If we could reach backward through time and retrieve a few things from our parents and grandparents, what would we bring back?  Certainly not their hardships, injustices or limited opportunities.  Progress has delivered extraordinary blessings. 

But somewhere along the road to becoming more prosperous, connected and technologically advanced, we left behind values that no technology can replace. 

                                   The dignity of work.  It built discipline! 

We talk about finding ourselves.   Our parents found themselves through responsibility, service, hard work and honesty.

We would bring back the sacredness of family.  Older adults played a part in the lives of their grandchildren.  Eating together after church on Sunday. Sharing stories around the dining room table.  Just eating together.

Children could learn about life lessons…..not from algorithm, but directly about the hardships and loss, work ethics, and family fortunes. Blessings from surviving but also blessings from receiving.

We have mastered communication without necessarily mastering communion. 

Our culture worships information.  Information is not wisdom!  Our elders understood the difference between wanting something and needing it. 

For many families, faith was not confined to a building one day per week.  Prayer, gratitude and accountability shaped everyday life. 

Our grandparents left instructions:

 Work hard.  Keep your word. Save something. Repair what can be repaired. Visit the sick. Respect your elders. Eat together and share stories. Pray.  Take care of your neighbors. Forgive those who have slighted you.   

When life slows you down, do not let the obstacles replace the joys that are also part of our lives.  “Weeping may come in the night but Joy comes in the morning! “(Psalm 30:5)

                        Learn from the past and take the best for tomorrow.

We are often told that loving yourself is selfish.  Yet, Jesus said to love others as you love yourself.  He never said we are not to love ourselves.    Are we not created in God’s image??

This means giving yourself grace and permission to be exactly where and who you are. To be patient with your own growth and progress.

We must also offer ourselves kindness. You can do this by refraining from harsh self-criticism. You are the one who can give yourself the agape love you need to nurture your mental and physical well-being.

This kind of healthy self-love also does not envy. Which means that negatively comparing your own pace or achievements with others’ is not loving. Agape love allows you to live the life most suited to you, because you’re uniquely designed and loved by God. Being impatient with your own progress tends to creep in when you’re tempted to compare.  Of course, we always must strive to better ourselves.  Trying to improve ourselves.  Are we fit for the Kingdom?

We should be proud of our achievements but not in a boastful way.  Just being a faithful friend, you are showing the same love that God has given to you.   

We don’t make many dear friends, those who love us just as we are.  We must love others with all their quirks and ideocracies.  Of course, you and I don’t have any do we??

 In helping others, we are actually helping ourselves.  In loving others, we also love ourselves in that God has shown favor to use us in a special way.  He has endowed each of us with enough love to share with others.

                                                Loving is what we do!

I  guess you might say I am one of those who notices my surroundings.     Especially when outside, or even on a visit to someone’s home.  I am aware of the art on the wall; the room arrangements.  When outside I see the weeds that have sprouted up overnight, the clouds above, or the butterflies fliting about on the bushes,

I want to encourage all of us to be more aware of what is going on around us.   A life of noticing goes beyond and truly sees.  With purpose, intentionality.  To see.  To observe. To consider.  A life lived on auto pilot is not the life of one who truly embraces the abundant life that God brings to us.  ‘” Look deep into nature, and then you understand better”. These words attributed to Albert Einstein are profound,

To experience God’s world fully is to notice.  To observe closely, and with intention is gratitude in action!

Get out your phone and start taking pictures of the beauty around you.  When the dark days of winter come you can go back see what wonders you might have missed. Each season of the year brings its own beauty.      

While we are living this life, despite what might be engaging us, be more aware of the world around you.  Don’t look for the next big thing. It’s not just going                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        through motions of living. It’s actually living life in the present tense.  Participating, Noticing.  Observing. Engaging.   

If we want to hone our noticing skills, begin to delight in the everyday.  Look at the same old thing with new eyes, with eyes of wonder.  See what you’ve never seen before.   Look deeply.  It will thrill you to realize the wonder of the God’s creation. 

Learn to engage your other senses.  Observation involves more than just sight. What are you hearing: smelling?  A loser look here, a curiosity there, and before you know it, you are noticing things that you previously overlooked.  Nature becomes a magnificent mystery just waiting to be revealed.  Suddenly you’re living with expectation and wonderment.

In noticing more, we will create a greater love for our Creator God, Our hearts are grateful and full of awe.

“The heavens declare the glory of God;’ the skies proclaim the work of His hands.   Psalm 19:1

Many accolades have been written about Dolly Parton.  She was known worldwide, not only for her musicianship but for her benevolent and gentle spirit.  She was raised in a poor family of 12 children to parents who cared and loved each one and lived by Biblical principles. 

