START STRONG!…January 4, 2010
So let’s take a look, over the next several days, at how to START STRONG.
This is so important. To really start your day right becomes a mental battle. Often we wake up with a “I gotta go to work” mentality. Or we wake up and say, “Nothing good is going to happen to me.” Chances are with this attitude you are right. You will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we fill our head with negativity and pessimism it affects everything we do and say.
They have proven that depression comes from a variety of reasons…genetic, external trauma, addiction and the like. However, what keeps most of us depressed is the negative thinking that swirls within our heads. Many wonder why they are unhappy…well look at your attitude and the way you view things. Nine times out of ten, when we start becoming positive we begin to view life differently.
How does the Psalmist stay positive in a dire situation? Well, first he knows God is with him. God will not let him down even in death. But his thinking is always looking up not down. His mind is focused on God’s blessings not the pain. His heart is holding onto what he needs, not what he wants! While the psalmist is thinking positive, most of us would scream bloody murder. The psalmist knew how to START STRONG and when he did it carried him through the rest of his life!
I see so many who go through awful things. Most have heard about Zach’s motorcycle accident. It has left him paralyzed and over the last several months it has left him fighting for his life. Do you know the one thing that has saved him…first God, but HIS ATTITUDE! Zach has every reason to be depressed and mad at the world. But his attitude is amazing. He knows he is going to make it. He sees the future not the past. There is hope and a reason to press forward. God bless him, because he is a testimony of what our thinking and attitude combined with the Holy Spirit can do for a person. Way to go Zach!
So change your language and your thinking. Change the “it always happens to me” attitude. Change the “I never will be that lucky” mentality. Instead, THINK POSITIVE! Let your heart and mind look at the good things in life. Then when you wake up put your feet on a positive word, thought and attitude.
It’s a New Year, so start strong and think positively and when you do watch the world change from just so-so to a color that will change your heart forever.
Love you all!
Rev. Jim
KEEP IT SIMPLE: REMEDY #4…December 31, 2009
Okay, this is a bit different, but I really wanted to share it. What is the definition of insanity? It is trying to do the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result. Is your life like that? You see we are creatures of pattern. I bet you have a pattern. I bet you have a “way” that you do things. You get up, get coffee, get the kids off, go to work, come home, etc. Patterns can drag us down. Routines can make life dull. What happens when life becomes dull? Well, we become anxious, depressed, sick at times, and frustrated.
So let’s do like the chef that likes to “Kick it up a notch!” He always says “BAM!” and throws that hot stuff in the dish.
So, BAM!, BREAK OUT OF YOUR PATTERN! If you want to live a different life, one that is full and abundant, you must change your old pattern and start something new! You must kick it up a notch.
Jesus said, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22
It means that Jesus came to do something NEW and different, but the religious leaders and everyone else were trying to make Him operate the same old way they had been doing things for thousands of years. Jesus came to kick it up a notch, but the people just wanted their same old routine. If you want something NEW then you have to start doing something NEW. Otherwise it just bursts and is ruined.
Look at your life today. I know you want change in it somewhere. I know there is something you want different. Well…what are you waiting for? Do it! Time to get that “Bam” in your life! Time to kick it up a notch.
The New Year is upon us. So I say thank you to all of you who have been so dear to Lisa and me. Thank you for pushing us to see things new again. Thank you for all who have helped us during very difficult times. I know 2010 will be a year of change for us all!
Can’t wait to kick it up a notch in the New Year!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
KEEP IT SIMPLE: REMEDY #5…January 1, 2009
How important this is in simplifying our life. When we put God first amazing things happens. Jesus knew this, but it seems as we struggle to find the meaning of life and continue to search for happiness, we continue to miss it. The irony is that it is right before us always. It has always been there. It is God!
You might be like one of those that came to Jesus wanting to know more. The scene is described below:
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31
One of our problems is that we have many things we like, but nothing we really love. What I mean by that is, the world has so much that entices us. We get interested in so many different things that we don’t focus on falling in love with the most important and that is God. Jesus knows there are many things to wrap our hearts around. Jesus says wrap your life around God and watch your life unfold!
