our sins.

Who But the Lord

Who but the Lord can give the shadows light, can break into the dark, draw morning from the night?

Who but the Lord will hear our cry and answer, “Here am I?”

Who but the Lord makes blinded eyes to see, brings music to the deaf, sets the lonely captive free?

Who but the Lord will by his glory show the paths of peace?

O shine on us the brightness of you face, to earth's remotest end every people every face.

O shine on us until to each is shown Your saving grace.

Who but the Lord can give the shadows light?

None but the Lord.

The Christmas Rush

I think I understand why Scrooge had a bad attitude at Christmas. He must have gone to the Mall, Target, Walmart or any of the many popular places where people shop. He encounters bumper to bumper traffic, the parking lots are so full it’s almost impossible to find a place to park, horns are blaring and stressed out motorist wonder if they have somehow driven into the outskirts of hell. Inside the stores babies are screaming and toddlers are throwing hissy fits. Mother’s are yelling at their children, “Put this back, don’t touch that, shut up and behave”! Long lines of shopping carts mimic the scene going on out in the parking lot. Impatient shoppers curse the incompetence of management for not having more checkouts available. Everyone one is in a hurry. In the minds of anxious shoppers their thoughts usher them into a state of panic, “Rush! Rush! Rush! Don't slow down! Get out of my way! I think I am going to explode! Bah Humbug!”

Christmas Day approaches. Very little time left to put the final touches on what is supposed to be the perfect Christmas -- the picture book, Norman Rockwell, calm, silent night, feel all warm and fuzzy perfect Christmas -- perfect no snags, no problems Christmas. Decorating, cooking, wrapping gifts, attending cantatas, children’s programs, Nativity scenes, caroling, cleaning, company coming, Rush! Rush! Rush! Don't slow down! Get out of my way! I think I am going to explode! Bah Humbug!”

A baby was born in Bethlehem. He came to save a weary, sinful world. The Angels appeared and said, “He is Here! He is for all people, even Scrooges. Don’t rush! Slow down! Come together and praise this new born King. Enjoy him. Enjoy this marvelous season. Peace on earth and goodwill toward men. PEACE on earth!”.

Nine Years Ago

Nine years ago today was one of those days best spent inside with a good book and a cup of hot coffee. A cold rain was falling on Covington, Kentucky. My task for the day? Go to church, pick up several Christmas gifts and deliver them to five or six apartments in the projects. The community was called The Terrace. These apartments had been built on the side of a steep hill, thus the name Terrace. I had worked my way up each terrace row until I reached the top. The last apartment, the last gifts to deliver, pick up my wife at the office where she was working -- then home to a nice warm house where I would stay for the rest of the day.

I parked at the top behind the apartment where the last gifts were to be dropped off. A little girl about ten years old had been watching for me. She was excited knowing that I was bringing probably the only gifts she would be getting. She ran up the hill to meet me and offered to help with the packages. I handed her one, tucked the rest securely in my arms, and began making my descent toward her home. She went down a grassy area, and I took the narrow steps. The wind had picked up, and was blowing the rain sideways right into my face. My chin was resting on the top package. I could barely see where I was going, and the rain hitting me directly in the face further hindered my visibility. Turning sideways I was able to get my bearing to find that first step.

The first step! No one had told me that rain changing to freezing rain had been predicted. Freezing rain on concrete steps spells danger for a sixty year old man carrying an arm load of Christmas gifts. Do you know how fast a person can go from the top of a flight of steps to the bottom? I do! The gifts were in good shape, but I was not. It took me a while to recover my breath. I was wet, hands were bleeding, and my right side was killing me. I remembered that pain from ten years before when I had fallen trying to ice skate for the first time.  I knew what broken ribs felt like.

The little girl and I managed to get the gifts to her house. Her dad was busy playing his video game on his nice TV set while smoking his cigarette. I immediately noticed his hefty supply of beer and party treats on the kitchen table. He was so wrapped up in his game that he had no idea that I was there. I was in no mood to stand there waiting for him to finish. Maybe I was a bit rude in interrupting him, but at the moment I didn’t care. I was as nice as I could be under the circumstances. His precious daughter was standing there wanting for her dad to see all the gifts I had brought. Despite her dad’s obvious lack of hospitality and dead beat lifestyle I knew that God loved him. After speaking briefly with the man I turned to leave. The little girl came to the door, hugged me and said Merry Christmas. She was so sweet. I have since wondered whatever happened to her. She would be nineteen or twenty now.

That night I started having spasms so bad that the EMTs were called, and I was taken to the hospital. In the ambulance that night, I learned that morphine was my best friend in that particular situation. It was confirmed that I had cracked two ribs and because of that Christmas Eve was very painful. That night we got a call that my daughter Leigh had  gone into labor. Christmas Day was spent in the waiting room at a hospital in Louisville, and around 5 o’clock that afternoon our beautiful, precious granddaughter Kaelin was born. What a special Christmas gift! She will be 9 in two more days. She has been a joyful blessing to all of us.

