Author: [email protected]

Blessed are the meek for they shall inhert the earth. Matthew 5:5

This past week, I watched with keen interest and sadness as the nation and specifically the state of Georgia honored our former first lady, Rosalyn Carter. This former first lady of Georgia and The United States of America was a woman of great intelligence, grace, beauty, faith, and loyalty. It would have been easy for her or any first lady to live a self centered life, but she concentrated on being herself in these positions and filled her life with things that matter. One only had to hear the testimonials of family, media, and friends to know that she will long be remembered for an her unselfish life. She lived a blessed life not because of what she had, but because of what she gave.

When I looked on the pew of the former Presidents, Vice Presidents, and First Ladies of this country, my mind immediately turned to the impression each of them has left on the people of this country, and I couldn’t see any better example of a legacy of service than the one Rosalyn has left. I have loved her since the day I found out that she brought her recipe for Plains Georgia Cheese Ring to the White House and “didn’t give a HOOT what anybody there thought about it!” It’s one of my favorite recipes!!

During this Christmas season, it is sometimes hard to keep in mind just what it takes to live an unselfish blessed life because we get too caught up in our own wants and needs. We want just the perfect gift, the perfect decorations, the most beautiful tree, and the best of everything. It would behoove us all to follow examples of those who put others first.

An unselfish blessed life does three things for us. First, it improves the quality of our lives. It gives us an appreciation for life and a comprehension of its higher values. Seeing people in need and giving to meet those needs sets a lot of things in perspective. What a gift to have people who focus on Angel Trees and give help to others.

Secondly, it makes you part of something greater than yourself. In the mid-1980’s the Merck pharmaceutical corporation developed a cure for river blindness. Unfortunately, even though it was a good product, potential customers couldn’t afford it. The company made it anyway and announced that they would give it free to anyone who needed it. George Merck said, “We try to remember that medicine is for the people it’s not for the profits.”

Finally, living an unselfish blessed life creates a legacy. Jack Balousek, former president of True North Communications said that there are three phases of this life: “learn, earn, return”. When we think unselfishly and invest in others we create the legacy of a blessed life.

During Mrs. Carter’s service as the camera spanned Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church where the service was held, my mind returned to 1973 when I sat in a pew there with several other young wives and watched our husbands receive the Order of Deacons in the UMC. It was the first step toward becoming an Elder in the church and beginning a career as a minister in full connection. I remember thinking, “Oh my gosh, this is becoming real. What on earth are we doing?” A blessed life is many times not one of our own making, but rather, following God’s lead through it all.

As Mrs. Carter’s service ended, the choir sang a benediction of blessing by John Rutter which my hometown choir usually sang every Sunday. The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. These words of blessing reassure us that the Lord wants for each of us a blessed life.

“You are blessed when you are content with just who you are, no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.” copied

Rosalyn Carter’s Plains Cheese Ring

1 lb. sharp grated cheese

I cup mayonnaise

1 cup chopped pecans

1 small onion, grated

Black Pepper

A dash of Cayenne Pepper

Mix and place in a mold. Serve with Strawberry Preserves in the middle and crackers!

Enjoy!

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much. Luke 16:10

Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Black Friday buying frenzy is over, and now it’s time to move our thoughts to Christmas! It’s hard for me to believe, but I seem to be one of the few who haven’t totally decorated the house already! The Christmas wreaths are on the doors, the blow up Santas are in the yards, and the little lights are twinkling all around. It seems that every year the decorations around are getting bigger and bigger as folks join the rush to start the Christmas celebration!

When I look at all the decorations, I am reminded of our family’s favorite Christmas movie, Christmas Vacation. Clark Griswold is determined to have the perfect Christmas celebration for his family, and he is so absorbed with the lights and decorations that he forgets the little things. In the process of focusing on the project, he neglects the little things like plugging in the lights, safety on ladders, his family, and the reason for the season.

