FOUNDATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE

I grew up in an inexpensive house.  I knew we were poor when we visited my Uncle Dave.  They lived in a beautiful two-story home with immaculate furnishings.  The style of our furniture was Early Goodwill.  My father and a friend built an addition onto the kitchen.  At the time, it looked big, but it didn’t look so big when I came back as an adult.    

Many of you may have seen the Canadian comedy show, “Red Green.”  Red fixed everything with duct tape.  My dad fixed everything with Liquid Nails.  It often didn’t look that pretty, but was sometimes functional.

The house had a forbidden corner.  It was where a water pump once stood, so the floor sagged in that corner.  It wasn’t good for anything except storing bathroom linens.  My dad would say, “You kids don’t get too close to that corner, you might fall in!”  We were scared to get near it, except to retrieve a bath towel and wash cloth.  I would stand at some distance and reach as far as I could without falling into that chasm where I would disappear for all eternity.  If you ever dropped any change in the kitchen, it would probably roll down there, and the rescue of that coin wasn’t worth the danger.

Fast forward to the present.  We bought a house that had problems we weren’t aware of.  The house is not level!  Our ground is clay near a drainage ditch.  When it rains, the clay acts like a sponge, expanding the foundation.  Now, if a friend falls indoors, we only have to go to the Northeast corner of the room to find where they rolled.  Well, it’s not that bad, but you get the point.

FOUNDATIONS ARE IMPORTANT for houses and for nations.  Friday is Independence Day in the U.S. Our nation has certain foundational principles and ideas.  Those principles came from four basic sources.   The four major influences were ancient thought, Enlightenment philosophy, the English tradition, and Protestant Christianity.  (1) Ancient world thinkers and their failures taught the Founders a lot when constructing the American republic.   (2) Enlightenment thinkers emphasized that the people should rule themselves through a limited government that would protect natural rights and secure the liberties of the people.  (3) The British protected basic rights, such as the right to trial by jury, property rights, and no taxation without consent. The government would be limited, especially the monarchy. (4) The writings associated with the Protestant Reformation emphasized individual liberty from civil and religious oppression. Protestant ideas, based on Scripture, of resistance against tyranny were generally consistent with the other three strains of republican thought. (For further reading on this, click here.)

If you start to erode any of these four building blocks of the foundation of America, it causes instability.  If enough is chipped away, the nation can fall.  The one area that has most eroded is the Biblical principles because they are the easiest to attack and misinterpret.  We have gone on a witch hunt for Christian teachings that were used to build our original foundation.  After all, it was Jesus who told the story about the foolish man who built his house on a foundation of sand.  The winds and rain came, and the house was destroyed.  The wise man built his house upon a rock, and it withstood all that came against it. (Matthew 7:24-27).  We know how we built our foundation.  If we let it erode, we only have ourselves to blame.

As we consider these things, let’s be thankful for the wisdom of our founding fathers.  They gave us a great start. It is our responsibility to preserve it. 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Many Forms of Mother

 

For many, the word Mom or Mother represents a term of endearment.  This probably explains why Mother’s Day gets top billing over Father’s Day. 

Americans spent $33.5 billion on Mother's Day-related gifts and activities in 2024. The numbers for Father's Day were $22.4 billion last year.  There are some reasons for this with guilt being a top motivator.  We’ll leave it at that. 

Mothers fulfill an important role in our lives, as do all women.  A woman doesn’t have to be a mom to be a mom.  My friend, Donna, has made a couple of trips to Nepal to help out the churches there, where Christians are persecuted.  The person in leadership of over 100 churches there calls Donna, “Mom.”  It would not be proper to call her by her first name, so she is given that title.  She has made a great impact on his life.

We have a friend from Tanzania, Africa.  His home language is Swahili.  We don’t speak Swahili. Our language is Hoosier (look it up).  In their country, they show respect to an older woman or man as “Mama” or “Papa.” Linda is Mama, and I am Papa. These are terms of endearment.

When Jesus was on the cross, he looked down at his mother and the Apostle John standing with her.

            ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27 NIV)

Jesus was asking John to take care of his mother.  He was also asking his mom to take care of him.

