"The Mind of God" (Version 6, December 21, 1999)
(December 31, 1999 6:26 AM CST)
(Update at 6:44 PM:
About an hour and a half ago I watched the
Happy New Year!
Let us begin the new year with a prayer
"The Lord bless you and keep you!
Lord, bless all peoples of our world.
The
Millennium Lights Celebration
is over in downtown Omaha.
I had to stand for an hour and a half out in the cold.
It is 48F (8C) degrees...not too bad for December.
It could be 30F below zero wind chill.
I was about 30 feet (10 meters) in front of the choir to the right (north).
I had a "front row" standing place.
The cellular phones kept ringing all around me.
People were trying to find each other,
which was impossible.
At first I was with Joe that I work with and we lost each other
for several minutes.
The crowd did the wave for awhile during the long wait.
Some of the choir sang
The Star-Spangled Banner
and Jingle Bells and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer
and the Nebraska football song
as we waited and waited.
At 6 PM the show started and for about 12 minutes you
had to listen to all this talking and thanking everyone.
Then the choir sang.
The band instruments were so loud, I could not hear the singers.
I was disappointed.
I thought the singers would be so cool.
I was right in front of them.
There were at least 1,000 singers.
Were you there?
It was cool.
There were sooooo many people.
The fireworks were neat...
that sure light up all the downtown buildings!
The kids loved it.
Why am I writing this at this time?
I'm still downtown at work and I'm letting everyone drive home.
They estimated that 70,000 people might show up for the event.
It will be interesting to see the crowd estimates tomorrow.
Bye...time to go home.)
fireworks from
Auckland, New Zealand
on TV.
that is over 2,000 years old:
The Lord let his face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!"
Numbers 6:24-26
Bless all our leaders.
Bring peace to our world.
We call on your name Jesus.
You are the Savior of the world.
You are the Prince of Peace.
Reign in our hearts.
Hear our prayer for peace
this first day of the new year.
In you all things are made new.
Amen.
(December 30, 1999 5:39 AM CST)
Hi to a friend, hope you feel better soon.
(Update at 8:38 PM:
Well, as you can see the main page moved a little.
"Jesus said to his disciples:
Yes, there are many people in the world.
Here are some pictures of Christmas Day, 1999:
Sunrise from Boys Town
Manger in Boys Town Dowd Chapel
Christmas Singers in Boys Town Dowd Chapel
Heartland of America Park with Moon
Heartland of America Park postcard
Gene Leahy Mall Millennium Lights display
Gene Leahy Mall Millennium Lights with strange shadow
)
This is for the people who read the newspaper
to get to "The Mind of God" easily.
I don't want to confuse anyone.
You could bookmark this (main.html), if you like.
Change is difficult, isn't it?
Part of me wants to see 1999 change to 2000
and part of me does not.
I added
Guideposts
on the left side of this page.
Dola sent it to me.
They also have prayer requests...
many, many people with many needs.
I requested prayer for Katie on their page.
'The harvest is good
but the laborers are scarce.
Beg the harvest master to send out laborers
to gather his harvest.'"
Matthew 9:37-38
Many are hungry.
Some need food for their body.
Some need food for their soul.
We have work to do...
much work.
Let us get busy.
The harvest is waiting.
(December 29, 1999 5:55 AM CST)
(Update at 6:15 PM: OK here is the
Yesterday I talked to Marilyn at the Omaha World-Herald.
"Indeed,
We join today with many voices and many hearts.
proof of the advertisement
.
It took two tries, but it is very close now.
I had Dianne make a few corrections to the first proof.
This is the second proof.
We also set a record high temperature
of 61F (16C) degrees this afternoon.
It was a beautiful day for late December.
I took a walk at lunchtime down to
where they are going to launch the fireworks
for the
Millennium Lights Celebration
on December 31st.
They are setting up the fireworks near the railroad
tracks between the river and
Heartland of America Park.
I also scanned in the original pages that I wrote
on November 6th for TMOG.
See if you can read my handwriting on
Page 1
and
Page 2
.
Many of the original ideas were never used,
as you can see, but several were there
right from the first day.)
We reserved the space 2 columns wide by 3 inches long
for January 1 to 7, 2000.
January 1 and 2 it will be in the first section of the paper.
They call it the "Main News" section.
