The 21st century is a wonderful place in which to live! Anything is possible, even you, reading me! You are a wondrful creation of My Maker. He did everything that He could to make you the most perfect individal that you could possibly be!
Tonight I have stretched my fingers across the length and breadth of this world. Calls are still awaiting overseas, but that is not the why of me writing. I address you as an individual who has every choice available.......Embrace Christ as your Savior.....Do not hesitate...tonight is the night,,,,God loves you! Always has, and alway will and desires that you enter into an eternal relationship with Him. Talk to me cltl@brookings.net. In Christ's Love, Preacher. 

Couldn't Resist

 
This is one of those "out my office door" shots. I just had to give it a whirl to see how the pictures might look. There is no breeze to speak of and the gentle snowflakes are beautiful as they drift groundwards. It's about a quarter to two in the am real time. God bless, Preacher. 

Blessed Be The Tie!

Life is filled with choices. Weather predictions have gotten a tad bit gloomy the past few days, so this morning I thought I had better pay attention when the rain began to fall. Hours passed with nothing but a very gentle rain combined with increasingly cold temps. The situation was serious, two of my daughter's have Chevy Blazers, one of the Blazers has no working transmission(recently quit on the interstate). Logic dictated that I use the good one to get the other to where help might be sought. I had no idea how many inches of snow were going to come later, but I've been out here on the Great American Desert long enough to know that if we didn't get the job done today it might be spring before another opportunity presented itself. 1 pm was the launch time for the project. The farm yard where we picked up the disabled vehicle was so slippery with ice and rain that the simple task of lining the two up for a tow job was severely hampered. Normally a couple of us would push the one out to where the chain could be attached and then off we would go. Not so today! The rain on top of the ice made the surface of the yard so slick it was laughable. When you push forward you slide backward. Finally we got the show on the road(I do mean "show" quite literally)with a distance of about 4 miles to cover to the feedmill\propane dealer\transmission fix-it shop. That's how things are out here, no specialty places, just sort of what ever came to mind that somebody could do and a space to do it in. All in all it took us until 3:30 to call the task "Done!" Tonight while the snow was still falling I removed the first 4-5 inches of heavy wet stuff(don't believe anyone who mentions "light" snow on the weather channel - when you're shoveling snow it is all heavy)with much more to do in the morning. God provided the perfect day to challenge our unique blend of abilities and gifts to get many tasks accomplished. It is most wonderful to know that God has already been preparing us and the tools and materials needed for the challenges of life before we knew they existed. The Bible tells me exactly that! I am thankful tonight for the 15 yr old grandson who gave up going to the one o'clock movie to watch the 4 year old grand daughter while the work was under way far from the house. It seemed like at every turn of the day's events we had exactly what we needed, except, of course, patience, which I ran out of early on. It was interesting to me that at times like this I fall into the patterns of learned behavior that I aquired on the farm long before I was my grandson's age. You look at what has to be done, work at the best pace the weather permits, and git 'er done! I learned that from my maternal grandfather. I give thanks for the years when I was blessed to aquire knowledge that helps me to surmount the difficulties of life. The best information I ever learned, though, had to do with how we "pray" our way through the worst and the best that life has to offer. Tonight I will sleep like a baby. Before I can slip off to slumber, though, I have to sit down and talk with God about how life goes sometimes. Mind you, I won't be complaining, just wondering out loud. Mostly I'll be giving thanks for the opportunity to be of service in some way, no matter how small, in the lives of others. It would be a poor existence, indeed, to not have folks we can offer assistance to when needed, and foks who do the same for us. Thanks be to God! Funny thing about God's provision, no matter where I've been or how hard I've worked at it I still haven't found a shovel that really "fits" me. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Helpful Hint #63

