Thankfulness

Today is Thanksgiving which is hopefully a day known more for thankfulness and gratitude than for gorging ourselves on food. I love the traditions and the wonderful memories of a house full of relatives and friends packed with the aroma of cooking and baking. I think it is the only time in late fall that we run the air conditioner due to the heat generated by cookers, ovens, stoves, and the hot air coming from a lot of boisterous conversations!! :) For me, I still feel just an itsy-bitsy twinge of sadness "way down inside" that all these childhood memories are just that...memories...as those days past will never be repeated. My grandparents are no longer with us meaning that "the family"...you know...the uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters" hardly ever get together any more for the big feast. Now, nine years in the making, the traditions are now with my family. It is just the five of us and we celebrate John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." I have been blessed with "more abundance" than can be measured. I am thankful to God for His gifts of my family...each one that you see in the picture that accompanies this article...from left to right...Jabin, Jennalyn, and Tristian. Our precious children who will, one day, take what we are doing now as a family and pass it on into the future to their children as "family traditions." So, I leave you with some of Colossians 3:15, by saying "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...and be thankful!"

The Art of Subtraction

We are a society that would probably associate the word "subtraction" with negative things such as "losing" or "things taken away." I wonder if we have ever considered looking at the word "subtraction" as a very positive word. In one book that I was reading I was intrigued by a concept used by Mother Teresa in regards to her ministry when she was surrounded by people who dealt with so much pain, misery, death, and sickness. Someone had asked her how could she not be overwhelmed when there were obviously more people than she could help. She could only scratch the surface. She responded by saying that looking at it that way (by seeing that the need is greater than my ability to "help everyone") was applying the wrong math. She used subtraction. Every time she loved and cared for a destitute and dying person, every time she rescued a girl from prostitution, every time she comforted a hurting soul, she was subtracting from the despair and adding to hope. DON'T EVER UNDERESTIMATE the power of just doing a little!! Remember Matthew 10:24, "And if anyone give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." Go out and make a difference by doing good things that can subtract from the despair and brokenness of this world.

Offensive Ministry??

Does it bother you and make you feel uncomfortable to be around someone who is known for being verbally aggressive, offensively opinionated, and outwardly negative and critical on "hot topic" subjects such as race, sexual orientation, and the government? Does it also bother you to know that this same person claims to be a Christian? I've come into contact with several. We are not called to threaten, make offensive remarks, make off-colored statements, or even attempt to verbally "corner" a "sinner" to get them to repent. We are not called to beat people over the head with the Bible (nor shove it down their throats). 2 Corinthians 6:3 is a powerful verse because Paul says, "We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed." Yes, I know sin is sin. Yes, I know we all sin...some more than others. But, I also know it is not my calling (nor anyone's) to purposely single out people to confront them for no other purpose than to get some sort of satisfaction with pointing out to them "how sinful" their sin is "according to the Bible." Please reconsider the long-term damage you could inflict upon someone when the urge hits to confront someone over their sin. You never know, but they are probably fully aware of their struggles...and more than likely they could be at the critical point of making a change. DON'T BLOW IT by interfering with how the Holy Spirit may be working in the person's life by making an ill-timed, unwarranted critical statement to them. Work on loving them and reaching out to them. Don't be guilty of hating both the sinner and the sin....don't create an offensive ministry.