Keeping Your Brain Healthy
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KEEPING YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY
Recently I listened to a talk by Dr Daniel G. Amen and I was quite intrigued, he mentioned that 85 year olds have a 1 in 2 chance of dementia. He spoke about a book he had written “Memory rescue” and in his TV talk he spoke about various issues that affects our brain health.
GENETICS: genes increase your vulnerability e.g. children of alcoholics could be vulnerable to alcoholism. Also heart conditions can be a factor.
LIFE-STYLE: This is an important factor in cognitive degeneration. Looking at life-style there are various factors to consider: alcoholism,sports injuries - especially contact sport like rugby, diet is also an important factor, etc. The good news is that we can reverse the process. Our behaviour can increase or diminish our brain health.
PSYCOLOGICAL FACTORS: He mentions that depression is a symptom cluster and not a condition. Also, that bizarre behaviour can be symptomatic of a medical condition e.g. young man exhibiting bizarre behaviour; examination revealed a cyst in his left-brain lobe. Psychiatrist and doctors prescribing medication for mental health conditions that might be caused by physiological factors.
I have captured a little about this subject but Dr Amen has written a number of books if you would like to explore it more fully, they are:
The Daniel Plan
The Amen Solution
Change your brain every day
Healing ADHD
Magnificent mind at any age
The end of mental illness
Kindness in Action
The Gift That Costs Nothing but Means Everything
What if one act of kindness could change lives?
“No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted.” Aesop.
“Where ever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”Lucius Seneca.
Tony Campolo tells about an incident that happened to him on his way to work walking along the sidewalk pathways of downtown. Tony would often pass by a number of homeless and transient people. From time to time they would make request for money; generally, he ignored them. One day a bag lady who he had seen before in his mad rush to get to work, shuffled out of a donut shop with a steaming hot cup of coffee, their eyes met and Tony forced a smile. Putting down her coat and bags she called out, “Hey Mr would you like a sip of my coffee?”
If you were Tony, how would you respond? Keep walking and ignore her? That’s what Tony did or at least he started to, after a few metres he turned back and said to the lady, “Yes, yes I would like a taste of your coffee.”
She held out the cup with her dirty hand. He took the cup and swallowed what had to be the most delicious cup of coffee yet tasted in a long time.
“Isn’t it good” she said.
“Yes it’s good and thank you. By the way why did you offer me your coffee?”
“Because it was so good, I thought someone might like to share it with me and enjoy it too.” She replied.
A small simple act of kindness from a stranger interrupted Tony’s walk to the office.
Kindness comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, yet regardless, we all appreciate a kind act.
What is kindness? By definition; ‘the quality of being friendly generous and considerate.” Anything that fills a potential need for someone, is an act of kindness.
Kindness doesn’t come naturally. Kindness isn’t a state of mind or a mood. It is an intentional action. It needs to flow naturally from us. Kindness isn’t just a matter of inserting a coin into someone’s parking meter or donating to some charity or doing a favour without asking anything in return. Good as that is. Kindness comes from within.
Kindness is one of the fruit of the Spirit within us. We have to learn how to develop it by implementing kindness in our everyday life. Sometimes it might not have anything to do with helping strangers. It may well have to do with how we treat those we know well, practising forgiveness and practising kindness. It begins by listening to our spouse, our children, our family, and those we work alongside. Listen intently. Do not be quick to take offence when a careless word is spoken or when a child does something or says something unkind. Practice kindness with those we love and know best. This is where kindness begins and is best practiced.
Quaker Stephen Grellet wrote, “I expect to pass through this world but once, any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to my fellow creature, let me do it now, let me not defer to neglect for I shall not pass this way again.”
Finally, kindness will take action. Kindness is willing to pay the price, to put others first. It does not seek recognition. Kindness is not there to elevate our reputation, or make us look good in the eyes of other people. Real kindness does not seek to find glory for oneself. Kindness demonstrates the love of God through our actions!
“Be kind, one to another……….”
Jokes
A Few Jokes to Smile About
Solving a complex problem
Mensa is an organization whose members qualify by having an IQ in the top 2% of the population
Several of the Mensa members went out for lunch at a local café. When they sat down, one of them discovered that their salt shaker contained pepper, and their pepper shaker was full of salt.
How could they swap the contents of the two bottles without spilling any, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly, this was a job for Mensa minds.
