A good man?

I was watching the movie "Equalizer 3."  In the movie a doctor asks Denzel Washington if he is a good man or a bad man.

He answered, "I don't know."

I find it interesting that this is the answer that the doctor was hoping for.  If Washington had said, "no I am not a good man, that would be trouble..."  If he said, "yes I am a good man," that would have been arrogant.

So are you a good person?  "I don't know" appears to be a nice humble response.

So let's keep working on it and doing the best that we can.  Let others decide if we are good people or not.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

More on birds

My friend Mary went for a walk. as she walked, she asked God how He would speak to her today. Within minutes She saw these two cheery fellows and they joyfully sang and shared God's presence with her! She was reminded that she is not alone!

She wrote to me, "Friends, don’t despair. God is waiting for You to ask Him to speak. You will be surprised at how quickly He responds! He’s with you! You’re not alone!!


It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Hear the birds

My friend Bruce located and shared this story with me...

Many years ago, I needed serious surgery while working as an English teacher in China. I spent weeks recovering and I was alone except for one clergy member who left meals at my door. My mother, 87, called me each day from her retirement community. She always ended her call with one question: “Do you hear the birds?” At first, I softly laughed, and ignored her question. Finally, after one of our calls, I cracked the window open by my bed. And I was shocked to find—I could hear the birds singing brightly outside. I felt soothed and comforted by the sound. It even made me feel less alone. For those weeks of recovery, my mother and I ended our calls by affirming that we both heard the birds outside. Today, when my children are discouraged, I ask, “Do you hear the birds?” For our family, it has become a way of reminding ourselves that Nature’s healing presence is always just outside.
                                                              —Donnalee B.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

nothing

And so as I write this post tonight, for tomorrow morning, I have nothing to say...  I hope that you will understand that sometimes, we humans have nothing to add, nothing to say.

We all feel that way from time to time.  And it is ok to feel that way.

But it is still a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Blessed are the flexible...

So it looks as if the Ireland trip has closed.  We got word from the tour company that the hotels were now full and there would not be room for additional travelers.  So if you were thinking about going but have not signed up, maybe we can go somewhere else next year.

Now speaking of trips... last year on the Holy Land trip, someone reminded me of the phrase "blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape."

I love it.  Sometimes the world just does not line up to make me happy.  So be flexible.  Blessed are those who choose to be flexible... they won't be bent out of shape.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

If you woke up it is a good day

When I first started the blog in 2007, I wrote a post every morning.  That was a good deal of pressure back then, to have to write every single day.  Some days, you just don't feel so thoughtful or spiritual, but back then, I wrote every morning.

Somewhere along the line, things changed and I realized that I could schedule the blog posts.  I can write a bit and it will post in a day or two.  I can stay ahead of the game.  But then there are days like the last few, when I am trying to go to bed and I realize that I have nothing posted. 

What will I write about?  Part of what is happening is that I am really busy.  66 years old and really busy.  But I want to put something out there for tomorrow morning.  Heck one of my favorite teachers is joining the blog tomorrow morning!!!

So what to say???  I am thankful for late night calls from friends.  I am thankful for teachers.  My teachers and everyone else's.  I am thankful for people that I have connected with in this life.

Life is good.  Life is short.  Life is amazing.  Enjoy your day.  If you woke up, it is a beautiful day.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Love and Judgment

Love and judgment are mutually exclusive. The moment that we judge someone, we have stopped loving them.

Imagine that I am telling you about a friend of mine and about how wonderful they are. Your heart is warmed by my description. Then when you meet them, you see that they are covered with tattoos, with piercings, they are wearing a rainbow shirt and they are smoking.

Your brain might automatically recoil in judgment.

What happened to how your heart was warmed by my description of them?  Our propensity to judge others pushes love right out of the way.

Had our hearts been only filled with love, we would have met the person and not have been surprised or affected by their appearance.

The next time that you catch yourself judging someone, stop yourself and think- - -  instead of judging them, see them as a person. See them as God sees them.  The moment that we do that, judgment leaves.

Love and judgment are mutually exclusive. Which one do you want your life to be dominated by?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Stew

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy.

We all get stew. Toss the ingredients of your choice into a pot and cook it. After a few generations, your family's stew recipe may become famous. Everyone may clamor for the ingredients to old Grandma' Smith's stew.

But this is not the only stew, nor is it the only way to make it. One might insist that this is the only real stew, but then one would be wrong.

And so it is with Christianity. There are over 33,000 different denominations, each with their own stew recipe. They hand pick certain scriptures and traditions and cook them in a pot. Then they insist that their doctrine stew is the only right one.

Hogwash.

Just because your family, your pastor and your predecessors insisted that their particular doctrinal stew was correct does not mean that it is. In fact, people refusing to accept any other views is just plain silly.

