I sit here at breakfast....

I am sitting in a local restaurant having breakfast...

As I sit, I realize that this day is much like the days of old.  People are coming and going, doing business and saying hi.  Food is being eaten and bills are being paid.  A wave here and a place to be in a few minutes.  Nothing much different than 2,000 years ago.

Another realization came to mind.  It is the reason I started typing this post.  about 2,000 years ago today, Jesus is about to arrive.  The census is underway and everyone is headed to their home town to make sure the Roman government has their tax books in line.  But while all the hubbub is going on, a baby is born.  Not just any baby, but a baby that would mark history and make it different.  Better.

And so, here I sit, watching what many would call "life".  And it is not much different, maybe much the same.  People all around are talking about Christmas, yet it's not Christmas they are really talking about.  It's gifts, dinners, parties and shopping.  They are not trying to miss the message, it's just so easy to pass it over in the hustle and bustle.

A few tables from me sit a group of older men.  Curse words and coarse joking fill the air around them, and in the middle of their morning fellowship comes this phrase, "Merry Christmas".

I  hope, more than anything, that those men understand what they've said.  "Merry", happy, what a wonderful blessing to speak to someone.  "Christmas", not just a season, but a celebration.  Man's greatest need is met by God's greatest gift.

We really aren't any different, it's all around us and we look over it. 

Lord, please forgive us and for a moment, allow the Spirit of Christmas, the child born to die, to clearly come into focus so we will know the wonder of your grace this holiday.  Amen.

One of the best Christmas song ever....

This is one of my all time favorite Christmas song, and this has to be one of the best versions of it...  Enjoy!

You're History....

An open letter…

I can’t help but think about certain things this time of year.

Things like turkey, presents and family.  There are many thoughts that pass through my three and a half pound nerve center as the air becomes cold and the colors of the leaves change dramatically.

One thought is “why celebrate?”  I am not attempting to be negative or critical, only wishing to stop for a moment and apply reason to a sentimental time of year.  I do not see this as counterproductive but, instead, valuable to enriching the experience of these wonderful holidays.

Why do we celebrate these holidays this time of year?  I think for most, it is a tradition.  It has meaning in the gathering of those we love and the giving of part of ourselves.  I’m not sure how many of us can actually relate to this.  But there is not one of us who do not see the great traditions of this time of year as enjoyable or meaningful.  Which takes me back to the question, “why celebrate?” I mean, really, why does this time of year have meaning?

A few of you are already jumping to the answer.  Please give me a few more minutes and I hope we arrive at the same destination. 

As with most of our holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas are steeped in historic meaning.  They are not just a date on the calendar.  As a matter of fact, although we set aside a date to commemorate them, the date may not be the same as the original event.  It need not be for the celebration to have meaning.  A day is a day.  But, when that day is steeped in a momentous event, it becomes significant.  Which takes me back to the original question, “why celebrate?” Just why does this time of year have significance?

It’s simple.  Because of history.  Without the history behind the holiday there would not be a holiday.  In elementary school I was taught that the pilgrims arrived in the new land we now call the United States.  To celebrate that pivotal moment, they had a feast.  We now call it Thanksgiving that turkey filled holiday we celebrated just a few weeks back.

It is the same for Christmas, except this is where it gets tricky.  For some reason we have tried to denounce and undermine the idea that Christmas is about “Christ”, in spite of the name.  It is not some holiday made up by a fat guy with a bunch of elves making toys in a subzero climate on the far ends of our planet.  Why is it so hard to just say it?  To say it doesn’t mean you hold to everything that has to do with the historic background of the event.  Have some courage; admit it is about a child in a manger.  His arrival is the reason for the celebration.  Let’s say it out loud.  No Christ, no Christmas.  Again, you don’t have to agree with the historical purpose of the person to admit their life actually existed. 

Christmas is a holiday based around the birth of a child whose life was so significant that we have celebrated it ever since.  Don’t like the idea?  Well let me suggest it may be because of the miscommunication of some of the Christ Child’s followers.  Don’t let them get in your way.  Since it is a reality, and Christmas is about this historic event, take some time this holiday to ask yourself the question “what do you think of Christmas?”  Or even return to my initial thought, “why celebrate?”  Keep from falling back on answers that deny the Christ Child.  Try to take time and understand that the entire idea behind gift giving and cheer is due to the greatest gift, Jesus Christ.

