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In Thee O Lord do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion. Psalms 71:1

When God calls you to a higher purpose, nothing can stop what He has set in motion. Isaiah 14:27

It is pretty commonplace for us to get an offer either by email, letter, or phone offering new or updated services for our phones, television, cars, appliances, etc. that contain the words, if for any reason, you don’t like the service, you can cancel it at any time! Usually, as a bonus, we have ninety days to make up our mind. That’s really a contrived ploy because who can remember to cancel after ninety days??

There are many times when the option to cancel it is advantageous such as a credit card we don’t need, a purchase we ordered that is superfluous, or maybe even a reservation that we are unable to fulfill. When the ability to cancel it is used for necessary purposes, we are glad to have that option. When canceling it isn’t hurting anyone, there’s no problem, but what if it is harmful to others?

There is a cancel it phenomenon or “cancel culture” as it is called today that is sweeping through our nation, our communities, and our lives. This new mindset demands that someone who says or does something that someone else might find offensive, must be silenced or totally cut off. It could be anything that doesn’t adhere to the opinions of others. This kind of cancelling has resulted in people losing their jobs, their careers, their reputation, and it can even result in threats.

Our governing bodies, our schools, and even our churches are cancelling the history upon which they were built, all because those things might be offensive to those in this day and time. Once we change our history, can we ever reclaim the things that made us the people we are today? Do we get a refund on the sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears that was poured into the establishment of these things?

We have seen canceling recently in the lives of politicians, nominees for the Supreme Court, comic strips, and even Dr. Seuss has been a victim. All this because someone got offended! This is not to say that there aren’t things which should be cancelled, but this new culture seems driven by a kind of self righteous behavior on the part of many, and it is very scary.

The world is quick to cancel people, their beliefs, and their thoughts these days, but even though it seems a new fad, this desire to destroy others is as old as mankind. We only have to look back in the Bible where Cain cancelled Abel, where Joseph’s brothers tried to cancel him, where Jezebel attempted to cancel Elijah, and on and on throughout the history of the Bible to see it.

Jesus probably faced the cancel culture more than anyone else. It was this kind of culture that hated Him so much that they eventually crucified Him. When He was nailed to the cross this same culture rejoiced, and the soldiers gambled at the foot of His cross for his garments. This was thousands of years ago, but it is happening among us today. It leads us to wonder what will happen to a culture who cancels Jesus in their lives? In this cancel culture, it seems that when people make a decision to cancel someone or something, it is cancelled for life and never considered again.

Jesus, on the other hand, surrounded himself with people who had been cancelled in that day and called them friends. He had a tax collector, a betrayer, a prostitute, and a thief in his circle of friends. He was never willing to cancel even the baddest of the bad, the worst of the worst, or the most evil of the evil. He even went so far as to give his life to cancel sin so that we all might be forever forgiven.

The story is told of an older woman who lived in a small town. Everyone there called her Crazy because she was known to walk around town talking to herself. She even believed she could talk to Jesus. A new minister moved into town and upon encountering her on the street asked, “Would you do me a favor and ask Jesus what was the last sin I confessed to Him?” “Certainly,” the woman replied. The next day the minister saw her again and asked, “Well, what did Jesus say?” The older woman replied, “Jesus said He doesn’t remember.”

Cancelling sin is only one of the many things Jesus has done for us. In this cancel culture, we would do well to remember His example.

All my debts – cancelled; Satan’s threats – cancelled; Sin’s effects – cancelled; For the ransom was paid. Lyrics to Cancelled Worthy by the Gaither Brothers

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Blessed are the people he chose to be His own. Psalms 33:12

America is living proof that the above verse is true. No nation has been more blessed than America, and our forefathers knew and believed in this verse from Psalms. Our nation was founded with a noble purpose and a godly intention. We are reaping the blessings because of the seed that was planted by the people who came to these shores seeking freedom, justice and liberty. They also brought with them the Bible and the faith in God which sustained them. The pilgrims came with the words, “For the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith.”

