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Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand against the evil one. Ephesians 6:11

In 1975, the American Express Company came up with a slogan that advised its customers that they shouldn’t “leave home without them” referring to the American Express travel checks! In later years, the slogan changed and evolved into the ever popular “Don’t leave home without it” to advertise their credit cards. Karl Malden was the spokesman for these commercials for almost two decades, but there have been many other celebrity spokes people. As a result, travelers and entrepreneurs alike tend to look to this company with trust and confidence.

These day Christians can feel assured in this world because God also has a guarantee of trust and confidence but with a little different spin. The words might advise us thusly, Don’t leave home without your spiritual armor. If we leave our belt of truth and our shoes of peace in the closet, our breastplate of righteousness by the door, our shield of faith under the bed, our sword of the Spirit, and our helmet of salvation behind us, before long the world of today will try deter us from our mission.

Each piece of the Christian’s armor serves a purpose. The belt protects the stomach, keeps all the other pieces in place, and it offers a place for the sword. The helmet protects the head from blows, and the shoes protect the feet from spikes and traps. The breastplate and shield protect the body from arrows and thrusts from a spear or sword. All of this protects when we are asked to do battle with others who are probably equipped with the same things.

In this world of political and social unrest, we need to remember don’t leave home without the armor because each piece has relevance. The belt of truth reminds us to align our lives with God’s word. The breastplate of righteousness describes the change in our lives when Jesus comes into it. The shield of faith protects us from attacks from the evil one. The helmet of salvation represents our mind becoming like that of Christ. The sword of the spirit is our offensive weapon of the Word of God. The armor is not meant to be used without all the pieces. so don’t leave home without all of it.

Paul described the different pieces of a Roman soldier’s armor, and we’ve all seen pictures depicting the way they must have looked wearing it. The one thing he doesn’t mention is the armor for the soldier’s back. There was a reason for that. There was no retreat, if they did, their back was exposed. The omission of that piece of the armor was supposed to keep the soldiers facing the enemy.

In our world of today, many of us have forgotten that our backs are exposed to the evil going on all around us. We like to think that we are prepared for things that are happening all around us, but we are not. We have let our guard down, and we have left home without wearing the full armor of God. At any given time we are vulnerable.

Sadly, we Christians have lived long enough to see the way political correctness has influenced our world by dictating that we must avoid saying anything that offends others. We all need a spiritual wake up call from time to time. We know what we have been taught, but it often takes a shot in the back to remind us.

There is a tale about a boy who comes home from school and doesn’t know his mom is visiting with their minister. He carries a dead rat in his hand. “Mom,” he says, “you’ll never guess what! There was a rat running around in the garage. I saw it, threw a stone, and hit it. It just lay there, so I went over and stomped on it. Then I picked it up and hurled it against the wall.” At that moment he sees the minister , and his mom’s face, so he adds in a pious voice, “And then, the dear Lord called him home.”

Remember to watch your back and understand that God has provided the armor, and we trust that what He has given us is all we need. The fight we are in with the evil one is spiritual, so no tangible weapons will can be effectively used in the battle against him. Suit up with your spiritual armor every day, and don’t leave home without it!

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Matthew 5:22

Years ago, our family used a percolator to make the morning coffee. This “coffee maker” was light years behind the pods and other varieties of today. The percolator worked by using gravity and a process called percolation to brew coffee. You would place the coffee grounds in a metal basket at the top, add water to the bottom of the pot, and place it on the stove on high. The water at the bottom heats up and boils which creates steam bubbles. The steam bubbles in turn push the hot water up the tube in the middle of the pot, over the coffee grounds, and back into the bottom part of the pot. When the process is finished, we would put the stove on simmer and enjoy fresh coffee.

Just like the steam rises in the percolator in order to make coffee, sometimes in this day and time, we have many things that cause the steam or anger in ourselves to rise. Anger is defined as a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. During this day and time, many of us experience anger on a daily basis. Anything from folks texting while driving, to political ads and speeches, to unrest in our world, to simple everyday occurrences that can send us over the edge.