Many years ago in the waiting room of life a precious baby was born. He was born to relieve mankind from the pain that sin had brought. He was born to heal our brokenness, our wounds and to warm the coldness of our hearts. He was born to give hope to the down and out who have lost all hope. He was born a blessing to us all. Yes, what a blessed Gift! Merry Christmas!

Better Days Ahead

One of the blessings of being young is that most of your friends and family are still living. But when we are children we can’t appreciate the fact that our parents are alive and relatively healthy. Friends are forever, life is predictable and we are caught up in the excitement of being young and energetic.

A downside of getting old, if we live long enough to obtain that distinction, is that many of our friends and family members are no longer alive. And a lot of those who are still alive seem to be struggling and fighting to keep going. Parents are gone, aunts and uncles are gone as well as several cousins. Also, several of our dear friends are gone. When we get old we find ourselves talking a lot about days long past.

For Sherri and me so many of our friends are basically gone from our lives. Having served as pastor in five churches, teaching in three schools and living in several different communities we have left behind hundreds of wonderful friends. I realize that we most likely will never see most of them again, especially since we now live so far away. I have lost touch with friends from childhood that at the time I thought I would be with the rest of my life. I don’t know their children, their grandchildren and in some cases I don’t even know where they live. I suppose there are several ways that friends become absent from our lives other than death.

So as we get older we talk about people and experiences from our past. We are so much further removed from those days than we are from the time when we will leave this world. So how do we keep from wallowing in the mire of sadness and depression? We survive by enjoying each moment that God gives us with the family and friends remaining in our lives. We continue to commune with our best friend, Jesus. We can tell him everything, and trust him to take care of us no matter what a new day brings. But most of all we keep reminding ourselves that there are better days ahead. We can look forward to the time when Jesus takes us to our permanent home to be with him forever. We’ll have a lot of catching up to do with old friends and our dear family.

Working On the Temple

They had returned to their home land after being away for many years. The Babylonians had taken them captive. Jerusalem had been destroyed. The walls around the city had been torn down, and the temple had been burned to the ground. The first thing the people of Israel did after they returned home was to rebuild the walls, and  begin constructing a new temple. Some of the people remembered what the previous temple was like. It was glorious, and they hoped to have that same glory restored to the new one.

After they had been working on the temple a while they began facing opposition. They became discouraged. What they had built so far looked nothing like the grand temple that had been destroyed. There seemed to be no glory in what they had done. Soon the people gave up and stopped construction on God’s house. Instead they built nice houses for themselves. This did not please God. Through the prophet Haggai God said, “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. Now each of you is busy with your own house.”

Could it be that today Christians are busy with their own houses? Rather than working on the temple of God we have become distracted with ourselves, our desires, our needs, and are spending most of our time building up our own house. Each of us is a spiritual temple of God. We are His dwelling place. It is our task to build up the temple of God providing a glorious place where he is welcomed, adored, and worshipped.

Haggai declared these encouraging words of God. “Be strong all you people of the land, ‘declares the Lord, and work. For I am with you ,’ declares the Lord Almighty...And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”  When we heed these words we will not be discouraged. We will not become distracted with our own selfish desires. We will not give up, and the temple that we are building within our souls will be filled with God’s glory for all the world to see.

The Angel Visits the Shepherds

On that night there were some shepherds out in the field taking care of their sheep. The shepherds lived in the fields around Bethlehem. They were the lowest class citizens of the time. The shepherds were dirty, not trusted nor thought well of by anyone. No one wanted to have anything to do with shepherds. They were not religious, and the birth of a Messiah probably never entered their minds. Yet, something happened that night that changed their lives.

An angel suddenly appeared, and at that moment the glory of the Lord was upon those shepherds. The brightest most glorious light encompassed them. It was as though they were in the very presence of God, and it scared them. The shepherds focused in on what the angel had to say. “I bring you good news of great joy for all people.” The shepherds were to understand that they were all people. “Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you;(even to you shepherds) he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

This certainly was a life changing event for the shepherds. So much so that they did something they had never done before. These dirty, uneducated men jumped up, and they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this great thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Notice that they said that it was the LORD who told us. And then, I suppose, for the first time ever they left the field leaving the sheep alone. I think everyone of them went to see Jesus.

Before they left a great company of the Heavenly host joined the angel and began praising God. They said, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace on those whom his favor rests.” This great company of the Heavenly host were very moved and excited. These angels were God’s messengers, his warriors. They were God’s creation, living in heaven, and they knew their creator, Jesus. They knew him as God almighty, The Most High. How amazed they must have been to see God himself now in the human form of a tiny baby! How unbelievably different this night must have been for them. They had been sent to announce the most wonderful news for the creation that God favored most of all, man, you and me. God’s favor is upon us because he loves us. If God loved us so much that he would leave his throne of glory becoming like us, and living with us in a sinful world, then I think the angels loved us as well. What a glorious night that was for God’s Heavenly host!

