Flag Day 2021
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Let’s make sure that it does!
Today, Flag Day, we as a nation have set aside to remember the adoption of our flag on June 14, 1777. I have often pondered that question, first asked by Francis Scott Key, as he was watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry.
244 years later, the flag of the United States of America flies beautifully this morning in front of our house. The flag pole itself was a gift from my father, many years ago, due to his deep love for our nation and our flag.
As I stood next to his grave yesterday in Winchester, Virginia, I smiled as I recalled how much he loved to fly the flag of the United States of America, and to celebrate this day.
Oh for sure, we are a nation with many current challenges, yet with a deep tradition of God-based liberty and freedom upon which our society rests. What an amazing thing it is, to have the red, white, and blue as a symbol known around the world, representing the freedom-loving people of the United States.
Dad would often start this day, and many days, by loudly playing his favorite song, John Philip Sousa‘s, Stars & Stripes Forever. There was also a very heartwarming event that took place just on June 5th, a few days ago, at the start of a hockey playoff game, that is worth listening to and observing if you have not done so yet. In youtube, type : Islanders hockey playoffs national anthem. It has quickly become one of my favorite versions of our National Anthem, and might even become my favorite.
As you start a new day, smile along with me at what is best about our nation as we recall words that we should never forget, O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Let’s make sure that it does!
The Create-a of the Cicada
Take a moment today to smile in awe and wonder of the Create-a of the cicada.
This weekend, I’ve been like a kid in a candy store about to purchase a long-awaited lollipop. For a number of weeks, I’ve anticipated this weekend trip to celebrate Mom’s birthday, see family, and to celebrate the once every 17 year cicada.
As soon as we arrived in Winchester, I recognized the sounds that I had also experienced in 1987 and in 2004. To say that I was excited to see the 2021 brood x cicadas is an understatement.
O how time flies, and how quickly do the years buzz bye. To some, I am certain that my fascination with these crazy creatures bugs them and seems a bit bizarre. Yet, their re-emergence reminds us of grander grandeur in nature established by God, the awesome author of our existence.
In 1987, my first encounters with cicadas coincided with the first few weeks of our marriage. I recall seeing scores of them fly back and forth as I drove to work on the Washington, D.C. beltway. Memories abound of my beautiful bride who then and now grows in grace and beauty with each passing day.
In 2004, I vividly recall visiting Mom and Dad and how my father and I eyed massive amounts of them on the smaller trees in their yard. Trees very similar to the 15 foot one in my sister’s yard that I was staring at Saturday evening that was teeming with perhaps 400 - 500 cicadas.
O how I miss Dad since he was taken from this life in 2012. However, vivid memories of that day in 2004 remind me of Raymond Gritsko, my dear dad and namesake, and magnify the mystical bond that I feel with these resplendent red-eyed insects.
Perhaps these extreme experts in social distancing, isolation, and “quarantines,” can offer us encouragement as we re-emerge and re-establish our lives as prayerfully, and soon this pandemic passes.
As the Bible states in Psalm 104:24, “O Lord, how many are your works. In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions.”
Almost every time I read that verse, I begin to sing the 1977 song by Amy Grant simply named, Psalm 104. If you’ve never heard it before, pull it upon YouTube today and hopefully it gives you a smile.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along life’s journey, as you start a new day, and a new week, preparing for the opportunities and challenges ahead,
take a moment today to smile in awe and wonder of the Create-a of the cicada.
Memorial Day 2021
On this Memorial Day of 2021, let us take time to be inspired by those who gave their all for our nation, so that we will have renewed strength and courage to do the same.
I took a ride this morning to the cemetery. I went to see the flags next to the graves of those who served our nation so valiantly and so strongly.
As the sun rose, I thought about those who can no longer speak for themselves, yet next to their grave is an American flag.
I also thought about you. I don’t know who you are, or the pain you still suffer as you mourn a lost loved one, friend, or comrade in arms, but please know that a grateful nation mourns with you.
Thank you to those who fought and died defending the best ideals of our nation. Thank you to those who gave their all, very far from home, whose hopes and dreams were cut short by the harsh realities of war.
Thank you also to those who mourn the loss of a loved one today. While our prayers and good intentions can never replace your loss, as hard as today might be for you, please know that I, and many others, are also praying for you.
I also asked Mom yesterday if she recalled a Memorial Day that stood out in her mind because this day meant a lot to Dad. She recalled about 50 years ago, when I was 7 or 8, when I and my siblings, cousins, and grandparents watched Dad raise the flag, on the flagpole in front of our house, something Dad proudly did on most national holidays.
Mom says that what stuck in her mind, as she watched out the window while making breakfast, was what she called the ‘ragtag group gathered in the front of our house,' organized by a man who never lost an opportunity to honor the nation that he loved. She reflected how over the years she had wished many times she had taken a picture of that special morning.
