Author: [email protected]

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. But the angel of the Lord said to them, Do not be afraid for I bring you good news of great joy that will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:8-11

The story is told of Franklin Roosevelt, who, after enduring long receiving lines at the White House, complained that people didn’t really hear what he was saying. One day he decided to try an experiment. To each person who came by and shook his hands, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with remarks such as, “Marvelous. Keep up the good work. We are proud of you.” It was not until the end of the line when Roosevelt was greeting the emperor of Bolivia that the words were actually heard. Casually, the emperor leaned over to Roosevelt and said, “I’m sure she had it coming!!”

There is a great difference between listening and actually hearing. My Daddy struggled with hearing loss in his right ear most of his life, so many times he appeared to be listening, but he didn’t actually hear. Many times people would respond to his question, but he didn’t hear the response, so he just repeated himself in a louder voice. This provoked others to continue speaking louder each time until finally Daddy would hear and remark, “Well, you don’t need to yell, I heard you!”

Sometimes when God is speaking, we just either don’t listen or choose not to hear. God uses many different ways to speak to us in this world, but the question is, Do we hear?

Angels were important in the announcing of the birth of Jesus. God had them deliver both words of hope and warning in such a glorious setting that it was impossible for the recipients to ignore them. They had to be heard!!

What keeps us from hearing the voice of God during this wonderful season? First, the busyness of the season sometimes keeps us too busy to listen and hear. We listen to our time clock instructing us to buy that gift, decorate that house, wrap those packages, but we don’t hear God’s voice above the traffic asking us to slow down and listen for Him.

Secondly, Christmas can become routine. We do the same things, keep a frenzied schedule, and listen to the same Christmas story without really hearing it. Our relationship with Jesus was never meant to be routine, and this story was never meant to be rotely celebrated. It was meant to be a life changing relationship that was meant to be beautiful, exciting, and fresh every day. If we don’t hear God, routine sets in.

Lastly, Christmas can lose its awe. The shepherds were witnesses to this glory and awe, but they didn’t keep it to themselves, they went to see and then told others. In order for us to keep the sense of the awe of this night, we have to spread the story of a virgin who gave birth to our Savior who still lives today!

We are just like a piano whose strings must be adjusted after use to maintain that harmonious sound. If we continue going through this season with pressure after pressure, problem after problem, and item after item, we will become like loose strings on a piano making a disharmonious sound. God doesn’t want to hear that! He wants to hear our hearts singing with the angels as we celebrate the Savior’s birth.

This Christmas do you hear anew God’s story of Jesus’ birth? My prayer is that we won’t miss the truth that is available to all who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that is ready to know and believe.

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear? Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy. A song, a song, high up in the trees with a voice as big as the sea. Said the child to the people everywhere. Listen to what I say. Pray for peace people everywhere. Listen to what I say . The child. the child sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light. Song is Do You Hear What I Hear? lyrics by Regeny Noel

He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics – He’ll get the people ready for God! Luke 1:17 from The Message

I’m not sure what it is about this season, but it seems to breed impatience and frenzied times in many of us. While buying Christmas poinsettias at Home Depot the other day, I felt that frenzied feeling coming on as I waited in line to pay. After paying the cashier, I was walking away when I heard her call, “Hey baby, you forgot your plants.” Embarrassed, I walked back and said, “I’m so sorry. Sometimes I feel like I’m losing my mind.” She smiled and said, “No baby, you aren’t losing your mind, you’ve just got too much on it!!”

We can all identify with the mother who was Christmas shopping with her small son. As she ran from store to store, she realized that her son was not beside her. In a panic, she retraced her steps and found her three year old pressing his face against a store window looking at a manger scene. He heard her panicked cry and said, “Look Mommy, it’s Baby Jesus in the hay.” With indifference to his wonder, she grabbed him and said, “We don’t have time for that!” On that first Christmas, the innkeeper had no room for Jesus. Today, we seem to have no time for Him.