Christmas Is Not Lost

There must be a thousand ways in which Christmas has been celebrated in various cultures over the years. Today old people like me think back to days long ago wishing for just a moment to reclaim some precious memory of a very special Christmas. But we can’t go back. Those days are lost in time and are only cherished in a memory.

However, the good news is, we still have Christmas to celebrate. Let us not lament over what we once had and enjoyed because if we celebrate Christmas the way we should we will remember that  we have been given the Gift that we can never lose. Christmas gives us joy that nothing can take from us.

My Christmas Rant

After 8 or 9 years it hit me like a ton of bricks that I got gypped on a purchase Sherri and I made at Kirkland’s. We found a beautiful Nativity for a little over $25. It looks really good on the table in the hall entrance to our house. This week I noticed for the first time in all these years that we were bamboozled. I don’t know how we missed seeing the grave error in our nativity setting. Here is how I discovered that error.

A few members of our choir are going to a nursing home in Apex NC next week. We are going to sing some songs for 19 ladies who are Alzheimer’s patients. We have already been there once, and we had a great time meeting these ladies. One of them is very funny. She must think she is some kind of espionage agent. She sneaks around going into the other ladies rooms taking things. Then she very quietly walks up to men who are guests and gives them what she has taken. She gives us orders as to what she wants us to do with the item she has taken. Her directions seem very urgent. But that has nothing to do with my rant.

I have been asked to give a devotion. I thought that I would briefly tell the story of Jesus' birth using my nativity setting. I intend to show the shepherds out in the field, the angel appearing to them with the news of the Messiah being born in Bethlehem, the manger scene with some animals, and the wise men with their gifts although they were not part of the nativity. I wanted to kind of organize the way I would do this with the characters from our nativity.

When I went to get what I think is the most important sporting nativity character I realized that my scene did not have one single shepherd. How can there be a manger scene without some shepherds? I had three wise men, a little lamb on a shepherd boy’s  back and one stinking camel. Can you believe that. Not one shepherd in the manger setting. Everybody knows the shepherds were there that blessed night. The wise men didn’t show up for two years. They shouldn’t even be in the manger scene. They were late. Of course they did have a long way to travel, but two years late! Give me a break!

Now I am going to have to find some shepherds. I am so upset about this that I may not even include the wise men even though they do look pretty flashy. I also realize that I’m going to have to watch the little lady who thinks she is a spy. She’ll probably try to steal my nativity.

I wonder if it is too late to get my money back?

I Miss Christmases Past

I miss several Christmas traditions from many years ago.

I miss riding around on Christmas Eve  with my parents while Santa brought our gifts and put them under the tree. We always drove to Russellville to look at the Christmas light. One of my parents alway forgot something and had to go back in the house to get it. They seemed to take such a very long time getting whatever they went after.

I miss going Christmas caroling with my church.

I miss getting to spend Christmas Eve with my brother and his family. We usually don’t get to see each other during Christmas.

I miss going to my mom’s on Christmas Eve. My dad died at age 54 when I was 23 and recently married. My brother, Mike was 19. My mother died at age 87, and she really never got over his death.
A couple of Christmas after daddy died mom started saying, “This may be my last Christmas.” Christmas was never the same for her after my dad passed away. Mike and I finally started teasing her when she said that. A few years before she died Mike told her, “Mom, when you do die we are going to put these words on your marker,’See, I told you this would be my last Christmas’!”

I miss getting to argue with Mike while we were opening our gift from mom about which gift was nicest or the best. We would say, “Mom always did like you best.” I can still hear my mother fussing at us telling us that she loved us both the same.

I miss the old vinyl Christmas albums. When I was a boy I would play those records over and over again. I especially loved O Holy Night, Little Drummer Boy, and Silent Night by Andy Williams. I probably drove my parents crazy with my singing. My room was up stairs, and I would sometimes sing in my operatic voice.

I miss not having both of my daughters and their families together at Christmas. I miss the days when our girls were small and getting to watch them get excited about Christmas. I miss them watching me make tuna fish salad while I demonstrated my technique using my Julia Child voice.

There are many things I miss from days gone by, but I still enjoy the days of Christmas. I know as I get older there will be more that I will come to miss. That’s just the way the cycle of life is. Who knows, this may be my last Christmas, anyway.

Christmas Unlike the Others

Christmas this year will probably be very much like it has been for years. You will continue with the same traditions which have been observed in your family for perhaps many generations. You can’t imagine Christmas being any other way. If you have lived in the same area all your life your friends and neighbors will celebrate Christmas in a similar way that you do. As children get older, go away to school, get married, have their own children there will be tweaks in the way you celebrate, but if there remains a family center, such as the home of grandparents that brings children to that home, the tradition of Christmas will continue to exist.