The group debated the problem and presented ideas and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw, and an empty saucer.
They called the blonde waitress over ready to dazzle her with their solution. "Ma'am," they said, "we couldn't help but notice that the pepper shaker contains salt and the saltshaker has pepper."
But before they could finish, the waitress interrupted: " Oh, sorry about that." She leaned over the table, unscrewed the caps of both bottles and swapped them over.
Signs we should see
On In a Podiatrist's office: "Time wounds all heels."
On a Plumber's truck: "We repair what your husband fixed."
On a Church's Billboard: "7 days without God makes one weak."
At a Tyre Store "Invite us to your next blowout."
At an Optometrist's Office: "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."
On a Taxidermist's window: "We really know our stuff."
On a Fence: "Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!"
At a Car Dealership: "The best way to get back on your feet - miss a car payment."
Outside a Car Exhaust Store: "No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
In a Vets waiting room: "Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
In the front yard of a Funeral Home: "Drive carefully. We'll wait."
And don't forget the sign at a RADIATOR SHOP: "Best place in town to take a leak."
The Oldest Computer
The oldest computer can be traced back to Adam and Eve.
Surprise, surprise.
It was an Apple.
But with extremely limited memory.
Just 1 byte.
Then everything crashed.
Love: The Purest Expression of the Soul
There are many dimensions in our soul-journey, the greatest of these is love.
What is love? Love, one of our most-oft-used words, remains and enigma. There may have been more written about love than about any other subject, yet it remains intangible. We know that love is an integral part of human life, that we need for our well-being, but there is no guaranteed way to find it. So what is love?
Love is the single most necessary component in human life. It is both giving and receiving; it allows us to experience another person and lets that person experience us. Love is the origin and foundation of all human interaction. To live a meaningful life, we must learn more about love and how to bring it into our lives.
At first glance, we might think that we need love in the same way that we need to eat and drink, to breathe and sleep. We know that love fulfills our need to be cared for, our need for intimacy. So we pursue love in a manner that is often narcissistic and indulgent-we look for someone who will love us because we crave it; we may want to love someone so we can feel good about ourselves.
But if love is just another need like food and water, why is it so elusive? Why is attaining love difficult for so many people? And when we do find it, it doesn’t come easily, it always comes with some pain and frustration. We may succeed at love for a time, but when we fail the pain is intense.
These are the obstacles we face when we look at love as just another of our bodily needs. Yes, we do need love just as we need food and water, but there is a difference. Food ad water are elements of the earth that sustain our physical bodies, whereas love is the language of G-d, which sustains our soul.
True love bears little resemblance to the love we read about in novels and hear about in songs. True love is transcendence, linking our physical selves to G-d and, therefore, to everyone else around us. All too often we look at love selfishly, as something we want and need; but true love, because it is integral to our relationship with G-d, is selfless.
One of our most fundamental principles is love your neighbor as yourself”. How can this be possible-don’t wee love ourselves more than we love anything else? The answer lies in the fact that true, selfless love stems not from the body, but from the soul. Love is the dominance of spirit over matter. By the definition of materialism, two objects cannot occupy the same space simultaneously. But the soul transcends time and space, and it also transcends narcissism, making it possible to truly share yourself with another person.
The sage Hillel says, “Do not do unto others that which you do not want done unto yourself. This is the entire Torah and the rest is commentary”. The wisdom of G-d is intended to do one thing: to teach us how to love, to transcend our material boundaries and reach more spiritual place. Such a journey is only made through the soul. And love is the language that we must learn to speak along the way. Love is a way of talking to G-d. When you look into someone’s eyes and love that person, you are transcending the physical world and connecting to G-d.
So love is much more than treating another person with compassion. It goes beyond exchanging feelings of warmth. It is much more than doing to others only as you would do unto yourself. Love is a G-dly act, the purest way to feed another person’s soul as well as your own.
The deepest love is not merely human. It is love infused with G-dliness, whereby a mortal kiss is transformed into an immortal one. True love is one soul greeting another.
(The wisdom of the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson in his book “Toward a Meaningful Life)
Analysing Our Struggles
We can improve the quality of our lives by analysing our struggles
Choose one area; work/home/family/me, that is particularly troublesome and ask yourself the following questions about it….
What choice do I have in my role in this particular area?