Some of the greatest leaders of this nation were also strong believers in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ. George Washington made no secret of his Christian faith. During the Revolutionary War, he issued a call for divine services each Sunday and said, “To the distinguished character of a Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of a Christian.” When a stranger came to the Continental Congress and wanted to know which man was George Washington, a friend replied, “He is easy to spot. When the Congress begins to pray, Washington will be the tall man who will go to his knees.”

The Declaration of Independence declares in part to “..the laws of nature and of nature’s God ‘insist’ that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Great men such as Dwight Eisenhower once declared, “Without God there could be no American form of government nor American way of life.”

So, where is that kind of faith in this day and time? When we ask God to bless America, what have we done to earn His blessings? Although many may not realize it, the secret of America’s greatness was her belief and her faith in God

We are the only country which displays In God We Trust on our currency, has a minister to open the legislature with prayer, and has a Thanksgiving Day to offer thanks to God. Blessed is the nation which receives God as Lord and Savior, but Psalm 97 reminds us that nations that forget God will be cursed. We are beginning to see the truth of this in our nation today.

We have taken prayer out of our schools, dignified adultery, and glamorized immorality. We have come to the place now where we call good evil and evil good. So, why are we letting this happen in our great country?

William Highland says, “The United States has never been less threatened by foreign forces, but never since the Great Depression has the threat to domestic greatness been greater.” We now live in a country which has the largest crime rate, the highest rate of divorce, and moral decay.

All we have to do is look at the headlines in the paper to know that Satan is alive and well and working in this country. Paul Harvey once wrote a column entitled, “If I Were the Devil”, and here are some of his thoughts. If I were the devil, I would begin my campaign with a whisper like the serpent saying the Bible is a myth. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loathing and less work. I would evict God from the courthouses, the schoolhouse, and the house of Congress. Then, in His own churches, I would substitute psychology and politics for religion and defy science. If I were the Devil, I’d just keep doing what I’m doing, and the whole world would go to hell as sure as the devil.

During the darkest days of the Civil War as Abraham Lincoln was sitting in the Oval Office, the Secretary of War said to him, “I do not believe we have anything to worry about, God is on our side.” The President replied, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side, my great concern is to be on God’s side.”

My prayer for this Fourth of July is that we as a country get back on God’s side. Then and only then can we pray for God to Bless America.

Happy Fourth of July and God bless America!

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

It has become a routine thing to see people walking around with braces on their knees, canes in their hands, pushing walkers, wearing sports tape on their arms, knees, etc., or wearing boots on their foot for some kind of injury. It is also routine to ask about their injury, offer condolences, wish them a speedy healing process, then go on about our daily routine and forget that encounter. That is just human nature.

It doesn’t really affect us much unless it happens to us. About four weeks ago, I felt a sudden pain in my right foot. It was so strange because I don’t remember doing anything to cause this, and I didn’t have any pain when it occurred. As a friend of mine likes to say, “You know your body is getting older when you go to bed just fine, and then you wake up injured.”

After a thorough examination on the outside of the foot by my resident doctor, he determined that since it was not swollen or bruised, all was well. I just probably rolled it over!

With that diagnosis in mind, I taped up the foot, put on comfortable shoes, and continued to walk on it for the next two weeks with a slight limp and some pain, but nothing unbearable. As a last resort, I visited a real doctor for an x-ray, maybe a cortisone shot, and an expected dismissal. Not to be. The x-ray revealed a break, but in his words, “Good news is you don’t need surgery. Bad news is you get to wear a boot for six weeks.”

I relate this story because this experience has taught me a lot about the healing process. Healing doesn’t happen over night, it takes time. Healing is defined as the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again. We all know that it takes time for bones to mend, wounds to heal, but it can also be a lengthy process for us to heal spiritually and emotionally at times in our lives.

Life brings so many occasions for “breaks” such as betrayal or rejection and wounds such as loss or abuse. Just like my foot, we often don’t know what we did to deserve the pain, rejection, or betrayal, and we don’t remember how, when, or why it happened. We don’t know we are injured until the pain is intense. Doctors can treat the physical wounds that we sustain in life, but only God can help us heal the spiritual and emotional wounds.

