No Failed Mission Here

There have been untold numbers of missions which have fallen short of the intended goal. The failed mission devastates, dashes hopes, causes some to play the blame game, and very often leaves the loser trapped in a position from which he never recovers. There are no champagne toasts, no victory laps, and there are no pats on the back. On the day following the crucifixion Jesus’ disciples were unable to function due to the brutal death and burial of the one whom they had thought was the Messiah. Their future hung in the balance as they had no idea where to turn. The mission had undeniably failed.

My sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Cassie Head, taught our class the song “Up From the Grave He Arose”. We sang that song every morning until Easter. The first line says, “Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior…”.  The day after Jesus’ lifeless body had been placed in the tomb his disciples would have only had that one line they could have sung—a lyric of defeat, a dirge of failure, a tune of hopelessness. Judas had hanged himself. Peter wallowed in a state of anguish because of his cowardice when his master needed him the most. The others had scattered and were hiding for fear of being arrested for their part in the rebellion instigated by their crucified leader. The day after the death of the One the disciples had given three years of their lives for was no doubt their darkest day ever. All because Jesus was lying low in the grave, nothing more than a corpse.

What a tragedy this would have been if the greatest mission ever had ended with our Savior lying low in a grave. But I know the rest of the song and I hope you do too.

Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Jesus was and remains the Victor over his foes—death, the grave and sin. Jesus our Savior defeated Satan. Darkness was destroyed by his eternal light. The power of his resurrection assured those who truly follow him the right to become God’s children who will live forever with him. There was never any doubt that His mission to save the world from sin would be a huge success!

Death has been swallowed up in victory.
“Where, O death, is your victory?
 Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

We must live every day like we believe the rest of the song. O what a price he paid so that we can sing with exuberant conviction, “Up from the grave He arose. He Arose! He arose, Hallelujah! Christ arose!

How Did They Get So Old

A teacher knows he is old when many of his former students are getting old. I still view these students the same as I did when they were in my class, but I can’t believe that some of them are retired, have grandchildren, and one, just today, is celebrating 35 years of marriage. Of course I was only 21 when I began teaching and just 9 or 10 years older than those first students that I taught in middle school. One student who had struggled academically was only 6 years younger than me. 

I don’t want to brag, but I think I look younger than some of these characters I taught in school. Don’t let my white hair fool you. I’m in pretty good shape for a guy who is almost 70 years old. I know, they will accuse me of being so old that my eye sight is going. In my defense, I still have one pretty good eye. Some of the guys who I coached thought I was old back when they were playing for me. I guess now it is my turn to give them a hard time about their journey into the the land of old codgerdom. But I will give words of encouragement instead. 

Old age is a good thing despite the aches, pains and those ailments that keep one from doing what they once enjoyed. Making it into the 60’s and 70’s means that you have been blessed by God who has allowed you to live longer than many.  You continue to have opportunities to be with the ones you love, and many chances to make a positive impact on the community where you live and work. Some words of advice, don’t try to do too much, accept your limitations (don’t go at a task like you are killing snakes), slow down, be patient, enjoy the little things in life like beautiful flowers, pretty song birds, sunrises and sunsets, help others, pray, pray a lot, and trust God. 

Pray and trust God the way King David did when he was an old man. He prayed, “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone...Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me my God.” I’m sure David had hair because he didn’t mention being bald like some of you guys I taught many years ago. But bald would work the same as gray I’m sure. The point is this, David talked to God all the time and he trusted him. And in his old age God blessed him. Hang in there you young whipper snappers. In a few years when you are as old as I am now you may be as fit, trim, and as mentally sound as I am. I just wish I could remember where I put things.

Psalm 71: 9, 18

The Gift of the Cross

Blue dress of organza -- silky and sheer
with ruffles and tied with a sash.
A heart pin containing one
rosebud of red -- grown by my dad,
memories past.

Little did I know on that day
long ago --
The meaning of Easter
its truths to behold.
He became sin for me,
and through Him
The Spirit of life set me free.

Alive! The Risen One, my living God
offering your very self, forgiveness
and heavens-pleasures--I'm awed!
Extravagant and lavish, who comprehends?
So You will I worship--
My understanding transcends.

Thank You, Savior-God,
for the gift of the cross.
Totally forgiven, I am
sometimes at loss
for words to say thank You--
so instead I will live
my life in gratitude
choosing to give
the best that I have--
that's You, Jesus Christ,
First, ever, always
a life sacrificed.

Sherri Brady

What Does Maundy Thursday Mean to Us

Thirteen men reclined around the table to eat the evening meal. It was on a Thursday night,  just before the Passover Festival. The mood was somber. The devil had prompted one man, Judas, to betray his leader, Jesus. Jesus knew this had occurred. Jesus also knew he was soon to return to the Father, and that his Father had placed everything under his power. He knew that in a few days he would demonstrate to the world, through this power, the greatest of his miracles, and lives would be changed forever, even until the time of his return.

Jesus got up in the middle of the meal, wrapped a towel around his waist, and began washing his disciple’s feet, the feet of every single one of them, even those of Judas, the betrayer. After he had finished he gave them the following mandate. He said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you...Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them”

Today is Maundy Thursday. The word maundy comes from the command (mandate) given and demonstrated by Jesus that night to love one another. This great act of love for all of his disciple was, in fact, the prelude to what Jesus was about to do the next day on the cross. There was no greater demonstration of love than that of the One who gave his life so that all might live, live forever.

Today may we remember, that we as followers of Christ, are to love one another. Our faith in the One who loved us so much that he gave his life for us mandates that we must love everyone, even those who might betray us. This is the command that Jesus gave to all of us. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength. And we are to love others as ourselves as well. Jesus said, “If you do these things you will be blessed.”

Today, Maundy Thursday, prepare your heart for the greatest day known to man, Easter Sunday, the day that our Savior overcame death and the grave. Prepare your heart by showing your love, the love of Christ, to others.

Thank You Jesus

I have noticed several signs in yards around our neighborhood that say. “Thank You Jesus.” When I saw my first one my thought was that the people living there must have had a baby. I wondered if possibly someone at that house had recovered from a terrible illness. Whatever the reason I was pleased that someone was giving Jesus the credit for their good fortune.