Would I enjoy it more if I had the time?
Am I struggling with expectations from others? Whose voice is dictating to you in your head? Name them for yourself.
Am I struggling with my own expectations? What is driving me?
Am I struggling with what I feel is God’s expectation of me? Is it realistic?
How healthy are my relationships?
What kind of personality do I have?
Introvert/ extrovert / intuitive/ sensing/ feeling/ judging/ perceiving?
What role does this play in my everyday life?Do I feel my life is significant? Viktor Frankl speaks of “Man’s search for meaning” in the book of the same title. (note: the term man includes women)
Our lives need to have meaning, something beyond mere existence.Ask yourself…. “What drains the life out of me?” And, “ What would give me a sense of meaning in my life?”
Do I care enough for myself to take time to consider what would make my life better, healthier and happier?
A Soldier’s Prayer Before Dying
A precious insight into to the thoughts of a soldier on the battlefield
This poem was found upon the body of a dead American soldier on the battlefield…
Look God-
I have never spoken to you
But now I want to say, “How do you do?’
You see God they told me you didn’t exist
And like a fool, I believed all this.
Last night from a shell-hole I saw your sky
I figured right then that they told me a lie
Had I taken time to see things you made
I’d have known they weren’t calling “a spade a spade.”
I wonder God, if you’d shake my hand
Somehow I feel that you will understand.
Funny I had to come to this place
Before I had time to see your face!
Well, I guess there isn’t much more to say
I’m sure the zero hour will soon be here
But I’m not afraid since I know you’re near.
The signal! Well, God I’ll have to go
I like you lots, this I want you to know.
Look now, this will be a horrible fight
Who knows, I may come to your house to-night,
Though I wasn’t friendly with you before
I wonder God,,if you’d wait at your door?
Look I’m crying! Me! Shedding tears
I wish I had known you these many years!
Well, I have to go now, God, Goodbye…
Strange, since I met you – I’m not afraid to die.
Four Pointers to a More Positive Life
We can change the negatives in our lives by changing our attitude.
1. POSITIVE CHANGE THROUGH CONTEMPLATION
Positive change cannot happen without careful consideration of all the factors.
Questions to consider; What do I want to change? Why do I want to change it? How long have I struggled with it? Will it not resolve itself? Why have I not changed it e.g. fear of consequences, uncertainty about the ensuing changes will bring? What change would I like to make and is it realistic?
2. ATTITUDE
Sometimes, but not always, we can change the negatives in our lives by changing our attitude. We need to ask ourselves; “Where do I stand on the “thought-o-meter?” Do I catastrophise (lean towards the negative …”What if?”), or, am I a “Pollyanna” ? (a smile, “I’m OK” no matter what the circumstances, but aching inside). How realistic am I in my thinking?
Perhaps some quiet, inner reflection is necessary to discern why we are not having a positive life.. ”Why are you downcast, O my soul?” (Psalm 42:11)
3. IDENTIFYING OUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH
A good place to start is to identify our emotional status. Do I lean towards the negative? For example - hatred, self-hatred e.g. “ why am I so weak?”, anger, jealousy, rage, intolerance, selfishness, self-pity ,resentment, unforgiveness, critical spirit…etc OR Am I a Pollyanna, oozing joy and contentment?
Have I got unresolved, painful, issues in my life?
E.g. grief as in the loss of a loved one is part of life and this can come in many forms- through death, unfaithfulness, divorce, broken relationships. Painful costly failures e.g. business ventures . Unresolved health issues, and debilitating chronic physical pain etc
Ask yourself “Am I carrying any residual pain, consciously or sub-consciously?” What can I do to release myself from this?
Realistically, we all struggle with positives and negatives in our lives. The difference is how we handle these emotions.
4. SOME POSITIVE POINTERS:
4.1 Take some personal time as you ask yourself some questions e.g. “What am I feeling right now?” / “Am I normally happy, content OR is there an underlying sadness? / Do I allow various concerns or worries fill my thoughts? / Do I have joyful memories? Am I excited about the future, or, fear it? You give dignity to yourself by acknowledging your authentic feelings remembering that no feeling is sinful…but what we do as a result can have negative or positive, results.