I requested the upper left or right corners of the pages
as you hold the two pages open in front of you.
These are the most visible places where
people scan the paper as they look for what to read.
(I feel like I'm teaching "Advertising 101" class.)
On the 3rd it will be in the sports section
(Nebraska plays football the night before that).
On the 4th it might be on the weather page.
(A lot of people request this page.)
5th on the obituary page.
6th and 7th on the movie listings page.
I signed the 31.5 inch contract 4 times.
6 column inches times 7 days equals 42 inches,
so the contract will be satisfied immediately.
The cost?
Sunday is $60.25 per inch and never discounted.
The daily rate is $50 per inch, but there are discounts
for repeating the same thing.
Monday is 35% discount.
Tuesday and Saturday is 30%.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday is 25%.
So you can calculate it out if you want.
These are the rates for a 31.5 inch contract.
Hopefully there will be a proof today.
I have not seen it yet, which drives me crazy, of course.
Marilyn also suggested adding a phone number
and I said "No".
Then she suggested an address,
so we added a last line:
SPRING TO LIFE, P.O. BOX 991, OMAHA, NE 68101
in 8-point font.
I want people to print it off the Internet, if at all possible.
It will take a minimum of 3 pages double-sided to make copies.
Spring To Life advertisements always use the Helvetica font.
It's a tradition going back to 1982 and the first advertisement.
everything is ordered to your benefit,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance
may bring greater glory to God
because they who give thanks are many."
2 Corinthians 4:15
We give glory to God.
We join together to give thanks and praise to Almighty God.
God has ordered the universe.
It is beautiful.
It is something to behold.
It shows a great abundance.
It is overwhelming.
We call down God's grace on all people.
We ask for abundant blessings in the new year on all.
We thank the Lord.
Our Lord Jesus is great.
Praise the Lord.
(December 28, 1999 5:40 AM CST)
Yesterday I talked to Amanda at the Omaha World-Herald.
"Sing to the Lord a new song,
Why Psalm 98 today?
I faxed her what I wanted for the newspaper
January 1 to 7, 2000.
She will set me up a 31.5 inch contract starting January 1st.
If you have a contract, you get better rates.
The deadline for getting an advertisement in on January 1
is today at noon, so we made it.
Thanks for the prayers --- they help.
Today she will get the proof back and fax it to me.
I will show you the proof, as soon as I can,
maybe this evening when I get home from work.
From now until February I can't take any vacation,
because of Y2K, so I have to go to work.
And I got a "thank you" note from the neighbor.
I guess I will have to change the way spring2life.com looks
for the new year.
Nothing lasts forever...or does it?
I might make "The Mind of God" the initial page
and then links to the other things.
I'm also thinking about getting a digital camera,
so I can post pictures more quickly.
I took pictures on Christmas Day, but you won't
see them until Friday, December 31.
If I had a digital camera, I could say here is the
picture of such and such from a few hours ago.
It is almost like broadcasting the news for the day.
Digital cameras are very expensive now (over $500).
Buying film and getting it developed is about $12 per roll,
so I don't know what to do.
Speaking of pictures here is picture of
kids climbing a wall
at the Dayton Mall.
It looks like fun.
I think they were raising money
for a charity that day (December 11).
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
The Lord has made his salvation known;
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice."
Psalms 98:1-2
Doris' Mom asked her to read it to her each day.
We need a new song each day.
We need to be reminded of the victory that is ours in Christ.
God has a plan to save us.
He has revealed this to us.
All nations are aware of God's saving grace (I think).
We need to act on this grace.
We need to be reminded of God's faithfulness.
The Lord comes to rule the earth.
The Lord comes to rule your heart.
Shout for joy.
(December 27, 1999 5:45 AM CST)
I need to contact the newspaper today,
"Blessed are the peacemakers,
As we approach the Year 2000,
so pray I get everything set up to go.
Thanks.
they shall be called sons of God."
Matthew 5:9
the government is warning us about terrorists.
These are people who for some strange reason
want to cause harm to others.
Let us pray for these confused people.
Let us pray for peaceful
celebrations
of the new year.
Let us do
one act of kindness
each day to counteract this evil.
May January 1, 2000 truly be a world day of peace.
Let us pray that many people find Jesus in the new year.
Lord Jesus, pour out your blessings on our world.
Give each of us your peace and joy.
