What will the future bring?

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE

I don't know about you, but I sometimes get concerned about the future. I
don't know if I actually worry about it, but sometimes it is close to that.
I am concerned about the state of our world; I am concerned about the
financial condition of our country; I am concerned about what the government
will or won't do to the stability of our country; I am concerned about what
kind of world our children and grandchildren will have to live in; I am
concerned with how things will turn out in our lives as we grow older.

Again, I am concerned, but don't worry about it. Every day, just as perhaps
you do, I strive to turn my future over to God. Sometimes I successful,
sometimes I'm not.

I recently read a quote from Corrie Ten Boom that said, "Never be afraid to
trust the future you don't know, to a God you do know". I don't know about
you, but from time to time I need to be reminded of that fact! Don't most of
the issues in our lives have a direct relationship to our reliance upon God
or our relationship to him? Who is it we turn to in times of trouble, is it
our friends and family, our co-workers, or do we first think of God. Your
answer to that question may explain your success or failure in some of your
struggles.

I am endeavoring every day to rely more upon God regarding my future.
Shouldn't we really be able to trust the future to our God we know? In the
scripture we read: "God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I
forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) So, if we know this promise and know the one
who made the promise, how can we not trust our future to his hands? David
said of God in Psalm 31:15, "My future is in Your hands".

We have read the words, we know the promise; we know the one who made the
promise, now it is time for us to live like we believe the promise. Stop
worrying about that which you can't change or can't direct yourself and turn
it over to God.

Russ Lawson

What does curmudgeon mean?

THE BLOOD MOON AND THE CURMUDGEON

Last night we had a total Lunar eclipse which is a wonderful event to
behold, however in our area it was visible at 4 O'clock in the morning.
There has been some discussion about the event being "a sign from God,"
which I think shows a great lack of understanding for biblical prophecy and
events. So, No I definitely don't think it was a sign from God, other that
to show how wonderful the universe he created works.

Now my wife is into those kinds of events and enjoys them more that I. She
talked about getting up to watch the Lunar Eclipse and I told her, "Well,
don't wake me; I'm going to be a bit of a Curmudgeon about it."

Now the dictionary defines "Curmudgeon," as a person (especially an old man)
who is easily annoyed, sometimes easily angered and who often complains or
grumbles." I don't know if I fit into all of those areas of description, but
if you wake me up at 4 A.M. I do tend to be a bit annoyed and grumble about
it. The funny thing is; that I'm often up at 4 A.M. working in my office,
but if I happen to be asleep I like to stay that way.

As things would happen, I woke up at 3:50 A.M. and thought seriously about
trying to go back to sleep. I know that once I wake up, it is very difficult
for me to shut down my brain and go back to sleep. However, I also thought
about how happy seeing these events makes my wife of 47 years (who just
happened to be sound asleep). I thought you have a choice; you can be a
curmudgeon or be a blessing to her. So, as gently as I could, woke her up
and asked if she would like to go out and look at the moon with me.

We pulled on some warm clothes and went out and stood in our front yard
watching the moon and as we watched we saw a shooting star flash across the
sky in front of the moon (another one of her favorite things). We watched
for a few minutes and went in, hugged and kissed and she went to bed and I
went to my office.

OK, what's my point? It is that we have a choice in how we act and how we
relate to other people. After 47 years we still do the things Newly Weds do.
We hold hands, hug and kiss often, fix one another's tea and coffee, massage
sore muscles, go shopping for cloths together and in general do the things
that love demands. even getting up at 4 O'clock in the morning to watch the
moon.

Notice this interesting modern translation of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is
never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high
opinion of itself, love has no pride; Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no
thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of
evil; It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true; Love
has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping
all things." (BBE)

How about you, have you been a bit of a curmudgeon lately? Maybe it's time
to turn things around and remember what love is all about.

Russ Lawson