Nick’s Walk

Christmas was great at our house: lots of family, food and fun. There were lots of gifts as well. I guess my great granddaughter was the best at opening hers. She said, “Just what I asked for.” and “Just what I wanted.” for just about every gift. After the eating and gift giving, the television was on most of the day repeating showings of the movie with the kid who is desperate to get a bb gun for Christmas. That film has some great classic scenes. The main theme, of course, is the kid is determined to do all that he can to assure that he gets the gift he really wants. The commercials during the movie seemed to back up that theme. They painted the days between Christmas and New Years as like a great adjustment period. It’s the time you trade in what you got for what you wanted. In some cases, you “upgrade” what you got for something a bit better and, of course, a bit more expensive. I get the whole gift giving thing. It’s such a tradition that it will likely continue until Christ comes back. But it just seems to me that Christmas […]

This may be my favorite time on Christmas Day. It’s still that “not a creature was stirring” time. I’m the only one awake and it’s the time for delicious anticipation. Soon enough our home will be filled with my favorite people. I know the weather will be horrible. I know that everyone won’t be staying all day. But for a few hours those I love will gather around. A year filled with challenges and fear and pain will be just a memory and a new one filled with hope will nearly begin. The One who came 2000  years ago to replace fear with joy will do so again. We will open presents and laugh and eat. My Kaydence will sit on my lap and play with my ipad. Nicky and Sam will be full of wonder and wonderful stories. It will be fun and noisy. It will be great. By mid-afternoon, Rose and I may be left to our own devices and piles of paper and dishes, but that will be just fine. For a few short hours, another Christmas of memories will happen. This one will meld with all the ones in the past and promise more in […]

[8] And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. [9] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [10] But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2The Hope of Joy is the promise of Christmas. Joy is certainly a theme of Christmas. There is much confusion about joy which may lead to much of the disappointment at Christmas. We try to create joy. Joy isn’t something we can make nor is it instantaneous. We can get a glimpse of true joy, but it doesn’t come because of a holiday celebration alone.Joy is the gospel’s replacement for fear. Fear arises from uncertainty, uncertainty about events, who we are, and who God is. For the Christian, a life dominated by fear is gradually replaced with a life of joy. It is a gradual process because joy comes from a developed certainty. It arises from relationship, not an instantaneous miracle. As our relationship with the Lord develops, we learn that He is […]

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 This is the season in which we celebrate Jesus as the light of the world. Sadly we have recently been reminded that this world is in desperate need of light. As Christians, it’s our responsibility to carry forth the message about light and darkness. There is a troublesome tendency to be vague about both; even in this special season.  Let’s make sure we are all on the same page. The darkness we refer to is SIN. It’s not some general evilness. Sin is personal. We are sinners. That brings darkness. Sin is a societal problem only because everyone in society is a sinner. Society itself is not the sinner and not the darkness. Inanimate objects are not the darkness. Guns can be used to kill the innocent or those endangering the innocent. Sickness is not the darkness. Most sin is pretty sick; but it’s the sin that’s the problem. It’s sin that’s the darkness. We need to be just as specific about the light as we are about the darkness. JESUS is […]

An occasion of sin is an external set of circumstances—whether of things or persons—which either because of their special nature or because of the frailty common to humanity or peculiar to some individual, incite or entice one to sin. One of the many stressors of the Christmas season is that it is filled with what theologians call “occasions of sin.” We are told we should, to the to extent possible, avoid circumstances which might incite us to sin. This isn’t easy. It requires sensitivity and spiritual perception. Consider this:  Holiday parties and feasts. If we are inclined to overeat, or over drink or over talk (gossip), holiday parties can certainly be an occasion of sin. If we suffer from any, or all, of these inclinations, it is wise to go into these circumstances with our eyes wide open and begin to “back off” if we find ourselves drawn into any of these bad habits. If we host such events, we need to keep in mind the temptations they pay present to others.  Shopping. If we are inclined to overspend or to buy gifts to compensate for what we failed to do for those we love during the year, we may be […]

Matthew 19:14 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as them.” I don’t know how much you know about Twitter. Watching Twitter has become like instant polling. What’s “trending” on Twitter gives an instant idea of what people are think and talking about. Yesterday the number one trending subject #prayfornewtown.  It seems tragedy causes certain near universal reactions. We can learn a lot about ourselves if we consider these reactions. Prayer. It seems everyone is calling folks to prayer over yesterday’s tragedy. Is the irony over our nation’s removal of prayer from school totally lost? Churches were filled on the days after 9/11 and attendance at church may be up tomorrow. But the health of a people isn’t measured by how they turn to God in times like these, but how they rely on Him always. Appreciation. Facebook was filled yesterday with parents talking about hugging their kids or worrying about them at school. When we see how fragile the good things of life are, we can’t help but appreciate these things, if only briefly. While the tragedy was unfolding I was at my grand kid’s school […]

All our dreams can come true…if we have the courage to pursue them. — Walt Disney Today is a big day for three of my favorite guys. Looking at the future through their eyes I can’t help but be encouraged. Tyler is engaged to my grand daughter. Today he graduates from LSU. Ok, so it’s not Florida, but still a pretty impressive accomplishment. It hasn’t been easy for Tyler and he has reached this milestone in spite of some pretty tough obstacles.  Most importantly He recognizes this is a beginning and is not even taking a deep breath to celebrate this accomplishment. His enthusiasm and energy are awesome. His love and willingness to fight for Jessie and Kaydence are impressive. I can’t help love those who love the ones I love. He already has a great job before graduating. It’s just a question of time before he’s running that company. Congratulations Tyler and thanks. Nicky, my grandson, has a solo performance in today’s Christmas program at school. It’s tough growing up without your dad. I have tried to help out in this regard, but I know it’s not the same. Nicky is as bright and enthusiastic as Tyler. He always […]

For though the fig-tree has no flowers, and there is no fruit on the vine, and work on the olive comes to nothing, and the fields give no food; and the flock is cut off from its resting-place, and there is no herd in the cattle-house: Still, I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation.19The Lord God is my strength, and he makes my feet like roes’ feet, guiding me on my high places. Habakkuk 3:17-19 It’s less than two weeks until Christmas. I haven’t bought a single gift, sent a Christmas card, enjoyed a Christmas song or movie. It’s not unusual for me to wait until the last minute to buy gifts, but normally I’m into Christmas early, not this year. I’m not exactly sure why. It maybe because the last  year has been an incredible roller coaster ride. In the last twelve months I’ve experienced some of the highest and lowest points of my life. It’s just been too much. Like I told someone recently, I just want the year to end.  I know I sound like Scrooge and I feel like him. I’ve been visited by the ghosts of […]