Things to Praise

Good morning, Loved Ones,

One of my favorite passages to inspire:
Philippians 4:4-9 (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.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

My 'things to praise' today are . . .

. . . my mother who celebrated her 77th birthday on Saturday. So thankful that she is well and such a great part of my life.
. . . a safe trip for son, Sam, to Guatemala where he continues his Border Studies program.
. . . being in a warm place when the wind chill outside is 7 below.
. . . our friend, Terry Huntington, an energetic humble friend who made our Monday night bowling league joyful by dropping to his knees in expectation of a strike nearly every throw. Terry died at 47 in a car accident last weekend. I give thanks for his positive attitude and his work with young people.
. . . a parlor full of youths writing down their personal stories and feelings about how a broken immigration system has impacted them and their families.

Now I feel 25% better. Imagine how much better I'll feel after I hear what your 'things to praise' are.

Gimme cinco!
Pastor Rick