As I attended the Memorial Day weekend ceremony yesterday here in Scottsville, I thought of the patriotism that Dad passed on to me. I was heartened to see the deep love of country, honor, duty, and sacrifice thriving amongst the veterans assembled and all those who took part in the event. (If you’d like to see 2 small clips from that event, go to Youtube and type in Scottsville Memorial Day 2021 Dan Gritsko)
No matter where you live, take time today, amidst the events of this weekend to recall American heroes of the past, who are no longer here to tell their story. On this Memorial Day of 2021, let us take time to be inspired by those who gave their all for our nation, so that we will have renewed strength and courage to do the same.
Simple
God is ready, willing, and able, to preserve the simple.
Last week, as I was reading the Bible, I came across a curious and wonderful concept that I discovered in Psalm 116. The more I thought about it, the more it intrigued me. Over the course of several days, I had fun and learned an important lesson as I took something simple, made it complicated, and in so doing realized the immense beauty that God gives to us in simplicity. Join me for a short journey into what I learned.
In the 1984 version of the New International Version of the Bible, or, NIV, Psalm 116: 6 states, “The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.” At first, I was struck by the profound declaration that God protects the simple hearted. I then began to ponder how often I complicate my life, and was amazed by this concise, clear, and powerful affirmation of a ‘simple’ approach to God. I considered how much wiser and of greater advantage it is, to get rid of all pretense, and to admit that in comparison to God’s abilities, I have nothing to offer.
As I looked further, I noted that many translations simply say, “God protects the simple.” The original Hebrew, states, “Somer Peta yim Yahweh,” or, how I would translate it, “Yahweh preserves the simple.” It amazed me also, that in the original Hebrew, the writer didn’t use Elohim or Adonai, other words referencing God. However, Yahweh was used, the most powerful, personal, high and holy name of God, the name that was so sacred to the children of Israel that they would not even state or fully spell it.
What an incredible thing it is to be simple, and to live simply, and have the enormous advantage of having Yahweh, the God of all time, space, and eternity to protect, provide for, and preserve us. I also smiled as I noticed how in the 2011 version of the NIV, the translators changed simplehearted to unwary. I am not exactly sure why they did that, nor am I suggesting it was necessarily wrong that they did so, but perhaps keeping the word, simplehearted, simple, is the simplest approach. Especially since I now have a deeper appreciation of how I overcomplicate things, as perhaps also did the translators?
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend on the journey of life, no matter what troubles or blessings await you this new day and new week, join me in my new appreciation for the value of simplicity, knowing that God is ready, willing, and able, to preserve the simple.
The Same God
The same God who makes the seasons change, is the same God who loves you and me.
At times, God uses a song to overwhelm my senses and to tie together the often scattered pieces of my life. In those magical moments, His radiant light shines into the deepest recesses of my being, not only giving me hope, courage, and new strength, but also reminding me that the great God of all time, space, and eternity, loves a simple sinner, such as me.
On Saturday morning, just before 8am, as I was driving near the mileground in Morgantown, West Virginia, I heard Hannah Kerr’s new song, Same God. Although I had already been up, since a little after 5am, it was hearing this super song that tied together the pieces of my soul bringing new meaning to this incredible moment. (To find this amazing song, simply go to youtube, and type in - Same God Hannah Kerr.)
I was already taking in the breathtaking wonders of a heaven-sent historic day that included Rachel's graduation from WVU, our 34th wedding anniversary, while we were all actually in the town where Sunny and I came to know Jesus, met, graduated from college, married, and had our first child.
Oh how awesome and incredible, you are, O God, and how infrequently do I ponder the vastness of your love. However, there you are, pursuing me, just outside the edges of my comprehension, you are ready and willing to come to my aid, if I would just ask.
Throughout the ages, philosophers have at times criticized those of us who believe in the love and daily intervention of God, as those unable to withstand the rigors of this life on our own living in need of a celestial crutch. To quote one such confused thinker, Karl Marx, the ‘father’ of socialism and communism who stated, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.” Really?
Stating that I’m in need of a crutch isn’t a good word picture, because it not only understates the impact of God in my life, but it belies the mistaken idea that I can get anywhere in life without God. I cannot. I’m not in need of a crutch; I am in desperate need of a savior. A Savior who can save me from my sins, a savior who can restore my relationship with God, and a savior who can give me a new start in life and make me a new person. No, I don’t need a crutch Karl, and I don’t need just any savior, I need Jesus.
To take on Marx, Jesus was not only the greatest liberator the world has ever known, but the one who broke the power of sin and death, who holds the keys to eternity, and has brought, and continues to bring, the greatest hope, to those living under countless forms of oppression, the result of failed human systems, and supernatural forces who have opposed the good of humanity throughout history.
Back to the song, in the past few months, I’ve been living through an intense and exciting time in my profession in the field of educational student travel, and this special day at WVU was a much needed respite for my soul.
In her song, Hannah Kerr captures the amazing wonder that it is to know the God of the Universe. The same God who ‘knows the number of the stars,’ that God, the powerful awesome, and indescribable God, that God, ‘tells the tide when it should rise, put the color in my eyes.’ That same God - that one, that same God, deeply and overwhelmingly loves you and me.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along life’s journey, as you start a new week, with both opportunities and difficulties ahead, if there is a song that inspires you in your pursuit of God, give it a play this morning to start your week on solid footing. And if you haven’t done so yet, listen to this new song by Hannah Kerr, and smile along with me knowing that the same God, who makes the seasons change, is the same God who loves you and me.