Even on that day long ago, we find the rush of life. The Bible says the shepherds came to Bethlehem with great haste, but they had something that seems lost in this world of today. They had wonder. The curse of people today is that we are so busy we have no time for wonder. Dag Hammersjkold said years ago, “If spiritual things become a drag and the message of Christmas is dull, you can be sure the problem is not in the message but in our loss of the awe and wonder of it.”

In the gospel of Luke, we see the wonder of God’s loving kindness and guidance toward Mary and Joseph as He guided them through all the problems they faced in bringing the Messiah into this world. God worked out a plan to fulfill the prophecy and also get the couple to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.

There is the wonder of God’s orchestration of the greatest choir ever assembled as he brought the angels to sing praises to the King. Nothing was too extravagant to bear witness to the birth of our Savior. If all of heaven rang as the angels sang, then how can we as benefactors of God’s greatest gift ever take for granted the awe and wonder of it all.

It is said that familiarity breeds contempt, but more often that not, familiarity just breeds indifference. The more familiar it becomes, the less fascination we have. The newness fades and we lose the wonder. We have heard the Christmas story over and over, and slowly the wonder of what happened over 2000 years ago diminishes. The old, old story has become just that an old, old story.

A group traveling by train through the Rocky Mountains was thrilled and visibly moved by the beauty all around them! A woman traveling with them hardly raised her eyes from the book she was reading, and when she was asked why she explained, “This is the thirteenth time I have crossed these mountains. The first few times I was so impressed that I couldn’t keep the tears from flowing, but now I know it so well that I frequently go through the whole trip without even a glance outside.” Her sense of wonder was gone, and she no longer recognized the beauty and grandeur all around her. This same principle is constantly at work in relation to the marvel, mystery, awe, majesty of God, and wonder of Christmas!

If there is one thing I could wish for all of us this Christmas it would be to feel the same wonder that Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds felt on that special night long ago. The coming of Jesus Christ into their lives changed them forever, and it can do the same for each of us. They would never be the same. Jesus came into this world 2000 years ago to change it forever, and wonder of wonders, He did!

The picture above depicts the wonder of the season through the eyes of my sweet niece’s son. May his sense of wonder dwell in each of us this Christmas!

I wonder as I wander out under the sky; That Jesus my Savior did come for to die, For poor or’ny people like you and like I; I wonder as I wander out under the sky. Song by Audrey Assad

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

It’s hard to believe that the first Sunday in Advent has come. Advent is the season where we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ during the four weeks before Christmas. The word Advent means “to come”, and the season focuses on celebrating Christ’s first coming at Christmas and anticipating Christ’s second coming.

The lighting of the Advent wreath is a fairly new tradition in church history. The wreath of today was modified from the first wreath which was made of a wagon wheel into the wreath of four candles for each Sunday and one in the middle which is lighted on Christmas Eve or Day which we use

The first candle lit on the wreath is the candle of hope. Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. The incredible blessing of Christmas is that we don’t have to wait until next year or a change in our circumstances to have hope – it is available to us all year long!

We all need hope all the time, but especially at Christmas. For many in our world today, the flame of hope has burned down to the wick. There are those who wonder how they will carry on because the darkness of failures, health, and situations has come crashing in.

So, why should we hold onto hope during this special season? First, we should hold onto hope because Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again. The Old Testament book of Isaiah foretells of a Savior that would take away our sins, and that baby born in the manger was the beginning of hope for us.

Next, we can have hope because God keeps His promises. God promised us a Savior who would forgive our sins, and to fulfill that promise, Jesus came! The verse from Psalm 43:5 reminds us to Put your hope in God. There is never a time when we can’t hope in God no matter the need or how great the difficulty might be. Even when our situation appears to be impossible, our hope will not be in vain.

Finally, we have hope because through Jesus, we can know God. “Behold the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call him Immanuel” which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23. “God with us” means access to God with no waiting or separation; we can enter into HIs presence at any time. We are never forsaken.