It is a proven fact that people who struggle with anger are five times more likely to suffer with coronary heart disease and/or suffer a heart attack because they can get so angry. This kind of anger is usually associated with folks who are quick tempered, react swiftly, and many times stupidly, instead of letting things defuse slowly and sensibly.

The first mention of anger in the Bible is when Cain got so angry with his brother, Abel, that he murdered him. God says in Epheisians Don’t sin by letting your anger control you.” The word anger is only one letter away from the word danger. The truth is that once we let anger get the best of us, it reveals the worst in us.

The first thing about anger is that it is stupid. Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac: “Take this advice from Richard poor and lame; Whatever’s begun in anger ends in shame.”

Next, anger is devisive. Occasionally we become angry for a good reason, but most of the time it’s because we are irritated, impatient, or hurt about the way we’ve been treated. Will Rogers once said, “People who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing.”

Finally, anger is destructive. We usually pay the penalty for the actions we commit in the midst of anger. Things such as losing friends, losing the love and respect of our family, losing business associates, and losing our health. The psychologist John Hunter who suffered from a severe heart conditon once said, “My life is at the mercy of the person who can make me angry…the first scoundrel who gets me angry can kill me!”

Proverbs tells us that he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. One of the fruits of the spirt is self control, and that means that as a Christian, one can control the anger. Anger is much like a river in that if it’s controlled, it can generate enough electricity to power a city, but if it is uncontrolled, it can overflow its banks, become a raging flood, and destroy everything in its path.

Not everything in life is worth a burst of anger. Just like the percolator when it is on high, our tempers can heat up and boil over, but if we turn down the heat and simmer down, we can enjoy life. Remember to count to ten before speaking when we are angry. Then, if we are really angry, don’t say anything!

As we face this new season of differences of opinion, choices, and values, remember don’t let it percolate into some words or actions that will cause regret!

Generous in love – God gives grace. Huge in mercy, erase my bad record. Psalms 51:1 from The Message

When our kids were growing up, one of their favorite toys was the red framed Etch A Sketch. This amazing toy uses two knobs that you turn, and you can draw vertical lines with one and horizontal lines with the other. If you turn both knobs simultaneously, diagonal lines can be drawn. After the picture has been drawn, if you don’t like it or want to make some changes, you just turn the red box upside down, shake it, and viola! The picture is erased.

It’s hard to believe that the classic red framed drawing toy, Etch A Sketch, has been around for over 64 years! We would probably all have to admit that it’s pretty impressive these days that a toy that doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilites, can’t connect to WiFi, and doesn’t even work on batteries continues to be iconic and have relevance today especially when children are increasingly putting down toys and picking up video game controllers.

This amazing toy offers the user a chance to erase all their mistakes or miscues and start over! It reminds me of the way God handles mistakes in our lives, in our nation, and in our world. He wipes the slate clean and “remembers it no more.” He cancels our past, and He chooses to forget our wrongs, errors, and failures.

This week we remember the twenty third anniversary of September 11. Our lives were forever changed on that fateful day, and for many of us, things will never be the same. We will forever ask questions such as: “As a country how do we come to terms with our suffering, not only as individuals, but also, as a nation and erase it?” “How do we erase the violation we feel by this tragedy?” “Is it possible to forgive those who seem to have no repentance?” Can we ever erase the pain and suffering of this event?

The tragedy of 911 is neither the first time or the last time we, as a people, will ask these and other questions. This past Wednesday, we watched in horror as a 14 year old gunman killed 4 students and injured 9 more in a senseless act of violence in Apalachee High School in Winder. The students who witnessed it referred to it as “an act of pure evil“. As we watched students gather on the football field for safety and to pray for their fellow students, teachers, and staff, we all felt that moment of helplessness and horror again.

It is human nature to question tragedies whether they come to us either as a natural disaster or through the cunning and evil of human beings. When acts of human beings are the cause, most people point to the fact that God gives us our freedom even to sin and do wrong. We can’t erase these events, but instead of moving backward into grief and despair, God would want us to move forward in a better way.

Recently a friend from Donalsonville sent me excerpts from an interview with one of my relatives, Miss Martha Nell Spooner. The history that she tells of our small town brought back so many good memories and taught me some history of which I was not aware. It also imparted some wisdom which I think is apropo for us today.