God Made the Moon
Do you ever take time to stop and laugh at yourself?
Very early this morning, I was awake and working on the computer. It is a super busy time trying to help get things going again in the world of travel, and my to-do list is growing longer. After finishing a project, I decided to take a walk outside and enjoy a few minutes of the early morning.
At the same time, I was wearing my earbuds and had been listening to a playlist that I created and had titled, “You are Awesome God.” As I walked out the door, I was listening to John Elefante’s song, “That’s Why God made the Moon.”
As I listened to the beautiful lyrics, straight ahead I barely noticed the actual moon. I was so mentally occupied, already running through my to-do list in my brain, that I hardly noticed.
After my 2nd or third glance upward, I realized I was looking at the moon, the amazing natural satellite that orbits the earth at roughly 280,900 miles, the same one the song was about.
It was then that I stopped and laughed at myself. I was already so caught up in my tasks, that I almost missed the opportunity to stop and wonder at the awesomeness of God. As I reflected on the moon, and the song, I realized how silly I am at times. Way too often, I get so busy, with the challenges I am facing or my to do’s that I often miss what is right in front of me, the incredible displays of love and wonder, given to all of us, by the God of all time, space, and eternity.
But that wasn’t all, to make it even sweeter, a beautiful morning star was also right there, next to the moon. As the song says, ‘“and every star up in the sky, has driven me to testify, that I want to know you; That’s why God made the moon.”
Brother or sister in Christ, or dear friend along the journey of life, May God bless you with a wonderful day today. Whether your day is full of great promise, lots of to-dos, or even very difficult challenges, remember the great love that God has for you, and for me, and perhaps ask yourself the question, Do you ever take time to stop and laugh at yourself?
In Honor of a Great President
Shortly after noon on April 30th, 1789, our nation inaugurated General George Washington as our first President, in New York City. Not only was it an incredible moment in the history of the world, but it was also one that Americans of all generations would be wise never to forget.
George Washington was the preeminent leader of America’s founding generation, shortcomings and all. In the election of 1788-89, He was elected by a margin no other president has since eclipsed. Although he was far from a perfect human being, none of us are, he lived in an era that allowed for the horrible evil of slavery, of which he also participated.
Not only should modern historians draw attention to his failings, but they, and we, would be dangerously short-sighted to forget the unique aspects of his legacy that helped establish the greatest nation on earth.
In his inaugural address, among many noteworthy comments, he credited God, in helping establish this nation, a sentiment we must never forget. He stated, “It would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official Act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the Universe, who presides in the Councils of Nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the People of the United States..."
However, I have often thought that one single act by George Washington was not only his greatest gift to our nation, but one that would later profoundly help the framers of our beloved Constitution. A few years earlier, General Washington resigned his commission to congress, perhaps the most important moment, in American history.
It took place on December 23rd, 1783, and was captured by John Trumbull, in his famous painting that hangs in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building, and also used in this post. In so doing, he personified ‘what it looks like’ to live within the constraints of a form of government based on God-given liberties, the ability of a free people to govern themselves, and a limit on the power of that government, and those serve in it.
Most, in similar circumstances throughout the course of world history, went on to become kings, tyrants, dictators, despots, and often destroyed the nation they had just led. Not George Washington. The most important leader in American history walked away from power. When he did so, he entrusted his fellow citizens with the ability to govern themselves and to be able to create and sustain the most amazing form of government the world has ever known.
Today, April 30th, 2021, and many presidents later, we would do well to recall the words and actions of President Washington. Take time this weekend to read the words he spoke 232 years ago, but also taking time to smile, as you start the day, to remember a very special day in New York City, in honor of a great president.
He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!
For many years, it has been my practice to wake up early on Easter Sunday morning and loudly play the “Easter Song.” As I did it again earlier this morning, I thought of the many times I played it over the years in an effort to also wake up our kids as we headed out to a sunrise resurrection Sunday celebration!
OK, I admit on more than a few occasions I was asked to turn it down, but I’m sure all of my kids will attest to that song being clearly tied to this incredible day!
Although the song has since been performed by many others, my favorite version is by the group Glad. I’d encourage you to go to Youtube at some point today and check it out.
Written by Keith Green in 1977, the song proclaims the greatest news the world has ever known, the amazing truth that “Christ is risen from the dead.”
Stepping back to that moment in history, now roughly two thousand years ago, his followers had recently witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial. Afterwards, they had left, shocked, dismayed, perplexed, and deeply mourning the loss of the One they had given up everything to follow.
In their sorrow and confusion, early, that first Easter Sunday morning, a few of them went to the tomb. As they arrived they found it empty, and heard the astonishing message, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen!”
Two millennia later, the words found in the gospel of Luke still send shockwaves into a world ravaged by sin, and one still struggling to slowly find its way out of the pandemic.
Dear brother or sister in Christ or friend along life’s journey, as you go about your day today, and celebrate the greatest news the world has ever known, take time to find inspiration, courage, and perhaps even a new start in life, knowing that
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming
The terrible reality of sin made the baddest of Fridays ‘good’ and reminds us that yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!