Just like physical wounds, spiritual and emotional wounds must be treated. Spiritual and emotional healing is a process, and even though God is the Great Physician, we have a role to play in the healing. Just as we would clean a wound or set a broken bone, spiritual and emotional wounds have to be cleaned and made right. Many of our these wounds are inflicted on us by others, but we make it worse by being unwilling to forgive. When we can finally start the healing that forgiveness affords, we can leave behind all the bitterness, pain, resentfulness and anger.

In Mark 8, Jesus heals the blind man in Bethsaida, but he didn’t do it immediately. He healed him over time by working with him, talking to him and asking him what he was experiencing. At first, the man said that he saw people looking like trees walking, but after more prayer and Jesus’ touch, he began to see clearly.

In our healing process many times it is hard to pray because we feel let down or abandoned by God. It is in these times, when Satan moves in to detract us from the healing process. Susie Larson says, “The enemy loves to see us shifting our gaze from God and His sovereignty to people and circumstances. It is at this point that we begin to reason that if they hadn’t done this or that, we wouldn’t be where we find ourselves nursing the wounds of betrayal or pain.”

God is sovereign, and only He can lead us through total and complete healing. The saying, accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be is the only way to heal. Let God lead us from strength to strength, and glory to glory.

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands–O prosper the work of our hands. Psalm 90:14 and 17

During the years of my youth, it was necessary (or so I was told) for most in our family to learn to play the game of bridge in order to participate with friends and family. My Mama was in several bridge clubs, we always played bridge with our relatives on beach trips, and I was told it was good for your brain!!

Unfortunately for me, the game of bridge has changed a lot since I learned the basic rules and played. In our day, the rules were basic but functional. You must have twelve to fourteen points to open, sixteen to eighteen to open with a no trump bid, eighteen to twenty points to open with two of a suit, otherwise, you bid your longest and strongest suit, you don’t respond to your partner unless you can support their bid and have at least six to eight points or have opening points to change suits. Passing is always an option! The partners who win the bid, declare which suit will be trumps or whether it will be no trump!

The game has morphed into a much higher level of thinking and strategy these days. People play different conventions such as Stayman, Transfer, and Blackwood where you use a system to find out how many aces, kings, points, etc. your partner is holding. It’s all about trying to deduce what is in your partner’s hand and how the hands the two of you hold can blend to make a game. It’s a lot to learn for a novice like me, so I resort to the old theory of “bidding and playing” the hand I was dealt and hoping it works! Unlike my Daddy who used sign language to learn what was in his partner’s hand, the basic rules work for me.

When God called Moses, one of his first questions to him was, “What is that in your hand?” Moses was holding his shepherd’s staff which he used every day to tend and protect his sheep. Moses used it for one thing, but God had a different plan for the staff- a greater one. He had Moses use that staff to part the Red Sea and lead Israel into the Promised Land.

Just like Moses, sometimes God asks us the question, “What is that in your hand?” Is it strength, courage, honesty, leadership, love, hope, joy? What strength are we holding that we can use for others?

God doesn’t use conventions or trumps to help us find out what’s in our hand, but He does want us to use the talents, experiences, relationships, education, mind, and resources that He has given us to find our strengths that can be used for His service.

Martin Seligman talks about strengths, which are different for different folks, but he gives six categories in which most of us can find our own special strength. First, we should explore our own individual wisdom and knowledge. Things such as curiosity, love or learning, sound judgment and social intelligence. Think how many people could be influenced by sharing these strengths! We should count this as part of what’s in our hand.

Secondly, we should explore courage. This addition to strengths in our hand includes perseverance and integrity. Next, we need to evaluate humanity in our hand. The capacity for kindness, and the ability to show mercy is part of this strength.

Justice is the fourth strength that could make up our hand of strength. This includes the ability to bring about fairness and leadership. The fifth strength one could add to their hand is temperance. Qualities like self control, prudence, and humility are part of this strength.