Women who play a significant role in someone’s life can be a mom, mother, or mama.  They become our nurturers, cheerleaders, and inspirers in our lives.  They are there for us, love us, and guide us.  (Check out my story about Grandma Frye in the February 16, 2024 post, “Circle of Friends” to illustrate this).

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO YOU!

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Ignorant Misunderstandings

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Ignorance is a misunderstood word.  One might be called ignorant, but we somehow hear “stupid.” They are not identical twins or even distant cousins.  Ignorance does not mean a lack of intelligence, but of knowledge.  For example, what is hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia?  You don’t know?  You are not stupid, but ignorant.  You don’t have the information.

I have to remind myself that there are people around me that act unkindly or out of sorts.  My reaction might be, “What a selfish individual.”  How much do I know what that person is facing.  Perhaps they are ill, recently had some bad news, are hungry, or ate something that makes them nauseous. 

I have hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (known as HHT).  It is a genetic bleeding disorder. Over 95% of us have frequent severe nosebleeds. You would look at me and probably say, “I don’t see anything wrong.”  First of all, thank you for saying that.  There are plenty of disorders that people can see.  They get the attention.  That’s not to take away from the other ailments, it’s just a fact.  If I ask for a seat on a busy transit train, people might say, “What’s his problem?” If I were on crutches, they would understand. 

We never know what others are facing, so it’s important not to jump to judgement.  This is especially handy in traffic.  Avoiding road rage is a good thing.

Jesus was going through a tough Friday. The calendar calls it “Good Friday,” not because it was good for Jesus but because it was good for us. He took our burdens, mistakes, disorders, and imperfections on himself so we would not have to carry them around the rest of our lives. 

This was brilliantly portrayed in the movie, “Mission,” starring Robert De Niro as a priest who formerly enslaved the natives of Paraguay, but also killed his brother in a duel over a woman. I invite you to see the clip below. He carried a heavy weight in a net, up a mountain as penance.  It reminds me of what Jesus did for me while carrying his cross.  Because he took my load, I didn’t have that burden. Later, true forgiveness came amidst the wave of emotions and relief. (especially look at timestamps 146-259).

Suffering is difficult, but it can become our mentor regarding life, character, and relationship with others.

(c) Wally Johnston 2025

CHRISTMAS WITH A PURPOSE

 

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Each Christmas time, we kids in the neighborhood would go caroling.  It was a fun and constructive time, and it got us out of our parents' hair.  We lived up in Indiana near Lake Michigan, so there was snow and cold.  Often, when we performed at a neighbor's house, they would give us candy, cookies, or hot cocoa.  We appreciated the cocoa. It kept us going to our next gig. 

One year, we heard about a family from France who moved into the neighborhood at Christmas time.  They were professionals in balancing and juggling.  They had recently appeared on the Bozo the Clown TV show.  We also heard they were on hard times.  The cost of moving and little work added up to a sparse Christmas.

We had an idea.  When we went caroling, we could ask for money for this family rather than the other treats.  We collected a big chunk of change and got the goodies anyway.

We planned our last stop at the French family's rental home.  They opened the door very cautiously.  As we began to sing, they opened the door wider.  They enjoyed the music and the very idea that we would come and sing to them made them smile.  After we finished with, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” we handed them the card with the gift funds.  They had smiles and tears.  Their gratitude was evident, even with the language barrier.

Somehow, it didn’t seem so cold outside as we made our way back home.  I’m sure it was the warmth we felt in our hearts as we gave to others in need.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

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Please...consider sharing your own Christmas story.  Click the pencil below to reply.

 

 

Dysfunctional and Blessed Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is a time for families.  That can be good or difficult, depending on the situation.  When I was working as a law enforcement chaplain, I often saw families at their worst, especially during the holidays.  The Norman Rockwell painting of the family gathered around the Thanksgiving table doesn’t fit for all Americans.  We want to think it applies.  

I have been watching a series called, “The Secret History of Family,” produced by the BBC.  The episodes are based on three young women sisters who grew up in East London in the 1800’s.  It is not a nice place.  You wouldn’t want to rent a B&B there.  They live in poverty and all end up spending time in prison for their imaginative ways of making money that happen to be illegal.  

