Traveling Towards Home

First of all, where did September go???  I intend to blog at least once a month but this past 30 days simply escaped me. When I write, I pray it to will be something you are glad you took the time to stop, read and consider. This past year, I took a challenge from a  friend  to post one "thankful"  each day for 30 days.  Then I just kept going.  I know I have missed some days, but have tried earnestly to keep it going all year.   It is so easy to forget what we have to be thankful for and begin to complain, to whine, to grumble about the negatives.  There are many and some must be dealt with. Pretty soon, we are down, discouraged and just grumpy!  However,  many situations are beyond our control. I have tried to practice true belief in the Word. This past year has been one of learning what actions and situations are mine to own and what belong to others. We can and should learn to set boundaries and limits.  It is not only h...

Yesterday we celebrated a national day of Thanksgiving. Early in our nations history, our president set aside November 26 th as a day to spend in contemplation and thankfulness to God for peace and bounteous blessings. We have continued that tradition to this day. Yet today it has become a day to overeat, play games, watch football, and even shop. How much time was spent thinking on the blessings we enjoy? Perhaps a few, if a prayer was said to thank God for the food. But what else? Was there time set aside to remember what we really have? I don't mean materially, but spiritually. Or is the dearth of activity in that department suggest a deeper emptiness? Every day should be a day of thanksgiving. As a baptized believer, I have the most blessed existence ! It is not limited to the day or the hour I even spend in the assembly with other Christians. It is a minute by minute thankfulness for the free gift given by Christ when He gave up His right to heaven, came down to l...

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27 Two of our local congregations recently visited at several nursing facilities. We pass out cookies, sing a few hymns and visit briefly with the residents. They are always so appreciative of a touch, a sincere inquiry about their day, the songs of their youth. I watch as many sing from memory, listen with their eyes closed or even sleep peacefully the entire visit! :) It is a small thing, once a month, to spend a few hours doing this. But what does God require of us? Just what we can do. We cannot all take orphans or widows into our homes, but we can visit a lonely, home-bound brother or sister. We can take a bowl of soup to a sick neighbor. We can share what God has given with those around us. But truly, we should share with those who cannot give us back. It's not 'what will I get out of this?' It...

Perhaps you have experienced times in your life when you just wanted to give up, to throw in the towel, just call it quits. You felt that you could not go on. I have moments like that. Yesterday Rodger and I were blessed to speak with a dear friend who has been through incredible health issues. Recently both he and his wife have faced life-threatening illness. Today, he is thankful for each day, a gift from God to be thankful for. Our conversation focused on his gratitude for the little things; their jobs, their home and the once-overlooked joy of walking down the street. In pondering on our phone call, I thought on the obvious idea that God has a different view of our life. He can see the conclusion of the situation we are in. Although we cannot see it now, He has given us what we need to stand firm in our faith and face what the future brings. If we are truly His, we have the strength from God within us through his Holy Spirit. I recently read this quote by Helen Keller, ...