Miss Martha Nell is turning ninety, and she left the interviewer with these words: “I am ready to step out of this world, but I am sorry for leaving it in the shape it’s in for my great grandchildren. The things that are so trying take us to the absolute end of our rope, but if we could, we should just hesitate and accept that this is a test. These trials, these things that test us and try us, we can either give up on and become bitter, resentful and angry, or we can hang onto the statement that everything does work for the good. We can’t see it, but we have to accept it.”

It is up to us to try to erase the evil that leads people to do such unimaginable acts of violence. I heard more than one person say, “There if not for the grace of God, go I.” The scipture from Corinthians is a statement of gratitude and humility that acknowledges human sinfulness and the need of God’s grace. In the words of Sheriff Jud Smith of Barrow County, “Hate will not be allowed to prevail.” As Christians, we may be in this world, but we are not of this world. Love will prevail.

Our prayers are with all the families of those students and teachers who lost their lives and were injured. God bless them!

After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I have decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. Ecclesiastes 5:18 from The Message

This Monday we celebrate Labor Day which means to many of us a holiday to mark the end of summer. It is seen as the weekend where everybody who can go somewhere goes somewhere so they can play for one last weekend because the real hard work of the last part of the year begins on Tuesday! However, Labor Day is actually celebrated on the first Monday of September every year to celebrate workers.

The origins of Labor Day reflect how far worker’s rights have come in this country since its inception in the late 19th century. At this point in our history, the average American worker worked twelve hour days seven days a week. This abuse of the average worker gave rise to the Industrial Revolution where Unions began to crop up to fight for the rights of those who put in a lot of hard work!

In every day of life, we have the choice of going one of two ways: we can go the easy way or the hard way. The easy way says, it doesn’t matter if I work today or not, it doesn’t matter what time I show up, it doesn’t matter if I check out a few minutes early. It says things like, “Take a short cut, cheat if you have to, pull some strings, cut some corners, don’t work too hard.” We ask things like, “How much vacation time do I have? What are my benefits? How many days and hours do I have to work?” This seems to be the American way of today.

The hard way is the way of getting up early and staying late. It is the way of working with your hands. It is long range planning, goal setting, diligence, forethought, preparation, and doing what needs to be done even if you are not told to do it. This way is the way God speaks to when we look at the scripture above.

God is all about the hard way. He isn’t fond of couch potatoes. The hard way looks difficult and daunting. All of us would rather be on the easy way, but God is calling us all to the hard road.

One day a grandfather told his grandchildren the story of how he came to America. He told about the trains and ship that brought him from his home in Eastern Europe. He told of being processed along with other immigrants at Ellis Island, and how he’d gone to a cafeteria in Lower Manhattan to get something to eat.

He said he sat down at an empty table and waited a long time for someone to come and take his order, but nobody came. Finally, a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and explained how a cafeteria works. “You start at the end, “she said, pointing to a stack of trays. “Then, you go along the food line and pick out what you want. At the other end they’ll tell you how much you have to pay.”

The grandfather reflected for moment and said, “I soon learned that’s how everything works in this country. It’s like a cafeteria here. You can get anything you want-even very great success-if youre willing to pay the price. But, you will never get what you want if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it yourself.”

The difference in where we are right now and where we want to be in our job, our family life, and our Christian walk can be summed up in two words–hard work. Does God want us to succeed? Yes, but he won’t drop success in our lap. He promised to “Bless all the work of our hands.” Countless hours, persistent effort, and constant improvement make the difference between ambition and success.

Margaret Mead once said, “I learned the value of hard work by working hard.” Thank you to all the workers who put in hard work every day and do it the hard way.

That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times! The created world itself can hardly wait! Romans 8:18 from The Message

Randy often tells the amazing story which was first found in Chicken Soup For The Soul of a young woman who was diagnosed with cancer and given three months to live. The doctor told her to make preparations to die, so she contacted her minister and told him how she wanted things arranged for her funeral service. She picked the scripture to be read, the songs to be sung, and the words to be spoken. Before she left, she called out, “Oh, and one more thing, I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.”