Teach us to love each other more and more.
May we join together to sense our togetherness.
We are all brothers and sisters on this planet.
We are all your children.
You have made us.
We are yours.
Show us how to live together in peace.
Help us to care for the poor all over the world.
Teach us to share.
Fill our hearts to do your will.
Come Lord Jesus, make our world a better place.
Send us your peace.
Make us peacemakers.
(December 26, 1999 6:00 AM CST)
What day is it anyway?
Yesterday morning at about 6:45 AM
"For a child is born to us,
I wonder...
It's interesting that Barbara at
I have no feel for what day of the week it is.
It's Sunday according to my computer.
It's the Lord's Day.
Let us go and worship him.
I thought I'd just sneak over to the neighbor's house
and put a Christmas card and box of candy on their doorstep.
Upon my first step in the crunchy snow
I had the neighbor's dogs barking at me.
They were in their backyard.
Oh my...
It was funny.
It was like a movie.
I got caught in the act.
Crazy.
I learned a lesson there ---
check for dogs first before
sneaking around the neighborhood.
a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast and forever peaceful."
Isaiah 9:5-6
I wonder what Christmas is like in heaven.
(I hope and pray and believe my aunt is there
and Doris' Mom and my sister.
I talked to Doris on the phone Christmas Eve afternoon
to see how she was doing.)
I wonder why my sister was crying Christmas Eve
(maybe she is missing our sister Joan).
Christmas is so emotional.
I wonder if my niece will overcome
the eating disorder she has.
(I wrote on her Christmas card that I was praying
for a miracle in her life.
Please, pray for her. Thanks.)
I wonder about what will happen on January 1, 2000
(if anything...I'll be at work checking our computers).
I wonder if I will get the advertisement
into the newspaper January 1 to 7, 2000.
(My contact Ron is gone until Tuesday.
That's why I could not get a hold of him.)
Through all this wondering...
wanders Jesus.
He comes into our midst.
He senses our pain.
He blesses us.
He comes to console us.
He will sustain us.
He is Wonderful.
He is our peace and our joy.
He is there.
Bible Verse of the Day
picked the same verses from the Bible as I did
for the last two days.
I usually write what I have to say
and then go check what she has to say.
(December 25, 1999 6:17 AM CST)
I'm praying today that you will have the best Christmas
"Mary gave birth to her first-born son..."
Rejoice.
"Glory to God in high heaven,
Give glory to God.
Merry Christmas!
that you have ever experienced.
Luke 2:7
Jesus has been born today.
peace on earth to those on whom his favor rests."
Luke 2:14
Let there be peace on earth.
Let there be peace in all our hearts.
(December 24, 1999 5:45 AM CST)
Have you ever wondered:
It's the day before Christmas
I sent an email yesterday to my friend, Mary,
"Who will endure the day of his coming?
Jesus comes into the world.
What time is it in Omaha?
Now you know.
and I have someone coming
to fix some leaking pipes this morning.
Bob was here yesterday,
but didn't have time to work on it.
This is almost like that scene from
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens.
Hopefully he will be done by noon
and go home to be with his family.
I will surprise him with a box of chocolates
when he leaves, so I don't feel like Scrooge.
in Santa Ana, California.
Yesterday afternoon she sent back
an edited paragraph 1 of TMOG.
She always helps me with editing for the newspaper.
God bless her!
She put it all in present tense,
so I'll have to fix all the other paragraphs.
I tried to call Ron at the
Omaha World-Herald
yesterday 2 or 3 times to tell him about my plans,
but his phone line was busy and I gave up.
I'd send him an email, but I don't know if he has email.
Since it is so small an advertisement,
it will be easy to set it up and proofread
compared with
other things I have had in the newspaper
.
Who can stand when he appears?"
Malachi 3:2
He is just a little baby.
His mother holds him.
What will this child be?
He is the Lord of all creation
that has come to visit us.
Can you see this and not be moved?
Can you watch this scene without tears in your eyes?
Kneel down before him.
Welcome him to the world.
Welcome him to your heart.
Spend some time today kneeling
and "gazing" and wondering about this child.
If you need help with this...
just listen to song #10
"Welcome To Our World" written by Chris Rice on
"A Christmas to Remember"
.
(Click on the upper left picture
then "Listen to A Christmas To Remember"
then pick the song #10.)