Our family celebrates three December birthdays at Thanksgiving every year because we are all together, and the time seems appropriate. Usually, the calendar cooperates, and the first Sunday of Advent is the next weekend. As the three guys blow out the birthday candles, it has come to be a joyous way to start the season of Advent and to remember the hope that comes with the first lit candle of the Advent wreath.

There is hope for all of us but especially for those who find the sorrows of this world hard to bear. We can all rest in the assurance that one day all sorrows will be swept away all because God sent his Son Jesus.

The Christmas season is a wonderful time for so many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is the hope that Christ brings to this struggling world. Hope begins with the Babe born in Bethlehem. He brought hope where there wasn’t any, and He continues to do that today.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! O hear the angels voices! O night when Christ was born; O night divine, O night, O night divine! O Holy Night by Placide Cappeau

And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Probably twenty years ago, Randy and I were sitting at a table with a new member of the church for Wednesday Night Dinner. The conversation was informational as we shared backgrounds and sought to get to know each other. It was a custom of ours to reach out and make new folks feel at home.

Toward the end of our conversation, he looked at me and said, “Diane, I grew up a Methodist, and I know from experience that our ministers are itinerant and move from church to church to serve. I understand that you have been here for fourteen years. How will you feel when the bishop sends you to a new appointment?” The question was sobering for me, and I admit it was hard to answer. Finally (as all eyes turned toward me), I said, “After we had been here for eight years, I began to feel the dread of a move because even though things were growing exponentially, there is still that vow that must be honored to go where sent. I prayed that God would just give me enough years here to get my kids through high school. He did that, and now, all the rest is just gravy.”

The idiom “the rest is just gravy” has come to mean that the rest of the journey or process, etc. will be very straightforward or easy to complete or accomplish. It also means that any additional elements will be an unexpected and an unrequired bonus.

God saw fit to leave us for fourteen more years, and the growth in programs, ministry, missions, and numbers was phenomenal. During those years, the vision of the church expanded as we began to do even more for the community and the world through programs and service.

Growing up in our small South Georgia town, gravy was almost a requirement at the meals. We had sausage gravy, brown gravy, sawmill gravy, red eye gravy, turkey gravy, roast beef gravy, giblet gravy, and on and on. Gravy at our house was usually served on the side even though it was a staple at most meals. It was rich and considered a bonus to the rice, potatoes, or meat served as the main course.

I read somewhere that we as Christians need to add gravy to our Thanksgiving meal this year, but this gravy should be the gravy of gratitude. Sometimes we tend to only the see the problems in life and ignore the blessings, and as a result there are a growing number of people who are unhappy and have an ungrateful attitude no matter what they have. Gravy and gratitude go hand in hand, so it would behoove us all to cultivate a spirit of Thanksgiving gratitude this year.

I love the hymn Count Your Blessings by Johnson Oatman, Jr. He encourages us to Count Your Blessings name them one by one; Count Your Blessings, see what God has done. So, how can we experience the gravy of gratitude this Thanksgiving and all year long?

First, dwell on what God has given us. He pours out His love, forgiveness, healing, compassion, and protection on a daily basis. Secondly, think about what God has not given us. We have all sinned and fallen short, but God doesn’t give us the punishment we deserve. Finally, think about what God has yet to give us. He has promised to love us from everlasting to everlasting no matter what!

It’s important to take time to name the things for which we are thankful and reflect on them. Too often we take for granted what we have and dwell on what we don’t. Even though we live an abundant life, we always seem to have a desire for more. Heaven on earth is found when we put aside the worries and just dwell on the gravy.

This Thanksgiving let’s take the time to remember those in our lives (past, present, and future) and give thanks for them and all the things they have given of themselves to help us grow and become who we are today. Many of us have had a tough year this past year, but there is still much for which to be thankful and celebrate!

