My Ongoing Thoughts

BEAUTY MARK!

1/22/2021

The news this week carried an article by Janine Puhak titled "Woman Crowned World's 'Most Beautiful' Says She Didn't Even Know She Was In The Running".

It began by declaring that a young woman from Israel is the model of humility. Why? Because even though she was recently crowned the "most beautiful" in the world, she said she had no idea she was being considered for this international prize. The article goes on to state that Yael Shelbia, 19, alleged the honor of snagging the top spot on TC Candler's latest "100 Most Beautiful Faces of the Year" list came as a total shock to her.

"I was very surprised, I didn't even know I was participating in this contest," the teenager is reputed to have told The Sun Newspaper. "It's very exciting and flattering. I don't know why they chose me, I think beauty is so individual and all women are beautiful."

The blue-eyed beauty, who grew up in a large Orthodox Jewish family in northern Israel, and later moved to Tel Aviv to chase her dreams of becoming a model, said she has gained 200,000 new followers on Instagram since topping the list.

Here, they can find many pictures of her modeling work and daily life, as well as pictures of her in military uniform. Kike all Israeli young people, she completed mandatory military service with a stint in the Israeli Air Force.

"It is such an honor for me to serve my country, I have lots of responsibilities as an IDF soldier and public figure," Shelbia explained. "It was really important for me to try and combine work and the service."

While grateful for the recognition, Shelbia offered a beauty tip that most anyone can relate to, stating that she believes true grace always comes from within. "I think what makes a person beautiful is to be kind, humble and most of all – positive," suggested. "When you are good, it is really shown in your eyes and eyes never lie."

Wow! Just imagine being chosen as "the most beautiful person" and not even knowing you were in the contest! As I read this article, I could not help but remember an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The 16th episode of the first season, first broadcast way back on January 23, 1961 and titled "The Beauty Contest", saw Sheriff Andy being tasked with selecting Mayberry’s most beautiful female.

To summarize the plot, a reluctant sheriff Taylor is put on the spot as the Mayberry Town Council decides to add a "Miss Mayberry" beauty pageant to the regular Founder's Day agenda, picking him as the one and only Judge. Suffice it to say that, not only does everyone from Opie to Mayor Pike try to influence Andy’s vote, but Aunt Bee then enters Ellie Walker – who despite having the obvious inside track at winning, promptly promises never speak to Andy again if he selects her.

So what does Andy do? Spoiler alert here… He selects the humble and unassuming Ms. Bishop, an older lady who not only did not enter the pageant or in any way compel Andy to choose someone she knew, but worked tirelessly behind the scenes in order to see to it that the pageant came off without a hitch!

In the end, Ms. Bishop, the citizens of Mayberry, and the entire viewing audience are all equally stunned by his selection, as the winner was not even aware she was in the contest to begin with!

There is, of course, more than one spiritual point to all of this. To begin with, beauty is more than skin deep! As the Old Testament Book of Proverbs affirms, a really beautiful woman has many more qualities than an hour-glass figure and a pretty face. Just read Proverbs 31:10-31 and see what the Bible has to say about a truly lovely lady!

Related to this, and perhaps even more significant, is a second issue. And that is this... It may very well be that those who are judged the most beautiful in God’s eyes are very often those who are not really seeking the attention, the glory, and/or honor of any such recognition to begin with!

Jesus alluded to this in His famed “Sermon on the Mount” (in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 1-6), when He said:

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The choice Jesus presents here is clear. Like the citizens of Mayberry, we can choose to toot our own proverbial horn as we finagle our way to the top, or we can choose to just do what is right with no ulterior motive and trust God to do as He sees fit.

And Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31-46, shows us just how God "sees fit" to do things…

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Do you desire to be seen as beautiful in God’s eyes? Then why not stop all the posturing and consider what it takes in God’s eyes to be truly seen as such?

And above all, remember that, in the end, a crown awaits those who do – but only those who do!

ARTICLE SOURCE:

Janine Puhak, an editor for Fox News Lifestyle, wrote the article. It can be found at: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/worlds-most-beautiful-woman-running-list. Apparently, the TC Candler list of "100 Most Beautiful Faces" has been published annually by independent film critic TC Candler since 1990. Candler's site, www.IndependentCritics.com, has also been publishing a "Most Handsome Faces" list since 2013.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/proverbs/31.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/7.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/25.htm.

OPEN DOORS!

1/19/2021

Many people are familiar with the modern advertising theme “Keep Calm and (Fill in the Blank)…” It originated in the year 2000 with the rediscovery of a World War Two poster at a bookshop in Alnwick, England.

That poster, displaying a crown with the words “Keep Calm and Carry On” beneath it, was a rare surviving specimen of a motivational campaign undertaken by the British government in 1939 in preparation for World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public, which was threatened with imminent air attacks from Nazi Germany.

These days, the phrase “Keep Calm and … ” has been applied to most every imaginable situation, not just by advertisers, but by the creators of innumerable internet memes worldwide. A simple online search will produce any number of examples. But sometimes, one encounters the phrase in the most unlikely of places. Such was the case for me earlier today.

After having gone down to Alabama to visit my sister over the weekend, I made a trip to the local carwash this morning in order to wash the road spray and dirt off of my truck. Now, I have used this car wash on multiple occasions. Perhaps you are familiar with the concept. Pulling into the building, one places his or her vehicle in neutral and allows it to be pulled through the lengthy tunnel, wherein it is first soaped, then scrubbed, then rinsed, and finally (if additionally purchased) waxed, being blown dry by giant wind machines just prior to exiting.

For my part, I pretty much know the routine by heart - so much so that I often pay little attention to the actual process. But today, things were different. After the soaping and the scrubbing, the rinsing of the windshield allowed me to see far enough ahead to notice that the back door of the tunnel, a garage door of sorts, was actually closed! That’s right… I was inexorably being drawn toward a large closed door!