(December 23, 1999 6:01 AM CST)
Mary said:
Mary was the mother of Jesus.
"God who is mighty
has done great things for me,
holy is his name;
His mercy is from age to age
on those who fear him."
Luke 1:49-50
She said "Yes" to God.
She cooperated in God's plan to save us.
The questions is:
Will you say "Yes" to God?
Will you follow Jesus?
Almighty God asks you to cooperate with him.
He is trying to save you and your family from destruction.
In every age he calls people.
Today he calls you to be a believer.
He asks you to come and see
the great things he has done and will do for you.
He will not force you to say "Yes."
That would make no sense.
You have a free will.
You can turn away.
You have a choice.
What is your answer?
Will you follow Jesus (Yes or No)?
___________________ (fill in the blank)
(Note: If you ignore the question, the default is "No."
This is very serious.
Please, consider your answer very carefully today.
There may be no tomorrow for you.
I'm praying for you to make the right choice.)
(December 22, 1999 6:13 AM CST)
It turns out that the
email on the bright moon
"Train a boy in the way he should go;
Teach your children right from wrong.
was not very accurate.
even when he is old,
he will not swerve from it."
Proverbs 22:6
Talk to your nieces and nephews.
Set a good example.
Set an exceptional example.
Tell them why you do what you do.
Share Jesus with them.
I hear some people say
that they will let their children
choose whatever they want to believe.
What?
That is not what the Bible says.
Give your children a firm foundation.
Give them Jesus Christ this Christmas.
(December 21, 1999 6:08 AM CST)
It is cold this morning --- only 3F degrees (-16C).
"All the ways of a man
To me my song is great.
"Jacob was left there alone.
I hope you cooperate with the Lord Jesus
Did you see the moon last evening?
It is bright already.
Did I ever tell you I wrote a song?
It's called
Jacob's Song (Page 1)
(Page 2)
.
For many years I was humming this song
to myself and I finally wrote it down.
Maybe your church would like to sing it...
or maybe not.
I'm not sure if people will like it or not.
If you know music, check it out.
And yesterday I worked on days 4 and 5 of TMOG.
It is so big now that it will cost a small fortune
to print it in the newspaper.
I'm thinking about just having the first paragraph
and then tell people to read the rest on the Internet.
If I just print the first paragraph,
I could even put it in the Chicago newspaper.
Interesting.
may be pure in his own eyes,
but it is the Lord who proves the spirit."
Proverbs 16:2
I hummed it for years,
so it's no surprise I would like it.
But to the rest of the world
it could be dull and boring.
We are blind.
We are biased.
Submit yourself to the Lord.
Ask the Lord for feedback.
How am I doing, Lord?
Some of us even struggle with the Lord.
Then some man wrestled with him
until the break of dawn."
Genesis 32:25
and what he asks of you.
The Holy Spirit confirms when you are doing right.
You receive peace in your heart.
The Lord says to you today:
Follow me.
I will guide you.
I will be with you.
(December 20, 1999 6:29 AM CST)
"The crucible for silver,
Will you pass the test?
"Last Expedition
I also found this on the Internet:
Are you ready to go exploring?
and the furnace for gold,
but the tester of hearts is the Lord."
Proverbs 17:3
Testing 1, 2, 3.
The Lord Jesus has given you life.
What will you do with it?
Do you love him with your whole heart?
Is he number one?
Is he important to you?
Show your love for him.
Do his will.
Do what he wants.
Give your heart to him.
On page 2-A of yesterday's paper it said:
Grenoble, France (AP) --- Roger
Frison-Roche, an avid mountaineer
and writer who in 1932 made the first
live radio broadcast from the summit
of
Mont Blanc
, has died in Chamonix
in the French Alps. He was 93."
(On this link be sure to take a look at the "set foot"
on the summit picture.)
"GRENOBLE, France (AP) -
Roger Frison-Roche, an avid mountaineer and writer who made the first live radio broadcast from the summit of Mont Blanc, has died in Chamonix in the French Alps. He was 93.
The office of the mayor of Chamonix announced Friday that Frison-Roche fell into a coma on Thursday and died overnight.
Frison-Roche wrote a series of books on mountaineering, including "Premier de Cordee" or "Leader", which sold more than 3 million copies over 50 years.
