Month: July 2024

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. John 13:34

It’s hard to believe that this week students all over will return to classes for the new school year. Teachers are already back, and our thoughts and prayers are with them. A couple of us retired teachers were talking, and one of them remarked, “The best thing I can say about teachers having to go back this early is, I am glad I am not one of them!”

I love the story that Randy used to tell about the first week of Kindergarten for little Johnny. He came to school every day in the same clothes and with a distinctive smell. The frustrated teacher pinned a note to his shirt that read, “Johnny’s clothes are dirty, and he smells. Please bathe him.” The mother wrote back, “Johnny ain’t a rose. Don’t smell him – just learn him!”

The word, learn is defined as gaining or acquiring knowledge of or skill in something by study, experience, or being taught. In contrast, the word or term unlearn is defined as discarding something learned, especially a bad habit or false or outdated information from one’s memory. For example, Teachers are being asked to unlearn rigid rules for labeling and placing chldren.

Teachers don’t just “learn” their students, they also have to help them unlearn some of the things that might be detrimental to them. Teachers are the leaders of their classroom, and leadership is not all about being in charge, but rather, it’s about taking care of those in your charge.

Regardless of the age or gender of children that enter a classroom, each of them come in with unique gifts and graces that are theirs alone. Some of these gifts and graces work well in classrooms and will work in the world, but some of those gifts and graces need a mentor to help a student unlearn some of those which will be detrimental.

Parents are, for the most part, great at raising and teaching their children, but a kindergarten teacher dreads those that, on the first day of school, come in with their children to help them settle in! We try to help parents unlearn the specific idea that they are helping us when, in fact, it only upsets the child when they leave. We always “loved” the way that helped our day get started well.

Teachers give so much of themselves during the year. They are much like the lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline and received his supply of oil only once a month to keep the lighth burning. One night, a woman from the village begged the keeper for a tiny bit of oil to keep her family warm on an especiially cold night. Another time another villager asked for a tiny bit of oil for his lamp. Another need a tiny bit to grease a wheel. The lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone so he granted their requests.

Toward the end of the month, he discovered that his supply of oil was running very low. Soon, it was all gone, and the beacon light went out. That night several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. The investigators came, and the man was very repentful. The authories however, replied, “You were given the oil for one purpose, to keep the light burning.” Just like the light keeper, teachers have a tremendous job trying to please administration, parents, and students.

Every child has a light that needs to be lit or kept burning. Teachers are here for the purpose of making sure that the light in each student is learned and reinforced. Students need to be open to learning the things that will help them and unlearning the things that are detrimental. An angry student has to unlearn that behavior. An unloving student needs to unlearn that trait. A deceitful student needs to unlearn that practice. An undiscipined student has to unlearn that and respect discipline. A student that bullies has to unlearn that and begin to build others up.

Teachers do so much more than just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. They teach their students to love one another and to become visionaries for the future. The teacher is the biggest cheerleader for the students who begin school this week.

Whether it’s the first year of school or the last, all of us should remember that Jesus would have each of us to be loving to each other! Have a great year. God bless all our teachers!

We can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 from The Message

We could probably never count all the times in our lives that we have uttered the words, I can’t wait. It ususally starts in childhood when we get so excited about everything from “I can’t wait til Daddy gets home, to I can’t wait to start school, to I can’t wait for Christmas.” As we grow and mature, we still use these words, but in different circumstances. For example, “I can’t wait to get my driver’s license, I can’t wait to graduate from high school, I can’t wait to get a job, I can’t wait to get married.”

In every instance, the words, I can’t wait exemplify the hope that we hold for the future that things will happen in accordance with the order we expect. We have faith that God will so order our lives that the expectation and excitment we can’t wait for will come to pass. Sometimes, we can’t wait to pass along this feeling of excitement and affirmation.

The story is told of a city which had a hospital teacher program to visit and tutor children who were ill and behind in school. This visiting teacher got the name of the child she would tutor, and she spoke with the classroom teacher who asked her to help the child with nours and adverbs. Nobody told the teacher that the young boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. When she met him, she stammered, “I’ve been sent by your teacher to help you with nouns and adverbs. I can’t wait to work with you!”

The next day, a nurse from the hospital called the teacher and asked, “What did you do to that boy? Ever since your visit, his whole attitude has changed. He is fighting back, responding to treatment, and it’s as though he’s decided to live.” Two weeks later when the boy was asked what changed, he said “I just figured they wouldn’t send a teacher who can’t wait to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?” Hope and expectation! I can’t wait!

Sometimes, we use I can’t wait to deal with hard situations that have happened to us, and express the hope and faith that God is true to His promises for us. We find ourselves uttering the words, I can’t wait until my joints are well again, or I can’t wait until someone finds a cure for cancer, I can’t wait until this surgery is over, I can’t wait for the world to be kinder to each other, or I can’t wait until my child comes home for a visit. We hold out hope even in the most dire circumstances because we know that there’s not enough containers to hold everythiing that God has poured into our lives.

