Thinking about death

Betty White. Howard Hesseman. Peter Robins (the voice of Charlie Brown). Marvin Lee Aday (Meat Loaf). Louie Anderson. Joe Adams. Lee Converse. Walt Pritchard. What do all these people have in common? They have all died in 2022. There have been many, many people who have lost their battles with illness, disease, accidents, and other things. It hurts. To have a loved one pass away, really leaves a hole in the heart and life. Each time we hear of another person who has died, we find that we have to face that terrible enemy. Death and the grave. It seems so final. For the wages of sin is death... (Romans 6:23a) 

Death really hurts. It hurts those who are left behind. It crushes the heart. It leaves a hole in the person's life who is left behind. Tears run down the cheeks. Days seem dark. The sun might be shining, but the person who has had a loved one die recently, doesn't really see the sunshine. Why? Because of death. Terrible, terrible death.

Which is why we look at Jesus Christ. He is the only One who has overcome death. He is the One who has faced our enemy, was laid in the tomb, and then, on the 3rd day, detroyed the power of the grave. He came back to life. It is called the resurrection. He rose victorious from the dead. He looked your greatest enemy in the eye and crushed it. It is as Paul writes, The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26) Again we read, But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrectino of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

This is where I am going today. When I see the death of another person, I think about the resurrection. I pray that the person who has passed away was a believer in Jesus Christ, a Christian. When I say that, I am not talking about what the person has done in his or her life. It doesn't matter if the person was a famou actor or a farm hand. The question is the same. Faith in Jesus Christ. When I hear that the person was a believer, I rejoice. I still feel deep compassion for the family. My heart goes out for them. I pray for them, that the Holy Spirit would bring the power of Christ to them, reminding them of what Jesus did in His life, death and resurrection. I know that the family is hurting. The only healing balm for them at that time is the message of life and hope given in Christ Jesus. 

Yes, it is critical that the person who faces death, has faith in Christ, believing that He is the only Savior for them. As I sit at a funeral, I want to hear the comfort of the Gospel. When I lead a funeral, I want to proclaim the comfort of the Gospel. At the time of death, it is the only thing that matters. We are all the same laying there on our death bed. It doesn't matter how much money you have, how big your house was, how many animals you saved, how many cows you have fed or how many lives you have touched. Those are all memories that we will have about you. We will remember the things that you have done.

But the critical question is - do you believe in Jesus as your Savior. That, my dear ones, is the bottom line. Rejoicing in Christ, I thank Him for giving eternal life to sinners like me. Praise be to His resurrected name!

A morning ramble on what is taking place

 What is up with crime? As I watch the news, I see that crime is really going crazy. I am a railfan. That means I like to watch trains. I will have open on my computer a live cam from Fort Madison, IA, which shows downtown Fort Madison, at the train station, where trains go by regularly. I enjoy it. I will stop and watch a train go by when out driving about. My family has gotten used to it after all these years. Anyway, I am rambling. I look at the news and see that folks in LA are ransacking the containers and trailers on Union Pacific trains, when they stop on a siding. The tracks are littered with boxes and stuff that have been thrown out, stuff that doesn't seem to be valuable for resale, things that folks have ordered but will never receive. Some may say that the criminals doing this deserve to be able to go through things so that they can have something to sell. That is bunk. It is people just being criminals, stealing, because they can and they can get away with it. SMH.

Then a nurse is attacked by a man on a train platform while she was waiting on the train, struck in the head, and then she died. She died while waiting for a train. Or the homeless man who throws a woman in front of an oncoming subway train and she was killed. Then the young lady working in a furniture store who was stabbed to death while she was working, and the killer, walks away from the building like he was taking a stroll in the park while walking his dog. 

What is up? Crime is up. People are being killed. Places are being robbed. And it just continues to escalate. I know that we can get into the discussion about the mentally ill and as a society, we have failed those who are mentally ill by putting them on the streets because we don't want to pay for the places where they can get help. People on both parties have done this. But that doesn't mean it is acceptable for these people to do acts of crimes. 

There is so much that can be done. We need to help the mentally ill. We need to stand on the laws of the country rather than turning a blind eye to the crimes. There is much more that can be said.