This year when you load your plate with turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings, don’t forget to add the gravy of gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. The Doxology by Thomas Ken

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward; just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus the Master, now live Him. You’re deeply rooted in Him. You’re well constructed upon Him. You know the way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into Thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 The Message

Thanksgiving is upon us, and it is once again time to talk about the 102 Pilgrims plus the 30 crew members and their 66 day journey on the Mayflower which culminated in the landing on Plymouth Rock in America. The pilgrimage of these people came about because they were seeking a place where they could practice their religious beliefs freely. History attributes the first Thanksgiving to these Pilgrims and their celebration of a journey for religious freedom successfully completed.

A pilgrim is defined as a traveler who has come from a place afar to a holy place. Typically this journey is a physical journey to a place of some holy significance.

Our travels this past fall took us to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain which is the termination point of many pilgrimages. The history of this city is based on Christianity. The history relates that St. James, the first apostle to shed his blood for Christ, became the leader of the church in Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection. According to tradition, he also traveled to Spain to spread the good news and upon his return was martyred in A.D. 44 in Jerusalem when he was ordered beheaded by the sword by King Herod because of his Christian beliefs. Legend has it that his body was brought back to Spain in a small boat led by two angels and was interred in a small coastal town. The exact location of his grave fell into oblivion for centuries.

Around the year 815 a Spanish shephere had a vision of lights shining in the forest. The matter was investigated, and the body of St. James was found. The bishop of a nearby town had his body brought into Santiago and a church built on the site of his tomb.

This shrine began attracting pilgrims from all over, and the number has steadily increased over these many years. For many centuries, the pilgrimage has been made by the wealthy and the poor. It was seen as an enhancement of the spiritual journey to Christ, and the hardships along the way were welcomed as tests of faith.

As we walked into the center of the city’s square, people were gathered awaiting different groups who had made the pilgrimage, some walking for weeks to arrive at this special place. The square was filled with cheers, hugs, laughter, tears, and congratulations as the pilgrims entered the square. There are so many different reasons why people make this pilgrimage, but things such as the challenge, the beauty, the reward, the spiritual significance and religious purposes seem to be the most popular. It was amazing to see people entering the square some carrying crosses, others carrying back packs, and still others running to the center for the completion of their pilgrimage. Each person there was fulfilling their own reason for the pilgrimage.

John Bunyan in his classic novel, Pilgrim’s Progress offers many helpful insights into the Christian life. He pictures the walk as a pilgrimage with all kinds of experiences, trials, temptations, decisions and happenings along the way.

The Christian life is much like a pilgrimage. Each person who walks humbly with the Lord has their own experiences along their walk. Not everything that happens to a Godly person is good. The pilgrimage contains good experiences and bad in the faith journey.

Our Christian pilgrimage can teach us many things, First, we learn that this Christian pilgrimage is an imperfect one. As Christians, we struggle with sin and temptation every day, and there are dark days where defeat seems inevitable. Some of the most righteous people stumble and fall while facing some troublesome situations. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we live a charmed life.

The Christian pilgrimage also teaches us to learn to trust. When we take the pilgrimage of faith, we learn to open our life to the Lord and to put complete confidence in Him to help us through any situation.

The Christian pilgrimage also offers us hope. The hope of God’s people can’t be destroyed by circumstances. Christians always know there will be a better day even with death comes victory.

As Christians we are all pilgrims. We step out in faith not knowing the trials before us or the pain or afflictions that might await. The Christian pilgrim is often misunderstood in this world of ours, but we rest in the assurance of His promise! Glory awaits and as Christian pilgrims we maintain a determined discipline of looking forward. What lies ahead will surpass our expectations and defy explanation.

All Christian pilgrims will agree our journey takes us “onward and upward”!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, because the Lord your God goes before you; He will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Randy and I attended a high school football game the other night, and it took us back to the years when that was a regular occurrence. The colors were presented, the national anthem played, and the crowd was quiet. In my line of vision was an older gentleman who, unlike the rest of us, was at full attention and saluting the flag. His hand was a bit wobbly, but the veteran was determined to hold that salute until the colors left the field. It was inspiring to me, and I began to think of how much courage in himself and his fellow servicemen he had witnessed.

