To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

While there are great disparities in gifts that we have all been given, one gift that is equally distributed is the gift of time. We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 365 days in a year.

Now, I realize that some people need to devote more of that precious time to earning a living than some others. The question then becomes, how much time MUST one devote to earning a living, and how much does one CHOOSE to devote to that. That is a very subjective determination, and one that cannot be tackled here in this brief space.

I would suggest that we, as we begin this new year, we take a serious look at exactly how we spend our time. Priorities will determine how we allocate the time we have. How much time will I spend in the activities not associated with earning a living?

We have all said, “I don’t have time for that” or, “I’m too busy” for that. Certainly true very often. As long as we are completely honest with ourselves, we are in good position to make that determination.

My question to ponder is this- “What do I want to make time for this year? What should I make time for this year?”

I will visit this again in future blogs. In the meantime, how do you want to allocate your precious time this year? 

Prayer: Lord, help us to be good stewards of the precious gift of time, Amen.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^] The old has gone, the new is here!                                                                                                                                                          II Corinthians 5:17

We enter a new year, 2022. Let us use this opportunity for new starts, new hopes, new outlook on a world that seems to be hurt and ailing. Let us see the year of 2022 as another opportunity to love and serve those around us. We live out the gospel by loving others in order to love their Creator.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Prayer: Lord, all new chances to make this year one of getting closer to you, Amen.

A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.      Proverbs 25:28 (The Message)

It is the time of year that we start making resolutions. There are some simple rules that help the process. Resolutions should be practical, measurable and achievable, as well as easy to remember. I also think that we should plan for resolutions on three basic levels of health that must always be considered- physical, spiritual, and mental/emotional.

For example, one might consider walking at least 15 minutes/day. A brisk walk, done regularly, enhances both physical and mental health. Exercise has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Further, the physical benefits of exercise are too numerous to mention in a brief blog. Trust me when I say that exercise pays off far beyond the effort that it takes to do it.

Spiritually, there are so many practices that we can consider- meditation, prayer, reading, uplifting music, etc. The point here is the regularity of it. We need daily realignment of our spirit to be emotionally healthy. If you are like me, we look for ways to multi-task on this. Praying while walking is a great practice, and it aligns all of our being in one dedicated practice.

Finally, and certainly you have noticed this, our mental and emotional health is enhanced as we practice the other disciplines. They are all interconnected and affected by one another- for good or ill.

Just some ideas for resolutions.  Remember too that good self-esteem is produced by keeping promises to ourselves. To the extent that we keep those promises we make to ourselves, and thereby enhance trust in ourselves, the better our confidence and esteem becomes.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us all the tools for health. Help is to use them regularly and wisely, Amen

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:3-4

I love how Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, shocked people with his opening statement. He hit them with the paradoxical statement that the poor will inherit the kingdom of heaven. He knew how to get the crowd’s attention, I think.

Depending on which translation you use, you will find something over 200 times that the Bible mentions the word “poor”. Clearly, dealing properly with poor people is a major theme and concern of the writers. People can argue, who are “the poor”, and it would be a good discussion.

There are many types of poverty. There is financial poverty, with which we are most acquainted. It is somewhat easy to quantify. Indeed, governments have poverty indices which measure degrees of wealth or lack of it.

There is also spiritual poverty, which is much more difficult to define. This is a highly subjective measure. It is also hard to measure because some people are not even aware that they are spiritually poor. Those are the folks with a real problem. If we think we have things figured out, and that we do not need God in our life, such ones are the poorest of people.

Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. He meant that people who recognize their spiritual poverty recognize their need for a savior- that know they cannot save themselves. They are in a position to access the riches of God through their search for God’s grace.

In the next few blogs, I am going to discuss what “poor” is and what I think proper responses are. Clearly, in the case of spiritual poverty, acceptance of one’s state is critical. What about physical/financial poverty?

