Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving  and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

Thanksgiving has come and gone, Advent is before us and the world is in Christmas mode.

Yet we need to remember to be thankful for all our blessings every day.  While this time of year is filled with wonderful things, we cannot get so wrapped up in the secular celebrations that we forget who made us and to whom we belong. 

During this busy season, pause and reflect on your blessing.  If you do not routinely go to worship, do so.  Go for a walk away from the lights and decorations.  Spend some extra time with God and experience the joy.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

As we enter into the beginning of the holiday season, we pause to give thanks.  Thanksgiving is more than a special meal, it’s more than a parade, it’s more than a football game.  It is a day we set aside for a specific purpose; to give all thanks and praise to God for all we have.

Actually, every day is thanksgiving – every day is an opportunity to pause and give thanks because we are blessed beyond belief for God is good and his love endures forever.

So, as you sit around the table on Thursday, give thanks.  And do so Friday (and Saturday, and Sunday…) for God is good and God has blessed you.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Sunday evening, I had the privilege of discussing faith issues with some younger people.  They were going through a program and the final step was a pastoral interview.  My style is to converse rather than barrage them with questions.

The beautiful part of this was their honesty – hearing their stories reminded myself that we need to listen to our youth more often.

Sometimes we are so set in our ways that a fresh perspective is rejected.  However Jesus reminds us to not hinder the children’s faith growth.

As you travel through your week, seek the input of someone younger (and it doesn’t have to be a child), ask about different ways to do things, find someone younger and get their thoughts without judgement.  Remember what the scriptures also say “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6).”

Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. Psalm 5:1-3

The Psalmist sums up how many feel on Monday morning (as well as other mornings!).  Often just getting everyone up, fed and out the door can be a struggle, especially this time of year.  There are so many things going on in our work places and schools, the holiday season is upon us and sometimes it seems like we are all on a runaway train – unable to control the speed of things, unable to change directions, only waiting for the crash.

If this is you this morning, you are not alone.  Prayers are ascending for you as I write this.  Find a moment to get away from the rush, from the hustle and bustle; find a moment to reflect on the blessings of your life and remember this.  The Psalmist, while in these situations, never remains there, for he remembers who is on his side. 

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12