We have entered the time-span known as “The Holidays” with all the expectations that go with the phrase. When we’re in pain, these next 40+ days are going to be especially difficult as we try to join in the traveling, planning, shopping, caroling, cooking, decorating, and relating to people we may or may not like.The gritting of teeth, the pulling out of hair, and the grin-and-bear-it strategies could work. The key, however, is to not over-do it–which is good advice and hard to do. Jesus said, “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34 HCSB) Living through the holidays with peace of mind is an attainable goal if we can keep our eyes fixed on the real “reason for the season.”

So we can make our lists and check them twice, then give God all our “shoulds.” Watch as the Lord sorts out each day. We’ll be able to check off some list items every day, get more done using less energy, and maybe even experience the miracle of the season: “…Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.” (Luke 2:10-11 HCSB) And, that very same babe arose on Easter Sunday so that we would “…have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10 HCSB) May we look back contentedly at these coming days and see the abundance of blessings rather than focusing on the disappointments. Our tomorrows will reflect God’s presence in today.

Wishing you Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year all in one breath, Jonnie

God’s online–all knee-mails answered.(sign outside a church in Bayonne, New Jersey)

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I know I needed this reminder since Sears isn’t always my first choice. Amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and they haven’t withdrawn from their commitment. Could we each buy at least one thing at Sears this year?How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military d uty? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up.

Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years.

I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution. I suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

Sears regards service to our country as one of greatest sacrifices our young men and women can make. We are happy to do our part to lessen the burden they bear at this time.Bill Thorn
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358Please pass this on to all your friends. Sears needs to be recognized for this outstanding contribution and we need to show them as Americans, we do appreciate what they are doing for our military!!!

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You Might Not Ever Guess

Dialog from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said, “Lee, I’ll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at

Iwo Jima and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded.”

‘Yeah, yeah… I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Navy  Cross  for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi.  The bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting shot hauling you down. But, Johnny, at

Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew… We both got the cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men’s safety was more important than his own life. That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, “Where’d they get you Lee?”   ”Well, Bob, if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!” Johnny, I’m not lying, that sergeant was the bravest man I ever knew. The Sergeant’s name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo.’

On another note: there was this wimpy little man  (who just passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in

Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat. After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and therefore a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm.
America’s real heroes don’t flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best They earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy.
Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst.
Often, they are the ones you’d least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened
Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers.
 

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Lord, your saints are struggling with financial needs. We trust your abundance of blessings, we trust that you can make anything broken be useful again, we trust that Jesus died for our sins. In these areas we know that we know! But in the area of finance, we have so many fears. We give you all our concerns, we lay our burdens at the foot of the cross, we ask for peace in Your Name.

So Lord, you tell us, and our experience confirms that ECC 5:10 “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” We do not want to love money, Lord. We want to honor you with our first fruits, to give without stinting, to spend on what honors you.

We look to your promises and then are confused. Confusion is from satan so help us bind it in the Name of Jesus Christ and look to your promises.

MT 6:28 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Father, we understand those words about birds. We know you feed them by people like me, who put out bird feeders, and by the grasses that grow in Rocklin’s “greenbelt,” and by other ways we do not know. These birds, however, do not have mortgages, car payments, PG&E, etc. Yet Lord, we do understand that worrying cannot bring us any measure of comfort. Lord, we need comfort about our finances.MT 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

Lord, it is true that our faith is mustard-seed small. Yet we can move mountains with that faith. Help Lord, these financial worries are huge mountains standing in our path to spiritual peace of mind. We do not want to be numb, Lord. But we want to praise you for our blessings before we batter the gates of heaven with our fears.

Mt 6:31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

OK, Lord, show us how to seek you first. You have laid out your Kingdom principles in Mt 5, called the Beatitudes–which you would like to be our attitudes. But no amount of trying, straining, or any other effort on our part can generate not worrying. Our nature has us running around trying to keep our families afloat–and we are so very tired of it all. You are the only One who can give us the faith we need, the only One who can activate our faith in how we live, and the only One who can increase our faith as we live out your plan for us.

Mt 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Worry is a sin. Father, help us to shake off worry, and to enjoy the blessings of today. Fix our spiritual, emotional, personal thoughts not on what we can see, but on what we cannot see–your acting in our behalf. Glue us to the cross with its promises. Remind us that we are being renewed day by day.

Lord, hear our prayer, ease our hearts, pay our bills with your abundance. Keep us looking backwards to see all the places you have bailed us out; then turn our heads forward to see all the places you will bail us out from in the future. And for today, Lord, we claim your peace that passes understanding, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Memory verse: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2Cor. 4:16

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