Thanksgiving OR Turkey Day

Our culture is constantly in flux and the commercial moves from Thanksgiving and Christmas as words in advertising are being deleted in favor of the nondescript "Turkey Day and Holiday."

This to me is not acceptable! I know why they do it, they do not want to offend anyone and so go to great lengths to offend a lot of people by blurring meaningful terms. Thanks Giving is a great idea in any religion and even for the not religious and is set aside as an  official Holiday.  There are three significant days at years end that can be considered holidays Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Some might add Winter Solicits.

I am in favor using the proper terms. How about you?

Demas Who?

You may recognize a Demas in your church and can give him or her an encouraging word. Demas Who? Demas was a coworker with the Apostle Paul. What an intoxicating experience it must have been to have worked with Saint Paul in the early days of the Christian church. To actually be there at the foundation of the Christian Church would have been wonderful. The story of Demas starts out wonderful but unfolds in a sad way.

In verse 24 of Philemon Paul refers to Demas and others as "Fellow Workers" who send greetings. He is also given honorable mention in Colossians 4:14. However in II Timothy 4:10 Paul ask Timothy to come back because, "Demas in love with this present world, has deserted and gone to Thessalonica." How sad Paul must have been to write those last words on a friendship. A once exciting relationship became listless, superficial and finally nonexistent because of worldly distractions.

Some people are this way with their Church relationship. At first everything is exciting feeling the love of God and the love of sisters and brothers in faith. Then like Demas other opportunities begin to call them away. Occasionally missing worship at first then more often until they are hardly ever in worship. When that happens it's time for spiritual renewal. It is always good to begin anew, no one ever feels bad about renewal, only separation makes you feel sad. We don't know what happened to Demas at Thessalonica, perhaps he rejoined the faith and helped make that congregation great. Who knows?

What really matters is your personal journey in faith. If you are a Demas, is it time for your spiritual renewal? You are always welcome to renew your faith because we true believers rejoice in renewals.

Daughter report

I have not had much time to write here this week. I ma in KC with my daughter Katherine. She contacted a nasty virus that created a lesion on her spinal cord. It robbed her of the use of her arms and leg. Treatment and therapy have restored some of her abilities. She  will get more PT at home for a few months.

Keep her in your prayers please.

Missing Opportunity ???

Sometimes we throw away opportunity because we fear failure more.  There is a little known tidbit about a blockbuster movie of the 1980s.  Early in 1982, a movie executive went to the M & M Company to make arrangements to use their little candies, M&Ms in an upcoming movie. The movie script included visitors from outer space who like candy. The M & M vice president said no, he did not want their product used that way.  So the film produce went to the company that makes Reece’s Pieces, and they accepted the offer. So in E.T., the little space child is lured out of hiding by a trail of Reece’s pieces instead of M & Ms. Reece’s stock went up—and the M & M vice president was looking for a job.

We can receive the blessings of opportunity is many forms—in health, or education, or citizenship.  We night enjoy athletic ability, beauty, or intelligence. We may be skillful with our hands, or able to travel or sing. Maybe we are talented in making money or creating art.

Things My Mother Taught Me

Many years ago when mom was starting to loose her memory I created and framed this poster for mom's room in the nursing home. My sister Jeannie brought it to the church for display at her Celebration of Life service. The photo was her Senior picture.

Things my Mother taught me:

First to love Jesus with all my heart all the time.

Second to love others more than my self.

Third to always do my best.

Fourth to keep learning all my life.

Inherited Token

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My mother inherited a token from her Uncle Frank Baum who owned a furniture store in Quincy and used these brass tokens for advertising in the 1930’s. I inherited it from her.

Veterans Day 2013

Once again it is Veterans Day and what used to be called Armistice Day. Today we honor all our vets and remember their sacrifice in serving our country.

As a Viet Nam veteran I served in the US Navy on the USS Kearsarge patrolling the coast of North Viet Nam in 1964. Others paid a bigger price than I did in that terrible war and I honor their lives lost in combat. Many of our vets lived to carry the scars of PTSD to this day.

We are still making wounded veterans and I pray that our government will take better care of them than it did of my fellow Viet Nam vets. It does not look like they will and congress haggles over dollars for the VA at a time of war creating a flood of wounded man and women returning and seeking help.

This is Veterans Day – fly your flag and remember.