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This has been a good week!

The weather has been beautiful, I’ve gotten a lot done, and work has gone well. However, the best part is, my mother came home!

For the last 4 months Mom has been wandering from place-to-place, visiting her other kids and scattered relatives. She has enjoyed her travels and getting to spend time with everyone, but she says she’s tired of being a gypsy. As we pulled into our driveway Wednesday afternoon, she let out a little sigh of relief and whispered, “It’s good to be home.”

Looking for Home

I know how Mom feels. Nothing is better after a long trip or a long day, then the feeling of coming home. Yet, even though we’ve lived in Cashmere for 8 years, I still feel a vague restlessness. I love where I live, our church and our friends, but I could leave tomorrow with few regrets. Even though I call this place “home”, I’m searching for something more.

The truth is we are all searching for something more, for a place to call home. We wander from place-to-place, from job-to-job, from relationship-to-relationship, looking for a place where we belong, yet nothing we find fully fills the emptiness we feel inside.

Home is Not a Place

What we’ve failed to realize is “home” is not a place. It is a Person. It is in the arms of Jesus where we belong. Only there will we finally find peace and love and a place to truly call “home.” Only there will we ever find rest for our souls.

Someday soon Jesus is coming to take us to our heavenly home. That’s a day for which I can hardly wait! However, we don’t need to wait till then to find rest from our wanderings. Jesus says to us today, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

The Invitation

Home is wherever Jesus is and He is by your side right now. This very moment He is holding out His hand, inviting you to come home, to find rest and peace and a love which will never let you go.

Aren’t you tired of wandering in search of a place to call your own? Jesus is what you’re looking for. Don’t wait a moment longer. Give Him your life today and once and forever –

Come Home!

I’m a person who hates conflict. I go out of my way to avoid it. I hate when I have a disagreement with my wife, my children, or a co-worker. I just want everyone to get along, to be at peace.

Peace – it is such an elusive concept. It is something we all long for, but very few have found. Millions of dollars and countless hours are spent by diplomats in search of peace, yet it seems all for naught, as conflicts escalate and thousands of innocents suffer the consequences. “‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14 NIV).

Today, September 21, is the International Day of Peace. This day was established by the United Nations in 1981 “…as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.” (https://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday)

Unfortunately, as I watch the news, it appears this effort by the UN has been a dismal failure. Everywhere we look wars rage, conflicts brew, and people suffer. Overwhelmed by what I see my heart echoes the Psalmist when he declared, “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” (Psalm 120:6,7).

However, all is not lost. Jesus came to this world “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1:79). There is reason for hope. Jesus is our hope. He alone can “guide our feet into the path of peace.”

All the negotiations of diplomats, the manuvering of governments, the well-meaning declarations of the UN are doomed to failure, but Jesus says, “…take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Someday soon Jesus will come again and finally and forever make “wars cease to the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 46:9).

Until that day, we, His people, have a work to do. We are called to “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14).

You may not have the power to make “wars cease to the ends of the earth”, but you can seek to bring peace to your little corner of it. You can “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44 KJV) You can strive every day to “live at peace with everyone”, because “God has called us to live in peace.” (Romans 12:18, 1 Cor. 7:15 NIV).

Today, on this International Day of Peace, in spite of the conflicts all around you, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15),. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3) and “encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

Peace may be an elusive concept, but with Jesus in your life everyday can be a Day of Peace. So have a Happy Sabbath and “may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thess. 3:16).

Saying good-bye is never easy. My brother, Larry Edison, and his wife, Bonnie Edison, are discovering this for themselves. After 5 years in Pennsylvania, they are moving to New Hampshire where Larry has accepted a new job.

My sisters are thrilled to have them living so much closer, but for Larry and Bonnie the move is stirring up mixed emotions. While they are excited about the new opportunities awaiting them in New Hampshire, it is hard to leave their friends behind. They’ve developed some good relationships in Pennsylvania and it is difficult to say good-bye.

Bonnie posted today on Facebook a prayer her granddaughter, Maylia, prayed recently, which is helping Bonnie deal with this transition. Maylia prayed, “Dear Jesus, please send your angels to wrap their arms around my MImi and Pop Pop and hug them tight on their long journey to their new home.” As Bonnie said, how can anyone be too sad after hearing a prayer like that?