Fifty two years ago on our wedding day, I remember saying, I can’t wait to marry Randy and start our lives together. My Daddy didn’t offer much hope when he walked me down the aisle saying, “Sugar, you don’t have to marry this man!!” I did find myself saying over the years, I can’t wait to begin teaching, I can’t wait until Randy gets out of seminary, then, I can’t wait to move out of this parsonage, or I can’t wait to move closer to a town, even, I can’t wait until we get air conditioining. In spite of the I can’t waits, the rewards have been so much greater than the inconveniences. There are so many extraordinary memories of our fifty two years thus far, and I still find myself saying, “I can’t wait to see what God does next!

We are to have hope because as we survive our earthly experiences, we notice the work of God in our lives acting as assurances of the promises to come. We feel the excitement of the blessings that God pours into our lives. We all have reason to be of the I can’t wait mindset because God has nothing to prove to us. He has no reason to lie or exaggerate. It’s easy to lose sight of hope in our daily experiences especially when we see the injustice all around us, but if we dwell on that, we lose our ability to see the blessings!

Hope is much like the little league baseball player who was sitting in the dugout when a man approached. The man asked the boy what the score was, and the boy replied, “18-0, we are behind.” “Boy,” the man said, “I bet you are discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” asked the boy. “We haven’t gotten up to bat yet!”

Hope in God is realizing that He hasn’t gotten up to bat yet in this world. There’s no need for us to get discouraged because His turn is coming. I can’t wait.

Make hay while the sun shines -that’s smart. Go fishing during harvest – that’s stupid. Proverbs 10:5 The Message

Our Daddy was a farmer in our small town, and he spent his days out on the farm where he grew and raised everything from peanuts, corn, and cotton, to pigs and chickens. His days started early and usually ended after dark when he would come home after a long day. His arms were always sporting the famous “farmer’s tan” from being in the sun most of the time!

Daddy had a lot of “daddyisms”, but when it came to helping get his three daughters up early to help him on Saturdays his favorite was, “Let’s make hay while the sun shines.” Surprisingly to me, a form of this saying is actually also found in Proverbs, and it literally means that you take advantage of the chance to do something while the conditions are good. In other words, we should make good use of our time or make the most of an opportunity while we have the chance. It conveys the idea that a diligent person will work when and how they can, while a lazy person will miss opportunities to get ahead.

The Message Bible says, “We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent us here, working while the sun shines.” We often hear people lament the things that did not get done in this life. We hear things like, “I wish I had done this or I wish I hadn’t done this or that. Why didn’t I get things done or make changes when I had the opportunity?” These questions point back to the scripture in Proverbs and encourage us to get things done whle we have the opportunity.

Sometimes in this life, we get stuck in the question stage, and we never seem to be able to move on to the solution stage. Jesus said, “You as well as I have work to do and there will come a time when you can’t work because the opportunity will be gone.” This applies to aspects of our lives today as we seek to take the opportunites presented to us to do the work of God.

So, how can we go abut making hay while the sun shines? First, I think we have to get in the habit of adjusting our daily routine to maximize the opportunties afforded us each day. We don’t determine our future, but we can determine our habits, and our habits can determine our future. It’s so easy to put off until tomorrow what we can do today, but tomorrow is promised to no one.

Next, we must recognize the opportunities that are presented to us daily. A successful person makes hay from the grass that grows under the other person’s feet. Making hay takes aspiration, inspiration, and perspiration!

Finally, making hay requires persistance. It would have been easy for us girls to roll over on Saturday mornings and catch a few more minutes of sleep, but Daddy was persistant. Succeeding in the opportunites afforded us means getting back up every time we fail. Louis Pasteur said, “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”

In light of the horrific events of the past weekend, it seems that the time is now for we, as Christians, to step up and take advantage of the opportunites afforded us in this day and age to make hay each day. This country is in desperate need of the light that knowing about Jesus would afford. We can make hay when we tell others of the joys that are found in a Christian walk. I noticed that many people were quick to let the world know they were “praying”! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it didn’t take a tragedy for this country to pray!

The story is told of a lady who had recently been baptized. A co-worker asked her what it was like to be a Christian? The lady was caught off guard, but when she looked up, she saw a jack-o-lantern on a desk in the office. Inspired she said, “Being a Christian is like a pumpkin. God picks you out of the patch, takes you and washes all the dirt off the outside. Then, He cuts off the top, removes all the yucky stuff, and the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed on the inside. Finally, he carves you a new smiling face and places His light on the inside to shine for all to see.”

Each day presents us with opportunies, experiences, and chances to make hay while the sun is shining.. Don’t miss the chance to seize the precious moments and chances with which God provides each of us!

God is going to send someone that will rescue you. Then one day you will rescue them in return, and together your story will rescue others. He has always been a God of rescues and a maker of warriors for His grace. Shannon L. Alder

Our extended family met last week for a reunion in Panama City Beach, the place where my cousins and I grew up vacationing together in the summers. There were over fifty of us by the time everyone arrived, and it was a week of laughter, fun, sun, and memories. It is so heart warming to see three generations come together to enjoy each other!