4.2 Recognise that you are not a helpless victim of circumstances. I love the prayer for serenity…”Lord, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and, the wisdom to know the difference”
4.3 Take positive steps to deal with difficult, painful issues… our emotional life is like our physical issues. Sometimes we need inner healing so that we can move forward.
Some years ago, I spoke to a lady who had lost her beloved husband in death. Her home was a shrine to him even though he had passed many years before. She could not move forward. Grief is normal but prolonged grief is unnatural. In my passing I would understand my dear ones grief but it would trouble me greatly if they were ‘stuck’ in grief and did not recall all the wonderful times we had together.
4.4 Realistically, to expect a pain-free life is unrealistic. I love the words of Jesus, He said,
“ In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world” (John 16:33)
A Simple Smile
A SIMPLE SMILE, shared in passing, can spark an infectious ripple of kindness that brightens the world, one person at a time.
Every morning I go for a walk down to the beach, and on my way I pass people walking their dogs, who are with their partners, or who are alone. Many of them will greet me with a ‘hi mate’ or ‘good morning’ or just a hand wave. However, many will walk past without any sort of acknowledgment that I am there. I am invisible to them.
In South Africa there is a greeting that the Zulu’s use, namely “Sawubona’. It means ‘I see you’. It is more than just a polite phrase. ‘Sawubona’ carries the deeper meaning of recognising each person’s worth and dignity. ‘I see you’, (meaning, you are valuable to me.)
What a difference it makes when one is acknowledged, greeted with a cheerful good morning, or even just a lovely smile. One is never fully aware of what others are going through at that given moment, so any acknowledgment can bless their day.
So, when I came across the following poem, sent to me by a friend, I decided to include it under Costa’s Corner.
SMILE
Smiling is infectious
You catch it like the flu
When someone smiled at me today
I started smiling too.
I walked around the corner
And someone saw my grin
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile
And then I realized its worth
A single smile, just like mine
Could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin
Don't leave it undetected
Let's start an epidemic
And get the world infected
A Poem by Spike Milligan
Jokes
A Few Jokes to Smile About
A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a Genie's lamp. She picked it up and rubbed it, and lo-and-behold a Genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she was going to receive the usual three wishes.
The Genie said, "Nope ... due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries, and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one wish. So ... what'll it be?"
The woman didn't hesitate. She said, "I want peace in the Middle East. See this Map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other."
The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, "Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I'm good, but not THAT good! I don't think it can be done. Make another wish."
The woman thought for a minute and said, "Well, I've never been able to find the right man. You know, one that's considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, is good in bed and gets along with my family, doesn't watch sports all the time, and is faithful. That's what I wish for ... a good mate."
The Genie let out a long sigh and said, "Let me see that Raddy map!"
My Dad and I were talking the other night about love and marriage. He told me that he knew as early as their wedding what marriage to my mum would be like.
The way he tells it, the minister asked my mum, "Do you take this man to be your husband." And she said, "I do."
Then the minister asked my dad, "Do you take this woman to be your wife," and my mum said, "He does."
She had a wedding to go to, and needed a wedding gift.
"Aha," she thought, "I have that monogrammed silver tray from my wedding that I never use. I'll just take it to a silversmith and have him remove my monogram and put hers on it. Voila, one cheap wedding present."
She took it to the silversmith and asked him to remove her monogram and put the new one on.
The silversmith examined the tray carefully, shook his head and said, "Lady, this can only be done so many times!"
The Absence of God
Have you ever felt the silence of heaven in your darkest moments? Explore a thoughtful reflection on the mysterious times when God seems absent and what those moments might truly mean.
I am sure that we all have experienced the absence of God in our lives. I have experienced this many times in my life, it is a lonely, desolate place.
Lewis Smedes eloquently addresses this in his book “When Goes on Leave of Absence”. He says this “If you have lived as long as I have, you have probably found yourself, now and then, in deep trouble and you asked God to help and He did not seem to hear. You knocked at His door and nobody was home. Gone on vacation. Heaven was silent.”
Let’s take a look at some places in the Bible where God was ‘absent’ -
In the Old Testament:
In the Garden of Eden when Satan tempts Eve to eat from the forbidden fruit.
Israelites enslaved in Egypt.
Years of wandering in the desert.
King David’s moral lapse.
In the New Testament:
Birth of Jesus- Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Many babies were slaughtered.
The error of the Jewish religious practices e.g. the unscrupulous money-changers.
