I guess attitude is everything.

Well, my friends, it is coming close to the time where Marlane and I travel to Whitesboro to serve the congregation of First United Methodist Church. The next few Sundays will be difficult for most us, whether Wylie UMC or Whitesboro FUMC or the pastors and their families who are moving.

As I reflect over the years we have been together, I discovered the river flowed and there was always white water, a symbol of movement. We are thankful for the movement of the water, though. As we shot the rapids together many feelings were felt by all, some good, some not so good; some excited, some worried.

Yet, the rapids were the rapids.and so it is for the way of life. If there is movement of the water, the river, there is life. Attitude makes a difference in the ride down the river of life. One of our staff shared this quote from Chuck Swindoll that says this well:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

Charles R. Swindoll

Philippians 4:4-8 says a similar message...please read it today. As we are in transition as a church family and pastors may we all take "charge of our Attitudes." "Think on these things" my friends. Forgive us Lord, for those times when our attitude hasn't been what you want it to be. Let's shoot the rapids.

Grace and peace,

Jack

The Living Light

My friends,

This blog entry is for those of you, like myself, who are experiencing Christmas for the first time without a loved one. I finally broke down this morning, Christmas Eve, grieving the recent loss of my mother. Christmas was her most favorite time of the year with her family. We celebrated 54 Christmases together, whether or not I am able to recall them or they were in person or just a long distance phone call. Yet, I will always remember the times we went to the Candlelight service together when I was a little boy. and Mother passedthe Candlelight of Christ to me. What a warm, peaceful, and joyous time for both her and me.

But this Christmas, Mother, is celebrating in Heaven rather than on earth. When a friend of mine in Wylie UMC and I were consoling one another about the loss of our mothers, he gave me the below poem written by Wanda Bencke. I wanted to share it this evening at Candlelight but it would be too hard for most of us. So, I share it with you today (you can google the poem and it will direct you to the poeam and a link for Wanda's website...please thank her for the words of promise and encouragement). Wanda, I thank you also.

Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless CHRISTMAS TREES around the world below

with tiny lights like HEAVEN’S STARS reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so SPECTACULAR please wipe away that tear

for I am spending CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS CHRIST this year.
I hear the many CHRISTMAS SONGS that people hold so dear

but the SOUND OF MUSIC can't compare with the CHRISTMAS CHOIR up here.
I have no words to tell you of the JOY their voices bring

for it is beyond description to HEAR THE ANGELS SING.
I know HOW MUCH YOU MISS ME, I see the pain inside your heart

for I am spending CHRISTMAS WITH JESUS CHRIST this year.
I can't tell you of the SPLENDOR or the PEACE here in this place

Can you just imagine CHRISTMAS WITH OUR SAVIOR face to face
I'll ask him to LIFT YOUR SPIRIT as I tell him of your love

so then PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER as you lift your eyes above.
Please let your HEARTS BE JOYFUL and let your SPIRIT SING

for I am spending CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN and I’m walking WITH THE KING.

~ by Wanda Bencke© Copyright 1999

Merry Christmas to all of you and may God and your loved one be ever so present with you in this time of year.

Grace and peace,

Jack

Great Expectation and Wonder

I thank my colleague, Dr. Roy Spore, for most of the thoughts below. Please read on.

The time has come. In the tumult of the last few weeks we have strained to hear a voice of hope calling us to new life. We have heard the scriptures call us to that hope. We have prayed for the Holy Spirit to enter into our hearts and our lives. We have decorated our homes with the signs of the season and we have adorned our hearts with love for others. Our minds have focused on the glory about to break forth into the world. We feel that we are ready for God’s new gift of grace.

Monday night we will gather in the worship center to bring our waiting and watching to an end. We will greet one another with warm wishes for a Merry Christmas. We will think of those who cannot be with us and those who are no longer with us and we will offer up our love for them. As the darkness and cold fill the world around us, we will warm ourselves amid family and friends. We will remember with fondness and tears the times we have been together and we will anticipate new and exciting times before us. We will sing the old familiar carols that hold a special meaning on this night. We will hear that old familiar story read again, our minds saying the words in concert because it is so much a part of our faith. And in all this, we will find our hearts strangely warmed.
Then the lights will go down and we will, once again, hear the words from John’s gospel: “In the beginning was the Word ….” The light from a single candle will pass from hand to hand, candle to candle, as the worship center takes on a mystic, warm glow and we sing the haunting, yet comforting, phrase “Silent Night, Holy Night ….” Then we will sing “Joy to the World” as we look upon the lighted candles. At the singing of the last verse, we will raise our candles in celebration of glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth. Then we will remember the Word, “…and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” Somehow we will know that the light of Christ has come to us again and burns bright within us. And in all this, our celebration will be complete. Merry Christmas.