Born in Paris in 1906, Frison-Roche fell in love with the mountains when he was 17. He went to live in Chamonix in 1923 and worked in a travel agency before training as a mountain and ski guide.
In 1932, he produced the first live radio program from the summit of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, for Radio Lyon.
Frison-Roche was a correspondent during World War II and covered the fighting in North Africa. He was arrested by the Germans, escaped and joined the French Resistance. He described his experiences as a freedom fighter in "Mountain Dwellers of the Night".
His other books include "The Great Crevice" and "Artic Light".
The funeral was scheduled for Tuesday in Chamonix, the mayor's office said.
Frisson-Roche's wife died five years ago. He had three children, including two who predeceased him. The third, a daughter, lives in Chamonix."
(December 19, 1999 7:05 AM CST)
We received a dusting of snow overnight here in Omaha.
"Many are the plans in a man's heart,
What will endure?
I guess it will be a
White Christmas
.
It's interesting to read the last paragraph of this link.
This song was used as a signal to
evacuate Saigon on April 29, 1975
.
It ended the Vietnam War.
How ironic...
to end a war with a Christmas song.
Strange.
but it is the decision of the Lord that endures."
Proverbs 19:20
The song I just mentioned has been around
for my whole lifetime.
The
Pyramids
have existed for a few thousand years.
The rocks on the Moon are over a billion years old
according to tests.
I want to go to Chicago to do research.
I tried to buy plane tickets yesterday
using
priceline.com
,
but they did not accept my offer.
Then I'm thinking this morning
that I will drive there and it snows.
Should I go or not?
What does God want me to do?
I have many plans...
the only problem is that God has "his" plan.
Am I doing what God wants?
You have to ask that question also.
Are you doing what God wants
or are you doing what you want?
Will you endure the test of time?
(December 18, 1999 5:45 AM CST)
Good morning.
"You have rescued me from death,
He is there.
As my gift to you today,
you get free long-distance calling in the USA.
Call someone and wish them "Merry Christmas".
I just tested the card and there are 886 minutes on it.
That is over 14 hours, so have fun.
Dial 18885115680 then enter 06923055656
then '1' the area code and the number.
Please limit your calls to 20 minutes.
Thanks.
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God
in the light of the living."
Psalms 56:14
He picks you up when you stumble and fall.
He rescues you from darkness.
He lights your way.
He walks with you.
You are not alone.
He calls you and...
you can call him (for free anytime).
Talk to him now.
Hello, Jesus.
(December 17, 1999 6:06 AM CST)
Here is a
picture of the mall
Two people have written to me about December 22nd,
"It is in Christ and through his blood
You have been blessed!
in downtown Omaha two days ago
after that little snowstorm.
I call this a "postcard" picture.
What do you think?
This is a
picture of the St. Louis Arch
taken out the plane window as we
took off on December 11th.
What do you mean you can't see the arch?
It's there along the river between the bridges.
(The
arch
is on the right (west) side
of the Mississippi River.)
so here it is:
"This year will be the first full Moon to occur on the winter solstice,
December 22, commonly called the first day of winter.
Since a full Moon on the winter solstice occurred in conjunction with
a lunar perigee (point in the Moon's orbit that is closest to Earth) the
Moon will appear about 14 percent larger than it does at apogee (the
point in its elliptical orbit that is farthest from the Earth). And
since the Earth is also several million miles closer to the Sun at this
time of the year than in the summer, sunlight striking the Moon is about
seven percent stronger, making it brighter. Also, this will be the
closest perigee of the Moon of the year since the Moon's orbit is
constantly deforming. If the weather is clear and there is snow cover
where you live, it is believed that even car headlights will be superfluous."
This happens once every 133 years (I think).
(Update: It turns out that the
email on the bright moon
was not very accurate.)
that we have been redeemed
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God's favor to us."
Ephesians 1:7
God has poured out his blessings on you.
He is very generous.
He is very giving.
He is very forgiving.
Ask him to forgive all your sins today.
Be blessed.
(December 16, 1999 6:04 AM CST)
All kinds of email this morning for some reason...
"The time came when he who had set me apart
The time has come.
It must be
Beethoven's 229th Birthday
.
(He was born on "my" birthday.)
Pray for Margaret to find a job.
I talked to her downtown after work last night.