I was reminded this week how often the little things are overlooked as we concentrate on the bigger ones. Every year at Thanksgiving we fry a turkey. This requires preparation such as cooking oil, gas for the cooker, thermometers, etc. We have had a couple of close calls in years past as the “chefs” got caught up in conversation and forgot the little things such as the temperature of the oil, etc. This year in preparation, I asked one of the “chefs” if he had everything he needed. “Absolutely” was the answer.

We are fortunate to have friends who are like family who celebrate with us, and thankfully he doesn’t forget the little things. The obvious big things we needed were there, but our executive “chef” had forgotten the little things such as an internal meat thermometer, a sharp knife, and hot pads to lift the turkey. Fortunately for him, our guest had provided all the forgotten little things! The turkey was perfect!

The Christmas story is full of examples of the way God took such care with everything to make the story of the birth of Jesus perfect. There was nothing fancy or opulent, but rather many little examples of beauty, love, kindness, and peace that made it a fitting entrance for our Lord and Savior.

Our lives are filled with little things, and it’s so easy to despise them, overlook them, or count them as interruptions or hassles. The trivial things such as airport delays, work deadlines, preparing for a party, an unwanted telephone call, etc. all add up to frustration and even anger. God uses the little things in our lives to have an impact beyond anything we might realize. He delights and works in those little things.

A few weeks ago our grandson was running late for a meeting before his football game that evening, so he was driving over the speed limit to make it on time. A sheriff pulled him over, and began his questions: “Did you know you were speeding? Why are you speeding? Where are you going that is so important?” Coop was honest with his answers. The little thing here is that the sheriff was a huge Buford football fan, so instead of handing out a ticket, he just said, “Slow down, and ya’ll better win that game tonight.” It was a lesson in the little things and an example of grace.

God has used the little things so many times in the Bible. It was just a little sling shot that killed Goliath. It was a little colt that Jesus used to ride into Jerusalem. A little boy with five loaves and two fish fed the five thousand. Jesus was born in a little stable in the little town of Bethlehem. In God’s hands the little can become much.

During the Christmas season, let’s be mindful of the ways we can turn the little things into big things for His glory. I love the story of an old farmer who was asked to give the blessing at a men’s breakfast one morning. He started his prayer thusly: “Lord, I hate buttermilk. Lord, I hate lard. And Lord, you know I don’t care much for raw white flour. But Lord, you know when you mix ’em all up and bake them, I sure do love fresh biscuits.” It is the little things mixed together that make this life complete.

Let’s come before Him with thanks. Psalms 95:2

Thanksgiving is only a few short days away, and grocery stores are packed with all of us who are preparing a feast for this special day! Turkeys across the nation have given their lives so that we may celebrate the tradition of setting this day aside to officially give Thanks to our God for all the blessings we have enjoyed this past year. We should be a nation of Thanks-givers on this day!

We all know that our Thanksgiving of today is based upon the observance of the Pilgrims back in 1621. Their faith in God was a major factor in those days, and our faith in God has brought this country through some perilous times. The direction we go from here forward is going to be based on our continued faith in God or our lack of faith in HIm.

The observance of Thanksgiving as a day of gratitude and prayer has been a national holiday since George Washington was President. Unfortunately, many in our country today have chosen to be unthankful to God and rather look to themselves for answers and guidance.

The phrase thanks givers is defined simply as “one who gives thanks.” This is such a simple definition, but it is something that is sometimes so hard to remember to do. There are people in all of our individual lives who seem to always be positive, always look for the silver lining in situations, and always give thanks to God no matter the situation. These folks are always trying to do good for others while giving God all the credit. I like to call these folks thanks-givers.

It is easy to become ungrateful when circumstances don’t look good, when sickness or adversity hits home, or when sacrifices are required. Thanks-givers know that God can turn bad circumstances into blessings. Gratitude isn’t a natural response to adversity, it is a discipline we develop.