Pastor Jack

psalm from the Advent Devotional

Just as many of you, I have been encouraged and intrigued by our First Annual Advent Daily Devotional writer's witness. Reading the first week's devotionals was rich in God's grace. I am sure the words were of encouragement for all who read them, as they were for me.

I took the liberty to copy the "Thought for the Day" for each day below and it seems they could be similar to the Psalms. Read them together yourself and see if they are not a psalm of encouragment for you:

Where is God calling me to make and keep a promise today? - Jack Wallace

Even though we do not ask for it soon enough, help is always available for any situation - Jim Clark

Paul instructs us in 2 Corinthians 10:5, "Take every thought captive to obey
Christ" so that we may focus on the path ahead of us. Staying focused means
keeping in prayer, Bible study, and accountability in fellowship - Heather Haynes

We do not need to doubt God’s plan for our lives; God knows the plan for our lives and we need to put all our trust in him - Katie Haynes

Let God open your eyes - Kathryn Raebel

Turning what seems to be a difficult task into a letter of love will plant seeds for God’s kingdom - Larry Johnson

God will wrap His arms around us and gives us Peace and Hope when we
think we just can’t go one more step - Terri Chesser

May God continue to bless in the reading of the devotionals in the days ahead, and thank you to all made submissions for this year's devotional.

Respite care in Christ

Busy is the best way describe the month of November for the staff and leadership of Wylie UMC. The planning of the Advent Season, Church Conference, coupled with the many meetings necessary to accomplish the planning seemed never ending. Add all this to the normal daily routine and exhaustion was on the horizon. Pastor Donna and I were amazed the other day when we realized we had no evening meetings on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Then the Thanksgiving Holiday came upon us, and it was exactly as needed for all of us on the staff and leadership. We took the opportunity to break away from church work and rest in the work of the Church, rest in the grace and presence of Christ. I believe I can speak for everyone on the staff and leadership of Wylie UMC, “We thank God for our time off from church work to be with our families and friends for respite care in Christ.”

Sure Thanksgiving is past and the staff is back in the office diligently working on the day-to-day routine and preparing for an exciting church conference on Sunday, December 2 at 12:15 p.m. The staff and leadership are wrapping their minds and hearts around the exciting ways that God’s presence and power worked through Wylie UMC in this past year. Yes, it is very busy, but as we continue to do the church work so that the work of Church can come to fruition – “Making disciples for Jesus Christ.”

Now I know that we at the church are not the only busy people and that each of you are entering one of the busiest seasons of life. May we all be encouraged with a scripture we recently studied as Eugene Peterson wrote in The Message:

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you
can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against
them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any
minute!

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:4-7

Take a deep breath of the Spirit and pray, receiving respite care in Christ Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Jack

All Saints Celebrations November 4th

Many times, I stated that this life is a journey to prepare us for our journey home to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we become followers of Christ Jesus we become a priesthood of believers whose residence is not this world.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are
the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:9-12 NIV

My friends, as we continue on this journey as strangers and aliens awaiting our call home, we will have a blessed opportunity to celebrate those who went home in this past year. On Sunday, November 4th at all the worship services we will celebrate those who finished the race, kept the faith and received their reward before Christ. We will celebrate the saints, the priesthood of believers who celebrate at the great banquet feast.

I know my mother is a stranger no more to this world and she finished her race. Marlane and I look forward to honoring her. May we take the opportunity to do the same for those loved who went home since November 1, 2006 (see an associated article concerning the celebration in this issue of The Witness).

Grace and peace,

Jack

the comfortable journey

My Friends on the journey:

I was encouraged to blog on a daily basis over the next several days about my thoughts and words of encouragement as I traveled this part of my journey after the loss of my mother.

So, I would like to share two experiences I recall from my previous week while I was with my mother on my "last" short visit.

As Mother sat in her wheel chair on Friday, September 28th, she had just been given the word from me and her new hospice nurse that she would not be going home to her house again. Mother stated that she understood and that she was unable to care for herself anymore. Besides, she was receiving wonderful care in Pine Run Nursing Home. The hospice nurse told her that she would be given a comfortable journey from this point and whatever she wanted to help her in this to just ask. Mother and I both had tears, again.

My mother then proceeded to talk about taking journeys with her husband, Bill, all over the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. She then leaned back in her wheelchair and said, "I have one more journey to make!" She looked up to the sky and declared, "Do You [God] hear me?!"

She then told us that she would love to be able to paint again. She was an accomplished artist but due to macular degeneration she was unable to exercise her artistry. She described a scene of a beautiful snow-covered mountain peak with a stream and evergreen trees in the foreground that surrounded a meadow (she described with hand movements). She then quoted Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

She showed that in spite of what was going on it life, in spite of her circumstances or physical health, she knew her Lord and Maker would help her. And her Lord and Maker did. She reached the apex of the mountain, her eternal home.

The amazing thing is mother lived this all her life and not just in the comfortable journey she experienced at age ninety-two. Oh, if only I could do the same now.

On the journey,

Jack