Thanks.
before I was born and called me by his favor
chose to reveal his Son to me,
that I might spread among the Gentiles
the good tidings concerning him."
Galatians 1:15-16
Jesus knocks at your door.
You can ignore him or...
you can welcome him in.
What will you do?
You are special.
You have been set apart.
You were born to live.
You are favored.
Receive glad tidings of great joy.
Look at your watch.
What time is it?
Open the door.
It is time.
(December 15, 1999 6:04 AM CST)
It's snowing here in
Omaha
this morning.
"Of his fullness
God has loved us.
So far we have received about 1 inch (2 cm)
with a few more to come.
It is bright outside.
I saw the light coming through the curtains.
I knew something was different outside.
If you live in the Dayton, Ohio area,
go see the Christmas lights near
Wyoming at Edgar
.
(Enter: Wyoming at Edgar, Dayton, OH to see the map.)
Drive south on Edgar (it is one-way) and you can't miss it.
When we drove by a few nights ago these little kids
were handing out candy canes to all the sightseers.
How nice of them!
God bless them.
we have all had a share ---
love following upon love."
John 1:16
He has poured out his love.
We are blessed.
We see his light in creation.
You cannot hide it behind curtains.
His love shines forth.
Open you eyes and see the way.
Look at the map of love.
Seek the light.
There is one way that leads to him.
Follow love.
You will be surprised.
You will be blessed.
Be bright.
(December 14, 1999 7:25 AM CST)
I made it back home last night at 11:50 PM.
"He who calls us is trustworthy,
(Note: This page in my Bible has a
It is true.
Thanks for the prayers for me and my family.
All 7 of us are back safe and sound.
Yesterday was a "perfect" day for a funeral.
It was overcast and raining off and on.
It was a few degrees above freezing.
I was one of the 7 pallbearers.
I did not know my Aunt Ruth very well,
so it wasn't like my sister's funeral.
I read the prayer petitions at the church.
I was a little "choked up" as I read the words.
It was not my normal voice.
After the little prayer service
at the grave site in the cemetery
I was sitting in our rented van talking to my Mom.
I said, "There must be a better way to do this."
She said, "That's the way it is" or
"That's the way it's done" or something like that.
Why do they make it so quiet, sad and somber?
It was "dead" silence at the mortuary
before we drove to the church.
Ruth is in joy now with the Lord Jesus.
She is at peace, true peace, with God...
what we all pray for...
what we long for...
what we hope for...
therefore he will do it."
1 Thessalonians 5:24
postcard of Vail, Colorado
stuck in it.
It is one of my favorite postcards.
This is copyrighted by Peter Runyon.
On the back of the postcard it says:
"A field of Columbine, the Colorado state flower,
in the high country around Vail.")
He will save you.
You can trust in Jesus.
He calls each of us by name.
He will do it.
He is faithful.
He is a never-ending field of beautiful flowers.
Trust Jesus.
(December 11, 1999 2:22 PM EST)
Hello, from
Dayton, Ohio
.
Hi Jon.
Testing 1, 2, 3.
This is a test.
(He was wondering why I had not written today.
I'm over 700 miles from home.)
Stay tuned for some pictures of this trip.
My cousin says that I only post pictures of birds.
What?
Is that true?
We flew over the
St. Louis Arch
because we changed planes in St. Louis.
I was on the wrong side of the plane,
but my brother got a good picture of the arch
from the other side.
(December 10, 1999 5:52 AM CST)
I really want to take a trip to Chicago
"I will call upon God,
Call on the Lord.
to see the
Sears Tower
,
but it turns out I'm going somewhere else.
I'm going to Dayton, Ohio,
so I'll be gone for a few days.
Pray that I have a safe trip and
for all the people I will meet.
I received a call yesterday at 12:40 PM at work
that my aunt had passed away.
(I don't want to write about sad things like this,
but it is part of life. It's what is happening.)
And yesterday afternoon I saw a lot of smoke
coming from a garage chimney on 15th street.
I called 911 on my cellular phone
and in 5 minutes the firefighters showed up.
These people were burning something
that smelled like a very serious fire.
The firefighters asked if I was the one that called.
I told two of them that I did not know
if it was a problem or not.
The 3 of them then went to investigate.
Everything was under control and I drove away.
False alarm.
I looked like a fool.
I was wrong, but one other time it was a real fire
and I did not call the fire department.