The story is a look back from the perspective of their decedents.  Some ended up well-to-do and others much dysfunction and estrangement.  It is a journey into story as one views each episode and realizes how knowing one’s story can bring understanding and healing.

My family has a long and short story in America.  My grandfather on my mother’s side, came to the U.S. in the late 1800’s.  My mother’s other side were Pilgrims who came on the Mayflower in 1620.  My father’s family came from before the American Revolution.  At least one was a Patriot who fought in the Revolution and his son in the War of 1812.  So I guess you could say they had plenty of  time to mess up!

What is your story as you gather around the table this Thanksgiving?  Mine includes estrangement, addiction, betrayal, chronic illness, along with other challenges.  It is also mixed with love, blessings, and hope.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  No gifts or expectation of gifts are needed.  It is simply time for families to gather and be thankful.  If it becomes a gripe session or political wrestling match, that isn’t being thankful.  Let’s put all of that aside and breathe a sigh of thanksgiving.

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What are you thankful for and why?  Please share with us all by clicking on the pencil icon below to reply.  We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

DIVINE CHRISTMAS APPOINTMENT

I have a row full of Bibles on my bookshelf.  Now you can download and read them on a tablet and save space, yet, there is something about physically holding a Bible.  

I parted with one of my Bibles today.  My eyes aren't stellar anymore.  I bought the Bible recently but when it arrived, I realized I couldn't see the print very well.  

I sold it on social media.  Rafael contacted me about buying the Bible for his son.  We agreed to meet at a designated place.  I got there first and waited a few minutes for him to arrive.  He drove up, got out of the car, and I greeted him.  He said his son is 37 and has had a drug problem.  "He wants to read the Bible," he told me.  When he paid me, I asked, "Rafael, can I pray over this Bible for your son?"  He said, please do." We both held on the to Bible and asked God to help his son, Emanuel, to overcome his addiction, and that the Word of God would help him on his journey, and give wisdom to his parents. His face beamed with a smile as he thanked me.

In the Bible, Isaiah 9:6 proclaims, 

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  

With that kind of Wonderful Counselor helping him, Emanuel can discover a new life.

I learned a long time ago, you can't plan these things.  They are truly divine appointments.  I find it interesting his son's name is Emanuel, meaning "God with Us."  This all happened less than a week before Christmas.  His message still makes a difference!

Merry Christmas!

He Lifted Me Up

 

Tonight, I saw a stage production about Jesus.  They showed Peter walking on water toward Jesus.  His mistake was taking his eyes off Jesus and focusing on the waves.  He started sinking. His mistake was taking his eyes off Jesus and focusing on the waves.  He started sinking.

I know that sinking feeling. One day Jesus called me out of my old life.  I felt like I was walking on water, and other times I let the waves of doubt, old addictions, and sin get my eyes off of Him.  Each time He lifted me up and pulled me out to a place of safety.  I couldn’t do it without Him.  Believe me, I tried a few times and it just doesn’t work.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.  By Jesus overcoming death and the grave, he paid the price for us to escape whatever keeps us down.  

If you don’t know Jesus Christ personally, listen to His voice to call you out of the boat of your present circumstances.  If you are willing, He will pull you out as well. If you do know Him, keep holding on!

HAPPY EASTER...HE HAS RISEN!

THE CHRISTMAS BLENDER

The older you are, the more Christmas memories you have. I have a lot of Christmas memories. Please allow me to share a few with you.

My Johnston grandparents, George and Mattie, were married on Christmas Day, 1900 (okay, I wasn’t around for that, but please let me continue.). Travel was by horse and buggy, so entire families seldom got together...except for Christmas.

My grandparents' wedding Christmas Day, 1900

We probably think that Christmas Day would not be a good day for a wedding, but you can understand how it worked at the beginning of the 20^th century.

Some people are fortunate, or not so fortunate, to have been born on Christmas. The best man at my wedding is an example.

