Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

On Monday, 12/21, I will be going back to Springdale to spend the holidays with Merilyn. We are going to get to have nearly two weeks together because of the kindness of my elders in Ennis. Adam is coming on the 23rd for a week. Of course, Sarah and Blake live in Springdale. Right now it looks like we are going to get to see nearly all of our family in Arkansas as well as having Adam home for Christmas. We are really looking forward to it!

Even though there have been struggles and difficulties throughout the year--and I am sure there will continue to be some in 2010!--God has been good to us and I am sure that He will continue to be good to us in 2010! We have a great family, great friends, great fellow Christians in the church family, we get to live in a great country, and all of our needs have been provided by the grace of God. There are always abundant blessings for which to be thankful, especially the spiritual blessings and promises of God.

This may be the last blog I do for 2009. If so, I wanted to be sure to give everyone my best wishes for the holiday season. Thanks for reading and be sure to come back after the first of the year!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

Perspective changer

Yesterday I had one of those experiences that make you stop to think about your life and help you to realize how good you have it. You might call it a perspective changer. One of the elders, Bob, the farm operator, came by my office just to say hello and visit a minute. I asked what he was doing since it is a bit unusual to see him in town...an 8,000 acre farm tends to keep him fairly busy. He said he was going around to visit widows and shut-ins and take them some new crop pecans. He had been out to one of the nursing homes to see our 98 year old lady member who recently went to the home for follow up care after a stay in the hospital. When I mentioned that I was planning to go out to see her, he asked me if I had ever heard of a man named Michael D. I had not. Bob said he was a member of the church from Bardwell and asked that I stop to see him when I went to the nursing home. Upon arrival at the home, I went to our lady's room. She was asleep so I did not disturb her. Then I went to find Mike. I found him lying in his bed, awake, just looking at the ceiling. My guess is that Mike is in his early to mid-50's. Bob had explained to me that Mike had a severe stroke several years ago, leaving him totally incapacitated. But his mind is still good and he is able to speak and to communicate with no apparent difficulty. He is a congenial fellow and I enjoyed a nice visit with him. He talked some about his stroke, which came upon him with no warning at all, and how it has left him in the state he is. Before I left we had a prayer together and he kind of choked up as he thanked me for coming to see him. As I was visiting with him and after I left, I could not help thinking about how it would be to be in his life situation. It made me stop and thank God that I have the ability to get up and walk and use the other motor skills of my body normally. Once again--as happens from time to time throughout the course of life--here is an experience that helps me to stop and be thankful for the multitude of blessings that I have rather than bemoaning my life situation and wishing that things were different.
All of us have struggles and difficulties as we go through our lives. It seems to be part of our human nature that we tend to focus on the negatives and allow them to dominate our hearts and minds. Instead, deliberately choose to focus on the positives and the blessings that you have. Be grateful to God. Strive to do your best in all that you do with the guidance of faith. Then you will find joy, peace, and contentment. Even in the midst of life's challenges and difficulties, God has blessed you...realize it, be faithful to Him, and be glad. Have a good day!

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

A plus for southern latitudes

There is at least one definite benefit to living in Ennis, Texas. Yesterday afternoon I was able to go out for my exercise after work wearing only shorts and a short sleeve shirt. It was absolutely gorgeous: blue sky, sunshine, very little breeze, 71 degrees...and on December 14! I have to admit that it is not going to stay that way very long. In fact, the temperature this morning is back down to freezing and it is supposed to be colder for the rest of the week, but it was surely nice yesterday. Merilyn tells me the low temperature was to be back down around 20 in northwest Arkansas last night. I suppose there are advantages and disadvantages no matter where you live. The best thing is for us to learn to be like the apostle Paul in the comments he makes as shown below. Have a great day today!

"Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13

Road trip observations

I had the blessing of being able to go back to Springdale this past weekend to meet with my Thursday evening Bible study group(to which I always look forward and enjoy) and to spend some time with Merilyn, Sarah, and the Maltese babies, Chloe and Mollie. I always look forward to seeing my family and enjoy being together, even if it is just a short time. I didn't get to see Blake this time, but Sarah tells me he is doing well. Merilyn and Sarah are doing well. Merilyn seems to have worked through her back pain issue OK. I wish everyone could see those little Maltese dogs and how they act with each other. Chloe, Sarah's baby, is 3 years old and Mollie, Merilyn's baby, is just over 6 months old. When Sarah brings Chloe over for a visit, Mollie is just beside herself with excitement. She constantly picks at Chloe, trying to get her to play. Chloe does play with her quite a bit but Chloe like to stop and rest every once in a while. Mollie doesn't. Many times when we take them outside they will romp and run all over the front yard. Chloe used to be able to catch Mollie when they were running and push her somehow so Mollie would lose her feet and go tumbling through the grass. Chloe can't do that anymore because Mollie is just as fast as she is. It makes Chloe mad. In the house they will have what we call "Doggie Olympics" where they will rip and tear through the house chasing each other. The funniest thing is that they both have figured out where to stop and wait on the other so they can do an ambush. It's great fun to watch them.
Driving back and forth from Ennis to Springdale the past month or so has brought some interesting sights. Back around the first of November, I counted 5 deer that had been hit and killed. A few weeks ago, I count 7 coyotes dead on the freeway. On that same trip, I saw a black bear dead on the side of the road near the Bobby Hopper tunnel on I-540 in northwest Arkansas. On the trip this weekend, I saw what seemed to be dozens of red-tail hawks and other members of the raptor family of birds along the freeways. They are majestic looking as they sit in the trees and other structures on the side of the freeway. Unfortunately, I saw one or two that had swooped down in front of a vehicle and met their demise. It's always interesting to see all the sights while on a cross country drive. By the way, most of the time I see live deer and other animals, too.
We had an excellent day at church yesterday. Attendance and contributions continue to increase, slowly but surely. Everyone seems to have a loving, serving, joyful spirit. In the evening, we had a Christmas fellowship with great food, singing and I read a Christmas poem that one of the ladies requested. It was a wonderful day. I hope yours was good, too.

Although they are too long for me to put the quotations here, I would like to suggest some readings as we approach Christmas. Starting today and for the next week or so, I will give you a passage each day that I write so you can enjoy again the wonderful story of the Son of God coming to Earth to be born as Jesus. The passage for today is Luke 1:1-25. Enjoy the reading and have a great day!

Cold enough for ya?

The nice little Czech lady who cleans the church building was in the office area when I got to work this morning. After greeting one another and talking for a minute, she asked me, "How do you like our cold Texas weather?" I was honest and said, "I don't!" She laughed and said she did not like it either. It's mighty cold for this early in the season; it's not even officially winter yet! The lows in the Dallas area were in the low 20's but I know it was even colder up in the Springdale area. Merilyn told me that the low there was supposed to be around 10 last night...brrrr! At least we are not getting hammered with the heavy snow like the folks in the upper Midwest. I am surely thankful to God for our modern conveniences that enable us to be protected from the harsh extremes of the weather.
This is my weekend to go to Arkansas. I am sure looking forward to seeing family and friends. I'll leave as soon as I get things wrapped up here in the office and get my stuff together at the apartment so I'm going to make this brief today. Have a good weekend. God bless you!

Thinking more about Jesus

This past Sunday I began a 3-part series of sermons using Luke 2:8-14 as the central text. Although I do not believe that Jesus was born on December 25, there is no question that He was born on some day and that it is one of the two most significant events in the history of the world. The other event is His death, burial and resurrection. While people are thinking more about Jesus during this time of year, it seems logical to me to take advantage of that to talk more about His coming to live on Earth as a human being.
The fact of God coming to Earth to become a human being still boggles my mind when I stop to think about it. It seems to me that God could easily have figured out another way to provide for the salvation of mankind. But as John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 tell us, this is the way that God has demonstrated just how great His love is for us. As we move into the month of December, allow me to suggest some passages of Scripture for you to read. Begin with Luke chapters 1 and 2 because this passage tells of the angel Gabriel's visit to Zechariah who became the father of John the Baptist. As far as we know from the Bible, this is the first contact from God to man in over 400 years and began the events leading to the birth of Jesus. Then go to Matthew chapters 1 and 2 for additional information about the birth and other events of the first few years of Jesus' life. These are the only two passages which deal specifically with the things surrounding the birth of Jesus but here are some other passages which give some additional insights: John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:5-11, and Hebrews 1:1-9.
Thinking more about Jesus is a great thing to do at any time of the year. Perhaps that would be a good resolution to consider as we approach 2010: "To think more about Jesus." Take the time to read these passages of Scripture soon so you won't forget about doing it. It will probably take you 20-30 minutes to read the passages I have suggested. You will be blessed by the reading, but even more, your heart and mind will continue to reflect on the wonders of God coming to Earth to save your soul and you will receive greater blessings from that meditation. Enjoy your day!

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1)

Winter already?