In the end, the fact is, as we have walked away from the Lord, from His Word, from the morality that He has given to us, and because of that, we have made it possible to act in a lawless fashion because as humans, we decide what is right and wrong. If I want what you have, I feel entitled to take it, because I do not follow the way that the Lord has set forward. The 7th commandment does not apply to me. Neither does the 5th commandmand apply to me, so I can take your life and not feel guilty about it. All of this comes down to this - when you turn away from the Lord, you set your own morality. As a nation, we are seeing the results of such action. Crime will continue. Pain will happen. Sin will continue to expand. All because we do not follow the Lord.

Only when we return to the Lord, as a people, as a nation, as communities, will that change. Confessing our sins, we need to return to the way of the Lord. 

Rambling over. 

Winter ramblings

 Winter weather. Snow, wind, cold. It is a part of this time of the year. Friday started with rain, changed to snow and then became cold. Brrr. That is typical of winter. Then the sun comes out and it feels so nice. Some folks are facing a major winter storm right now. Out on the east coast, the snow is coming down. There are some areas that are going to get nearly 2 feet of snow. That is a lot of snow. I pray that they are kept safe during this winter storm named Izzy. I think that is the storm's name. If I am wrong, so be it.

I like winter. I don't like the cold. How is that for a real contrast? I guess the cold has gotten to me more as I have aged. The last 10 years the cold has seemed to affect me more. Perhaps it was because of going through all the heart issues and the medications I was on, or perhaps it was because I was just getting older. Who knows. 

Having said that, bring on the snow. Penny and I really enjoy it when it snows. We like to watch it, walk in it, and enjoy it. I know that it makes life difficult for some. And I get that. For those who have livestock, it is tough. For those who have to drive in the weather, it is hard. I understand. But I still like it.

There are those who are adamantly opposed to snow. OK. That is your feeling. Good for you. That doesn't change the fact that we like snow. I don't like the brutal heat that makes it difficult to go about doing things. But some like that. Good for you. Each one of us can live where we like, enjoy the weather that we like, and make the best of what we have. We will continue to love the snow, the need for boots, gloves, scarves, hats and coats. We will sit in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot tea, and enjoy it. This is the time when we will build puzzles, go for drives and marvel at the wonder of winter. Thank You Lord for this time of the year. 

And yes, when it gets to be March, I will be ready for spring. I love the seasons. They continue to roll around at just the right time. The Lord did wonders when He created the world with all the seasons. I am glad that I live where I can enjoy all 4 seasons. Thanks Lord.

With that, my rambling for the morning is over. Have a blesse day.

Morning rambles on January

 Winter is a fun time of the year. I can see some of you shaking your head in unbelief. Others of you are smiling and shaking your head in agreement. Still others of you are sitting there, wondering what is this rambling old preacher talking about on this Tuesday morning.

Here it is, the 11th day of the month, and we have had a variety of types of weather. It has been below zero at one time, with wind chills that were brutal. Then today, it is supposed to get up to 50 degrees. Rollercoaster ride, for sure. Ups and downs. Snow early on, then no snow. It is extremely dry and we need moisture. I would prefer that we would get snow, then have it soak it when it melts, rather than getting rain. Rain at this time of the year is cold and miserable. It makes the top of the ground a slimy, muddy mess, because of the frost in the ground making it impossible for the rain to soak in. If you think I am crazy to say we need moisture, come and look at the cracks in the ground in my backyard. It looks more like a summer yard (without the grass growing because of the hot, dry summer) than a winter yard. Bring on the moisture.

There are those who love winter sports. Ice fishing. Skiing. Sledding. Snowmobiling. Then there are those who love winter indoor activities. Puzzles. Sitting in front of the fire. Reading. Drinking hot chocolate (with lots of marshmallows). We are on our second puzzle of the season.

Winter is fun (all right, a little sarcastic) when I walk through the kitchen and one of those Japanese ladybug things is flying around the lights in the kitchen. What? It is January 11th. These bugs are not supposed to be bugging us (pun intended). The thing just flew in front of my face. Grrr. It is time to get into all out war to get this bug.

Enjoy the day. I want to remind you of this - no matter what the weather, Jesus is still the Lord. He is still our Savior. He still loves and cares for you. That will never change. Keep that in mind. If you feel lonely, know that He is with you. If you are sick, He is there to hold you and then when it is time, grant you healing. If you are caught up in a sinful behavior, He will help you to turn from that sin. He will forgive you as you confess your sins. He will embrace you. He will hold you. He will comfort you. Keep that in mind.

