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Let’s Hear It For Joseph…
Most people can tell you about Mary, the mother of Jesus. It’s such a remarkable story! In our Western culture, we tend not to even blink any more if a young, unmarried woman is pregnant. No big deal, right? I mean, Hollywood types do it all the time. It’s a new “normal”. Not 2,000 years ago. This was literally a stoning offence. Which is why it might be good to pause a moment and also think of Joseph’s reaction to the whole situation. Here was a young man who had no intimate relations with his finance. He knew for certain the child was not his! There could be no doubt…
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Reflections
It is nearly Christmas. A bustling, busy time filled with family and friends. It is also a time when many feel less than jolly. I wish this was not the case. Recently I read a good book about Christmas, “An Even Better Christmas” by Mark Chandler. While many of the concepts were simple and straightforward, I enjoyed the mental picture of one thing in particular. God breaking through. Where God has inserted Himself into our world in order to offer an alternative way “out”. (This is all my paraphrase.) So, as I feverishly work on projects to end the year strong, bake cookies, listen to Christmas music and generally live…
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Thankful
I remember what it was like before – before I began to understand God’s love. It was a restless, driven, searching time. Many days were interesting and lively yet in the end, unfulfilling. Thankfully, now it is different. Today, years have passed. Some good, some challenging. There are people who are part of the fabric of my life who are no longer here. Yes, I miss them. You might think it could be a melancholy time. It isn’t. Sure, I’ve had those days. Times when I make the dreadful mistake of comparing my life to some cultural “norm” – that is so unhelpful! All those kinds of comparisons tend to…
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Whew!
Our country and its Constitution is an amazing thing. Last night a very heated, contentious election occurred. And still, even with the weeks (maybe months) of rhetoric, accusations and sheer ugliness, the election concluded. All I can say is – “Thank God!”. After all, He is in charge. Nothing really surprises Him. If putting together multiple galaxies doesn’t flummox Him, I seriously doubt our political drama is a big deal. So why, then, does it feel like it is? I don’t have a good answer. I can only give opinion. Change, especially ones I don’t control tend to rock my world a bit. Maybe that’s why it’s a good reminder…
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Learning Up
It’s cloudy and the winds are shifting today. You can feel it when you walk outside. The clouds are acrobats of grey tumbling overhead. You can almost feel the northern winds approaching, even though the temperatures are mild just now. Also today I’ve been thinking about the sovereignty of God. With our world and culture in such a state of agitation, one almost can’t help but wonder what is next. It seems, like the skies above, our very world is in a chaotic time of change. I remember when I was in Music School, they told us in times of social and cultural revolution, the music also changed dramatically. It…
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Walk in the Rain
Misty moments, leaden sky, I refuse to ask Him, “why“. Nothing ever stays the same, Constant motion in and out – Past the shadows, Beyond all doubt. And in the grey I reach the sun, Drawing reflections of the One, Whose Hand protects my swirling mind, And wipes the silent tears, In Him my answers find. This journey will be one of light, Regardless of the rain. The path is open, filled with hope, I walk toward greater gain. – RG