I smelled something inside this building
as I was leaving...maybe it was smoke maybe not.
Later on the radio that night I heard there was a fire
in that building at that location.
I could not believe my ears.
So now I'm overly cautious when it comes to fire.
and the Lord will save me."
Psalms 55:17
He will come to rescue you.
Be concerned.
Be overly concerned.
Be extremely concerned.
You only have one life...
...that is it...
...and it is over so quickly...
Pray to Jesus.
Jesus, come and save me.
I need you.
Rescue me.
(Everything is under control.)
(December 9, 1999 6:10 AM CST)
The people at the car dealer were very nice.
"Draw close to God,
Are you close to God?
They gave me a ride to work and picked me up.
They dropped off 3 people before me,
so you get to see where a few people live and work.
One guy is transferring to
Los Angeles
next year,
the lady was a school teacher on 98th and Center,
the older man was retired,
the guy driving the van was a retired salesman
and loves to talk and works sometimes 10 hours a day.
I think he tells the same stories over and over.
It did cost $401 to get the water pump replaced,
but that is much better than a monthly car payment
if I'd buy a newer car.
I have a
1991 Camry
, so I have not had a car payment
for a long time.
I wonder, if this car will ever die.
They adjusted the steering wheel by one notch,
since it did not steer straight.
Rachel and others driving my car have complained
about this steering wheel being out of alignment.
It never bothered me.
and he will draw close to you."
James 4:8
Is he near?
First of all...
are you going in the right direction?
How is your "alignment?"
Are you going toward God?
Do you ever pray?
Do you ask God to be part of your life?
Are you trying to make it on your own?
The story goes on and on and on...
It is told over and over in each generation.
Jesus is the way.
He is the teacher.
He lives in the city of angels.
He died for you.
Draw close to him.
(December 8, 1999 6:09 AM CST)
Today I have to take my car in to
Old Mill Toyota
.
"Jesus Christ is the same
Jesus is here.
It is leaking a green fluid probably antifreeze.
In the past I would complain about situations like these,
but as time goes on...
you learn to look for opportunities to spread the faith.
I'm praying for all the people I will meet today.
yesterday, today and forever."
Hebrews 13:8
He is not going away.
He is the Lord of all creation.
He is here to stay.
He is your foundation.
Build your life on him.
Today is the day.
(December 7, 1999 5:54 AM CST)
Jesus said,
Is that your prayer?
"Father, forgive them;
they do not know what they are doing."
Luke 23:34
Do you forgive others?
Do you follow Jesus' example?
If you have problems with forgiveness,
you might want to read:
"Now is the Time"
.
(December 6, 1999 6:14 AM CST)
This week
Billy Graham
"They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength,
The Lord is your strength.
Could you pray for a friend
will have 2 TV programs.
You can search these
TV Listings
.
In Omaha they are on channel 15 KXVO
Friday, December 10th at 9 PM and
Saturday, December 11th at 7 PM.
In Chicago they are on channel 26 WCIU
Monday, December 6th at 7 PM and
Friday, December 10th at 7 PM.
they will soar as with eagles' wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint."
Isaiah 40:31
He is your hope.
Are you tired?
Come to Jesus.
He will renew you.
Do you want to give up?
Jesus gives you new hope.
He gives new meaning to your life.
Are you down?
Jesus lifts you up.
He helps you to fly.
Walk with the Lord.
Stay close to him
and he will stay close to you.
that had surgery in Santa Monica, California?
And Mark (he works with me) has pneumonia,
so pray for him.
Thanks and God bless you today.
May the Lord lift you up.
Soar.
(December 5, 1999 6:31 AM CST)
Happy Birthday John!
Yesterday I was out to the
Westroads Mall
.
"You need to recall the words
God bless you.
(This picture was taken one week ago.)
Rachel and Jacob (niece and nephew) were with me.
It was what I call a "concept" day.
The concept was that you could only
buy things for other people.
You can't buy anything for yourself.
Sounds easy, but just try it.
We started at the Salvation Army Angel Tree.
We signed out 4 cards and off we went.
Shop 'til you drop.
Rachel and "Jakey" are toy experts,
so this was a piece of cake for them.
They saw lots of things that they wanted.
Pokemon cards, music CDs, clothes, etc.