Organization is not easy for anyone. For me it seems that there are some things that refuse to be gathered together and kept. Therefore, I have attempted to resolve one of my personal issues with the light bulb dilemma encountered in the past. Those little boxes tend to be awkward for me and forever I am grabbing the wrong wattage for the application. This quick and easy solution came while I was disposing of Christmas trash and replacing bulbs in our dining room. It's one of those things with me that I have approached from a lot of directions with little success. Sort of like trying to talk faith to some folks who really don't want to hear it even though it might be exactly what they need in their lives. One might say, "The light came on for me today!" in a most interesting way. This is not everyone's answer for how to store bulbs, but it is currently my newest. Keeping them up high in a cabinet doesn't work because invariably I either drop them or can't find the right one. This way the entire array can rest in a drawer and when opened they're just there. Cool(at least it is for me)! When I go about talking to folks about where they are in relation to God it is not like trying to change them immediately, although that sometimes happens. It's more like finding the right amount of light that is needed so that they can see the truth. Every time I start thinking about one difficulty it seems that I come up with solutions for other problems while wrestling the original. This was fun! Time will tell if it works, but at the present I don't see why it won't. If only it were this simple with people. Getting the eggs out without breaking any was easy. Cutting the bottoms out of the holes was messy, but accomplished quickly. Even inserting the bulbs was a snap. Perhaps God has a purpose in revealing this plan to me. I don't suppose I'll know for awhile. I look forward to something burning out somewhere in the house so that I can put the "idea" to a practical test. With folks my prayer is that they receive the light they long for before I do the burning out. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Effects of Changes

This morning I walked out to my car to discover that the combination of overnight humidity and temperature had created a work of art across the entire length and breadth of my vehicle. The time was about 7:42 according to the wrist clock. Usually I'm in a hurry to scrape the windows(after starting the engine, of course), but today the patterns on the hood captivated me. The little digital on my belt bag does a quick job for recording a multitude of things, and did not fail me today. Probably all of us have seen these things at one time or another without taking much notice other than to remove the obstacles that impair one's vision while driving. Tonight I reviewed the pics and did different variations of coloring in the 'puter program stuff from Picasa, added text and put them out here. The heat of the engine rapidly dissipated the frost from the hood. The scraper and heaters did the job for the windows, and in the midst of it the images were gone, except for the thoughts that nagged at the back of my mind during my drive to the country. Our lives are altered in one way or another by circumstances beyond our control quite often. We approach those alterations much in the same way I usually handle frost. We get rid of the impediment to our goals as quickly as possible. Automatically we run through our intentionally formed habits of eradication without observing what it is we are changing. Quite often I speak about how I "need" to listen better to what God is telling me instead of pushing onward with my agenda. This morning I considered the beauty of a natural occurrence and it made me think that I miss out on a lot of neat stuff because of my plans and the "time" I hesitate to lose when confronted with change. Tonight I wonder, "Does God bring about change in me that I fail to recognize simply because I'm trying to get on with my own agenda?" Out here on the Great American Desert the weather changes things drastically, often. Doesn't matter what time of year it is! Everywhere God is busy changing people. Doesn't make any difference where we are at in our life's journey. Are there times when I simply "brush off" the changes and get on with my "stuff?" The answer is yes! The question is, "Are there times I need to really look at the changes before getting on with my program?" Again, the answer is a resounding, "Yup!" I'm going to have to take a little more time looking around at what's happening and see what I'm missing. Makes me think, ya know? In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Seasoning The Reasoning!