I’ll talk about that tomorrow…

Prayer: Lord, give us wisdom as to how to look at poverty, Amen

“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”                                                                             Blaise Pascal

“Never underestimate the power of words to heal and reconcile relationships.”                                                                                    H. Jackson Brown

“Your words carry amazing power. So, when you speak make sure you uplift someone and never put them down.”                                                                                                                                                        Anonymous

“One kind word can change someone’s entire day.”                                                       Anonymous

 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof
Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)

Amazing isn’t it, the power that we have? Our words can make someone’s day, or week maybe; and our words can ruin that day, that week- maybe that life. The quotes above are just a few that attest to that power. I think we all know the power that we have in words, yet we often seem so cavalier about how we use our words.

When we are not face-to-face, such as when we are on social media, there seems to be even less attention to the power of words. Because we are at a distance, we may not use the discretion that we would use in face-to-face conversations. I don’t know.

What I do know is that we wield great power with our words. James in the Bible said that the tongue, though small, has great power- much like the little rudder which can change the course of a great ship.

So, I suggest we use that power to affirm others whenever possible. It is the highest use of a great power.

Prayer: Lord, you have gifted us with speech and words. Help us to use them to build others up, Amen

 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.                                                                                                                                               Genesis 50:20

These are the familiar words from the beginning of the iconic TV show Twilight Zone. I loved that show, which unfortunately aired late on Friday nights when I was a kid. I loved the show, but when it was over, I had to run upstairs to my bedroom to get to the safety of lights and comfort. Yes, some of the shows really creeped me out.

And I wouldn’t have missed an episode of that show for the world!

I write about the show, and its creator Rod Serling, because he was born this time of year- on Christmas Day, 1924.

Rod Serling, was a World War II veteran who served in the South Pacific, and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his service. The war had a deep effect on him, and I am guessing that he had what we might now diagnose as PTSD. Serling seemed to write in the science fiction genre in order to exorcise some of the demons of war he may have fought. He was able to get his points across in this genre and it was accepted as genius. I think he truly was a genius.

Earlier, he had written Emmy award winning shows like Requiem for a Heavyweight which helped to bring serious social and interpersonal issues to the light of public awareness. Serling was able to work out his emotional pain in a creative way. He turned his pain into our gain.

The Twilight Zone series still impacts our culture, even though the show left the airways in the late 1960’s. Syndication, and media like YouTube and the SY-FI channel keep this marvelous series alive in the public. It still influences audiences after all these years.

I cannot know if Rod Serling would know how his writing has continued to influence the culture decades later. His courage and writing genius responded to his emotional pain in a creative and healthy way.

Thanks Rod Serling. Maybe you are standing in the corner, commenting as we acknowledge your impact on us…

Prayer: Lord, help us all to continue to redeem pain into gain, Amen

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Philippians 1:3

I wrote this blog entry last year, and unfortunately, the COVID issue is still with us in the form of the Omicron variant. I was just planning to write a piece titled “Take Up Your Cross”. The content would have been similar to the entry below. Then I stumbled onto this one. Just change the dates to 2022, change the months we have been battling COVID to 21, and we are at the same place practically. Yet this year, we have another tool in the fight- the powerful weapons of vaccination and boosters in the fight against COVID. My sincere prayer is that we all continue our part in the COVID fight. We need to get vaccinated and boosted to help ourselves and our communities. We need to help our frontline workers too, – they are dying themselves…

Lots of people who are “in the trenches” every day serving others in a selfless manner, do not see themselves as heroes. Those doctors, nurses, police officers, paramedics, emergency room staff, and other first responders (and many others) will tell you that they are simply doing their jobs. And they are. The thing is, they have chosen heroic careers, even if they do not see themselves as heroes.

As this COVID-19 pandemic reaches into 2021, we are looking at over 9 months of battle with an invisible enemy. Yes, we all fight the fight. Most of us are defensive fighters- we mask up, social distance, sacrifice gathering with friends and family, etc. We are trying to cut down the overrunning of hospital capacity by our prudent behavior.

