Nick’s Walk

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34. The wisdom of God is amazing. He knows us so well. He has designed His creation for our benefit. He has broken unlimited time into twenty-four hours block. Segments with clear beginnings and clear endings. This is not arbitrary or unplanned. It seems we are capable of living well only in 24 hour tidbits. In each twenty-four hour block we need time to carry out the work of the day, so He provides us light and a warmer period for that. Each day we need rest, so He turns out the lights, cools things down to give us an environment for rest. The light slowly fades and slowly returns to allow us to acclimate to the new environment. Spiritually, we are designed in cycles as well. We should awaken with new hope and enthusiasm, but it’s time is limited. The worries and cares of the world wear on us and by nightfall, we are tired and discouraged and need a time of refreshment and rest. We are foolish creatures, however. We insist in trying to live in […]

I went to the gym yesterday. I refuse to call it a health club. I don’t go there for social reasons. I don’t list it on my resume’ like Kiwanis or Lions Club. I go there to work out. I go to this “gym” because almost everyone there is older than me and in just as bad shape. I don’t want to work out with guys who look like they could play in the NFL. I went because 2015 is calling. It was pretty crowded but not like it will be next week. Gyms are very crowded in January; not so much in December, or February for that matter. I know because I have been to them a lot in January. I wanted to beat the crowds. Let’s face it. It’s the time of resolutions, trying to re-acquire good habits and lose some bad ones. It’s an annual tradition. It’s just as much of a tradition to have forgotten our resolutions by the 1st of February.  Just about everyone I know is like that. They are all good folks, the people I hang around with. They don’t do a lot of bad things. They do good stuff. In fact, I […]

I love my I-phone 6 plus. I mean I really love it. I take it to bed with me. I stick the ear buds in, put the “radio” on Christian music and fall right to sleep. I don’t need the music to sleep. I can fall asleep in moments, any time and any place. I think the music blesses me even while I sleep. I do wake up in the middle of the night. The music relaxes me, inspires me, helps me focus and eases me back to sleep. I wish I could sing or play an instrument. I worked as a DJ at two different times in my life, but that is as close to “making music” as I’ve ever come. I know I’ll be able to sing in heaven; maybe even play a harp. It will be glorious. To me music is an important part of the church experience. I love praise bands, worship leaders, solos, duets, high church, low church and black gospel choirs. I’m a little disappointed when the music stops and the announcements and preaching starts. I know that borders on heresy. So ex-communicate me. I can hear some of you whispering “Amen.” I […]

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is strange. We put so much energy into Christmas that there is a certain amount of deflation that occurs when that holiday is over. I know some folks put almost as much energy into New Years Day as Christmas. That has not been my pattern. When Rosemary and I were dating, she got all dressed up for New Years Eve and I showed up in a t-shirt and jeans. We didn’t go out but I asked her to marry me that night dressed in my t-shirt and jeans so I guess that counts for something. For the next forty-four years, it has been our tradition to do nothing on New Years Eve. I try to make up for that by cooking for New Years Day, most of the time. My work schedule is usually light during this last week. Lawyers don’t work the last week of the year. Some folks might say they don’t work at all, but let’s not go there. This cloudy and rainy weather we are having is helping make it a particularly blah week. The year is almost over, yet there doesn’t seem to be enough time or […]

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 Christmas is great. No doubt about it. It’s always a bit better in our memory and our anticipation than it is. I have a theory about that. I think it’s because Christmas is a glimpse of Heaven on earth. The Heaven part is the peace on earth, good will to men, Christmas Spirit thing that we all love. The “on earth” part is the commercialization, stress, gifts that flop, relatives that irritate, tables that don’t look like the ones in the magazine, the bills that come in January. If we can separate the two, we can gain a whole new appreciation of how great Heaven will be. Imagine Christmas every day without the “on earth” part. Heaven will be lots more than that, but at least it’s a glimpse. Those special moments that happen today, let them be glimpses for you. Those not so special moments, let them be reminders that we are still here. Let this idea also free you from guilt if things aren’t perfect […]

It’s Christmas Eve, 2014. It’s been great so far. Last night we gathered with the Sigur clan. When you are the eldest of nine children, that’s a big crowd. Today we have our precious great grand as a guest. I took her shopping and twice gave in to her “Just one thing” plea. It’s what grandpas do. Rose read her a Christmas story and we have grocery shopping and house cleaning to do. That’s okay because we will do it together and somehow make it fun. Tonight Rose and I will be alone. That’s okay, too. Maybe we will light a fire. More likely we will sit together and watch Christmas movies and marvel that God has let us do this together forty-four times. If a child’s birth had this impact after two thousand and fourteen years, that would be miracle enough. If that child grew up to share wise and wonderful things, it would be a greater miracle still and plenty enough to celebrate. It seems unthinkable that such a child, born in such a lowly place would be God himself, sent to save us from our sins. That’s the truth of this wonderfully impossible miracle. To God all […]

Lot’s of people have the flu or something like it including some of my favorite people. One of them is very little and another I will always think of as little. It’s tough when they are little or you still think of them that way.  It’s Christmas time and it just doesn’t seem right. What could God be thinking? Christmas is about family getting together and celebrating and smiling and fun. Flu is about back rubs and home-made soup, quiet time just being there and talking. It’s about praying for the ones we love and appreciating them a bit more. I think I know what God was thinking. He’s so smart. I guess that’s why He’s God and why I’m not.  

Give me Words to speak Don’t let my Spirit sleep Cause I can’t think of anything worth saying But I know that I owe You my life So give me Words to speak. Aaron Shust I have recently been writing for Covenant Spotlight.  It’s been a learning experience. I have picked up new terms like “word count” and “byline” and “pull quote.” I have had to reduce what I have to say to a few words. That means making every word count. Like Chief Joseph, I have learned that it does not require many words to speak the truth. As an attorney, I had long ago learned that a long and rambling argument usually was an attempt to hide a bad case. Using Twitter, we are limited to a 140 characters. It’s a good exercise in being precise. If we pay attention in daily conversation, we learn the value of a few words. After hearing  a couple of sentences, our eyes start to glaze over, our attention wonders and we begin to plot what we will say or how we can shut the speaker up. Words are a valuable resource. Our chance to influence and change lives is limited. […]