25 Years and Counting.......

Last night Helen and I celebrated 25 years of marriage with an open house at the church. Our actual anniversary date is May 29, but it just made sense to celebrate on Friday rather than Tuesday.

You know, I wouldn't trade the past 25 years for anything. I've worked harder and loved more and had more fun than I could ever imagine. Would I marry Helen again? In a heartbeat!

Marriage doesn't "just happen". It requires an investment on both parts........not 50-50, it requires 100-100!

My encouragement to you is this:

If you're married, work at it and NEVER give up! Ecclesiasties 7:8 says: Finishing is better than starting! (Ecclesiastes 7:8a)

If you're considering marriage, take your time and wait for God to bring the right one to you. Proverbs 18:22 tells us: He who finds a wife finds what is good.

25 year.........WOW! Now, on to the next 25!!!

It's Not The Goal That Matters Most

We've talked about setting goals on a couple of occasions....but let me give you another perspective on the issue.

There have been countless books and articles written about the need to set specific goals. It's been said that without goals there can be no achievement - so we're encouraged to make a detailed list of everything we want, from professional achievements to material acquisitions.

The problem with this line of thinking is that it forces us to focus on the wrong thing. Success isn't found in keeping an eye on the destination, but by taking care of the details of the journey. Sure, it's important to know where you're going and goal-setting has its place. But more important than the final goal is the route we take in getting there.

See, you can have goals, or "targets", but you can't control the "target". Targets tend to move and have a way of being missed. But I can control the process; I can control the steps I take.

It's this way in all aspects of life. A salesman can't control his income, but he can control how many calls he makes, and how well he knows his presentation. An athlete can't control the final score, but he can control how he gets ready for the game and how hard he plays. Parents can't control the decisions their children make, but they can control the amount of time, love, patience and forgiveness they pour into their children's lives.

Theologian Henri Nouwen once said, "We cannot make it rain, but we can see to it that the rain falls on prepared soil." And realistically......this is as far as our contribution to success goes.

Friends, if your goal is heaven......and I pray that it is.......then it's important that we tend to things down here on our journey. I love what the apostle Paul wrote to a young man named Timothy about this very issue. He said, "If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for hispurpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master touse you for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21)

I encourage you to keep your eye on the goal, but keep your focus on the journey. Take it one step at a time......following God.......trust Him forHis help all along the way. Then, when you achieve the ultimate goal......celebrate!!!

I look forward to celebrating with you!!!

Choose Well

Every day of our lives, we are faced with choices. Inside the supermarket and you'll find 24 different bagged salads, 107 different of cheeses, 30 kinds of muffins, 40 flavors of coffee, and 80 brands of cereal in the first 10 feet of the aisle! Books? Amazon.com has millions. Music? iTunes has thousands. The menu at the restaurant is like a small book. Choices!

Many choices we make won't have many long_lasting implications. But some choices carry long-term significance; choices like whom we’ll marry, or what career path we'll follow. Then there's the most important choice of all . . . the choice to follow Christ.

The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who made choices that impacted their entire lives. Moses chose to help his fellow Jews over the fame and fortune of Egypt. Joseph chose to obey God rather than give in to the seduction of an attractive woman. The list could go on and on.

But what about those who made bad choices.....and the consequences? Adam's choice cost him Paradise. King Saul's choice cost him his kingdom. Judas's choice cost him his life and his eternal soul. The choices we make in time are binding in eternity. We make our decisions . . . and then our decisions make us.

God cares deeply about the choices we make in the course of our lives. He wants us to make decisions that will bring success and joy in our lives on earth, and then into His presence for eternity after we pass from this life.

God’s desire can be summarized in Moses’ words to the children of Israel. "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life." (Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NLT)

Maybe you are at a crossroads in your life. You know the right way to go, but there is that shortcut that looks awful tempting. Be careful! We make our decisions . . . and then our decisions make us. I encourage you, friend, choose well.