As a kid, I received exactly what I wanted from Santa, a double-decker car garage, including little cars. After a full day of playing with my new treasure, I put it on my bed and then dozed off to sleep. The next morning it was flattened! I forgot to mention my younger brother and I slept in bunk beds, me on top and Jim on the bottom. In the middle of the night, Jim had a dream and rolled off the bed and came crashing down on top of my new car garage! I wanted to hit him, but couldn’t very well punish him for such a thing. To this day I wonder if he really did do it on purpose. Oh well, love you, Bro!

My neighborhood friend had an Uncle Dick who came each year pretending to be Santa Claus for neighborhood children. If I recall, he was juiced up at the time, which made him hilarious.

Some memories of Christmas were also eventful, but not always in a good way. I served many years as a Law Enforcement Chaplain. I would see the darker side of families who probably shouldn’t have been together for the holiday. I’ve had to go to fatal accidents and then report to parents the deaths of their children. Others experience abandonment from family. I’m aware of someone whose father said, “I don’t ever want to bother with you again.” Some go through the agony of estrangement or illness.

You probably have your own stories. But mine have balanced out somewhat. When I was a young boy my Mom spent some time in the hospital for depression. My dad worked swing shifts, so I became his overseer. Christmas was fast approaching and we didn’t know if Mom would be able to take a leave from the hospital. On Christmas Eve I saw someone pull up in our drive. It was our pastor. He went around to the passenger side and opened up the door...for our Mother! That was the best Christmas gift I ever had, even better than that car garage.

I close with this memory. In 1996, my wife and I went with a church group to Israel. We went to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. As we descended into that small cave under the floor of the church, we stood by the place that tradition says is the birthplace of the Lord Jesus Christ! 

The birthplace of Jesus Christ

You may never get to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, but you can still experience it, every time you have a new birth among your family and friends. Every birth is a fresh start, a new beginning. 

“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (The Message Translation).

How does God give us that fresh start to become a new person? The answer is a call to the manger. That gift overcame all brokenness, and estrangement from others and God, and provides eternal life itself.

Fake Thanksgiving News Uncovered By Native Americans (Updated)

William White

This will be the first Thanksgiving I’ll celebrate knowing that my 10th great-grandfather, William White, was a Mayflower passenger and signed the Mayflower Compact.  He died that first winter, so my 10Th great-grandmother was there for the first celebration.

There is a lot of fake news we learned in school that wasn’t accurate about that so-called “First Thanksgiving.”  Here is what I learned from the Wampanoag, the Indians who helped the Pilgrims.

“…most people do not know about the first Thanksgiving because the Wampanoag and Pilgrims did not sit down for a big turkey dinner and it was not an event that the Wampanoag knew about or were invited to in advance.” (Tim Turner, Cherokee, manager of Plimoth Plantation’s Wampanoag Homesite.)

The Pilgrims sent out four hunters in the morning who brought back an abundance of fowl (could have been turkey, but who knows).  Besides feasting, the men had target practice with their flintlocks.  The natives were alerted and set out to ensure the Pilgrims were not under attack.  That was when the Wampanoag invited or co-hosted themselves to the festivities.  Massasoit, the Chief, sent out a team who brought back five deer to add to the meal.  Fortunately, he did, because the number of Indians was two to three times the size of the settlers.

The food included venison, seafood, waterfowl (not to mention of turkey), maize bread, pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), and other squash.

The natives later did not look at Thanksgiving as a celebration, but as a day of mourning because of their treatment at the hands of the white man.

“At noon on every Thanksgiving Day, hundreds of Native people from around the country gather at Cole's Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, for the National Day of Mourning. It is an annual tradition started in 1970 when Wampanoag Wamsutta (Frank) James was invited by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to give a speech at an event celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival and then disinvited after the event organizers discovered his speech was one of outrage over the “atrocities” and “broken promises” his people endured.”

Frank James was supposed to address the crowd at the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival, but the organizers learned what he would share from the Indian perspective. They canceled him.  The message he was supposed to give contained this statement:

“This action by Massasoit was perhaps our biggest mistake. We, the Wampanoag, welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end.”

