FAITH.  We have been talking about faith for a while.  We’ve gone over it one letter at a time.  The last letter — being H — could represent so many different things — all connected to faith.  It could stand for HELP — we have faith in God — He helps us in all things.  It could mean HONOR — an act of worship to our Lord — we give glory and honor to His name.  It could also mean HOUSE or HOME –a place very much worth having when Jesus is always the unseen guest.  We are told HEAVEN is a beautiful place and that Jesus has gone to prepare this place for those who believe in Him.  Our HEARTS are lifted each day when we think of this promise.  There are so many words beginning with H. When Jesus left us, though, He did not leave us comfortless, for He left us a HELPER — the Holy Spirit.  The word spirit, itself, can mean many things.  In scripture, the word spirit is taken to mean the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity. The word spirit, alone, can also mean the spiritual part of man, and signifies the soul which continues in being, even after the death of the body.  We can be very thankful that we have received the “Spirit of Sonship”. We are children of God and being this, we are also fellow heirs with Christ; for if the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead lives within us, then God will also give mortal life to our bodies through His Spirit.  We, too, shall live.

Speaking of the Holy Spirit as a HELPER, we know that he helps us every day in all our problems or weaknesses.  There are times in our lives when we don’t even know how to pray, when words to God just won’t come to our lips.  We know how we feel; we just can’t express it; but, we are told the mind of the Spirit intercedes for us “with sighs too deep for words”.  God knows the mind of the Spirit just as the Spirit knows our mind.  So, our prayer goes out from us, through the HELPER whom Jesus left for us, to God.  Our prayer is answered according to God’s will; and as it says in Romans 8:28—a very familiar verse to all —”And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…”

We’ve spoken – in the last four devotionals – of many things — all pertaining to faith in our Lord.  When it comes right down “to the bottom line” -as the saying goes – it’s a simple choice, but one of the most important we may ever make.  Today is before us.  We can choose to live it alone, or with Jesus; to accept Him, or reject Him; to have life, or death; to be faithless—or have faith abundantly.  Therefore, since the choice is ours, let us choose faith.

I would like to close with a poem that tells of Jesus ministry, of despair, and then, at last, of the greatest faith-producing event that ever happened in all of history — the resurrection of our Lord.  The title is “From Sandals To Glory”  and it goes like this—

Sandals and robes

Long dusty trails

Walking through towns

Healing all ails.

Group of disciples

Follow this man.

Gathering crowds listen,

Some understand.

Some disbelieving,

Listen no more.

In sadness and sorrow

He walks by a shore.

Plans to betray Him,

Kiss on His cheek

Beginning of ending

Last earthly week.

Judgment.  Conviction.

Sentenced to die.

Hung on a cross

For us — you and I.

Three days of darkness.

Stone rolled away.

Tomb very empty

First Easter day.

Seen by a woman.

Others see, too.

Stunned – then believing.

Most of them do.

One still a doubter.

Cannot understand.

Proof shown to Thomas.

Nail scars in His hand.

Imploring him sweetly

His Lord to receive.

“Do not be faithless.

Only believe”

Forty days later

Ascension in sky.

Home to His Father;

Our home by and by.

Down through all ages

Story still grows

Circling the earth

Until everyone knows.

A man called Jesus,

Human. Divine.

Died. Rose. And living.

Your Savior — and mine.

Dear Heavenly Father,  we thank you for your plan of salvation for all mankind; and we thank you for the FAITH in your son, Jesus, that is given to us when we believe.

In His name we pray.  Amen

We live in a time when some people might say there isn’t a lot to be thankful for, but I am inclined to think we have much about which to thank God.  We can begin by thanking Him for all our material blessings—home, food, clothing, the car we drive.  Then there is our family, friends, and neighbors, the mailman, our doctor —-many others.  There are a lot of intangibles, too—things we can’t see or touch —but they are there just the same —our health, the love in our lives, a baby’s laugh—even the very air we breathe.  Last, but not least, are the spiritual blessings we receive from our daily walk with Jesus.  So much to be thankful for!  And this is only the beginning.

It would be impossible for me to look at a sky full of stars, or to see apples ripening on a tree, or watch flowers blooming in a garden, or — even sea shells —(so many different kinds)—-to see all this and still say “There is no God.”—–I just couldn’t do that.  I have many other reasons to believe in God, and these are just a few; but, if in my world, just these few that I have mentioned were all that I had, then I would still believe in a God that cares for us.