Immediately, my stress level rose. What was wrong here? Did the operators of the car wash not know that the back door had not been opened? How could they possibly open and operate the car wash and not have the back door open? Did they not know the peril I was now in?!

No sooner had these thoughts gone through my mind than I had my answer. A sense of relief washed over me just as surely as the rinse water washed over my truck as the windshield cleared and I read these words emblazoned on the rear door: in large letters: “Keep calm. The door will open!”

I chuckled as I realized that the cold weather obviously necessitated the closing of the rear door so as to keep the cold air out of the car wash tunnel in order to protect the equipment. But my laughter turned to reflection as I considered what the Lord was obviously saying to me.

You see, the whole reason my truck was now dirty and needed washing was because my wife and I had gone down to Alabama to see my sister. She received the devastating news this week that, after five years, her cancer has returned. As a family, we have just spent the last three days processing this news together. And quite frankly, it feels like we are being inexorably drawn toward some dreadful place.

But the message I took from my experience this morning was this: “Keep calm and carry on. While it may not be clear to you at this point just how this will all turn out, rest assured that the Lord Himself will provide a way for you. In His time and in His way, He will open a door in order to provide a way out and a path forward into the future for you!

Until then, all He expects of us is that we keep going forward, that we keep trusting in Him, and that we keep believing that He is in control! In Isaiah 43:19, the Word of the Lord affirms, “I will make a way…” I for one am confident that the same God Who gave and then fulfilled that promise to the children of Israel so long ago will now do the very same thing for my sister and our family in this day! May He be praised for that great truth!

POSTER SOURCE: https://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/isaiah/43-19.htm.

A WHOLE HOST OF THOUGHTS…

1/15/2021

I have written previously of mine and my wife’s love of the television game show Jeopardy, as well as its long time host Alex Trebek. Sadly, of course, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer, Trebek recently passed away. It should come as no surprise therefore, that after having consistently viewed many of Jeopardy’s 8,000 plus episodes broadcast since its nighttime debut back in the early 1980s, we both found ourselves wondering if anyone could ever possibly fill Trebek’s shoes.

Like so many fans, therefore, we have faithfully tuned in nightly for this first week of broadcasts after the passing of Trebek. These initial episodes are being guest hosted by Ken Jennings, who is often referred to as the GOAT (or Greatest Of All Time) of Jeopardy contestants, having not only amassed the highest amount of earnings ever, but also having won the GOAT Tournament against other top winning contestants.

After four episodes, I am now pleased to announce that I have personally been impressed by Jennings, in regard to both his performance and his demeanor. While clearly not Alex Trebek, he is obviously not trying to be. He has begun each and every episode with what the French might call an “hommage” (pronounced “omaj”) to Trebek.

Included in each such statement has been the affirmation that there will never be another Alex Trebek; and that Jennings himself is only hoping to honor Trebek even as he carries on his work by hosting Jeopardy.

Beyond this, Jennings is also obviously prepared, focused, and extremely articulate. So much so that he has managed to do what I had personally thought would not be possible, in that he has held mine and so many other people’s attention as he has smoothly and professionally hosted each successive episode.

In addition to his pronunciation skills, he has displayed the warmth and winsomeness so critical to success in hosting a television game show. In my estimation, his quick wit, humor, and spontaneity all add up to a surprisingly successful combination, and combined, portend well for the future of Jeopardy.

The preacher in me cannot help but see a parallel here with regard to the New Testament transition from Jesus in the Gospels to His Disciples in the Book of Acts. Just as there has now come a time when the beloved Alex Trebek departed this life and stepped out into eternity, so did there come a time when Jesus Himself departed this world and returned to the Father in Heaven.

What is more, just as Trebek, during his time hosting Jeopardy, saw a number of players crowned as individual champions, so also did Jesus recognize and then acknowledge a select few individuals to be known as His Disciples.

Moreover, just as one individual Jeopardy champion was destined to be known as the GOAT, so also was one of the Disciples of Jesus destined to be their leader. And that man’s name was Simon Peter.

To be sure, along the way, as Ken Jennings struggled to become Jeopardy’s all-time winningest competitor, he stumbled here and there. Internet video clips are available that show Jennings missing a question or two here and there – even though the answer to some of them was rather obvious to the average viewer. The humanity he displayed in the process is also to be seen in the pages of the New Testament as Peter inevitably bungles one opportunity after another to stand tall for Christ.

And yet, just as Jennings’ evident humanity is offset enough by his humility to produce a viable stand in for Trebek, even so do we see Peter’s shortcomings overshadowed by his giftedness as he boldly stands and represents His Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

In each of these examples - that of Ken Jennings tasked with following Alex Trebek, and that of Simon Peter tasked with following Jesus Christ – surely you and I can find encouragement and admonition for representing our Lord in the world in which we now live.

For we too have One Who has gone before us, Whose sandals we are not worthy to latch, and yet Whose presence we have been called to represent, and Whose ministry we have been called to fulfill!

The Neilson ratings are yet to come in on Jeopardy after Alex Trebek’s passing. My wife and I may or may not be the only ones watching this past week. But whatever they prove to be, they will pale in comparison to the rating given by the One True Viewer Whose opinion truly counts!

When all has been said and done, and those of us who purport to be followers of Jesus Christ stand before His throne, all that will matter is how good a job we have done in standing in His stead in this world. In that day, may we be found faithful for what we have done in this day!

BLESSED ARE THEY WHO HUNGER

1/11/2021

In a world chock-full of bad news, it is such a blessing to come across a piece like the one first published last week, January 2, 2021, in the New York Post. The article, written by Eileen A J Connelly, was titled: “Massachusetts Cop Buys Christmas Dinner for Women Caught Stealing Groceries”.