Courage is defined as the quality of mind or spirit which allows a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear.

In this world of today, we don’t see or hear as many stories of courage as we once did. Perhaps this is because we don’t face the same challenges as people did years ago. The greatest generation faced wars, rationing, loss, hardships, and the great depression. Today, we live with different challenges such as inflation, viruses, and unknowns. However, even though we might not face the same challenges, the fears we feel are just as real as the ones people faced years ago. It takes courage to face life’s challenges.

I am not sure I ever considered how much courage it takes for military officers and personnel to live daily with thoughts of the unknown which might endanger their lives and the lives of folks in the country they aspire to protect every day. It is easy to go through our daily routines without a thought of these men and women who would not hesitate to give their lives for us and this country.

This year the celebration of Veteran’s Day is very real to me after our visit to Normandy this past September. When one stands on the beaches of Omaha, Utah, or one of the other beaches and looks across the expanse of the ocean, it is sobering to put yourself in the place of one of the young soldiers who came in by boat not knowing what to expect.

Standing on the beach and looking toward the hills where German soldiers were imbedded and waiting to attack, you suddenly understand the true meaning of courage. As American, Canadian, and English forces came in by sea and air, it is not possible for me to realize how fierce the fighting must have been that day. The Battle of Normandy lasted from June 6, 1944 until August of 1944 and was the turning point of World War II.

This generation showed us the characteristics such as modesty, commitment, loyalty, patriotism, and motivation needed in their time as in ours. Their courage was remarkable! Dwight Eisenhower said of these men, These men came here to storm these beaches for one purpose only, not to gain anything for themselves, not to fulfil any ambition that America had for conquest, but just to preserve freedom, and systems of self government in the world.“

There are so many heroes in each and every war fought for this country. There are the loved ones who stayed behind to raise families and pray, there are those who returned from war with scars that they will forever carry, and there are those who came home with physical, emotional, or mental reminders of the war. It is said that the real heroes are those who walk among us and face each new day with courage.

Joshua also faced fears that took much courage to overcome. He was charged with leading people into a land that was highly fortified, populated, and with great armies. Even though God had promised this land to them, it was not an easy matter. Courage and fortitude were needed. It is one thing to say, “Do not be afraid”, but terror is a force that can seize us and render us powerless to act. God promised not to leave or forsake them, and they won the battle!

Living in this world of today takes courage. Every day presents a new set of challenges for each of us. As we remember the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice and exhibited unbelievable courage, it would do us all good to remember that the real hero is the one who goes home to face whatever life hands them no matter how tough it might be.

Imagine the courage that comes from entering a battle with the strongest most powerful swordsman at your side! God has not forsaken us, and He will not leave our side.

Happy Veteran’s Day and thank you all for your service!

A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest wind. James 3:4 The Message

Randy and I just returned from a cruise which was postponed for two years and just finally realized! I am always amazed at the size and magnitude of these ships which carry hundreds of passengers plus crew members and manage to stay afloat! There are so many working parts to a cruise ship and making it work is overwhelming to someone who has no idea of all that goes on behind the scenes.

Shipping ports have become so crowded that sometimes they are dealing with over 1000 ships at any given time. This situation makes it vital that captains of these ships know weather conditions, traffic, tides, and other critical information. This is where the pilot boats come in to help. Pilot boats are small boats which deliver maritime pilots to the arriving ships entering the port.

The maritime pilot boards the ship from the pilot boat and works with the captain and crew to make sure the ship docks safely. The pilot shares critical information on tides, weather, harbor traffic, and real time updates. When the ship leaves the port, the process is reversed as the pilot ship transfers the pilot from the ship to their boat.

It’s been my belief all these years that the maritime pilot takes over control of the ship from the captain and gets it safely in and out of ports. The truth is that the maritime pilot is only there to assist the captain and crew with critical information. Control of the ship is always up to the Captain.

