Tell me a story about…

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
—Hebrews 2:1

It seems that whenever friends and family gather, stories naturally appear. They usually start with something like: “I remember…” or “Remember when…” or “How about the time….”

I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend! Cathy and I certainly did as two of our daughters joined us from Washington, D.C. We had a great time!

It is always fun to watch a story emerge in a conversation, particularly when you know some of the history and have the opportunity to set it up like at lunch on Saturday with some dear friends who also shared history.

Got Attitude?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 4:5-7

Attitude abounds these days! You see it on the drive into work each day. You see it on the news each night. You get it from your kids, your friends, your patients, even your fellow employees and physician partners.

Attitude abounds…because people are everywhere!

Attitude is not good or bad; it is simply the way you approach life. So everything you get, every interaction you have is filled with — and driven by — attitude!

Now before you run out of your building thinking there is no hope, realize that it is our current culture that has framed “attitude” as a negative thing as in the response to a smart comment: “Don’t give me attitude!”

Attitude is how you look at life, at yourself, at your work, at your relationship with others, and how you look at God.

A cheerful giver!

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
—Colossians 3:17

It won’t cost you a penny but it is priceless!

Your credit cards are useless, because no store on earth trades in this commodity!

It is more precious than gold, oil or diamonds and cannot be mined, drilled or manufactured.

You can’t buy it, yet the world is hungering for it. Your family is desperate to receive their daily portion.

It has the power to transform the present into a future of possibilities, to turn a frown upside down, to bring strength to tired limbs.

It can’t be found at CVS or Walgreens.

What is it? Giving thanks to one another and God!

11.11.11. Lest we forget!

Ninety three years ago this coming Friday, the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, peace was achieved ending the Great and terrible war, World War I. A war unlike any other, in which atrocities abounded and 13 million were killed in a titanic struggle for freedom. The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in this war and all other wars.

Remembrance Day, or Veterans Day was initially noted a two minute period of silence during which everyone, everywhere stopped what they were doing to remember. It was also the time when the Allied nations brought back the remains of their Unknown Soldier and interred them with full military honors in their respective national shrines; Westminster Abbey in London, Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Most other allied nations adopted the tradition of entombing unknown soldiers. In 1921 we interred our Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery. Go there, visit and remember.

We are asked to remember, lest we forget, lest we presume that freedom is the default reality of our world, that kindness is natural, and peace a given.