Finally, transcendence where one possesses an appreciation for beauty, the expression of gratitude, the ability to hope, and the capacity for joy! We all have the capacity for each of these strengths, but the ones which resonate most with us individually make up the hand of signature strengths we have holding.

At this point, we can begin to understand our calling. We just celebrated Father’s Day and had the opportunity to celebrate the strengths that we see or saw in these hands of love and care. Thank you, Dads for using what’s in your hand to bless your children and families.

When we know what’s in our hand, God can use us to serve and glorify Him.

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37:23-24

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Proverbs 3:5 from The Message

Sometimes the hype over an event or happening is so great that we just have to see it for ourselves to believe it. In this case, it was a movie. It has been a long time since a movie has struck such a positive chord with me, not only for entertainment value, but also for relevance to the times in which we live. It’s hard to believe that it’s been thirty six years (1986) since Top Gun hit the theatres and became such a popular movie. The country was grieving the loss of the Challenger astronauts, the Iran Contra Affair, and economic scares, so a movie which highlighted our country and its brave men and women was a reason to celebrate.

Likewise, the timing of Top Gun 2, Maverick has come out at a time when our country is suffering from inflation, shortages, gun violence, threats of national security, and fighting among our leaders. Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that although times, culture, and values may seemingly change, the truths from which we glean our heritage does not.

It was easy to identify with the changes in the generations, attitudes, and appearances of those people we remember vividly from the 1986 movie. Some changes are hardly noticeable physically, some are very sad, and some such as the attitudes of a younger generation can just make you wonder when we lost respect for our older generation and all their contributions.

In the movie, Maverick is like many of us as we grow older and our career goals or plans change because of circumstances beyond our control. We can find ourselves facing an uncertain future while dealing with circumstances or confronting mistakes or decisions that we have made in the past. We begin to wonder if we have any mission or purpose in life. Things can change just as quickly for us as it did for Maverick in the movie. He was called out of his safe place and picked to train a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has seen.

Maverick’s purpose was to energize, motivate, encourage, evaluate, and ultimately pick the best from the candidates to whom he was assigned. There are many quotes from the movie which rang true with me, but one keeps coming back to my mind almost every day. The men were doubting the ability of the F-18 fighter jet to execute the requirements of the mission at hand, when Rooster reminds Maverick, “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot”. This is the perfect analogy as we move through life’s ups and downs. It’s not the situation, it’s who’s in charge of the situation.

It’s become obvious to me that how we handle our situation depends on whether we think God is our pilot or our co-pilot. In other words, who is flying this plane of life? Is it God or are we doing it ourselves? If God is our co-pilot as the motto states, then it infers that He’s piloting just in case we can’t handle everything ourselves. A marquee on a local church once declared, “If God is your co-pilot, change seats!”

If God is just our co-pilot, we will live in a constant state of anxiety thinking everything depends on us. We will also let our outlook on life be dictated by our surroundings or by our critics. Without the pilot, we will be a slave to the opinion of others rather than being secure in our faith and God’s plan.

On the other hand, when God is our pilot, things will happen to correct wrong doings. Instead of looking for someone to blame, it’s important to try and see the hand of God at work in our situation. When God is at work in us we can begin to see things happen. First, our future isn’t in the hands of others, it’s in the hand of God. Secondly, wherever God wants us to be, He will put us there. Finally, our God given assignment doesn’t call for the approval of everyone, but it does require our cooperation.

If God is our pilot, no one can prevent God from using us, blessing us, and giving us success except our own doubts and fears. Steven Huang says, “I can see God working through the heartache, and I have learned many lessons from what I have experienced. He needed to get my attention to show me where I needed to be.” It’s all about the pilot.

Let the pilot, pilot! It’s the only way to fly!