In addition to the Bible, another book from her childhood became a source of inspiration for the rest of her life.   Here’s what Parton said;” My favorite book of all time is “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper because it inspired me when I was just a kid and still inspires me today.”

Some of you might not know about this book but us older ones read it as children.  A favorite TV show, Captain Kangaroo, read the book while there was a little train that rode on the tracks.  A summary of the book is about a small  little  railroad engine that was given a huge task.  It was his duty to fulfill his task. 

“The little train was pulling a heavy load but had a high hill to climb.  He said to himself. “I think I can, I think I can and so he did.”

It is a powerful message for us all to believe in ourselves and strive to do our best in whatever situation lies before us.  Every one of us braves many challenges in our life.  Each of us has different problems, face different adversities, or situations that require us to have the mind of the little engine. 

We are each given a life in which to achieve our goals, to make the world a better place and to live the life that God wants for us.

Can we all be like the little engine?   

               I think we can, I think we can……..and so we can!!!

The writer of the article I recently read, was quoting a certain British professor who observed depression in many of his students.  They were languishing in class and apparently were extremely unhappy with their lives. 

The professor asked two questions of his students.

                          Why are you unhappy and what would make you happy? 

Most of them said that there was no meaning in their life.  They were pursuing success and accolades, but with no real idea of the ultimate point to their goal.

The professor saw that many of his students grew up with cellphones etc.  and lost their way to personal interaction.   Immersed in their screens, they used this technological baggage as the formula for success but without real success!

There was depression, anxiety, and emptiness.  They never contemplated their ultimate purpose in life. 

For them and the rest of us these two questions can act as a pair of reading glasses not for print, but for better interpreting ourselves and the events around us. 

People have searched for meaning by different routes.  Many hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain, part of that ancient network of pathways and roads followed by countless pilgrims over the centuries to the Shrine of St James.  It wasn’t reaching their destination as much as the trek itself.

 When you start living with a sense of purpose then the two questions will be part of your life. 

Pursue the two questions and you will find out that your life has meaning.             

Each one must find the answers for themselves.

                  Are you unhappy?  What would make you happy?

Ouch!  I woke up in the night with a hurting jaw.  I knew it was the tooth speaking to me. 

The book of James opens with great encouragement to the 12 scattered tribes living outside of Israel. To these first Disciples, in thick of persecution, James offers a bold perspective on their trials. He asks them to consider them pure joy.  Does that include a bad tooth?  Can you imagine living in the 1^st century with a toothache?

                            How can I be joyful when my tooth is hurting?

When James, half-brother of Jesus, wrote this epistle, which was one of the earliest New Testament letters, Christians were being driven into poverty and hunger. While they’re grappling to survive, James adjusts their focus to what faith can produce. He knew that going through pain or hardship can forge compassion for others, humility, and the realization that earthly experiences are temporary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Chronic pain is just one of many trials that can test our faith. We wonder: when there’s pain of any kind, is God really our Savior, our healer, our strength? Which is why the trial at hand is ultimately for our good. It builds in us a tenacity to keep pursuing God’s plan for us. To stay in prayer with Him about the direction of our lives, and to essentially “see what we’re made of.”

God did design our bodies to heal itself.  Ultimately our bodies provide our own healing.   But thankfully we have Doctors, and Dentists who provide us with their care. 

Pain tends to push us toward, rather than away from God. Pain tells us that our earthly bodies are only temporary, but we are to treat them wisely with care…..realizing they don’t last forever and that our lives here are but a vapor. 

When our bodies fail us, we still have the Great Healer who gives us courage to face whatever He allows for us. 

Our pains (tooth aches) remind us of how fortunate we are living today  with the many wonderful caregivers who are there to help us.

However, remember the Great Physician.  He is the Master Healer who gives us both strength and courage to face our own “tooth aches!!”    

Laughter just might be one of the best all-around medicines. Laughter is a great way to lift your mood, oxygenate your body, and move your muscles. It’s free, fun, and intended by God for you to enjoy.

In fact, the popular adage, “laughter is the best medicine,” is biblically based. Proverbs 17:22 proclaims—“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Multiple university studies have scientifically proven that laughter reduces stress and lowers blood pressure. When we’re able to laugh at our circumstances or ourselves and not taking our lives too seriously our lives change and we can see things more objectively. 

Laughter offers the potential to heal relationships, soften disappointment, and melt tension. Perhaps that’s why God designed us to laugh when we’re thrilled, overjoyed, or relieved.

Our lives are only too often filled with disappointments, sorrow and fear.   God knew we would need laughter to get through hardships, which makes it a truly divine gift. It’s evidence that the “joy of the Lord is your strength.”

That’s why I propose that we consider laughter not just a luxury, but a priority. Watch a comedian who takes serious issues in life and makes us laugh at the circumstances. 