However, if by chance something happens that takes that center of family tradition away, or interrupts it by illness or death the celebration of Christmas will take on a different look. When everything is going well we are not aware of those who are saddened by the disruption of the familiar Christmas traditions.

Think about those who will not get to carry on Christmas as usual. There is a developmental center about 40 miles from where I live that provides services and support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, complex behavioral challenges and medical conditions whose clinical treatment needs cannot be supported in the community. Those who reside in this facility are from ages 5 through adults of all ages.

Several members of our choir and orchestra went there last night to perform part of our concert for them. There were about 125 who were able to come to the chapel to listen to us. Some of them were restrained. Some were brought in on cots or beds, still hooked up to IVs. Several of them were little children. A few of the residents cried or shouted out all through the program because they just couldn’t help but react that way. At the end of our program we sang a few familiar carols and invited the residents to sing along. I noticed an older man moving his head back and forth trying to sing. He had the biggest smile on his face. He was moving his lips as though he was singing. Sherri was standing close enough to him that she could hear him. She said all that was coming out of his mouth was a bunch of gibberish, no words because apparently he was not able to talk.

As we drove home last night we were talking about this man. He seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. Sherri said, “You know, to God that man's singing was as beautiful and as meaningful as any of the songs we sang tonight. Probably more so!”

I was thinking, that service last night may be the only Christmas celebration that the man will know this year. Many of those poor people were singing or trying to sing. Some couldn’t stand, some remained humped over the entire time, some were constantly shaking their heads or waving their arms about uncontrollably, yet I saw smiles and attempts at singing those Christmas carols. Just think, last night could have been the high point of Christmas for them this year. Oh, how thankful we should be if we are healthy both mentally and physically, and can celebrate the birth of our Savior with family and friends!

Try a Little Kindness

Life was much different in the mid 1950’s than today. All that I knew about the world was confined to my surroundings on my family’s 60 acre farm, our country store, and the church where my mother took me every Sunday. We had no TV, and the only news from beyond Logan County Kentucky was what we heard on the radio. The only people I knew were those in our neighborhood who came to my father’s store to buy the staples that they could not raise on their farms. At Vic Brady’s store the country folks could get a few grocery items, buy or sell eggs, pick up some chicken feed, purchase their tobacco products, and fill up the gas tanks in their trucks, cars and tractors. For the first three years of my life my parents and I lived in a small room in the back of the store. About a year before my brother was born we moved in with my grandfather who lived across the road from the store. My grandfather died not long after we had moved in with him. The house and the farm became ours after my dad bought his two brothers’ and his sister’s shares of the farm.

I spent a great part of my early years in that country store. There I learned many wonderful lessons about this world and about people. One of the earliest lessons that I remember occurred in late summer of 1954 when I was five years old. The day was extremely hot. My mom, dad, little baby brother and I were alone in the store. We had just finished eating lunch when we heard the most awful noise. We ran outside to see what it was, and in the distance we could see an old black flatbed truck making its way slowly up the road from the north. As it got closer we could see that the noise was coming from the wheel on the left front side of the truck. The driver had a flat and had driven until the tire was completely worn away. The rim was grinding against the rocks and pavement of the road.

When the truck finally pulled into our parking lot I noticed immediately that the occupants were unlike anyone I had ever seen. In the back of the truck I saw a girl and a boy each holding onto crude racks on the bed of the truck. There was also the few belongings that the family owned. In the truck’s cab was a man, a woman and a baby about the age of my little brother. It was obvious to me by the way these people looked and dressed they were not from Logan County or even Kentucky. The man got out of the truck, walked over to my dad, and began talking to him in some type of English I had never heard. Somehow my dad was able to understand what he was saying. The two of them walked around to the back of the store and began looking through some old discarded tires.

The children in the back of the truck climbed down and walked over to where I was standing. I was drinking a Coca Cola. The lady got out of the truck and walked inside the store with my mother. The little girl looked to be about my age. She was wearing a white dress that was badly stained. Her hair was jet black and very long. She had the darkest eyes I had ever seen. I think she was the most beautiful little girl I had ever laid eyes on. Her brother was wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt. Neither of them was wearing shoes. I didn’t have any shoes on either and all I was wearing was a pair of shorts. As far as I could tell the only real difference in us was that I had a coke and they didn’t. I could tell they wanted one even though none of us had said a word. We just stood and looked at each other. The little girl turned and ran over to her dad who was busy taking the wheel off of the truck. I didn’t understand a word she said, but I think she asked him if she and her brother could get a coke. Whatever she said did not please him. She ran back and stood by her brother. I could tell she was disappointed.