It all started when Matt Lima, a Somerset police officer, responded to a call at a local Stop & Shop five days before Christmas. Upon arrival, he was informed that two women had been caught skipping the scanner at the self-checkout line and putting several items straight into their bags.

He soon saw what the suspected shoplifters were with two young children. Realizing that all they were taking was essential food items, the officer was touched by their plight. He was moved even further when he learned that the mother of the kids had no job, and the food they were stealing was solely for their holiday dinner.

He therefore chose not arrest them. Instead, he bought a $250 gift card to pay for their Christmas dinner. Speaking afterward to local NBC affiliate WJAR, Lima stated, “I have two girls myself, similar in age to the two girls that were there, so it kind of struck me a little bit… There was nothing else in there, like health and beauty items, shampoo, anything like that. It was all food. I just tried to put myself in that family’s shoes and show a little bit of empathy.”

In the end, it seems that no charges were filed. Although, perhaps understandably, the store did issue the two women a “no trespass” order. Equally understandable, Officer Lima was lauded for his compassionate gesture. Somerset Police Chief George McNeil praised him in a statement, calling the incident “a true testament of Officer Lima’s great character and decision-making.”

For my part, I echo the sentiment of Chief McNeil, and likely most everyone else who learns of this episode. It was wise old King Solomon himself who, way back in the Old Testament book of Proverbs (chapter 6, verse 30) that “People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry…” Something within our nature compels most of us to agree.

The really good news in this story is that it reflects the true spirit of the season in which it occurred. After all, what is Christmas about, if not grace being shown to those who are spiritually hungry?

Later, when the Christ Child of the Christmas narratives had reached maturity and begun His earthly ministry, the gospels tells us that He preached some forty sermons. In the first and most famous of these, often referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount”, He included these words: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled…”

Here, the One and Only Son of God is underscoring why Christmas ever happened to begin with. It was to show us that our Heavenly Father took note of our spiritually emptiness, and of just how desperate we were to fill the terrible void within ourselves. Knowing that all our attempts to do so were, at the very least, sadly temporary, and at the most, utterly futile, He chose not to punish us, but rather to come to our aid.

This He did through sending His One and Only Son into this world to purchase life for us, by paying the price for our sins on an old rugged cross, and then providing us life, eternal and abundant, as a result.

Are you spiritually hungry today? Are you so hungry that you are desperate to fill that void? Have you tried any and everything you know to find some way to satisfy and sustain your soul, all to no avail?

Then why not consider what the Lord now offers you. Come to His table, freely given, and taste and see that the Lord and His mercy are good, satisfying, and above all, life-giving! If you do, then you, hungry though you may have been, will also finally be filled!

Solomon’s father, King David, knew this. In Psalm 34 (verses 8-10), he testified: “8Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

Having discovered and suffered the terrible emptiness brought on by sin, David then found the grace of God and the great joy it brings. Satiated hunger and lacking no good thing! No wonder Jesus called being in such a state “blessed”!

SOURCES:

NEWS ARTICLE:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/cop-buys-christmas-dinner-for-family-caught-stealing-groceries.

SCRIPTURE VERSES:
https://biblehub.com/proverbs/6-30.htm;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/5.htm;
and https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/34.htm.

RISKY BUSINESS

1/7/2021

In a June 28, 2020 online QUORA Article titled "Answer to what is the most deceptive image that you’ve ever seen?", Jai Carter begins his thoughts with this these words: "Take a look at this..."

After these seemingly amazing pictures, he continues with these thoughts…

"They all seem very impressive, as if these people are either superhuman or have superhuman photo-editing skills. But do you want to know something? That 'cliff' isn’t that far off the ground. In fact, it’s about two metres (sic) off the ground. It’s a popular tourist spot in Pedra do Telegrafo, Brazil."

But then, Carter spills the beans by sharing these “behind the scenes” photos.

He concludes by stating:

"That spot is not always serene or magical or whatever. Almost every day, there is a long line of people waiting just to take photos on that spot.   These people probably wait for hours under the hot sun, take 50–100 photos of themselves in varying positions, then go home, spend about thirty minutes editing them and post only one on Instagram. It’s kinda pathetic."

He wasn’t talking about the people themselves being pathetic, but rather what they are doing. They had stood in line for hours to take photos of themselves only appearing to do something risky, when in fact they were playing it safe all the time. In short, they desired to have the reward for a risk they were not really willing to take!

So, for me, this is not just an article about faking an adventure; it’s also an article on human nature. In life, so many people seem to desire the rewards (satisfaction, recognition, remuneration, etc…) associated with some given adventure without really taking the necessary risks required to achieve them. Or at the very least, without minimizing any associated risks to the point that they are slight at best.

Perhaps there are a few lessons for life here. Ang given that we are on the cusp of a new year, please allow me to offer a few here…

To begin with, we would all do well this coming year to learn to TAKE A FEW RISKS. After all, let’s face it. Life is about taking risks. As the old adage goes: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." When we choose only to play it safe, therefore, nothing ever gets accomplished.

Before Columbus, a large sign was posted on the Gibraltar peninsula at the passage out of the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It read simply, "Non plus ultra!" Translated, that meant "No more beyond!"

Christopher Columbus did not accept this. Called a fool, he was told that the world was flat, and that if he sailed west from Europe, he would fall soon off the end of the earth. But he chose to take the risk nonetheless. Why? Because he knew in his heart that there had to be more than he had been told there was! And where would we be today if Columbus had not sailed the ocean blue?

So it is in our spiritual life. Famed Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard built an entire system on what he famously called "the leap of faith". His contention was that life consists of a progression of three stages: the "aesthetic" (in which we pursue only pleasure); the "ethical" (when our inclinations give way to our sense of obligations, to self and to others); and eventually (as well as hopefully), the "religious" (when we finally learn to give ourselves over to something higher than just ourselves and/or our role in society).