In the classic Little Wome, Mrs. March tells this story to her daughters. “Once upon a time there were four girls who had enough to eat, and drink and wear, a good many comforts and pleasures, kind friends and parents, yet they were not contented. These girls made many excellent resolutions, but they were constantly saying, ‘If we only had this or if we could only do that.’ So, they asked an old woman what spell they could use to make them happy and grateful, and she said, ‘When you feel discontented look back over your blessings and be grateful.’ The girls decided to take her advice, and soon they were surprised to see how well off they were. One discovered that money couldn’t keep shame and sorrow out of rich people’s houses; another found that she was a great deal happier with her health, youth, and good spirits than a certain fretful, feeble old lady who couldn’t enjoy her comforts; a third that as disagreeable as it was to help make dinner, it was harder still to have to go begging for it. In the end, they all agreed to stop complaining and enjoy the blessings they already possessed.” They learned to be thanks-givers.

Once we become thanks-givers, we are eager to help others and pass on the joy of giving. Shortly before his death, 80 year old farmer Hody Childress asked his daughter to continue a practice he’d quietly conducted for years. The practice was taking a $100 bill to a local pharmacist on the first of every month. Childress anonymously came to the aid of neighbors in Geraldine, Alabama who couldn’t afford medications. “Don’t tell a soul where the money came from, ” he instructed the store owner. If they ask, just tell them it’s a blessing from the Lord.” Thanks to his generosity, that pharmacy could fill presciptions for about 24 uninsured or underinsured people each month. After his death, his generosity became known, and because of him, others stepped up to continue to help those in need.

This year as we go about our business of celebrating on Thanksgiving Day, when we sit down for our Thanksgiving meal surrounded by family and friends, let’s not forget to offer up our gratitude and thanks to our Lord for all that He has done and continues to do for us. Be thanks-givers on this this day and every day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May God himself, the one who makes everything holy and whole make you holy and whole, put your together – spirit, soul, and body – and keep you fit for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The one who called you is completely dependable. If He said it, He’ll do it! 1 Thessaloanians 5:23-24 from The Message

One of the most interesting Bible Studies in which I have been fortunate enough to participate is our small group study of Women of the Bible. The study looks at 52 remarkable women – those whose names are familiar and those about whom I have never heard!

The stories of their lives are ones of strength, courage, suffering, heartbreak, sorrow, loneliness, fear, faith, trust, and so many more characteristics of women of faith both then and now! The story of Rizpah falls into the category of women whom I never knew. The story is told in 2 Samuel and is a story of a mother who loved her children fiercely.

Briefly, Ritzpah was a concubine of the late King Saul. Saul attempted to exterminate the Gideonites and seven men were killed in retaliation for this. Jewish law states that they should be buried within 24 hours, but their bodies were left to rot. Two of the seven were Ritzpah’s sons by King Saul. Her grief was so intense that she spread a sack cloth near their bodies refusing to leave them until they were buried. Her vigil of protection lasted for several months. She would not bury her grief as long as the bodies of her sons remained unburied. The point was made that perhaps she wished she could be God even for a moment so that she could decree a better plan.

Many of us would feel the same in this world of today as we wonder “What if we were God? What would we do?” The story is told of a rabbi who stood on a hill overlooking a certain city. The rabbi watched in horror as a band of Cossacks on horseback suddenly attacked the town, killing innocent men, women, and children. Some of the slaughtered were his own disciples. Looking up to heaven, the rabbi exclaimed, “Oh, if only I were God!” An astonished student standing nearby asked, “But, Master, if you were God, what would you do differently?” The rabbi replied, “If I were God, I would do nothing differently. If I were God, I would understand.” (A story told by Joanna Laufer and Kenneth Lewis)

What would we do if we could suddenly be God? Many of us would say that if we could be God, there would be some changes made. We would handle problems differently, and we surely would have answers for all of the problems that are facing our world right now! People these days love to preface their remarks with things such as: “If I were president..if I were governor..if I were the coach..if I were the minister..if..if..,” but what if we were suddenly thrown onto the throne of all the universe. What would we do? Some men have actually tried to be God; people such as Hitler, Napoleon, Nero, but what would we do with that power?