Jesus Savior, pilot me over life’s tempestuous sea; Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treacherous shoal. Chart and compass come from Thee, Jesus Savior, pilot me. Edward Hopper

Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything – encores to the end of time. 1 Peter 4:11 from The Message

Many times when we are out and about during our daily lives, it’s not uncommon to notice two entrances to stores, hotels, apartments, or restaurants. One entrance is the designated entrance for customers or guests while the other one is clearly marked as the service entrance. The service entrance is utilized by those who don’t avail themselves of the services of the store, hotel, restaurant, etc., but rather provide services such as deliveries, storage, or maintenance for the above places of business. Most times the areas are clearly marked with signs.

A few weeks ago Randy and I visited South Carolina. It was a longer drive than anticipated because of road work, traffic, etc., so we were ready to arrive to say the least. We had been looking forward to this get away for a while, and I was especially looking forward to driving along the entrance road to the hotel. The pictures of the property on line were so beautiful that I couldn’t wait! Unfortunately, Randy was so anxious to just “be there” that he turned onto the first road he saw which was clearly marked service entrance.

We traveled the road with trucks that were there for maintenance work, trailers and mowers clearly there for the grounds, and even a golf cart or two filled with towels, etc. for the guests. No one seemed to really notice us because, after all, we were in a truck, too. In a couple of miles, we turned onto the road that I had been anxious to see, and truthfully, that road was not nearly as beautiful as the service road we had traveled.

Sometimes I think that’s the way it is in life. We don’t realize how much fuller life can be when we devote more of it to the service part and less of it to the receiving part until we’ve been there. It’s so much more fulfilling to serve others than to be the recipient. The service that I have in mind is the kind that completely focuses on the purpose and will of another which is not for my personal benefit. God seems to use us best when we are at our weakest, facing tough times, or discouraged and shows us how to use the service entrance of life.

In the book of Malachi, the Israelites asked the question, “What is the use in serving God?” It’s a question many of us have asked particularly when times are hard and our faith is tested to the breaking point. The psalmist answers that question by saying: “Praise the Lord! All who fear and trust Him are blessed beyond expression…such a man will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God’s constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid, but can calmly face his foes. He gives generously to those in need. His deeds will never be forgotten.” Psalm 112: 1-9 (selected verses) Our attitude toward service should be the same as Jesus’.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to work a customer service hotline these days! There is so much impatience, volatility, and selfishness, and unfortunately, it’s probably directed to the innocent person who answered the phone. I’ve discovered that respecting the efforts of those people gets better results every time.

In this world of today many of us who go into a restaurant, a store, a hospital, a school, a government facility, etc. will exit with one question, “What ever happened to service?” We are upset that there aren’t enough people to properly serve or provide service to meet our needs. It’s this same kind of sentiment that Jesus must feel as He watches all of us go about our lives demanding service without ever offering it.

The funny thing the story of us using the service entrance that day is that when we arrived at the hotel, we encountered many of those people we had passed along the way. Our encounter brought us in touch with the many people it takes to serve in order to make something successful.

When life seems to be handing us only tough situations, we only need to look at life and others through the eyes and heart of Jesus so that we can gain the heart and mind of what it means to serve.

Oh Jesus I have promised, to serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my friend. I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side; Nor wander from the pathway if Thy will be my guide. John Ernest Bode

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

This past week has been a time of such shock, sadness, and grief as we once again grieve with the families who lost a child, teacher, or friend in the school massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We know of at least nineteen innocent children along with two dedicated teachers who died in the shooting. As the story unfolded on Tuesday, it was impossible to process the details of such a heinous act being committed here, yet again, in this country of ours.

One word or sentiment which was repeated time and time again during interviews with families and friends of the victims was unprepared. People alleged that the school security employees, the local authorities, and even the state was unprepared to handle an incident of this kind.

This statement reminded me of the teachers, staff, and administrators all across our land who spend a lot of time and effort doing their job of being prepared in their classrooms and schools every day. We, as teachers, have always been required to teach the students for which we are responsible the ways to safely conduct themselves during a fire drill, a tornado drill, or a lockdown. In short, we taught them then, and we teach them now how to be prepared in any and all of these situations.