If we do this something really neat will happen…we begin to fall in love. God wants you to fall in love. Not with the world, but with HIM! Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. That means getting to know Him. That means learning about Him. That means talking with Him, leaning on Him, and hearing Him. When we start our New Year off this way, life just becomes easier. It becomes simpler in so many ways. God will show you the true and perfect way to live. God will show you how to love. God will be there when nobody else is. God will lift you up out of your valleys. God will save you, redeem you and make you new again. What an adventure when we love God with everything that we are.
Lisa and I received our food, it smelled great. Then we reached for the salt and pepper and then looked at each other smiled and said at the same time, “Let’s pray!” We closed our eyes and prayed. It was a simple prayer. But it was a prayer that put God first.
HAPPY NEW YEAR my friends…may you love the One that has made it possible…GOD!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
KEEP IT SIMPLE: REMEDY #3…December 30, 2009
The movie Stripes will date some of you. It is a funny movie with Bill Murray. In it two cut ups enter the Army. They are misfits and will not conform. One night they get together to share stories about themselves with the other soldiers. One of the guys, who was very uptight, kept saying, “Don’t touch my stuff, don’t bother me, don’t mess with me, don’t look at me.” He goes on and on and the finally the Sergeant says, “Lighten up Frances!”
We need a good dose of that in the New Year. We tend to get very uptight when the smallest things happen. The reason for this is because we are missing a key ingredient to our spirit…PATIENCE! Man if we could only have patience.
Here is what St. Paul says about it:
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14
When people makes stupid mistakes…patience. When people don’t act the way you want them to…patience. When people rub you the wrong way…patience. Now this is critical because it will not only be great for the person you are showing patience to, but it will also do wonders for your own mood and emotional stability. What happens when we lose our patience? We get mad. We lose control. We snap. We blow up. Our vessels in our forehead begin to pop out. Losing patience just means we lose control of what Christ wants us to be and that does nobody any good!
So drink a little down. You can add some sugar with it too (I believe there was a song about that), but whatever you do practice! It will take that much. Practice and keep getting better at it, so that when you go into the New Year you will never hear those fateful words, “LIGHTEN UP FRANCES!”
Let’s lighten up a little my friends and enjoy the life God has given us. It will never be perfect, so love and love a little more.
Love you!
Rev. Jim
KEEP IT SIMPLE: REMEDY #2…December 29, 2009
I remember the best selling book that is named just that…DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. I find that most people who talk with me just need perspective. They need an objective observer. They need someone to tell them it isn’t as bad as it seems. Now I deal with some pretty ugly stuff and sometimes it is that bad, but most times it isn’t. What makes us take a molehill and make it a mountain? What makes us jump to the worst-case scenario?
It is called perspective. We are good at looking at the squeak in the wheel. It is normal for humans to hear the one negative among the thousands of positive things said. I do this as well. I can hear a hundred people say, “Great job!” but I let one negative comment ruin my day. Amazing how that works.
Paul deals with this and has been tempted himself to let little things weigh him down. So he says this:
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Paul has been through it, but he keeps his perspective. For Paul, nothing is so bad that he cannot overcome. In fact, even the big things in life, such as death, do not weigh him down. Paul’s perspective is amazing. Life can beat him, toss him, hurt him, and all the rest, but it will never shake him! Why? Because he knows Christ! Christ, who was beaten, forsaken, falsely accused, crucified, and all the rest, lives within him. Christ lifts him up and out of these places of pain. In fact, the world can come crashing down around Paul, but he will keep smiling…why…
I forgot to tell you the rest of the title of the book. It is “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, because it is ALL SMALL STUFF!” You see in the end it really is all small.
So today don’t focus on the molehills, the little irritations. For goodness sakes don’t make them into something bigger than they are. Instead, focus on the wonderful things God has placed before you each day. Then remember this…He is with you, He forgives you, He will never forsake you, He died for you and most of all He loves you!
So enjoy today, no matter what happens…it is a day to be lived!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
KEEP IT SIMPLE: REMEDY #1…December 28, 2009
Christmas in some ways is no different than the other days of the year. We cram so much into a day that we can’t get anything done. That is why Christmas came so quickly. It is because we were trying to do so much in such a short amount of time. What’s new!?
The New Year is almost here so I want to focus, this week, on ways that we can KEEP IT SIMPLE! God did not intend for us to run around like crazy. We will look at a REMEDY on each day that I hope we will put into practice so that we can slow down these hectic lives of ours.