The temptations of Jesus…. Satan’s voice “change the stones into bread.” Etc. (Matthew 4:1-11)
The cry of Mary, the sister of Lazarus. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32)
The agonized cry of Jesus on the cross; “My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27 v 46). Also, King David, one of the most beloved writers in the entire bible, in the very first verse of Psalm 22, asks the same question.
You and I may have felt like asking the same question sometime in our lives: My God, my God, why, why have You abandoned me?
Two possible conclusions:
A. Like a mother or father teaching their toddler to walk would, at some point let go of the toddler’s hand so that they can build the confidence in themselves.
B. That God is never actually absent, but that we are expecting something different from God.
There are probably many more reasons, perhaps take some time to meditate on this….
A Prayer For Those Who Live Alone and Feel Alone
Discover a heartfelt prayer that brings comfort, strength, and peace to those navigating life on their own. A reminder that solitude need not mean being alone.
I live alone, dear Lord,
Stay by my side.
In all my daily needs.
Be Thou my Guide.
Grant me good health.
For that indeed, I pray,
To carry on my work
From day to day.
Keep pure my mind,
My thoughts, my every deed.
Let me be kind, unselfish
In my neighbour’s need.
Spare me from fire, from flood,
Malicious tongues
From thieves, from fear,
And evil ones.
In sickness of
An accidental befall,
Then humbly, Lord, I pray,
Hear Thou my call.
And when I’m feeling low,
Or in despair,
Lift up my heart,
And help me in my prayer.
I live alone, dear Lord,
Yet have no fear,
Because I feel Your presence
Ever near. Amen.
(Author unknown)
Story of a miraculous re-uniting
What if a chance encounter on a subway could change lives forever? Discover a story so extraordinary, it defies belief and redefines the power of fate.
Here is a summary of Marcel Steinberg’s incredible story-----
After visiting a friend, he boarded a Manhattan-bound subway for his Fifth Avenue office…he happened to sit next to a man and was struck by the features of the passenger on his left. The man was probably in his late 30s, and when he glanced up, Marcel saw that his eyes seemed to have a hurt expression in them. The man was reading a Hungarian-language newspaper, and something prompted Marvel to say in Hungarian, “I hope you don’t mind if I glance at your paper.”
The man seemed surprised to be addressed in his native language. But he answered politely, “You may read it now. I’ll have time later on.”
During the journey they had quite a conversation. Marcel learned that the man’s name was Bela Paskin and that he was a law student when World War II started, he had been put into a German labour battalion and sent to the Ukraine. Later he was captured by the Russians and put to work burying the German dead. After the war, he covered hundreds of miles on foot until he reached his home in Debrecen, a large city in eastern Hungary. He immediately went to the apartment where his family had lived. He was told that his whole family, including his wife had been sent to Auschwitz, the death camp, by the Nazis. He was devastated and felt he could not remain in Hungary and travelled to France and managed to immigrate to the United States in October 1947, just three months before he met Marcel.
Marcel remembered listening to the struggle of a young woman that he met who had been sent to Auschwitz; from there she had been transferred to work in a German munitions factory. Her relatives had been killed in the gas chambers. Later she was liberated by the Americans and was brought to America in the first boatload of displaced persons in 1946.
Marcel felt It impossible that there could be any connection between these two people, but asked, “Was your wife’s name Marya?”
He turned pale. “Yes!” he answered. “How did you know?” Paskin looked as if he were about to faint.
They got off the train and Marcel found a phone booth and called a number. He recalled “It seemed hours before Marya Paskin answered.
When he heard her voice at last, he told her who he was and asked her to describe her husband. She seemed surprised at the question but gave Marcel a description. Then he asked her where she had lived in Debrecen, and she told the address.
Marcel asked her to hold the line, then turned to Paskin and said, “Did you and your wife live on such-and-such a street?”
“Yes!” Bela exclaimed. He was white as a sheet and trembling.
“Try to be calm,” Marcel urged him. “Something miraculous is about to happen to you. Here, take this telephone and talk to your wife!”
He nodded his head in mute bewilderment, his eyes bright with tears. He took the receiver, listened a moment to his wife’s voice, then suddenly cried, “This is Bela! This is Bela!” and he began to mumble hysterically. Seeing that the poor fellow was so excited he couldn’t talk coherently, Marcel took the receiver from his shaking hands and said to Marya, “Stay where you are I am sending your husband to you. We will be there in a few minutes.”,”
Putting Paskin into a taxicab, I directed the driver to take him to Marya’s address, paid the fare, and said goodbye.