We are all on a “long journey”, a journey called life! Like any journey, this one comes with its ups and downs, its setbacks and disappointments, and way too many good-byes. Sometimes the road is so rough, the destination so far away, and the good-byes so painful, we are tempted to give up in despair.

For each of us the journey is different, but no matter the path you are called to follow, know this – you do not walk alone! You have a Heavenly Father who promises to “never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV) He promises “I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.” Exodus 23:20 NLT

This week, when the journey seems too hard and you’re not sure you can take another step, remember, you are not alone! Your angel goes before you and will lead you to the place “prepared for you.” Lean into his arms today and feel him hug you tight on your long journey to your new home. It’s going to be a wonderful trip!

God bless and have a happy Sabbath!

This last Tuesday I was able to pay off Ana’s car loan 3 months ahead of schedule. I was so excited I posted the good news on Facebook and received almost 80 likes and comments!

We all love to hear stories of people breaking free from debt, because we’ve all been there ourselves. We all know how heavy the weight of those monthly payments can be. We all remember the feeling of desperation when there is more month left at the end of the money.

Paying off the car loan was quite an accomplishment and I thank God for making it possible, but I’ve got more good news. The auto loan wasn’t the only debt I’ve been set free from. I had a far greater debt, one I had no hope of ever repaying – the debt of my sin. But, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross today I am DEBT FREE!!!

This morning I’ve got good news for you too! No matter how heavy the weight of your sin, no matter how great the debt you owe, you too can be DEBT FREE! God promises in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

The debt has already been paid by God on the Cross, because “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). All you need to do is accept the payment and be set free. And “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

Why struggle any longer under your burden of guilt and shame, a debt you no longer owe? Jesus paid the price! You are DEBT FREE! Just accept the gift right now and let Jesus lift the burden away today! Then go and tell someone else the good news so they too can be set free!

Have a Happy Sabbath!

BTW: If you’ve become DEBT FREE because of Jesus’ gift share the good news by posting “I’m DEBT FREE!” in the comments below. Then we can all celebrate with you!

Rishana and I had a wonderful time Monday night watching our beloved Yankees whip the Mariners once again. This is our yearly tradition and we always have a blast, eating junk food, and cheering till we’re hoarse!

This year, in addition to garlic fries and ice cream, I had an Impossible Burger for the first time. It was surprisingly good! I could definitely eat them more often. I’m a dedicated vegetarian, but if the Impossible Burger tastes anything like a real burger I can see why all you carnivores enjoy them so!

I find it ironic that Burger King, whose commercials used to ask “Where’s the beef?”, is now promoting a beefless burger. Don’t get me wrong, I think vegetarianism is the healthiest diet for our earth and its inhabitants, but I also find it interesting we humans so easily accept substitutes for the real thing in so many areas of life.

For example, instead of getting out in nature, we watch it on TV. Instead of really living life we live vicariously through our movie stars or sports heroes. Instead of enjoying real emotions we block our senses with drugs and alcohol. Even when it comes to spiritual things many reject the real Word of God and instead “they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (Mark 7:7 NLT).

We have reached a point in earth’s history “when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Tim 4:3).

In contrast, Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Eating an occasional Impossible Burger is probably not going to hurt your health too much and it may be better for you than eating the real thing. However, in regards to your spiritual needs remember the Bible is “the eternal, living word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23). It’s the real thing!

No matter how eloquent the preacher or how pleasing the message, remember to “Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.” (Isaiah 8:20).

This week, go ahead and enjoy an Impossible Burger (or even a real one, if you must), but, when it comes to your spiritual nourishment, accept no substitutes! God’s Word is the real thing! Enjoy it today!

My job has many perks, but one of the biggest is getting to take care of children. I enjoy making them laugh, talking to them, putting them at ease. Unlike so many adults, children are so honest, without any pretenses. With a child, what you see is what you get!

Dealing with children in the Walk-in Clinic can be a challenge, though. They’re scared and it can be hard to get them to relax and open up to me. I’ve found it helps is to get down on their level. At almost 6’ 3”, that can take some work!

