Ponder This Before The New Year...

What if

the Hokey Pokey

really is what

it's all about?

Do you recognize

someone you know?

..................................

..............................

I HOPE NOT ! !

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick...

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future....

Only days and minutes left, if you have any unfinished 2006 business you should probably not sleep until you get it done. All of you workaholics, compulsive personalities and generally over done people take a deep breath, I'm only kidding.

I'm not sure who all is reading this right now, but I know this about humans, we can be one of our best allies or worst enemies at any given time. You may be thinking about your losses this year or maybe celebrating your successes. If success has been your treat, then you're probably going to read this and just move on. If this has not been your banner year, maybe it's been more than you thought you could handle. then I want you to be encouraged, no matter how little you may have, God uses the little things in life to mold us or take us to victory (God's style of victory, the heart.)

I was reading my devotion today and it really made me think, as we comtemplate our last few days of 2006 and our "plans" for 2007 are in the works, think about how God has used men and women throughout time in circumstances that others overlooked. Listen to the words of Max Lucado from his devotion "Grace For The Moment II"...

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10 NLT

Against a towering giant, a brook pebble seems futile. But God used it to topple Goliath. Compared to the tithes of the wealthy, a widow's coins seem puny. But Jesus used them to inspire...
Moses had a staff.
David had a sling.
Samson had a jawbone.
Rahaab had a string.
Mary had some ointment.
Dorcas had a needle.

All were used by God. What do you have?

God inhabits the tiny seed, empowers the tiny seed.... Don't discount the smallness of your deeds.

This year coming may be your turning place and beleive me, as a man who understands the meaning of small (short is my preferred term), turn your trust to Him, give him your little and see what He wants to do with it.

God Bless...

Twas The Days After Christmas...

Twas the days after Christmas and all through the mall,
Not a nice person was seen only grouches and all,
The prices were down to the correct profit level,
While the CEO's cried because their bonus was bow weeviled,
The salespeople were huddled all snug with their drawers all counted,
With vision of returns,receiptss and shift endings in their heads mounted,
The store managers had practiced all of their speeches,
Knowing customers would soon bleed them like leaches,
Then much to my amazement in the corner was a rustling dad,
Holding mother hitting another because the last small had been had,
When security moved in and began to do their job,
All you could hear was "call for reinforcements Bob",
One body two bodies flew through the air,
Yelling "hey that's mine, that's not fair"
When all had been tried and their efforts had failed,
The police to the scene did the security guards hail,
This story would be funny had it not been so true
Because as you read it, you realize it could be you!
Think if you may that this rhyme is not funny,
But notice you read it and thought...

What does Bill do in his time off?

Merry Days After Christmas, hope your shopping has not be too hazardousus to your health (or wallet)

Merry Christmas !!

I'm Guilty...

I've got to admit it, I'm guilty! It was hard to keep from wanting to do it, and when I did, there was a thrill and chill at the same time. Thrilling was the sight and chilling was the threat. There before my eyes I beheld the very thing I wished for but because I knew it was too early, it was off limits. My heart raced, I wanted to touch it, but my heart sank so I didn't. At 4:30 A.M. I dare not awake the giant, no matter how excited I was about the sight.

Have you ever done something and knew it was wrong? Dumb question isn't it. We have all found ourselves in compromising situations. some more than others, but all across the line. It's the nature of the beast, one desire after another, some fairly safe, but some, well I don't have to tell you, you're probably thinking of it right now.

What does a sin, a star and and a cross have in common. YOU and ME. Behold, each of them are about us... The first was before we were born but put on us at our birth, the second is his birth which was because of his love for us, the third our chance for a second birth. Because we are guilty he had to come and do what no animal sacrifice could do.

I saw this on the front of one of the Christmas cards I received at my office... He came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay. Can't think of a better Christmas summary than that, can you?

By the way, it was a GI Joe headquarters, it was 4:30 AM (as best as my 45 year old brain can remember) and we were not allowed to get up that early on Christmas morning. I imagine it was so my parents could recuperate from sneaking into our bedrooms a couple dozen times through half the night to tell us that if we didn't get to sleep Santa Claus would not come (Yes, I believed in Santa, don't write me about this, you'll only scar me more and those who know me will hunt you down for having to live with me more messed up than I am now). Then came the time their little scheme came together and they sat out the toys for us. It was such a wonderful surprise. So instead of taking a chance on the great present I saw, I did as any good little boy : ) does. Fake sleep for another couple of hours till the parents are at the "waking" point and then yell like a crazed idiot, which is what I wanted to do at 4:30. Now you know why my parents kept me locked in the basement (just teasing, don't freak out on me now, we're almost done).

Hey, what are you wishing for this Christmas? I thought that might be it... Can I tell you something? I hope you get it too! Can I ask you to help me have a Merry Christmas? Take a few moments and contemplate what life would be like if Jesus had not come. Then think about how he did, leaving all heaven behind him, why, so you could have the best present in the world... His forgiveness and a reservation in the best resort ever built. Do me a favor, take a moment and accept the best Christmas present ever, eternal life, it's free for the asking and if you sense God calling to your heart, then unwrap it!

If you're guilty like I am (don't kid yourself, you are), then you need a good present...

Here's hoping you have the gift or are now opening it...

Tell me if you do...

I'll Be Home For Christmas...

There are no gifts with his name under the Christmas tree. No one has asked him what special food he would like for Christmas dinner. He will not have to drive anywhere for the holiday, he has no place to go. Despite their desire, he will not spend any time with family, they have mixed feelings about that. He's where he needs to be and yet he seems so far away. As he pauses, he thinks he can hear the voice of his wife and children but the activity around him drowns that out. He is not sad, despite all the things that are missing during this celebration of the young kings arrival.