 

I certainly understand their feelings, but I have learned that it’s best to not look back at all of the injustice done to us.  Letting go of the injustice in my life has freed me to enjoy life better.  Take, for example, my friend Donna.  She is Japanese American and was born in a relocation camp that the government were so kind to set up after telling them they had to leave their homes and businesses within six days.  These were American citizens who were unjustly treated.  Many of the Nisai Japanese were bitter over their plight.  Donna’s parents  tried to put a positive spin on things and make the best of the situation.  After their release, the family had to start over again.  They worked hard and were steller American citizens.  Donna and all of her siblings went to college, earned degrees, and had a career. 

As I was watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, I saw a float made by the Wapanoag Indian tribe whose ancestors had to put up with the mistreatment of the white man at Plymoth.  The chiefs were smiling and waving at the crowd.  Apparently not all Wapenoag descendants view the Plymouth setters in the same way.  Some forgave and moved on.  This is not to say we should ignore injustice, but as time passes, we do ourselves a favor by forgiving and living a productive life.

Regardless of what historical view we have of Thanksgiving, the idea is for us to be grateful for what we have.  I know I am.

Labor (Day)

 I know this sounds weird, but the first thing that pops into my head when I think of “Labor” is the birth of our first-born son. My wife was 9 months along but it seemed like 15 months! I heard some noises from the living room. Upon arrival, Linda was rolling on the couch making noises that sounded painful. I said, “Should I get ready to take you to the hospital?” “No,” she said. She insisted we had plenty of time since the pains didn’t come often. Well, with that kind of time I went out to mow the yard. When I got back, the pains were more often. I asked her if I had time to take a quick shower. “I’m sure you will.” Well, you know the rest. When I returned after the shower, the pains were just minutes apart! I tried to get her to the car, but every time the pain subsided, she kept saying, “Just let me rest a little. Then the next pain came! I wasn’t sure how I was going to get her to the car. We somehow did and our baby boy was born, but during the trip, she broke off the door handles in the car! (Not really, but she could have.)

Labor Day has been set aside to honor all American laborers and their contributions to our nation. Most of us may not consider the purpose, other than a three-day weekend and the proverbial cookout. Some of our families may have Labor Day traditions, like meeting at Uncle Frank’s house, a softball game, hiking, etc. It does provide us a needed pause, take a breather, and reset.

In the Old Testament, God gave man a pause, a Labor Day. Just as God took a rest from his creation job on the Sabbath, he told us that we need to do the same. When I was growing up in the Midwest, Sunday was that special day. Most businesses were closed, except waitresses and cooks who worked on Sunday to feed the after church crowd. We have bypassed Sunday and have it made like any other day. Now, nearly everything is open. Perhaps we would be better off if we reinstated Sunday, (or Saturday depending on your church), to take a pause.

And God rested from his labors, and it was good.

PS My wife pre-approved this post. 😄

Spring: Rebirth, Rejuvenation, and Renewal

 

We live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon (Wil-lam-it; Or-e-gun). We know when Spring has arrived, our daffodils start coming up. Spring seems to offer new starts. Winter is gone, and some beautiful days are ahead. It’s my wife’s favorite season (and so is Christmas!). Personally, I like Fall. I love the cool breeze and the beautiful leaves on the trees. For me, Spring is a close second.

St. Valentine’s Day may be in February, but the old saying goes:

“In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” – Alfred, Lloyd Tennyson¹

Love, is indeed, in the air.

I imagine you have read the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. ² It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner:

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

There are some evil things going on in the world right now, but it’s good to know that love can conquer any of that.

There are various stories about Easter. Pictures come to mind like eggs (from bunnies?), candy, Easter baskets, etc. When I was a boy growing up in Indiana, my Mom would dress us up in our “Sunday finest.” We would pose for photos in front of our house flower bed. Little suits, ties, and Fedora hats. We looked so well behaved, but much of the time we would be underfoot so Mom would yell, “You kids go out and play in the street!” I know that sounds odd, but we lived on a dead-end street with little traffic. It was a safe place to kick bounce balls and throw footballs. We also had plenty of yard space. No one had fences then and one yard continued into another.

Spring. Though winters could be harsh, and we would receive lake effect snow off of Lake Michigan, the hope of Spring brought brighter days ahead.

