Posted on November 29, 2008 at 6:32am.
My grandson is fascinated by the movie Polar Express. One of the characters is a young boy who is having a hard time believing in Santa Claus. The result is he cannot hear the Christmas Bell when it rings. It is only when he believes that he hears the wonderful sounds of the bell. We watched it for the 120th time (actually I have lost count how many times we have seen it) on Thanksgiving. I so enjoy sitting with him and watching his imagination at work. Beyond that though I thought about believing and what God calls us to as it relates to Jesus. For many people believing in Jesus is about as hard as believing in Santa. It is only when you do believe that you begin to hear the sounds of sins forgiven and the joy of relationship. One day my grandson will come to understand there is no Santa and one day my prayer is he will believe in Jesus and hear the sound of heaven rejoicing. I hope you believe.
Posted on November 27, 2008 at 8:38am.
I know that I can be a creature of habit and holidays are times when those habits (traditions) tend to surface. For years we have used our family gathering on Thanksgiving to ask the question -“What are you thankful for.” We have done it for as long as I can remember, in fact one of my son-in-laws will often jokingly say at all family gatherings: “Are we going to say what we are thankful for?” The truth is I do have a lot to be thankful for and I hope that I am willing and ready to express it today and everyday. I hope today is a day to reflect on what you are thankful for and why not share that with someone else.
Posted on November 26, 2008 at 10:07am.
Many of us lost a dear friend this week with the passing of Bobbie Humphries. Bobbie was a special lady and touched many lives in her own way. There are a couple of things I will particularly miss. One was that whenever she was at church I would look down the front row, where I sit and I could count on Bobbie being there. She would smile at me and I would let here know that I would fill in the community folder for her. I will also miss her many emails that she would send with the usual phrase “I thought you might enjoy this.” My life is richer for having known her and I am so grateful for the 10 years God gave her to CaC.
Posted on November 22, 2008 at 8:34am.
I am looking out my study window at a cloudless Carolina blue sky with the sun shinning and the temperature a balmy 30 degrees. My mind went to David’s expression in Psalm 19 -
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skys proclaim the works of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Powerful words of the daily display of an awesome God. However it is the end of the Psalm that got my attention, because it is the end of the Psalm where David makes the awesomeness and wonder of God personal. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” To let my life reflect this awesomeness of God by seeking to walk in step with him. Lord, that is my desire.
Posted on November 21, 2008 at 8:37am.
The 23rd Psalm is one of the best known portions of the Bible. It contains words that have brought comfort and help to so many lives. One phrase in particular that recently grabbed my heart is this one - “He restores my soul.” When I think of God’s leading and protection in this Psalm it is as I pass through the valley of death’s shadow or in the presence of enemies but it is also in the phrase He restores my soul. His protection is over past failures in my life. Restoration has in it the promise of forgiveness and cleansing. God is in the business of redeeming situations and lives that we would give up on. Maybe today is a day to seek his restoration.