I know the calendar does not say so yet, but it is sure feeling like old man winter has descended upon the southland of the U.S. Since last Thursday the high temperatures in the Ennis area have not gotten out of the 40's. One night the low temp was in the mid 20's and most other nights have been around freezing. From what Merilyn tells me, it's been quite a bit colder up in Springdale. Low temps have been in the teens already. Like one of the Dallas weather reporters said a few nights ago, this is the kind of weather that would usually be expected in January or February rather than in early December. It must be global warming, don't you think?
There was some amazing football action over the weekend and Sunday. In between doing my chores on Saturday--I clean up my apartment every two weeks whether it needs it or not--I got to watch parts of several games. The Pitt vs. Cincinnati game was a barn burner! It was almost unbelievable to see how Alabama manhandled Florida. Arizona put a whipping on Southern California. (When our family visited relatives in southern California back in the late 1990's, the husband on one of my cousins took us out sight-seeing. Adam and Sarah wanted to see the UCLA and USC campuses. When we went to USC, he said, "You know what USC stands for, don't you?" According to him it stands for University of Spoiled Children. Back to football.) The Texas vs. Nebraska game was a surprise. I thought Texas would dominate the game but Nebraska's defense nearly shut the Longhorns down. Texas was lucky to escape with the last second win. On the pro side, Indianapolis handled Tennessee without too much trouble, staying undefeated for the season. New Orleans almost got smacked down by the Redskins but they were able to rally for a last minute win, staying undefeated. One commentator said this is the first time in NFL history that two teams are undefeated at this point in the season. I was looking forward to the Minnesota vs. Arizona game last night but it was a little disappointing as Arizona was in control from start to finish. It seemed like Favre and the Vikings just could not get it going like they usually do. I will not charge you any extra this week for the football report.
We had good Bible study and worship times at church yesterday. Attendance is slowly but surely climbing. Our elder who takes care of finances reported that for the past two months we are meeting our weekly budget, which is the first time that has happened in quite a while. The members of the congregation are learning to be optimistic and enthusiastic again, enjoying the great blessings of being children of God and seeking to share that with others. I'm grateful for the opportunity to help in that process through my teaching and preaching.
Even though the weather may be gray and dreary, look up, see the Son, and be encouraged. Have a good day!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Each season...more testimony

We are not having any snow in the Dallas area this morning although it is plenty cold. I suppose it's really not that bad...only around 40 degrees...but the brisk north wind seems to cut right through you and bring the chill right down to your bones. The news and weather report last night showed scenes from El Paso where there was already an accumulation of 2" on the ground and more to come. Fortunately the ground and streets are still warm enough that the freezing precipitation was causing no driving difficulty. As I was watching the video of the snowfall it reminded me of this passage from Job 38:22-29 where God was challenging Job to consider the works of His creation:

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth? Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground put forth grass? Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?

The evidence of the reality of God is around us all the time. It is as the apostle Paul writes for us in Romans 1:20, "Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made." Even if you do not open your Bible every day, be sure to open your eyes every day to see the amazing creation of God that is around us all the time. Your faith can grow and be strengthened...even if it does make you shiver a little bit! Have a great day!

Brrrrr, it's cold!

This morning I found it especially hard to roll out of the bed. After I got up and looked at the thermostat, I understood why. It was 60 degrees in the apartment! During the night I had gotten cold and pulled up all the covers on the bed, which is unusual for me. I was all warm and snuggly in there so it was hard to roll out into the frigid apartment. The problem is that I have not yet learned how to properly set the thermostat. I'm going to have to learn quickly, though, because the weather reporter last night claimed that we could have snow flurries or a wintry mix by tomorrow and the low on Thursday is supposed to be in the upper 20's. But when I was in Arkansas last weekend their weather report was for several days of low temperatures in the lower 20's and I think I remember that the high temperature on Thursday is supposed to be below freezing in northwest Arkansas. All you who live up there be sure to bundle up!
Several folks have asked me recently about my hamstring injury. It is definitely doing better. I missed a couple of exercise sessions when we were traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday. That was probably not such a bad thing to have the extra rest. I got to go out yesterday afternoon to the Lion's Park here in Ennis. It was a beautiful afternoon; a little chilly so I wore my hooded sweat top but I was still able to go in shorts. The hamstring muscle is still just a little bit sore but there is no real pain. I will stick to jogging and fast walking for another 3-4 weeks to make sure it has time to heal properly before I start trying to work back into the sprinting segments. I've got to keep up the sprinting, though. Not long ago, I told the folks here at church about a piece I saw in Ripley's Believe It Or Not. It was about a fellow up north who set a world record for the 100 yard dash...his time was 43 seconds flat...but he was 100 years old! It is my plan to break his record so that's why I've got to keep up the training; it's only 44 years away!
Have a great day today!

A cheerful heart is a good medicine... (Proverbs 17:22)