The minister was confused, but the woman went on to explain. She said, “In all my years going to church functions, whenever food was involved, my favorite part was when whoever was cleaning up the dishes of the main course would lean over and say, “Keep your fork.” She went on to say, this was my favorite part because I knew something good was coming. It wasn’t Jell-0, rather, it was something with substance like cake or pie, you know, Biblical food.” So, I want people to see me in my casket with a fork in my right hand, and I want them to wonder, “What’s with the fork?” Then, I want you to tell them, “Keep your fork because something better is coming – the best is yet to come.” This woman thinks of her death and funeral in the same way believing that heaven is coming next, and it will be much better than what any of us are experiencing now!

I am one of the ones who will definitely be keeping my fork for many reasons, but especially, if it means that in heaven dessert will be served after every meal!! In the Biblical context, a fork can symbolize choices, the importance of discernment, the need for divine guidance, and a reminder of God faithfulness.

Last week as our family was celebrating some exceptionally good news, Susie called our oldest grandson, Drew, who is at Ole Miss. She was sharing all the good things that are happening when he said, “Aren’t we glad we kept our fork?” This comment started me thinking of all the times we can be tempted to give up our fork and not wait for the blessings!

We all, as a rule, don’t like change in our lives. We enjoy the blessings that change can bring, but we don’t like the process. When we think about it, trees need more than sunshine to produce fruit. Rainy seasons are productive, too, and they always precede the harvest. We don’t have to like the rain that falls in our lives, but we do need to understand that it has purpose and benefits.

The Bible says that every day “The Lord makes us more and more like Him..changing us into His glorious image”, but to become like Him, we have to follow Him through the valley of the shadow of death, the pain of rejection, the fighting for our reputation, and the surrendering of our own will. Following Jesus may put us in a different place today than we were yesterday, but once we stop fearing and resisting the changes, we start seeing God at work in our lives. Paul says, “Even though on the outside it seems as though everything might be falling apart, on the inside God is making new life.” All we need to do is keep our fork and wait in God’s timing.

If someone had told me four years ago that God was at work in our lives, I might not have been very receptive of that thought. However, we kept our fork, and we have realized that things that happen in our lives are here today and gone tomorrow. It’s the things we can’t see or never expect that will last forever.

I never expected that God could use us again in ministry for Him, but boy, was I wrong! The new chapter in our lives has opened doors to new and deeper friendships, a stronger and deeper faith, a fulfilling and exciting walk with God, and a sense of His presence in all we do. The people surrounding us sought God’s help, stayed faithful, and He rewarded us with the fulfillment of seeing His kingdom rekindle and grow! Keep that fork!

At the woman’s funeral, the people saw the dress she had chosen, saw the Bible she loved, heard the songs and scripture she loved, but they all asked the same question, “What’s with the fork?” The pastor explained that this woman, their friend, wanted them to know that in Christ, this is not a day of defeat. It is a day of celebration because the real party is just starting.

So, keep your fork! Something better is coming!

It is crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we have heard so we don’t drift off. Hebrews 2:1

A few years ago our family was enjoying a trip to Orange Beach, Florida for our annual vacation. Our son in law, Lee, who loves boating, trailered his boat down and parked it in a marina nearby so that we could all enjoy a boat ride along the bay and surrounding areas.

On one beautiful evening, we all boarded the boat for a sunset cruise and then a stop at a restaurant on the marina. During the boat ride, some other boaters had spotted the Ole Miss sticker on his boat, and we found out they were also Ole Miss fans. We conversed and laughed with them. After our ride, we docked at the marina, tied off the boat, and left to go upstairs for our evening meal.

While we were finishing up, a guy came running up and yelled, “Hey Old Miss people, your boat is drifting out of the harbor and headed to the ocean!” I don’t know exactly what happened next, other than the ten of us and other folks there bolted to the dock! It is a pretty unbelieveable sight to see your boat drifting away in the current and being helpless to stop it! Luckily some of the folks at the restaurant were able to get to their boat to take Lee to his boat before it drifted any further, and he brought it back to the dock safely!