Have you ever thought about the autumn color on the trees?  What is the purpose of the color?  Why don’t the leaves just turn brown and drop off?  Of course, we all know the reason, but why did God cause this to happen in the way that it does?  I think it was because God wanted us to have a beautiful bouquet of color in the autumn to tide us over until the first green leaves of spring appear.  I look at the colorful autumn leaves as just an “extra gift from God”— and I thank Him for this plan of His.

So far, I’ve been talking about the good things in life.  We all know, however, that each life has its share of “downs” as well as “ups” and we are told to be “thankful in all things”.  This means the bad as well as the good.  Being human, that’s very hard to do, but somehow or another when we do try to find something about which to be thankful during a siege of bad luck, it seems to make it all easier to bear.

I remember reading of an incident that happened in the life of the late Dr. Peter Marshall.  He was, as you may remember, chaplain of the United States Senate for several years.  God was very real to him and he regarded his call to the ministry as “being tapped on the shoulder by the Chief”, as he loved to call his Lord.  He had a great sense of humor, loved the challenge of a game, and the time he spent in his home was very dear to him.  This particular incident happened two or three days after Thanksgiving.  By that time, as any housewife knows, the turkey has been reduced to a pile of bones with a few scraps of meat hanging on. As Dr. Marshall and his family sat down to the table, he lifted the lid on the casserole dish, sighed, looked at his wife and said, “Catherine, you’ll have to say grace tonight.  I’m just not that thankful for turkey hash, and I know I can’t fool the Chief.” I’m sure, in his heart, Dr. Marshall was grateful for the food, but turkey does hang on rather long after Thanksgiving sometimes, doesn’t it?

I seem to be talking a lot about turkeys and Thanksgiving, after all.   It is a time of great thankfulness.  However, there is one big “thank you” that stays in my heart all the time.  To go farther back in time, I thank God for loving all people everywhere.  He loved us so much that He gave His only son.  I thank Jesus, too, for what He did for mankind and I thank Him, too, for leaving us a helper—the Holy Spirit.  Not a thing was forgotten — everything was provided for us.  God’s thoughtfulness makes me very grateful.

I would like to close with an excerpt from a poem I read recently.  These few lines express my feeling when I realize how much God has done for all of us.——and may this be our prayer for today.

“We look around us at each thing
And know, that at one time
Someone arranged to always have them there.
With grateful heart we do the thing
That gives our thanks to God,—-
We kneel and say — a quiet little prayer.”

Amen

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 4:16 (NIV)

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.” Psalm 121:1 (KJV)

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word, I hope” Psalm 130:5 (NKJV)

 I could go on and on with verses of scripture–verses full of truth and meaning – and perhaps I should, for, this is the day we speak about the third letter in the word faith – the letter “I”. It is such a small word when used as such, only one letter.  But it carries such a large meaning when used in reference to our Lord.  He is the “I” in our world; He is the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end; and He is, also, everything in between.  Without Him, we are nothing.

 In Jesus’ last week on this earth, He knew He had much to endure before He would ascend to His Father.  He knew the cross awaited Him, but He knew, also, the He had a mission here on earth—a purpose for being here—and He knew He must do the will of his heavenly Father. 

 What if He hadn’t felt that way? What if Jesus had put himself first?  What if the “I” in His life became himself?  He wouldn’t have thought of others–only himself.  We all know that was impossible, because we know it was God’s plan that He become a man, and because of Him and what He did, we have the hope of living forever.

 In Ernest Hemingway’s book “For Whom The Bell Tolls”, there is an inscription by John Donne that begins with the words, “No Man Is An Island”.  It goes on to say such things as “Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” and also it says “Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind.”

 Jesus was not willing to be an “ISLAND”, so to speak, but, instead, was willing to be involved with mankind— so willing, in fact, that He died for all mankind.  We, in our daily lives, are involved to a lesser degree, but we are involved.

 Each of us has something we can give to another, even if it’s only a smile to help start somebody else’s day off just right.  By the way—if you are with someone now, turn to them and smile and see if you don’t get one back in return!  Hopefully, that smile will be passed around all day and many, many people will benefit.  Isn’t that a better idea than being an “ISLAND” and keeping that smile to yourself?