If we were God, the first thing I know is that we would be partial. It’s just human nature, and I think we would all put our family, loved ones, country, ethnicity, and even religion first. The second thing we would probably do is lose our patience with those who don’t think like we do. Next, we would probably be “wishy washy” on the things which we would hold as most important. The Ten Commandments could possibly become The Ten Suggestions. Finally, we would probably hold grudges against those who dared to hurt or have disappointed us in some way. These are just a few reasons why we shouldn’t even for a moment want God’s job.

The above scripture lets us know that God is God for a reason. Only He can be trusted to get the job in this world done while holding fast to His promises. Ritzpah’s story has an ending which shows God’s justice and love. King David’s heart was touched by Ritzpah’s loyalty and courage, and he ordered the enemies of the executed to be buried. David’s act in honor of the dead helped the land to heal and the Israelites to be reunited under his leadership.

What would we do if we could change God’s world, His laws, His creation? We would undoubtedly make a mess of things because only He can understand “why”. Remember, “If He said it, He will do it.”

As the rabbi said, “If I were God, I wouldn’t do anything differently. If I were God I would understand.”

Therefore, we are strong in the Lord and in His might. Ephesians 6:10

This coming Saturday is Veteran’s Day. This is a day that is set apart to remember, celebrate, and honor those veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country. It seems to me that in order to celebrate it properly, we should first have a better knowledge of how we define a veteran. The dictionary describes a veteran as; someone who has extensive experience in some field, and /or someone who has served in our nation’s military. It is safe to assume, I believe, that any one who has served in our nation’s military has had extensive experience in some field.

In the midst of all the atrocities happening around us, we are reminded again of the fact that nothing good is found during a war. However, as much as we hate wars, we are forever grateful to the men and women who were and are willing to go into the awful places, be totally apart from their loved ones, and to fight and even die for those left at home.

My senior year in high school, our small town was brought to its knees by the death of two of our hometown boys. One of them was killed in action in Viet Nam, and the other was declared MIA. My grandmother owned a hair salon downtown, and I was working there the day a black car pulled up on the street and two soldiers in uniform got out. They walked solemnly to the other hair salon two doors down and emerged with the wife of our friend who was killed. It was the most sobering thing I have ever witnessed to see first hand the heartbreak of war and how much our military and their families sacrifice. Our friend who was MIA was declared dead several years later. Their family endured years of praying that he would be returned to them.

After the Civil War, General Sherman gave the commencement address at a military academy in Michigan. In that speech he said, “War is hell.” Later in a newspaper article he repeated that, and he added, “and thank God soldiers are from heaven.” That is why we set aside a day to honor them for their great service and just to say “Thank You” for keeping us free.

There are veterans among us who have been in wars in some terrible places, endured injuries both physical, mental, and emotional, been prisoners of war, but who love this nation and have sacrificed mightly for others. What kind of person does this?

Throughout history, from the Founding Fathers of this country until this day, we have those who refused to give in to tyranny. They stood up and fought for freedom. Every generation since that time has fought their own battle against evil and tyranny to preserve freedom.

Just as soldiers through the ages have left their homes and loved ones so that we could enjoy freedom, there was another who did the same. His name was Jesus Christ. In John 15:13 Jesus says, “There is no greater love than laying down one’s life for a friend.” I believe that verse describes a veteran very well. He or she may not like doing so, and certainly doesn’t look forward to it, but is willing to lay down their own life to save another if the situation demands it. Our veterans have given us so much, but I think the most precious gift of all is that they have given this country and all Americans a piece of themselves. How can that not be honored and appreciated?

I am very honored to be an American citizen living in the land of the free provided by those who were brave. So as we celebrate this Veterans Day, let’s give our veterans what they need and what they deserve; our remembrance and thanks for what they have done, our encouragement, and our respect. As the Apostle Paul said, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you for your faith is being reported all over the world.” Romans 1:8

Thank You!