As the weeks went by I began noticing more of these bright yellow signs which are just a little smaller than the campaign signs we see littering yards. I finally noticed that all of the signs are placed so that the homeowners see them the first thing as they pull into their driveways. Then I understood that the message “Thank You Jesus” on the signs is not because of a baby or healing from a disease, but to remind the homeowner that Jesus is the Lord and provider for all things great and small. Maybe as they drive into their home they thank Jesus for getting them home safely, or for their car, or their house. Maybe a parent sees their children playing in the yard, and they are reminded that children are gifts from Jesus.

I like this idea. Sometimes when we have had a bad day we need to be reminded to thank Jesus. I was thinking the other day when I was walking past a house with one of these signs what a witness it was for the child I saw who was walking up the drive from school. Mom and dad were teaching him, maybe without even knowing it, that they trust Jesus to provide for the family, and that they are thankful. I doubt if that child will ever forget seeing that sign every day when he came home from school. What can you thank Jesus for as you drive up to your house each day?

These signs reminded me of a scripture passage I read the other day. I am afraid that parents today are not following this advice very well. I will close with Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

No One Knows

The question—the one which has perplexed the wisest of the wise, the most intellectual of the most astute scholars, and the most renowned scientists the world has ever known. The question—which came first, the chicken or the egg? This debate has continued since the time those first clucked, and the first eggs were hatched.  Obviously no one was around to observe the introduction of these feathered fowl or their fragil oval shells. I guess the answer to this question will remain forever a hidden secret. I’m sure Adam knew which came first, but he apparently never told anyone. It probably doesn’t matter anyway.

I think the better question is, who decided that an the chicken egg would be a good thing to eat, especially if they had known where it came from, assuming that the first egg came from a chicken to start with? However, if the egg came first it stands to reason that no one ate it. If they had there would be no chickens, and therefore no more eggs, and I would not be writing these words. I hope if you are still reading you are not confused! But I think I know who it was who ate the first chicken egg.

Let’s think about the first chicken farmer. He had roosters and chickens. No one had begun eating chicken eggs at this time. So all of the eggs that the chickens laid turned into more chickens. It didn’t take long before the chicken farmer had more chickens than he could handle. He had chickens on top of his house, in his house, running amok all over the place, bothering the neighbors, and causing all kinds of problems. The streets must have been covered with chicken poop. People had to watch where they stepped when they walked in their yards. Chickens were everywhere. Roosters were so plentiful that many of them stood in line for hours at the door of the hen house, and these roosters created quite an inharmonious cacophony just prior to sunrise every morning. How would you like to have been that  farmer’s neighbor?

The farmer knew he had to do something. I’m sure he and his family had been eating chicken for every meal, especially those noisy roosters. His wife was quickly running out of ways to cook chicken; fried, roasted, baked, grilled, shish-k-bobbed, in casseroles, and there was always leftover chicken. No doubt they were getting tired of eating chicken. So finally the farmer figured that getting rid of the eggs was the answer to his problem. If he could think of a way to do that he would be able to cut his chicken population as much as he wanted. He knew that baby chickens came out of those eggs, and eventually after the chickens were big enough they ate them. Maybe the contents of the egg, before it became a baby chicken, could be eaten as well. I think that first chicken farmer cracked one of those fresh eggs open, looked at that bright orange yolk and tried to figure out a way that that runny stuff could be consumed. I believe in time the farmer or someone in his family ate the first egg and saw that it wasn’t that bad. They probably thought it would be a good break from chicken..

This brings us to another question, how was the first egg eaten? Was it eaten raw, boiled, fried, poached, as an ingredient in a cake, a pie, a pancake, or maybe in chicken salad. Chicken salad makes more sense as there had to be plenty of both ingredients. Personally if I had been the first chicken farmer I would have had my eggs fried, over easy. But again we don’t know if the chicken or the egg was first, or who ate the first egg, and we don’t  know in what manner the first act of consumption was carried out. I suppose these questions will remain as much of a mystery as who was it that wrote the book of love.

One thing we do know is that people like the Colonel have made gobs of money because of the chicken. The poultry businesses, the chicken restaurant franchises, and the big egg producers have made tons of money. And this past weekend and this coming coming weekend the egg, both the real ones and the plastic ones, will greatly increase this money making industry. And that ain’t no “chicken feed”! Happy Easter everybody and good luck with your Easter Egg hunts!

Jealous, All Consuming Fire

Moses told the Israelites that he would not be going into the promised land with them. He said, “The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore to me that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance. I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.” Deuteronomy 4:21-22

How disappointing this had to be for Moses. He had given his life to bring the Israelites to the place where they were going to receive the good land that God had promised them. Moses had been faithful. He had been true to God. He had gone to bat many times for these ungrateful people. They had complained, and murmured, and grumbled throughout these nearly 40 years. Nothing pleased them. One time Moses had gotten so upset with these people that he reached his breaking point, became angry and disobeyed God. And now God was punishing him by not allowing him to go into that wonderful land with the very ones who had caused him to become angry in the first place.

What if you were Moses? How would you respond to this kind of punishment? Does this seem fair to you? I have to believe that many of us would not have reacted the way Moses did. Moses remained true to God, accepting his punishment like the true leader he was; like the man of the Lord his God that we know he was. Moses loved God, and he loved this rebellious people. He cared more about getting the Israelites into the promised land than he did about his own great desire to walk across the Jordan to enjoy the land flowing with milk and honey. No, Moses cared most about fulfilling his promise to bring God’s chosen people out of Egypt, out of bondage and into their new homeland. Instead of fuming or walking away blaming the Israelites for not getting to go into the promise land, he warned them about making idols and reminded them of the covenant promise they had made with God.

He continued, “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”  Deuteronomy 4:23-24 This was a very crucial time for God’s people. Soon they would have a new leader. Obedience to God was vital as they were about to go and take possession of the good land God was giving them. Moses wanted everything to go right. He wanted them to remember that The Almighty God was jealous for their love. He would not share his love for them with a false god. Remember, Moses reminded, “God is a consuming fire. Don’t make him angry.”

Moses’ message seemed to help. Later God was talking to Moses, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever.” God doesn’t ask much from us. All he asks is that our hearts be inclined to fear him, remembering that he is jealous for our love, and that he is an all consuming fire. And he wants us to be obedient by keeping his commands.

Those who see God as he is, knowing his great love as well as fearing  him as an all consuming fire, will be inclined to be obedient to his commands. There is no one like God. There is no one to whom he can be compared. We are to be like Moses and accept God’s decisions no matter what that happens to mean for us.

