A new year brings hope, a sense of fresh beginnings and better days. For many, it’s a time to set goals and sharpen our focus on what is truly important. Enter the “SMART” acronym . . . A well-known business model for setting goals and objectives says SMART goals are: S-specific; M-measurable; A-attainable; R-relevant; T-time-bound. A lot has been written on these highly effective concepts, and they offer a practical measuring stick for success when making personal goals. But let’s also consider Ephesians 6, which gives us the crucial reminder that at its core, all of life is spiritual. Finally,…
Friday night I attended a special meeting at church for those who are grieving or have experienced loss around the holidays. With me was our good friend R., who recently lost his mother. It was a quiet, healing time for all. Some, like R., who lost a loved one this year, were deeply comforted by the love of God shared and simply being together. Others, like myself, had time to reflect on other kinds of losses we have experienced, and how God’s grace and goodness have carried us through. Jesus tells us that here on earth there will be sorrow,…
With the Christmas season in full swing, it’s easy to become overloaded with the many obligations and expectations it brings. We can get so busy with the decorating, shopping, concerts, and other activities that we’re fitting into our already packed schedules, that we lose sight of why we’re doing it all to begin with—leaving us feeling drained and overwhelmed. In an effort to get a handle on our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to rush into the day, spending little or no time with the One who helps us most! St. Francis de Sales said: Every Christian needs a half-hour…
Spring has sprung—except where I live. Here in northern New York we still have nearly a foot of snow on the ground, although moderating temperatures are bringing the drip drip drip of melting. Us locals know spring doesn’t really arrive for another month. Yet it will come! As the sun warms the earth and winter’s glory fades, it’s always amazing how plants in the yard that looked dead return to life. Tender shoots appear, soon to burst into lush green leaves and colorful flowers. Our lovely lilac bush, nearly buried by recent storms, appears dead and forgotten—but two months from now…
As Christ-followers in the family of God, there’s an amazing bond that quickly surfaces among brothers and sisters in the Lord. I’ve often marveled at the people God has brought into my life over the years—those I often have had little in common with outside of our faith, yet who I sometimes have formed the closest friendships with because of that faith. This anomaly can only be explained by the love of God. This poem is dedicated to those notable friendships centered on the love of God—that special love of the brethren. Why do I love you . . ….