Sometimes we try to do too much in a given day. That means we are just bad time managers more than anything else. Now this is not to say that we ignore our responsibilities, but it does mean we begin to prioritize our lives better. I know the kids have the things they need to do. I know spouses have needs. I know work and career have needs. I know family and friends have needs. But does it all have to happen NOW?
We need to manage our weeks better so that when we get to the end of the week we don’t feel exhausted each day. That means we pick and choose. That means we admit we can’t do it all by ourselves. That means we need help and if we can’t get help then it just doesn’t get done. So for all the SUPER MOMS out there you shouldn’t have to do it on your own. Ask for help. You deserve it.
If we are trying to do too much it only ends up hurting our body and spirit. If you don’t take time to make your body healthy then we are no good to others. If we don’t take time to be with God then we are missing out on what life really means. So, while you reprioritize your week and look at your schedule, then schedule YOU IN THERE TOO! Then while you are at schedule GOD IN THERE AS WELL! You deserve to do things for yourself. You deserve time alone. You deserve to know your God.
Start now. Start today. It will take practice. We are all in the bad habit of doing too much. We convince ourselves this is the way God intended us to live our life. Today, start practicing and start blocking out time for God and you first then let the rest of the day revolve around that. When you decide to be serious about you and your needs then you will discover that doing for others becomes a lot easier.
Try it…you will like it!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
Merry Christmas!…December 25, 2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS! It must be said again…MERRY CHRISTMAS! I went to bed about 3:00 a.m. thinking about the incredible Christmas Eve services we had. They were a hit! The rain and cold winds could not keep away the spirit of the evening. The music praised God for the gift of Christ. The Word proclaimed reminded us that God is with Us and nothing can separate us from the love of our Lord. Christ is our Emmanuel. What a wonderful night and more importantly what a glorious day.
I don’t know about you, but I am tired. I bet you all are. I guarantee that a lot of you stayed up late busy getting presents ready. I know Santa made his run and was faithful even through a difficult year. I know there were a lot of happy children, spouses, friends and family, because of what you were able to share.
Yet, through it all I am still reminded of not a thing that we wear, but a Lord that we share. God has given us the greatest gift that doesn’t need to be unwrapped, but only experienced. Christ is born and lives within you and wants you to experience the love, peace, and joy in all that you do.
So this one is short…ENJOY IT! Enjoy your Lord, because He was born for you. Let Him love you. Let Him heal the places that are hurt. Let Him put His forgiveness in the places of your life where you thought you couldn’t be forgiven. ENJOY IT! It is Christmas and it was made just for you.
See you Sunday to give God thanks for it!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
MERRY CHRISTMAS!…December 25, 2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS! It must be said again…MERRY CHRISTMAS! I went to bed about 3:00 a.m. thinking about the incredible Christmas Eve services we had. They were a hit! The rain and cold winds could not keep away the spirit of the evening. The music praised God for the gift of Christ. The Word proclaimed reminded us that God is with Us and nothing can separate us from the love of our Lord. Christ is our Emmanuel. What a wonderful night and more importantly what a glorious day.
I don’t know about you, but I am tired. I bet you all are. I guarantee that a lot of you stayed up late busy getting presents ready. I know Santa made his run and was faithful even through a difficult year. I know there were a lot of happy children, spouses, friends and family, because of what you were able to share.
Yet, through it all I am still reminded of not a thing that we wear, but a Lord that we share. God has given us the greatest gift that doesn’t need to be unwrapped, but only experienced. Christ is born and lives within you and wants you to experience the love, peace, and joy in all that you do.
So this one is short…ENJOY IT! Enjoy your Lord, because He was born for you. Let Him love you. Let Him heal the places that are hurt. Let Him put His forgiveness in the places of your life where you thought you couldn’t be forgiven. ENJOY IT! It is Christmas and it was made just for you.
See you Sunday to give God thanks for it!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
CAN YOU STILL HEAR IT?…December 24, 2009
Can You Still Hear It?
I remember it so well. Santa was coming! It is what I lived for as a kid. It is what I dreamed of as a child. I knew that one thing was for certain and that is, if I was good, that the big man in the red suit was coming and not just coming, but I was guaranteed presents. All because I was good! It was sweet.
