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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: A New Year's Resolution for Eternity

12/30/2017

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Today's Sunday Morning Coming Down will consist of my personal resolution for the New Year.  It's for this reason that I chose the cartoon displayed herewith, for we all sometimes think of ourselves as being perfect, but perfection is not a part of our DNA; we are mortal sinners who constantly fail along our way.  And if we want to talk about perfection, there is only one person who ever lived with perfection and He departed this earth over two thousand years ago.

I planned to publish me resolution yesterday, but a slight blogging glitch got in the way,  so here it is as part of my weekend special blog. It actually belongs right where it is today since it is so appropriate for a commentary on faith. Yes, the Lord does work in mysterious ways.


My New Year's resolution consists of two parts. The first one actually includes the second because it consists of all components of my life.  But I thought the second was also important to spell out separately as well since it involves an area where I especially want to improve myself that is very difficult. But a good resolution should be something that takes work, not something that is easy.  Self-improvement always takes lots of work. 

Part One, or the "Big Kahuna" of my resolution is simply this:  To put God first in all things that I do, putting myself second.  Now when I say God, I am talking about the traditional Christian God found on the God of Israel, but also including s the Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (some say the Holy Ghost) as brought to us by the New Covenant. 

The God of Israel, the God of all Christians and all mankind as well, realized that all the blessings, love and opportunity He gave man just didn't get them to change their ways and He needed to add something, something tangible that man could see. Man was indeed intent upon continuing with sin, so He responded by sending His Son to die for us, potentially solving the problem. I say potentially because although at the moment Jesus died on the Cross we were forgiven of our sins, but that wasn't enough. We must individually accept His offer and believe by faith, doing all we can to live our lives in His image.  Many have refused to believe it as Truth and the rest of us still falter no matter how hard we try.

Jesus knew this would happen while he was in human form and warned his Disciples. The question was could they carry on with his work, a work which was dangerous due to the hate present in the world, so after His resurrection from the dead on earth and his Ascension back to the Father, he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.  The Spirit would be our internal guidance counselor to advice us on how to live for God and to keep us in touch with Jesus, our Mediator with God.  Even so, we still come up short and it's for that reason that I make the resolution to put God first, the God in Three Persons that I have accepted and believe on faith, in everything that I do on earth.

And for those of you who might question this, wondering what it might say about the importance of my family and country in such an arrangement, there is a clear answer.  If we put God first, the One who knows all things and is all powerful and our Creator, how would family and country not be included in his grace? Everything in our life will be included and we need to leave it up to His will, using our talents and skill to carry that out.

So, now that we've addressed the predominant part of my resolution, here's the second part.  It is to use my writing in a way that would be pleasing to Him.  And that means that while voicing what I believe is appropriate, be it religion, general life, nature, animals and yes, even politics, it should be presented without snark and without getting into nasty give and take on social media or wherever.  To do this, I will "talk" about the issues without using snark in my blogs, working hard to avoid demeaning others and their viewpoints as I go. If they demean me, I will just move on, not taking the bait.

Now, this is not easy since the snark, the sarcasm and even the use of hate, sadly, has become so much a part of our discourse today, but I will endeavor to do my best to avoid being drawn into it.  And my daily blogs will have no more than two direct political commentaries per week.  I can't divorce myself from politics since I studied it extensively and have actively worked in campaigns.  But I can work hard to do so in a way that God would find pleasing and this is why I added this to my resolution.

So, here it is in writing, for me to see every day as I measure my Christian growth in my life.  It's my goal and my challenge and I'm going to work on it diligently in 2018.  And frankly, it will be a work in progress that I anticipate will be continuing until the day my last breath on this earth is drawn.  I truly believe that's how it's meant to be.

We can be both bold and loving at the same time.  It just takes His guidance as we go.  And that's my resolution and my final Sunday Morning Coming Down blog for 2017.  Happy New Year, everyone.