Yet, how can one adequately prepare themselves or others for the actual occurrence of such an unimaginable event? In my memory, I remember vividly the Cuban Missile Crisis of October, 1962 where the world waited for 13 long days while seemingly on the brink of a nuclear war. The folks in our small towns canned vegetables, stocked up on water, and sought a room of refuge for their family if the event of war became reality. We were unprepared for things such as this.

My small town lived through the horrific murder of The Alday family on May 14, 1973 when three escaped convicts shot and killed three members of this precious family. We were all unprepared to deal with the horrors and brutality that one human could inflict upon another, innocent though they were!

The question is, how can we be prepared to deal with the many things which life seems to throw to us unexpectedly? How do we prepare ourselves for the injustice, the heartbreak, the illnesses, the unfairness, the job loss, the inflation, or the misery that many must endure as bad news seems to be the norm rather than the exception?

The Scouts of America got it right when they included as a part of their motto two words, Be Prepared. This motto is one that we should all follow in our everyday lives and our spiritual lives as well. Preparation is often the difference between success and failure. In the above scripture, Peter tells us that we should be ready and able to defend our faith and our hope in the Lord.

Athletes know the importance of preparation and they spend hours and hours training mentally and physically practicing in order to be prepared. Musicians also know the value of preparation as they spend countless hours going over scales and playing the same piece over and over again. Randy spent countless hours on preparation for his sermons every week. If you know us, you know that Saturday day and night were always sacred for preparation. Preparation is the key to success in every area of our life.

When everything around us is falling apart, Jesus is the rock to which we can cling. We should plan and prepare ourselves to set Christ as the rock even when things don’t work out as we had planned. Only through Him are we adequately prepared as our faith is nurtured through the Bible and as we celebrate the sacraments He has given us to remember Him.

In this unpredictable world, we need a power and a resource that is greater than ourselves. We need to be able to trust in Christ to supply us with His power and endless amount of resources to face all that comes our way in life. His unconditional love, His goodness, His strength, His mercy, along with HIs grace, and His constant care and blessing will prepare us for anything that we must face.

Be Prepared. God Bless this country and the people of Uvalde.

For the greatest love of all is the love that sacrifices all. John 15:13

One of the movies that brings to light the tremendous dedication, courage, and sacrifice of soldiers everywhere is the 2002 film We Were Soldiers which was based on the true story of the 1965 Battle of la Drang in Vietnam. A U.S. battalion led by Lt. Colonel Hal Moore is drawn into a trap that leads to an extended bloody battle and heavy loss of lives.

Colonel Moore’s speech to his troops before the battle has always touched me and represented the true heart of America’s finest. He said in part, “We’re moving into the valley of the shadow of death – where you will watch the back of the person next to you and they will watch yours. They say we are leavin’ home. We are goin’ to what home was always supposed to be. We are going into battle against a tough and determined enemy. I can’t promise you that I will bring you home alive. But this I swear before you and Almighty God: when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off. I will leave no one behind.”

At the end of President Ronald Reagan’s memorial service in 2004, the U.S. Armed Forces Chorus combined with the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra to perform a beautiful rendition of the song Mansions of the Lord written by Randall Wallace. It is a beautiful tribute to men and women who served and are serving in our armed forces.

The words are: To fallen soldiers let us sing. Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing. Our broken brothers let us bring, to the mansions of the Lord. No more bleeding no more fight; No more prayers pleading through the night. Just divine embrace, eternal light. In the mansions of the Lord.

Memorial Day is so much more than the beginning of summer, picnics, and a day away from work. It is a day to honor, remember, and cherish our freedom and those who gave everything to defend it.

Originally known as Decorations Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War. It didn’t become an official holiday until 1971. After the Civil War, the loss of life was so great that it became necessary to establish the country’s first national cemeteries. On this day across our land, many families will forego the picnics and the celebrations in order to visit the graves of those they knew and loved who sacrificed everything for our freedom and liberty.

Liberty is defined as the state of being free within a society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political view. In 1775 in Williamsburg, Virginia, in an effort to encourage the Second Virginia Convention in the upcoming battles for freedom Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death”. This Memorial Day we honor those who lived by that motto which includes veterans of all wars.