I can remember clearly how hurt I was for my new friends. For some reason their disappointment evoked a sadness that I seldom experienced in my safe little world. At that moment I thought the greatest need that these two children had was a coke. I ran inside the store, went behind the checkout counter and stood gazing up at the cash register. Luckily I could see some loose change lying on top of that huge green machine. Stretching on my tiptoes, I was able to pick up one dime, which was all I needed. I knew my dad wouldn’t care because what I was doing was just about the most important thing in the world. I didn’t understand much about money at the time, but I did know that one dime would be enough to buy two cokes. I walked out to where the little girl and her brother were and held the dime so they could see it. I didn’t say a word as I laid the dime down on the ground, turned and walked back inside. Quickly I ran to the window and peeked out to see what they would do. Finally, the little girl picked up the money and ran over to her father. She said something to him and he nodded his head. I was so happy when I saw my little friends with those big smiles on their faces as they drank their Cokes. All was right with the world and I felt good inside.

My mom had been busy fixing some sandwiches for our guests. An old used tire that would fit their truck had been found and put on the wheel. After the sandwiches had been eaten the family loaded up in their truck and continued their journey south. My dad said they were gypsies. They were on their way to the south end of the county near the Tennessee line where it was about time to harvest dark fired tobacco. The children’s dad was hoping to find work on one of the large tobacco farms.

Kindness was the lesson I learned that day. My mom and dad were extremely kind to these strange people. They were poor people trying to survive. My dad didn’t charge the man anything for the old tire or the tire tube that they needed. My mom was very gracious to the lady and to her family by preparing the sandwiches for them. The little girl and I never spoke a word to each other as we played that afternoon, but we communicated just the same. I only knew her for a couple of hours. We waved at each other as the truck rolled out of the parking lot and onto the road. Her big bright smile made me happy. Yes, all was right with the world!

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it”. Hebrew 13:2   (NIV)

God's Never Ending Light

CHRISTMAS! There is nothing like the season of Christmas. When the people of every race, every nation, every culture mention the word Christmas, weather they realize it or not, they are speaking the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Christmas! Christmas, the demonstration of God’s incredible love for mankind.

We are not capable of remotely getting close to understanding his abounding, endless love for us. Yet, the best way for us to express God’s Love is by telling others about his saving grace. For the message of Christmas tells of the only way man can deal with his sin. Christmas, God saying to us, “I love you so much that I have become like you, except for the curse of sin. I have come to you so that I can take the judgement for your sin upon myself. This is my gift to you. This is how I will put my light in you so that you might shine my endless love upon the world. There is no greater love than when Jesus died and rose from the grave to conquer sin for us so that we might have eternal life.

One of the greatest blessings I have had lately was getting to be part of our choir during the presentation of our Christmas concert. Our director, Aaron Jackson, has been getting us ready since mid August. He prepared us musically, of course, and also spiritually. Never did we loose sight of why we were singing about the light of Jesus Christ. His Light in Us, the eternal message to all who know the Savior personally.

About one thousand people came to our church last night, and our prayer was that everyone of them would leave with the knowledge of the Savior’s clear call to them of his endless love for them..

An Unusual Army The Can Not Be Defeated

Imagine being attacked by an army so great that as it marches forward it destroys everything in its path. Its opponent is helpless. They have no way of defending themselves. The prophet Joel, who’s book is thought to be one of the earliest prophetic books written, describes this army. He says, “A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness…”

This great army was sent upon Judah by God because of their sin. This unconventional army was a continuous swarm of locus, an army without number. They ate everything in the land; all the crops, the trees, plants, nothing was left. The locus even got into the people’s houses, they were everywhere. As a result the people of Judah had no food, the animals had no food, there was no wine, and there was death all over the country.

Joel called the people to lament before God,  “Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar...Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” Their plea for God’s help went like this, “To you Lord I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and the fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.”

Joel spoke of judgment and restoration. This prophecy speaks to us today. Joel says, “Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.” But he gives hope, “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” I see all sorts of lessons in the prophecy of Joel.

Our God loves us more than we will ever know, despite our sin. He is abounding in love for you.
He is gracious. He wants to give us the gift of salvation, much more than we want it.
Because of his desire to save us he is slow to become angry. He is so patient with us. He forgives us over and over and over again. Joel says at the end of Chapter 2, “And everyone who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
We as individuals must get serious about our sin, our laziness, stop making excuses and return to the house of God, to worship him, confess our sin, repent, and turn from our wicked ways. We must cry out to the Lord our God. I see this beginning with pastors, elders and deacons in the churches. They must model how we should react because of the depravity of our nation and because of our own apathy. If the church leaders don’t demonstrate an attitude of brokenness by mourning over the evil state of our nation and our society then the people will not either. When together we do this he will forgive us and heal us spiritually.
We must admit to God that we are helpless and that he is our only hope. Get rid of our pride. As I am around God’s people and watch them and look at myself I see a lot of pride. We are not depending on God as we should.
God wants and expects us to come before him with broken hearts, admitting our guilt, as well as our helplessness. He wants us to examine ourselves and commit ourselves to him asking Him to change us. God is full of grace and compassion abounding in love. So why don’t we stop fighting and bickering among ourselves, and come to the only one who can save us from the mess we have made?

