I NO LONGER MAKE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS!! WHY? Two things!
I have come to view the end of one year and the start of another as
a little too artificial.
Imagine looking back to the earth
from the vantage point of the moon.
What is the difference between
December 31st and
January 1st?
Or Imagine being a bird, or another animal.
What is the difference in the experience
of December 31st relative to January 1st?
I have resolutions,
but they are no longer bound by an artificial timeline. My resolutions
like time itself,
are always on a continuum; and they
are about
‘always growing’;
always becoming a better version of me.
Photo by Akil Mazumder on Pexels.com
I don’t stop striving to become better version of me
just because I broke a resolution after two months.
Neither do I wait until the next December 31st
to resolve to start again;
to become a better version of me;
after I fail by February 1st each year.
So what should we do on the 31st of December each year?
Do celebrate
the end of a block of (man made) ‘time’ and the start of a new one,
like everybody else; and
it is useful to have time markers along the way, but
Do, never become obsessive
that you must meet all your benchmarks within the year
to consider yourself successful!
So here is the ONE AND ONLY RESOLUTION
Always strive to become a better version of yourself with each passing day:
Be better at your faith, you know,
trust, pray, love, give, testify, know, and serve more, etc.,
about and as a result of your faith!
Better in your character
(the real you;
what’s inside;
like toothpaste,
what comes out when pressure is applied);
Be more dependable, more patient, more truthful,
more balanced, less self-centered, more at peace with yourself,
more generous with others,
with your resources as well as with their faults etc.,
more self disciplined with time, words, and actions; wiser.
Better in your relationships: more
serving, self-less, open, forgiving, listening and less talking,
considerate, gentle, humble, and more self-control.
Better at your Career: Make it your goal to be
more dependable, knowledgeable, skillful, useful, available, etc.
A wise man once said, long ago:
“…One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize…” Paul (ca. AD 52-62, Phil 3.13-14)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! PLEASE LIKE AND SHARE!!
For most of us, the Christmas season is special,
a welcome time of the year.
But I ask myself the question, Why?
WHAT IS SO UNIQUE ABOUT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR!?
Photo by bruce mars on Pexels.com It is about the giving and receiving of gifts?
Everyone seem to make an effort to give a gift to someone else
No doubt receiving a gift is a pleasant experience.
Giving a gift that brings joy to someone else
is also a beautiful thing.
All this shopping for gifts mean more sales for businesses
which allows them
to hand out bonuses to workers
Even without increased revenues,
Christmas is when businesses
make positive gestures
towards employees and the public.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Could it be the Bright and Warm Colors of the season?
A lot of people put on
red, green or gold or other bright and warm colors during this season.
Many homes are decorated with multi colored Christmas lights
on the outside
and, with colorfully decorated ornaments
on the inside including on Christmas trees.
Many stores and businesses
make dramatic and colorful window displays. On the inside, their products
are also beautifully arranged with Christmas decorations.
The streets, and city centers in many areas around the world
are also impressively decorated.
But the Christmas season is all this and more!
Could it be the Wonderful Sounds that fill the air?
Lots of music and the sounds of bells and whistles
fill the air during this season.
Christmas Carols tell the wonderful story
of the love of God and
of peace and goodwill towards all men.
The sounds of the Christmas season evokes nostalgia
in the minds of adults
about innocent childhood days as well as
about simpler days and times;
when they looked forward to
Christmas gifts, toys, family, and fun.
But the Christmas season
is special for all this and more;
more than just the sounds of love, joy, peace, and hope that fills the air!
Is it because of the Special Food we enjoy at this time of the year?
Everyone goes out of their way to prepare special food and
there is plenty of it there is also a large variety of it
there is plenty of food and lots of variety
But the Christmas season is special
for more than lots of very fine food.
Is it the many celebrations, the events we get to attend?
Parties among friends and families,
nine lessons and carols;
special concerts and
sporting events etc.,
are all mostly very nice experiences.
