Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.                                                                                                                Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)

Think back to a time in the summer when you were young and carefree. You had no particular responsibilities, and you were free to do pretty much what you wanted to do- within parental limits of course. Okay, we won’t tell about some of those other times…

My point here is that our memory bank can be just that- a bank to store refreshing memories to be drawn out when needed. We have within us the tools and resources to restore our soul when things get difficult in life. Those memories can serve as little oases to refresh a weary mind. We cannot go back and actually relive those times, but they can remain with us as precious parts of our life.  Those memories can actually change our brain chemistry and improve mood, lower blood pressure, and give us a more positive outlook, even if the respite is only a temporary one.

I am aware that for some people, their childhood may not have contained a lot of those great memories of carefree times. They may have lived in an abusive environment, or perhaps had illnesses that limited those carefree times. But we all can look back to some times in our life that literally can bring a smile to our face as we think of them.  We can use that tool to bring some light into a day that may feel heavy.

I hope your memories can bring that smile…

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember those times in life that restore our soul, Amen.

I am taking some time away from the blog (about 2 weeks), and I am planning to post some “Top Ten” blogs during that time. So, you can stay tuned and read some of the most popular blogs (by response and “hits”), or you can go to the home page, and check the archives. I have about 600 postings at this point, so feel free to browse. I so appreciate the great encouragement I have gotten over the past 18 months! You have given me great encouragement!

Blessings…

So, I start this first day of “Reruns” with one that has been a request from several readers. Here it is…

Lessons from a Sailing Trip

I really don’t know how many years ago it was now- probably about 18 years ago- when my friend and mentor Dennis Mikel invited my son and I to go sailing with him on his sailboat on Lake Erie. Denny was an amazing guy. My late friend and mentor passed away several years ago, and I still miss him. I hope this story honors him, and maybe teaches some lessons too.

 My son at the time was about 21 years old. The plan was to go up late on a Friday evening, spend the night on the boat, and then have a little cruise on Lake Erie the next day. The weather was supposed to be nice, with some nice breezes on Saturday so that we could get around on the lake. When we arrived Friday night, Denny asked if we would like a little moonlight cruise. We could camp at an island a couple of miles away and spend the night, ready for a nice early start in the morning. We readily agreed.

We started out with a nice breeze, fair skies, and the sun starting to fade in the western sky. It seemed like such a nice evening that we did not notice the growing cloud formations, and the wind kicking up a little. Pretty soon, we realized that there were some flashes of lightning in the sky behind the clouds. “Heat lightning” we suggested. It really didn’t seem that hot, but I comforted myself with that thought. It was not long however before we realized that the lightning was indeed the first warnings of an approaching storm. We were pretty far out into the lake by that time, and we needed to decide whether to return to home port, or go on to our destination. We decided to push on, figuring that the places of safety were probably equidistant.

Interesting fact- I don’t know how to swim.

My first lesson perhaps was this- I was not panic stricken. I had some fear to be sure, but I had a confidence about the situation. Why the confidence? I do not know how to sail, and in fact, I don’t think I had ever been on a sailboat before this. I don’t know how to swim (although later Denny said that if we went overboard in this kind of storm, it might not have made any difference). My confidence was not at all in my abilities or knowledge. My confidence was in the captain, Denny. I trusted him, and respected his knowledge and leadership. I figured that Denny would get us through. He was successful in everything he did, I felt, and he was certainly bright and resourceful. I also knew that he trusted God. All those things added up to give confidence to me despite that fact that I was pretty helpless on a boat in the middle of a lake in a storm.

Denny indeed took charge. As the winds whipped up and the rain started to fall, he assigned us our jobs. My son, a fearless athlete, was ready for the challenge. Denny assigned J.P. to rigging duty. Denny, very lithe and agile himself, even at about age 65, would help J.P. on the rigging, climbing forward to trim the sails as needed. They could easily be washed overboard, but Denny knew what he was doing, and J.P. was strong and quick-witted enough to be a great help. Also, they both could swim.

Did I mention that I don’t swim?

Denny assigned me to the rudder. I was to hold us on course as best I could. Understand that it was pitch black and raining, so I did not have any idea as to where to steer this boat. Then Denny gave me the second lesson- steer toward the light. There was a lighthouse on the shore, and all I needed to do was to fix on that light and steer toward it. I said that I could do that, although there was a real learning curve. You see, steering a sailboat in a windstorm is not easy. The rudder has a mind of its own, and one needs to fight the rudder for control. Sometimes the rudder wins.