The Captain of any ship is responsible for the overall control and navigation, maneuvering, communications, and safe handling of the ship. A good captain has quiet confidence and is a master of management. When difficult decisions have to be made, a competent captain knows how to balance a vessel’s needs above any outside influence.

Throughout history there have been captains who are famous for the contributions they made of their geological and scientific knowledge as well as changing the world’s perception of geography. Men such as James Cook, Christopher Columbus and Frances Drake all contributed critical information.

There are also captains which we remember because of tragedies such as Captain E.J. Smith who is blamed for the sinking of the Titanic because he was sailing the massive ship too fast through the iceberg infested waters of the North Atlantic! It is also a well reported fact that his radio operator received the message about the icebergs before hand but considered the warning to be non urgent and didn’t disturb the captain. Critical information was ignored.

What would God expect of those who are Captains or leaders in this world of today? How would He want them to use the critical information which is readily available in His word? First, I think He would want Captains to be accountable to someone who is strong enough to help strengthen their vulnerable areas and offer counsel on important decisions. Secondly, priorities need to be in order for Captains because being in this role can sometimes allow personal success to be put before the welfare of others. Finally, I think He would want our walk with Him to consistently reflect Him in everything that is said or done. The first thing that should be foremost in the Captain’s mind is using the critical information to “feed the sheep” of this world.

The Bulldog Nation lost a great Captain last week. Vince Dooley died at the age of 90. He spent most of his career as the Captain of a great university football team and athletic program. During his years, he gathered critical information and passed it on to his players, his coaches, and those who filled his shoes after his retirement. Dooley learned what worked and what didn’t, and the people who followed him were smart enough to take the program he had built, fine tune it, and move it forward while sustaining the legacy left to them.

A good Captain has the respect of his team as well as his family and friends, and it was heartwarming to hear all the accolades for him. Kirby Smart said, “Coach Dooley was a part of UGA for so long and represented it with such class! He is a huge part of my success!” Mark Richt said, “He was always there when I asked advice.” Ray Goff commented, ” His legacy is one of a kind.” Buck Belue said, “Coach Dooley was a man of integrity, forthright and trustworthy.” All of these are qualities of a great Captain who took the critical information that was learned and lived it!

The best eulogy I can give the Coach is that He was a Damn Good Dawg and a great Captain!

Critical information comes to us everyday in all of our lives. It is our job to use it to God’s glory and honor.

Our God comes; He does not keep silent; before Him is a devouring fire, around Him a mighty tempest. Psalm 50:3

The memory of growing up in a small town near a lake is forever vivid in my mind. It is not only the sights that stay with me, but also the sounds. On any given evening, the sounds of frogs croaking and crickets chirping is a soothing memory. It is said that a group of crickets chirping is like an orchestra in nature! The sound of silence is broken only by the chirping.

The term “crickets” has another meaning in this world of today, and I have just become familiar with it! Evidently, this word is used when someone asks a question, sends an email, makes a phone call or text to someone and receives no response. Crickets has come to mean absolute silence and no communication whatsoever!!

The idea of the sound of crickets chirping representing silence was so interesting to me that I did a little research on crickets and learned some interesting facts about the little insect. First, the male crickets are the only ones who make sounds either to attract a female or to intimidate rivals. Secondly, there are literally trillions of them in the world, and they chirp louder when it is hot outside. The last and most important fact is that if one tries to catch a cricket, they know you are there, and they go completely silent upon your approach making it impossible to find them and confront the little creature! That’s why the term crickets has become popular because in this day and age people might use different sources to vent, but then when confronted, they will go completely silent.

If a cricket gets in your basement, your garage, or other places, the sound of their silence is not good news because the only time they don’t chirp is when you are looking for them!!