I have prayed for you , that your faith will not fail. Luke 22:32

The lessons I learned from my parents are endless, some better than others, but I have to say my Mama was a great believer in teaching us girls to attempt new and different things in our lives. There were countless times when I or my sisters (mostly me) attempted something new and would go to her with the words, “I can’t.” Her response was quick and always the same, “Well, you know can’t never could.

The expression “can’t never could” is postive thinking Southern style. It literally means that if you think you can’t, you won’t be able to accomplish something; but if you think you can, you will succeed. Whenever I found something that I thought was too diffictult and said things such as; I can’t learn to play the piano, I can’t get an A in Algebra, I can’t get into a big college, I can’t learn to cook, or I can’t sing in the choir, Mama was right there to make sure I knew can’t never could.

It is so easy to say I can’t and just move on; however, great things can be accomplished when we try. There are two things worth remembering when we think we can’t do something. First, God doesn’t waste anything that He created. Secondly, He doesn’t waste anything He can use for His good.

Years ago, the women at our church had women’s retreats off campus and usually brought in speakers and sometimes musicians for the program. There are several retreats which stand out in my mind, but the best one was when we had Mrs. Jeannette Cathy of Chick Fil A fame as our speaker. She arrived accompanied by her daughter, Trudy into a group of admiring women. Before she began her presentation, Mrs. Cathy admitted to us that she was not the speaker in the family and really was very nervous that night. In her sweet way she said, “I am not sure I can do this ladies, so every time you see me falter, just yell out, “Yes, you can!” Mrs. Cathy did a beautiful job that night, but there were many interruptions of “Yes, you can!” Each time she acknowledged the affirmation, and she just got stronger throughout her presentation. She turned can’t never could into yes, you can!

In this life, God has a way of equipping each of us for things that He has in mind. There are things that God has placed in each one of us that sometimes may have seemed to work against us while we were growing up! For instance, some of us enjoyed pouring over books and research. God can use that! Some of us were quick to confront and excited to run right at the enemy. God can use that. Some of us held on to ideas and pushed them like a pit bull! God can use that! He uses both the good and the bad qualities we have!

God works even when we think we just can’t do what He is asking of us. Here’s how God works. First, he seeks us out, then He prepares us, then He positions us, then He empowers us to do what He knows we can do most effectively. For instance, look at Peter. He had only one gear: wide open, and he was always in the middle of everything that was going on, but he wasn’t always on top of things. This man who ended up leading the church, first denied being a disciple of Jesus.

This week when we hear ourselves saying things like; I can’t make an impact in this world of today, I can’t do anything to help others, I can’t make time in my schedule to attend a small group, I can’t facilitate a small group or Bible Study, I can’t volunteer for a mission, or I can’t stand one more day of the emotional and physical pain, let’s remind ourselves that can’t never could and yes, we can!

Not only can God turn our lives and our “I can’ts” into “Yes, I cans,” but He can use us to turn the lives of others around as well! We never really know our own strength and possibilities until we hear someone remind us that can’t never could.

Sometimes we wonder how in the world we will ever get out of the mess we’ve made with bad decisions or mistakes and truthfully, maybe we can’t. The good news is that God can! Can’t never could, but with God, yes, we can!

He knew it was time to act. Exodus 2:25

One of my all time favorite movies is Sweet Home Alabama. I can identify with the characters, the southern small town atmosphere, the family, the friends, the love, and even the gossip. There was however, one line from the movie that I had never heard before. Melanie is defending her actions from high school, and she says, “Like I could tip a cow by myself!” I began to wonder exactly what that might mean!

In researching the phrase, there is actually such a thing. Tipping a cow refers to the purported activity of sneaking up on any unsuspecting or sleeping upright cow and pushing it over for entertainment. The practice is generally considered an urban legend and feats are thought of as tall tales.

The idea of a tipping over a cow for entertainment seems excessively mean spirited, but right now, it seems like that is exactly what is happening in our world and especially in the Middle Eastern countries. The world has been blissfully enjoying a semblance of peace, and suddenly terrorists have tipped us over while inflicting pain, trauma, and death on unsuspecting people.

