A Week of Terror 2015 as the Christmas Season approaches

 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,^* the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’

 

As the Christmas season approaches (as seen in all the stores) I am drawn to this passage in Luke 2. On Christmas Eve sitting at the table full of wonderful food Dad would open the Bible and read from Luke 2. His soft voice would bring a sense of awe and wonder about this incredible story. When he would read the angel message it was then Christmas had come to our table and our home. Such good memories of Christmas were made in those moments.

As I recall these Christmas memories the TV news shows are full of reports of men and women striking terror in France. Their goal is to carry a message of bad news. It is a message of fear and terror in dark hours of a French evening.

The angels out side of Bethlehem struck terror too in hearts of the shepherds. The angel’s message was one of good news of great joy for all people. A Savior has come to wage the final battle for all people against the forces of evil. Jesus would wage a heavenly battle that would result in victory over sin, death and the power of the devil. 

Ironically it seems as this Christmas season approaches evil has become the focus of many people and nations. But was that not God’s intention when the Babe was born? The Babe would be the Savior. He would save all humanity from the hands of the evil one. The cost would be great. Suffering and death would be the price tag place on Jesus for us. This is good news when all I deserve is to be crushed by my sin sick life.   

God in His infinite mercy has sent Good News not bad. Great Joy and Peace will be our Christmas gift. Fear not. Joy and Peace in the world we live in today will be ours even if our world goes amuck. Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the Living God reigns now and forever! Trusting the Message of the Angels will be our peace and joy of 2015.

Veteran's Day 2015

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  John 15:12-13 NRSV

To all those vets who served over the many years we say thank you. Whether on the front line or supporting those who are/were there we owe a great debt of gratitude. Our faith journeys and lives are secure to be lived out due to the efforts of the many.

A commercial on TV asks us to put on a "green light" out side our homes to honor and remember all who served. We have a green light out front and every night it reminds me to pray for all who serve. Giving thanks for the gift they are giving us each hour of the day. Some may not see tomorrow. Sacrifice is a reality of daily life in the field.

Jesus was willing to lay His life down for all people. We are recipients of that gift of grace each day as we lay our lives at His feet. Being willing to lay our lives down for others in Jesus' name is our call from Jesus in John 15 each day. The Cross is His "green light reminder" for all who love and serve Him is His Name.

Do we have a Cross in our homes, offices or lives as a reminder of His sacrifice for us?

TODAY IS MY 7TH BIRTHDAY!

On October 13th 2008 at 9 am I received my stem cell transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. October 13th was my grandfather Ted's birthday. By God's grace alone I have celebrated 7 birthdays since the transplant. 

In 2009 the lymphoma recurred. It was a slow progressing lymphoma that my hematology oncologist at Mayo referred to as a "slow burner". Every follow up afterwards, my pet scan and blood work indicated that the lymphoma was progressing. Each visit there were more nodes involved and an increase in the Mantle cell lymphoma blood marker. 

In September of 2013 I had a routine follow up at Mayo as another pet scan and routine blood work was scheduled. At our physician's consult later that day my doctor asked me what I had done. My pet scan and blood work showed no evidence of any disease. "What changes did you make? he asked. You presented yourself into my care in April 2008 with a stage 4 highly aggressive Mantle cell lymphoma and today there is no evidence of any disease. Have you done anything differently since you last follow up?" "No" was my response. "Then go home. You don't have to return. There is no reason for me to see you again. You will not die from Mantle cell lymphoma. Enjoy life. This could have a 25 year tail."

After digesting what he had just told Lois and me, the only answer I could give him was that "God had healed me". There was no other explanation. Hundreds if not thousands of prayers for healing had been lifted up on my behalf by family, friends, myself and many people who I've never met. For some reason that only God knows, I had been spared this deadly lymphoma. By all indications I should not be alive today.

Today,
I bear witness to Jesus' healing power with every breath I take. Praising and thanking Him for seven years of life that I have had the privilege of living. Seeing my love ones each day knowing that I have only the day that God gives me by His grace alone. Every morning as I wake I thank God for one more day to serve Him as he wishes. Each day is a new gift that I will never take for granted. He rescued me from the "valley of the shadow of death" for His purpose, not mine. My prayer continues that I will be faithful to serve and love Him as I serve and love others in His name. 