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December 28, 1958: "The Greatest Game Ever Played"

12/28/2017

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PictureUnitas with Berry, calling another successful play.
Today marks the fifty-ninth anniversary of what many still call "The Greatest Game Ever Played," the 1958 National Football League Championship game held at Yankee Stadium in New York.  The Baltimore Colts, led by the amazing Johnny Unitas, traveled to New York to take on  a Giants team that had beaten them 24-21 in week seven when they were without an injured Unitas.  The Giants were an experienced championship team, having won the championship only two years previous and sporting five consecutive winning seasons. The Colts were in only their second winning season since their founding in 1953 and they were itching to prove that they could win. Both teams entered the game with 9-3 season records.

It was a different time and a different kind of football. Players played the game with much less safety equipment, the halftime shows were basic, no Hollywood with laser lights and wardrobe malfunctions, and the emphasis was on "rock 'em, sock 'em football."  There were really no frills, just grit, determination, hard hitting and a lot of pain and dirt. And every little boy in America who ever played backyard football was glued to his family black and white TV for the game.

My older brother and I were included in the fervor.  We generally rooted for the Giants except that they weren't our favorite team.  Just about any boy growing up  in Newport News or anywhere in Virginia were Redskin fans but, sadly, the Redskins just weren't very good in those days.  They had some great individual players, but just couldn't put a whole team together to compete with the likes of the Giants or Colts except for on that "any given Sunday" when the underdog rises up.

The game was a good defensive struggle with flashes of offensive strikes like incoming artillery periodically and it was truly a great game to watch.  At the end of the first quarter, the Giants' field goal by Pat Summerall was the only score.  New York quarterback Don Heinrich was found to be ineffective and was quickly benched for Charley Conerley, who would prove it to be a good move as time went on.

Baltimore bounced back quickly in the second, scoring two touchdowns as the connection of Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry started getting smooth. Alan Ameche added power on the ground while Conerley was beginning to get his "game legs" and the Colts went to the dressing room with a 14-3 lead.

The second half became a different ball game as the Giants responded with fourteen unanswered points, one touchdown in each quarter, to go ahead 17-14.  Names like Mel Triplett, Kyle Rote,  Frank Gifford and Alex Webster played prominently in the action as  Conerley got in the groove.  But when they were stopped on downs with two minutes left in regulation, Unitas came in and operated the two minute drill before it was even called that.  Now, I don't know how often or even if the two minute drill was used before, but the Baltimore quarterback used it to perfection, moving the ball to within field goal range. Steve Myhre came on the field, kicked the ball through the uprights and the score was tied as time expired. The game would go into sudden death overtime with the first team scoring being the winner.

The Giants got the ball, went three and out and had to kick.  In their first and only possession of the overtime, Unitas quickly went to work.  With the help of the sure-handed Raymond Berry making two clutch catches, the Colts moved near the gold line and ultimately scored with Alan Ameche bulling his way over from the one.  Final score: Colts 23, Giants 17.

There are a couple of noteworthy things to add.  Defensive end and star Gino Marchetti of the Colts suffered a broken ankle in heavy action before the game ended. He opted to stay on the field on a stretcher to see the ending.  Don Shula was the Baltimore coach and the tandem of Unitas and Berry would go down as one of the greatest offensive duos of their time. Men like Ameche for the Colts and Alex Webster and Frank Gifford would be remembered as great players and, of course, Gifford would go on to a long career with Monday Night Football back when it was worth watching.  But most importantly of all, the game showed grit and determination, where team spirit trumped individual glory and the players played because they loved the game, not because they wanted to be rich.

Winners share for each Colt player was $4718; each of the Giants received $3111.  Think about that when you listen to all the whining of spoiled athletes complaining about their low salaries and bad treatment and the weak management types who have allowed it to become what it is today.  There's today's football and then there was real football. At least to me, I'm glad I was able to witness the real thing.  A great game by a bunch of tough and gritty players.  Thanks for the memories.


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"DARKEST HOUR" is Compelling Drama but Factually Way Off the Mark

12/27/2017

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The movie "Darkest Hour" is all the rage these days and I applaud people for going to a movie about the ravages of war and how it can dramatically impact a country and the world.  Unfortunately, what could have been great history once again becomes a shadow of the truth as Hollywood  molds real events to match the drama they want. And while I realize that Hollywood has a desire to develop pictures that will appeal to the changing outlook of a different age, putting the truth on the chopping block is never a good idea.