A Tough Road to Travel

A small child begins his or her life with a mind full of wonderful dreams and expectations for the future. At first those dreams may only be a child’s fantasy. As they mature those dreams turn into realistic goals. Many travel the course of preparation and training to achieve their desired profession. Although the journey is hard and grueling with numerous temptations to give up, they continue onward until they succeed. After the goal has been achieved they are able to look back and say, “It was worth it! Every bump in the road, every pothole, every steep hill and curve, and every detour was worth the effort!”

I guess all of us have had to travel tough roads to achieve our goals. But none of us have endured a journey like that of a man we all know. This man from the time he was a young boy knew his purpose and the goal for his future. His preparation had  begun at least by the time he was 12 years old. Jesus knew that his goal was to take care of the business for which his Father had sent him. Therefore, from the beginning as Jesus set out on that road his eyes were fixed on his goal. From the beginning Jesus’ eyes were focused on the cross. The end of his journey was the cross, and he traveled an extremely tough road to get there. His motivation? It was love for his Father. He was motivated by his uncompromising desire to obey his Father. And his motivation was his love for mankind.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, one week from Easter. Consider if you will that on that first Palm Sunday, in what is called his triumphal entry, that as Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem he had less than a week before he achieved his goal of dying on the cross for you and me. The Bible says that people lined the street waving palm branches and crying out, “Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” For most of them their expectations of what that really meant was wrong, so in less than a week they were crying out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” But we know why he came. We understand the tough road he traveled to bring salvation to the world. As we worship tomorrow may our shouts be “Hosanna, hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Moses:An Unpopular Guy

What if it had been in these days that Moses and Joshua were given the task of leading the Israelites into the promised land to destroy and kill the Canaanite people. What if it were today that God told them to  Cross the Jordan and claim their land ? Can you imagine the outrage that would be voiced among a vast number of America’s citizens. There would be marches and demonstrations everywhere. Washington would be deluged with protests. Speeches by politicians, and by the  top dogs of every human rights group would be broadcast all over the world. The media would have a feast vilifying Moses and Joshua. The poor Canaanites would be videoed and interviewed none stop on every news broadcasts. The late night TV jokesters would have a hay day making Moses and Joshua look like bumbling, incompetent idiots.

Moses, in his defense would tell the world why this act should take place, “God said, ‘See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your father--to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and their descendants after them.”
Then Moses would explain exactly what God ordered them to do, “When the Lord your God brings you into the Land you are entering  to possess and drives out many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you you must destroy them totally. ”Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”

I’m sure this explanation would not be accepted today. It would be considered barbaric, brutal, and totally unacceptable. We see similar protests today because few people in our society like the God of the Old Testament. In fact, a great number of people completely ignore the Old Testament, including most of the commandments and laws given by God. For that matter most don’t even read the Bible, period. They don’t know what it says. They follow no God, except the god they have created within and for themselves. They determine their own morality. By chance, if  they do read the Bible, they exclude any part of it that goes against the code of morality they have chosen. Nothing they enjoy doing, the lifestyle they have chosen for themselves, is sinful. Today people have already identified themselves as the ones who would take up the banner against good old Moses.

So, Moses, Joshua, Caleb and the other Israelite leaders would not be very popular in today’s society. But I guess that is all right. They are in good company with God, and anyone who is committed to obeying the Lord. God and his followers will never be popular in the eyes of society.

Do What We Were Created to Do

Song birds were created to sing, so they sing. Honey bees were created to make honey, so they make honey. The natural thing for a beaver to do is to make dams, so they make dams. Every creature was created to do something unique to their species. All humans were created to have fellowship with God. Although we are gifted differently and have different talents, we all share one common purpose. Our common purpose is to love God with all of our hearts, our minds and our souls. We show our love for him by telling others about him, and about his love for them.

One day early in his ministry, Jesus got up and went to a solitary place very early in the morning. Probably before he had had his coffee. There were some people who had heard him teach and had seen him cast a demon out of a man. They were amazed at his power and his authority over evil spirits. These people wanted to hear more of his teaching, and see him do more miraculous acts. They somehow found him out in the middle of nowhere, and they were determined that he was going to stay with them. Dr. Luke said that the people tried their best to keep him from leaving. But Jesus said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

His message to us is good news, great news, the Gospel. No one has ever had better news for us! Jesus said, “That is the reason I was sent to earth.” As his followers, as his disciples we are to continue to do what Jesus came to do. How important do you think his mission on earth was to him? It was so important that he died to make it real. It was so important that he spent three years with a few ill equipped, hard headed, misfits to teach them about his mission. It was so important that the last thing he told them was that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and that they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

These first disciples took Jesus seriously. They began telling others about Jesus death and resurrection, the Good News. The Good News spread like wildfire. That command from Jesus is just as important today as it was over 2,000 years ago. Across the world thousand are coming to know Jesus as Savior every day, except in America. Baptisms in America are declining every year. Churches are closing their doors at an unbelievable rate. An astonishing number of churches don’t record even one convert in an entire year. You would think that the pastor, a deacon, elder or a Sunday school teacher would win somebody to Jesus. Few people in our Baptist Churches, and I refer to the Baptist because that’s what I am, make it a priority to share the Gospel.

We do a great job ministering to our own people, those who are like us. We do a wonderful job having prayer meetings, and home group meetings, seminars, potluck meals, fellowship get togethers, and about any kind of meeting you can imagine. But we don’t do very well at doing the one thing that Jesus told us to do. We even do a pretty good job sending a few of our members to other countries on short term mission trips, and maybe some share the gospel there. Why do we get so excited and pat ourselves on our backs when we won’t even walk down the street to tell someone that Jesus loved them so much he died for them? Many churches are praying that God will send a great spiritual awakening to America. That would be great. But I don’t think God will do that until Christians in American churches  begin doing what Jesus told us to do in the first place.

Christians became Christians in order that they would make disciples. As the song birds, the honey bees and the beavers do what is natural for them to do, we should do what should be natural for us because Jesus loved us enough to die for us and commanded us to continue his work here in this world, especially in our own Jerusalem.

God’s Calling

There are a vast number of ideas concerning what God’s calling of an individual might be.Probably the most popular opinion is that God does not or would not tell a person to be a preacher, a missionary, a teacher or any other specific profession; God just doesn’t speak to a person in that way. Others think that God has a plan for each life, but he will not be all that specific about the plan. There are a number of things that a person can do, so just pick something based on factors such as education, economic advantages, opportunities for ones standing in society, and for some the difficulty of or the time required in the performance of the job. Then some believe that God speaks through his Holy Spirit to reveal exactly what he wants a person to do professionally.

