Broken or Happy

I just finished watching one more rerun of The Parent Trap for the upteenth time. And something caught my eye - the last two images at the end of the film are not of Haley Mills or of any of the other characters, but of two cross stitched banners. The first says "Bless Our Broken Home". As it fades out, a new banner appears, "Bless Our Happy Home".

I suppose that it might seem easy to say that we each have one or the other. In fact, the film might seem to hint that the core family had moved from the first to the second. It might seem that some would argue if we have not put the "broken" family away and become a "happy" family, then something is wrong.

But, it would seem to me, that the real truth lies in recognizing that the healthiest home is really both, rather than one or the other. After all, Scripture teaches that we are broken people and broken people live in broken homes. However, with God's grace, we can be happy even as we are broken.

My prayer is that I would continue to be happy with my family, even as I learn to place my brokenness in the hands of Jesus. May the same be true for you.

Yours because His,

Pastor Patrick

May I Never Forget
by
Floyd H. Johnson

I know not when Christ was born;
But I will celebrate it as best I can.

Though there may always will be trees and gifts,
I hope to always remember a Bethlehem manger.
Where the Son of God was born a while ago.

There were angels and shepherds and kings,
But first there was the Savior asleep in the manger.

Christmas is busy, let me never forget that night,
When the world would be forever be changed.

Christmas is busy, but let me ne'er forget that night,
When I would be forever changed.

Written in response to Lesson 5 of Beth Moore's book Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only.

The Leaf by Floyd H. Johnson

Today a leaf danced across my path.
It did a little jig as it moved along the ground,
urged along by unseen hands.

Dry and tender, it waltzed in step with the trees
who clapped their hands to the tune of some
silent melody.

I moved on, perhaps never again to see that sight,
though leaves will dance and waltz tomorrow.

A Demanding Week

This past week was tough. And I only have our local Christian radio station (http://www.fln.org) to blame . You see, on Tuesday morning I turned on the radio and was listening to the Morning Show, as it is called. The music was great, the interviews were okay, but then came that moment that would change my life forever. The announcers told the world, and me, that day had been proclaimed "Practice Winter Snuggling Night".

I, liked that idea, called my wife and told her what I had heard. And sure enough we practiced snuggling that evening.

But the silly radio station could not stop when they were ahead. Because now it was Thursday morning and again I was enjoying the music and commentary. And again, the announcer decided to tell the world and me that Thursday was "National Husband Make Dinner Night".

Now this was too much. I mean, I don't mind buying my wife candy on Valentine's Day. I even enjoy buying flowers for her on Mother's day. And getting a small gift for her on her birthday - I'll even do that. But when the local radio station combines snuggling on the day before Halloween and making dinner on the day after Halloween, it really is too much.

Now, I did snuggle. I did make dinner (Meatloaf, Alfredo Noodles, and Green Peas). But, come on now, I have been married for almost 34 years. Why is the local Christian station choosing to pick on me?

Or maybe I should ask, did you get to snuggle this past week? Did you make dinner for your wife this week? If not, it is not too late. Why not do it this next week?

Yours because His,

Pastor Patrick

You Alone by Floyd H. Johnson

You alone are God,
There is none besides.
      You alone can save,
      All others leave me lost.
You alone give life,
All else leaves me dead.
      You alone show grace,
      All others condemn.
You alone I will worship,
You alone will I serve.

Written in response to Lesson 4 of Beth Moore's Jesus: 90 Days With The One and Only.