Others are on the offensive, running toward the battle. They see people falling and they run to help. Yes, that is their chosen profession. I contend that those people on the front lines are heroes, no matter whether they agree with that assessment or not.

I could not be prouder of my own children in this battle. My daughter, a physician who encounters patients at their most vulnerable times, has had to spend time away from her own family, at times, when she thought that she might be exposing them to a possible virus danger. My son, a police officer, typically makes the first contact with dangerous situations, no matter whether he knows if there is COVID-19 present or not. He does not have the luxury to ask.

Many, many front-line workers do the same, and they have done so for nearly a year without much respite. This story is repeated daily throughout this country, and indeed the whole world. I simply ask that we pray for these heroes, and thank them whenever we can.

OK, we will not call you heroes. We will just say, “Thanks for your service, and we love you”

Prayer: Lord, please protect those who protect us, Amen.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

I want to wish my readers a very warm and Merry Christmas. Thank you for your faithful following and support. I am including that wish to readers who have followed this blog from other countries. My apologies if the translation is not perfect. The sentiment is!

Frohe Weihnachten

“Feliz Navidad”

Geseënde Kersfees

God Jul

Kala Christouyenna

Geseënde kersfees

Merry Christmas to all!

 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it                                                                                                                                                   John 1:4-5

As Christmas approaches in the harshness of winter (here in the Northern Hemisphere), we become obsessed with the little light that is available this time of year. The light of the Christmas Star is seen as a beacon of hope in a dreary time. Artificial lights abound this time of year on homes, trees, buildings, etc. We take heart from seeing the beauty of lights this time of year. We yearn for light.

I was struck the other night as I was walking into my dark living room from my bedroom, which had a sliver of light shining through the slightly ajar door. I had some trouble seeing my way through the living room since I was walking away from the light source.

However, my return trip to the bedroom was nicely illuminated because I was walking toward the light. The metaphor struck me at once. As we move toward the light, our path is illuminated. As we walk away from the light source, our vision is altered- dimmed and dangerous.

So, dear reader, I pray that as we approach another Christmas under the shadow of COVID-19, you may walk in the light that God sent forth for us in his son’s birth.

Prayer: Lord, light dispels darkness. Help us to clearly see the light this Christmas season, Amen.

John Lewis

“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven…                                      Matthew 6:7-9 (The Message)

Praying for other people is a right and proper thing to do, but often, the prayer is not complete without an action. There are several old proverbs about the idea of prayer and behavior. One of them, “You can’t pray without moving your feet” is a variation of an old West African proverb, “When you pray, move your feet”. That saying was used by civil rights icon John Lewis, who passed just last year.

What do these sayings mean? Surely one can pray effectively without moving one’s feet. Indeed, that is true in the technical sense. In the practical sense however, perhaps prayer is not really complete without an accompanying action.  For example, when we pray for health, we better be practicing some good habits of eating, exercise and sleep. When we pray for a good grade on that exam, we better have studied hard for it. When we pray for the job we applied for, we better be prepared for the interview and have practiced the skills needed for it.

In other words, prayer is not a magic incantation to make things just appear without us doing our part. When we pray for that person who is sick, we may need to complete that prayer with a note, a call, or bringing them a meal. When we pray for our elected leaders, we should also participate in good government by voting and contacting those legislators.

No, we cannot accompany every prayer with an action. It is also true that there are many things that we cannot do a thing about. We just rely upon God who will move in his own way and in his own timing. Sometimes we just acknowledge that we are helpless in a situation. Prayer is the recognition that God is in control of the things we are not. But let us not take the easy way and just say “I’ll pray about that”.  

We need to do what we can do to accompany the prayers.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us the power and privilege of prayer. Help us to understand it and honor you with complete prayers, Amen