To enter into this final stage of maturity, a person must learn to take what Kierkegaard famously called a "leap of faith". This happens when we reach the point that we acknowledge there is a God, that we are in need of Him, and that our lives ultimately have no meaning apart from Him.   As a Christian, Kierkegaard understood this to mean our recognition of Jesus Christ and His claims on our life. In short, this is when we finally bring ourselves to utter the phrase: "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief."

If you have not yet done so, why not take this most fundamental of all risks this year? Why not take this essential “leap of faith” that opens the door to a whole new future, both for this world and the one to come? You will find it most rewarding, I assure you.

Beyond this, second, we would all do well this coming year to learn to TAKE A FEW MORE RISKS.

The "leap of faith" is meant to be but the first of many in the life of men and women. We must learn to take more and more risks, for after all, this is the way we grow.

As these opportunities present themselves, remember that some risks are easy. By this, I mean the little ones - the ones that require little effort or little courage or little faith. But we should never stop with these. In order to grow, we must learn to keep on taking bigger and bigger risks, for again, this is how we grow.

The Lord has blessed me with seven grandsons, aged four years through four months. In turn, I have watched them all grow. How? By taking risks! First they had to risk rolling over, then risk sitting up, then risk crawling, then risk standing, then risk walking, then risk running, etc… Yet, at each step, they have grown. And the risks will inevitably keep on coming, as they will one day risk learning to ride a bike, to drive a car, perhaps even to fly a plane…

Of course, in our spiritual life, just as in our personal life, taking bigger and bigger risks is the way we keep on growing. I love the scene in the movie, Indiana Jones and Last Crusade, where the title character is having step out in faith and cross a very deep chasm. The rock path beneath his feet only becomes visible as he keeps taking subsequent steps of faith. Thus, with each passing step, his confidence grows, and eventually, he crosses to the other side.

Each time I see this, I think of Peter as he boldly took the risk and in response to Christ’s bidding, walked, step by step, out across the top of the Sea of Galilee! Later on in the New Testament, Peter would say to a crippled man, "Arise and walk!" And this man would then take his own first bold risky steps! Like Peter, he too would soon know the rewards of stepping out in faith! But only because Peter himself had first taken a risk, and was now taking another, even bigger one in turn, as he trusted God to heal this man!

Why not take a few more risks this year? Why not make this business of risking things an ongoing progression, as you learn to take "step of faith" after "step of faith"? Not only you, but others as well might benefit when you do!

Third, we would all do well this coming year to learn to TAKE A FEW MORE REWARDING RISKS.

The greatest rewards always require the greatest risks! But the greatest risks always provide the greatest rewards. This is precisely why some risks are far more important, and far more critical, than other ones. But such risks are also essential. And also far more worthwhile in the long run!

After crossing what would one day be called the English Channel, Julius Caesar burned his ships in order to prevent his men form retreating in their conquest of Britain. Later, back in Italy, he boldly crossed the River Rubicon, knowing full well that doing so would set him on a collision course with others as he marched toward Rome and his destiny!

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul also took certain radically bold steps. He could have walked away from imprisonment a free man, but boldly chose to appeal to Caesar knowing he must take the Gospel to the very heart of the evil empire! True, this risky move was to cost Paul his life. But it was also to allow him to fulfil his destiny as the Apostle to the Gentiles!

History would later record a similar episode in the life of the Apostle Peter. He too was given the opportunity to flee Rome, but under conviction, chose instead to return and faced the wrath of the original antichrist. A risky move? Yes indeed. But as was the case with Paul earlier, a critical one for the future of Christendom!

Continue down through Christian history and see, time and again, how the great saints of the faith took the greatest, yet most rewarding of risks. Whether it was Martin Luther as he boldly nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenburg church, or John Wesley, as he introduced what was at the time unpopular yet much needed new “methods” within the Church of England, or Roger Williams, as he bucked the status quo and established a safe place for Separatist Baptists in a newfound colony that would one day become Rhode Island.

Why not follow suit and find and take some profoundly rewarding risk this year?   Why not ask god what is the single most important risk you can take for Him in life and the undertake it? In short, why not make 2021 the single riskiest year yet in your own life? If you do, it might just well prove to become the most rewarding year of your life as well!

I conclude with the familiar story of a tightrope stretched over the quarter mile span of Niagara Falls, with the thundering sound of the pounding water drowning out all others as a man steps onto the rope and walk across. The year was 1859, and the man was Charles Blondin, who proceeded to walk 160 feet above the falls several times back and forth between Canada and the USA, even as large crowds on both sides looked on in awe.

First he crossed in a sack, then on stilts, then on a bicycle, yet again even carrying stove and cooking an omelet! Finally, he walked backward across the tightrope to Canada, and returned pushing a wheelbarrow.

We are told that, then pushing the wheelbarrow across yet again, this time while blindfolded, that Blondin asked for some audience participation. The crowds had watched in amazement as he had proven what he could do. There was no doubt about any of this. But then, he asked for a volunteer to get into the wheelbarrow and take a ride across the falls with him!

It is reported that he asked the audience, "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?" Of course they all shouted yes, that they believed! It was then that Blondin is said to have posed a powerful question – "Then who will get in the wheelbarrow?" Sadly, we are told, no one would!

What risk is God calling you to take this year? Will you take that step? If not, how will you ever know the reward associated with it?!

QUORA ARTICLE SOURCE:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-most-deceptive-image-that-you-ve-ever-seen/answer/Jai-Carter-11?ch=8&share=801f15e9&srid=411r.

NEW LIFE!

1/3/2021

According to an article by Megan Sauter in Biblical Archaeology Review’s December 22, 2020 “Bible History Daily” e-mail titled New Fruit From Old Seeds: Bringing An Extinct Tree Back To Life, while excavating in the Judean wilderness, archaeologists found hundreds of seeds from palm trees that grew in the arid region some 2,000 years ago.