Some fear the number 13. But 7 and 13 are "blessed" numbers in my life today as I live by His gracious mercy each day.

September 11th 2015 Remembering...The Promise is...

On a day of infamy in a world which seems so out of control it is good to hear THE PROMISE we have from God the Father/Son/Holy Spirit. This promise will never fail us. He IS in control of all time and eternity.

Psalm 121New King James Version (NKJV)

God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

A Song of Ascents.

121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
⁸ The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Who me? 7.16.2015

Stella the puppy giving me the "Who Me?" look...

For some reason the wicker furniture has become her focus this week. She likes to sit on a chair next to me until I move. At that point she claims my chair as her's. She believes she is training me instead of the opposite. Hard not to love that look of puppy eyes.

The evidence points to only one individual...

Welcome Stella....one of God's Special Creatures 06.16.2015

Stella is 10 weeks old. 

Joined our family last week. The house has "life" again and other stuff too!

May 28th 2015 "Good Words To Start Any Day"

DAILY INSPIRATIONThursday, May 28th, 2015
*****************************************
Anyway...
*****************************************People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. 
~Mother Teresa~******************************************It is never about how others perceive you, or whether or not they are treating you in a manner that you feel is deserved. The true test of honor, integrity and peace is in doing that which is right, treating others with respect and dignity, and maintaining a sense of peace and joy throughout, without any expectation of how or when those things may be returned to you. Your reward lies simply in the fact that external forces can no longer dictate or control how you feel about yourself, the positive attitude and kindness that you extend to others, or your own sense of peace and joy...which stems entirely from your connection and relationship with your heavenly Father. When that truth is realized, you will be forever set free.               *******************************************
Out of my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free and in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
~Psalm 118:5-6 (Amp)~~

And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
~Jesus / John 8:32 (Amp)~
But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred, Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you]...But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these]...Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over...
~Jesus / Luke 6:27,28,35,36,38~
*******************************************© Copyright 2013-2015 by Guiding Light Ministries International.  All rights reserved.

Easter Sunday April 5th 2015 Lindsay's Birthday

Easter Sunday 2015   ( Lindsay would have been 38 today)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1Peter 1:3

What a "great birthday present" for one who trusted in Jesus' death and resurrection. 
What more can one say on Easter Sunday.  Thanks be to God for the great promise of 1Peter 1:3 that Lindsay is enjoying for all eternity. We too will see her again because of this promise of the Resurrection of Jesus. 
Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. 
He is Risen! 
He is Risen Indeed!

March 16th 2015 Sad Day for our family

Tori and Lucy waiting at the door at the lake

Tori and Lucy were best friends for many years. Tori left us in 2012. Monday night Lucy's time to leave us arrived. She was 12 and brought many blessings into our lives during some very difficult years after the death of her owner Lindsay in 2003. Thank you Lucy for all your love you shared with us all.

January 1st 2015 Happy New Year!

2014 is in the books and 2015 has fully arrived. 

Wonder what the new year will bring? 

Likely it will be an adventure for all of us. Our journeys will carry us to many events that will unfold before us. Apprehension has a way of creeping into the journey and spoiling the day. Missing the present for fear of the future is a possibility. Regretting the past can dim the joy of the moments we are given now.

Gratitude can be the balm of healing we need as we enter 2015.
Gratitude for one more day or one more moment of one more year is freeing.

Free to give thanks for what will unfold this year. 

It may not be what we desire or it may be more than we ever expected. 

No matter one can be grateful. 

It seems counter intuitive. Is it possible to be grateful when bad things happen to us or our loved ones.

Job's faithfulness in the midst of horrible losses leads me to be grateful. 

Grateful for God's mercy and grace poured out through Jesus.
Grateful for God's never ending faithfulness to His promise to forgive my unfaithfulness and doubt.
Grateful for God's promise to be there always no matter what circumstance may come.
Grateful for a Living Hope that brings peace and joy in all circumstances.

Peter writes,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..."

My resolve is to be grateful for 2014 and 2015. 

Each day and each moment is a gift 

to share and enjoy with those near us. 

May you have blessed New Year!

My journey toward healing continues into its 7th year and I am grateful. Thanks be to God.