Bela Paskin’s reunion with his wife was a moment so poignant, so electric with suddenly released emotion, that afterward neither he nor Marya could recall much about it.
“I remember only that when I left the phone, I walked to the mirror like in a dream to see if maybe my hair had turned grey,” she said later. “The next thing I know, a taxi stops in front of the house, and it is my husband who comes toward me. Details I cannot remember; only this I know—that I was happy for the first time in many years.....”
(Paul Deutschman, “Great Stories Remembered”, edited and compiled by Joe L. Wheeler WW2)
The Management Methods of Jesus
A list of management methods used by Jesus that are applicable today.
By Bob Briner
Have a plan
Be prepared
Choose your own associates
To fill a key spot, pull out all the stops
Teach, teach, teach
Practice private communication
Establish authority
Insist on absolutes
Watch your timing
Handle corruption immediately
Don’t sugar coat
Get away from it all
Field test your staff
Practice good relations
Get good logistical support
Learn a little humility
Share the glory
Say “thanks”
Stay in touch with real people
Be responsive
Don’t neglect public speaking
Prepare for tough times
Set priorities
Beware of sycophants
Be a servant
Learn how to rebuke
Be a fruit inspector
Stop worrying
Avoid grandstand plays
Be fair to all
Be a risk taker
Take care of the children
Pay your taxes
Let your results speak for you
Don’t cast your pearls before the swine
Be an inspirational leader
Prune for productivity
Don’t try to serve two masters
Remain calm in the storm
Settle disputes quickly
Evaluate constantly
Share corporate lore
Take the narrow path
Serve families
Stand up for your people
Prepare for your success
Cut your losses
Eat with the troops
Discourage position jockeying
Enjoy your work.
What gifts are you carrying into 2025?
What treasures will you pack for the journey ahead in 2025, and how might they shape your path?
As we enter 2025, we carry with us the uncertainty and fragility that have defined recent times, marked by troubles, like natural disasters and global conflicts. Yet, in the midst of this upheaval, we are reminded of the transformative presence of Jesus, "Emmanuel," who disrupts not with death, but with the promise of life in its fullness. As we reflect on this holy season and face an unwritten future, we are challenged to consider what we intentionally pack for the journey ahead, embracing faith, hope, and purpose.
What are we packing in our travel bags for 2025.
The Magi in search of the new king born packed the normal items -- toothbrushes, star maps, tents, food. But they safely tucked away gifts of value. They were aware they were traveling to meet the king.
These were not just indiscriminate, random gifts…each had special significance because each symbolized a special attribute of our Lord Jesus.
1. THE GIFT OF GOLD
Gold is the king of metals. By bringing gold to Jesus they were acknowledging that He is a King. If we acknowledge that He is king of our lives -- we are saying that everything we are -- everything we have -- belongs to Him.
What does that imply? That if God is king -- He must have first place in everything. Our decisions, work, homes, marriages, time, talent and our treasure.
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
2. THE GIFT OF FRANKINCENSE
Frankincense is a fragrant perfume and represents our inner being.
Thoughts-devotion-emotions.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name. Bow down to the Lord in the splendour of holiness. Psalm 29:2
This speaks about our spirituality
The Prophet Micah asks:- “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted Lord.”? Micah 6:6
If we are defined by what we own – that’s real poverty.
Frankincense symbolizes what is within a person. It is the fragrance of our spirituality?
Who we are, when nobody’s looking? What fills our mind and thoughts when we’re alone?
“as a man thinketh so is he” Proverbs 23:7
3. THE GIFT OF MYRRH
Myrrh is a bitter spice used for EMBALMING a body before burial.
It represents a picture of sorrow and suffering.
This is the supreme gift. But strangely, it is the hardest gift to give because it is so costly.
The reason why sorrow hardens one person, and melts another, is just that one person keeps the sorrows internally, and the other offers it to God.
People generally can't face the pain of the world. Because it's too costly, you see. They strive to be blissfully unaware of the suffering in the world.
Carrying this gift takes something from you-it costs.