Puzzling over this, Dr. Sarah Sallon of the Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center (NMRC) wondered if these old seeds could sprout. If successful, they would prove to be not only “incredibly resilient but also informative”, as they would bring an extinct tree back to life.

It seems that the Judean Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) was heretofore only known from historical accounts, where it was noted for its sweet, large fruit, which also had medicinal properties. This fruit tree played a significant role in the Judean economy for about two millennia - at the least from the fifth century B.C. until the 11th century A.D. Sadly, however, it went extinct centuries ago.

Partnering with scholars from the Université de Montpellier (France), Arava Institute of Environmental Studies (Israel), New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), and University of Zurich (Switzerland), Dr. Sallon worked to bring her idea to fruition. In 2008, they successfully germinated a 2,000-year-old seed from Herod’s fortress at Masada near the Dead Sea.

Appropriately, they named this seedling “Methuselah.” This past year, they revealed the germination of six additional seeds: one from Masada, four from Qumran, and one from Wadi Makukh.

These were also given Biblical names: “Adam,” “Jonah,” “Uriel,” “Boaz,” “Judith,” and “Hannah,” respectively. Radiocarbon dating indicated that Methuselah, Hannah, and Adam date to the fourth–first centuries B.C., Judith and Boaz date to the mid-second–mid-first centuries B.C., and Uriel and Jonah date to the first–second centuries A.D.

The article went on to state:

“For their most recent study, the researchers chose 34 well-preserved seeds from excavations in the Judean wilderness. Leaving one as a control sample, they prepared the others to be planted. First they soaked them in water for 24 hours, then gibberellic acid for 6 hours (to help embryonic growth), followed by Hormoril T8 solution for 6 hours (to help rooting), and finally KF-20 fertilizer for 12 hours.

During this process, they discovered and removed one damaged seed. They planted the remaining 32 seeds in potting soil at the Arava Institute of Environmental Sciences in southern Israel. Of this group, only six germinated. After eight weeks, the researchers added KF-20 fertilizer and iron chelate to the six seedlings’ soil. They repeated this step periodically to encourage growth.

Sallon and her team were able to study the genotypes of the seedlings. The genes of modern date palms come from two fairly distinct populations: an eastern variety (from the Middle East, Arabia, and Asia) and a western variety (from Africa). The researchers determined that the Judean date palm came from crossbreeding eastern varieties with western varieties. They could see waves of this crossbreeding in their seedlings. The seedlings from the older seeds—Methuselah, Hannah, and Adam—have the most eastern genotypes; Judith and Boaz are pretty evenly mixed; and the seedlings from the younger seeds—Uriel and Jonah—have the most western genotypes.

This shows that the western varieties were added over time to the eastern (local and foreign) varieties. Farmers intentionally crossbred their local trees with foreign varieties to achieve desired traits. Compared to modern date seeds, the ancient seeds were longer and wider. This corroborates the historical descriptions of these dates as being large. The descriptions of the dates’ sweetness are also accurate. It takes 4–10 years for female palm trees to bear fruit, and this past fall (in 2020) Hannah did indeed produce dates. The father was Methuselah. The researchers confirm the fruit has a subtle sweetness. The taste is interesting - not overly sweet with a lovely side taste of honey.”

Sauter then concludes her article with this observation:

“Overall, this study breathed new life into old seeds - and historical accounts - and helped illuminate the environment, agriculture, and economy of Roman Judea. Fruit in the Bible Seeds and fruit remains are exciting discoveries for archaeologists. Not only do they provide clues about ancient agriculture and diets, they can also provide radiocarbon data to help date buried strata.”

Wow! Imagine an extinct Biblical plant new being resurrected! That which was dead has now been brought back to life! Little wonder then, that as I read this amazing article, I could not help but be reminded that the God of the Bible is Himself a God of restoration.

While His restorative power is on display in every Book of the Bible, it is perhaps nowhere better illustrated than in the first 14 verses of the 37th chapter of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel. Here, we find the following:

1The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

The context for this passage is what God did for an entire nation. Israel had once been a great people; but over time, she had fallen into moral and spiritual decline, and as a result, had eventually been invaded by the Babylonians, whereupon she had been deported into foreign captivity. This had occurred in 586 B.C. But as the fulfillment of this prophecy shows us, 70 years later, she was released from captivity and allowed to return to and resettle her homeland.

What He did for Israel, in bringing her back from death to life, is what He later did for all people in all ages. By allowing His Son to give His life as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of mankind, God made it possible for each and every person to experience new life in Christ.

The apostle Paul affirms this when he tells us in his Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 5, verse 17) that: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” He underscores here his earlier message to the Romans (chapter 6, verse 4) that Jesus Christ’s victory in being raised from the dead means that “we too might walk in newness of life”.

The good news is that God still delights in bringing new life to things that are essentially dead. He still offers new life to the spiritually dead. And He does not stop there. Having given us new life in Christ, He works to make our new life an abundant one! As Jesus put it the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 10, verse 10): “The thief (meaning the Devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but I have come that (men and women everywhere) may have life, and have it to the full.”

This is not to say that we will never experience difficulties in life. For Jesus himself told us (in the same Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33), “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” If 2020 proves anything, it is just how right Jesus was! We have all been reminded that life can be fraught with unexpected troubles, setbacks, and heartaches! But the important thing is what Jesus added to that famous phrase: “But take heart! I have overcome the world!”

Were you getting along well enough in life about this time last year? Were you plodding merrily along only to have your world suddenly turned upside down by something out of the clear blue called Covid -19? If so, you are not alone! We all went through it together.

But the good news is that the life we once knew, the life that was replaced by what at times may have seemed like a living death, the life that seems now all but extinct, can be had again! How can I say this? Because 2020 itself is now dead! Yet the God of the Bible, Who is the God of the future, Who is the God Who makes all things new, Who brings flesh and blood and skin to skeletons, Who brings new life in His Son, and Who give life to the full, this God is alive and well!