Even without a party to go to,
the streets have more people
out and about,
(shopping, dining, buying and selling, etc.
not to forget the traffic);
during the Christmas season
giving a special ‘event’ type feeling.
This is good but Christmas season is special for much more!
All of the above,
each have a part to play
in making the Christmas Season
But together,
the giving and receiving of gifts,
the bright and warm colors,
the sounds,
the special and very fine food,
the celebrations and special events;
combine to create a very powerful and positive vibe
The season is special,
because together
they make it a season of GOOD WILL
wherever Christmas is celebrated!
And we
(all of humanity, our families, our communities, our nation, our economies)
need AT LEAST ONE SEASON OF GOOD WILL
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU THE READER AND SUBSCRIBERS! Please invite others to subscribe to this blog. Thank You!
In Developing Countries;
it is easier to come up with gift ideas,
(if you have the funds for it),
there are many things that people need
but do not have; indeed
cooked food was the gift
my mother dispatched
(through us children)
to neighbors, extended family, and friends
as a sign of good will at Christmas time;
watches, shoes, garments, jewelry, dishes, sheets,
pens, books, personal music player, TV, computers, toys, etc.
are all also great gift ideas.
In affluent societies like in the Western World
coming up with the perfect gift at Christmas
can be a challenge;
because most people use
their regular incomes or
credit cards to buy what they
One option is to buy
high-end gifts
exotic and rare versions
(which can be very pricey)
of things people use on a regular basis.
Regular folks perfect gift;
here are a few suggestions of how to give the perfect gift.
The perfect gift takes time
Start early, as early as September
listen to everyday conversations,
listen to expressed desires and aspirations
and make a note for gift
The perfect gift may be an ‘experience’
Gift things
they can be
a vacation, cruises, concert, a trip to a destination
museum/zoo visits or theme park rides, air fare, special trips;
time off work, housekeeping, or baby sitting;
an offer of cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping;
scholarship, tuition contribution, tutoring,
a special radio station/you-tube, blog post announcement, etc.
The perfect gift should be personalized, customized or handmade;
an autographed book/ticket/music/fan wear,
(from the author or composer, or admired person)
monogrammed items:
a person’s name, initials or special message,
can be inscribed on
silverware, bathroom set, plaque, musical instrument;
The perfect gift must fit the personality of the receiver
Some people want big
(the amount spent is impressive)
others look for small details
(how rare, how much effort, how much thoughtfulness!)
Some people are visual
others are action oriented, still
others are moved by sound, etc.
Some people like things, others like ‘experiences
Some people want to keep up with their peers
(they get gifts that are popular)
others want to know that ‘they’ are unique
(they get gifts
How do you know what is the perfect gift?
People usually give the type of gift
that THEY like to receive; use that to guide your gift
TO THEM! not the other way around
do not give what you cherish
(I once gifted a hat
that she has never used;
it was something I fancied for myself!)
The perfect gift may be what someone tells you they want
They tell you directly Some apps make it easy to create a registry for gift requests.
This should have been posted before Thanksgiving Day. All the same,
“Better Late than never,” and on thanksgiving week,
I heard one radio announcer say:
“Thanksgiving is not a day, it is an attitude of the heart.”
Photo by nappy on Pexels.com
T – THANK and PRAISE God
for all things BIG SMALL
And do not forget
the precious people in your life!
H – HEALTH AND
are things we can all be thankful for
even if we are ill at a hospital
A – APPRECIATE and ADMIRE
the beauty of God’s creation
N – NAME and NUMBER
your blessings
its a rewarding experience,
including the precious people in your life.
K – KINDNESS and THANKSGIVING
in the heart
are twin siblings in the same home.
S – A SMILE and a CHEER;
want to see it on the face of the deserving?
Just say, “Thank You!”
from the heart
and with a warm smile
G – GIVING and RECEIVING:
The one exists not without the other
I – ICTUS;
Five Greek letters for ‘fish
Jesus, Christ, God, Son, Savior:
at least one reason to “give thanks!”