This year is especially meaningful to us because this year we lost one of our special veteran friends who gave so much to his country, his community, his church, his friends, and his God. Mike Boyce’s loss made us all more aware of the sacrifices made by so many who have come before us, and their contribution to the liberty and freedom that we enjoy.

Remembrance is a value which is elevated throughout the scriptures, and one that is necessary for our faith. Without it, the foundation of our relationship with God begins to erode. History is important in every family, community, country, and church. Throughout the Bible, we find references to monuments, memorial feasts, and ritually repeated stories which serve to reinforce the remembrance of God’s people. These narratives are there so that we, as Christians, will not forget what God has done for us throughout time. Forgetting to remember the sacrifices, the trials, the value of our heritage, and the source of our blessings, makes it likely that we will begin to take for granted all that we are and all that we have.

When the prophets called upon God’s people and told them to remember the works that the Lord had done in the past, it was to prepare them for the future. They were asked to remember the wonders of the past so that their lives would be open to even greater wonders that God would do for them in the future.

Just as the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a memorial to those who gave their lives for this country, The Lord’s Supper is a great example of how we should remember God and our faith. It reminds us of the sacrificial love of our God. It is a love that will not let us go but rather reaches out to us. It is a memorial that reinforces our hopeful memory.

With Memorial Day upon us, it’s a time to think of the past and those who have sacrificed. We as Christians believe that there are great things yet to come for those of faith who have already died. We live in the light of the resurrection and know that those deaths will not be the end. Those brave men and women lost to us have entered into the Mansions of the Lord.

For there is one God, and there is only one mediator (bridge builder) between God and man. The man is Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5

Three short weeks ago, I settled in and watched the Country Music Awards. The highlight of the show for me was the performance by Naomi and Wynonna Judd of Love Can Build a Bridge. The words are so beautiful, and with the help of an outstanding choir, their first performance in twenty years was touching and so memorable.

One week later, it was announced that Naomi had died after a long battle with mental illness. The news was sobering and so sad, but in retrospect the words of the song, coupled with the look of deep sadness in her eyes that night, were very telling.

We live in a world where daily news is depressing enough without having a tendency toward the disease of depression and/or mental illness. Imagine how it must feel to listen to and see the horrors in the Ukraine, the political hatred, the stories of innocent people being killed, and even churches falling apart when a person is already in the depths of despair. It’s all too much some days.

It seems that Naomi Judd was a woman of great faith. She raised two daughters by herself for years after her divorce, went to nursing school, and eventually launched a successful singing and song writing career with her daughter. The words of the song they sang that night seem to be a plea for this world to build bridges together between “your world and mine” rather than ignore the need to come together.

There are many different kinds of bridges in this world. Some are wooden, some are stone, and some are made of steel. Some are large, some are small, but they all have basically the same function. They span a chasm and make it possible for people to get from one side to the other. They connect.

It is said that there are two types of people in this world: those who build bridges and those who burn them. Jesus was clearly a bridge builder. He built bridges to fishermen, lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, adulterers’, not to mention the sick, hurting and hopeless.

Bridges can also be made of feelings and emotions shared when others are hurting. Building bridges to help others takes sacrifice on our part, it takes compassion, and it takes action. In order to build bridges, we have to reach out, and we have to be the one to do the reaching!! When is the last time we have reached out to build a bridge between others?

There is a poem by Will Allen Dromgoole entitled “The Bridge Builder”. It tells the story of an old man who came upon a chasm while walking one cold, gray evening. In order to cross the chasm, he had to wade through a “sullen tide”. Once the man had safely reached the other side, he turned around and built a bridge back the way he came. A fellow traveler asked the old man: “Why, when his journey was nearly over, would he build a bridge that he would never use?” The man explained that on his journey he had seen “a fair haired youth” who would be traveling the same way after him. The chasm which had been no problem for the old man might be a pitfall for the youth. The old man concluded, “He, too, must cross in the twilight dim: Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”

In this world of today, we all need to be bridge builders. It’s our job to build a bridge to the lost, the disconnected, and the hurting. Just as a bridge is constructed because there is a need to get from Point A to Point B, we should be building bridges to connect those among us who need an encouraging hand.