As I pen this post, already, a new year is unfolding! Already, a new day is dawning! Already, the future is brightening! Already, our God is up to something! Already, our God is at work! And as these things happen, my prayer is that He will now utterly amaze us, once again, by demonstrating just what He can do in this coming year of new life!

I conclude with the Divinely inspired words of yet another Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah, who (in chapter 43, verse 19) put God’s message to His people in these beautiful words: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; even now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?!”

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/new-fruit-from-old-seeds/mqsc=E4124653&dk=ZE05D0ZF0&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=BHDDaily%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=12-22-2020_New_Fruit_from_old_Seeds.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/niv/ezekiel/37.htm; https://www.openbible.info/topics/new_life;
https://biblehub.com/john/10-10.htm.

CHRISTMAS BONUS!

12/28/2020

Even though I have now retired from Pastoral ministry in order to transition to a (self-employed) writing career, the good Lord still saw fit to give my wife and me a wonderful little Christmas bonus this year. It happened this way. According to the local weather broadcasts, we here in east Tennessee are currently experiencing the coldest temperatures we have seen in 1,074 days! With the thermometer hovering between the teens and the thirties, suffice it to say that it has been rather cold.

But the good news is that, right along with these frigid conditions, there has now come the first white Christmas here since 2010! And what a beautiful Christmas it is! Everywhere the human eye beholds, a gorgeous blanket of fresh white snow has been deposited. The fields, the yards, the woods, the barns, the houses, even the driveways and roads all look like some majestic scene painted by the hand of Almighty God! The human heart rejoices at the mere sight of it all!

It has truly been a beautiful gift sent down from above right here at Christmas - one which we were truly blessed to receive. To be sure, our Christmas would have been fine without it. Just as we have done the previous nine years, we could have gotten along just as well without it this year. Nonetheless, the sudden, stunning snowfall was still an added bonus that only served to enhance and enrich our experience of this wonderful time of year.

Sadly, though, not everyone received such a gift from above this Christmas. In fact, most of the United States did without a white Christmas. And a few did without certain other gifts from somewhere up above them this year as well.

Consider the story reported in a Fox business News website article titled “GoDaddy Tests Employees with Phishing Email Promising Christmas Bonuses: Report”, a lump of coal might just as well have been delivered to nearly 500 of its employees of the Arizona-based internet domain behemoth, GoDaddy.

Suffice it to say that the whole thing did not go over very well. In fact, the executives over at GoDaddy most likely wish it had never even occurred. But occur it did. And it’s kind of hard to undo it all now.

On December 14th of this year, it seems employees were sent an email promising a Christmas bonus — that turned out to actually be a computer security test. In response, some 500 staffers clicked on the company generated email that purportedly offered a $650 holiday bonus for filling out a form with their personal information.

The email reportedly began with these eye-catching words: “Happy Holiday GoDaddy! 2020 has been a record year for GoDaddy, thanks to you!” Continuing on, it read: “Though we cannot celebrate together during our annual Holiday Party, we want to show our appreciation and share a $650 one-time Holiday bonus!”

Much to their chagrin, two days later, the employees got an email from GoDaddy’s security chief that read: “You are receiving this email because you failed our recent phishing test.”

Needless to say, a huge social media outcry ensued. Users raked GoDaddy’s executives over the coals, calling the test especially “tone-deaf amid the coronavirus pandemic that’s left millions of Americans financially reeling”.

In response, all the company had to offer was an apology to anyone who felt the email was “insensitive,” adding it “takes the security of our platform extremely seriously.” “We understand some employees were upset by the phishing attempt and felt it was insensitive, for which we have apologized,” read a statement issued by a company spokesman.

As I reflected on this article, I was first of all grateful that the various churches I was privileged to serve down through the years always seemed to find a way to give out bonuses to their staff at Christmas time. This was especially true when my wife and I were younger with small children, and almost always stressed to as we stretched our income to cover our expenses. The added expense of Christmas shopping could often be a tremendous burden on the household budget.

That is not to say that Christmas bonuses were always forthcoming. And the truth is that there were lean times when bonuses were not given, and my wife and I simply had to make do. Many of my readers likely also experienced a similar disappointment or two at some point or another along the way. But even when these times came, we were never deceitfully treated by the churches we served. At least they were forthright and told us up front.

It can be very painful when employees are flippantly treated otherwise. Invariably, most all employees will have had that “Clark Griswold” moment at least once, where they had perhaps counted on a bonus that they never got, sometimes even without explanation. No doubt 2020 will now go down as just such a year for the employees at GoDaddy. And this will only be made all the more unbearable if the email was truthful when it stated that 2020 has been “a record year for GoDaddy” all thanks to its employees!

It was for these reasons, as I progressed from part-time to full time, and then from support staff positions to senior staff positions, I felt compelled to be sensitive to such matters, and did my best down throughout the years to work with Personnel and Stewardship Teams in order to ensure Christmas bonuses to all church staff members. When one manages people, he or she quickly learns that it is far more blessed to give, especially at Christmas time, than to receive.

I am not just thankful that the churches I was blessed to serve never treated me wrong. I am also thankful that God Himself has never done so. Like the truly loving Heavenly Father He is, He may not have always given me the things I might have desired, but He has most assuredly never deceived me, nor has He ever made me feel unappreciated and unvalued. In fact, the blessings He has chosen to bestow on me have always been supernal to my needs.

To tie all of this together, I have been reminded this week of just how good God has been to me and my family. I have also been reminded, in turn, that I am called to be a channel of blessings to others. I hope that all those whom I have encountered this Christmas season will have found in me an added blessing and not an added disappointment.

As I do, I pray that I will always remember the importance of providing a little added joy to others around me at this time of year. After all, who among us does not need and appreciate receiving just such a little bonus at Christmas?!