 I’m sure when the words— no man is an island — were written, they had a much deeper meaning than just smiling at someone else.  I think they were meant to remind us of our dependence on one another, of our sadness when others have misfortunes, of our happiness when our lives are entwined in love and joy with others. 

I believe, also, that when another human being feels hungry, tired, ill, disheartened or sad, that within each of us there are some of the same feelings. We know that Jesus knows all about these feelings, because He has lived through them, too, before we have.  In His second great commandment to us, He was telling us somewhat the same thing as John Donne was saying, only Jesus used different words, and they were — “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  To love our neighbor is to be involved with the world of people around us; and being involved is far removed from being an ”island”.

There is another “I” word that I want to mention and that is the word “IMPOSSIBLE”.  To me, that is such a negative, final word.  However, it doesn’t have to be that way at all, for it says in Luke 1:37 — “For with God, nothing is impossible.”  These words were spoken in reference to Jesus’ birth, but they can also apply to much of our daily living. 

 Just the thought of something being possible as opposed to impossible makes us hope for a better outcome to the situation — whatever it is — and gives us a much brighter outlook on living.  Faith in God and in this promise He has left for us can take away the “I” and “M” from impossible and leave us with a will to take God up on His promise and have faith that, with Him ALL things ARE possible!!

 In closing, let me use one other word beginning with the letter “I” — and INVITE you to a greater fellowship with our Lord.  Faith in Him and His promises can be the greatest thing that ever happened to you.

 Let’s let His word be our prayer…
“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Amen

 www.GrandmaRogers.com

As I said before, we will be exploring the word FAITH — letter by letter.  We spoke about the first letter “F”  in my former devotional, so now let us talk about the second letter – “A”  

There are so many words beginning with the letter “A” that directly make me think of faith in God.  One of these is the word — ALONE.  You know, we never are alone — He is ALWAYS near us, and with us.  Sometimes, our days are so busy and life is so hectic that we do not have time to think of this, but the true fact is that we never are alone.  He is ALWAYS with us and near us.  He has promised to be with us ALWAYS, even unto the end of the world and I sincerely have faith in that promise.

There are two other words — AFFLICTION and ADVERSITY — things that, sooner or later, come to all of us. God does not promise to deliver us from this kind of trial, but He does promise to be with us through whatever it might be.  We know we have a refuge in Him, someone to whom we can turn and find the guidance and peace we need in ANY kind of illness or trouble.  We need only to apply our faith, to believe that He knows what we are going through, and that He is watching over us.  Isn’t that a comforting thought to know that He cares, and that we are never ALONE?

Isn’t it comforting, also, to realize that He hears and ANSWERS every prayer?  It’s always wonderful when He answers “yes”, but sometimes He doesn’t answer in the way we want Him to.  Our part lies in the ACCEPTANCE of His will for our lives.  We may ask for something that goes against our Father’s will and He may have to say “No.”  We may feel, sometimes, that He never hears and doesn’t intend to answer, but that isn’t true.  His answer always comes, and it is neither too soon nor too late.  In His own time, and according to His will, He will answer in the best possible way for us. 

Once, long ago, Art Linkletter made a visit to a small midwestern town.  During a television interview, he made this remark —-”God gives the very best to those who leave the choice with Him.”  To make such a statement of faith, Mr. Linkletter must have known what it was like to ASK, to wait for an ANSWER, and then to ACCEPT God’s choice — and, most of all, to believe that it was the best possible ANSWER to His prayer.

I can’t help thinking of another word in connection with faith and that word is ABUNDANT.  In the first letter of Paul to Timothy, Paul relates that the grace of his Lord was poured out on him ABUNDANTLY.  Even though Paul — as he himself admits — was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man, the Lord considered him faithful, gave him strength and grace ABUNDANTLY, and appointed Paul to His service. 

The same grace and faith can be ours, in abundance.  I know there are times when the faith we have seems to be so small and weak that we wonder how we could even begin to have a faith as great a Paul’s.  But if we use what little faith we have — even though it may be as small as a mustard seed — we will receive more in return — “good measure, pressed down, running over.”

