Here today, gone tomorrow

With the emphasis on beauty we find in our culture, you'd think it was something we'd keep forever. We spend untold billions of dollars on tucks and "tox," lotions and potions, all designed to make ourselves look far younger and better than we really are. You'd think that sooner or later we'd all simply stand back and ask the question, "what's the point?" So why don't we?

For the past week Betty and I have been in Jacksonville for my 6-month check-up following proton therapy for prostate cancer. The numbers are doing exactly what they are supposed to, going down, down, down, so we feel very blessed! It was wonderful to connect with friends we got to know this summer. In fact, many of us drew so close during our time "going to war" together, that 15 couples of us scheduled our 6-month checkup during the same week so we could all hang out together. It's been a lot of fun, and everybody seems to be doing quite well.

Yesterday, Betty and I drove over to Gainesville (home of the U of Florida) to see a butterfly exhibit they have at the Florida Historical Museum on campus. It was really spectacular, getting to walk among hundreds of butterflies, some of which landed on B. They were incredibly beautiful, but get this: inside a perfectly controlled environment, the bulk of them live only 3 weeks. If they were outside in their "normal" environments, they'd only last 7-10 days! What you see in the pictures here is just two of tens of thousands of species. In fact the beautiful ones in the first photo are all like the one with the blue back; the rest just have their wings closed. All that beauty, yet only to be enjoyed for a moment! Wonder if they get stressed about that?

Seeing these gorgeous creatures, taking in their stunning beauty and learning of their short time on earth, while at the same time remembering why were were in Jacksonville, brought to mind how important it is to make the days we have on this earth count for something significant for the Lord. Who in the world knows how many days we will have?

Fussing over beauty ultimately is a losing battle, something that really won't benefit anyone. Indeed, gravity and wrinkles win! Doesn't it just make more sense to give ourselves to living lives that will be a blessing to the Lord? Surely that will pay eternal dividends, not to mention being far less stressful!

May you be blessed this day,

Bill

A delightful garden

A beautiful garden takes your breath away. When you step into a garden like the one pictured here (Butchart Garden outside Victoria, B.S.), you feel as though you've landed on another planet. The colors, textures, and shapes dazzle your eyes. Probably because it is kept by a fleet of trained gardeners, there's not a weed nor a plant out of place. It's perfect.

When you read The Song of Solomon chapter 4.6-5.2, you realize this is the way God sees his people - as beautiful gardens, wonderful to behold. Yet are we really that way?

Far too many Christians feel as though they are at best last year's garden, something that once wonderful, but now is overgrown, broken down, and filled with weeds. If someone were to stumble into this garden, the last thing they would want to do is stay.

Yet that isn't how God sees his people. In spite of the overgrowth and weeds, he sees the beauty that he is creating, and focuses on what will be. What a blessing that is to remember.

As I was contemplating this scripture, it reminded me of something that happens when you garden. Sometimes when a weed first emerges from the soil, it is quite beautiful. It is delicate, appearing to be the beginning of a delightful flower. If you operate on that assumption and let it grow, however, in time you will be sorry. It will overtake the plants around it, and send out runners under the ground that will make it difficult to eradicate. If you'd have plucked it out of the ground when it first made its appearance, there would be no problem. But when you let it flourish, watch out!

So is it with sin in our lives. The point is not that we will have none. The seeds of sin blow into and take root in every life. That is not the issue. The challenge is what we do with them. Do we let them take hold and grow, or do we pluck them out and get rid of them before they ever get the chance?

If we want to join God in the process of making a beautiful garden of our lives, we only have one choice. As the challenges to our lives in the Lord emerge, when we find ourselves face to face with temptations to divert from the path he has for us, he reminds us to see them for what they really are - weeds that would destroy a beautiful garden. As we look at them that way, it helps us do the gardening we need to that the beauty of the garden might be enjoyed by all!

Happy gardening and blessings to you,

Pastor Bill

What was I thinking?

What was I thinking! Here along with everybody else, I've joyfully been singing, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas." It goes along with the season, right? But let's be honest: I may have been dreaming of one, but I certainly didn't want one. At least not so that it would affect our services at church. But alas, my dream has come true, and now I'm enjoying being surrounded with 8-10" of snow with a 1/4" crust of ice on the top. Who would have thought I'd have to drag Shadow out onto the ice to do his business! The picture you see here is my back yard. If you could look closely enough, you'd see a couple of mounds of snow on the pond. Those are duck decoys that now look like snow-covered shark fins. While I'm bugged by some of things the snow has created, it surely is beautiful. You can't help but enjoy the scenery when covered by this calming, white blanket.

With the weather the way it is, we (along with every other church around) were forced to cancel our services today. It just doesn't seem right to be canceling worship services on the Sunday before Christmas. Oh, well, I'm thinking this will make our celebration of Christmas Eve all the more joyful since we missed being together in church today. Maybe we'll have our Christmas Sunday next week. I'll just have to stop this ridiculous dreaming about snow!