Today is ‘good’ Friday, the day that marks the most momentous millisecond in history, the moment when Jesus died on the cross. At first glance, ‘good’ seems to be the most insanely inaccurate expression for the day that the Son of God, the Savior of all, was beaten, forsaken, tortured, crucified, died, and was buried.
However, history’s most horrible moment, simultaneously was swallowed up, transformed, and redefined, by the greatest act of love that the world had ever, and will ever know. Our most amazing and awesome God, the one who set the galaxies in motion, and created love, time, space, and eternity, physics, chemistry, and biology, became the sacrifice for your sins and mine.
To be certain, the consequences of sin are evident by a simple sampling of daily news and also in each of our lives. Sin is the horrendous reality that destroys everything it comes in contact with. Sin not only separates us from God, but also from each other. But thankfully, the unthinkable happened, and sin and even death were defeated.
I have often pondered that of all the systems of philosophy, of all the worldviews, of all the religions of the world, of all the most brilliant efforts of scientific research, or eloquently written prose, songs, or any artistic expression, that Christianity has at its core, the greatest definition of love.
Yet how can someone die, and yet at the same time defeat death, and live? And how can the Redeemer of all humanity undergo betrayal, beatings, and brutality, yet provide redemption for a selfish sinner like me?
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along life’s journey, join me in a practice that I have maintained for many years since my earliest days of coming to faith. During Holy Week, and especially on Good Friday, I read the last few chapters of each of the four gospels. I do this to recall how Jesus suffered and died to pay the price for my sins to secure my eternal salvation.
I hope you will find time today to ‘prepare’ for the glorious light of Easter to be revealed this Sunday. As we anticipate the joyful celebration of our risen Savior, this coming resurrection Sunday, let us first embrace the defining details of the darkest of days, reflecting on what our Savior endured, noting sadly yes, it is Friday, but Sunday’s coming.
I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day, and super start to the weekend, as you ponder along with me, that the terrible reality of sin that made the baddest of Fridays, ‘good’, and reminds us that yes, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!
Overwhelmed?
Does your mind remain overrun and overwhelmed by the infinite wisdom of God? In the fall of 1982, I began to read through the Bible, a little each night before going to bed. Although I grew up going to church, these late night vigils began soon after I was handed a small green Gideon’s Bible outside of my dorm, as a sophomore at West Virginia University.
As a young person attempting to make sense of an often complicated, yet exciting world, and finding my own path forward, the more I studied, the more I was amazed by Jesus. Each night as I read, I was increasingly astonished by the way he spoke, his actions, and his amazing interactions with others.
As I pondered the truths I was devouring, the mysteries of the universe began to be unlocked before my young eyes, and I became awestruck by the brilliance of the brightest brain in the Universe. Now, almost 40 years later, and with a lot more wear and tear on those same eyes, I am still awestruck by God. I also continue on an incredible and amazing journey that is oftentimes daunting and difficult, yet still remains a daily quest.
Isaiah 40:13-14 addresses the majestic mind of mightiest one of all when he states, “Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?”
God is awesome and is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. As such, he doesn’t need anyone to instruct, counsel, or advise him, as I do. Not only is no one capable of enlightening him, but he also doesn’t need to learn by trial and error, as we do, or to get his ‘fingers burned on the stove’, to familiarize himself with life’s dangers.
We learn by study, research, exploration, and investigation. The wisest and brightest among us also live as lifelong learners, even to the end of our days. However, if you take the accumulated knowledge and understanding, from all civilizations, for all of history, add it all together, and at best it ranks a molehill in comparison to the mount Everest sized manifold wisdom of God.
While it is wonderful that there is a long list of qualities of God that have drawn, or can draw, each of us to the Savior, such as his love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, grace, peace, comfort, joy, and many many others, my pursuit of God began, and still remains centered in the recognition that there is a mind, far brighter than mine in the universe.
How humbling also to know that this attribute of the Holy One highlighted here is yet another part of the stunning and long list of incredible truths found in Isaiah 40.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along the journey of life, as we begin a new week, beyond the recognition of the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic, I hope you can find strength and courage from God as you face the challenges and opportunities in front of you.
I also hope you can smile along with me, knowing not only how sweet it is to know the Savior, but also the joy and zest it adds to life when you can answer with an affirmative yes to the question, does your mind remain overrun and overwhelmed by the infinite wisdom of God?
Is it Worth the Risk?
It all begins with an idea.
On January 20th, I thought it was worth the risk, and since I was able to get the first jab of the Covid 19 vaccine, I did. On February 24th, I got the second. Although I had a few minor side effects, as is common with many things in life, I am thankful to have gotten it. I would encourage you to get it when you are given the chance. I’d also suggest you check with your doctor, as I did, because each person has unique medical considerations.
I’m thankful to God, and also grateful to former President Trump, his administration, and the teams of doctors and scientists, who worked, and are continuing to do so, to create a growing number of Covid 19 vaccines, the outstanding and historic achievements of Operation Warp speed. To date, over 70 million people around the world have received Covid 19 vaccinations. In the United States, we are currently second in the world behind Israel, with 9.6% of our population now fully vaccinated, as vaccination efforts are continuing to expand.