We used to enjoy shows such as: I Love Lucy; Barney Fife; Richard Pryor; Jerry Seinfeld; Robin Williams. Jerry Lewis.  Situation comedies.  Full House; The Brady Bunch; Father Knows Best; Ozzy and Harriet; Cheers.  These are the old ones.   You can name a few.

There is always joy somewhere.   Laughter can bubble up into expressions of gratitude, opening pathways for shared affection and appreciation.

Are you having an off day? Feeling low or stressed lately? Maybe you need a good laugh. Do you have a friend or sibling you can call to laugh about memories? How about a new hobby you’ve never tried? Playing games with a friend is joyful and our mistakes make us laugh. 

Maybe there’s a movie that brings you joy, or an activity that thrills you. Keep laughter a priority in your life.

                            God called His Creation good!  He created us to enjoy it and laugh! 

                                                                                Why Not Laugh? 

Each of us has our own stories to tell.  We have the freedom to remember and to share our stories.  Some of our stories are sad and make us wish we could redo what we said or did.  Other stories make us happy.  Good times shared with family and friends.

The Bible is God’s word, full of stories.  In it we find the writers sharing their stories of God’s hand in this world.   Jesus told stories.  He related spiritual truths to how to live our life in response to His teachings. The stories He told are what gives us our own story to write.  These make our lives meaningful and bearing witness to being His disciples. 

The parables, as we call them, are teaching stories.  They relate not only to those 1^st century hearers but teach us today well. 

Today the world confronts us with rising acts of violence and hatred.  There is ongoing religious persecution, attacks on freedom of conscience, and effort to rewrite or suppress history.  Remembering and telling is more than an academic exercise.  It is a responsibility that you and I must share. 

What allows ordinary people to preserve their humanity when powerful forces seek to erase it?

The answer is seldom found in grand political speeches or from famous leaders. More often, it is found in ordinary people, like us, who refuse to surrender who we are.  We teach traditions to our children. We must be unafraid to speak the truth.

Quiet acts of telling our stories become acts of courage.  We must be unafraid of what the world thinks of us.

Freedom is not only our right to worship as we please but allowing us to tell stories of our faith.  That’s what our discipleship means! 

                                            We each have our own stories to tell! 

If you think that idolatry is the worship of sticks or Asherah poles, or something unique to those folks living in the Old Testament, then you might we surprised that we all might have our own idols.  Likewise, if you think idolatry is reserved for things like sex, drugs, and always seeking happiness, you and I will be blinded to the hidden idols within our own heart. 

What is idolatry? 

I enjoyed reading articles from the late Dr Tim Keller, who wrote in “Counterfeit Gods” .  He has given one of the better definitions of idolatry. Here is how Keller defines it: 

“What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give … An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.’ There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.”

Using Keller’s definition helps us to see that really anything can become an idol.

I love my clothes catalogues.  I spend more time looking at them than reading the scripture.  I have come to realize that perhaps loving clothes and looking through those catalogues is taking me away from what truly matters.

I also know that God isn’t an old spoil sport!  He wants us to have good things in our life.  We enjoy our homes; our kids; our friends; good food: etc. But we must be aware that none of these lovelies can take the place of gratitude. 

Your heart and mine can easily be drawn away from the Lord. Idolatry is real.  It is also very subtle.  We want to be good disciples but being part of this world it’s so easy to be drawn into the beguiling charms that take our focus away from what truly matters in life.   

  Search your own heart. Do you have an idol lurking somewhere? 

When you think about biblical history, do you give any thought to food?

Not many of us do. It’s easy to study Jesus’ first miracle or the Last Supper without actually wondering why these important events took place at meals. And it’s hard to picture the Last Supper in your mind as anything but the seated feast depicted in Leonardo’s masterpiece.

It’s no coincidence that pivotal events and conversations in the life of Jesus and his earliest followers take place over the dinner table. Throughout the Greco-Roman world, meals were a means of creating and solidifying social bonds.

Greco-Roman meals were never taken sitting up—unless you were a respectable woman, in which case you’d rarely be invited to the meal anyway—but rather reclining, as all of the biblical and archaeological evidence proves that most meals were taken Roman style.        Reclining.

 Many descriptions of the dining rooms, the arrangement of couches, the arrangement of diners and the importance of conversation we can gain a new, more intimate image of Jesus, reclining with a favored disciple who is also reclining, literally at Jesus’ breast. 

How much more intimate and focused these meals seem when you read about them with such images in mind!

 The textual evidence from the 1st century C.E. and later, it becomes clear how Paul’s work in establishing the new assemblies was made smoother by dining customs of the day.

                                  Invite a friend for lunch.  Its good theology