However, as I have grown older I realize that the big man with all the presents doesn’t come around as often. I realized that at Christmas I would see fewer and fewer things. I know I wasn’t that bad that year (well maybe I was), but still nothing. Today I don’t even put out the milk or the cookies, neither the carrots for the reindeer (sorry Rudolph…and they are organic too!). I don’t even have trouble falling asleep. I don’t lay awake listening to see if I can bust the big guy putting the stuff out.
Nope, that is all gone now. I am reminded of the Polar Express and the little bell that represented faith. The boy tried so hard to hear the bell like the other kids, but just couldn’t. He had to see Santa. When he did, he heard it. Santa even gave him a bell to keep! The sad thing about that little bell was that it got lost, but on Christmas day the little boy found it wrapped under the tree. He started ringing it and the sound was deafening. But when the parent picked it and shook the bell…nothing. They assumed it was just broken.
Isn’t it sad how the notes of faith wear off, as we grow older? The joy of Christmas gets lost. Do you hear the bell ringing today? Do you feel the excitement of an incredible night that is upon us all?
That beautiful music is made new again when we witness our kids get excited. That ringing becomes louder when we make ourselves vulnerable to God on this Holy Night. Those sounds of love and forgiveness fill our hearts when we lay open our own heart to the mercy and grace of God, our Emmanuel.
So don’t let it ever stop ringing! The music of Christmas is here to stay. The melody of redemption can play in our lives forever.
I might not see the big guy in the velvet suit that ate all my cookies and drank down my milk, but I get something better… a God who claims me as His own. Adopts me as His child. Makes me a part of a wonderful Family. We are here my friends. Can you hear it!? Join me tonight and we will celebrate it!
Love you all and Merry Christmas!
Rev. Jim
I Could Have Missed It!…December 22, 2009
Some good friends from the church invited us out to the Fox Theatre. Now I had not been to the Fox in a long time. I forgot how magical the place really is. What a history. We saw the movie “A Christmas Story.” It was hysterical, especially with hundreds laughing with you. The place was filled with kids singing and families rejoicing. We sang Christmas carols with the old organ playing and my mind and heart started to lift from the frenzy of frustration and hurriedness that this season can bring. The night sky was painted on the ceiling and I looked up and saw the twinkling of stars and began to feel a bit like Peter Pan as I just knew something at any minute was going to fly across and take me away (I believe, I believe!). Snow bubbles fell from the ceiling as we sang “White Christmas.” Santa jumped out from behind doors with a big “HO, HO, HO!” There were lights that cast images of snowflakes twirling in fantastical circles on the walls all around us. The sets were decorated with winter scenes that even made you feel cold. The big band orchestra played just loud enough, not too loud, so that we could enjoy some swing music that made me want to dance. I felt something being born again in my spirit and in my heart. I started to think of my life and how I wish to live as a person. I realized that there was so much I wanted to do and as I thought about all of these things, I reached over and held Lisa’s hand (awwww) and all was right with the world
Sounds great doesn’t it? Well it was! Now you might be thinking, “Wow, what a night!” Some of you might be thinking, Big deal, it was just the Fox!” You know something I was right there with the second half of you. I thought of all the things I had to do. I thought of all the things I needed to do. I thought that nothing could be more important than what I must accomplish and that this “distraction” would just put me further behind. I made excuses that I had other things that were more important.
AMAZING THAT I COULD HAVE MISSED IT ALL!
You know something else. I wasn’t even tired after that. It was ten o’clock at night when it was over (I am getting ready for bed at this time), but I wanted to go out again. I was alive and my blood was flowing. I wanted to do a little more and make last a little longer, but everything was closed!
AMAZING THAT I COULD HAVE MISSED IT ALL!!
Now I don’t care if you are married, single, old, young, working eight days a week or not working at all…GO ENJOY LIFE! You deserve it. God wants you to do it. Have fun. Don’t miss another chance to take in the Christmas Spirit. Don’t waste another minute and create a memory for your family and loved ones. Time is precious. You can make excuses all your life not to do things and at the end of your life all you will have is a life of excuses!
Don’t miss life my friends. God has so much planned for you. Christmas proves it. God being born into this world says to us all that we have a God that wants us to LIVE! Don’t miss another minute of it. The world is gorgeous; people are too; there are memories waiting to be created; they are there, just for you!
Charlie and Margaret thank you for sharing a great memory…and to think, I almost missed it!
See you Christmas Eve to give thanks for it!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