SOURCE: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/godaddy-tests-employees-with-phishing-email-promising-christmas-bonuses-report.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TREE?!

12/25/2020

As if 2020 had not been a weird enough year, along comes Christmas 2020, with all its bizarre headlines. Consider the following from Fox News: "Christmas 2020: The Terrifying Animals Found in Christmas Trees This year".

As Fox News contributors Michael Bartiromo, Janine Puhak, and Ann Schmidt collectively report: "We’re not talking about smaller critters like ants or spiders — we’re talking marsupials and birds of prey."

The article then goes on to report that, after a year of what might be termed unwanted and unwelcome surprises, the waning months of 2020 proved no different for a handful of homeowners whose Christmas trees seemed to have attracted unwanted and unwelcome tenants.

The writers then proceed to list an assorted array of creatures that have manifested themselves between the branches of otherwise normal Christmas trees this year. Among them are…

An Owl

The first and likely most famous was a tiny northern saw-whet owl found to be living inside NYC’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree by workers who unwrapped the Norway Spruce in Rockefeller Plaza. Later named "Rockefeller", the owl was transferred to a wildlife center in Saugerties, N.Y., before it was set free.

A Koala

In the land down under, the McCormick family of Adelaide, South Australia, returned to their home one evening in early December to find a koala living in their tree. It was later determined that the koala had likely wandered into the house when they had opened the doors to leave home earlier that afternoon. Animal control eventually responded to detangle the koala from the tree’s lights and set it free.

A Raccoon

Back in the USA, a Florida resident named Aubrey Iacobelli initially thought a stray cat must have entered through her pet door and settled in her Christmas tree early one morning at approximately 4 a.m.   She soon discovered that it was no cat, but rather a raccoon. The ensuing hour long struggle to evict the unwelcome tenant with the assistance of her dog, complete with destruction of the tree and much household décor, was actually caught on video.

A Sparrow Hawk

Equally as alarming, Louise Anderson, of Ellon, Scotland, called police after a sparrow hawk made its way into her house and took up residence in her Christmas tree. "It was there for about 40 minutes – it was a spectacular bird," she told the BBC. Shortly thereafter, authorities responded, and removed and released the lesser bird of prey.

A Copperhead Snake

And then, as if the wildlife down in Australia were not to be out done, Tasmania resident Felicity Richardson found an actual copperhead snake under her Christmas tree! She trapped it under a pot until a local reptile specialist could arrive and dispose of the intruding creature.

At his point, I needed to read no more. I had visions of the chaos resulting from the fictional Griswold family bravely confronting a squirrel in the tree in their living room in the movie Christmas Vacation. I then ventured into our own living room and gave our own Christmas tree a thorough visual inspection. Fortunately, I did not discover anything amiss.

(Moreover, upon further reflection, I really do not know what I would have done had I actually found anything. Most likely, I would have jumped atop the couch and yelled for my wife!)

All jokes aside, it strikes me that the multiple assaults on Christmas trees manifested in 2020, and especially the one undertaken by a snake, is nothing new. In point of fact, it was a serpent that showed up and menaced those who experienced the very first Christmas.

After all, the Bible informs us way back in Genesis chapter 3 (verse 15) that an old serpent would seek to harm God’s anointed Servant by striking Him in the heel. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Satan would move upon wicked King Herod (as recorded in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2) to attempt to strike down God’s Messiah in His infancy. As we now know, God completely thwarted that attempt.

Of course, little has changed in the intervening 2000 years. Each and every year since then, especially at Christmas time, the evil one has sought to interject his presence and somehow ruin the season. In this respect, 2020 was no different.

This year, of course, his chosen tool was some newfangled thing called "Covid-19". And yet, try as he might, despite all the fearmongering and panic, despite all the quarantines and lockdowns and restrictions (many of which were authorized by the state), he never quite managed to undo, or even to lessen the significance of, Christmas!

Why? Because all the menacing posturing notwithstanding, the presence of an unwelcome animal cannot undo the majesty of a Christmas tree. Nor can the presence of an unwelcome adversary in any way undo the very meaning of Christmas itself!

The same Genesis passage that predicts that the serpent would strike the heel of God's Chosen One also tells us that the Messiah will ultimately crush thee head of the evil one!

So let Satan keep right on posturing! Let him keep right on showing up and bluffing with all his pretentious ferocity! He had no power against that first Christmas, and all God was up to in it; and he has no power against Christmas here and now, nor all God is up to in its midst!

If nothing else, Christmas 2020 has surely proven what Christmas has always been about: "Joy to the world!" Our ageless Savior wins, and our age-old enemy loses!

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/christmas-2020-animals-found-in-trees.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/3.htm; and
ttps://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/2.htm.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!

12/21/2020

It is commonly asserted that life imitates art. What is more, this apparently happens more often than we realize. And I may have just experienced an example of it while out walking this morning. Not once, but twice.

Let me begin by saying that those of you who read my blog regularly will perhaps remember that in an earlier post, dated 10/28/2020 and titled GOOD AND EVIL, I talked about my love for Alfred Hitchcock movies, and specifically for his movie titled The Birds.

In that movie, of course, an enormous number of bird species inexplicably converge upon the northern California hamlet of Bodega Bay, where they proceed to wreak havoc on the local inhabitants. So, to get to the point, as I was out walking earlier today, I suddenly found myself surrounded by a similarly massive flock of birds.

I first became aware of their presence by the sheer volume of sound they were producing. What had begun as a slight drumming noise grew quickly into a cacophony of squeaking, squawking, and chirping that all but drowned out any other noise.
Looking up, I soon realized that the limbs and branches above me were full as far as I could see (about a hundred yards in every direction). I do not know if they were blackbirds, purple martins, or some other species; but it was fairly obvious that they were migrating en masse, and had just then chosen to alight and rest in the trees all up and down the stretch of road I was traversing.