Interesting thoughts accompany the winding up of this Christmastide. I've been blessed to cover some 15 states(and at least as many HD shops)the past couple of months. Some of you that read me from time to time know that I write about the ministry that accompanies my steely steeds and I when we travel the highways and byways of our nation during the weather that is permissive. I've got a cousin that works as a regional rep for the company, and many friends whose livelihood is derived directly from their expertise with Harleys. Then there are those with whom I share the simple freedoms and fellowship of the open road, and the 100s that work in motorcycle ministry year around! This year I made a point of visiting shops all over the US when time permitted. Our government has managed to squelch the "faith based" roots of our country in many ways, but private enterprise where persons of the christian persuasion work at jobs they love is not one of them. Now, it has occurred to me to begin methodically surveying the members of the HOG(Harley Owners Group)locally(about 600 in our area)to find out where there allegiance is to be found in direct proportion to God & Country. No need to do that. I already know the answer! By and large the HOG membership is christian to the core, with non flag-waving members amounting to less than half of a total percent worldwide. Now, this is only an opinion, but when you take into account the popularity of the machine and it's "legend" and place that alongside sentiments that seem to grow against the US in other countries it would seem that we have common ground that stands alone against public outcry. I would venture to say the HD emblem is as loved in France as their president(maybe more so)! What do we learn from this? God uses the tools that are provided in every situation to keep alive the essence of truth that the Holy Bible presents to all mankind. Some modern day authors and graphic arts people have gotten together and presented a picture of my Savior on a Harley with the pronouncement that if He were to come today, He'd be riding a Harley rather than walking. I can't, in all honesty, take it that far, but I can add this note of personal experience....out in that real world we live in the people on two wheels that I know are the very type that my Bible refers to often when it teaches character lessons in the form of parables. Parables about people are still being written. I pray we write them on hearts as often as possible. Many thanks go out tonight to the people of faith that own and operate the dealerships across our great nation "under God!" Their lights twinkle brightly, and their greetings mount up tall and proud against the backdrop of a nation that seems to be losing God in the midst of the 21st century. When you see those riders out there this coming season, give them a wave and a smile. The same freedoms that our nation is restricting every day they are seeking to keep alive in every possible way! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Merry Christmas!

 
364 days and we get to do it again! What a rush this year! The music, services, smiles, weather, and most of all the love. Love seemed to abound in every direction for my wife and I. Someone described last night as a set of pictures from a Norman Rockwell presentation. We ended the Eve of this year's celebration of my Savior's birth singing caroles around a fire in the woods. That began around 11:30 and wound to a conclusion around 1 in the am. A choir of voices(nearly a dozen at times)sang as we smiled at one another. Guitars strummed gently and we tuned our voices to the "prum" of the "Little Drummer Boy" to conclude the evening. Many tears were shared along with more laughter than we deserve. Some of us took time to give thanks, proclaiming loudly God's handiwork in all of creation. Others slipped away to make calls to distant friends and family to greet them and let them know what they had missed. I am worn, a bit overtired and overfed, and a little weary, but I would not have missed a single moment of this Christmas for any reason that comes to mind. During the course of this Christmas there were a few youngsters that learned that there really is no Santa Claus other than the one which we provide for one another. I'm sure that was at first disheartening. Greater truths were revealed, though. The ones of which knowledge and understanding become keys by which the hearts of all can be turned in the direction of Bethlehem and the greatest revelation to ever become part of mankind's history. This year I didn't tell the story as I have in years past, I listened. Sometimes it is good to listen to how others tell the story. How simple it is, and yet how totally, and absolutely overpowering. The plan by which you and I, everyone, has the opportunity to receive Christ into their heart and gain forever the greatest gift of all, salvation. I bear witness to that salvation tonight as viewed through the eyes of persons from 2 years of age to 100 plus years and counting. This was a "perfect" Christmas. And to all a good night. In Christ's Love, Preacher. 