Blessings to you as you continue to move your way through this month of January.

Epiphany is here!

 The star proclaims the king is here, but Herod why this senseless fear...? An Epiphany hymn that may have been sung last Sunday (if your church celebrated Epiphany, which we did here in Clarinda) or today, which is Epiphany, Jan. 6, or this Sunday (if your church celebrates Epiphany this Sunday). What is so important about Epiphany? It is the time when we see the fact that the Savior of the world, the Son of God, came into the world for all people, not just for one nation. The wise men (magi, or whatever you wish to call them), were mean who were Gentiles. They came to find the One who was born King of the Jews. They came to see the One who the star proclaimed. Yes, God placed a special star in the sky. There are many attempts to try to explain this event with natural things taking place. I believe that what Scripture tells us that the star was there to proclaim the birth of the Savior. God made this special event in order to draw the wise men to the newborn king. Can God set aside the laws of nature for His purpose? Of course, He is God. He is the One who made the heavens and the earth, creating them with just a word. Following the star, the wise men fell down and worshiped the Child.

Then they offered Him of their treasures - gold, frankincense and myrrh. Offering their gifts from what was precious to them. That is how we are called to live our lives - offering to God the gifts from that which is precious to us. Stewards of the gifts given to us by our Lord, we do give to Him of that which we have been given. We give that to our local church, to various not-for-profits, and for organizations within our communities. Our gifts help those organizations that have gone into such places like Colorado who suffered devastating fires, or Kentucky who was hit hard by tornadoes.We are shown how important it is to open up our treasures in response to our worship of the King of kings. 

Why do we become upset when there is talk about worshiping God? About the star? About the wise men? There are many reasons. Perhaps it is because we do not like to think that there is One who we are responsible to, that has the final say as to what we are doing being right or wrong. We like to be our own god, who decides what is right and what is wrong, based upon our own desires. We should not. We are not in control. God is God. Folks like Herod do become upset. To hear this points out that there is One to whom we must follow and trust. 

Anyway, as you go through today, remember the Light that has come into the world. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come! Praise be to God.

Ramblings on a Monday morning

 So, how has your new year begun? 2022 is now on its 3rd day. The first day of the year is the day when most people will just lounge around and do as little as possible. For us, here in southwest Iowa, we had a bitterly cold day with snow and wind. So it made it easy to stay inside. We did not have worship at St. John in Clarinda that day. Why? Well, we normally have a Saturday evening service, but since it was New Year's day, we decided most people would not be out for worship, so we had not planned to have it on Jan. 1st. Turned out for the good, because the weather would not have been good to have folks get out for worship. We probably would have cancelled the service anyway. Penny and I stayed in on New Year's day. At least for most of the day. We did venture out in the afternoon just to see what the weather was like. Windy, snowy but the roads were not too bad. The road crews were doing a good job.

Did you take down your Christmas decorations yet? We did that on Friday. Why? We normally like to keep them up for the full 12 days of Christmas, meaning till Epiphany on January 6. The problem with waiting was the fact that was in the middle of the week and both of us had plenty to do that day. We would not have had time to get it down on Wednesday. So we did it Friday. I did leave up my nativity and star, for the wise men to find the Baby Jesus. I am thankful I took all that down all my outside lights and decorations when it was "warm." 

We have begun a new puzzle for the year. Once the decorations are down, we begin working on puzzles. I forgot how much I enjoyed doing that with Penny. Gives us the opportunity to spend time together doing something. Such a fun time.

Anyway, how has this year gone for the first days? I am finding that 2022 is a good year so far. I know, it is early, but it has been good. Last year at this time, I was waiting to have my 2nd knee replacement. I was tested for covid on Monday and the surgery was to be on Thursday. Because of the outcome of the test, the surgery was put off till February. I am thankful that at this time, neither of us have any medical issues to face in 2022. I give thanks to God for that wonderful blessing. I pray that we continue to stay healthy.

I guess that is the ramblings for the day. I pray that your year continues to be a blessed year. What does this year bring? Only the Lord knows. Trusting in Him, I am going forward into 2022, facing it with confidence and hope. May you have the same confidence and hope found in Christ Jesus.