By Joe Widick
This morning (Thursday) our house was eerily quiet! There were no petitions for grand mommy or granddaddy. Missing was the questions, “where are my shoes and is this OK to wear?” For the past three days, Elaine and I have had the opportunity to keep Faith and John Derrick, while their parents were out of town. We all joke about the joys of being grandparents because you are able to send the grandchildren home at the end of the day. As tired as I felt and as rushed as I was to get all things done that needed to be done, I would in a moment have them back. They brought enough joy with them to bring smiles on our face. They had enough energy in them to keep us active instead of just sitting there watching TV or reading. They were inquisitive enough to keep us giving answers for the questions they asked. I have already thought a great deal about our experience, it was a good three days and nights. Too many times, I take for granted the many blessings that I have. I need to stop and count them one by one; I know that I would be surprised at all that the Lord has done for me. We didn’t get fame or wealth for the three days with our grandchildren, but we did receive enough joy to recharge our batteries for matters we face in our day to day lives.
As I thought about these matters, I wondered what it is that you and I need daily to keep us going. I know that the Lord is going to supply us with the things in life that we need. Maybe instead of thinking about fame or fortune as the means for happiness we could look elsewhere. With that in mind I want to make a wish for each of us. A wish that may bring that needed smile or that boost of energy that is needed.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all you possess. I wish you enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Goodbye.”
As I have grown older it is about these things. They are the things that bring real joy and happiness. Elaine and I were blessed this week with two of our grandchildren. I know that other grandparents who read through this article have been blessed in the same way. The goodbye’s we expressed Wednesday night will linger in our mind as a memory of three special days. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi and said “I am thankful for every remembrance of you.” Are you and I thankful for just enough blessings that the Lord gives us?
By Joe Widick
None of us find ourselves immune to trouble. It comes whether we want it to or not. The list of worries and concerns is lengthy. It may be that you have received bad news from a recent medical test. Perhaps you are dealing with the betrayal of a trusted friend. Sometimes the principal calls and tells us that one’s “little angel” is not acting correctly at school. Other times it may be the heart ache of unfaithful spouse. You fill in the blank; what is on the horizon that you are facing that is bringing anxiety. The question is what are you going to do. It seems as though there could be two options: forge ahead on your own or turn to God.
When you or I try to face all of our troubles alone, it is usually not a good idea. I believe it can lead to bad behavior patterns. We may even find ourselves blaming God and retreating into defeat. Why not start by trusting in God to be a source of help, a shoulder to lean on. When we fail to trust in God to help, to guide we may find ourselves in a similar situation that the Israelites found themselves in. For the Israelites they wound up spinning out of control and into despair. Their story is a familiar story. The spies had entered the promise land and had brought back a report of intimidating giants and dangers ahead. They did not see any way they could deal with the problem ahead of them. In Numbers 13:31-33 we find the spies reporting and they use the pronoun “we” seven times in the short three verses. You know as well as I who they left out. There is no reference to the Lord. Think for a moment where they were when this “Oh No!” situation arose. The Israelites were on the cusp of the ultimate blessing that God had promised to them. They had been eyewitnesses to the miracles in Egypt. Their feet had walked the dry bottom of the Red Sea—what a jaw-dropping victory that was. There should have be no question in their minds that God’s faithfulness had been amazingly evident. I always ask at this point of the story, “what happened!” It seems as though the Israelites had very short memories. What disappointing faithlessness! Sadly, oh so sadly, they turned their backs on God and left this great blessing behind.
The other option-turning to God is seen in the example of Joshua and Caleb. They had the faith to turn to the Lord with this confident statement; “The Lord is with us” (Numbers 14:9). It is an eye opening story of trying to deal with matters alone and dealing with matters with the help of God. I recently saw this quote that I find applicable to the story; “God’s presence is a life preserver that keeps the soul from sinking in a sea of trouble.” When the “oh knows” of life come why not put on that life preserver to help you through those difficult times.