What does God want for every person? The Bible tells us that God is calling all people to salvation through Jesus Christ. For every Christian God’s calling is to take the Gospel message to those who have never heard about Jesus and his saving grace. The Bible says that when we become a follower of Christ we also become his ambassadors. We are to represent him wherever we are or wherever we go and tell others what it is that he offers them. His offer is freedom from sin and eternal life. How are we doing? How many people are becoming followers of Jesus because we are serving him as his ambassadors. Not too well I’m afraid.

I’m not doing a very good job. We have been in Raleigh for three and a half years, and only two people have accepted Christ because of my ambassadorship. Thirteen or fourteen have accepted Christ because Sherri told them about Jesus’ saving grace. But in the past year neither of us have led anyone to Jesus. I’ll have to say that although we were not happy in the church where we first joined when we moved to a Raleigh, we did have much greater opportunities to talk with lost people. We love the church where we are now, are serving in several ways, and have made a lot more friends, but we have not had near the opportunities to share the gospel with the lost. Maybe we should have stayed where we were.

I heard David Platt, the directors for the International Mission Board for the SBC, say this morning that (not a direct quote) God does not necessarily call us to positions of ease, comfort, pleasure, and enjoyment. He doesn’t guarantee that we will always be happy. He doesn’t call us to places of safety or to places where we will be with our family and friends. Maybe God didn’t put us in a church where we liked the music or the preaching, or the type of worship service for a reason. That question and answer session on The Myths of Missions that I watched this morning got me to thinking about several things. I’m retired. Did God want me to spend the rest of my life resting, traveling, doing what I want to do when I want to do it? Or does he want me to spend the rest of my years telling others about Jesus? Does he want me to go to places where I can be with people who don’t know Jesus? These are things all of us who are retired need to consider if we are Christ’s ambassadors.

Tomorrow I will continue this topic by focusing on my experiences with Baptist Church’s efforts to reach the lost.

A Taste of God

Most of my life I have been a finicky eater. I have been pretty much a meat and potatoes guy. As I have gotten older I have learned to try and enjoy more foods that are better for me. However, there is one food that I will never be able to eat. I hate raw onions. Raw onions make me gag. I can eat them if they are cooked, but if you try to slip a raw onion in on me I will gag. Most people love onions anyway they are presented, and wonder why someone like me detests them. People have different tastes. My mother used to tell me to just taste something that I refused  to eat. She would say, "Just taste it. You will like it." But I would shake my head and put my hands over my mouth.

The Psalmist challenged his readers to a taste test in Psalm 34: 8. He said,"Taste the Lord and see that He is good." Here is a challenge that almost everyone would accept. Who wouldn't savor the delicious taste of The Lord? Right? Maybe not! There are many people whose spiritual taste buds have been distorted by the world. Many have eaten from the pleasures of the world and tasted the sinful fruits of society to such an extent that these tastes are what they desire. They have enjoyed the tastes of the world for so long that the Lord is distasteful to them. Like a child who refuses to try something new, when someone offers them an opportunity to experience Jesus they place their hands over their mouths and shake their heads. How unfortunate it is that individuals would refuse the savory taste of God. Offered to each of us is a never ending delicious Feast. Those who will not eat what the Lord provides will never see heaven. They prefer worldly pleasures and the glamorous opportunities that they think will make them successful.

We must desire Jesus more that anything the world offers. John Piper said, "Esteeming God less than anything is the essence of evil." Even Christians must be careful for we can become guilty of promoting evil when we allow the things of the world to come before God. Taste the Lord. Fill yourselves with His goodness. Receive his everlasting nourishment so that you will grow in the Spirit and bring glory to the name of Jesus.

A Child's World

Last week my wife and I attended our granddaughter’s school’s performance of The Little Mermaid. Her role was that of Aquata, one of Ariel’s sisters. The performing arts center was sold out on just the second night of their seven night performances which run over a two week period. On this particular night the audience was full of little children. Most of them were holding their miniature blue tridents which lite up by the push of a button. Those were available for purchase at the entrance of the theater. Parents or grandparents gladly shelled out the ten dollars for those must have items. During the last scene the children were allowed to turn on their tridents and wave them around. The moment Prince Eric and Ariel were married the place was filled with gleaming bright blue tridents, the glow surpassed only by the big beaming smiles of every little girl in attendance.

Each night some of the actors go to the entrance of the performing arts center where they pose for pictures with their little admirers and even sign autographs for them. What a moment it was for those little girls and boys as they waited expectantly in line for their turn to actually have a moment with Ariel, Prince Eric, Scuttle the seagull,  Aguata or one of the other five mermaid sisters. Their precious smiles were contagious as parents, grandparents and just bystanders like me watched.

Holly, our granddaughter, is the  mermaid in the yellow.

Those of us who are many decades from the wonder years of childhood had the chance to be transported back to that time when we flew at the speed of a locomotive, and leaped tall buildings with a single bound-- or rode Trigger, Roy Rogers trusty horse, to catch the runaway stagecoach, or stand at the plate in the last inning of the final game of the World Series with the bases loaded and hit the winning home run for the Giants. In those days of wonder and magical dreams we could do anything and we were always the hero just as today children watching a play about a mermaid can swim under the sea, talk and dance with fish, and marry the handsome prince or beautiful mermaid.

As long as we are able to dream and hold on to the wonder and excitement that life provides, every one of us will remain young at heart. It is good to get out with small children to watch them and play with them. Spend ten bucks on a trident, or a Superman cape. Let them be the hero. What a blessing it is to tell them stories, and read to them. We should always strive to give them hope. What a glorious night it was for my wife and me to watch our talented granddaughter perform. We always are filled with joy when we watch her in her musicals and hear her sing. She is our hero.

The Penny

All of us have seen him lying on the sidewalk or beside our cars on the pavement in the parking lot. He is such a lonely little feller. Very few of us will bend over and pick him up. Most hardly notice him. We hurry on past him not giving him a second thought. I understand; he's not worth much. The Penny, more of a nuisance than anything as he takes up space in our pockets or purses causing us to shuffle him around to find the nickel, the dime or a quarter. After all what can we buy with the insignificant, worthless penny?