History also reminds us that nothing comes without risks. During the Revolutionary War, America was in the midst of an epidemic of smallpox that lasted from 1775 to 1782. To protect his army from the dreaded and deadly disease, on February 6th, 1777, General George Washington ordered that his entire Continental Army be vaccinated, as he stated, “Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect the Army . . . we should have more to dread from it, than from the Sword of the Enemy." Sadly, some of his soldiers died from this effort, but the rest of his army was protected from the dreaded disease.
In 1916, the United States faced another deadly crisis. An epidemic of polio devastated New York City that resulted in the death of over 2,000. In addition, over 2,000 became paralyzed, and other parts of our country were also impacted, gripping our nation with fear.
Sadly, this was only the beginning of a decades-long devastation with a little-understood virus that impacted people of all ages, but was most devastating to children. 1952 was the worst outbreak in our nation's history, and sadly the development of vaccines took decades and didn’t come without mishaps. The disease so deeply impacted our nation, that parents became greatly fearful for their children, yet at the same time were inspired by FDR, and his March of Dimes campaign. Our own family was also impacted, as my father-in-law contracted polio as a 2 year old, and lived the rest of his life affected by it.
Thankfully multiple vaccines were created, and the most important one at the time was announced by Dr Jonas Salk on April 12, 1955.
As our own national history reminds us, from the Revolutionary War struggle with smallpox, to the decades-long fight against polio, and the current race to vaccinate our nation, all these events are of historic proportions. Widespread vaccination also appears to be the best way for us to break through this pandemic, the same way that vaccines have in previous times.
For my part I think it is worth the risk, but recognizing that everyone has different opinions, I’ll leave you to answer the question, is it worth the risk?
How Big is Your God?
This is my 13th entry since last September, in an ongoing look at Isaiah 40, my favorite chapter in the Bible.
While working outside yesterday morning, I had an encounter with God. As I was listening to worship music I dropped to my knees and began to weep. On my knees, although I don’t recall the exact words, I began to pray, “God, I’m so unworthy……... I don’t deserve to know you…. I don’t deserve to be surrounded by such majesty, I don’t deserve to be surrounded by such beauty and wonder. I am such a sinner. I fall so far short of what you want for me….yet I’m so in awe and amazed by you.”
Not only had I been singing the lyrics back to God while surrounded by the wonder of creation, but I was also pondering verse 12 of Isaiah 40. These moments in life, when a mere mortal glimpses the immortal, are wonderful, life changing, humbling, and have a way, at least for me, of rearranging ‘my’ world. They also remind me how desperately I need a savior, and how incredible it is to know that I have one, and that Jesus is my Savior.
Isaiah 40:12 states, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?”
As this verse helped lead me closer to God, to an encounter with him yesterday, or as Henry Blackaby might say, to ‘experiencing God,’ I’ve decided to turn the verse into a prayer:
Dear God, since you are so big and incredible, that you can hold all of the water on this planet in the hollow of your hand, without spilling a drop, please hold me, when I’m scared, and tired, and in need of help, and when the only one who knows my deepest fears and hopes is you. Please also remind me that you are best able to collect and carefully regather the scattered fragments of my existence, as you hold them in your tender care.
Dear Jesus, since you are so big and awesome, and can mark out the galaxies, and star clusters, even the ones so far away that we can not see without a telescope, can you also note the things in my life, and family, and in our nation, that need your help today, even the ones that seem so distant, far away, and unattainable. Please remind me also, in the vastness of your universe, with an unfathomable number of stars, that you not only count every star, but that you also keep track of every human life on the earth, and that you also take note of every millisecond of our existence.
Dear God, since you know that I don’t even like dust, and that I am constantly trying to get rid of it, yet, you are so awesome that you can count all of it, from the farthest and dustiest corners of this planet. Yucky as it is, please take the tiniest specs of dirt in my character, that mar my existence, my relationship with you, and those around me. Please rid my life of these tiniest particles that I am not proud of, and that nobody can see but you. Please not only weigh them, but remove them, all that dust, from my life, either by your heavenly broom and dust pan, or the valiant vacuum cleaner, of your tenderest mercy.
And dearest Heavenly Father, since you are able to put the mountains and hills on a scale and weigh them, something that seems beyond all ability to be able to do, could you use your might and power to lift the heaviest things in my life. Please raise up and remove the weights that weigh me down the most, that I could never lift on my own, and put them on your balance, weigh them, and take care of them. And would you do the same for my family, community, and our nation, and take the heaviest problems of all, like this pandemic, or other ones that perplex and discourage us, and not only measure them, but give us your help, the deepest measures of your love, and be with us, as we face them.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along the journey of life, I hope you are being as deeply touched by this amazing journey into Isaiah 40 as I am. As we face a new week, and the soon arrival of Spring, may the enormous God of all time, space, and eternity, give you a week deeply surrounded by his love and care. Perhaps also, you can smile along with me recognizing how awesome, amazing, and big God is, and perhaps use my suggestion of a prayer based on Isaiah 40:12, as you answer the question, how big is your God?