I am always AMAZED to think of the love God has for us.  It amazes me, too, to know He is interested in even the smallest details of our lives. We can take ANYTHING to Him, and He wants to hear from us.  Many times I have had a problem, as we all do from time to time.  I thought about it, made a decision, changed it, made another decision, — and so on, until finally I realized I was getting nowhere.  So, with faith in God’s answer, I turned it all over to Him.  Perhaps a few days later, I realized the problem no longer existed.  The moment I turned it over to God, He went to work on it, just as I should have known He would. It wasn’t worth my time to think it through on my own — He worked it all out in a much better way.  I hope I never lose this AMAZEMENT in the wonderful way God works.  I know He doesn’t have to do this for us — just as Jesus didn’t have to die for all mankind — but He did, because He loves us —— and I am so grateful He does.

Let us pray…
Thank you, Father, for the abundance of blessings you give to us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 www.GrandmaRogers.com

We are going to be talking about the word FAITH — but we are going to be talking about it in a slightly different way than ever before.  We all know what it is — we all know it is an essential part of our lives and we all realize how hard life could be without it.  There are five letters in the word FAITH, as you know, so today we will begin with the first letter — F.

FATHER….  We pray the Lord’s prayer to God, our “Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”  In so doing, we are exercising a great faith — we are having faith that He is there and listening and that He cares.  When we ask for our daily bread, we are having the faith that He will provide, — and so He will.

Going on in the Lord’s prayer, the next sentence brings us to another word beginning with the letter F — FORGIVE.  Isn’t it wonderful to have a Lord that forgives -and to know there is someone who loves us so much that He truly wants to forgive us of anything? We need only to ask and to have faith that He does just as He promises.

Let us just imagine how it was years ago when Jesus first began His ministry.  Here was a man, walking about the country-side — saying many things these people had never heard before — words of comfort, instruction and forgiveness.  At last, people had something to think about other than the circumstances of their lives.  Here was Someone who was offering hope, love, comfort;– and all they had to do was believe and have FAITH in what He was telling them.  Is it any wonder that so many were willing to drop their lives right where they were and obey His command to “Follow Me.”  The disciple, whose father had died, followed Him.  He was told to let the spiritually dead bury the dead.  The disciple knew Jesus was life, itself, and so he followed Him.

The disciples were told that, “The Son of Man had no place to lay his head.”  Yet, they had no FEAR.  His perfect love cast out their fear.  They believed in Him and placed their faith in Him; — and fear cannot exist in the presence of faith.

I once knew a little child whose joy and delight was to bounce around on a wagon full of hay, after his Daddy had brought it in from the field.  When he finished playing and was ready to get down to the ground, he simply stepped off the hay wagon and into his Daddy’s outstretched, waiting arms.  He had perfect faith that his Daddy would be there — waiting and watching.

In the same way, our Heavenly Father stands with waiting, outstretched arms.  He watches over us and knows we all step out into danger, and we’ll be needing Him.  He never FORSAKES us nor FORGETS us.  You can have faith in that.

Another way to think about faith is to think about the word FORWARD.  We can ask for confidence and faith to go forward, never fearful of new undertakings, but confident with our faith in Him.  We are also to go forth, and tell others about Him.  Some of us may not physically be able to do this because of jobs or many other things.  But, our prayers can always go forth as far as we wish to send them— into any life, home or situation where His love is needed.

I hope today that our exploration of the first letter in the word “FAITH” has helped in some small way to increase your own.  Next time we will talk about the second letter — A.

There is so much more I could say, — but, mainly, I want you to know when we FOLLOW Him, do our best to walk in His FOOTSTEPS, — FEAR not the day and its evils, go FORTH in our own way to serve Him,—- then He will not FORGET us nor FORSAKE us and FAITH for each day will be ours.

Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for the faith we have and thank you for daily increasing it in our lives.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

http://www.grandmarogers.com/

“Thou hast multiplied, O Lord my God, thy wondrous deeds and thy thoughts toward us; none can compare with thee! Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5 RSV

Life is not lived as one big deed, it is made up of a million little things. We live our lives doing all the hundreds of little things that make up each day. Today — a hundred, tomorrow — a hundred, maybe. Eventually, it all adds up to a million little things, and maybe even more.