The problem was they had to find something
for these 4 needy kids.
I even found some things that I wanted,
but I couldn't buy them.
It was a good learning experience
for all 3 of us.
When we were all done and turned in the
gifts and cards ---
that is the neatest feeling.
Rachel commented on that later.
of the Lord Jesus himself, who said,
'There is more happiness
in giving than receiving.'"
Acts 20:35
(December 4, 1999 6:15 AM CST)
"About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and
Can God do that?
singing hymns to God as their fellow prisoners listened,
a severe earthquake suddenly shook the place,
rocking the prison to its foundations.
Immediately all the doors flew open and
everyone's chains were pulled loose."
Acts 16:25-26
Can he cause an earthquake?
Can he pop open locked doors?
Can he pull the chains loose?
It's there in the Bible.
You can read it.
The question is: do you believe it?
I can tell you it is true.
Many people are in "prison" and God sets them free.
I have seen it.
It does happen.
God has shaken up people.
He has caused them to change their ways.
They are on a path to destruction
and they turn around.
I have seen people set free.
I've seen doors open.
They are closed in on themselves and
all of a sudden they start to think of others.
Amazing when that happens.
Can you feel the earth move beneath your feet?
God can do it.
(December 3, 1999 4:27 AM CST)
Yesterday I was on the
radio (106.9 FM)
I got the pictures of the snow geese
(Continued at 6:27 AM)
"I do not run like a man
You're going down the trail.
for a few seconds just after 10 AM.
They were raising money for The Stephen Center
on the first floor
where I work
.
I turned in my donation
and challenged others to do the same.
My company matched what I gave.
Here is an autographed picture of one
of the DJs
Allison
.
I told her that she was doing a wonderful thing
by helping these people and
she said that's why they are here ---
to help the community.
God bless them.
They did great!
If you want to help, write to:
The Stephen Center, 2723 Q Street, Omaha, NE 68107
at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge developed.
Here is a picture from the visitors center
of the
geese on the lake
.
Can you see the two eagles in the tree
just to the right of the gap in the water?
They are there.
If you are ever up there to visit,
take
the trail
to the right of the visitors center.
This is a picture of
the geese in flight
.
Instant snowstorm.
And another of them
flying overhead
.
Two trees reaching for the heavens.
They are something to see and
they make lots of noise too.
Beautiful.
How beautiful God's creation is!
There's thunder and lightning outside.
Maybe the drought is over...
who loses sight of the finish line."
1 Corinthians 9:26
Do you know where it leads?
Does it lead to something of beauty and splendor
or does it lead to darkness and doom?
Where is the trail taking you?
Are you going toward God or away from him?
Look around.
Where is the finish line?
What is your goal in this life?
Seek God.
Seek his beauty.
(December 2, 1999 6:02 AM CST)
Jesus said,
Jesus is searching for you.
"The Son of Man has come
to search out
and save what was lost."
Luke 19:10
He will never give up.
He is interested in you.
He made you.
He is watching over you.
He is seeing what you are doing with your life.
You can't hide from God.
God is everywhere.
He is all over the place.
For a few months now I've been searching
for a 1975 quarter.
I've found many coins for 1974 and 1976,
but none for 1975.
My theory is that very few were minted
because of the bicentennial 1776-1976 quarter.
I could go to a
coin dealer
and
my search would be over,
but it's a game that I play.
It's a real-life allegory that I live out each day.
I buy something and then look at my change.
Is it there?
Will I ever find this coin in circulation?
Is there any to be found?
Will the Lord ever find you?
Will you find the Lord?
Will the two of you meet one day?
God will never ever give up the search.
Be found.
(December 1, 1999 5:50 AM CST)
I just turned the pages
Yesterday I found out that
"The angel of the Lord encamps
If I think about it,
on the 3 calendars in my house.
It's the last time I'll do that in 1999.
someone I know got married.
Wonderful.
I've been praying for these two people
for over two years.
I keep their names on a piece of paper in my car
and pray for them each morning on my way to work.
around those who fear him,
and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the Lord is;
happy the man who takes refuge in him."
Psalms 34:8-9
sometimes I call on God to send angels
to watch over my neighborhood
and the houses of my family around town.
Ask God to send his angels.
They will help us fight this spiritual battle.
They are a blessing from above.
They will protect us.
They are messengers of peace.