Christmas Spirit

Each of us goes about the business of seeking the "Christmas Spirit" in a variety of ways. During the Advent season I usually spend Friday afternoons playing piano at nursing facilities. I don't do that out of the goodness of my heart! The motivation
is strictly one of selfishness. Nursing homes beat everwhere else on the planet when it comes to marketing joy. We left our prairie home to roam southward on the Great American Desert. Central City, Nebraska was our goal, in particular the nursing facility there that tends to the needs of alzheimers patients in one wing,and the infirm of any age throughout the rest of the home. My wife and I don't get down to visit dad often enough, but it does seem like every occasion is one for celebration.
This occasion was my bride's birthday. We had the most wonderful time with the people there, and in the midst of it we found the Spirit of God moving greatly in the lives of many. Tuesday evening we had a family choir to present hymns and caroles. Wednesday throughout lunch prep time we played and sang with residents. The true "Spirit" of the season is getting harder to locate as we near the 25th. Not so in Nebraska this week, however. I can't remember the last time that my fingers danced across a piano more joyfully than they did yesterday. That's where my selfishness comes into play. There is a part of me that wants to give, but the larger part of my nature is hungry for the gift of pleasure which only these circumstances can provide. There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the twinkle of delight in the eyes of a 94 year old lady tied into her wheelchair as she sings the songs of her childhood with others. The memories unfold so beautifully. There is laughter and tears, joy and sadness all in one room filled with hearts that remember more than the mind can recall. I love what these people give to me! It is right up there with the love that God has given all of us in the gift of His Son, the Christ Child. There is never quite enough time available for these moments, and the schedules don't always allow for time to preach God's Word as I would like, but it is shared in other ways, and that is another of God's gifts. When it comes to getting older we are all trodding the same path. There is only one alternative to becoming elderly. I pray this day that throughout Christmas and the whole year through we can each find it in our hearts to make the lives of others more joyful when an opportunity presents itself. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Adjusting Attitudes.

Considering the season we are in the midst of, it is totally understandable that some folks are beginning to wear down. Too much to do, not enough time, and money is tight, as always. The hat I shot for tonight is the one I wear throughout the Christmas Tide Celebrations, and as an everyday headgear. When questioned as to the reason I wear it I can only find one answer. It makes me happy and other folks smile more when I've got it on. No, I don't wear it when I'm preaching, but sometimes slip back into it immediately after. The "bugs" are seemingly endless during this most "grace-filled" event of the year. Long lines are beginning to wear on nerves, and traffic is showing signs of meltdown in urban areas. Out here on the Great American Desert we are so happy to see someone else on the road we usually wave as we pass. Sound like fun? It is! 'Tis the season, or so the song implies, and out here on the frozen tundra it is a good time of the year to enjoy the warmth of fellowship in a host of ways. Wherever you are, though, the feelings can be the same if you develope a little "hattitude." I know, it may be far easier to be grumpy, sneezy, or grouchy(perhaps a little on the order of Scrooge)than it is to be joyful. Keep in your heart the reason for the season! Start each day with a prayer that it will be happier than the last, and seek first the things that are of God which we celebrate throughout the year, but especially during Christmas. Our world is literally filled with, what was it Dr. Zeuss called them, "Grinches." Let us not be one of them. With a song in our hearts and a car full of treasures we are off to visit family 5 hours south for the next few days. Merriment, I pray, will be the watch word of the day. How does that go, now...."Dashing through the snow.....God bless, Preacher.

The Virtual Picture Of This Morning's Weather

 
The picture below was a warmer time on the Great American Desert! 

