A Veterans Salute

UNITED STATES: VETERANS DAY

Veterans Day is an annual American holiday honoring military veterans. Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is usually observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

Unfortunately, in the recent past, the holiday had decreased in importance among many U.S. citizens. But increasing patriotism across the political spectrum, and the continuing participation of many Americans in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have resulted in recent years in greater observance of this important holiday.

As one veteran to another I salute you!

On Being Humble

You and I can be straightaway reduced to begging for our supper and a place to lay our head. It is a very humble person who asks for help. Once you realize your need for help and have felt the gift - your own gifts can be shared in humility.

What can the gifts of one humble servant be worth? We sometimes say that my small effort will not make much difference. It was Dwight Moody who said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do.” We must know that God takes our gift and adds Grace, and that make the difference.

I think that the hardest time for me to be humble is when I am helping some one, to whom I could rightly say, “I told you so!”It is at these times that an old prayer, by Peter Marshall, comes to mind. “Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change.  And when we are right, make us easy to live with.”

How does that country western song go? “O Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.”

Well we may sometimes think so but if we were, we wouldn’t need Jesus and His gift of salvation. … And we do need it!

Back Home Again

My darling and I have returned home from a trip to western Kentucky. It was so nice to roam the land and enjoy the fall colors.

I have only two more Sunday’s to preach at Crestwood Christian Church - I am off next Sunday and the I preach on the 22nd and 29th.  Then I am back to full retirement.

Spiritual Malnourished

I was at a truly awesome buffet line that had everything you could want for eating. There were lots of healthy choices for me. The family just ahead of me had a spoiled fat child who would only take junk comfort food that was sweet or salty. The child was over weight but malnourished because of the quality of food chosen. The parents were setting the example.

In life we also have a spiritual buffet line with lots of choices. We can choose spiritual health food or spiritual junk food. Like a child that dines only on comfort food we may choose only what feels easy and starve spiritually while feeling good. Many of the truly nourishing spiritual offerings are difficult to assimilate but build spiritual health over time.

Spiritual health foods like meditation, prayer, faith study, practicing patience’s with others, and of course resisting temptations take effort. Like good physical health habits good spiritual health habits are a daily exercise if they are to work for us. We don’t have to be spiritually malnourished Christians because the buffet line has everything we need in great abundance.

Your Choice in Eternity

The sad thing is that we often don’t make a conscious choice. But we become distracted by non-important choice offered up by the world. We don’t see it as a choice between God and this what ever and at that moment the what ever seems like more fun. Yet that is the choice we are making.

A ball game is starting at 10 AM Sunday morning and it is a choice between worshipping God on the Sabbath or having a little fun at the ball game. But we say, “Oh I can go to church next Sunday.” The devil smiles and says but you chose not to worship God this Sunday and I have a little piece of you.”

I was on the board of directors of the YMCA in Chillicothe, Missouri and at one meeting the Aquatics Director wanted to schedule a swim meet on Saturday and Sunday. She had to be reminded that the YMCA was a Christian organization and we did not schedule anything that would pull the children out of church.

So many organizations see a blank spot on their calendars on Sunday mornings and think that nothing is going on. Then we are faced with a choice between God and some event that we would like to attend.

Yes it is in fact a choice between that event and faithfulness to God.

Smile Inside and Out

Smile inside and out.

Did you know that your mind cannot hold two opposite feelings at
the same time? You cannot be happy and sad at the exact same
time (try it right now). And did you know that when you smile,
you are fooling your mind and body into thinking you’re happy
(whether you actually are or not)?

So when you smile you create a state of being of happiness. Whether
you begin your smile in a state of happiness is
irrelevant; your smile will trigger physical and emotional
processes in your body which will lead to actual happiness. Your
smile becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy -

you are literally faking until you make it!

Happy All Saints Day

Happy All Saints Day  Today is a day to celebrate the memory of all the saints of the church who lived their faith successfully and inspired others to do the same.

In the dim past the day before was known as “All Hallows Eve” which was later corrupted to Halloween.