As I slowly made my way forward, I could not help but recall certain eerie portions of Hitchcock’s The Birds, especially the scene where Tippy Hedren and numerous children slowly begin to navigate a menacing flock of birds in an attempt to escape their beleaguered school house. With every step they take, the birds become more and more aggressive, until an outright onslaught ensues! With each passing step, I had visions of just such an impending attack!

Thankfully, after several agonizing minutes, I finally passed underneath and beyond the majority of them without attack. As I ever-so-slowly emerged from underneath the threatening assemblage above me, the clamor slowly began to abate. It was only then, however, that I began to hear another ominous sound - a new noise akin to dripping, splatting, or even plopping.

No sooner had I realized what I was hearing than I felt the droppings hitting my shoulders. A quick glance at the pavement to my right and left confirmed my fears! That’s right! You guessed it. I was being pelted with bird poop from a hundred or more avian dispensaries located directly overhead!

It was then that I had my epiphany. I was not living out a scene from The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock. Instead, I was living out a scene from another movie: High Anxiety by Mel Brooks! If you are familiar with this latter work, you will know that it is a hilarious parody film in which the scene in question has a man running from a flock of menacing birds (an obvious play on Hitchcock’s The Birds), only to be overrun by them, and to be bombarded with an avalanche of bird droppings from above!

As I made my way home, I reflected on what all had just happened. I concluded that what I had undergone was a good paradigm for life in general, and for the choice life so often presents us with in particular.

To begin with, I had been privileged to experience an amazing sight. The flock of birds I encountered was truly a miracle of nature. It was a rare and spectacular phenomenon. And yet, ironically, I was about to miss the significance of all of this because I was focused on another, less fortunate and ultimately far less significant component of life.

After all, once home, I quickly showered and ran my clothes though the washing machine and dryer. When I did, the singular unfortunate component of this whole experience was done and gone. But I will forever remember the remarkable privilege of happening upon such an enormous conglomeration of migrating birds, in all their splendor and magnificence.

Fast forward nine hours… Along with untold billions of people on this planet, I stood with my family just after dark tonight observing the so-called Christmas Star of 2020. We are told that it has been some 800 years since the precise conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn gave the appearance in the night sky at Christmas time that a super star was present.

How ironic is it that this is occurring on the winter solstice in this of all years?!

For here, as we are emerging from 2020, when the world has now effectively dumped upon all of us a most terrible and odious expression of misfortune, the Lord has chosen to remind us of His power and presence by allowing us to experience so grand and majestic a miracle as the unheard of gathering of heavenly spheres above us!

And do these heavenly entities not sing of His glory and majesty as they assemble?!

As they do, do they not also challenge us to look beyond the “crap” of this world (which is, quite frankly, to be expected), and to focus instead upon the marvelous, miraculous, creative, and redemptive power of Almighty God? A power that is on display not only in nature among the birds of the air and the orbs of the skies that He created, but also on display in the supernatural display of angels singing and a Savior being born that He ordained?!

No, my friends, do not make the terrible mistake of missing the great miracle of Christmas this year! Do not do this by focusing on the awful inundation of misfortune we have all experienced at the expense of the great blessing we have all received! For when the Heavens sing, they do so, not by accident, but by design! And as they do, they sing of God’s glory, God’s purpose, and above all, God’s love!

SOURCES:

THE BIRDS MOVIE ATTACK SCENE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsP_f6TAKtk.

HIGH ANXIETY MOVIE ATTACK SCENE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scgO8Vfh1qU.

MAKE CHRISTMAS FUN AGAIN!

12/18/2020

A couple of years ago, a member of the church where I was serving as Pastor made a comment to me at the annual Christmas Eve service that I have not soon forgotten. As we are about the same age, he too had experienced the birth of his first grandchild a couple of years earlier. His simple statement was: “You know, Pastor, now that we have grandkids, Christmas sure is fun once again, ain’t it?!”

At the time, all I could do was smile and say was “Amen!” Now, with six grandchildren and a seventh on the way, that blessing has only been magnified many times over! And so has the fun associated with Christmas! My wife and I have had the best time this year gathering up presents for our friends and family, and especially for our grandchildren.

I have to admit that it has not always been this way. As is likely the case for so many, for me, as a child, Christmas was a magical time! At the time, I knew nothing of the stresses, the costs, or the hassles of Christmas. Such is the privilege of childhood. Nor did I know the loneliness and depression many people feel at this time of the year.

But as I aged, of course, I was destined to learn all of these things. One simply cannot mature into adulthood without having to learn to bear responsibility, replete with all its accompanying concerns. Nor can one serve as a Pastor without seeing the consequences of having to bear such responsibility manifested in the lives of others.

Now that I am have transitioned from a Pastoral ministry to a writing ministry, I am no longer privy to so many of the cares and concerns of others. But I do still have to deal with these things in my own life. However, as of late, I have reached the point where I have decided to try not to let the cares of this world impact my joy at Christmas as much as they once presumed to do.

In short, I have committed to do my best to make Christmas fun again! After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Did not the angel tell the shepherds that first Christmas (in Luke, chapter 2, verse 10) that he had come to bring them “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”?

I find it interesting that no sooner had the angel shared this than he was joined by a whole host of heavenly beings praising God! Clearly, therefore, the angels were rejoicing because they had been used of God to bring joy into the lives of others at Christmas.

I too have found the best way to experience joy and happiness at Christmas is to make certain that others find some level of joy and happiness through me!

So, do you find yourself wishing for a little more joy this Christmas season? Have the pressures of life robbed you of your own joyfulness? In other words, would you like to see Christmas be fun again? Then, why not find ways to make it so for others? You might just discover that giving to others not only brings them more enjoyment this Christmas season, but you as well!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/2.htm.

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