Later, we discovered that the boat hadn’t been tied off tightly enough, and the rope had come loose allowing the boat to drift away. We were so occupied with other things, that we didn’t notice it was drifting!

Drifting is defined as being slowly carried away by a current of water or air. The apostle Paul gives us another definition when he says, “Drifting is the result of neglecting the priorities set by God.” These teachings have to be tied securely or we will find ourselves drifting away from them. Drifting is not only slow and subtle. but also, it can also be disasterous.

Someone once said, All that’s necessary for a life of drifting is to relax, do nothing, cease struggling, and submit to worldly infuences around us.

Drifting away can happen in many areas in this world. For example, Harvard University began as a school to equip pastors and ministers in sharing the Gospel of Jesus. St. Luke’s Medical Center was also founded by Christian missionaries in the Philippines to help poor people and to share the love of Jesus. Our country was founded on Judeo Christian values and belief in a sovereign God. What happened? They have all drifted away from their founding purposes.

How many of us Christians today are like these institutions? We are slowly drifting away from our original purpose and calling along this highway of life. We no longer prioritize our Christian heritage and beliefs and this is robbing us of our passion, enthusiasm, motivation, and focus.

Many outside forces cause us to drift away. Things such as committments to other less important things, inconvenience, laziness, and even apathy cause us to drift. We have a lack of goals for our faith. What has destroyed our vision of and interest in our faith? If we would take a moment to write down the reasons we’ve lost our interest in God and his church, maybe we could indulge our minds to change some things and get excited about our faith again. We could tie our lives securely to God, and bring in the drifting part of it.

Sometimes we are setting the wrong goals for our life. Maybe we are letting our lives drift in the currents which are going against God’s will for our lives?! It might be time to check in with Him through prayer and see what He says about the situation.

I can still see that boat drifting away from us, and I felt powerless to do anything to stop it! Life has a way of catching us up in the current and carrying us away from the things that are most important. Drifting seems to always be more away from something than toward something!

This week we should spend some time examining the things in our lives that cause us to drift in the wrong direction and remember that it is crucial that we firmly tie ourselves to the teachings that we have learned.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely to us and run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

The Paris Olympics has been going on for two weeks, and we have had the pleasure to witness many examples of incredible athletic competition, dramatic finishes, strength, and endurance by these special representatives of our country. Everything from swimming to gymnastics, from volleyball to basketball, from track and field to soccer, shooting, wrestling, golf, and so many other sports have been exciting and shown the true qualities of endurance.

Endurance is defined as the power to endure a difficult process or situation without giving way. This is especially true in long distance sports that require not only speed, but endurance to win. The athletes pace themselves so as they approach the finish line, they can pull out all the stops, and use their reserved strength to cross the finish line. It is exciting to watch as athletes come from behind to win! We happened to be watching when Cole Hocker came from behind to win the Gold Medal in the men’s 1500 meter race! We could tell that he was pacing himself in order to get the burst of speed he needed to finish first!

For these athletes, quitting isn’t an option. Despite all the injuries, delays, and disappointments along the years of training, they are not content to sit on the sidelines while others pay the price to run the race. The realization that they can achieve something great enables them to endure.

Sometimes we feel that life is much like the athletes in the Olympics. We all have something which weighs us down and prevents us from giving life everything we’ve got. We begin to feel as though we are the only ones who suffer, but there have been so many people who have come before us that have suffered much more. Think about all the Biblical characters who were stoned, afflicted, tormented, tempted, and mocked and scrourged. One thing they all had in common was their faith in Christ. It takes faith and trust to run the race for Jesus and His kingdom here on earth.

Just like these athletes, it is hard to be effective when we are overloaded with weights. Athletes train an diet to strengthen their bodies and shed excess pounds in order to maximize their chances to win. It’s hard to win if they are overloaded with weights. Likewise, in order to endure, we have to put away all those things that weigh us down. Weights can be anything from health issues, to financial problems and everything in between. Our scripture tells us to “Get rid or every weight and sin that clings to us.”