We are a part of the new generation where we are provided constant opportunities to voice our opinion, gossip uncontrollably about others, and post our views anywhere we choose. What happens however, when our opinions, idle gossip, and viewpoints are challenged? Most of the time we prepare to defend our comments and prepare for verbal retaliation, but in many cases, the term crickets applies. It seems to be much easier these days to just go crickets rather than challenge others.

As a teacher, mother, and grandmother, there have been many times when a conversation I might have with others (especially parents) was laced with misinformation, untruths, and even unkind remarks, but instead of doing verbal battle, I was guilty of crickets. In retrospect, I wonder if that actually helped or hurt the situation, but I followed the advice of Chinese General Sun Tzu who said, “Know your enemy and know yourself and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.”

It is frustrating when you are talking to a group of people or email folks expecting an answer, and instead you get crickets. How about listening to others who speak twisted theology or unbiblical opinions in our presence? Do we get crickets from those listening in that group? If we aren’t courageous enough to speak up in defense of our Lord and the Bible, can we call ourselves Christians? If we aren’t building up Christ and loving those around us, then aren’t we disregarding the commandment to love one another.

There is absolutely a time for silence (crickets) such as during a conversation where we don’t have enough knowledge about the topic to make a meaningful contribution, when we aren’t familiar enough with the folks around to ask a question, or when we feel tempted to act in an un Christlike manner. Use crickets. There is also a time for silence when we are listening fervently for God to direct our ways and use us in a Godly way.

If it’s our faith that ‘s under attack, then it’s during the battles that it grows stronger. The faith we develop during these times will be what sustains us in our life’s journey. Defend it! Don’t go silent!

This world offers ample opportunities to sit back and say nothing (crickets) believing that God will do it all for us, but we have a part to play. God has given each of us “a measure of faith”, and it is hardly ever realized by going “crickets”.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

The other morning as I was limping my way into LA Fitness for my water class, it hit me that I have been limping for over ten weeks now, and I began to wonder, “When will I ever walk correctly again after this broken foot?” Just at that moment, a gentleman emerged from the center walking on two prosthetic legs. Suddenly, my perspective changed, and I was grateful for a mild limp! It’s all about our perspective!

Perspective is defined as a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something or a point of view. People with the right perspective have the ability to view things in their true relations or relative importance. My change in perspective gave me the opportunity to see things in light of their true importance.

Randy and I recently flew home from a trip, and it reinforced for me all the different perspectives that face us in this life. When we fly, I always like to sit in the window seat because I think it offers the best vantage point from which to view the world outside. The people on the other side of the plane have a whole different perspective, not better or worse, just different! This particular flight home offered beautiful mountains, green valleys, and vast expanse of ocean which were right within my vision. If a person doesn’t believe in Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth before seeing it from this perspective, you surely will after seeing this sight!

Life is full of chances to think about how we perceive things. Do we see things the way they are meant to be seen or the way we want to see them? What if the things we look at are right, but we are perceiving them wrongly? Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” If we look at our life and see only the failures, look at our families and see only the mistakes, or even look at our face and only see wrinkles, scars, and bruises, then we are looking with the wrong perspective.

We need the right attitudes and actions toward everything in and attached to our lives. The right perspective is God’s perspective. When we choose to see things from God’s perspective, it changes how we view everything. For example, the only thing keeping negative thoughts and ideas in place is the way we think about them. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Psalm 23:7) describes the situation best.

So, how do we go about changing our perspective? The first thing we need to do is to replace our negative perceptions with positive ones. If we deal with the negative the way we might deal with flies at a picnic and just “shoo” them away, our perspective changes from negative to positive. It’s our choice to stay where we are or move forward. Where we are in life doesn’t determine who we are!

We should take time to remember that our condition in life should not affect our conviction. Wherever we are in our life does not stop us from being who we should be for Christ and this world. When John was banished to the island of Patmos and in prisoned for preaching the gospel, he continued his work in prison through preaching, writing and using his gifts. John’s condition was a clear indication that God was changing his perspective. Maybe our condition in life at this point is an indication that God is about to show us something we have never seen before.