So each of us must pick and choose what we will believe. Or we can join the rising ranks of those who choose "none of the above."

Personally, I only want one thing in the pot. Love.

I don't need a complicated stew. I am totally happy with consuming and giving love. I can do it every day. Let others fight over opinions of the second coming, spiritual gifts and social issues. I don't want to fight. I just want to love.

Nothing else matters.

What is in your pot of stew???

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

a simple sermon

I once heard a story about a pastor who stood up to preach.  

His sermon was three words.  He stood up, paused, looked at the people and said, "love one another."

Then he sat down.

That was it.  That was all.  Love one another.  Nothing more will be said.  Nothing more needs to be said.  There is no new or better interpretation of the Christian faith.  

Love one another.  That is all that there is.

Saying Thank You

Last Friday I met with a great group of guys.  They meet every Friday morning.  I join them when I can.

We had a wonderful talk that morning about love, feeling love and giving it away.  We talked particularly about two really super guys:  Walt Barnes and Len Bennett.  I thought, "you know, I am going to send them a card."  After the meeting I went to the grocery store and bought two cards.  Words of thanks are on the way.  

Love isn't love til you give it away.

Who can you send a card to?  Who is one of the most fantastic people that you know?  Have you told them?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Rogers and Hammerstein

For several years I got a Christmas card from a law firm this this inscription inside...

“A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it - A song's not a song 'til you sing it - Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay - Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”

I clipped the quote from the card and had it taped to my office door for years.

Do you have love in your heart?  It isn't really love until you give it away.  Love causes us to exercise the act of sharing it.  

Love isn't love 'til you give it away.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

The other half

The other day I was leaving a store that has a greeter at the front door.  I was struck by the disfiguration of this poor human.

We look in the mirror each day and worry about hair loss or wrinkles or being out of shape.  And then we run into someone who never had a chance.  They were disfigured, deformed from birth.

This person said to me, thanks for shopping, have a good day.  I said "you have a good day as well."

I didn't know what to think.  We have so many blessings and there are so many who do not.

As I was leaving the parking lot, I noticed a pop up camper parked in the lot of a vacant restaurant.  There was a pile of trash on one end of the camper and a BBQ grill at the other.  Obviously, someone was living in this camper in the vacant restaurant parking lot.

I felt bad.  It is so easy to get caught up in our lives and forget that there are so many out there that are in serious need.

I don't know how to help such problems, but I do believe this... paying attention and being aware of them is a huge step in the right direction.

Do you know how the other half lives?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

The value of showing up

One of the things that I have learned over the years is the simple value of showing up.  People show up through their pain, through cancer, through financial upsets, etc.  They show up for themselves, they show up for others.  Showing up says that we honor God even in difficult times.  Showing up says that there is a glimmer of hope in seeking God.  If you are having a bad day, a bad month or a bad moment, just stay with the program.

Get up, take a step in the right direction.  Show up.  It will be good for you, and good for someone else.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Let's get small

By the way, we have had several more sign up for the Ireland trip recently.  If you are considering it, click the link below.  It is going to be a very fun group.

Today's post... Let's get small.

Steve Martin did a gig years ago called "let's get small."  I think the album was called let's get small.  Great funnies for the times... 

The other night I was sitting with some friends.  I got small.  I said some things that were small.  Like gossip I guess.  Opinions that were not that nice.

Friends let you be small.  I don't do it often, but it is nice to have a safe place to get small.  Friends let you say whatever you need to say.  Friends are not offended.  Friends may tell you when that is enough.

But it is wonderfully nice to be able to be human.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

I love my friend

I love my friend.

I was in his kitchen the other day.  We were talking and I was struck with this feeling... I love this guy.  Yes, he has his moments, yes he has his quirks, [don't we all...]  I know the moments and I know the quirks and I don't care... I don't see them.  They are not on my radar.  I just love this guy.

And then I thought... that must be how God loves us... He know that we did not follow the rules... he knows that we have our moments and our quirks... but he loves us.  He doesn't even see the "stuff."  

He just totally loves us.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

accepting reality

My friend Bev sent this to me. It is a quote from the big blue book of AA. I have edited it just a bit for readability.

Accepting things as they are is the answer to all of my problems...

When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation - some fact of my life - unacceptable to me, and I cannot find or will not find any serenity until I choose to accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake.  Until I accept myself, my situation and my life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy.

I need to concentrate not so much on what happens in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Action vs intention

My friend Bruce sent me this quote...

"The smallest deed is better than the grandest intention."

And so it is true... an act, no matter how small, is always much better than the intentions of those who just can't quite seem to act on their beliefs.