Spring is a wonderful time in that God reminds us that life may seem gone, but only dormant. On that Resurrection Sunday we call Easter, the dormancy of death could not keep Jesus buried in a tomb. He broke out of there so he could always play with us in the street. And with that, demonstrated no evil can defeat His good, giving us hope that would never end. He is real, and his love is eternal, it never gets “loved-off.”

1https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45362/locksley-hall

2https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit.html

Saint Patrick's Day...a Horse of a Different Color

We once lived in Santa Monica, CA. I served as an associate pastor of a church. We had a young Irishman visiting for a time, so I thought we would help him feel at home. We invited him to our apartment for a St. Patrick’s Day party. We had the place decked out with green and shamrocks. After our other guests were gone, he said, “You know I’m from Northern Ireland.” I replied, “Okay?” He continued, “The Northern Irish are Protestant, not Catholic. Our color is orange, not green.” I hadn’t realized there was a difference and embarrassingly apologized. He responded, “No need. I just appreciate you thinking of me.”

If you look at the Irish flag below, you will notice the two colors. The white unites them.

There is quite a history behind those colors. My ancestors were from Scotland and were forced to move to Northern Ireland under King Charles I. They had to pay high rents to their English landowners. They were persecuted in Southern Scotland and then again in Ireland. The Catholic Irish didn’t like this imposition, which led to hostilities. My family put up with this for a while but eventually moved to America around 1750/60.

To learn more about this, and enjoy some Irish music, etc. click on  [1] at the bottom.

 Here’s my take on St. Patrick’s Day. The Catholic St. Patrick came to convert the island hundreds of years before the Protestants showed up. He was the one to bring the light of the Gospel (Good News) to the Emerald Isle. I don’t think we should let symbols cause divisions.

Sometimes various groups try to change the meaning of symbols. One example is the Blue Line Flag, which symbolizes that law enforcement is the barrier between anarchy and citizenry. It also pays honor to fallen officers. Some groups tried to change the meaning of that flag with a false narrative symbolizing bigotry.

I say on this St. Patrick’s day, we are celebrating the Christian Saint who brought Christianity to Ireland. On March 17^th, he would be wearing green. Let’s join him.

 Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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[1] All Things Orange and Green

FOR LOVE OF COFFEE

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 Ever since the costume party threw over that tea in Boston Harbor in 1773, Americans have been involved in a ritual called "coffee break" or "That first cup in the morning."  

In a study conducted by Urban Coffee Bean, they discovered...

The Most Interesting Coffee Statistics

• 64% of American adults currently consume coffee every day.

• More than 150 million Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee per day or more than 140 billion cups per year.

• 79% of Americans prepare coffee at home.

• Americans drink about 146 billion cups of coffee per year.

• 35% of coffee consumers usually drink black coffee.

•An average American drinks 3.1 cups of coffee per day. Read the complete article to find out more interesting facts: 

(https://urbanbeancoffee.com/coffee/usa-coffee-statistics/)

We all seem to have rituals around coffee.  For example, when I'm the first one up, I find my way to the single cup coffee machine and turn it on.  Then, I go back to my room to put on my sweats.  If I see a faint light at the bottom of my wife's door, I'll head back and make her a cup of coffee and take it to her (we don't sleep in the same room.  It's the Battle of the Snorers where no one wins...or sleeps).  Then I get my cup and lose myself in my comfy lounger.  That first sip is like magic.  I thank God they threw the tea in Boston Harbor.

I never understood people who say, "I love the smell of coffee, but I don't like the taste." That would be like saying, "I like the smell of home-baked cookies, but I can't stand the taste." Right.

I know you probably love coffee, but don't let that overshadow the more important loves of your life.  Your love life says something about you.  What do you want it to say?

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF...IT'S CHRISTMAS

 

I nearly missed being home for Christmas this year! I spent three days last week in the hospital. It started with a three-hour wait in the emergency room. I felt I needed help since I had been vomiting uncontrollably (how do you control vomit?). My tummy was not enjoying a night at the opera. Then I looked across the room and saw a young man sitting with his wife, holding a bucket on his lap and his face in the bucket. I had a bucket too but mine was still unused. I now didn’t feel so bad (pardon me for being so insensitive, but it was true. Anytime you want to feel better you look for someone worse off).

