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Three Wishes
for 2011
Happy New Year! Thanks for your partnership this past year. I hope we're able to meet in 2011. Do check out my event schedule, I'd love to see you along the way.
This was my second Christmas as an orphan (Mom passed away the previous June), so it's been a little different. Our son Jeff isn't joining us for the first time in his 21 years. We're glad the inlaws want him at their house, but life changes, doesn't it? In the midst of it all, we've had daily reminders of God's abiding presence with us and we are blessed that He does not change. It's what keeps me smiling and helping others do the same.
Can
you believe 2011 is here? Time waits for no man, and very few women, my father used to
say. Like the New Year, the wise men came after Christmas. They’re not
really part of the nativity set. I suppose that if the Wise Men were
women, they'd have been on time. They'd have stopped and asked for
directions sooner. They'd have helped delivery the baby. Cooked up a
casserole. And given the Innkeeper the what for. But
The first is a watch. A watch reminds us of how quickly time passes. When I turned 35 my son told me I was half dead. So let a watch remind us of how short our lives are. Let it remind us that we can’t turn the clock back. Last year is a memory. All the regrets in the world won’t bring it back. But we can wind the watch up and set it right. Each of us will have the same amount of time this year, if God allows. A watch can remind us that time ticks slowly, so go one step at a time. Relax a little. Remember that even ants have time to attend picnics. This year let’s follow the example of Jesus who changed the course of history and still had time to hold a little child on his knee.
The second gift is a box of chocolates. It's a food group, don't you think? Chocolate is a reminder that some things are too good not to share. For me this means sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. It isn’t always easy. I once told a man where he would spend eternity and he told me where to go. So I’ve learned to simply be a witness to what God has done, not out of obligation but out of love. To tell people my story and use a little humor. I sat on a plane with a psychologist who diagnosed me as a Christian in no time. He said, “I’ve had bad experiences with Christians.” I said, “Really? Me too.” That simple comment led to a 4-hour discussion of my faith. Let’s tell others about our Savior this year.
My final gift to you is a Bible. In a mall the other day I
saw a fortuneteller. People were lined up to learn about their future from
a lady who looked more dazed and
One of the kindest letters I’ve ever received came from a lady who was visiting her 85-yr-old mother in the hospital. Coming down the hallway she heard her mother laughing. Surrounded by plastic tubing, heart monitors and a bed pan, this dear old saint was reading one of my books and laughing herself silly. I’m sure she was worried about tomorrow and her health and the grandkids. But still she was able to laugh. Why? A well-worn Bible had told her of a better place. She knew that one day soon she’d be Home, where her tears would be wiped dry and her questions straightened into exclamation points. That day came three days later. Her daughter told me, “My last memory of my mother is of her laughing.” What a way to go.
Over
the past year I’ve learned the lessons of these three gifts. I’ve
learned to hang out with those who are gonna cry at my funeral. That
God’s grace is too amazing to keep to ourselves. And that if we laugh
lots, when we grow old all our wrinkles will be in the right places.
God bless you! Phil
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