By Joe Widick
Our house becomes a divided house in the fall of the year. It is not about what decoration to put up. It is not about when to have our family hayride-hot dog roast. It is not about vacation places. It is about football! Elaine cheers for Tennessee and I cheer for Vanderbilt. Our two sons show their allegiance to Alabama. It is not a pretty sight to see Elaine cheering for Tennessee and our sons cheering for Alabama when the two schools meet. Unfortunately as a Vanderbilt fan, I have little to cheer for in the fall, but my allegiance remains firm. Our youngest son even bought us sweatshirts one Tennessee and the other Vanderbilt. In the fall we will often wear them at the same time as we go to the store or shopping for groceries. Many times people will give us a strange look as we walk into Walmart holding hands while showing our loyalty for our favorite team.
Many at Maple Hill would freely say that their blood flows orange in the fall or crimson red when the two teams meet. We become proud of our support of our schools. It is interesting to me to look at loyalty to Jesus Christ. Are we proud to let others know about our love and loyalty to Christ? When was the last time you turned down an event because you had a commitment to an activity at church? How did you turn it down? Were people able to see your loyalty to the Lord’s church? The apostle Paul had a loyalty that was most definitely out in the open. His loyalty to Jesus Christ was evident in everything that he did. Romans 1:16 is a very familiar passage to most of us. I don’t know how Paul penned those words, but I can almost imagine him underlining the first phrase for emphasis sake; “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…” Paul had come to an understanding that this gospel that he was not ashamed of was “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” He understood that Jesus had dramatically changed his life and the direction in which he was going. In his daily walk as he went about teaching and preaching and simply living a godly life, Paul was proclaiming Jesus, the one to whom he had given his whole life (Acts 9). It is also interesting to note that the church in Rome was also known for their allegiance to Christ. The same apostle Paul said of them; “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).
Go Vols, roll Tide, maybe this year for Vanderbilt or whatever school you cheer for, brings a certain joy and happiness to this season of the year. Thank you Lord for blessing me with such a loving savior who has done so much for me who was so undeserving, should be a part of our lives no matter what the season.
By Joe Widick
Perhaps you remember the events in August of 2007. That was the month and year that a major bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River. The tragedy took the lives of 13 people. I remember that after the tragedy, I like maybe some of you thought twice as I crossed a bridge over a body of water. If it happened once it was possible that it could happen a second time.
Have you ever watched the TV show “Dirty Jobs?” It is a show on the Discovery Channel. The host of the show Mike Rowe tries to duplicate some of those jobs that on the surface seem as though no one in their right mind would ever do. It is a show where average folks tackle extraordinary tasks that simply must be done. On one episode Mike Rowe interviewed an industrial painter. In the interview Mike said; “There’s really no glory in what you do!” The painter responded; “No, but it’s a job that needs to be done.” The man’s job is to paint the inside of the Mackinac Bridge towers in Northern Michigan. His unnoticed job is done to ensure that the steel of the magnificent suspended structure won’t rust from the inside out. If this ever happened the integrity of the bridge would be compromised. On average there are 12,000 people per day who cross the Straits of Mackinac. They are not even aware that they are depending on workers like this painter to faithfully do their jobs and to do them well. Men like this painter help to ensure that what happened in Minneapolis doesn’t happen again.
What work are you doing for the Master? What work will you do for the Master? Many times during the week, I see men and women at the building doing various task, that if left undone, would create difficulties for us at some point. The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful facility to worship in, to study in, and to fellowship together in. What would happen if no one maintained the heating and cooling of the building? What if the plumbing needs went untouched? What if no one came to the building to prepare communion, to pick up bulletins left in the auditorium, or to stock pens and attendance pads? What would be the effect if no one showed up on Monday night to help those that have had financial difficulties and are struggling to put food on the table? I believe that God sees our faithfulness in the things we do. Though we may think our deeds—big and small—sometimes go un-noticed, they are being observed by the one who matters most. Whatever our task today, let’s “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). It has been said that daily work takes on eternal value when it is done for God. What will you do?