Fourth Sunday In Advent - 2005

 
Today was cold! Cheryl was off to work early with plans to take PTO for the service. I finally got the chance to do a solo prep with my grand daughter, Kyra, and we were on schedule until I lost my glasses. I didn't know at the time I was getting ready to leave that attendance would be way down today as a result of the weather. I went out to start the car at 9:15 only to discover the temp was reading negative four in the car(she does not prefer to be unplugged if the thermometer dips below zero). It took three tries before finally firing up on all six cylinders. Everything was on schedule, again, and Kyra waited patiently while I searched high and low for my glasses(without them I am a threat to everyone and everything when behind the wheel)with no good fortune. Finally, tired of waiting and watching as I went back and forth over all of the places I had been in the house Kyra said, "Why don't you just wear these(she was referring to my sunglasses which are prescription), the sun is bright outside?" And that is exactly what I did, there are times when the wisdom of a child far exceeds that of their elders! I didn't count the number in the sanctuary when we began(couldn't really see much at all), but there were faces that even from the pulpit I thought I recognized. Relatives of mine had come to hear me preach. I was actually shocked at them being there. They are both unchurched folk, and from the conversations we've shared since they returned to the Great American Desert, I had assumed(you know what that can mean)that they didn't go to services. Maybe they have never quite felt welcome in the congregations around here, but today they were a wonderful vision to behold! It never ceases to amaze me how God can be so busy about His business and leave me completely uninformed. I suppose that has to do with the amount of time I spend actively listening to what He is saying. I try, but, like most folks, even the preacher has a tough time with paying attention all the time. I give thanks tonight for the many blessings that accompanied the lighting of this year's forth Advent candle. More than we sometimes realize God has been busy planning our days and hours and minutes since before we were knit together in our mother's wombs. That is a direct reference to the words of the prophet Isaiah! He was right! God knows our needs better than we know them ourselves. Christmas is a time of giving and receiving. If you have not received Christ as your personal Savior as yet, maybe this is the time for you to enter into that moment of comittment that transcends the world. It's sort of like making it to the next level when you're doing video games(this is putting it so lightly I may get struck by lightning). You've wanted to get there, and when you finally do, you realize how easy it was and how good it is! Unconditional love is a wonderful experience in which to share! Wherever you are in your spiritual walk God will meet you there and make the rest of life's journey with you. In Christ's Love, Preacher. 

Brrrrrr! It Will Be A Chilly Sunday.

Can't stay long tonight, gotta finish sermon prep before midnight so I can get some sleep! I really wanted to share with everyone all of the interesting things that my grand daughter and I accomplished today, but then I realized, they wouldn't be nearly as exciting for you to read about as they were for me to be in the process of sharing. The sermon has been pared down from 45 minutes to 30 minutes, give or take a couple of illustrations. I try to be sensitive to the folks in the pews as much as is possible. This is the final wind up for next Sunday's "big one!" Truthfully speaking, I know that everyone has heard the message at least once, my assignment is to refresh their memory. I pray that your Sunday is a wonderful time of sharing in the lighting of the next Advent candle and singing familiar Christmas hymns. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Classics Are Never Out Of Style

Last night's singing put me in mind of many things. Number one on my memory's hit parade was the wonder of love that God has shared with us in the birth of my Savior! Next came the music and the many forms it has taken throughout the centuries. As a result of the mental musings I was drawn to classical endeavors today. Bach and Pachelbel, a little Mozart and a few other less known names crossed the rack on the grand piano. Finally at midnight the inspiration that I was seeking came. That inspiration will be this Sunday's prelude at 1st Baptist in Brookings, SD. This is a big one for me! Not only do I get to share in the service through the music, but I get to preach as well. God's Word at Christmas! How cool can one person's life get! My fingers have become a little sore from the excercise they've been getting the last few hours, but not so much so as to preclude me tapping out a message to you from the Great American Desert. We have snow, for sure, but right now it is of the friendly kind. Don't ask about the type that isn't! Friends are winging their way to Colorado on a brief road trip. We keep them in our prayers. Other firends are hitting the fields tomorrow in search of the elusive ringneck pheseant for which South Dakota is well known. I would love to be on the road trip, or out hunting, or off to some distant(large city)to shop. Alas, that is not in the plans for the weekend. I will, however, be spending the entire weekend with my grand daughter, my wife, and the occasional passerby. Life is good as we cross the "ten days 'til Christmas" line here in our humble hovel. I pray you are busy about the task of enjoying the season. We drove through some of the decorated areas of our town tonight. Kyra was amazed by the lights and the homes done in festive attire. I promised her an evening walk downtown to view more lights, and tomorrow night may be the perfect time for just such an outing. There is so much to be excited about during this season of celebration. So much so that oftimes the true meaning becomes blurred. Not so much where we are as it is in some places. My most fervent prayers this year are that our country would begin to turn once again to God for guidance in all things. Even though we have been busy about the business of getting God out of most places in our nation it is good to know that there is one place that it is safe to keep Him, your heart. Keep your spirits uplifted and rejoice fully in this most blessed holiday. Christ lives in our hearts and God is reigning on high. All is right with the world! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Faith In Music!