Top Brass

A person who has a high ranking position in office, or in society— that’s the definition of dignitary. I recently heard someone talking about a parade that featured a large number of dignitaries. A dignitary is important, someone who is esteemed, and revered. I have known a few dignitaries. The Lt. Governor of North Carolina is a member of our church. A Supreme Court Judge and a few other high ranking state officials are also members. We have only been members of our church for ten months, and as far as I can tell there seems to be several very important people in our church. They are really nice people who are making a difference in Raleigh and North Carolina.

I guess the world needs dignitaries, the good ones. Not all dignitaries are good. Some misuse the trust given them by the people who elected them, hired them and depend on them. Dignitaries have a great responsibility and a tough job to do. Dignitaries work long, laborious hours if they do their job well. Very often when they do exceptional work, representing their people well, they are not appreciated. Not appreciated for what they do, and who they are. Sounds familiar doesn’t it.

Who else was not appreciated for the great work he did? He was not considered to be a dignitary, but maybe he should have been. He wasn’t educated. He wasn’t rich, in fact he was very poor. He didn’t have anything. He worked countless hours because he loved those whom he served. He worked so hard to make a difference in the lives of those he served that it killed him. He gave his very life to fulfill the plan of the one who sent him to do his work.

We know that this man is greater than any governor or a lieutenant governor. He is a King. He is the King of Kings. We know that he is a more capable judge than any Supreme Court Judge because his judgment is perfect and all inclusive. No dignitary has ever held such responsibility as that of the Suffering Servant. No dignitary has ever given so much of themselves as has the sacrificial Lamb of God. No dignitary has ever made the difference in society as the Savior of the world has made in the lives of men, women, boys and girls. Jesus was never considered to be a dignitary, but then he was not born to become a dignitary. He was born to be God incarnate, Emmanuel, something that no dignitary could ever be.

Do Bullies Rule

If you think that bullies are found only in the school setting you need to think again. Just about everyone has been bullied. Even as adults we have had experiences where someone may have tried to bully us. On the playground a bully might try to do physical harm to someone weaker than themselves. But as we get older bullying takes on a different persona. The adult bully tries to belittle another person to hurt them emotionally, psychologically, socially, or even to the extent of damaging their reputation. Most ministers I know who have served for a few years have been the target of a bully. I’m sure bullying occurs in every profession.

What does an adult bully look like? An adult bully is a person who never grew up. It is someone who is very immature. They don’t like to be wrong. They always want to get their way. They want to be the king or queen who rules in whatever situation they find themselves. Deep down they don’t have a very good self image. They may even loathe themselves although they they appear to have it altogether. They are liars. They are manipulative. They are abusive. They are much more dangerous than the playground bully.

Something I’ve noticed is that there are bullies on social media sites. There is a difference in disagreeing with something that another person posts on their site and attacking that person because of their opinion. I think this happens most often when the subject has to do with politics or one's faith. We have all seen really hateful, cutting remarks made by those who disagree with another person's thoughts about a topic. Those snide remarks which are seemingly innocently made are nothing but the childish bullie’s manipulative intent to make someone look bad and hurt them.

We may not be able to do a lot about the adult bully in the workplace or a social setting, but on social media we don’t have to put up with those who try to bully us. We can do something about that problem. All you have to do is go to settings and with a couple of checks that bully can be extinguished, so to speak. In the end bullies do not rule.

It Ain’t the Same As it Was

When did it change? This season of craziness, this time of blinking lights, and bows on pretty boxes, parties, dinners, rushing to sales to buy things, lots of things to put under a tree. Then a candlelight service, get the kids home, and to bed so they can rise early on the morning to open gifts, lots of gifts, and more family comes knocking at the door, more food, more gift giving, and its over, everybody leaves, and it’s over. It’s over until next year when it is repeated just like it has been repeated year after year. When did it change this time when God became man?

I am told a Jewish merchant in my hometown said years ago during Christmas gift buying time that he wished Jesus had had a brother born in August. I don’t know if that is true, but I would think from what I’ve seen happening in the last 50 years there are many merchants who would say the same thing. We have seen Christmas take a back seat to commercialism. Most people born since the 1960’s have no idea what Christmas really is.

I saw a reporter interviewing a man who was heading up an effort to collect toys for kids who would not have a Christmas unless people brought in gifts or donated money so gifts could be bought. Isn’t it sad that children will not have Christmas unless they get gifts? The two of them were in a huge warehouse, and it was absolutely full of toys. There were rows of new bicycles. Boxes of video games, and things I’m too old to understand. All of these items are going to provide Christmas for children who actually will celebrate commercialism, not Christmas.