Oh and by the way, this is only the first holiday that celebrates the babe in a manger.  The other is in the spring and focuses on that same child, about thirty-three years later, on a cross that stood atop a hill. 

Before my final words, let me take away a concern some of my friends have had but I have no fuss over, I don’t freak out over Santa or the Easter Bunny.  They may be add ons others worry about, but again, without the history, no need for add ons.

Let’s finish where we started.  “Why celebrate?”.  This letter is my open invitation: come closer.  Discover the historic reason for the holidays.  He may just change your answer.  He may just change your life.

Another story with a moral... A chuckle.... Or somethiing....

Often times in life we find ourselves in places we thought were the place we should be.

Other times we end up in a situation that seems much like the worst place  we 've ever been.

If we're not careful we will misread the places life takes us, listen to this little story to see what I mean....

There was a little bird who was sure that just once he could stand the cold and stay up north one year.  All of his friends tried to talk him out of it but no doing.  He was sure.  He was staying...

Off in the distance his friends said their goodbyes and so the new experience began.  The days ahead were not to bad, some cool, some warm.  But before the little bird knew the winds of change came and the cold winds began to blow.

Realizing his mistake the little bird began to make his way south, he opened his wings and off he went.

As the little bird was flying south for the winter the sky began to fill with cold air, sleet and snow. Before he knew it the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field.  He lay there thinking to himself, "you know I should have listed to my friends.  They are in a warmer place and doing well and here I am, freezing to death here in this field.

While he was lying there bemoaning his situation, a cow came by and dropped a plop on the little bird. As the frozen bird lay there in the plop, it began to realize how warm it was. The plop was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, "I am not going to die after all", he said to himself and soon began to sing for joy.

Just about that time a passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the plop, and promptly dug him out and ate him!

There are some simple thoughts from this little story...

First, There are things in life that look like they are the best decisions you can make, but they aren't always the best.

Second, Friends can be right or wrong, time will tell.

Third, Not everyone who drops a plop on you is your enemy.

Fourth, Not everyone who gets you out of plop is your friend.

Last and certainly not least, And sometimes when you’re in a plop, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

Till next time...

And you thought your day was bad...

This story was one from a number of years back, I have used it in many settings but no matter where I have told it, people all look at me, some laugh, some just squirm as each line is shared...

But at the end, the crowd gets the message...

Dear Sir: "I am writing in response to your request for additional information in Block 3 of the accident report form. I put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You asked for a fuller explanation and I trust the following details will be sufficient.

I was alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I found that I had some bricks left over which, when weighed later, were found to be slightly more than 500 lbs. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which was attached to the side of the building on the sixth floor.

Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it.Then I went down and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the bricks. You will note in Block 11 of the accident report form, that I weigh 135 lbs. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel, which was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed. This explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken collarbone, as listed in section 3 of the accident report form.

Slowed down slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers on my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of beginning to experience a great deal of pain. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, that barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight.

As you can imagine, I began a rapid descent, down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and several lacerations of my legs and lower body.

Here my luck began to change slightly.

The encounter with the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.

I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain unable to move, I again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope and I lay there watching the empty barrel beginning its journey back down onto me.

This explains the two broken legs I hope this answers your questions.

One of many... Will Share Some...

I really enjoy learning and telling stories when I speak or teach, they help you drive a point home with some wit or humor...

Here is one of my favorites, I heard another speaker use it and decided to look it up and have used in many of my leadership presentations since...

I hope you enjoy it, and maybe you can comment as to what the moral of the story is...

That is, when you get finished laughing...

Ants and golfer…

Once there was a golfer whose drive landed on an anthill. Rather than move the ball, he decided to hit it where it lay.

 

He gave a mighty swing.

 

Clouds of dirt and sand and ants exploded from the spot, killing thousands of ants… there sat the golf ball in the same spot. 

 

So he lined up and tried another shot. Clouds of dirt and sand and ants went flying again, killing thousands more ants...

 

The golf ball didn't even wiggle. 

 

There were two ants who survived. 

 

One dazed ant said to the other, "Whoa! What are we going to do?"

 

Wait for it... C'mon... Wait....