Just another interesting development was the fact that the boat was now on a permanent 45 degree angle. Denny suggested that we really didn’t want to be at an angle over 45 degrees, and I certainly know that I did not want that either, so we had to keep shifting our weight on the boat, and bailing water to try to keep it as level as possible. Through it all, Denny seemed unflappable. I am sure he knew that J.P. and I would pick up on his level of anxiety- and he was right- so he seemed pretty assured of himself. He would give the orders, and J.P. and I would comply as best we could.

Another lesson in leadership- the captain sets the tone for the crew. Leaders are calm and stable or they lose their crew, maybe literally.

Needless to say, we got through the storm. The wind died down, we got the tiny motor started back up (it had gone out for much of the trip) and we started to head for the shore. We just had one more little blip heading into a port when another boat seemed to contest us for the right-of-way in the narrow channel. No real issue there, but I saw another aspect of the captain’s character. Denny admitted that he was not aware of the protocol in that situation, and he was gracious in his deference to the other boat, and to his uncertainty about the procedure. Humility is another important aspect of leadership.

I think the spiritual aspects of this story are self-evident. My confidence comes not from my abilities, but from faith in the captain. I do not need to fear if my faith in the captain is complete. If we have trust in God, what weapon formed against us can prosper?

In the darkest of night, steer toward the light. If there are no other landmarks, the light is still there. In fact, when everything else is the darkest, a little shine shines the brightest by its contrast with the dark.

So, those are my recollections from that weekend. I am still amazed that I had a calm feeling that night that I to this day cannot really explain, but it certainly seems to fit that Biblical injunction that there is a peace that passes understanding.

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.                                                                                                         Luke 12:27

As many of my readers know, I am fascinated by Physics. I almost flunked Physics. I am also terrible at math, and such high-level concepts make my brain ache, but I am fascinated by the many things I do not understand. Maybe it’s like a moth to the flame. Who knows why the moth is attracted to the flame that might just kill him – but the moth is just drawn to it. Actually, there probably IS a reason that a moth is drawn to the light, but I have never been inquisitive enough to look into that. Someday, dear reader, I will check that out and share it with you.

But today, I just want to talk about Physics, and the way that the world works. I am dumbfounded by those who deny the existence of a majestic and awesome Creator. Did that Creator use evolutionary principles and techniques? Sure, why not? Did the Creator plan the minutest details of life and the preservation of it? Uh, yes.

Physicists and astronomers tell us that there was a Big Bang some 14 billion years ago that brought life into existence. Further, they say, the universe created from that Big Bang continues to expand at an increasing rate. That “First Cause” (as Thomas Aquinas would call the Creator) was God. The same God, who set in motion this incredible, beyond words universe, which includes this insignificant planet Earth, revolving in one of a myriad of solar systems, is the creator of you and me.

While the planet we occupy is less than a speck in the entire universe, the inhabitants of that earth are of immeasurable valuable. God intricately planned it all, and the best minds of the world have no idea of the depth of wonder that God is still revealing.

Jesus said “Consider the lilies of the field” in his sermon on the mount. In effect he was saying, even the humblest little flower was put together with such intricacy and care, that man’s best efforts to outshine that humble flower are useless.

We don’t have to be scientists to see that we, and the earth we live on, are the incredible masterpieces of a God who loves us.

Just WOW, right?

Prayer: We are just in awe of your creation, and the attention to details we cannot imagine! Amen

But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.

 “The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

 “The Son of Man’s Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field—one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill—one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.                                                                                                                                          Matthew 24:36-44 (The Message)

There has always been speculation in the Christian community about the “second coming”, when Jesus will return to earth, and prophecies will be fulfilled. There are many people who speculate on when those “end times” will be, and they point to events that certainly indicate (they believe) that the end times are near. Of course, through the centuries, there have been many events that people could point to as “inevitable signs” of the imminent fulfillment of those “end time” prophecies.

Interestingly, Jesus did not seem to put much focus on that event. He said that no one knew, except the Father, when those end times would come. He typically told people, and gave stories about, “occupying well” until that end time does come.