Thank God Jesus cared enough to build bridges to us. It’s time to put down the matches, the lighter fluid, and stop burning bridges, rather start building bridges to each other. The clock is ticking on our chance to build bridges during our time here, so let the building begin!

Best wishes to all our graduates. Go and build a bridge.

I’d gladly walk across the desert, With no shoes upon my feet, To share with you the last bite, Of food I had to eat. I would swim out to save you, In your sea of broken dreams, When all your hopes are sinkin’, Let me show you what love means. Love can build a bridge; between your heart and mine. Love can build a bridge, Don’t you think it’s time? Don’t you think it’s time? When we stand together, it’s our finest hour. We can do anything, anything, Keep believin’ in the power. “Love Can Build a Bridge” by The Judds

You should be known for the beauty that comes from within. the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:4

Mother’s Day has left us with a deep appreciation for those who have given us life and sustained us during our growing up years, our adult years, and our lives to this point. During the celebration, memories of those we hold dear flooded my heart and mind, and I began to ponder the importance of the legacy that we all leave behind.

During the past few weeks, some of us have had the sad privilege of sitting at the funeral of those friends whom we held dear. It was a time to reflect and celebrate their life’s accomplishments by those who knew the person best. I remember thinking at every one, “I wish I had had the opportunity to know them better.”

The word eulogy is defined as a speech or piece of writing that praises someone highly. An obituary is a notice of death containing an autobiography, but a legacy is something we leave behind for the next generation. This legacy can be possessions, principles, or people we have influenced whose lives are better because of knowing us. If an obituary tells that a person lived, a eulogy tells how well they lived.

Recently, my sister found a few pages that our Mama had written reflecting on her first fifty years. She said, “I need another fifty to do all the things I’ve started and would like to finish. Now, I find myself on the fringe of an exciting new age that I, in all likelihood, will only be afforded a fleeting glimpse. At the same time, I can look back over the past fifty years and marvel at all the many discoveries and changes and relish the thought of having been part of the wonder and progress of this age.”

Our Mama lived her eulogy. She loved life and was fascinated by the changes in the world during her life time. She lived for intrinsic markers of success, such as meaningful relationships and fulfilling work that would impact others. If you ask people who knew her, what they would miss about her, there would be dozens of different answers that included everything from her smile, to her voice, from her get well cards, to her macaroni and cheese, the list was endless. She made an impact and humbly walked and lived her faith.

Most of the time a eulogy is written by a loved one after one’s death. I read somewhere that the practice of writing our own eulogy wherever we are right now in life is a powerful exercise. I’ve found it to be true. If we write down what we want people to say about us at the end of our life now, it can change our current life and help us to align ourselves with what is really important. Bonnie Ware said, “writing your eulogy can help you live a courageous life true to yourself and not what others expect of you.”

Today is all we have to make changes for the good. None of us know if we will be around to see tomorrow, for we don’t know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1)

No matter who we are, we will live a legacy. Proverbs says, “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” When someone loves us enough to leave us a legacy, we treasure it and treat it in a way that honors them.

I love Grenville Kleiser”s thoughts on life. He says, “Your life is like a book. The title page is your name. The preface is your introduction to the world. The pages are a daily chronicle of your efforts, trials, pleasures, discouragements, ambitions and achievements. One day the word, Finis must be written. Let it then be said of your life that it is a record of noble purpose, generous service, and work well done.”

When we ponder the question, “What would our grave marker say about us?” There are two things I would like to try to do. The first is to be intentional every day. That way, the odds of making an impact on the next generation are increased. Secondly, I would remember that the sum of how we live each day becomes our legacy. Each day should consist of inspiration and ideals.

Henry David Thoreau voiced his concern that when it came time to die, he would discover that he never fully lived. If we live our eulogy that will never happen to us!