It involves our emotions as we become aware of their suffering – it can break our hearts.
It moves us into action using our talents. Takes time and effort.
It may mean sharing what we have with them.
“If any of you wants to be my follower,’ Jesus told them,’ you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely.” Mark 8 : 34 (LB)
How do we include that gift in our travel pack? By equipping ourselves to stand alongside people.
These are the gifts of the Magi that were so preciously tucked away in their travel bags.
Finally, packing for 2025 is the beginning of a lifelong journey-we need to be careful what we pack.
The bottom line is actually:-
If we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, we will want to bring Him our costliest gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
How would that translate for you and I?
What will make our lives more meaningful in 2025? More money? More entertainment? More possessions? We are more than all of these! We need to turn to our Lord and Saviour and offer God our gifts.
My challenge to us:-
To trust God and put Him first in our lives whatever the new year brings.
A NEW YEAR PRAYER.
O Lord, we pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of the way this New Year. We ask that You guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire You above all else. We ask that You open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask for help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire You’ve put within our hearts.
Shine your light in us, through us, over us. May we make a difference in this world, for your glory and purposes. Set your way before us. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done in and through our lives. May we reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs your presence and healing.
To You be glory and honour, in this New Year, and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
New Year’s Jokes
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A woman from the feminist movement asked this radical question:-
Have you ever imagined what would have happened if there had been three wise women instead of three wise men at the Epiphany?
They would have asked for directions to the stable locally instead of going to Herod.
They would have arrived on time and helped deliver the baby
They would have cleaned the stable and brought practical gifts for the family to eat – like a casserole.
And there would have been peace on earth!”
Why did the skeleton go to the New Year party alone?
Because he had no body to go with.
I named my dog ‘Happy New Year.’
When I call him in every night, the neighbors think I’ve lost my mind.
On New Year’s Eve, a man who has had too much to drink decides to walk home.
A police officer stopped the individual and inquired as to his destination.
“I’m on my way to a lecture,” said the man.
“Who gives lectures on New Year’s Eve?” mocked the officer.
“My wife,” the man replied.
What if Jesus Was Never Born?
This thought-provoking article explores the transformative impact of Jesus
Our eldest son had, and has, a very enquiring mind. His frequent question when he was young was ”What if…?”
Many, many questions.
Today I ask the question….. What if Jesus was never born?
Here are some of my thoughts and you can add yours: -
We would think that God is judgemental, demanding, punishing, distant, and only for the Jews.
We would not know the inclusiveness of God…” For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son…” John 3:16
We would not experience the releasing power of sins forgiven. We don’t have to live with the burden of guilt!
We would not have the incredible, wholesome ,life-giving teachings of Jesus;
He taught us to love one another, as He loved us.
He taught us the value of all people, creatures and nature.
He commanded us to forgive.
Incredible ‘wisdom’ teaching e.g. Sermon on the Mount
His proclamation about eternal life. ”In my Father’s house there are many mansions and I go to prepare a place for you..”
Read more in Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
Making Christmas a Real Celebration
Exploring the heart of Christmas beyond commercialisation, this article reflects on traditions, faith, and the timeless message of love and joy that define the season.
What was/is your experience of Christmas? This would be very different in the different parts of the world, for instance, as a child living in South Africa I could never understand why the Christmas cards always had pictures of snow. I had never even seen snow!
What I really came to appreciate is the family gatherings we had to celebrate Christmas. In my family of origin my Dad always cooked an awesome leg of mutton and my Mother made lovely deserts and decorated the dinner table. The tradition in Costa’s family was to have a barbeque at a picnic venue with a compulsory cricket competition after lunch. I loved, and love, the Christmas Church Services. The joy, the wonder, the timeless message …
“for God so loved the world that He gave His son..” (John 3:16)
Sadly, much of the real meaning, the real joy of Christmas has been hi-jacked by the commercial world. The shopkeepers probably say “What a friend we have in Jesus”…. As they count the takings of the days leading up to Christmas. Buying gifts to celebrate the greatest gift of all is good but it has over-shadowed the real meaning.
Perhaps a good question to ask is, “How can we re-capture the real joy of Christmas?”
One essential factor is to actually, and practically, remember what we are celebrating! And to teach our children the meaning of Christmas and why we give gifts.