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

The other ant said: "If  we’re going to survive we better get on the ball."

 

Go ahead, laugh...

 

Till next time, and another story...

Snipits of grace... The letter "E"

This may be the last letter but it's the first thing that Grace is about...

Let's see...

E = Essence of God himself...

Peter, a man who understood Grace, writes... The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

 

His heart breaks to see us come home. To understand this you must look at where he shows up with Grace.

 

In the garden, it was Grace that kept Adam and Eve from eating of the tree of life, if they had, we'd live eternally in the decay of sin.

 

It was Grace that Noah found when the world was so bent against the things of God.

 

It was Grace that Moses received when he bowed his head to the ground and asked for it in spite of being part of a "stiff-necked" group of insolents.

 

It's this Grace Paul said we were saved by, He and Silas recommended it for the lives of those they taught, not just to receive it for their salvation but to pass it along to the brethren.

 

It was Grace Paul appealed to when a repentant brother came home after immoral relations with his fathers wife.

 

It was Grace, in it's truest form, that kept Jesus on task all the way to the cross, and then all the way back home to complete the job so His father could call us home.

 

It is the very fragrance of God, take a whiff, smell that aroma of praise, forgiveness and holiness, that's Grace!!

What's your response to God's Grace?

 

Examine and act accordingly.

 

Maybe you need to remove a burden your heart has carried.

 

Maybe you need it to clean a sin that has robbed you of sleep and sanity.

 

Or maybe you need it to remind you of your responsibility to pass it along when you have been a recipient.

 

Look and act accordingly.

Rambling in the wonderful richness of some old hymns... Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

 

Then there's my all time favorite, it was sung acapella by the Cathedral Quartet years ago... Wonderful Grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin; How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free; O the Wonderful Grace of Jesus reaches me!

Here is Ernie Haas' group in tribute to the Cathedrals...

 

 

 

Snipits of grace... The letter "C"

What about C that is not in the middle? 

It is in the right place in this  storyline and this journey of grace.

No horsing around here, just a purposeful work.

C = Corralling those who thought they didn't need it...

Inside a church many years ago, full of verses and laws, sat a group of men who were waiting for a man.

 

This man would not be just any man, but he would be from God. Sacred words were deeply stored in their hearts...
 

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is

given; And the government will be upon

His shoulder. And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the

increase of His government and peace there

will be no end, Upon the throne of David

and over His kingdom, To order it and

establish it with judgment and justice From

that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

Isaiah 9:6-7

 

Only one problem. They had gotten so wrapped up in the least important parts that when he showed up, they saw him as an enemy.

 

He tried to get them to see, but they were blinded by their own importance. When confronted about their pompous attitudes they grew angry instead of apologetic.

 

Oh they're not the only ones to miss the mark even if they felt there was no need to measure their life.

 

One young lawyer proclaimed he had kept all the commandments, only to walk away when asked to give of what he had held back so he would help the poor.

 

Another ambitious young Jewish man wanted to know who is neighbor was only to be laid bare after Jesus used a Samaritan dog to compare his compassion to.

 

There may be some of you reading this today, you have been "good". I just have one question, "how good is good enough?"

 

Grace, that's the only good enough, realize this and it will make your load much lighter.

 

Grace is the only answer to your need to bring your pride, sin, emptiness, hurt, forgiveness or ???? under control.  To corral the ungodlike behavior.

 

It's grace, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Want to be corralled? Sounds constricting, but it's freedom!

 

Till next time...

Snipits of grace... The letter "A"

Two down and three to go, and yet this one is the most AMAZING...

The letter "A"...

No, not amazing grace.

A = Accepting those who others had written off ...

That is one of the most amazing things, God truly accepts us where we are, understanding that our own attempts at good are nothing but dirty cloth.

So, who would I be referring to?

Where to start?

Could it be with the little lady caught in her featherbed by the guys who were trying to cause Jesus heartburn?

And what about that Maniac, you know the one everyone ran from until they could chain him up for his safety and theirs?

A stinky grave where others warned the deceased was rank?

How about a short guy (no jokes here please) known for having a heavy calculator, "one for you, one for me, two for you and one, two for me, three for you, and one, two, three for me" well you get the picture.

Gotta wonder who talked when they heard about his little excursion at the well, how could he choose to go through Samaria anyhow.