As Christians we run the race daily to fulfill our God ordained purpose and give it all we’ve got! It’s one thing to achieve success, but it’s quite another thing to handle the pressures that go along with it! Having a finish line to look forward to enables us to endure. Jesus finished His race because He never lost sight of where He was headed, and because of that He could put up with anything!

The athlete is exposed to, physical pain, opposition and criticism along the way, and it serves to strengthen them for the competition they face. Just like these athletes, God will allow His followers to experience oppostion and criticism to strengthen our character so that when greater blessings and responsibilities come, we will be able to handle them. We can only win the battle when we have the passion to cross the finish line and finish the race.

Endurance is the power to keep on going in spite of difficulties. In our colloquial language, we would say things like “Keep on keeping on, Don’t give up, or Hang in there.” Endurance is the key that keeps us from giving up and letting go.

So here’s what I want you to do; God helping you. Take your every day ordinary life and put it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings out the best in you, develops well formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2 from The Message

“It’s the real thing” was the slogan used by Coca Cola in their 1969 advertising campaign. The slogan was introduced after the moon landing, and it was based upon research that showed that young people wanted something authentic, original, and natural. It was intended to appeal to the cultural and political viewpoints of this generation. The slogan was meant to position Coke as something authentic during a time when Americans were searching for that. We are of that generation, and although, we might not have known the real purpose behind all this, that slogan and song was known by everyone! Some fifty five years later, people are still seeking authenticity in this world

The other day I was talking with the sister of one of our church members about a particular book we both had in common. It was so much fun to talk with her and get to know a bit about her. In the course of our conversation I said, “I am crazy about your brother. He is just so genuine, supportive, and just a down to earth guy!” She replied, “Yes, he is. My parents would say that he is authentic.”

Being authentic is defined as: of undisputed origin; genuine. After our conversation, I couldn’t get that word out of my mind. Authentic! It is the perfect word to describe him and so many other people that enrich all the lives of those who know them. These are the people who will sign their name on the bottom of a blank sheet of paper and be willing to let God fill in the rest as He wills.

Simply put, being authentic means being true to your own personality, values, and spirit, regardless of the pressure you might be under to act otherwise. An authentic person is honest with themselves and others, and they take full responsibility for their mistakes. Their values, ideals, and actions all align.

I wish I had a nickel for every child I have seen being whisked out of church on Sundays because they had not yet learned about the art of “inside voices”. The best line was in one of our earlier churches where kids and parents usually worshiped together and everyone knew everyone. On this occasion, a young probably four year old boy was being unusually disruptive. When it got unbearable, his Daddy picked him up, crawled over several people, and headed to the door. By this time, they had the entire congregation’s attention and Randy had stopped preaching to watch the outcome. As they walked up the aisle, the little guy leaned over his Daddy’s shoulder and yelled, “Pray for me!” What can you say? He was being authentic!

So, how do we become an authentic person? First, I believe that it takes honesty. This means always speaking the truth!! Haddon Robinson gave these words of wisdom, “In any situation, what you are determines what you see, what you see determines what you do.” Be authentic.

Next, if we are authentic, we will be non judgmental of others. We should speak only the things that we know in our own experiences and not speak condescendingly of others. The worst offender to being authenic is gossip. We shouldn’t assume we know the whole story when we are just forming judgments from the gossip of others.

Finally, if we are authentic, we will be just who we are. I will never forget the time years ago when I was a young minister’s wife with no road map for this role, little confidence in myself, and a fear of speaking in public. I can talk all day long to a small group of people, but don’t ask me to be the speaker! We were in our first small circuit, and the ladies held a meeting in one of the their homes. She introduced me, and then said, “Diane, would you have the blessing?” I froze right there not knowing what to say or do. A sweet lady put her arm around me and said, “I would like to do the blessing today as we welcome Diane and Randy to our community.” I’d like to give myself credit for being authentic, but that honor goes to my sweet friend Marge, who saved me by being just what she was, a child of God.

Most of us are bothered by people who say one thing and do another, or those who put on a false front. On the other hand, we are attracted to people who are honest, genuine, non judgmental, down to earth, and let us see them just as they are. God will bring out the best in us if we allow Him to work. The best folks I know are always being authentic!

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.