It seems that no matter where we drive these days, we find ourselves stuck in traffic especially in this area. People are frustrated, angry, and impatient because we can’t see what’s going on in front of us. Contrast that with the traffic helicopter that can fly above the accident and see what happened, when the accident will be cleared, and how long before traffic can resume. God is like that. His perspective is higher than our accident or condition. He tells us to keep going because things are about to open up for us!

Finally, we need to rejoice. John learned that he was not alone in that prison, God was still on the throne and still with him. Every time we begin to take on the future, we need to recall God’s goodness to us in the past. Shakespeare said, “Let never day nor night unhallow’d pass, but still remember what the Lord hath done!” David said, “I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait upon the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart.”

Sometimes it’s good to just stop and change our perspective of life. Here is a prayer for every day: God please give us right attitudes and actions toward everything in and attached to our lives.

Just as God commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it. He didn’t leave incomplete one thing that God had commanded Moses. Joshua 11:15

The term Hail Mary goes back to the 1930’s when it was used publicly by two former members of the Notre Dame’s fighting Irish Four Horsemen. The term became widespread during the NFL playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings in December of 1975. Cowboy quarterback Roger Staubach threw the game winning pass to Drew Pearson with an “ally oop” type pass. After the game, he said to reporters, “I just closed by eyes and said a Hail Mary.”

These days, this play is basically a desperation play usually near the end of the game when there is potentially no hope of winning. When nothing seems to be working, the quarterback tells everyone to go long, he lofts up the ball with a “Hail Mary” and hopes and prays someone on his team catches it! The great thing is that when it works, it is one of the most exciting things in football because literally everyone holds their breath for those seconds the ball is in the air. This play is the last ditch effort, a last stand, a desperation move. The “Hail Mary” provides hope for a miracle when time is running out!

The Hail Mary as most Catholics know it was refined from its original prayer in 1568 by Pius V on the occasion of the liturgical reform. It says that Mary is the Mother of God and she intercedes for people with Him to secure salvation. In this faith, she truly is the mediator between God and humanity.

Many times in our Christian walk, we need a Hail Mary to help us answer the call of something different, something difficult, or something overwhelming in our lives. Time is running out, and we are desperate to do all the things we feel God would want us to do. Just like the disciples when Jesus told them to leave the security of the shore and launch out into the deep, we need hope that a Hail Mary would provide to move us forward. The disciples obeyed Jesus’ instruction to get out into the deep, and they landed the greatest catch of fish that day.

Sometimes we use a Hail Mary for those around us who are suffering either from injury, illness, personal struggles, or whatever it might be. We offer up prayers and wait for the miracle.

We might have an occasion for a Hail Mary to continue to follow Jesus in a world where so much is worldly rather than Christian. It is easy to model our behavior after those who profess to be Christian but don’t exhibit any of those qualities. Instead, our behavior should be like Jesus Christ. We might make mistakes and get things wrong, but thankfully, we have a forgiving Savior.

In the Book of Joshua, there were obstacle after obstacle set in front of him as he fought to do God’s will and follow His direction. As army after army assembled in full force with the masses, even horses and chariots, God assured Joshua, “Don’t worry about them. This time tomorrow I will hand them over to you.” Joshua 11:6

As Christians, we have a great opportunity to put up some Hail Mary’s up for this world by remembering Galatians 6:10 which says, Therefore as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all especially those who are of the household of faith.

There are several different parts of the Catholic prayer of Hail Mary with the rosary. I don’t pretend to know many facts about it, but the part of it which is entitled NOW has a beautiful sentiment. It goes like this, “In this present moment, at all times present, when all goes well, and when not, when I am in grace, and when not, when I feel good, and when I do not, in health and illness, in joys and sorrows, in light and in darkness: The now covers all my life.”

In this life, as in football, there’s always room for a Hail Mary as we get our team together with gifts and abilities to complement one another for the good of all!