There was a day, however,  when a single penny could buy something very amazing and extremely valuable. I rarely hear anyone offer the penny anymore for the priceless commodity that all of us have. “A penny for your thoughts”, someone would say to a friend, a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse as they gazed off into space.

Just think of the thoughts, that have grown into exceedingly great ideas.
Profound ideas of great men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell have blossomed into wonderful, useful inventions which have made life more simple and comfortable for us. Brilliant life changing thoughts from people like Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, and Martin Luther King have contributed to a better quality of life for people all over the world. These well known innovators and humanitarians were not afraid to turn their thoughts and ideas into realities which have transformed lives for ages.

All of us are capable of having thoughts that can change hundreds of lives for the better. Our actions are born out of our thoughts. For instance, positive thoughts may translate into an act that will motivate someone to not give up, to,press on despite insurmountable odds. Wholesome, beautiful thoughts can become a catalyst that will brighten the life of a person who is lost in a dark fog. The thoughts of men and women who were moved by God’s Spirit have literally altered the wayward course of nations saving many from eternal destrustruction. Our thoughts will determine the kind of day we have, and ultimately the quality of our lives.

A penny for your thoughts!. What are you thinking about? Do you have positive thoughts, hopeful thoughts, loving thoughts? It’s up to you, you know! The Apostle Paul gives us a few suggestions concerning the thoughts we should have. .

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, and sisters, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK on these things.”

The next time you see a penny lying on the ground remember what it can buy. It can buy priceless life changing thoughts. Bend over or squat and pick it up, and thank God for the good thoughts he puts in that mind of yours. Then go out and be a positive life changer!

What to Do, What to Do

This is one complicated world in which we live. The news reports horrific happenings every day. More and more those violent acts are occurring within our own communities. Things we would have never imagined thirty years ago are taking place frequently all over our nation. Attacks on our children are a very real threat in our schools, and arguments rage about why these shootings are taking place, and what should be done to stop them.

Our nation faces threats from powerful countries who would like nothing better than to see our demise, and we face threats from within our nation by political discord which is turning neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend. Leaders from local to state governments, to the federal government are so busy hating each other that they will never be able to work together to solve these problems that are going to eventually destroy us.

It seems that almost everyone is upset about something that has happened or is possibly going to happen. People are worried about the security of their pensions, about dependable health care, and other necessities affecting their wellbeing and security as they age. People of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders and ages are moved to take up the fight for their perceived rights. Everybody has an opinion, right or wrong. So we are left scratching our heads and wondering, ‘What to  do, what to  do?’ ‘Is there a man or a woman or someone who can solve all of these problems?’

Yes! There is one who has the answer to our problems. He has dealt with every problem and difficulty we have ever known. Long ago he said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, and I am the way, the truth and the life.”  He said, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul.” He said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself, and love your enemies and even pray for them.” And as far as those times when we are so upset about all the troubles before us this man said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” His name, of course, is Jesus.

We live in a sinful world. Unfortunately, there are people in power who are full of greed, hate, and selfishly make decisions that help themselves, not what is best for the masses. This world will always be conflicted and complicated, and it is only going to get worse. But for those of us whose hope is in Jesus there is coming a day when we will leave this world and take up residence in a world where there is no sin, no trouble or problems. We must remind ourselves that this earth is not our home. This is only a temporary place. Heaven is our true home, our eternal home. We will live there with the only One who can make everything right.

You Were Created to Create

Every morning, first thing after I get up, I go out and fill my bird feeders. Then I get my coffee, go to my den and read and write a while before I have breakfast. While I’m sitting at the breakfast table I watch the birds as they have their breakfast. A large bay window and double patio doors provide wonderful vistas for me to view my birds. One morning last week I watched four male  and two females cardinals, two blue birds, a yellow finch, two robins, and several cute little chickadees. As always there were a slew of doves around as well as those pesky mockingbirds. I could spend hours watching those beautiful creatures, God’s magnificent creations.

One of the greatest attributes of God is his creative work. The first sentence in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created…” He created the heavens and the earth and everything in the earth. But the greatest of his creative work was man. The man and woman were very special. God said, “Let us make man in our image.” So man was made in God's image. God created man to be like him, not to be gods, but like God. Man was created to love, to have compassion, to care for others, to have fellowship with God and I believe to use his talents and abilities to create. I think each of us have within us the desire to create. We are image bearers of God.  Being creative is part of doing just that.

I am blessed by the creativity of those who through painting or their  talent in photography share their paintings or photos of those colorful red birds I mentioned, the amazing varieties of wildlife and those pretty scenes of nature. I pleasingly listen to those who sing so beautifully, or play their musical instruments, and I watch in amazement at the individuals who can make furniture or build houses, realizing that it was God who gave them their creative talent. Some may not think they are very creative, but what about the ones who can prepare a delicious meal, or make beautiful clothes. What about those who can fix a broken down automobile, repair a damaged heart, landscape a yard, or successfully produce crops year after year. All of these are examples of men and women using their talents to create. The examples of man’s creative abilities are endless

The Bible says, “Whatever we do in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God.” Whatever creative talent we have we are to work at it with all our might to bring glory to our Father. I heard a sermon last week in which the speaker mentioned a critique given about the work of a man whose paintings were of old western scenes. It was said of the painter that his technique and the spiritual insight of his paintings showed that God wore cowboy boots. I hope to show that God knows how to create with a pen, others show that he is not afraid to get grease on his hands, that he gets sawdust in his pants cuffs, flower on his face and dirt between his toes. I think we allow God do what he perhaps likes best when we use our talents. He creates through us so that we can help and bless and please each other.

We are image bearers of God. We were made to create for his glory. We must create. If you can write poetry then do it. If you can sing then sing with all your might. If you are good at baking a pie or a cake do it with delight to bless someone who might need a friend. If you can create a smile on someone’s face then use your wonderful personality to fill the world with smiles. Create something positive for your Father.

The Prodigal

Sometimes it is really hard for a young boy to do the right thing. He knows what he is supposed to do, but sometimes he ends up doing the opposite. One sunny summer day my dad was going to be gone and had left instructions with my mother for me to mow the yard. That was my job. On this particular day, however, my plan had not been to do any mowing. Actually, there weren't any days that my plans included mowing because that was something I hated doing, but when my dad was around I knew that I had better mow the yard or else he would mow my behind. This day was different. Daddy was going to be gone all day, and I figured I could delay the mowing task. I didn't fear my mom the way I feared my daddy.