If you are a Church-goer, attend the Christmas Service as a priority. If you are not a Church-goer, celebrate in your own way, but always remember what the celebration is about. It is about God’s way of showing how much He values His creation through the life and death of His son.
Also, perhaps we could consider how to extract ourselves from the commercialisation of Christmas. How can we teach our children that it is not just a time to be spoiled with too many gifts?
We spend too much, we eat too much, we even drink too much….I think we can do better! We can truly remember, and celebrate the gift of the earthly presence of Jesus with the tag “With love from God”
CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES
Reflecting on the miraculous Christmas truce of 1914, this article challenges us to embrace reconciliation and forgiveness, striving for 'peace on earth' in our lives and beyond.
Some years ago I read a book that described a Christmas Day event during World War 1 (1914) . The depth of meaning of this has lived with me ever since. I googled it and found a few articles about it:--"The Christmas truce in the trenches 1914”
German and French soldiers were on opposing sides, both in trenches facing each other, each with the aim to destroy who they regarded as ‘the enemy’.
Christmas day dawned and the guns were silent… slowly, from both sides of the ‘enemy’ lines men began to appear. They approached each other, unarmed, tentative…. Then the miracle happened; smiles, greetings – no animosity, anger or threat. Just joyful greetings, at first tentatively, I guess, then filled with the joy of this sacred day.
It reminded me of the Christmas Carol -
“Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King, peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled”
For a brief interval there was peace…
I wonder what it felt like to go back in the trenches, to pick up a rifle to shoot at the ‘enemy’ who briefly was a brother with the same Heavenly Father?
Perhaps it is time for us, all of humanity, to get out of the trenches … just listen to the news of all the wars, but also look around you- in nations, in politics, families. We need an armistice not only on Christmas day, but in all of our days. Our survival as nations, families and individuals depend on this. “Peace on earth…” Our prayer and our aim, each one doing their part in making it happen.
A challenge today…. If you have a grudge, a hurt, a struggle with anyone, resolve that you will do your bit to bring about “peace on earth” by reaching out in reconciliation – I do not mean you have to embrace them and include them in your life but make peace. Forgive and let go of all the negativity that has darkened your days. You and I can “do our bit” in bringing peace on earth. And our prayer is that the various nations can do the same. Peace on earth a noble aim.
Do It Anyway…
A timeless call to courage and compassion: do good, love deeply, and give your best—no matter the challenges or the world's response.
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centred,
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies,
SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,
BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help but may attack you if you help them,
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth,
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY
(from a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, the children’s home in Calcutta)
A Parable explaining the deep meaning of Christmas
A man’s encounter with a flock of freezing birds on a snowy Christmas Eve leads to a profound realisation as to the true essence of Christmas.
“Once upon a time there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn’t a Scrooge. He was a kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men. But he didn’t believe all that stuff about Incarnation which churches proclaim at Christmas. And he was too honest to pretend that he did. “I am truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. “But I simply cannot understand this claim that God becomes man. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
On Christmas Eve his wife and children went to church for the midnight service. He declined to accompany them. “I’d feel like a hypocrite,” he explained. “I’d rather stay at home. But I’ll wait up for you.”
Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. “If we must have Christmas,” he thought, “it’s nice to have a white one.” He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another.
He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at his living room window. When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the storm. They had been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. “I can’t let these poor creatures lie there and freeze,” he thought. “But how can I help them?” Then he remembered the barn where the children’s pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter.
He put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the door wide and turned on a light. But the birds didn’t come in. “Food will lure them in,” he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction - except into the warm lighted barn.
“They find me a strange and terrifying creature,” he said to himself, “and I can’t seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety. . . .”
Just at that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood silent for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. “Now I do understand,” he whispered. “Now I see why You had to do it.” ”
That was A Christmas Parable written by Louis Cassels many years ago, a simple but beautiful way to explain the mystery of Christmas.
“Now I see why You had to do it” he wrote. And indeed God had to do it, had to become one of us to make us understand because despite God’s best efforts throughout all the Old Testament we still didn’t get the message.
It was the best way to express His love by coming as an innocent baby, non-threatening, not confronting but simply helpless and vulnerable. He became man and dwelt among us and we have seen the love and compassion of our God expressed so wonderfully in Jesus Christ.
God has spoken to us, the Word has become flesh and we beheld His glory. Praise be to God.