I am not against helping those who are really needy. Every child should have some gifts to open. But I know that many who receive this help take advantage of the system. Parents who know how to beat the system go every place that helps children, receiving much more than they really need, and they turn this into their own financial advantage. Too much emphasis on getting the gift, not enough emphasis on worshiping the real Gift.

Here are some questions for us to ponder. When did Christmas change? Why did Christmas change? What child is this who was sent from heaven's glory to live in a sinful world? Why did God send us such a special Gift? Why don’t we worship the real Gift, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior?

A Christmas Memory

My mother was born in 1916 on a farm in Sharon Grove Kentucky. She had 7 brothers and sisters. They were very poor just like everybody else around that area. She said for Christmas children might get some fruit, a little candy and maybe one other gift. She said when she was little she would get something like a small doll. Christmas was the only time they would get a toy.

I was born in 1948. I looked forward to Christmas. Christmas and my birthday were the two times during the year that I got toys, games or what I considered really special gifts. We rarely got gifts that I considered worthy of Christmas at other times during the year. I remember getting two Mattel fake pearl handle cap pistols with a fake leather holster, a cowboy hat and a Roy Rogers denim jacket one year. Every little boy got cap pistols at Christmas. So far I haven’t heard that any of my friend have committed a crime because they got a cap pistol for Christmas.

When I got older and learned that Santa didn't exist I realized that my parents hid what we were getting for Christmas somewhere in the house. I would snoop around and try to find what they got me. I rarely found anything. My mother got very excited about Christmas. She couldn't wait for Mike and me to see what Santa was going to bring us. When Mike still believed in Santa my Mom would tell me what he was getting, but made me promise not to tell him. I knew she told him some of the things I would be getting.

One year I made a deal with Mike. If he would tell me what I was getting I would tell him what he was getting. Now Mike was still young and would believe anything. I told him he was getting some really fantastic gifts that were just too good to be true. They were too good to be true; I don't think I told him one thing that he was actually getting. He was so excited about what he thought he was getting that he told me everything he knew I was getting. I think poor Mike was a little disappointed when he opened his gifts that Christmas. He still got more than he deserved.

His Light In Us

There are light bulbs which are advertised as lasting up to 25 years. I have bought a couple of those bulbs. I since have wondered how the manufacturer knows they will last that long. These bulbs are new products. Obviously, they have not been tested to see if they can actually endure for 25 years. They could just as easily have said they would last for 50 years. Adults who buy a bulb like that probably won’t live twenty five more years, certainly not 50 years. If you are like me you would probably forget which bulbs have that guarantee anyway, and who is going to keep a receipt for 25 years. I am surprised there are not more products that make that same claim.

The thing about light, even if it burns for 50 years, is it will eventually go out. Our battery powered Christmas lights at some point begin to dim and then stop shining. Even the eternal flames, as they are called, will be extinguished some day. The huge forest fires out west that burn for weeks finally burn themselves out. Many stars like our sun have ceased to burn over the years. There is no light that lasts forever, except one. What light never goes out?  What is the Eternal Light who shines brightly forever and ever?

We know that Jesus Christ is the Everlasting Light.  His light shines in our world even today. Those of us who have asked him to come into our lives have his light in us. Jesus, incarnate, lives in us and shines in us. Each of us have become a source of the glorious light of Jesus. One of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard is His Light in Us. Our choir is singing that song in our Christmas concert this weekend.

The song says to us when we were lost, “His cry is here, the crying of a Child...I know Christ’s call is hidden flame...it makes my spirit flame with hope. Renewed his hope, his light in us, incarnate, fragile our Lord appears...Eternal, so perfect, his cry of changeless love.” Jesus calls our name because he loves us, and he wants to save us from sin. He gives the sinner eternal hope.

I have gotten chills every time we have practiced this wonderful song. It is so moving to those who have the light of Christ shining in them. Just to think that our Lord Jesus the Son of the living God would dare to give me the responsibility of bearing the eternal flame of his glorious love is awesome. We who claim the name of Jesus Christ do have the responsibility to be his light to a dark world that is perishing. May our hope in the Light of the world be renewed this Christmas, and may his glorious light shine bright in our lives.

Too Sentimental? Maybe

Christmas trees have always fascinated me. I can remember as a little boy helping my mother decorate our Christmas tree. My daddy cut a cedar tree, and secured it in some kind of container so the tree could be watered. That was his only contribution to our family Christmas tree. My mother made some of the decorations, and each year she bought a few. Our tree was not fancy. There was always the gold or silver roping, the tinsel, colored lights and the decorations. When we finished decorating we would turn out all the lights except those on the tree. That was a fantastic moment for me. I thought we had the most beautiful tree in the world. Even as a child I enjoyed just sitting and looking at the finished product of my mother’s and my creation. I could remember every single ornament that I placed on the tree.