God Cares
It all begins with an idea.
I hope you can smile knowing the amazing, powerful, and awesome God also deeply and personally cares for you, and for me.
God truly is amazing, astounding, and Awesome, and our journey in Isaiah 40 resoundingly makes that clear. At the same time, as much as I can’t wait to see the first flowers of Spring, Isaiah 40 also reminds us that we, like those wonderful flowers will also soon quickly pass away.
In between the grandeur of a great God, and the recognition of our own finite fragility, Isaiah takes us to yet another "vantage point," a closer look at the deep and personal care of God.
Isaiah 40: 11 proclaims, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
In my use of the Interlinear Bible, a tool that looks at the Bible in its original language, research, and pondering the passage, I decided on an approach that I have never taken before.
I decided to create my own paraphrase, or expanded rewording of verse 11. My goal is to capture aspects of the verse that might not at first come to mind. Ideas clearly inferred in the passage that are expanded with the hope of increasing the depth of understanding. Here’s my expansion of verse 11 -
God, the greatest of all Shepherds, creates and maintains protective living spaces where his people can thrive. Places where abundant provision is not only available but is also sustained by Him. Pastures where He, as a vigilant Shepherd, remains not only watchful to ensure the safety of his sheep, but also attentive to meet their daily needs.
God also gathers and carefully holds the littlest ones, those weakest and most at risk, and gives them his tender care. As He lovingly carries them, He provides both protection and provision to aid them through the difficult terrains encountered in everyday living. His extra aid is also based on His recognition that they are young, and not only unaware of dangers, but also in need of his extra care and assistance.
God also gets us from point A to point B, not simply as a means of transportation, but chooses to carry us himself, and deepen our relationship with Him along the journey. He also not only holds us near and dear to his heart, but protects our vulnerabilities while preserving and restoring our strength.
Lastly, due to God’s deep recognition of the demands and difficulties of raising, protecting, and providing for children, God is ultra careful in how he provides for those who look after the littlest ones. As such, his gentleness is abundantly available to those tending to their young, for He knows the difficult demands of raising sons and daughters.
Perhaps you wonder, can the words proclaimed by the ancient prophet, or my attempt at a paraphrase, be backed up by the actions of the God of all time, space, and eternity?
Thankfully, Isaiah 40 not only reminds us that the Awesome God, who views those living on the earth, as if seated on the 29,032' summit of Mount Everest, is also the best Shepherd the earth has ever known. As such, we would do well entrusting our lives to his care, and to leave the staff of the eternal Shepherd, safely in his hands, and not attempt to grasp it ourselves.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along the journey of life, March is here. As you think of this new week, get into the midst of living it, even when you run into difficult challenges or encounter great opportunities, I hope you can smile knowing that the amazing, powerful, and Awesome God, also deeply and personally cares for you, and for me.
God’s Love and Power
The Love and the Power of our Awesome God
It is no secret that Isaiah 40, my favorite chapter in the Bible, focuses on the greatness, or you for sure can say, the awesomeness of God. Throughout my previous ten posts on Isaiah 40, I have come at it from two different angles.
First, we examined the reality that we humans aren’t impressive in the scope of eternity. Isaiah 40 reminds us that our lives, accomplishments, rulers, and even all nations, when added together, are but a drop from a bucket before God. We are also reminded that we, our accomplishments, and our rulers quickly pass away. As Chris Tomlin once put it, a reminder of our “significant insignificance.”
Secondly, we have focused on aspects of Isaiah 40 that give us an incredible vantage point, a view through the eyes of God. When we join Him, as if he invited us to sit with Him on the summit of Mount Everest, we recognize his immenseness. From that view, looking on creation far below, we not only begin to grapple with the enormity of God, and the amazingness of his creation, but also recognize our inherent smallness in contrast to the awesomeness of the Creator of all time, space, and eternity.
From that same spot, when we look up, we gaze into his vast universe and its seemingly endless expanse, and are invited to ponder the power of the God who set the stars in motion. From that view, whether we look up or down, we realize that God is truly awesome.
For a stunning view of God's creation, check out this helicopter ride flying around Mount Everest. It is worth taking the time to watch this video 9 minute video not only to take in the amazingness of the tallest mountain on earth, but also to recognize that this is just 1 clip, you might say, from the 'highlight real', from the long list amazing things God created. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2vTCNNdCQ4
In our third vantage point, Isaiah 40 creates a short list of “attributes” of God. This list starts in verse 10 which states, “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.”
An attribute of God is a characteristic or quality inherent to the nature, or you might say, personality, of God. In verse 10, we are reminded that God is powerful. Indeed He is, throughout the Bible. The evidence of his power is overwhelming. He, among many other things: created heaven and earth, performed miracles, changed lives, defeated adversaries (both in the heavenlies and on earth), brought in and reduced to nothing both rulers and nations, and rose from the dead. In speaking of God's power, verse 26 also states, ‘“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
Indeed, as the 1988 song by Rich Mullins proclaims, and has since been sung by many other artists, “Our God is an Awesome God!”