In the midst of it all, we find ourselves much like the Israelites who continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.

Just like the Israelites who thought life couldn’t get worse and then, Pharoah withdrew their straw and ordered them to produce the same daily quota of brick, we can’t believe the news which gets worse every day!! They reached their tipping point, and we are feeling much the same. We feel helpless and powerless to control things just as they did.

When we reach that tipping point, sometimes there are things that might help. First, if we are in a small group of friends or church members, it might help to share our feelings It can be therapeutic and healing to openly discuss the sense of helplessness and disbelief we are feeling. A member of our small group recently shared with me a pocket cross that he had made out of wood from an olive tree from the Holy Land. I carry it with me now everywhere, and it is comforting just to have a tangible symbol to remind us that God is still there!

Next, there comes a time when we just cry out to God. Just like He saw the Israelites struggling just to get through another day, He sees the people in the Middle East who are doing the same. Sometimes we talk to everybody except God. Prayer should be our first option not our last resort. David said in Psalms 118:5, I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. David’s prayers got him out of a tight spot and into God’s spot.

Finally, God will always keep His promise. God works according to His plan, not ours. He has not forgotten the people or their struggles. Our prayers will be answered in His time, so our job is just to keep praying and believing in Him.

When we reach our tipping point, we must make a decision to give up on our own strength and wisdom to solve our worldly problems or deliver us from them. We need instead to declare our reliance on Him and expresss our faith in His capabilities to step in and effectuate a turn for the better.

As we continue to watch and pray, we need to remember that God is there to catch us when we have reached our tipping point.

Great peace have those who love thy law, and nothing shall hurt them! Psalm 119:165

When I think back on the early days of parenting, and the early days of teaching Kindergarten, I remember using the words, where does it hurt? countless times. Children have a habit of exaggerating physical hurts, and it is always important in order to assess the situation to find out exactly where they are hurting in order to help.

Last week I had an unexpected conversation with a lady who exercises in the pool sometimes when I am there. This lady came to America years ago as the friend of a Persian princess whose family fled the country before it became Iran. I don’t know her well, but what I do know from my own observation and experience is that she always appears very self sufficient, she is extremely opinionated, and very out spoken. I have since learned that my assessment was a bit skewed.

Our conversation began the other day when just the two of us were in the pool, and she suddenly asked,
“Diana, where do you hurt?” I was confused at first, but then I realized that she was asking what part of my body hurts since I’m always in the pool. I explained that my back bothers me, and then asked her, “Where do you hurt?” She told me that her knee hurts, and that she has upcoming knee replacement surgery. We bonded immediately as Dr. Hanna is also her doctor and Randy and I know him well!

As we talked, I asked her who would care for her during her recovery, as I knew her husband had died several years ago. She teared up, touched her chest symbolizing her heart, and said, “I am not sure. My daughters both live around here, but neither one care about me.” The realization hit me that her hurt didn’t lie in her physical pain alone, but rather in her emotional one. I put my hand on her shoulder, hugged her, and said that I would pray for her. She blew me a kiss, put both hands together as if praying and bowed slightly as is the custom in her country. My initial assessment of her just took a huge turn!

Sometimes it’s not the physical hurt in our lives that pains us, but the emotional hurts we all bear. The atrocities of the last week have left us all hurting in different ways. We hurt for the families of the hostages, we hurt for the senseless loss of life, we hurt as we face helplessness and utter bewilderment. We hurt when we see others worn down by poverty and never seeming to find relief. We hurt when we see ourselves or others shackled by an incurable physical disability. We hurt when we find ourselves completely alone and separated from those we love forcing us to face the trauma of life alone.

This world during times of adversity tends to dethrone God who is the living, guiding, sovereign of the universe and relegate Him to a lesser role of an inanimate dead abstraction. We forget that He is present and working in all the hurts of this life. The hurts could be removed from many of our agonizing trials if we could look upon them as Job learned to do “seeing God in everything”.