In the movie, one of the greatest leaders in British history is shown as quite weak and questioning as if he didn't know what to do.  Unlike so many leaders today as well as his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, Sir Winston knew he was born to lead and that is what he set out to do. So, a great disservice was done to not only his record but his place in history.  And isn't it ironic that he is placed in the same light as Chamberlain, a man who disgraced himself by appeasing Hitler at Munich in 1938, the very action that let Hitler know he was free to act.  Britain did not want another Chamberlain and that's what brought Churchill to power. And while some have argued for the weak position by citing the fact that Churchill saw the disaster known as Dunkirk take place under his watch. But remember, Churchill took office on May 10, 1940, a mere sixteen days before the Dunkirk debacle took placed. No one in their right mind can blame Churchill for that.

A key example of the movie's misrepresentation of Churchill is found in a key scene where Churchill has to travel by subway and he dramatically asks citizens on board what they thought needed to be done.  Joe Wright's presentation would have you think that he finally decided action was needed because of their counsel, and that his historic speech was a result of that encounter.  That is far from the case.

Churchill biographers William Manchester and Joe Reid have reported just the opposite.  The new Prime Minister knew what had to be done and was determined to do it. Any so-called time lapse in action was due to his knowledge of the limitation of material to support such an effort.  But he in no way would stand down to the threat of Hitler like his predecessor, for he knew that would lead to the end of Britain as he knew it.  And he also calculated correctly that if Britain could just hang on long enough, America would be forced to join in the fray.  He knew that Hitler with his mindset would never be happy with just securing Europe as is prize for aggression.

Wright should be congratulated, however, for a compelling movie, it's just very unfortunate the moviegoers who witness it should leave the theater thinking they just saw a good depiction of Churchill, the man.  Sadly, it is anything but that and it just shows how with Hollywood, the true depiction isn't important, just the attractiveness of the story line.  And even worse, the story line is tied to ideological preference. And that, my readers, is the real problem that the movie leaves behind.  See it, but make sure that what you are seeing on the screen isn't considered the same as witnessing the actual event.  What is being shown is anything but the reality that was Sir Winston Churchill.

                                                        Hat tip to National Review







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An After Christmas Commentary: Now What?

12/26/2017

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Just as quickly as it arrived, Christmas Day has passed and all of the running about finally slows and the excitement wanes.  Some of us take down the decorations and remove the tree immediately, others do it on New Year's Day, and still others, the real traditionalists, wait for Fifth Night.  But whatever the case, most see it as a let down, yet to some degree a relief as they will have more time to deal with other things delayed while rushing to make things perfect for Christmas.

Many who are off for an extended vacation will spend time returning gifts and replacing them.  Others will enjoy relaxing and visiting with out-of-town friends and relatives and, of course, there are usually a number of Christmas parties still taking place up until New Year's Day.  But, don't we have something that's much more important that we should consider?  Isn't there something  about the story of Jesus' birth that  should stay with us and influence us always, not just at Christmas?

I guess the answer to that question depends on what each of us believes Christmas truly is and, of course, we are each entitled to think what we will.  That's what free will is all about.  So, if we merely see Christmas as a secular holiday, a long weekend off from work and a big party for our family and friends with lots of presents and good food then, when it's over, it's over and we go about our merry way the way we always have.  We return to being self-centered, with lots of complaining and dissatisfaction about things at work and in our lives, being impatient when things don't go our way immediately and the snark, oh, the snark, we use as we think that only we have the answers to all that matters in life.

But what if, instead of the above, we took the time to realize that  Christmas is something magical and spiritual, far beyond the toys, the food and the showing of ourselves at a big church service?  What if we admitted to ourselves that we don't have all the answers, in fact, very few of them?  That would require us to admit our weakness and our frailties and turn to the One who can change us, the One we celebrate on Christmas Day.