This Christmas his life is filled in a way that it has never been before. He now knows more about the babe in a manger than he ever knew and boy has it excited his heart. Wise men may be telling him their story. Joseph, Mary and the babe share the thoughts and feelings they had that lone cold night away from the home they knew. They also share the peace they had inspite of all the trouble.

I can't help but wonder, what is he thinking right now? My heart goes out to him, but not in pity but in celebration. Imagine working all your life and seeing the final result, knowing that in some special way all of it worked out the way it was supposed to. I would love to see his face, the smile and satisfaction I imagine there warms my heart.

The Christ child now rules his life, no more guesswork. There is no stable or dusty roads. Only gold streets. The savior he knew is the Lord he worships. No gazing through the glass darkly and all makes sense. In some ways I envy him. In others I know our reunion will come, don't rush it, God has his time.

Dad, it's your first Christmas in heaven and I am so glad you're having a great time, in the next few days I'll think of you often, but only with warmth. Through tears I see more plainly that heaven has more gifts than the ones we could give you here. I miss you but wouldn't call you back, not for a million dollars.

You're truly home for Christmas. I'll be there soon for a lifetime here slips quickly from the top of the hour glass into the base of our last breaths. Thanks Lord for giving me a Christmas to look forward to.

Merry Christmas Dad! I know those words don't touch the wonderful time you're having this year...

Check The Calendar...

Sometimes an argument can solve itself, the following is a good example...

The next time someone complains about saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, ask them to hand you a newspaper. Tell them to check the date at the top of the page and ask them... "how did they come up with that date?" The answer is obvious, it was Merry CHRISTmas long before anyone tried to get rid of the reason for the season by calling it Happy Holidays.

Need some help? Today is December 11, 2006 A.D. Here is what the Wikipedia says about these two letters... Anno Domini (Latin: "In the year of (Our) Lord"), abbreviated as AD, defines an epoch based on the traditionally-reckoned year of the conception or birth of Jesus of Nazareth. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.D.) Although not adopted till 525 A.D. or popularized in Western Europe until the eighth century, the reason it was adopted has to do with the influence of Christ upon the world. Look at the other end of our calendar, B.C., what do you suppose that stands for? BEFORE CHRIST. We measure backwards and forwards from this man's life.

It's interesting, we don't say 1400 A.M., After Mohammed or because he lived 1400 or so years ago. There is no other person in history that we use to date our newspapers and calendars. Now I know that some of you more educated objectors may say that C.E. or B.C.E. But that does not change the fact that historians, even non Christian, record the life of Christ and the effect he had on their societies.

Even science, until recently, dated their erroneous ages for the earth and it's occupants in terms of B.C., I.E. Extinct volcano's are listed in how many years B.C. since their last eruption.

I know that some people will never stop arguing this side of eternity, but it's because they have chosen to be blind, and all this because of a little child in a manger that came to "save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21).

Make sure you're in touch with the gift of Christmas, if not, e-mail me, call a friend who is a Christian or go to a local church. Get your curiosity satisfied.

Hey, only 14 days till Christmas, guys, only 12 more days until you have to start shopping...

Rambling with eyes on the babe in a stable, which stabilizes my life regardless of how crazy it seems to get..


.

Hand Me Your VW...

All of us boys in the neighborhood knew that we could do it. It took a little effort but it was an obtainable feat, just a little muscle and up it would go. What? you may ask... The VW Bug of my best friends father. When he first got it, we talked about "someday". I was about 9 or 10. I remember going to baseball practice in the back seat of that Bug, it was so much fun leaning back and looking through the curved back glass. The "storage" space just behind the seat was noisy, after all the "power" was just beyond the back wall.

But as I grew up (a relative term for a teenager, who by all means of reason is not "grown up") the challenge began. "Grab bumper and pull!" With a little rocking up and down on the front bumper and up on the curb went the front tire. But one thing was certain, lift the rear and you'll need some help. Get a gang of us and we could pick it up and set the whole car on the front lawn.

Life can be like that. Sometimes we can just grab the bumper and up the tire goes, even with a little effort the results are within our grasp, then other times we need some assistance. This is what Paul wrote about in Galatians 6... "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." (Galatians 6:2-5 NKJV)

The word "burden" in verse 5 has in mind a day pack, maybe like a back pack, something that you could carry on your own. It's clear that Paul says to be willing to carry your load in life and not pass it off to others. In Verse 2 "burden" is much different. This term brings to mind the idea of going down under the load.

Samuel Plimsoll understood this principle. In 1876, his introduction of a measuring system that would keep a boat from peril in the varied water conditions that it would tread. Thus the addition of what is known as the "Plimsoll Line" painted on the side of a ship. Each line stands for a particular type of water and weather condition. You see, if the boat sets too high in the water it will not be able to traverse the water without tipping. (listen to this part of the passage earlier... "For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself" or this one... Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12) If it's overloaded, then it will, obviously, sink! (think about this, what greater weight than living without hope... Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12 ) What is interesting is that a boat needs a load to keep from capsizing, but it how much of a load it can stand is measured by the "Plimsoll Line." It's like that with us, no responsibility or load in our life and we're really no good, you see we were created for work.

Now, next time you are near a harbor your will see lines much like the ones in the picture below (minus the red explanations) and then you can impress your friends with all this historical and nautical trivia.

So you may ask, what does that have to do with me... Some times you are traveling in calm waters and then a storm brews and the load you have seems to be taking you under, don't be afraid to ask for help. Other times, while your craft is sailing smoothly, others may be signaling "Mayday". Be ready to help them get their "boat" back to the correct level. Then they can traverse the circumstances God has allowed in their life without losing heart.

So, know someone with a burden, grab a bumper! Got a burden, find someone willing to say... "Hand Me Your VW!"

Rambling from the back seat, looking through the curved glass...