I told my mother that I was not going to mow. My mother was a small woman. To look at her you wouldn't think she wouldn't pack much of a punch. When I told her that my plan was not to mow she bristled like a cat ready to pounce on a mouse, and let me know what she was going to do if I didn't get out there in the yard and start mowing. She warned, "John Paul, you get up and get outside and start mowing, or else.” “Or else” can mean several things for a disobedient child. In this case it meant I was going to get my legs blistered with a switch.

On some occasions my mouth reacts before my brain has a chance to process the situation in which I find myself. The correct reaction should have been to say, “Yes ma’am, I will get right to it.” However, that was not what I said. What I actually said was something like, "Mother, I don’t care what you do. I am not going to mow that yard!”

My mother turned and walked away. I heard the back door slam. From the window I could see that little 5 foot lady heading for one of the bushes in our backyard.. She cut what appeared to be a very healthy looking switch. As she made her way back to the house I could see fire in her eyes. All of a sudden I got "that feeling", the feeling you get when you realize that you are in grave danger. I had experienced the pain from a blistering switch before, and I was in no hurry to experience it again. I was desperate. Quickly, I considered my options! Endure the pain or run! Endure the pain or run!  Again my decision making senses failed me. I ran!

I could hear my mother yelling as I descended the hill leading to the farthest reaches of our farm, "John Paul, you had better come back here. When your daddy gets home you are going to really be in trouble." Needless to say I did not go back, but for the rest of the day my mother's words haunted me. "When your daddy gets home you are going to be in big trouble." I loved my dad, and I knew he loved me. He would do anything for me. I also knew that he would punish me when I needed to be punished. The rest of that day was long, hot and boring. I was hungry and I wanted a drink of water so badly. My conscience was in major hurt mode. What was I thinking? How could I do such a stupid thing? I also knew that my behind was going to be in major hurt mode when daddy got home.

As the sun was setting I heard a loud voice echo across the hollow where I had taken refuge. "Boy, you get up here right now!" It was my daddy. That was all he said. The fact that he began his command with the word "boy" meant that I was soon to feel his wrath. I jumped up, and I ran toward that voice. I dreaded what was about to happen, but at the same time I felt a sense of relief. I was tired of being under the burden of fear. I was tired of the anguish I felt from a guilty conscience.  I yearned for the forgiveness and loving acceptance of my mother. The man I called daddy was standing at the top of the hill with his belt in hand. When I reached him nothing was said. He turned me around, and with his belt he gave me what I deserved. I was relieved that I no longer had to hide because of my disobedience which had separated me from my parent's unconditional love.

I loved my dad, but I also had a healthy fear of him. As I got older my love and respect for my parents grew. The day I ran away was just one of many experiences in which my parents instructed me on how to grow into a man. Unfortunately, those lessons were painful at times. In this there is a lesson about our Heavenly Father’s unconditional love for us, and his desire to forgive us when we are disobedient.  Even when we drift away from Him because of our rebellion we can return to Him although His correction is painful. His voice is unmistakable as he calls us back to him. We come back because we know His love erases our pain and restores our joy. That healthy fear is a necessary factor if we are to have a sweet relationship with the Father. Is God good? Does He love us? Yes and yes! But never forget He is the One that must be feared.

Isaiah 11:2-3 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord...

Something to Remember When You Are Rejected

                                              

Every time I walked the trail near the house where I used to live I went by the tree in this picture. This was my favorite of all the hundreds of trees in our subdivision. There was no other tree like this one. This tree is an anomaly. I've wondered, is it one tree or two trees? Would it be considered deformed? If trees could talk would the other trees make fun of it? Would they exclud it from their tree games? That may sound silly. I guess it is, but I think there is a lesson to be learned from this odd, little tree.

We live in a world of oddities, or so we think. Many surmise that those things that are different are odd and unacceptable . Every culture has something of an unwritten code defining what is outside the boundaries of being normal. Children learn quickly how to spot others who are different, those who are odd. Like the anthropomorphic trees I mentioned above, children sometimes make fun of their classmates who are different. Many of the so called odd children are excluded. Some of these biased, insensitive children never grow up, and as adults they continue their cruel treatment of those who are not the right size, not the right color, don't dress the way they do, and exclude anyone who is not in the social class in which they live .


Jesus would tell us that there are no odd, unacceptable people. He proved that by the way he treated others.  Jesus hung out with those who many today wouldn't dare go near. He associate with sinners.  He was a friend to the crippled, the blind, the lepers, and those filthy Samaritans, even a sinful Samaritan woman. Jesus excluded no one. He never saw an odd person then nor now. In his eyes all of us are the same. He loves everyone of us. Where did we get the idea that there are odd persons whom we should not associate? I think if Jesus had literally walked with me on that trail he would have stopped, looked at my favorite tree and said, “Would you look at that wonderful little tree? What a fine tree it is!”

Law and Order

Law abiding citizens want law and order. We know what law means. But do we think about the meaning of the word “order”? What does order mean to us? The dictionary defines order as, “the arrangement or disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method.” Order is to arrange, to have a system, to organize. The opposite of order is disorganization, discord, fighting, mess. Most of us don’t want to live amongst a people where there is discord and fighting. We want order so that we can feel safe. When we go shopping in a grocery store, for instance, we want the items we are going to purchase to be displayed in an orderly fashion so that we can find them. A woman likes to shop at the same grocery because she has learned exactly where everything is located. Order is important in all aspects of life.

I like organization and order in my house, in my garage, in my attic, in my closet, anywhere I have put my things. I have learned that some people, when it comes to their things, are not so much concerned about organization, or order. They really don’t mind clutter, or jumble, or mess, or “turnips”. “I know it’s here somewhere. Oh, it will “turn up”, sometime.” Do you know people like that? I’ve heard there is at least one of those in every household. I guess that makes life more interesting.

God came to Moses one day and told him to make two trumpets made of hammered silver. They were to be used to call the whole assembly of Israelites together and also to let them know when it was time to leave and go to another place. Only the sons of Aaron were to blow the trumpets. The trumpets were to sound when going into battle. The sound of the trumpets were to remind the people that “the Lord your God rescues you from your enemies”. God instructed Moses how the trumpets were to be blown so the people would understand the various things that God wanted them to do.