God directs His love and kindness towards us in somewhat the same way–by doing a million little things for us. Our scripture for today tells us that no one can compare with God and all the wondrous deeds He does for us. His thoughts are always on us. Our scripture also says that God’s loving thoughts and deeds are so many, we could never number — or count — them. And to think He continues to love us and perform kind and loving deeds for us even past a million times; He never stops. He loves us and He wants to help us,and do all manner of kind acts for us. Isn’t it wonderful to think about this? We have someone who cares for us and will never stop showing His love towards us.

As our life progresses, we may find that we’ll never paint a famous picture, or write a best-seller. There may not be fame in our future. We may never do anything big; but that doesn’t matter. Perhaps this sort of thing is reserved only for a very few, and that leaves thousands of us to live our lives performing small tasks and jobs and doing small kindnesses for each other. This is LIFE for us, and it’s a good life We do not need to be famous to love a child; we do not need to be famous to help a neighbor; we do not need fame to help us sing a song, or cook a meal, or mow a yard, or go on a picnic on a summer day, or take a walk on a crisp autumn day. Yet, these are some of the small things that make up life, and God is in each and every one of them with us, helping us along our way. These are just a few of the kind ways God shows His love for us; these are a very few of the deeds we cannot number, or count.

John Donne once said these words: “I count all that part of my life lost which I spent NOT in communion with God, or in doing good.” Many of us feel that way, I am sure. If what we do can’t be done with God in our minds and hearts, or if it can’t be done for the good of mankind, then it drops into time and is lost; for it is not for God’s glory nor does it help others. It is nothing. But—if God is in everything we do and we are helping others in the process, then everything counts for good, and our deeds become part of the million little things of which a good life is made.

Marriage is a fine example of that which I am speaking. We all know that most of our days are made up of caring for, and thinking about, each other. Yet, they aren’t big deeds or thoughts — most of the time. Rather, they are just small ones. However, over a period of years, they can add up to a million little things, too numerous to count. Yet, we’ve built a marriage — just simply living — raising children, earning our wages, enjoying each other every day, being a person who is always there for someone else. A marriage is made up of a million little deeds and thoughts; and if we ask Him, God will be with us in our marriages — helping us — in every way.

Even though most of our lives will be lived in small ways, there is still one way we can all be great. Let us measure our greatness by how much we are like Jesus. Let us this day, and every day, resolve to pattern what we say and do after His words and deeds. Let us include kindness and love in all the million little things that will make up our day; and most of all, let us remember that all these small acts — too numerous to count – make up one life lived for God.

Let us pray…
Heavenly Father, thank you for the many ways you show your love for us. May we always strive to do the same for others. In Jesus name. Amen.

www.GrandmaRogers.com

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22 KJV

PHOTO: These are cupcakes!

Wouldn’t you much rather have a good laugh than to take a big dose of medicine? Who wouldn’t? Although I know, from personal experience, that there are times when medicine is necessary, still it would be wonderful if just a real good laugh would cure all ills. Well, it may not cure, but it certainly does help. A little poem I recently read says a lot about laughing. I shall give you an excerpt from it:

A laugh is just like sunshine
It freshens all the day,
It tips the peak of life with light
And drives the clouds away.
The soul grows glad that hears it
And feels its courage strong.
A laugh is just like sunshine
For cheering folks along.

Now, isn’t that true? Don’t we always feel better and more cheerful when we laugh? I really do believe that a merry heart does us a lot of good just as medicine does when we need it.

How do we go about having a merry heart? — you might ask. Some people are just simply born with one — it is a gift from God. Oh, they have their troubles, their daily cares; but they seem to be able to rise above all of it and find that kind of laughter in their hearts that can heal all problems. These are very blessed people.

Then there are the rest of us, who must develop a merry heart, who must strive and work to be cheerful in the face of adverse circumstances. Believe me, it can be done in a lot of ways. In the words of George Macdonald: “No man (or woman, I will add) ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today, that the weight is more than a man (or woman) can bear” (Unquote). Being human, our minds always want to race ahead. It is very hard to think only of one day at a time. In some ways it is wise to plan ahead, but not to dwell on tomorrow’s possible burdens, because we can’t do a thing about them until tomorrow gets here. Realizing this with all our hearts can lift a tremendous weight from our minds.

Jesus said the same thing to us in different words. He said: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (KJV)  The Living Bible says it in words like this: “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow.  God will take care of your tomorrow too.  Live one day at a time.” For me, these words and this promise lift a big burden from my heart. I know God will be there in my tomorrow and I know, also, that He can handle anything that happens to me.