 
I'm an evangelist. I do a lot of stuff, but first and foremost I seek to serve the Lord in every way possible. Tonight we had a gathering for a young lady's graduation. Following the fun, food, and fellowship time together(about 20 of us with the youngest at 2 and the eldest at 60+)we sang Christmas songs of every genre. Laughing through many childhood favorites, and sharing the story of our Savior's birth in hymns that are very familiar. This particular group was one of our "all unchurched" people. We'll host groups like this many times throughout the season, not to attempt to get them through the doors, but as a way of sharing faith in a different way than we do on Sunday mornings. Amidst the singing this young heart was touched in a very real manner. She took the lyric sheets home with her, and I've got a hunch we'll be seeing her entire family in church next Sunday. Christmas is an opportunity to share God's love and make it come alive for people where they are in their life's walk. We had a wonderful time! The cleanup is done for the evening, and another day awaits to share God's grace. Sometimes the best sermons are found right in our seasonal songs of faith. In Christ's Love, Preacher. 

Dang, what do I give this year?

This is the real beginning of another week. There are only 12 days left 'til Christmas morning is upon us once again. Whoosh! what a busy time to be getting things together. We knew it was coming! Back in July we were busy enjoying summer and having as much fun as time would allow. Now, here it is again, that time of the year when we are expected to remember others as well as we did back then. Here is a hint that may make your holiday shopping easier...give a gift(no matter how large or how small, the best gift has already been given!), that you would like to receive, and you are going to hit a homer!) In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Whatcha Got!

Time is an amazing thing! It waits for no person, and yet it has the ability to pass either far too quickly or slower than we could have ever imagined. Many folks who have visited our home get the impression that I am concerned with time because of all the clocks I keep. What they don't know is that my fascination is not with time, per se, it is with the various mechanisms that have been created to keep track of it. Yes, I do have a sundial! Yes, I love watches(I've got about fifty of them)and rarely wear one! When I was much younger serving a church as music director and youth pastor I had a senior pastor who was about the age I am now, an old guy! When he would step into the pulpit on Sunday morning he had a habit of taking off his wristwatch and setting it at the very top of the pulpit next to his glass of water. After about six months of working with him and observing this action from the director's postion with the choir I asked him about it. His reply was so funny I have never shared it, nor would I until his passing. His eyes were a lot like my own. After he removed the watch and set it down it was virtually invisible to him. Like many others I first thought that he set it there to keep track of the time he spent preaching so that none of the ladies would get fidgety about burning a Sunday chicken. When I finally mustered the courage to ask him about the removal of the watch and the "time" he spent so carefully placing it down he replied, "That's to put the folks out front at ease so that they don't have to look at their own watches. Have you any idea how infuriating it is to have folks looking at their watches after you've been preaching 15 or 20 minutes? There you are trying to help them to improve the quality of the time they have on this earth, here and now, and they're worried about me running late! It's like a "popcorn parade" out there if everyone(1st service was about 200, 2nd close to 300)is checking their watches at different times! I'm trying to share with them the Word of God for their lives right now, today, and they're worried that I'm going to take too much of their time! What they don't know is that time is all they have, right now, every moment, every second, to understand the good news that God has sent to them. No, that watch isn't for me, I can't see it anyway, that watch is for them, to help them settle in and relax a little." I can see him now in my mind's eye seated in his leather chair behind the walnut desk with a big smile on his face. Lord, I loved that man dearly. He taught me much in the time that we shared. He was right, you know, all we have is the time that we are given, and we need to be able to do the best that we can with it. I pray for his family this Christams, and the time that they still have together. I also pray for their reunion, which will come, in time! And in case you ever wonder, I've got the time to pray for you and yours, too! It is God that has given me that time, and I do my best to give it back as best I can. Merry Christmas!!! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