Many of us have experienced hurts in our lives. We have lost people who were close to us, we have experienced hurt from some person or situation, or we’ve been hurt in some other way. When Paul became a Christian, he was ostracized by his peers because he was once a persecutor of the church, and now, as a Christian, he was looked upon as the enemy. He experienced hurt, but he was never totally alone, he had Jesus and his new Christian friends.

Everyone has different hurts, but it can help to focus on the positive things that are still in our lives. For example, we might not be able to do all the things we once did physically, but spiritually, on the inside we are stronger and able to do more for others than we once did. There might be a physical decline, but because of Christ we are on a spiritual incline. If we switch our game plan, the new focus can provide relief from the hurt.

Wherever we hurt, don’t lose heart, don’t give into despair, and don’t give up! The hurts that come our way in life don’t define who we are. God and others will be there to help us through them. When life hurts, Jesus can make it all better!

This week let’s keep in our thoughts and prayers all those who are hurting whether close or far away.

Brothers and sisters I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:3

People across the world have celebrated Columbus’s voyage since the colonial period when he historically set sail in August of 1492. Columbus intended to chart a course to China, India, and the renowned gold and spice islands of Asia, but instead he landed in the Bahamas. This landing made him the first European to explore the Americas since the Vikings set up new colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland in the 10th century. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed this discovery a federal holiday.

Columbus and his three ships made the non stop voyage on the high seas of the Atlantic and sailed between 2800-3100 nautical miles. When one considers that there were no emergency radios, no radar, no weather forecast, and no communication other than person to person available, it’s hard to imagine the endless days and nights out on the ocean having no idea what might await. I have trouble sailing in the Gulf of Mexico for a couple of hours, so I can only imagine how long the days and nights became for these sailors as they lived through the wind and waves they must have faced.!

There is an interesting account of the journey in a work entitled, Diary of Christopher Columbus’ First Voyage to America written by Bartolome de la Casas. The frst entry was posted on August 3, 1492, the day of his departure from Spain. It reads, “We departed Friday the third of August in the year of 1492 from the Bar of Saltes at the eighth hour. We went south with a strong sea breeze 60 miles, which is 15 leagues, until sunset; afterward by the southwest and south by west which was the route for the Canaries. and on this day we sailed on. As the journal continues, the most intriguing thing is that at the end of almost every day, the final words are, And on this day, we sailed on.

Some days nothing happened except the monotony of bobbing up and down on the seas. Some days the storms came, and the ship took on water. Some days the crew turned on each other and fought. Some days one of the ships had mechanical issues. Some days the sea was calm and peaceful, and there was rest. Through it all, they sailed on. Columbus had a vision, and he and his crew persevered through hardships, danger, difficulty, boredom, and disappointments.

Some days, we, as Christians feel a lot like Columbus and his crew because we seem to face a lot of fighting and struggling along our way. The scripture above reminds us that no matter what we face, we can’t give up, but rather we must sail on!

God is looking for committment, perseverance, and faithfulness as we sail on in this life. We will encounter persecution, but we sail on. We will encounter ciriticism, but we sail on. We will be bored, but we sail on. We will encounter danger on our way, but we sail on. We will face betrayal, but we sail on. We will frequently feel like the devil is winning, but we sail on.

I can’t think of anyone in the Bible apart from Jesus who lived a life of more gratitude than Paul the Apostle. He sailed on when he was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, robbed, abandoned, and the list goes on. However, when he was about to die, he wrote the young preacher Timothy, these words: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.”

Some days when we are beaten down and we write in our spiritual journal, the only thing we can say is, today,we sailed on. We didn’t discover any new land, we didn’t get rich, we were scick, we had a flat tire, the house flooded, we heard that someone talked about us, someone blamed us, someone betlittled us, someone lied to us, but we sailed on.

It is during these times when God is using our circumstances to build character in us. He wants us to be faithful and sail on during the times when He is silent. During those days when we feel like God has shut down heaven and there’s not enough money to buy an answer to a prayer, just sail on one more day!