That is not to say, there are not terrible calamities in this life. There are. The evidence is overwhelming that wars, pandemics, and unexplainable things happen that you and I will never comprehend or be able to explain, and even in our attempts to do so, will come up short. Thankfully though, in the midst of all that, we are loved by an incredible, powerful, and awesome God.
Dear brother or sister in Christ, or friend along life’s journey, as we begin a new week, in the midst of its challenges and opportunities, take comfort to know that the God of all time, space, and eternity, is not only powerful, but He is awesome. I also want to let you in on a little secret.
Although I am not 100% consistent, I try to reserve the use of the word “awesome,” only for God. I am not at all saying you need to do the same, but I am saying when I say that God is awesome, to me that is the highest word, in my vocabulary. A word I reserve for my praise, to Him alone. I hope you can smile along with me this week, because of the love and the power of our awesome God.
The Origins
Freedom of Speech series - part 4 of 4 - The Origins of Freedom of Speech
Today, February 20th, 2021, we mark the 78th anniversary of the creation of the Freedom of Speech painting by Norman Rockwell. The painting, along with three others that he created in 1943 appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in four successive editions. Collectively, they supported the U.S. war effort during World War ll, and reminded the nation of its most cherished values, values that we were fighting, and dying, to defend.
The freedom of speech that has been among our most precious values throughout our national history finds its articulation in the first Amendment to our Constitution, better known as the Bill of Rights. It states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
My own journey into understanding this important value first found its roots in the patriotism imparted to me by my father, and his deep love for our country. Later, as a young adult, it found its fulfillment in my own journey under the tutelage of Dr. John Brabner-Smith. He was the first to open my eyes to the role of Biblical theology that was central to the creation of our form of government.
Long ago, the founders of our nation affirmed the radical concept that government should not be based on the whims of a king, nor by parliament thousands of miles away, but on the foundation that God is the ultimate source of rights and all freedoms. A concept not only born through much deliberation, debate, and prayer, but also spoken by the founding generation and inscribed in our most fundamental founding documents.
On July 4th, 1776, 56 men risked all that they held dear in this life when they signed a declaration that ended with the words “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
It is one of my greatest joys to help others visit our national monuments and memorials to see the evidence for themselves where these values were forged, fought for, and are forever enshrined.
Take time today to thank God for this amazing yet imperfect land in which we live, and the values that have stood the test of time, from the foundation of our nation, till today, including the freedom of speech.
If you have missed any of my posts in this series, review the past four days to check out all four parts and the links that I have included. You won’t regret that you did. Join me also tomorrow, for the next part in my series on Isaiah 40.
As this series concludes, I hope you have a deeper understanding of why Norman Rockwell’s painting, Freedom of Speech, is so inspirational to me. I also hope that you will join me to look for ways to cherish and protect this most sacred value with the hopes of passing it on to future generations.
The Painting, the Artist, and a Dissenting Voice
Freedom of Speech series part 3 of 4 -
In the Spring of 1942, Norman Rockwell had recently completed a commissioned work of art depicting a United States machine gunner in desperate need of ammunition. However, he knew that he wanted to do much more to use his abilities as an artist to help support efforts to inspire our nation during its most critical hour.
After much thought, he decided on the idea of painting the four freedoms (Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear) that had been presented by President Roosevelt only a year earlier. He wanted to take the ideals that FDR had articulated and put them to canvas. His hope was to aid the President’s war efforts to remind Americans of the ideals that we as a nation were then fighting to defend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lzC67TgTpM
I have included a link to a wonderful 22 minute video created by the Norman Rockwell Museum explaining the history of Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings.
As Rockwell began the project, he struggled through various concepts on how to capture the lofty ideal of freedom of speech. Commenting on his struggles, he stated, "It was so darn high blown sometimes I could not just get my mind around it."
He finally decided to depict an event that he had witnessed during a town meeting in Arlington, Vermont, where he lived. His neighbor, Jim Edgerton spoke during the meeting, sharing ideas that were the opposite of most others in attendance. However, as Edgerton spoke, everyone listened respectfully, and no one shouted him down, even though his dissenting views were the opposite of theirs.
Rockwell's depiction of that scene has since become my favorite painting produced by any American artist, as it represents one of our most foundational and cherished values.
With the struggles we have had in recent years as a nation to live up to this ideal, it is wise for all of us to take a moment this weekend to celebrate the 78th anniversary of this amazing work of art. At the same time, it is my hope that all of us will renew and rededicate our own individual, community, and national efforts, to live up to the ideal that it represents.
The Essay and the Two Young Men
Freedom of Speech series part 2 of 4 -
On February 20th, 1943, The front cover of the Saturday Evening Post featured “Freedom of Speech,” one of Norman Rockwell's most famous paintings. In honor of the 78th anniversary of this important moment in history, this is my second article of a four part series dedicated to the freedom of speech.
To review, as I mentioned yesterday, Rockwell’s painting was the first in a four part series dedicated to taking the concepts mentioned in FDR’s 1941 State of the Union, better known as his “four freedoms speech” and putting them to canvas.