A Dozen Roses All In A Vase

Christmas will touch our hearts this year as it does every year with opportunities to go beyond thinking of ourselves and consider the needs of others. My life was totally blessed yesterday with the gift of one dozen roses. They were unexpected and certainly undeserved. The young lady who gave me the lovely flowers made sure it was okay with my wife before buying them for me(she is one of the singers that shares the stage with me from time to time). What can I say? I really love getting flowers! I'm sure it was alright with her hubby, too, he is one of the best Guys I know. They are off to Jamaica for a weeks holiday before the Christmas crunch. I offered to go with them and play piano, but they didn't think they would be needing a piano player. Alas, I am stuck here on the Great American Desert in the snow and cold while they are winging their way to a sun & fun filled holiday. No, I am not being jealous! Quite the contrary, I'm thrilled that they can be there with one another(they've only been married two years). Thanks so much for the roses, though, they are a reminder to me that people care. That's the big thing about gifts, ya know, the caring. No matter what the gift is, someone cared enough to give it. That's where the gift of our Savior enters in. God so loved each and every one of us that He gave His only Son that we might attain to the greatest gift of all, eternal life in Christ. Pretty cool when you think about it! And it isn't a gift just given to a few, it's given to everyone who believes and receives Christ as their personal Savior. I'll get some ties again this year, and some socks for sure, but the roses, even though they last but a short time(I had to divide them into two vases 'cause it was way crowded for them in just one)will have given me a memory that brings about a smile. I like to smile! As you go about your Christmas business that is the one gift you can give everyone you meet, a smile. The returns are wonderful! If you want to get yourself something special this year consider the gift of salvation that you can have for free. Now there is a gift that will keep on giving eternally. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Flowers of Friendship

I thought the Christmas tree made a nice backdrop for the roses. I know, it's all a matter of one's taste, but for me these will mean far more than many of the tangible gifts I receive this year. God bless, Preacher.

A Glimpse Of Glory

Sunlight crept slowly above the horizon as I sat sipping my morning coffee, Irish Creme, my personal favorite. I took note of the increasing light and with it came an astonishing surprise! Nature had clothed our world in a fresh, dazzling coat of frost. I observed in fascination the tree limbs coming alive as the morning mists dissipated. Suddenly I realized that I was losing the moment! I threw on a coat and headed toward the patio door with camera in hand. Stepping out I was greeted by chill, frosty air. Limbs that I had not finished cutting down were alive with a brilliance with which a million diamonds could not compete! I clicked the shutter over and over as the light glimmered and danced across the trees. Beautifully wrapped in ice crystals the limbs, both the ones that should have been cut away this past fall, and the ones that are vibrantly alive were glistening together. It seemed for a short time as though no outstretched vestige of folliage was immune to the encrusting beauty. So it is in our lives, no person is beyond the reach of the transforming love of God to be found in the gift of His Son. Not even ancient dead wood such as myself is able to resist that love once the heart has been touched. December 7th was transformed by nature's hoary breath into a sparkling celebration of God's perfect plan for our lives. I realized in an instant that the worthless dead limbs I had neglected to cut away were totally transformed. The ice knew no distinction between living and dead, only immersion. This brings me to tonight's thought. No life is so totally without value, so distraught, that it can't be transformed by our Creator through faith in His Son. Many of us are as utterly entangled in one another's lives as the overhanging branches of these trees, and yet God has chosen us in all of our stages of growth to offer the gift of being made "white as new fallen snow!" I pray your life has an opportunity to be recreated by the transforming and renewing grace of our Lord. In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Clothed In Light

We know that when He returns to us that there will be a judgement of the living and the dead. God bless, Preacher.

Perfect Timing!

This is a two part blog because I could only upload 5 pictures on the first run through which is below. These were too good to leave out. God bless, Preacher.