Mary Ann Baxter experienced some of the bad times that all Christians go through and it caused her to ask, “What have I done to deserve this?” Through the time where she sailed on and waited on God to answer her, she felt the storms that had been raging start to subside, and she felt a peace. She was able to write three stanzas and a chorus for the beloved hymn Peace Be Still.

The winds and the waves shall obey My will, Peace Be Still. Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea, or demons or men or whatever it be, No water can swallow the shp where lies, the Master of ocean and earth and skies. They all shall sweetly obey thy will, Peace Be Still.

In the words of Christopher Columbus, And on this day – we sail on!

He never lost sight of where he has headed. Hebrews 12:2 The Message

Most of us know someone in our lives, maybe even ourselves, who have had cataract surgery. The one comment I hear without fail from these folks is, “I can’t believe how well I can see the details and color of the leaves! I had forgotten how beautiful they are!” What a miracle to be able to see the world as God made it again!

When we let our vision go uncorrected we find ourselves with a skewed outlook on so many things in this life from the beauty of nature to the beauty of life in general. The story is told of a man who was getting his windshield washed at a filling station (so we know this story is old). When the attendant finished, the man complained that he had done a terrible job and wanted it done again. The attendant obliged, but still the frustrated man complained that the windshield was not clean. The man’s wife who was sitting next to him, reached over, took his glasses, wiped them, and gave them back to him. The attendant had been doing his job all along, it was the man who had the vision problem. He had uncorrected vision.

Spiritually speaking, our vision determines what we see and how we see it. When our vision is uncorrected we can see jealousy and envy and become resentful of the blessings of others. When we see only fear and unbelief, and we limit God and what He can do for us. When we see only selfishness, we tend to put ourselves first and others suffer. When we see only negativity and cynicism, people avoid us because of our attitude.

The Bible says that “Because Jesus never lost sight of where he was headed, He could put up with anything along the way.” He had a vision and a passion. It is that vision which fuels our passion. When we are dealing with an uncorrected vision, we sometimes find our passion waning. Passion is spiritual energy, and without it we can become limp and bland.

Before God called the prophet Isaiah to a position of leadership, He corrected his vision. Israel’s constant rebellion was putting them in jeopardy with God, and they needed a leader with a clear vision. First, God allowed Isaiah to see clearly His glory and power. The same thing applies to us in this life. We will need a vision of this glory and limitless power in order to complete the job that God has called us to do. It will take a lot more than a job description and some basic skills. It will take corrected vision!

The second thing God did was to correct Isaiah’s vision of himself. God wanted Isaiah to know, and he wants us to know that we are no better than the people we are called to reach. Until we can see ourselves realistically, honestly, and humbly in relation to God and others, our mission, whatever it may be, won’t succeed.

Finally, God responded to Isaiah’s humility by sending an angel to touch his lips with purifying fire and say, “Your sin is taken away.” God doesn’t call us to be perfect, but when we have corrected vision, He rewards our efforts with success regardless of the odds! Our sins are taken away!

Just like the man needed to have his glasses cleaned in order to correct his vision, sometimes we all need to wipe away the contamination all around us which can cloud our heart and mind. We all need to renew our passion. Once we line up our passion with God’s plan, there will be no stopping us!

According to mythology, when St. Patrick was a missionary in Ireland in the fifth century, King Logaire of Tara decreed that no one was allowed to light any fires until a pagan festival was begun by the lighting of a fire on Slane Hill. In a move of defiance against this pagan ritual, St. Patrick did light a fire, and rather than execute him, the king was so impressed with his devotion that he let Patrick continue his missionary work. Three centuries later a monk named Dallien Forgall wrote the poem which we know as Be Thou My Vision. Mary Elizabeth Byrne and Eleanor Hull comiserated to write the text and music of our well known hymn. It is a hymn and prayer that in every moment of our lives, God would be our vision above all else.

Be Thou My Vision O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me save that thou art – thou my best thought by day or by night; waking or sleeping, they presence my light.