In that precious baby boy born on that day so long ago, we we should see hope,  love, joy and promise, the promise of a future beyond anything we can humanly imagine.  And when we realize that, whenever and wherever we might be, it opens us completely, our heart and our mind, to the Holy Spirit.  He wants to be our guidance counselor to keep us on track and He will, if we let Him.  And that, while difficult to follow sometimes, is what we need to do. For if we are sincere and truly accept His guidance we will give our life to Our Lord and Savior and live for Him first.

As our inside connection to Jesus, our Redeemer, He can guide us to the answers to all problems and, what's more, help us secure a place in The Kingdom when this life is done.  That is what Christmas and the birth of the Christ Child opened the way for. And it is worthy of our accepting and following Him. It will change us and we will look at things differently and the future will be forever.  What a glorious opportunity it offers and it was given to us at the conclusion of that precious child's end of life as a man, not just a God, when he accepted all of our sins on the Cross thirty-three years later.

The offer is readily available to anyone, no matter what is in our past, But ti does require a major commitment, one made openly and honestly. And that is to have faith and believe in Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

And here's an idea for how we can make that commitment at this time of year.  Why not make it our New Year's resolution. Pray on it, put it in our hearts and write it down. Then. look at that written document every day as a reminder and live it in all that we do.  Just think of the power it would provide if we all did it together. Now that would truly change the world.


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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: Christmas Day Arrives at Midnight

12/24/2017

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.     - Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

And now the waiting is nearly over as the annual celebration of the birth of the King of Kings, His birthday party, is just hours away.  Children, of course, are excited and their parents are hopeful that they will be happy with their presents while the parents themselves hope that they will be able to handle the bills that will arrive in January. But wait, that isn't the message of importance that is in the celebration, is it?  No, of course not, for the celebration is for the birth of the Christ Child and what it means to mankind, not the party that we give for Him.  And, as far as the waiting is concerned, what we really await is His return at a time unknown to us, for when He comes on His next visit it will truly be to rule the world for one thousand years with lasting peace and harmony among all.

All of the fun and frivolity is certainly a good thing as long as we keep it in perspective. And as far as the waiting for Jesus is concerned, this has been a fact for many centuries.  After all, that great prophet, Isaiah, who is quoted in the scripture above, was looking for Him seven hundred years before His first coming.  Isaiah was one of those great men who was given the gift of being a seer, or being able to see what lies ahead in the future.  It was a wonderful gift, yet even in His case people grew tired of it and eventually He was put to death.  But Isaiah knew the importance of Jesus Christ and what His coming would mean. And we have the capability of knowing that same thing if we only read and study God's Holy Word and pray about what it means to us.

Every person who claims to be a Christian needs to realize that since this Man and God came to live on earth in human form to offer us salvation, we need to put the true meaning of Christmas and the life it brings at the center of our lives. God gave us life to exalt Him, honor Him and live for Him.  Anything short of that means we are just fooling ourselves, but we can't fool God.  With His ability to know all and see all, past, present and future, we can't escape His oversight.  But if we put the true Spirit of Christmas and what Jesus really means to us center most in our lives, not only will we understand what is expected of us, but we will truly live it.

Read and absorb the words of Isaiah and the Gospels and what they tell us about Jesus Christ on this day and apply them every day.  For it means He came to us as a man, mortal like us on Christmas Day, but he was also a part of God and was able to conquer the attempts to make Him go astray.  If we follow His lead as He asks, we will be able to do the same with the result being Eternal Life. We can do it, if only we make that strong commitment to put Him first and work hard to stick to it.  And when we do that, there is nothing else to fear.  That is the story of what Christmas begins through His birth. Take it to heart; it will never fail you.

Dear Lord, We thank you for this wonderful time of the year and all that it means.  Help us to truly understand the importance of the birth and life of Jesus Christ and to follow His example and direction always. For we know that, if we do so, we will ultimately be welcomed into your Kingdom where pain and suffering will be gone forever.  Amen.


