Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Reflections

This Christmas I was overwhelmed by how important family is to me. A couple of days before Christmas day, my immediate family exchanged our gifts. I have said it before, but let me say it again: I am a blessed man.
God has given me much more than I deserve. He has blessed me with a extraordinary life-partner and three great children (a daughter and son-in-law, and a son).

I am grateful for the gifts that I received, but I was overwhelmed with how God has blessed me with my family. Maybe it is a sign of old age or maybe it is the first Christmas without our parents. But family is important.

At creation God established the home and the church. God knew that we needed to be surrounded by family. On the sixth day of Creation God created male and female. Then in Genesis 2, God says: "It is not good for man to be alone." God knew our need for family.

On Christmas Eve, our immediate family traveled to the Metroplex where we were able to spend time with my brother and his immediate family and my wife's sister. I am grateful that God provided me with family. We (and I include myself) take family for granted. Thank God for your family and enjoy spending quality time with them.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Merry Christmas

Christmas is a special time of year. I love Christmas music. I have several Christmas CD's, though I haven't had much time to listen to them this year. It is exciting to listen to new arrangements of familiar carols.

Even though Christmas is a special time of year, we get too involved in the hustle and busyness of the season. We rush from store to store trying to find the perfect gift. Added to the shopping we are busy with parties, musicals, church, work, etc. We get so busy with these good things that we often overlook the best thing.

We must not allow these things to keep us from worshiping THE GIFT. There is a lesson we came learn from the shepherds who can to the manger. In Luke 2:16-20 the Word of God says: So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The Shepherds "spread the word" about what they had seen and experienced. Have we become so calloused that we forget what it was like to have experienced the Savior? Return to the Manger and worship the Savior.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Congratulations

This weekend my son-in-law will be graduating from Texas A&M University. It has been four 1/2 long years for him. In those years he has had challenges, adversity, and hard times. In those years he has worked several hours a week, taken classes, studied, and married my daughter (you will have to ask Clay if his marriage is a challenge, adversity or a hard time).

Seriously, it has been a hard road for him, but he has persevered. It makes me proud to see how he has overcome all that he has faced. If you look in the dictionary for perseverance you should see Clay's picture.

Even though I am a Baylor Bear, I must say that I am proud to have two graduates who are Aggies. That leaves just one more (hint, hint) to graduate. Hopefully, we will be in this position in two more years.

Clay, congratulations for your accomplishments. I am proud of you.