V – VISION and VALUE:
Nothing says:
“I see and I value what you have done” like when you say
I – INSIDE and OUTSIDE:
A thankful heart outwardly
N – NICE and NEW:
Thanksgiving is always that
Photo by Panos Sakalakis on Pexels.com
G – GOOD to GREAT:
‘Good Gifts’ ‘GREAT GIFTS,’
when it is received with a heartfelt:
What Should the Christian Make of Near Death Experiences (NDEs)?
When Colton Burpo was four
he died and went to heaven, where
he met his grandparents and a sister
His story was made popular by
both a book (“Heaven is for Real” ), and
a movie by the same name.
Colton (now 20) had knowledge about his grandparents, and stillborn sister
that could only have come to him supernaturally,
that is through an NDE.
Recently also, my wife and I saw a documentary called ‘Afterlife ‘ by Paul Perry,
which details the stories of people who experienced NDEs.
Perry clearly sees NDEs as proof of the ‘life after life’ and
the experience led us to examine Biblical teaching about the after life and
how that aligns with what is known about NDEs.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
If you are interested, the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS) website
contains a large collection of stories and information about NDEs;
the stories sometimes differ in the particulars; but
they also share strong similarities:
Out of body experience Moving towards an unconditional loving light Heightened senses, consciousness, peace and harmony
Self-awareness – People experiencing NDEs
were aware of who they were as individuals
But there are others who believe that the experience is
Some descriptions of NDEs sound like
the product of vivid imagination and dreams
delirium
caused by malaria and other illnesses,
(an experience common to many people in the tropics
including me, my wife, and I am sure, many others); or
hallucination
Some texts in the Bible appear to relate to NDEs:
Paul (2 Corinthians 12) was caught up into the third heavens
he said he could not say whether he was
“in the body or out of the body” (verse 3 ESV);
he also saw and heard wonderful things he could not describe.
Could this have been and NDE
after he was beaten up and left for dead
at Lystra (Acts 14.19-20)?
Or could this have been after one of the many beatings he had suffered
as seen in 2 Corinthians 6.2-10?
John the Beloved experienced visions
detailed in the book of revelation while fasting.
Could this also qualify as an NDE?
Please see Revelation 1.9 -20.
Many other prophets in the Bible received visions
Daniel (10.2 ff); Peter (Acts 10.10 ff; ), Stephen (Acts 7.55 ff) etc.Were these NDEs? Are NDEs the same, similar to
what is called a ‘vision’ and a ‘trance’ in the Bible?
Jesus spoke about Lazarus and the Rich Man in the afterlife
(the story does not appear to be a mere parable
but a description of historical events );
how similar are the details of this story
to the common elements of NDEs?
SO WHAT THEN?
At the minimum, I believe NDEs confirm
what the Bible clearly teaches:
that Human existence goes beyond the physical realm.
In fact humanity generally and instinctively believes this
hence the universal prevalence of religion
one way or another, all societies ‘pray; ‘
although some (atheists, and skeptics, and naturalists etc.)
But NDEs are not the source of our hope;
the Bible’s teaching of the Resurrection is the source of our hope.
We must be careful not to develop doctrines
about the afterlife
based on NDEs, who gets saved, how they are saved etc., or about
who God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is;
The Bible is our source of doctrine for all things Christian
(Jude 4; Galatians 1.7-9; 2 Timothy 3.16,17)
God wants us to live by faith and by the already provided word of God
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Luke 16.27-31
The Rich man’s brothers must accept the teachings of scripture
Hebrews 11.6
Faith not NDEs (or other types of miraculous signs)
must be he basis of our walk with God.
Paul – 2 Corinthians 5.7
“for we walk by faith and not by sight”
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We are Designed by God to Reach out to Him and to Others; To Reach Out for Love and Towards our Dreams!
Reach!! 