The books of Exodus and Numbers show us that God is a God of order. He specifically instructed Moses and Aaron how to construct the Tent of a Meeting, the Tabernacle. Each item that was used was perfectly planned by God. God chose those who would make each part. He gave the exact measurements, the order in which these parts would be installed, and how the Tabernacle would be put up and taken down. Every step was to be followed just as God said so that his holiness would not be defiled. It was dangerous to not follow God’s Instructions. Two of Aaron’s sons failed to offer the sacrifices the correct way. They offered unauthorized fire, and God immediately sent down fire to consume them. Our God is a God of order.

Those who are more comfortable with clutter, and mess may have a problem when they get to heaven. It may take them a few hundred year to get used to the organization and order. At least for a change they won’t be wondering where their car keys are, or some other item they are constantly misplacing. In heaven those things will always “turnip”, I mean  turn up.

Remembering the Bountiful Harvests

Last week I read some scripture which reminded me of my days as a boy growing up on our farm. The passage was from Leviticus 26, “I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you have to move it out to make room for the new.” I’m sure people still plant gardens and can vegetables, and maybe raise beef cattle to slaughter for their meat. I remember when almost every farm family worked hard during the growing season to secure all the food that they would need for that year. And most would have enough to share, still having enough food left over when the next harvest was put away.

The gardens were large, filled with every kind of vegetable imaginable. Many of the ladies would plant flowers along the outer edge of their garden so that they could have a nice bouquet throughout the summer. In the late spring my mother would meet several other of the neighborhood women at one of the farms, and they would kill chickens. That was an all day event. The chicken’s necks were wrung, then the dead chickens were dunked in boiling water, and their feathers plucked. Next was the process of gutting, washing and bagging the birds for the freezer.

The men would kill hogs when the weather was cold enough. There were usually several men as well as their wives, in some cases, to pull off the task. As with the chickens, the hogs had to be prepared before processing the sausage, that delicious tenderloin, and all the rest of the pork from the pig. The fat was tendered for lard. Even the brains were harvested for consumption. I never ate any pig brains, but my dad loved them. Just about every part of the hog was used. The saying on the farm was,”We kept every part of the pig except it’s squeal.”

Every farmer killed and butchered all the beef the family ate. Eggs were gathered every day, and those that were not used were sold. Cows provided the milk. In our community there was a man who raised large fields of strawberries. We would pick enough for my mother to freeze and enough so that she could make all the strawberry preserves that we needed for the year. I would give anything for a jar of her strawberry preserves. We picked blackberries in the summer. There were several walnut trees on our farm. We were blessed to have plenty of good food to eat, food that we grew and harvested ourselves.

As that Leviticus passage said, most farm homes had food left from the past year when they harvested the new. Some had canned food from three or four years that they hadn’t eaten. Our nation has changed. There are not nearly as many people raising their own food today. I guess that is alright, but I think it is somewhat sad that the days of planting, caring for the crops, and the harvesting are fading away. City living prevents us from doing these things anyway. Can you imagine what would happen it someone in a subdivision tried to ring a chicken's neck today. That person would probably be arrested, and kept in jail for a year. I just hope I don’t get in trouble for writing this piece.

Who Is God

Who is God? God is the Father, he is Jesus and he is the Holy Spirit. He is the Trinity, three persons, yet One. When we speak of one we are speaking of all three. “God created the heavens and the earth.” The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were all present and through this God the world came to be.

In Exodus God gave the Ten Commandments. He  gave laws, and decrees, the “don’t do’s”. Many think that it was the “bad, unreasonable” God who said, “Theses things are an abomination to me. Don’t do them!” No it was God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, this God who made the determination these  things man came to enjoy doing are sinful. How interesting it is today that many people hate the God of the Old Testament, and love sweet little Jesus because he is kind, compassionate, loving and would never judge anyone. I can’t understand where they get this idea that Jesus ever rejected the laws of the Old Testament and would approve of those abominable sins listed there. Jesus came to save us from those sins, not applaud us when we commit them.

Jesus showed us who the Father is: loving, but also holy, sinless, and Sovereign. Jesus is our King who reigns over all. He loves us and died for us so that we might have eternal life. But he is also the great judge. Every person will come before him at the judgement  to give an account of themselves. He will look in the book of life and if your name is there he will accept you into heaven. If your name is not there he will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” Jesus, the Judge, will condemn you to an eternal hell. You did not take his commands seriously. You were not obedient to God’s Word. You decided for yourself which commands you would obey, and which you would not obey. You didn’t like the God who gave the laws, you never figured out who sweet Jesus was, and you ignored the Holy Spirit who was sent to teach you the truth.

God is all wise. This is his creation. He is far above any being that we can even imagine. He is not like us. “His thoughts are not our thoughts, and his ways are not like ours.” We are told that we should fear him. We should fear his power, his holiness, even his love. His sovereignty gives him the right to set the standards for the way we are to live. To disagree with any of his laws just because they do not fit the ideas of society is dangerous. God is our only hope, and we should trust him in everything and obey him always. We should be thankful that he is in control and has set a plan for our salvation.

If he had not given us his laws to direct us he would not be God.

If he had not demanded that we obey him he would not be God.

If he had not loved us he would not be God.

If he had not given himself in the person of Jesus Christ to save he would not be God.

If he had not forgiven us when we repented of our sins he would not be God.

If he had not punished the wicked and disobedient who would not repent he would not be God.

If he hadn’t proven himself in all of these actions he would not be Holy and he could not be God.

We should praise him every day that he is who he is.

Who Is He

When a man is lost there is a chain of bondage tethering him to this evil world, and his burden is heavy. Although he may think he is free, he is not. This man is being pulled down into the pit of hell toward eternal destruction. The enemy’s lies blind him, and he cannot see where he is going. Satan is his task master, and he is Satan’s slave.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Their plight seemed hopeless. They labored day and night, suffering under the harsh hands of their task masters. These poor men and women endured the painful, unmerciful treatment of the Egyptian slave drivers until the Lord heard their cry for help, and sent Moses to deliver them. At last they were freed. They were free for the first time in their lives to worship God, and to truly be the people God had chosen them to be.

About two years after they had been set free God gave Moses these words to remind them of who He was, and what He had done for them. God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” Leviticus 26:13  Over and over again in the book of Leviticus God repeated the words, “I am the Lord your God” so that these hard headed people would not forget who He was.