I find it a bit disturbing that people are so intent on looking for that great “end time” event when Jesus will come again. Didn’t Jesus essentially say, “Don’t worry about an event that you cannot know, keep serving and loving people right now where you are”. In the prayer he taught his disciples, Jesus instructed us by saying “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

I understand that to mean that we are to not simply wait until the earth is fulfilled (or destroyed, based upon your interpretation), but we are to work to bring “heaven to earth”. That is, we are to endeavor, through our transformed lives and relationships, to demonstrate what that future Kingdom can look like here on earth.

We will never be able to make the earth “heaven”. We are all quite clear on that! But didn’t Jesus challenge us to try, in our own little way, to make the earth a little better place for those we share the planet with?

So, rather than spending time waiting and speculating on an event whose time we will never know, isn’t it better to ask, “How can I make this present time better for those around me?”

Prayer: Lord, you have given us opportunities to bring Kingdom principles to earth. Help us to focus on what is right before us, Amen

Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.                                                                                                 Proverbs 16:24

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.                                              Proverbs 17:22

There is, of course, great wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Even though it was written perhaps 2500 years ago (or so), it contains wisdom that is timeless. In today’s blog, I am looking at the power of words. As the book says, words have the power to lift up a spirit or to crush a spirit. From the same mouth can come blessings or curses.

I note that the passage from Proverbs 16:24 indicates that words are like a honeycomb. Later in the book of Proverbs, it alludes to the fact that a “broken spirit dries up the bones”. While this language is meant to be figurative, I really think that there was an allusion to literal physical health. Depression feels like it goes all the way to the bone. We also know that the health of our very blood manufacturing process takes place in the bone marrow. That marrow in the bones is like…a honeycomb.

So, just maybe, those kind words can “get into our bones”- deep into our soul, and heal us. Maybe it is not such a stretch to say that words can be healing and health-giving. Proverbs tells us that words are health to the body, and that a joyful heart is good medicine.

I’m going with words can literally be healing to one another. The more we use those words of encouragement, the healthier we all are.

Prayer: Lord, you have literally given us the power to heal with our words. Help us to use them wisely, Amen

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.                                                       Proverbs 14:23

From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.                                                                                                                                                              Proverbs 12:14

Today is Labor Day here in the United States. In many countries, it is celebrated on May1 as Labor Day (or Labour Day), and may also be known as International Workers Day or a similar name. For my friends in Ecuador, I understand it is celebrated on April 30^th.  Whatever you call the day, I hope you can celebrate it as honoring the value of work. I am deliberately disregarding the political overtones that some ascribe to “May Day”, recognizing that workers should be celebrated, no matter the political attachment given to the day.

There are some who have interpreted that work is a curse resulting from the “Fall in the Garden of Eden”. Let me assure you that I am not of such a mind. Indeed, I believe that work is a gift from God. Even before that “great fall” in the garden, Adam had been assigned the work of naming the Creation, as well as tending the garden and its obvious beauty and plenty.

My good friend Pastor Mike Slaughter spoke about work in his Sunday message stating that work should be “honoring to God”; “a blessing to others”; and should “bring joy to the laborer”. This is true. Our labors are an expression of our gifts and talents which we use in the service of others. All work is noble and worthy, and it should be honored.

So, I don’t know how you will celebrate today, but you should be reminded that your labor is worthy.

Celebrate it!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of work, which gives us value and meaning as we serve your creation, Amen

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.                                                                                   Philippians 2:1-4

Her name is Missy. That is the nurse who took care of my niece over 35 years ago when my niece had cancer. Thank God, my niece not only survived, but was able to have two wonderful kids, both of whom are now in the medical field themselves.

Missy has remained a family friend of my sister and her family for all these years. Missy is one of those unsung medical practitioners who goes above and beyond to care for their patients. Granted, not all nurses and physicians can stay connected with the patients that they care for. That is simply not possible. However, this story illustrates that our medical professionals are in the business because they are deeply dedicated and caring people.

In this day of overwhelming stress and unreasonable demands on medical professionals, there are a myriad of untold stories of how those professionals have changed the lives of their patients. Not only with medical care, but with emotional and spiritual care, which nurtures not only the body but the soul as well.

So to you Missy, and all those other unsung heroes out there, thank you. Currently, you are overwhelmed with COVID cases. You are caring for people who may not appreciate the sacrifices you have made, or the dedication you have demonstrated. Rest assured that God knows, literally, what you do and have done, and whether or not others know, please be reminded that you have impacted our world for the better.