I felt out of control, like so many times before. That’s saying something for someone who is used to taking care of EVERYBODY ELSE. It’s not that I felt better than others, I just believed I had to take care of them. It’s called being co-dependent, and it sucks! Sometimes the person who appears to be most in control is least in control. That’s another story for another time.  

Melody Beattie, world-renown author and codependent, had a great story in her classic work, CODEPENDENT NO MORE. She describes a story about some young men who decided to trick an old hermit. He lived up in a mountain cave. The boys reached his place, and one guy grabbed this small bird. He said, "I have an idea to use on this wise hermit.” As they entered, the old man greeted them. He asked, “Is there something I can help you with?” The boy stepped forward, put out his hand, and said, “I have this little bird in my hand. Tell me, old man, is the bird alive or dead (If he said alive he would crush it). The hermit looked him in the eye and said, “That is up to you.” 

 We have a choice to hold on or let go of our control.

Mary, as in Mary and Joseph, must have felt out of control. How would you feel if you were a teenage virgin girl who was visited by an angel and told you were going to get pregnant? On top of that, Joseph wasn’t going to be the father. The father was going to be...well...God! Try explaining that to your folks. Mary did the right thing, SHE TOOK HER HANDS OFF. At such a young age she learned to let God have control. That must have been so freeing for her. 

You don't have to be codependent to want to control things.  Life can go sideways on us and we try to control the circumstances and outcomes.  There may be estrangement in the family; job loss; health issues; political problems, etc.  God's Christmas message is "Take your hands off." We need to trust Him even when He doesn't make sense, and that happens often.

Are you tired of trying to do it all, to keep all the plates spinning in the air at the same time? As a child, I tried to protect my Mom and brother. It didn’t stop there. I soon began to take on the world. It reminds me of that great post-reformation preacher, John Wesley, who said, “The world is my Parrish.” Wesley and I had something in common, we both took on too much.  How about you? Maybe it's time to "Let go and let God."

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Tim Keller has a great Advent devotional thought about Mary and her response to what was happening in her life. I strongly encourage you to listen to it.

The Fruit of Submission
You can jump to 8:28- 12:04 for the specific comments.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

FIX YOU

      

It’s Christmas Eve. This year it is a very different Christmas. I’ve been around a long time (don’t ask, trust me), and I’ve never experienced a pandemic Christmas. I don’t recommend it to anyone.

Around here, I’m known as Mr. Slow Wrench (to be more accurate, Mr. Good and Slow). I’m good at fixing things and I get a lot of projects because the people I work for, my wife, granddaughter, etc., don’t pay me. Maybe I should be called Mr. Poor Wrench. It’s true, I can fix many things. By the time you get it back you will have grown older, sometimes much older, but eventually you get it back fixed. You may not recognize it, but it will work, probably. One of my favorite TV characters is Canadian Red Green, who fixes everything with duct tape. Sometimes he comes up with some pretty good inventions that probably can’t be mass produced.

I HAVE SOME BREAKING NEWS, there are some things in life that cannot be fixed because we live in a broken world. Relationships break, things break, people get sick, and some die. Nations go to war, parents battle each other, abuse and family estrangement happens. If you want to see other examples, turn on the news.

I don’t know what you have faced during 2020, but we all have two common experiences, the pandemic, and we are broken.

The Bible is referred to as the Good News—the Gospel. Because we have too many things we can’t fix, God came down as a human baby, born in Bethlehem. It was as if God were saying, “I’ve got this covered,” and in fact Jesus does have it covered. He has covered our brokenness, and if we let Him, he will fix us.

(c) Wally Johnston 2020

The following are the lyrics to a song. The author says, “I’ll try to fix you.” Jesus says, “I’ll fix you.”

Click here to listen to the song on YouTube.

FIX YOU.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something, you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try, you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something, you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I
Tears stream down your face
I promise you, I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Songwriters: Christopher Anthony John Martin / Guy Rupert Berryman / William Champion / Jonathan Mark Buckland

Fix You lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Mgb Ltd.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

 

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You probably remember at least one gift you got for Christmas as a child. Santa brought me a toy service station (for the younger crowd, a service station actually provided service instead of just gas. They always washed your windows, checked the air in your tires, and checked your oil and it had a full car repair garage), with a ramp to a parking loft above the business. It worked great with my matchbox cars. I don’t remember what other gifts I got that year because it didn’t matter, I had MY garage.

