Year End Nuggets

Lately at Christmas I have been trying to find some old keep-sakes that the boys might be interested in having. Last year it was some old ticket stubs to both professional and college games we had been to together. This year it was old books and magazines of interest. Things that at face value are not all that valuable, except to the owner.

While rummaging thru some old notes I had taken, I found some from when I had listened to Jim Woodroof in 1992. He was speaking on David. I won't share the complete set of notes on this post, but I wanted to share some conclusions he passed on to us that day. One was that the reason David was such a magnificent worshiper was because he was so aware of God 60/60/24/7. ALL THE TIME! So, Brother Jim passed this gem of wisdom on to us:......"We will only worship to the degree we see God in our life." Another observation was that David was a magnificent sinner. That was the motive behind such great writings as Psalms 38 and 51. So, the second gem was..... "We will only worship to the degree of awareness we have of our own sins and the forgiveness and grace that saves us."


I hope those bless you today. I like finding old gems......especially when they come from an older Jim!

Christmas in Waveland

I just got thru reading an email from Teena Robbins Tucker concerning her recent trip to the coast of Mississippi. She and a friend went down for a couple of days to help distribute Christmas gifts to those who had been wiped out because of Katrina. Yes, this is the same Teena that lost a child a few months ago in an automobile accident in NW Arkansas. Her recounting of being at the coast was very moving and inspirational. She estimated that 16,000 people showed up on the assigned day to pick up Santa Claus, mostly for their children and grand-children! Volunteers from all over the US were there to help with this HUGE undertaking. Most of the stories that go with the faces are incredible, and will break your heart.
Thank you Teena for your servant heart, especially at a time when you very easily could have been focused on your own personal loss! You are an inspiration to all of us!

It's not hard any year to look around and to be thankful for the material blessings we have. But this year, with the tsunamis and hurricanes that have left hundreds of thousands of people world wide in a situation of being destitute, it really impacts how we look at Christmas, doesn't it? The thought of going to the mall is especially nauseating this year.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus to us..........and now help us to take help and HIM to those who are in so many different types of need world-wide.

Nowhere Man

I heard the Beatles sing "Nowhere Man" on the radio today. I thought it was kinda ironic, considering I had just been thinking about how commercialized Christmas time has become.

"He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"

For many people, Jesus is the nowhere man of Christmas. He has been replaced by Santa Claus and credit cards. Christmas trees and pretty wrapped presents get more of our time and reflection than a Savior born in poverty and scandal.

"He's as blind as he can be
Just sees what he wants to see
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?"

I have a good friend that has two small boys. They decided this year NOT to put up a tree, any decorations, and not to give any presents except to those in need. It's not because they don't have the means to do all those things. They just wanted this Christmas to be one that focused ONLY on the Christ child. Do you think the two boys will remember this Christmas? How will it effect their friends that come over when they communicate what they are doing and why? I have a feeling those two boys are going to feel blessed when they are grown men and reflect on what kind of priorites their parents had.


"Nowhere Man, please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command"


I'm not sure it has ever really connected with me yet how vulnerable Christ made himself when he came in the form of a baby. The God of the Universe, making himself totally helpless. The world had been at his command, and now as baby, it was in command of him. Have you chosen to make yourself that vulnerable? If not, get in line behind me. And yes, he DID know what he was missing.


"He's a real Nowhere Man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"


Why not plan to connect with someone who thinks his or her hope is gone, that their life is headed nowhere, and let them see you have a different perspective? Maybe they will notice you don't pin your hopes and future on a "nowhere man" who has "nowhere plans for nobody", but that your hopes are in a loving father who plans his everyday around you......and them. After all, can you think of a better time of year to tell the story?


Nowhere Man may not be able to see them at all, but the baby that was born that Christmas day chooses to see them EVERY day, and waits with arms open wide for any who want to come to Him.


Nowhere Man or Everywhere Man..........which one will you give as a present this year?

A Chifforobe

I am pretty sure I have blogged about "To Kill a Mockingbird" before. It was on AMC last night, and I never get tired of watching it. I still say the courtroom scene where Tom Robinson is on trial for the rape of Mayella Ewell is one of the most powerful scenes in movie history. ALL of those folks should have won an Academy Award! The guy that played Mayella's dad, Bob Ewell, did such a great job...you wonder if he was really only acting! Growing up in the deep south, I knew several men that were very much like him.......but I knew more that were like Atticus Finch. Thank God I did. Ok, here is the question of the day. In the court room scene, both Mayella and Tom talk quite a bit about a "chifforobe". Do any of you good ole southern folks remember what a chifforobe is? No fair asking grandma, either. I had a guess, and when I looked it up, I wasn't too far off. But I didn't nail it either. When is the last time you heard the word "chifforobe" used?

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How many of you can relate to being brought up to be very religious, but not all that much emphasis was placed on being spiritual? Reflecting back, I know I probably was guilty of that at times with my two boys. How many of you are in churches that seem to have that same set of priorities? Religion versus Spirituality? I am convinced they DON'T have to be at odds with each other. But I also know which one should come first.

BCS

It is not going to effect Bama one way or the other, but I gotta ask this question...how many of you out there in the bloggin world are hoping Texas AND Southern Cal BOTH lose this weekend? I am. Mainly because I want to see a play-off system, and if they both lose, it helps my argument. My prediction is that neither of them will lose.....especially Texas. Colorado is pitiful. It will take a miracle for them to upset the Horns, and I know.....stranger things have happened.
Other than the Ohio State game, the Horns have had the easiest cake walk to the National Championship game in the history of college football. Too bad they didn't play in the SEC.

So, what are you predicting for Saturday?