I pull up a stool and bend forward, so I can look them in the eye. Then I talk quietly with them, sometimes joking or teasing, trying to get them to relax, before I ask them questions. When they do finally open up and start talking, I try to really listen. When you do that, it’s amazing what you can learn. Kids are pretty perceptive little creatures!

God deals with you and I the same way. He knows we’re kinda scared of the whole idea of Him. After all, He is God and all that. He can snuff any of us out with just a wink or a word. That’s scary!

It’s hard to relate to someone that powerful, which is why God sent His Son to this earth. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”. (NIV).

God got down on our level, so we could be comfortable with Him. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood.” (Hebrews 2:14 NLT)

Jesus is one of us. He’s someone we can relate to, relax with, talk with. As we get to know Jesus, we get to know the Father too and come to realize He’s someone we can trust.

When we do finally open up and start talking, we can be sure our Heavenly Father will hear us. Psalm 116 tells us when we pray God “bends down to listen”. He “hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.”

I love that image, the God of the Universe bending down to listen to me! I can deal with a God like that, a God who loves me so much He gets down on my level, so He can hear what I have to say.

This morning God is bending down to listen to you. Don’t be afraid. Open your heart and tell Him your worries and your fears, your wants and your needs.

“In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6). And may “…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding…guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (v. 7).

God bless and have a Happy Sabbath!

Ana’s garden is flourishing this year, with the warm temperatures and unexpected rain we’ve received. The tomato plants are heavy with fruit and we can’t eat the cucumbers fast enough. Huge sunflowers add an extra splash of color to an already beautiful scene. It’s a wonderful time of year!

Of course, none of this would exist if it weren’t for the help of some tiny creatures we seldom think of. Honey bees, and similar pollinators, make all the beautiful flowers we see and the crops we harvest possible. If it weren’t for them, Ana’s garden would be just a barren plot of land.

Today is National Honey Bee Awareness Day, a day set aside to remind us of these little creatures who make such a big difference in all of our lives. Not only do honey bees help our crops grow by pollinating them, but they also provide us with a sweet treat – delicious honey!

The wonderful thing about honey is it can do far more than satisfy your sweet tooth. It also provides some wonderful health benefits. For example:

• Honey can provide a great energy boost after exercise.
• It contains flavonoids, antioxidants which decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer.
• It makes a great cough suppressant.
• Honey can be used to treat ulcers and other GI problems.
• Applied topically, honey can help heal burns and other wounds

Proverbs 16:24 tells us, “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Modern science has proven this true. Kind words and simple acts of kindness can improve our moods, slow the aging process by reducing inflammation in the system, and even lower our blood pressure.

The truly wonderful thing about kind words is they tend to spread, touching life after life, much like the honey bees flitting from flower to flower in Ana’s garden. Kind words make our world a little more beautiful place to live.

So, this Sabbath, on National Honey Bee Awareness Day, follow the honey bee’s example. Drop a kind word here and there and spread a little sweetness wherever you go. You’ll be amazed how good it makes you feel!

Happy Sabbath!

The other day I saw a patient who was complaining of severe back pain. It was affecting her work, keeping her awake at night, and just generally making life miserable. She begged me to do something for her.

In looking at her chart, I discovered she’d been seen in the ER for this condition just a few days before. I asked her if the muscle relaxant and pain medicine she’d been prescribed were helping at all. She replied, “Oh, I never filled the prescriptions. I don’t like taking pills.”

People like this drive me crazy! Offered potential relief from their suffering, they would rather wallow in their pain, making themselves and all around them miserable, then do something they find inconvenient. Well, newsflash! Medicine doesn’t work if you don’t take it!

But am I any better? Far too often I moan and groan about how miserable life can be, falling into depression and despair over my own sins, mistakes, and disappointments, while all the while the remedy for all that ails me sits unopened on the shelf.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

In the pages of God’s Word you will find “…salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (Rev. 3:18), the balm of Gilead to soothe your soul (Jer. 8:22), and living water that you will thirst no more (John 4:10).

Are you in mourning? In the Bible you’ll discover the oil of joy to soothe your soul. (Isaiah 61:3) Depressed? “God…comforts the downcast.” (2 Cor. 7:6). Weighed down with guilt? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.“ (1 John 1:9).

Are you without hope? Scripture tells us of a God of hope, ready and willing to “fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13). Lost? God’s Word “…is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Ps. 119:105).

