Morphed Traditions

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season, no matter what your tradition may be. Like much of the nation here in America, we had lots of snow and freezing weather. Today it is raining and the snow is quickly melting. I kind of liked the snow, at least to look at. Wherever you are, be safe, be encouraged, and be purposeful.

Reading through some of my friend's blogs, I had to take a few moments and reflect how life has changed in our traditions over the past few years. With family spread over the nation, and one in the military the family traditions have made their way into a morphed rendition of old and new, families merging and becoming their own. After all, isn't that what life is about? Becoming transformed through challenges and sandpaper relationships?!

For me, the Christmas season is not a couple of weeks. Choosing rather to do the unexpected all year for friends and family, sending or giving of gifts for no special reason other than loving the person and wanting to do something special. I used to cook and make treats, putting them on don't return party trays and delivering them. Christmas has become what Jesus intended, a lifestyle.

Yes, there are special songs and special treats, church programs and remembrances but as Dickens says at the end of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge became a man of his word, and he celebrated all year long. [paraphrase]

So as we approach 2009 and we begin to think about this year that is quickly passing, expectations forming for the new year, let us think of a lifestyle that reflects the traditions of our heritage--YOU do make a difference to somebody!

Remember: Everything starts with one word and/or one step, point yours in the direction of success!

Until next time,

Wet and Dry

This is indeed a beautiful day to know the Lord, to worship and adore Him, and to soak in His glory--the River. My personal Bible study has been in the Book of Joshua. When the children of Israel came to the Jordan River it was when the river was swollen to over flowing with bountiful water. The priests were sent into the water. Obedience to the Lord's command through Joshua brought a miracle--the water stopped flowing, the land became dry and the people were able to walk across for the second time in their history--on dry ground.

The thought occurred to me as I was teaching this that sometimes we think the dry ground we are walking on is a wilderness, when in fact it just might be God holding back the challenges and oppositions to your success so that you too can walk across the situation on dry ground. The key is for us to keep our focus on the Lord, on our purpose in the kingdom, and walking by faith and not by sight.

The next thing we should remember is that when we say we believe and submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior--don't look back to the old man--that old life style and things that we have given up except if you are witnessing to somebody about where the Lord has brought you. Hallelujah!

In Joshua 24:21-24,27 it states "Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord Our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. ... And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us" it shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us. It shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."

The Word of God declares that if we do not glorify and worship the Lord, the rocks will cry out in our place. Take a moment and give God all the praise and worship you have in you--let Him know that you will cry out to Him and refuse to give your place to a rock. And remember whether you are on dry ground or in the River--you are safe in the arms of the Lord your God.