To accompany Rockwell’s amazing artwork, the magazine also asked Pulitzer Prize winner Booth Tarkington to craft an essay to accompany the freedom of speech painting. At the time when the mass production of colorful magazine covers was the dominant form of media of the day, both the painting and the essay had a profound impact on our nation.
Tarkington’s essay recounted a chance encounter between two ambitious young men that had taken place in a small mountain chalet in the Alps in 1912. One of the men was described as a writer, perhaps a journalist, and the other as an artist. Throughout their dialog they shared their ideas and their common disdain for the freedom of speech. They also talked about what they would do should they come to power in their respective countries. This is an excerpt from their dialog:
“Yes, my friend. Like everything else, it is simple. In America or England, so long as governments actually exist by means of freedom of speech, you and I could not even get started; and when we shall have become masters of our own countries, we shall not be able to last a day unless we destroy freedom of speech. The answer is this: We do destroy it.”
Not until the end of the article is the reader made aware that the meeting was between two future dictators, Hitler and Mussolini. At the time, right in the middle of World War ll, we were fighting these two leaders and their horrendous ideas throughout the battlefields of Europe.
Although the essay was fictional, it presented to the reader one of the most important reasons we were fighting, in contrast with how that value was trampled on and despised by dictators.
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/.../booth.../...
If you have never done so before, take time today to read the essay. I have included a link to it above. Please also take a moment to pray that the freedom of speech remains as important to our nation today as it was in 1943. Join me tomorrow for part three, and ponder the closing of the famous essay and the clever way in which the identity of the two men is revealed:
The painter spoke to the landlord: “That fellow seems to be some sort of shady character, rather a weak one. Do you know him?”
“Yes and no,” the landlord replied. “He’s in and out, mainly after dark. One meets all sorts of people in the Brenner Pass. You might run across him here again, yourself, someday. I don’t know his whole name, but I have heard him called ‘Benito,’ my dear young Herr Hitler.”
The President and the Moral Imperative
Freedom of Speech series part 1 of 4 -
Starting today, and for the next four days, I invite you to join me on a journey. We will step back in time with the hopes of finding inspiration to remind us of some of the greatest attributes of our nation.
Our expedition will begin, 80 years ago, on January 6, 1941, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt stood before a joint session of Congress to deliver his 8th, and perhaps most important State of the Union Address.
Just 11 months later, America would be forced to enter World War II after Japan’s horrific attack on Pearl Harbor. In the midst of an increasing global conflict and soon to be all-out fight for our national survival, the President reminded the nation of the ‘moral imperatives’ that we stood for.
In the final paragraphs of the speech, FDR explained that America as a nation wanted to see a world that was based on “four freedoms.” The freedom of speech, the freedom of worship, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear. Values that not only found their origins in the hearts and minds of America’s founding generation, but were also articulated in the amazing documents that created our unique form of government.
Later on in the midst of the war, this 1943 painting, which will be the focus of the rest of my writings this week, took the Presidents words and set them to canvas. This famous painting reminded us, in the midst of the growing number of deaths of American soldiers overseas, and the supreme sacrifices that we were making as a nation at home, of the collective and deepest values that bind us together.
The values that we were fighting for back then remain vital for our survival today. Join me for the next four days as we explore all four parts of this series on freedom of speech.
I have two links listed below, where you can read FDR’s State of the Union or even choose to listen to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD32o5zqe7M
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=70...
May God bless you with a super day today & check in tomorrow for part II.
You never know what might happen at 12:30am.
It was 12:30 am on February 15th, 1961. As she worked on her students’ progress reports, June heard that (*****) inconsiderate young engineer dragging his golf clubs up the stairs again above her apartment. She had had enough. She went outside to give him a piece of her mind.
She used a few choice words to express her disdain for his inconsiderate actions. After listening to her rant, Raymond continued up to his apartment. He had just come home from his 4-12 shift from the nearby Mobil Oil refinery. And although he certainly wasn’t off to a good start, there was something about her fiery words that intrigued Raymond.
The next day he went out of his way to catch up with her and to apologize. As they talked, he helped her pick up some Valentine cards she had dropped on the ground from her students at nearby Oak Valley Elementary School. Not particularly known for his romantic ways, he asked her, “Do you want to come and see my turtles?” She said she was not interested, but he said “I have a really big one you might want to see.”
See agreed and went to his upstairs apartment to see a very large snapping turtle that Raymond had caught with his friend Bill. It would later become turtle soup. During her short visit, he asked her if she might be interested in going to a movie, to which she said, “I’ll think about it.” About two weeks later she agreed, and they saw their first movie together, 101 Dalmatians. In 1962 they began what would become 50 years of marriage until Raymond’s death in 2012.
I read Mom this story of her recollection of her first meeting with Dad yesterday, as a remembrance of the many years that they shared together, and as a sweet moment, very fitting for Valentines day!. Although this picture isn't of Dad, yet it does capture aspects of his personality, and the golf clubs that resulted in their first meeting. I hope this story makes you smile today, as you begin a new week.
You never know what might happen at 12:30 am.