It May Be Time For Another Change

You might as well expect it and get ready for it.  Change, that is.  It will happen.  We try to make life simple and easy, yet enjoyable and meaningful.  Sacrifices are made so that we can have the greater benefits tomorrow, or next week, next month or next year, but, as you might already know, things change.  So, in our attempt to accept change, we may decide that we really don't want, nor need the so called benefits that we have been working for.  It seems then, that we have wasted our time and energy, and if we can't accept the change and go with the flow, so to speak, we will likely become frustrated with life in general.

I know that we must put forth or best effort, and when things don't seem to work out properly we must try and try again, and possess a determined spirit.  But, like it or not, sometimes our efforts are only driving us further away from our goal.  Then it's time to accept change and take a new course of action.

I have found that I have been able to adjust to change fairly well.  That doesn't mean that I like change, it just means that I can go with the flow, so to speak, and make life enjoyable to some degree of acceptability.  For example:  When I joined the Air Force, life changed drastically for four years.  When I completed my tour of duty and returned to civilian life, my life changed again.  When I got married, my life changed to never be the same again.  When I lost my wife in an automobile accident, change forced it's way in upon my life.  Then I remarried and started a new journey.  Children came; life changed.  My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer; change.  I was diagnosed with Hepatitis-C; change.  Over and over again, changes come.  We must face it.  Change will come.

All of these changes were happening while I was trying to become a minister of the Gospel.   I had accepted the call to the ministry while still in High School and had set my sails for that 'beautiful isle of somewhere', or at least I had 'visions of sugar-plums dancing in my head'.  Had I not accepted the changes and learned to live with those that I had no power over, I would have most likely been misdirected early in life and probably would have never been ordained to the ministry by any church synod.

Now, I am retired.  WOW!  What a change.  I'm still adjusting to changes.  Doesn't it ever stop?  Yet, there is one more change that I am anticipating.  It is the change from this mortal body to an immortal one, from this corruptible body to an incorruptible one.  I shall be changed, and I will go with the flow, so to speak.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Merry Christmas!

We made it through the Thanksgiving season with rather traditional activities; turkey & dressing, family, special gatherings both at church and home. I think it is sad that we get so excited because of the tinsel and holly surrounding the Christmas season, the gift giving and receiving, Santa, and jingle bells, but do comparably so little when it comes to giving thanks for the many blessings we possess. 

I know that if it wasn't for the Christmas reason for celebrating this season, we really wouldn't have much, of lasting value, to be thankful for. I do love the Christmas season. The Christmas carols, the Christmas plays, the family get-to-gathers, and yes the overeating, are things that I enjoy. As I get older, I find some of the values of these things seem to change, but it is still a great and enjoyable season. 

I'ts important that we understand the reason for the season. Without beating around the bush, I'll tell you that the reason for the season is Jesus, The Christ, The Son of God. We celebrate His birth on December 25th. and that is the reason for the season. Somehow Santa Clause & the reigndeer, elves, trees, lights, trimmings, the snowman, etc., entered into the celebration. To some, that takes away from their idea of a joyous Christmas. To some it seems to add to the celebration. There are some people who do not believe in Santa or Jesus and the whole season is an annoyance to them. I say, every man has the priviledge to choose for himself, but I do hope each and everyone of you will know the joy of the season like I have found it to be with Jesus. I've made my choice: "As for me and my house", we believe that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Just to let you know that I'm still alive!

Looks like my last post was on March 12, 2011, so I may have lost any followers that I had. Well, that’s what happens if you don’t take care of business. This post has no particular theme or topic. It’s just here to let you know that I’m alive and well, and to try to keep this blog up with some life. What would you like to hear about? I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the internet, so why do we post blogs. We do it to give our opinion. We want to be heard. sometimes I actually have something to tell and when I do, I want you to hear it. If I try to speak in a crowded and noisy room, I’ll not be heard, but if I blog, and you read my blog, I will probably have your attention and what I say will be better heard. Too bad I don’t have some real important stuff to tell you, but that’s just the way it is. Really, do you think all those blogs out there have important stuff? Yeah, I guess some of them do, but many do not. Neither does this on have important stuff, so, here it is anyway. You can do with it what you like. Maybe next time I’ll have something to say.

The Final Destination

As I get older, it seems that time passes faster and faster.  It's been almost three months since I last posted a blog on this web site but it seems like it's been much less time than that.  Isn't that the way it is with life?  We wake up on Monday morning and go to bed on Friday night and then we start all over again.  Sometimes it happens so fast that it seems that time overlaps itself and we go to bed on Monday night and wake up on Monday morning.  I guess that's just one of the symptoms of getting older. 
I'm finally realizing that the fast train is moving on, with or without me, so I don't have time to worry about the small stuff.  Some things that used to seem so important to me no longer have that same appeal that they once had.  I think I've learned that all those non-essential, yet enjoyable, things are only there to distract us from the more important, and sometimes undesireable chores.  I think of that song that says, "I can see clearly now.  The rain is gone.  I can see all obstacles in my way."  When I was young I didn't realize that those non-essential, yet enjoyable, things were nothing more than obstacles that would keep me from obtaining a more important benefit - a peaceful life.  I'm not talking about a momentary life, but an eternal life.  Oh, I've had peaceful moments, but they were always interrupted by some non-essential thing that I had placed a lot of value in.  Now, the nearer I get to my final destination, the clearer I can see what is ahead of me.  I don't see all the "things" around me as clearly as I used to, but my destination is getting nearer and clearer every day. 
When I see the younger generation so caught up in the activities of their day, I remember that I used to be a lot like that.  I've even wondered how I did it.  The time does come when we look forward to, with mounting anticipation, the end of the journey.  If I could, I would tell this younger generation to stop worrying about keeping up with their peers, and dare to be different and follow the voice (of God) within.  I don't know how much longer this train ride will continue, but I'm beginning to focus in more and more on the final reward.  It's looking good people.  I'm getting excited.