A lot of the problems in our world today is because God’s people have forgotten who He is. They do not acknowledge Him as Lord. People who claim to know His Son, Jesus Christ, ignore Him. They don’t have time for Him. They refuse to include Him in their lives. They don’t worship Him or have any kind of personal relationship with Him. If they would just listen they would hear His message to them, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you from the bondage of sin so that you would no longer be slaves to Satan; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

Heavenly Father, I praise you because you are my Lord, you are my God. You broke the yoke of my sin and freed me from Satan’s grip. I am your child. Because of who I am in Jesus I can hold my head high no matter what this world throws at me. Just a reminder that He is the Lord our God!

No One Knows but God

During the summer of 1992, as well as the next, I served as a fill-in Hospice Chaplain. I was helping out a friend who was the actual chaplain. Our area of service consisted of four Kentucky Counties all boarding the Tennessee State line. The most eastern of these county’s was nestled in the foothills of Appalachia. Those two summers were good for me as I was struggling to recover from what had been the most difficult time of my life both physically and  spiritually. I had taught middle school during the school year for the past three years. Preaching and pastoring had been put on hold, but I was doing a lot of soul searching as to whether I would ever minister in those ways again. Prior to July of 1990 I had served 16 years as a pastor. I wasn’t sure I could ever do that again.

God blessed me both summers that I served as Hospice chaplain, especially the first one. I was doing what I had loved most in the pastorate, ministering to people who were hurting. Each hospice patient I visited was going to die within a few months, maybe weeks. Some of them were elderly, some middle age, and a few were young adults, younger than me. Most of them were frightened, and all of them had family who were hurting, sad and unsure how to handle what was about to happen. I tried to visit each person every week to ten days. Those who seemed to be nearest death I would get more frequent visits. I went to nursing homes, and hospitals, but most of my visits were in homes. In those few short weeks of that summer I got to be close to several of the patients and their families. We didn’t discuss their illness all that much. We talked about everyday things, about their lives, their work, their friends and family, funny experiences, pets, anything to help them focus on more pleasant events than death.

Yet, that subject would arise each time before I left. They were eager to talk about their end. We talked about Jesus, about heaven, and I would try to answer their questions the best I could. One sweet wife whose husband was very near the end said she wished she could lie in bed with him just one more time. He was in a hospital bed that hospice provided. I said, “You just hop up there and snuggle with (I said her husband’s name) any time you want to.” That brought a big smile to both their faces. I prayed with them and I left that day feeling really good about my visit.

Sometimes, especially one time in particular, I did not feel good about my spiritual care for one of my hospice patients. On some occasions we feel like we have done all we can do, and wonder what more could we have done. We try to convince ourselves that we accomplished all we could accomplish, but we are haunted for years about the situation, never really reaching a point where we are satisfied.  There was a lady just a few years older than me who was dying from breast cancer. It is my memory of her that still causes  me to shudder.

This lady, Mary, and her husband lived in the Appalachian foothills. She had been admitted to hospice only a few days before my first visit. I made the long drive out to the middle of nowhere. Each country road became narrower and rougher the closer I got. The last turn put me on a long rut filled dirt road which led me to an old mobile home. That was where Mary lived. That July afternoon was humid and extremely uncomfortable. Before I reached the front door to the trailer sweat was pouring down my back. Mary’s youngest daughter cautiously opened the door although she had been told I was coming. She invited me in, and just as I stepped inside a large man walked out the back door. Before I could ask, the daughter said, “That’s my pop. He don’t like no preachers,”

Mary was lying in the hospital bed which had been set up in the living room. The temperature in the trailer must have been in the eighties. An old rusty box fan was blowing on Mary making a futile attempt to bring her any relief. I spoke to Mary, introducing myself as the hospice chaplain. She never opened her eyes, but did raise her hand as though to offer it to me. I took her hand, and asked her a couple of questions, but she did not reply. I told her I wanted to pray for her. At that she weakly squeezed my hand. I told her that Jesus loved her, and that he wanted to take her to heaven. I explained how she could be sure that she could have eternal life, and then I prayed.

Before I left I talked to the daughter. She told me there were three more adult children. None of them would come to see their mother after they learned about her cancer. They were afraid she would give it to them. Mary had been sick for several weeks before she went to see a doctor. By then it was too late. We later found out that the husband didn’t want her to go to a doctor, and that Mary was afraid of doctors anyway.

In a few days I visited Mary one more time. On that visit she was not able to understand that I was there. The husband left as soon as I walked in the room. I never met him, not did I meet the other children. The next morning when I got to the office I was told that Mary had passed. Her daughter had left a message saying simply, “Mom croaked.” There was no funeral, no visitation, just a burial somewhere in those lonely forsaken hills. I made one more visit hoping to see the husband, and certainly the one daughter who had stood by her mother even though she didn't have the skills nor the maturity to do much. I knocked on that old door one more time, but no one answered, the husband may have been home, but then, “He don’t like no preachers.”

Mary was one of twelve of my hospice patients who died that summer. I can’t remember very much about the rest of them, but I will never forget Mary. I wish I knew what happened with her spiritually. Only God knows for sure. I hope when I get to heaven I will see Mary standing there with a big smile on her face. And I hope her husband finally learned that “Ain’t no preachers all that bad.”

That’s Great News! Thank You Very Much!

The report came back from the doctor. No cancer! The call you had been waiting for finally came. You got the job! A letter arrived from the university. You have been accepted! You learned that you are going to be parents or grandparents! Hurray! Wonderful news! Everyone is thrilled to get good news. Today I think the arrival of good news seems even more exciting because each day brings news that is not so good. We need to hear some good new!

This morning I opened my journal and turned back to read some things I had previously written. I randomly turned to December 24, 2017. The first thing that caught my eye was these words: “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go for to you I have entrusted my life.” Psalm 143:8

Wow! What great news for me! I was reminded, immediately, of the One on whose love I can always depend. He loves me unconditionally. He loves me even when I fail to show my love for him. He loves me when I mess up, when I sin. His love follows me through the good times and the bad, when I am afraid, when I am confused and feeling all alone. His love is with me as I venture out into the paths that are unknown to me, when I don’t know what will be around the next corner, or what terrible monster is hiding behind those barriers I must move. I can always count on God’s love because I have put my trust in Him.

Let this morning bring you Good News for today. God loves you with His unfailing love! Trust Him, love Him, and allow him to guide you throughout the events of today no matter what you think you may experience. This is the day that God has sent you word of His unfailing love. There is no better news than that!