Reminds me of another quote... it doesn't matter what you believe.  It matters what you believe enough to do.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Favorite part of the service

Years ago, a survey was taken of church attenders.  They were asked "which part of the service is your favorite."  I loved the answer that got the most votes... "the silent prayer time."

Think of it... a moment of silence.  It is the only time in the service when someone isn't trying to get you to think something.  In a silent prayer it is just you and God.

Well, lately, I have noticed that I have another favorite time of the service.  The benediction.  Not because the service is ending, but because it is almost always a very positive word.

Go in peace.  Fear not.  Go in love.  Go with God.  

It sends us out on a good footing.  It leaves the congregation with a good vibe.  We go out on a positive note.

Bene=good  diction=word.  A good word.  I love it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Quote

Thomas a'Kempis was a 14th century German Catholic monk. He is best known for his book The Imitation of Christ which was one of John Wesley's favorite books.

I came across this quote by him the other day and I thought it was great:

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish yourself to be."
Thomas a'Kempis

In other words, why should we be upset with others, when we can't even straighten ourselves out?

A little more grace is always a good recipe.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Let's talk

A friend asked me if they could talk to me about something.  I said "sure."  They said, no, it is about you.  I said, "ok, talk to me."  They were hesitant.  They did not want to hurt my feelings I guess.

I explained to them that friends should be able to talk about anything.  Go for it.  Talk to me.  They did.  I survived.  The friendship survived... it probably even got stronger.

When you have a friend, you trust them.  You let them in.  They help you be better.  Sometimes they may say things that aren't what you were expecting, or what you wanted to hear, but they are friends so you listen to them.

Sometimes the best advice actually comes in the form of things that we did not want to hear.

I hope that you have people in your life that can say anything to you.  I hope that you have people that will challenge you if they think that you are going off track.

Friends are there for each other.  Friends let each other in.

I hope you have many people like this in your life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

I lost my phone

So last night I picked up Pizza's at Fun House Pizza.  I was about two blocks away from the store and I realized that I did not have my phone.  I must have left it at the Pizza Shop.  But, who knows, maybe it is in the truck somewhere.  Anyway, I need to get these warm Pizzas to my friends home.

I arrive at their home and have them call my phone.  It is not in the truck.  We call the Pizza place.  They say that they don't have it.

Now I start to worry.  What if someone has my phone.  I guess if you were technical enough, you could access a lot of passwords and personal information.  And I have a lot of music on that phone that I really enjoy.  What a pain to have to call ATT and get it shut down.

So we drive back to the pizza joint.  Again, they reiterate, they do not have it.  I retrace my steps.  No it is not in the bathroom.

We decide to try a trick.  My friend calls my phone, and I wander slowly past all the tables.  My phone's ring is a duck quacking, so we would hear it.  Around the restaurant we go... no ducks, no phone theives.

Ugh.  We go outside to leave.  My friend decides that maybe someone just took it and threw it.  So he calls it again.  And... I hear quacking... faint, but I hear it.  Now I follow the sound.

Low and behold, there it is.  Laying in the parking lot by where I had parked earlier.  I guess that it had fallen out of my pocket, hit the ground, and I did not notice.

The moral of this story is that we should pay more attention to every movement of life.  They all matter.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

A report on Easter Sunday

I arrived at church about 20 minutes before service time. I was greeted by several friends who love me for some reason.  This is a very touching part of the day to me... I was greeted by several, who just seem to like me.  That always feels good.

They insisted that I sit down and share the breakfast which the men's group had prepared.  I did.  Then I wandered through the sanctuary and shook a few hands on my way to the comfortable spot on the south side where I normally sit. 

When the pastor stood for the call to worship, there was a ring in his voice. He is risen!  And for some reason, I began to cry.  Soon the tones of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" we’re rolling off the Organ. Everyone stood and sang and I cried like a baby. 

The church was on display today in her full glory.  There was a big crowd with lots of great music. It reminded me of the old days, many years ago when on Easter Sunday we would stand and sing "Up from the Grave He Rose!"  

I thought about all the volunteers that worked so hard over the years to make Easter a wonderful day. I thought about all the staff that worked so hard to make Easter wonderful.  I thought about all the amazing music and how hard the musicians worked. What a blessing it was for me to be a part of that for all of those years.  

It was a wonderful morning and a wonderful day. I’m still a bit in tears. He has risen , be filled with joy!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

not seeing it

One of the sins of life is the sin of growing accustomed to a thing.  When a person first sees snow, it is amazing to them.  But after years, those who live with snow, find it annoying.

Another person moves to the beach.  Oh how they love the beach.  But after a while, they are no longer amazed by the beach.

This past weekend, my niece and her family were here.  As we pulled into the driveway after a dinner engagement, they noticed that a rocket had been fired from Cape Canaveral and was travelling through space, in our view.