Whatever your affliction, the Bible offers the remedy. But, just as my patient got no relief from the medicine she didn’t take, so God’s Word won’t do you any good while it sits on the shelf, unopened and unread.

Why suffer any longer? Every day, before you do anything else, take your “medicine”. Open God’s Word and drink it in!

But don’t stop there! Take what you learn and share it with a friend in pain, that they too may find relief. If you do, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear…” (Isaiah 58:8)

So, this Sabbath, remember to take your medicine! Open God’s Word! It’s good for you!

I stopped into visit my neighbor in the hospital yesterday. Two weeks ago Rick fell off a ladder and is now paralyzed from the waist down. Now his days are spent doing rehab and trying to learn how to cope with this new reality. He’s got a long road ahead.

To be honest, it was awkward visiting him. I’m pretty good at putting words down on paper, but face-to-face I’m often left tongue-tied, not sure what to say. After all, what do you say to a man who has just found out he’ll never walk again, a person with such an independent spirit, who for the rest of his life will be dependent on others? Words would just ring hollow at a time like this.

Thinking about this, I remembered the story of Job. Few men have had to go through what Job did, but at least he still had friends who cared. The Bible says when Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar saw Job’s suffering, “they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” (Job 2:13 NIV).

Up till this point Job’s 3 friends were doing great. They were there for him and I’m sure he found comfort in their presence. That’s what he needed most, just knowing someone cared, to have someone to listen to his complaints and share his pain. Unfortunately, his friends couldn’t leave well enough alone and had to go and open their mouths. In the end, instead of bringing comfort, they only made Job more miserable.

At my Dad’s memorial service what helped me the most were not the kind words or the whispered condolences. Though well-meaning, words, at a time like that, are inadequate. What made the difference for me that day were the friends who traveled many miles just to be there for us, friends like Tom and Linda Blackbird, Dave and Debbie Foote, Bill and Annette Boyd, Jane and David Branum, Rick Ballweber, and so many more. Just having these dear friends nearby meant the world to me. Thank you all!

Ecclesiastes 3:7 reminds us, there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak…” Right now, my neighbor doesn’t need my words, my reassurances God will work everything out for good. A time for that may come, but what he needs at this moment is a friend, someone to just be there for him, someone to listen and care. Right now words will just get in the way.

This morning, if you have a friend who is hurting, remember, sometimes silence speaks louder than words. Just be there for them. They don’t need your words right now. They just need you.

God bless and have a wonderful Sabbath!

It only takes a moment to change a life forever.

Last Sabbath afternoon, as I was preparing for some “lay activities” (better known as a nap), I heard a frantic knocking at our door. It was one of our neighbors letting us know our other neighbor had just fallen out of a tree.

Rushing across the lawn, I saw our friend lying on the road next to a tree he’d been cutting a limb off of. He was gray and I thought at first he was dead. However, when I knelt by his side he looked up at me and whispered those words every first responder hates to hear, “I can’t feel my legs.”

Hours later, after many x-rays and a CT, our friend and his family received the dreaded news – his spinal cord was damaged beyond repair. In a moment, he went from an active retiree to a paraplegic, his life changed forever.

These last couple months have been a wake up call for me. First Dad’s unexpected death, then my birthday, and now my neighbor’s tragic accident, have made me realize life is fragile. For each of us, it only takes a moment to change our lives forever.

This could be a depressing thought. After all, who wants to think of their mortality? We’d all like to think we have plenty of time to get it right, but, as Jim Croce sang, “…there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them…”. No wonder Paul warned us in Colossians 4:5 to “make the most of every opportunity.”

There is good news, however. Instead of wasting time letting the limitations of our time on this earth get us depressed, we can in a moment change our lives forever. Acts 16:31 promises if you “believe in the Lord Jesus…you will be saved…”.

This Sabbath don’t waste another moment. Don’t wait for a better time or till you feel more worthy to give your life to Jesus. Don’t put it off till tomorrow, because, the truth is, tomorrow may never come. Right now, before you finish reading this post, “believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.”

Give Jesus your heart today. Remember, it only takes a moment to change your life forever! This is your moment. This is your opportunity. Make the most of it!

Have a Happy Sabbath!