We dropped our grandson off at the airport after a two-week stay.  This vacation involved hiking, biking, an ATV trip to the Allagash, fishing, visiting family and church, mowing lawns, cutting trees, navigating a pontoon boat, jet-skiing, thirty-two games of cribbage and the preparation of many of his favorite meals, plus eating more junk food than one should. We cried as we drove away because that experience was now history.

My grandfathers were never in a position to do that with me for various reasons. One being at that time when you turned sixty, it was not socially acceptable to be acting like a teenager. Times have changed and for the above mentioned relationship, I’m glad they have.

He’s going to be in college this fall on a full scholarship in the engineering program. Our son, his father, did a good job raising him and it shows. One generation passes and another takes its place.  I pray one day our grandson can spend quality time with his grandson.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the faith of the grandparents could be passed from generation to generation?

Ephesians 3:21

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Dan Blocker played Hoss Cartwright during the thirteen-year run on Bonanza. He died at forty-three just a year before the concluding episode.  He had gone for gallbladder surgery and developed a blood clot which took his life. Blocker said he portrayed the gentle-natured Hoss character with a Stephen Grellet excerpt in mind: “We shall pass this way on Earth but once, if there is any kindness we can show, or good act we can do, let us do it now, for we will never pass this way again.”

Isn’t that a good saying to go through life with? Do you know that the Bible has many such sayings?

Colossians 3:12-13

 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Today would be the day to put this into practice.

Think about it.

Gary

Some people have trouble with boundaries and most of us at one time or other have stepped across boundaries. All people have their own space and they send out signals when they consider others are invading their territory.

I, for one, really don’t want to be where I’m not appreciated nor seen as offering anything of value. Some of my past experience has taught me that lesson. However, I occasionally mess up. The Scriptures are very clear on this subject.

Proverbs 25:17

Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

ESV

Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.

If these devotionals are junk mail to you or just a nuisance, just send me a blank email and I will take you off the list at no cost to you. For the rest of you, I’ll try to be at your door step every morning.

Think about it.

Gary

When I was much younger, I would occasionally find myself at a swimming pool with a high board. A high board is just shy of ten feet off the water. I would watch people dive off that board and be in awe of their courage. Fear kept me from that experience. However, one day I decided it was time to make the plunge in spite of fear. The feeling of overcoming fear was one I truly appreciated.

Many times in life I needed to deal with my fears to accomplish something. Every time I went off that high board, fear was with me, but the invigoration and feeling of accomplishment were worth it.

Many times in my spiritual life the need to appropriate the same principle was necessary, but God has designed each one of us to accomplish things even with fear present. God urged the Hebrews to move forward in spite of fear and communicated to them that others had done it (Chapter 11).

Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Why don’t you take the plunge even if you have to take fear with you?

Think about it.

Gary

“Wonderful World” is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke released in 1960.

Here are two stanzas:

Don’t know much about history
Don’t know much biology
Don’t know much about a science book
Don’t know much about the French I took

Don’t know much about geography
Don’t know much trigonometry
Don’t know much about algebra
Don’t know what a slide rule is for

There are a lot of things you can get by in life without knowing. However, there is one thing you should really come to know. That one thing is where you’re going after death.

1 John 5:13

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Do you have this vital piece of information?

Think about it.

Gary

The photographer was going from house to house in 1955, taking family pictures. I treasure the picture of my seven siblings and me and display it on my desktop. I’m the youngest. Much is owed to those other seven who gave me a tremendous start in life.

The Apostle Paul had a successful ministry with the Church in Rome. However, he acknowledged that that success was a group effort. He mentions an impressive list of names of individuals who made his ministry possible. On top of that list was a woman by the name of Phoebe.

Romans 16:1-2

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

We have a lot of people to be thankful for as they have paved the way for our journey through life. Don’t forget them.

Think about it.

Gary

Some of us old timers think about a simpler time. June was busy getting dinner in a peaceful home. Ward would come home from work as an exemplary employee, father and husband. The Beaver would be just the kind of polite, considerate young boy that anyone would want to raise. Wally always did his high school homework and was never swayed by his wise-guy friend Eddie Haskell to do wrong. Politics was never a part of programing.

That time has come and gone.  It probably only really existed at the end of some sitcom writer’s pen. This real world of ours is much nastier, especially when it comes to politics. The body of Christ is given some good advice in how to address our present age.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 

The way to change the hostile environment in our day is on our knees.

Think about it.

Gary