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The Spirit of Christmas Includes Santa and His Reindeer

12/21/2017

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Santa checking out his "transportation" before the big night.
Recently I read a story about a third grade school teacher who told her class that Santa Claus was a myth, he wasn't real.  The story went on to tell about the outrage she created with some parents who wanted her chastised by her supervisor.  Good for them, for to tell a child of any age that Santa isn't real is to show a real lack of heart and soul. Santa is real to all who believe in him; he is part of the Spirit of Christmas.  And who was she to say that children shouldn't be afforded the opportunity to have some fun and get some joy from Santa in a world that is in so many ways gone sour?

Christmas is a time, of course, to celebrate the birth of Our Savior over two thousand years ago, but there is nothing wrong with the Santa Claus tradition as a means of adding joy and laughter. It's wonderful for children to enjoy their childhood with special memories, while parents relive their own childhood through that of their children as well.  I'm sure that Jesus Himself would nod in agreement with that sentiment, but we just need to remember it's proper place as a secondary part of a solemn occasion recognizing the beginning of a path to an eternal life.

But Santa is a healthy addition and he lives in our hearts.  To believe in Santa is to believe in the Spirit of  the Jolly Old Gentleman who loves us all.  And if you don't think he's real and can work wonders, how else could he cover the globe to leave gifts for children wherever they be?  His Spirit makes time go slow on that one night, allowing him to circle the world with gifts for all who know him between sunset Christmas Eve and sunrise on Christmas Day. He's magical and it all comes from your heart.

So, the next time someone says to you that Santa doesn't exist, just give them a hearty, "Bah Humbug."  Who needs a grump and a grinch at Christmastime.  Happy children with joy and laughter and the wondrous birth of the Christ Child combine to make it a special time for all.  Keep the Christ in Christmas and the Santa making his rounds on Christmas Eve. Both are good for the soul and are a combination of Spiritual Truth and childhood joy.  Why in the world would we want to destroy such things?  A sane person wouldn't.

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THE CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU ALREADY HAVE: BEING AN AMERICAN

12/20/2017

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It's always interesting to watch and listen to people as they get highly  stressed and worked up over what to buy for loved ones and close friends for Christmas.  It's like they truly believe if they don't find the perfect gift or spend a sufficient amount of money that Christmas will just not turn out well.  Yet, and maybe this is just me getting older, shouldn't we all realize that we are already so blessed that the gift-giving isn't that important?  Yes, make sure the children, especially the little ones, get those special things that make them laugh and have fun, but why not spend more time thanking God for what He has already giving us.  And, as Americans, we are truly the most blessed people on earth.  We live a life enjoying a wonderful Christmas present seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year.

Maybe you live on the rugged coast of Maine, the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina, on the tropical shoreline of Florida, or even the amazing Gulf coast or the dramatic Pacific shoreline.  Perhaps your residence is in a big city, coastal or inland, with the hustle and bustle that comes with urban life.  Then again, you might live in a rural area, where the production of food to keep us healthy and prosperous is grown or raised and the small town charm of yesteryear still hold some say.  Or what about the beautiful mountains, from the Appalachians in the East to the larger Rockies in the West.  But wherever you live, the blessings of America are at hand and they should be credited to a loving and giving God who inspired the hard work that became America.  After all, He's the same One who gave us Jesus, who we celebrate on this holiday containing His name. We often take it for granted, but we should always remember from whence these blessings came and should be ever thankful for them.

And so it's Christmastime, a time for family, friends, gifts, food and fun, but always remember the Reason for the Season as well as the place that He gave us to call home.  It's a wonderful gift and we need to appreciate it, nurture it and protect it always.  Sure we've made mistakes, but if you've had the opportunity to travel around the world you'll find that America is special. She is a land with Founders who understood tyranny and hardship and they created it to insure that the inalienable rights from God were permanently etched in her soul. These rights belong to each of us as individuals and cannot be taken away legitimately. What could be better than that? 

Enjoy the frivolity, the beauty and the fellowship that comes with Christmas. But remember, not only did God give us a Savior on Christmas Day, he gave us a wonderful land to call our own, a land which offers a richness and opportunity like none other before it. Cherish the gift that comes with being an American. And may Old Glory ever fly free.