The tax collector and the smelly fishermen.

Shouldn't a king be a little more discerning? He was!!

When accused in public for healing the sick by forgiving their sin, when talked about by men of lesser character for his acquaintances, He calmly replied... , "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31).

He went to those who others thought were less worthy. I know this little guy who had buck teeth and slobbered on himself from time to time, boy did his friends think it was funny. He accepted him inside a little church in Pontiac Michigan one Sunday.

Do you fit this category?

Others forgot, yet He remembers.

Others say you're not all you should be and he says by Grace I'll make you like Me.

Others see no value, He sees his creation.

Written off?

No way... He said this to his followers... "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. " (John 6:37 NASB)

He wrote your story, and he wants you to trust him with the rest of it. (and now you know who really knows the rest of the story, eat your heart out Paul Harvey)

Till next time...

Snipits of Grace... The letter "R"

In our last visit we looked at grace from the point of view of giving. 

Grace is giving.  That covers the first aspect of grace, the "G" of grace.

Now let's visit the "R"...

R = Running to places no one else would ever go...

Have you seen some of the places Jesus shows up...

 

How about a wedding?

 

What about by a well?

 

What about to a church where everyone was suspect?

 

On a ship in a storm, of course he came by water (literally, he even walked on it).

 

What about Gadara that was a great stop!

 

And then there's that little stop in Bethany, boy did he get an ear full over that one.

 

One stop the deceiver tried his luck but just like all the other places Jesus went, He shined. Shined in the dark and in the light, in the rain and in the sun.

 

He was the same in church as he was sitting at the marriage table with a couple celebrating.

 

Every place, Grace.

 

Why? I like Max Lucado's take, "Because he loved people."

 

It's why he went where he went and why the next letter says so much.

 

It's why he showed up in a little church in Pontiac Michigan one day.

 

It's may seem amazing to you, he may have visited a place you were in one day, do you remember?

 

Grace, from the perspective of the "R", and in our next encounter, we'll see grace as it it most known...

 

Till next time...

Check out this song with a similar message...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3dPOKG_6fk

 

Snipits of Grace, what's in a letter... "G"

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:18

It's hard to express Grace. Some have used acronyms to suggest it's meaning, God's Riches At Christ's Expense is one of the most commonly used.
 
But what is grace?
 
Before you get your "religious" answer out and say God's unmerited (or some use unearned) favor, rest your Sunday School lessons and give your tired brain a break.
 
No acronym or one sentence phrase can truly describe it.
 
As a matter of fact, when I felt led to write about it, it's because of my experience of Grace, not my education.

I am a recipient of Grace.
 
I am blessed to not only know of the Grace of God from the Savior, but from those who I love and whom love me. It's great to have that. I have fallen short a few times (a few more than I am willing to share openly with all, but take my word for it, some know)
 
My question do you know Grace?
 
Since I have been given Grace by God and those who understand it's power as believers, It is my prayer, that in some limited way, you will understand Grace.

That you would comprehend GRACE in a little more depth through these next five posts

Let me share, using as many an acrostic, my thoughts on Grace.

They may not be complete, but then I don't think I will understand what complete Grace is until I experience the life after this one in the presence of life's greatest Grace giver.

Let's look at G R A C E...

Today let's start with the letter G

 

G = Giving more than anyone else ever thought of giving...

When you think of how much was given to us as humans, you will see that God's grace is a giving grace.

 

When I got up this morning, I was able to see, grace. when I got up this morning I was able to breath. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner today, most of us did. but those are small graces, some of which not all can enjoy.

 

But the largest of graces, God's Son. He was at the right hand side of the Father and he chose, yes chose (see Philippians 2:3-8) to leave it for you and I.

Add skin and he was stuck in the human condition so he could face the things we face and understand them on our level (Hebrews 4:14-16)

 

Then as if it was not enough, he allowed, yes allowed others to accuse, beat, batter, gossip, spit, pluck hair from his body and then allowed himself to be crucified as a common criminal.

 

Life, totally sacrificed.

 

And for only one reason.

For God so loved the world that he.... GAVE...

Grace is giving, and you may wonder who he GAVE for...

 

Look in the mirror and you'll know.

 

Rambling on about G R A C E...

 

Till next time...