Thank You.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for those who care for us in ways that we cannot fully appreciate sometimes, Amen

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven    Matthew 5:14-16

Reading this passage from the incomparable Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5, I was reminded again of the concept about the “city on the hill” which would be a light for others to follow. An example of freedom and right living that could serve as an example to the rest of the world- a new order of freedom which could fulfill these words that Jesus spoke.

John Winthrop in 1630 gave a lecture titled “A Model of Christian Charity” in which he used the phrase “as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us”. He meant that this new Puritan experiment of coming to America would serve as a model to the rest of the world. He warned that such a model could be for good or bad. The eyes of the world were on them, and they could determine if this experiment would result in a shining light or as a dire warning to others.

Through the years many speakers, politicians and leaders have alluded to that phrase, stating that America is that light on the hill- a beacon of hope to the rest of the world.

I hope so.

This statement has also been tied to the concept of America’s civil religion, which is a whole other topic, but I am thinking of it in the context that Jesus gave in Matthew 5. He said that we should “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

There have been some spectacular examples of America being that light on the hill to a weary and broken world. Our involvement in World War I as American strength helped to end the butchery of that war which engulfed Europe and much of the world. Again in World War II where America intervened and helped end brutal, oppressive dictatorships and genocide. The Marshall Plan which helped stave off starvation in a ravaged Europe. Medical intervention in Africa and other areas of the world during the AIDS crisis under George W. Bush in 2003 which saved millions of lives.

These are just a few large examples which come to mind quickly-there are many others. In fact, I encourage my readers to fill in the others that come to mind. It is probably healthy these days to call to mind those many examples of American leadership and generosity.

Every day, American generosity around the world is saving lives. However, Winthrop’s words were a warning too. Not everyone sees America as the shining light of freedom and generosity, because there have been too many examples of injustice and oppression in our own land.

I do believe that America is a wonderful country full of generous, hard-working people, who have been given the gift of unique government by our founders. I trust that we can be, in many ways, that light shining on the hill. However we need to remember the end of the passage- that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Prayer: Father we have been given great gifts in our country, help us to use those gifts wisely and generously for your glory, Amen.

“All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul.”

Robin Williams

“I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it’s like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that.”

Robin Williams

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”-                   Erma Bombeck

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.     Proverbs 15:13

I think these quotes from the late Robin Williams are very telling about the soul that lurked underneath the façade we saw. Robin Williams was a genius. The fastest wit I ever saw was Robin Williams riffing on talk shows, or in his monologues. His mind went faster than we could listen to him. You would just try to hang on for the ride to keep up with the delicious humor that came from him.

Yet he also had a deep and sensitive soul. Some of his greatest work was in playing characters who were deeply touched by the suffering of others. It reaffirms my belief that the greatest actors are the comedians, because their humor often comes out of great pain. We now know that Robin Williams hid his pain until he finally couldn’t.

Often, we see only the veneer of people- the face that they desperately want us to see. To be really understood and accepted is the greatest gift we can get. To those who are in emotional pain, I hope and trust that you will reach out to get that understanding.

Prayer: Lord, you have made us marvelously complex creatures. Help us to share those parts of us that are hurting with those who want to help, Amen

 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life

Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)

            This passage is one of my very favorite ones in scripture. Paul, writing from a Roman jail, is telling people how to be content, and is thanking people for their support and generosity. He is telling people to earnestly rejoice, even while he is in the midst of trouble.

            There is a formula here for contentment. If we rejoice, recognizing that God is near, we will be better able to turn to Him in prayer, especially at those very rattled times. We are to give our petitions to God with thanksgiving. That is, recognizing that we have done what we are supposed to do, and having put it into God’s hands, we are to be thankful that He will then take care of things. How will He take care of things? Well, that is not our problem- that is His concern. Since He loves us, we are to be assured that He will deal with it in our ultimate best interest. Paul then says that the peace of God will then guard our hearts.

            In order to maintain this peace, we then need to think on good, pure and lovely things, uplifting things. Paul is outlining here the most basic of psychological principles- what we dwell on, we become. The part of our spirit that is fed is the part that grows. So, we are to feed the positive, uplifting ideas and surroundings, not the negative, deadly things the world has to offer.

            Paul concludes, if we put these things into practice, the God of peace will be with us. If we let the peace of God guard our hearts, the God of peace will dwell there!

Prayer: Father, thanks for your plan of taking care of us in the times of trouble. Help us to remember that you love us more than we understand, and that you desire us to have you, the God of peace, dwell with us, amen.