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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: The Christmas Message From the Moon

12/19/2017

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PictureAstronauts Anders, Lovell and Borman
It's funny how some things on special days stand out more than others and become memories of a lifetime. Often we don't realize it at the time but later they come back vividly and remain with us for life.  One of those times was Christmas Eve 1968.

Americans were busy with the hustle and bustle that was Christmas but we were also paying attention to the NASA Apollo 8 mission, for astronauts Bill Anders, Jim Lovell and Frank Borman were approaching the moon and preparing to go into orbit around the lunar body.  This space voyage was a first in many ways: a first time for travel beyond earth's orbit, a first trip to the moon and seeing it's other side and the first time that man took pictures of the beautiful panorama of the earth and moon in one shot.

But as a first time event for so many things, Americans at parties and family gatherings everywhere were following closely.  On it's first orbit of the moon, we all were nervous during its period of non-radio contact on the backside of the moon, knowing that should it not come back into contact, we would never know what happened to these brave men.  And there were gasps of amazement as the first pictures of what they were seeing were coming to view, historical pictures that we would never forget.  But most important and critical was the concern of whether or not the engines would fire when needed, propelling the Apollo 8 module out of lunar orbit for the return home.

Thankfully, all went well.  Communications returned as planned after each rotation around the moon's dark side, the pictures taken became internationally acclaimed to this day and the engines to bring them home safely worked like a charm.   But there was something of even more special significance to many of us at that time of joy and peace of Christmas and it was the words of Genesis, the story of earth's creation from the Bible, which these three special men read to us on Christmas Eve from the moon.  Here it is in it's entirety just as it was read:

Bill Anders -
"We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you."
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."


Jim Lovell -
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

Frank Borman -

"And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good."
"And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."


These early explorers of the celestial realm were no doubt wrapped in the protective care of God's love in their mission above and it is clear that He appreciated their recognition of the beauty and majesty of His Creation which they were able to capture so vividly.  Today, nearly forty-nine years later, we need to keep a proper focus on the wonders and the majesties that God has granted us and honor His wishes for maintaining proper stewardship in our  dominion over the earth.  It's the least we can do for He who has given us so much and for our fellow earthly inhabitants.

Merry Christmas and God bless you all.


Photos courtesy of NY Daily News

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Merry Christmas from the Moon, 1968
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The Blessed Journey to Bethlehem Begins

12/18/2017

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At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.     - Luke 2:1-5 (NLT)

Today we begin the fourth week of Advent, the final week before the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.  For Christians it's a time of hustle and bustle, with shopping continuing, making final plans and putting together supplies for parties and visits with and by family and friends.  And we do so with all the modern creature comforts available.  Warm and dependable vehicles take us from place to place on paved and well lit roadways.  Stores are open at all hours with unlimited items available and when we are tired at the end of the day, we fall exhausted into warm and comfortable beds to have our dreams of sugarplums dancing through our heads.  It's a wonderful time, a beautiful time and a time that, if our hearts are open and our mind is in the right place, we anticipate the wonder of that magical birth so many years ago and what it truly means.

But what about Mary and Joseph on that week before Christmas?  What were they thinking and what were they doing and what was going on in their heads as they faced an exciting yet also stressful task?  Could they live up to the mission of being the earthly parents of the Man God who would change the world?

Well, we know that Joseph had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to comply with Caesar's tax census.  The Romans liked to keep control of all locations of Jews to both help maintain order and also account for sources of taxation.  And since Joseph was betrothed to Mary and heavy with child, she was required to accompany him.  The trek for Joseph was not unusual as he frequently went back to the City of David via Jerusalem on pilgrimages, but traveling with Mary in her condition made it much more difficult. It would be slower, places to stay would be more limited by the crowds and he knew he would be looked down on since many thought he had violated a young girl.  The virgin birth was looked at as a wonder by many but a false excuse by others and gossip would run rampant.