This group contains the children, their spouses, their children, and their grandchildren which are part of the offsprings of the four original siblings of my grandparents. The three brothers and a sister were parents to eleven children, part of whom are represented here. The great grandchildren range in age from twenty two to four, and are a great compilation of similarities and differences.

The week presented us with a brand new perspective on rescuers who live and work among us in everyday situations. A rescuer is defined as a person who saves someone else from a dangerous or difficult situation.

We arrived during the height of the rip tide and shark warnings in the Gulf of Mexico which had us all emphasizing the need for safety in the ocean. The first day, we watched with great apprehension as a man who had ventured too far into the ocean was caught up in the rip tide and was pulled out too far to make it back. Emergency vehicles arrived with sirens blaring, lights flashing and responders running with ropes and boards in hand to rescue him. After a struggle to get to him, the first responders managed to reach him and return him safely to shore. Rescuers!

The next day, we watched in disbelief as a fisherman hooked a hammerhead shark near shore. The episode drew quite a crowd of onlookers, and I think we were all wondering how this guy was going to eliminate the shark?! Instead, we watched in amazement as he cautiously guided the shark back over the sand bar and released him into the ocean! This catch and release made us all more aware of our surroundings. Rescuers!

All this drama of the week caused me to take look around the group of us assembled there on the beach, and I realized that among us are rescuers as well. For example, there are cousins who are caring for their own Mothers who are in the hospital or assisted living. Rescuers! There are cousins who give of themselves to go on mission trips to foreign countries to care for orphans. Rescuers! There are cousins who are “stand in grandparents” to those children who have lost one of their parents. Rescuers!

There are among us cousins who have lost a spouse, a child, or both, but through the grace of God have been rescued and have become rescuers for those who face the same situation. Rescuers! There are among us professionals, entrepreneurs, business men and women, teachers, preachers, doctors, dentists, and even lawyers. Each in their own way is a rescuer!

My eyes turned to the group of young cousins who are the great grandchildren of our parents! They would be so proud of this group of young men and women who are rescuers of the faith, hope, and love that were instilled in each of us during our childhood. Rescuers!

Looking back over our lives, I am sure that each one of us can look back and see the rescuing presence of God in the midst of some of our most difficult and trying times. His presence is a constant, never ending one. Just like Daniel in the lion’s den and Jonah in the belly of the whale, Jesus is there to rescue us in our lives. I think we would all agree that a rescuer gives more than they take, has a passion for helping others, and sets the example for all of us.

Thank God for rescuers!

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so that we can be humbly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. That is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 The Message

This week we pause to celebrate the birth of our nation which came into being two hundred and forty eight years ago. When the framers of the Constitution were gathering to begin work on the documents that would govern this new country, listen to their words: We therefore the representatives of the United States of America in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions…And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence…we mutally pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Later when the first Continental Congress met and were debating how the Declaration of Independence should be written, Ben Franklin got up and said, Gentlemen, if it is true that not one single petal from any flower falls to the ground without escaping God’s attention, will the distress of this nation go unheeded? Let us therefore determine to seek His face. After these words, 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence went to their knees and began to pray and seek God’s wisdom. Can you imagine what would happen if that scenario took place today in our Congress and Supreme Court of today? What if they simply asked, “Almighty God, what do YOU want for our nation?”

Our freedom, liberty, and independence came to us at a cost. These founders were committed to, not only obtaining freedom for future generations, but they were committed to Christian principles. In his farewell address, George Washington said, “Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they ever attempt to remove religion from politics!” Patrick Henry said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Our forefathers gave us one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. Liberty is defined as the state of being free within society from repressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views. How did we ever take these gifts of liberty that were handed to us all these years ago and turn them into the country we see today?

The problem is we didn’t earn the liberty and freedom, but rather, It was handed to us at great cost to those who came before us. Thomas Paine said, “What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly.” Colton’s philosophical statement convicts us when it says, “Liberty is not handed down to a people; a people must raise themselves up to liberty. Liberty is a blessing that must be earned before it can be enjoyed.“

I love the story of a father who took his young daughter to see the Statue of Liberty. He taught her that the torch represents enlightenment and the path to liberty, and the book she holds represents the book of laws that America has and the importance of those laws. She listened as he read the inscription at the base of the Statue reading: Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden shore.

That night, the young girl seemed restless. Her Dad asked her if anything was wrong, and she replied: “Daddy, that lady must be awful tired after holding her arm up all these years. Isn’t there any way we can help her hold up that torch?” Lady Liberty needs our help holding up that torch to preserve Godly liberty and foundations for our country.

Our prayer today is for every leader, every courtroom judge, every administrator, every teacher, every parent, every child, every minister, every businessman and woman, every American citizen, and every student to help Lady Liberty keep holding up that torch!!

My country tis of Thee, sweet land of liberty of thee I sing. Land where my Father’s died, Land of the Pilgrim’s pride; From every mountainside, Let freedom ring! Samuel Frances Smith

God Bless this sweet land of liberty.