That night I placed it by my bed before I went to sleep. The first thing I looked for in the morning was the station. Overnight it sank! Did I mention, my brother and I had bunk beds and he was on the bottom? Yep, during the night he rolled off his bed and my garage broke his fall, and in the process, my beautiful new, shiny service station! Want to know how I felt? Don’t ask!

Let’s move on to something more pleasant. The last few months of my mother’s life were spent at our house. Because she was bound to a wheelchair she remained home while we went to church (it was an old church with a gazillion stairs). When we got home and entered the living room, we found our Christmas tree horizontal on the floor. My Mom sat there and smiled from her wheelchair. We blamed her for speeding in her wheelchair and knocking it over! She just LAUGHED!

My most memorable Christmas was the time my mother got to come home for Christmas. She had been hospitalized for some time and we weren’t sure she would be released in time to join us. My dad worked different shifts at the steel mill so I was left to care for my younger brother. I really missed her! I can’t remember if it was Christmas Eve or Day, but as I looked out the living room window, I saw our pastor’s car pull into our driveway. From the passenger side, my mother stepped out of the car! She was home for Christmas. It was the best gift I ever received.

I can go on-and-on about my memories, but I want to hear about YOUR MEMORIES. Are you willing to share them with us? I look forward to reading your replies below.

ANNOUNCEMENT...I hope to have a special Christmas post for you next Thursday or Friday. Come back to see it!

(c) Wally Johnston 2020

“There are two kinds of people in this world, those who like Dr. Pepper, and those who don’t”

ROUND PANCAKES AND OTHER CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

 

Today we are looking at family Christmas traditions. Every family is unique. They all have their ways to celebrate and remember. For example, a teenaged girl was observing her mother preparing a roast for dinner. Before putting the roast in the pan, she cut off a little bit on both ends.

“Why do you do that?” she asked her mother.

“Do what?” Mom replied.

“Why do you cut off each end of the roast?” she wondered.

“Well, I guess I never thought about it before. That’s the way my mother always did it,” was her answer.

She called her grandmother on the phone and inquired about this strange way of meal preparation. “Why dear," her grandma replied, “I cut the ends off so I could fit the roast into the pan.” They both had a good laugh and she reported her finding to her mother. That event became an accidental family tradition. 

Importance of Traditions

Here is a good definition of traditions:

There is a reason we intentionally maintain and create traditions – it's because they bring meaning to our celebrations and help bond us to those we love. They lend a certain spirit that nurtures the family connection, giving us a sense of belonging and helping us celebrate generations of the family..(I would add, they are part of our family story.)

www.childhelp.org › blog › traditions

The family roast story may seem odd, but there are other families who have some really unusual Christmas traditions:

• One family made a creche using items from all the places they visited or lived. It reminded them of those memories.

• Pop in a Can – On Christmas morning, after the gifts are opened, the family brings their coffee or egg nog and watch grandpa as he steps into the recycle can to compress the wrapping. They then offer him a toast then go back inside!

• Santa’s Lap – When you think about it, how weird that we take our young children to a bearded stranger to sit on his lap and ask for toys?! No wonder so many kids cry! As a child my dad would take me to see the santa in town. All I wanted to do is get away from him because he had terrible breath.

• Here are some Weird Christmas Traditions Around the World Buckle your seatbelt. Some of these are way out there!

One of my family’s favorite Christmas tradions is serving a Chrismas breakfast of aebleskivers. These are Danish pancakes (see photo above). You fix up the batter  and is cooked in a special pan in butter. They come out marble shaped and you can add syrup, powdered sugar, or both.  They are often served with lingonberry. See the recipe at the bottom of the article.

YOUR TURN...What is a Christmas tradition your family participates in each year? Please “reply” and share it with the rest of us.

NEXT WEEK...we will share a favorite Christmas memory. Be prepared to share yours!

Aebleskiver Recipe

(c) Wally Johnston 2020

“There are two kinds of people in this world, those who like Dr. Pepper and those who don’t”