I have seen enough of them that I was no longer interested.  But to them, it was huge.  They stood and watched it for 20 minutes.

I think that it is a sin for us to stop noticing the beauty of things.  We grow accustomed to amazing things and no longer consider their wonder.

Please take a moment and look at the things in your world and the people in your life.  Never lose the sense of awe and appreciation for them.  The world is a beautiful place to those who pause to pay attention.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

that is not what I meant

So last Friday I was trying to type a blog about purpose, and I got myself into some trouble.  I did not mean to provide misleading information, but rereading what I wrote, I see what some of you have been talking to me about.

Here is what I wrote...

Someone mentioned looking for their life purpose. Similar question... why am I here?

I used to raise kids... now they are gone. What is my purpose? I used to be married, now I am not. What is my purpose. I used to have this or that job. I used to be a Pastor. Now I don't have that job. Why am I here?

I did not mean to indicate that I was no longer married.  I was writing hypothetically about things that people face, things that people lose, that cause them to question their purpose.  I think that all of us can imagine things that people would deal with that would be very challenging to their sense of purpose.

I should have said, "I know a person" that lost their job, "I know a person whose marriage broke up,"  I know a person who...

and of course, the point of the entire blog was that we have a purpose, regardless of our circumstances.

Anyway, I am still married, and I am sorry for the confusion.

Happy April 1st.  No jokes from me today.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter!!!

The resurrection is a message of hope.  God wins.  God is victorious.  Whatever the obstacle, whatever the challenge, whatever the issue, God is victorious.

Friend, whatever you are facing, you are not alone.  Jesus is risen.  God is the victor.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

bad person

I do believe that there are bad people in this world.  A few bad apples.  But we humans tend to demonize anyone who is mean to us or does not like us.  One spat of bad feelings and you go into the bad person category.

Just because someone did not like me, just because someone does not like you, that does not make them a bad person.  It could just be that the stars did not align for our relationship.  They may be a perfectly good parent and friend to others and it just didn't work with you or me.  Yes they were ugly, but their life is more, much more than their encounters with you and me.

Just because they did not like me does not make them a bad person.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

The front lines

I heard this said somewhere, or maybe I said it.  But I totally agree with it, and I am saying it now.

"The front line of battle in the Christian life is found in how we treat people in the service industry."

Servers, bartenders, repairmen, busboys, Uber drivers, house cleaners, and people that sit behind the hotel desk.  These are the folks in the service industry.

Sometimes, since we are paying them for a service, we think that we have a right to be rude to them.  Sometimes we blame them for things that are out of their control.  Bad food is not the server's fault.  

These people are people.  They should never be shamed or belittled.  They are God's children and should be treated as such.  Just because we are paying them does not give us the right to be ugly.

Christians should never be ugly to anyone.  How we treat the least of these is the first line of battle in the Christian faith.  It is the first measure of our character.

How do you treat people in the service industry?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Quotes

These quotations were provided by my friend Irene P.

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls - Aesop

If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.

If the only prayer that you ever say in your life is thank you, it will be enough. Meister Eckhart

The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost - GK Chesterton

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. Abraham Joshua Heschel

The greatest joy is appreciation. Once you have something in life and almost lose it and mange to get it back, you learn about appreciation. Sid Caesar

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. -Hazeldon

There are two kinds of gratitude: the sudden kind we feel for what we take; and the larger kind we feel for what we give. E. A. Robinson

One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay “in kind” somewhere else in life. Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I had no shoes and complained, until I met a person who had no feet.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those who are kind. Malayan Proverb

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live them. John F. Kennedy

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. Theodore Roosevelt

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.


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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

questions

I was having dinner with a friend.  He asked if he could ask me a question about God.  He apologized for having questions about God.

Stop.  What???

You don't have to apologize for having questions about God, about how the world works, or anything.  People asked Jesus questions all the time.

God is not offended by our questions.

Just keep in mind that very often, the questions don't have the answers that we hope for.  We humans prefer certainty, but there is much that we do not know about God and how the world works.  Maybe we will find the answers when we get to heaven.  Maybe the answers won't matter then.

It is fine, it is great to ask questions and to have questions.  Learn to live with ambiguity and unanswered questions.  Have faith.

And if you meet people... pastors or church people who have all the answers, RUN.  Run the other way.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

sharing your opinion

We all have opinions.  We share them in discussions.  Preachers often share them from the pulpit.

Here is a thought about sharing opinions.  There are two ways to do this.  You can alienate people or you can influence them.

You can be brash, hard, insistent, and sure of yourself and alienate people.  Or, You can listen to the other side, you can savor the opinions of others, you can speak graciously, and if this is the avenue that you take, you can possibly influence people.

Whether it is your children, your neighbors, your friends or random people on social media, are you alienating them or influencing them?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

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I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com