From that time to now I have made sure we have a tree. Even now when very few people see it or care about our tree I continue to put it up. I used to have two or three trees, big trees, but now because our house is smaller we have only one very skinny tree, and a very small one that goes on the shelving of a bay window. Our trees are not real, they are artificial. Family members with allergies put a stop to those beautiful fir trees, and I miss that. Another thing I miss is having someone help me decorate my trees. My daughter, Susan, helped me when she was still at home. Then after we started having grandchildren they would help if they were around. Sherri used to help some. One year she got a lady from a flower shop to come in and put fancy bows and ribbons all over our tree. It was very pretty, but not my kind of tree.

I like my ornaments, and colored lights, nothing fancy, just good old ornaments with memories. I enjoy looking at ornaments we have been given over the years by students, teachers, and church members. I have a few old ornaments that my mother and I placed on the trees of my childhood. They are really special even though they are faded and show their wear. Sherri and I painted some wooden ornaments for the first Christmas we were together, and they are also extremely special. Others from when our daughters were little bring back fond memories. There is one that Susan made and the S is backwards. She says her teacher did that backward S. So many keepsakes to hang on these two small trees.

I think about leaving some in the boxes, and storing them away. I almost did that this time. Today as I was looking at those old relics I got a bit emotional. I thought, I can’t betray my old friends whom I only see for a brief time each year. They are inanimate objects of plastic, paint, cracked and scratched from years of use, but they are a part of me, they are my friends from many years past. So all of them now hang somewhere on one of the small trees, or placed on a shelf for display. Some may say my trees are tacky or too cluttered, but that’s fine. I’m about the only one who sees them any way. Am I too sentimental? I guess I am. But as long as I can decorate my tree, turn out all the lights but the ones on the tree, and see it with the wonder of a child I will continue to decorate my tree. It’s the most beautiful tree in the world.

Teens Are Necessary or Not

If something happened that prevented teenagers from working, our nation would come to a halt. That may be stretching the matter a bit, but many businesses would have a hard time providing timely service to their customers. Who would seat patrons eating at restaurants? Who would wait on tables, bus tables, deliver pizza, sack groceries, stock shelves, mow lawns, wash cars and...well, you get the idea. We depend on teenagers at just about every place we go to spend our money. That is scary if you think about it. My grandson, Brady, got a job frying chicken at PDQ. The only thing he knew about chicken was that rubber chicken that he took on every overnight church outing and church camp he attended. He might not bring home most of his clothes, but he always brought that rubber chicken home. Most teenage boys are somewhat like Brady, and those are the people working with the food we eat.

I got upset today with a teen boy when I took my car to have it washed. He took his time coming over to take my money, and then before he rang  up my ticket he just walked off without saying a word. He was gone for at least 5 minutes. I had gone back to my car to wait for him. He did remember that he had started to wait on me, and when he saw where I was, he acted like I had done something wrong.  I walked back over to him to pay. He muttered something about what I owed. I gave him a twenty. He took it and handed me my change not saying thank you, come back again or kiss my...nothing! Before my car was finished I found out that he was the manager.

The funniest thing that happened with a teenager this week was when Sherri and I went to a movie. We decided on a 2:20 movie because movies are cheaper in the afternoon, and we still get the senior discount. We walked up to the window to pay. Nobody was in line. Selling the tickets was a young, tall, skinny kid wearing black rimmed glasses. He looked smart, and he was very business like. We told him which movie we wanted to see. There was a seating chart hanging on the glass in front of where he was sitting. All of a sudden it lit up. He said, “Choose where you want to sit.”

Now this was the first time we had been asked to pick our seats. He could tell we were puzzled, so he explained that the theater had been remodeled, new seats had been installed, and the seats were being reserved to prevent over booking.  We looked at the seating chart. Every seat was vacant, and the movie was going to start in 5 minutes. I said, “You mean that with every seat available we still have to pick our seats?” He told us we did. Sherri said, “Then we will have to sit in the seat we choose, and we can’t switch seats if we decide we had rather sit somewhere else? He replied, “That’s right. You can pick any seat except these.” Pointing to a small row of seats, he told us they were for the handicapped.

We chose our seats, walked into the theater, and found our two seats. We were the only ones in there, and furthermore no one else showed up. Just the two of us sitting in our reserved seats daring not to move to another seat lest we get a seat belonging to someone else. We enjoyed the movie. The seats were great. They were very comfortable leather and reclined with a foot rest that extended out in front of us. Just like sitting in my recliner at home. I tried to make a move on Sherri, but she wouldn’t let me. Said her daddy didn’t allow stuff like that.

What would we do without our teenagers?