Margaret Stowe, a great lady, had these words to say, and I wonder if she wasn’t thinking of how to go about having a merry heart. In her words: “You will succeed best when you put the restless, anxious side of affairs out of mind, and allow the restful side to live in your thoughts.” Very good advice, I would say. Sometimes we alone cannot do that; but all we need to do is ask for God’s help. Ask Him for peaceful and contented thoughts and a merry heart. He will help you to work out all cares and problems until contentment, peace and laughter are once again yours.

 The thing that makes me the most joyful is knowing that God loves me and I love Him. My God and I have a good thing going. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world.

I want to close with a happy little poem entitled “My God and I” It was written long ago by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The stars shine over the mountains,
The stars shine over the sea,
The stars look up to the mighty God
The stars look down on me.
The stars shall last for a million years,
A million years and a day,
But God and I will live and love when
The stars have passed away.

The promise of God and I living and loving each other forever is enough to put joy and merriment in my heart all this day —- and for all my days to come.

Let us pray…
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for a merry heart and this joyful day. Amen

www.GrandmaRogers.com

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest and cold and heat, and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 7:22 RSV

According to the verse I just read to you, we can always expect a change in the seasons; and according to the same verse, we can expect one to follow the other in perfect order.  We are also told in this verse that this season-following-season action, or day-following-night action will never end.  So, we can be assured that after a long winter, spring will eventually get here; and after spring, we tumble headlong into summer–the season in which we find ourselves now.

Oh!  The joys of summer!  It is true, we have very warm weather with our summers, but we also have a lot of other beautiful things that just go right along with warmer days.  For instance, I always feel that God is holding our earth especially close during a summer season.  He knows this is the season for planting, and sunshine and warm rains.  He knows it is the growing season and it is during this time that He provides us with our winter food.

Then, as if He knows we need food for our souls, He lets the flowers bloom.  It is only during summer that we see roses growing in yards and sometimes, if we’re lucky– wild ones along a roadside.  Along with roses, there are many other beautiful flowers.  We should take the time to appreciate all the people who plant flowers, – and to also thank God for letting them grow.  They are definitely one of our summer joys.

Along with the rain which is a much-needed item during the summer, we sometimes see a rainbow.  How beautiful they are!  Of course, God’s promise to never again destroy the earth with water always comes to my mind when I see a rainbow.  His words, “I shall set my bow in the clouds” is a promise to all of us that we need never fear this happening again to our earth.

Then, there are our summer vacations.  Some of us may go to the mountains; some may go to the sun-warmed sandy beaches; some of us just may go fishing on a quiet, rippling lake; some of us may use this time to visit family who live far away.  Wherever we are, God is there with us providing us with a much-needed rest and change of pace.  His son, Jesus, took very small mini-vacations — we might say — when he would draw apart from the crowds for a few quiet moments to himself.  He knew the value of rest.  Also, He wants us to have a pleasant time during our vacations.  He does not disapprove of us “being apart” — so to speak — from the crowds for a while.  He condones it.  He knows most of us are better people for it.  So, we have even our vacations for which to be thankful to our God.

Of course, none of us can spend all of our time on vacations — there is work to be done.  During this time of year, my thoughts always go to that group of special people who grow our food — the farmer.  How grateful we are to these folk — because they feed the world.  It is an honorable profession.  The words of Booker T. Washington reflect my thoughts when he says, and I quote, “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.”

Among our summer joys, let us not forget to remember what rests above us — our sky.  There is just something about a summer sky that is different.  For one thing, the skies seem  bigger; and for another, they seem bluer.  I love the skies in summer.  Just take time to look up at them every now and then,–day or night — and look at the great white clouds sailing along, or the millions of stars.  It’s as if the pageant of God is going by.  Don’t miss it.  And most of all, let us all take time to witness a sunset every now and then.  The poetess, Ruth Alla Wagner says all that is needed to  be said about sunsets when she writes:

The day is done
The sun has set,
Yet light still tints the sky;

My heart stands still
In reverence
For God is passing by.

Let us pray…
Dear Lord, we thank you for all our summer joys and all our summer blessings that you bestow upon us. Amen.

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