As I have been speaking with my pastor friends over the last couple of weeks, it seems as though all of our churches have been hit with a double whammy (to use an old L'il Abner term). Not only has the dismal state of our economy wreaked financial havoc on the churches through the fall, but now the weather has piled on as well. That being the case, we have good news: God is still in control!

Instead of focusing on the bad news, I'd much rather concentrate on the good news. We have so very much to be grateful for during this Christmas season. Right in the middle of everything that is going on we get to celebrate God's gift of life in Jesus. How blessed we are that God gave us the means to have peace in the midst of the storms of life through him!

May you be blessed this new week. And whatever you do, think about dreaming for snow before you do it!


Bill

Have yourself an economically challenged Christmas...

All the talk about our troubled economy can cause some folks to be particularly stressed this Christmas. How in the world can they have a "merry Christmas" when things are in such a mess? Who wants to sing, "Have yourself an economically challenged Christmas..."?

This morning I received an email from an author-friend of mine named Jeannie St. John Taylor. Her most recent book is "Culture-proof kids...Building character in your children". In her Monday morning prayer note, she sent a wonderful prayer I find particularly fitting during this particular Christmas season. Whether you pray it for a friend, or for yourself (just change the pronoun), I think you'll find it most meaningful. By the way: each thought is anchored to a specific verse in the Bible.

"Gracious Father, bless my friend with peace today. Lead her to defeat worry and fear by trusting in you. Help her remain peaceful by taking every thought captive and choosing to fill her mind with good and honorable thoughts. Calm her emotions by reminding her to choose to pray for those who hurt or irritate her rather than stewing over problems. Open her eyes to see your blessings and her heart to accept your peace until gratitude and love flow from her. I ask these things in Jesus name, amen."

As the Lord answers this prayer in your life or your friend's, it's guaranteed to make a wonderful difference!

Happy December,

Bill

One big step...

Yesterday was a fantastic day for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason is that I got my 3-month PSA results and it was down almost 2 points, dropping like a rock! That is an incredible reality because it shows the cancer cells are in fact dead and/or dying, that things are progressing exactly like they are supposed to with proton therapy. Praise God, and thank you so much for your prayers!

It's been an interesting journey to speak with so many who have either battled cancer themselves,or are struggling with it right now. In the case of those who have been "fighting the fight," they understand the approach/avoidance feelings you have as you approach the various benchmarks of testing. You're hopeful to see very positive results of your therapy, yet anxious that something might not be going right. Just knowing others have experienced exactly the same thing somehow makes it easier.

Betty and I pray daily for all those we know who are dealing not only with cancer, but with all sorts of other physical challenges as well. Our prayer is that they will be completely healed, and will experience the comfort, strength, and assurance of the Lord in the process.

The good news we received Monday is going to make an especially great Thanksgiving around our house. On behalf of Betty and me, we pray that yours will be warm and wonderful!

Blessings,

Bill

Take a deep breath...

There is something very settling and peaceful about walking through a fall garden. I took a picture this afternoon of a "Golden Raindrops" Crab Apple tree in our yard. The little "golden raindrops," like miniature apples, stay through the Fall into the winter, providing beautiful and nutritious food for any enterprising bird.

It's a good thing to find something peaceful in a world that is in such disarray. Given the turmoil on every front, our new president certainly has his work cut out for him, and can use all the prayer he can get!

As I was thinking about our country, and the lack of inner peace and unrest felt by so many, I was reminded of a very wonderful truth about the Bible:

What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? Psalm 117.

What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Psalm 119.

What is the center chapter in the Bible? Psalm 118.

There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118, and 594 chapters after it.

Add those two together and you get 1188.

What is the central verse in the Bible? Psalm 118.8:

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."

Coincidence? I think not! Regardless of how we might think or feel, God is still on the throne, and has everything in control. All we need do is rest in him!

Blessings,

Bill

Everything is beautiful in its own way...

Some of you are old enough to remember Ray Stevens singing the song, "Everything is beautiful in its own way." In fact I can hear his voice singing those words in my head as I type!

It's true, you know. I especially think that when I see the absolutely beautiful fall color. I took the pictures you see here a couple of days ago in our yard. There were so many intense, saturated colors, it was difficult to stop taking shots. It seems as though every angle gave me an even better view.

Why is it that each season, for one reason or another, is "the best"? If you're like me, you find wonderful things about Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. They all have highlights. So is it with life. It doesn't make any difference if you're young or old, in the sunrise or sunset of your life, God has wonderful things for you if you will simply stop and enjoy them. Like we read in Ecclesiastes, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun."

Why do we miss the beauty of a season, or the good things God has for us where we are right now? Usually it's because we're consumed by the wrong thing. We allow ourselves to be held hostage by a past that is long gone, or become anxious about a future that is at best a fantasy, and in the process miss the moment we have with God right now. Could that be why God tells us in so many different ways, "Be still and know that I am God"?

There's something strong to be said about slowing down, centering down on what God is doing right now, and enjoying what he has for us. "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

May the Lord give you eyes to see the beauty of the season, whether it be in your yard or your life.

Blessings,

Bill