Under the best conditions. the approximately eighty mile trip took about four days, but with someone in Mary's condition it could have been nearly twice that.  Just imagine her sitting on a donkey, bouncing along as the animal maneuvered with sure feet along the rocky and sometimes steep path, taking care to maintain balance at all times.  And either finding a welcoming home along the way to rest in, or sleep in the cold and dark outside, they likely stayed with groups for safety's sake.  After all, robbers and other miscreants were common in the lonely hill country and Mary and Joseph would have offered an easy target.  The group setting, however, opened them to more ridicule by those they camped with.

But either cold and sleepless at night, or uncomfortable and stressed by day, the special couple made their way toward Bethlehem, knowing they had no other choice.  And they made it safely and in time for the moment of birth to come in a lowly stable on arrival, to signify the different nature of this King of Kings who would be born.  He was truly a man of the people and a man of God, not knowing in his infancy or in his early formative years what He would offer to the world.  But his birth following their difficult journey signified a change to the world.

So, as we run about doing all the busy work of preparation that is necessary for Christmas, remember what Mary and Joseph wen through during this week over two thousand years ago.  Their mission was a most special one and they completed it successfully. And we, mortal sinners that we all are, are the beneficiaries.  We don't deserve it, but our magnificient and loving God has made it so. Thanks be to His grace and mercy..




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SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: What is the Real Meaning of Advent?

12/16/2017

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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."  - John 3;16 (ESV)

The scripture verse cited above is clearly one of the best known verses in the New Testament.  It's very clear and precise and tells us that Jesus Christ was sent to earth to offer us the gift of eternal life if only we have faith and believe in Him.  And it's at the heart of the message of Advent, a message of hope and anticipation as we await the celebration of the Christ Child's birth over two thousand years ago.  Many question it, ridicule and make fun of it, saying such an immaculate conception and birth of God and Man in one is impossible, yet we Christian believers know that it is true.  And it is our responsibility to strive to live as He asks us to with love in our hearts as we practice our belief in all that we do.


According to the Oxford American dictionary, there are three definitions for the word Advent. The first says it is the coming of Christ. The second, the season (the four Sundays before Christmas) and thirdly, the arrival of an important person, event or development. Notice how the first two tie directly to our Christian belief while the third is secular. Yet even in the secular use, it is clear that the word refers to something or someone very important.  Now, I personally like the Oxford American dictionary because it was the first one to become very modern, showing both the old and the new based upon the changes that impact the modern development of the English language.  And isn't it interesting that in the more modern definition, while not officially recognizing Jesus in the definition, it is clear that it refers to something very important, we might even say earth changing?

So Advent is all three. It is the season leading up to the actual celebration of the coming of Christ through His virgin birth by Mary, it covers the four Sundays leading up to that event as we build hope and anticipation for the future and it certainly signifies that something very important is about to take place.  And the importance of what is celebrated was a most important event as it changed the world.

Prior to the life and death of Jesus, the Jewish law of the Old Testament formed the basis for the rules to live by for the Jews. It was very harsh, directing severe punishments with no offer of forgiveness in a very rough and difficult world. But with the birth of Jesus, love and forgiveness intertwined to give hope for a better future and following His death thirty three years later, Salvation or Eternal Life was offered to those who believed through faith.  And what's more, by developing His script for the future of the world as God so aptly did, He left it to us to evaluate for ourselves the realness of Jesus.  With our own free will we were granted the opportunity to believe or not.

In prior Bible times, Jews were subject to the wrath of God for the error of their ways as mortals, yet with the coming of Jesus a better way, the perfect way, was offered.  The choice was to have faith and believe and have the opportunity to live with Him for eternity or reject him and suffer the consequences of darkness.

Advent offers a period to contemplate what the upcoming birth of Jesus means to us.  It is the preparatory phase readying us for the Greatest Story Ever Told.  We can each within ourselves decide what we believe, but if we open our hearts and let the Spirit of the Lord take charge of it, we will know and we will believe.  Do we know where we stand? Well, I know what I believe and I pray those in doubt will find the same promise and hope that I share.  Why?  Because He lives and He is our hope and our future.

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    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

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