Wednesday, December 31, 2008

No News is Good News

Penn of Denn

I think one of my New Year's resolutions this year will be: less news. I really don't think the world is getting worse, I think the news services are simply getting better at telling us how bad things are.

I came to that conclusion this past week, as the cable news described in detail a fatal domestic shooting...in California. A tragedy no doubt, compounded by the fact that the shooter was dressed as Santa, but it had happened on the other side of the continent. But because the carnage is delivered fresh to our living room, it makes us fearful that our world is not as safe or as ordered as it once was.

The old news adage, "If it bleeds, it leads", apparently is still true, but on a much larger scale. Twenty years ago the same things happened in far off places, but they were irrelevant to our everyday lives, because we didn't hear about them.

So this year I am going to watch less of the lurid news from afar and try to focus on those things that are close to home; things that are true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Doing Your Best!

Penn of Denn

Where does the time go? Christmas is a memory and we can almost reach out and touch 2009. 2009! Wow! It seems like only yesterday that people were hoarding water in anticipation of Y2K, what a letdown that was.

James was right when he wrote in the Bible: "Your life is like the morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone." Life is short, no matter how long we live and while we may not have control over how many years we will have in our life each one of us will determine how much life we will put into our years.

2008 is almost gone you can't undo or redo what has already happened, but as you look ahead toward 2009 you can determine in your heart that as much as depends on you that you will do your best. Your best as a Christ Follower, your best as a friend, your best as a parent and your best as a spouse. And if you do that, you will have given an incredible gift to those you love the most. And you will have helped to make their year the best ever. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Celebrate the Reason

Penn of Denn

Well, Christmas is almost upon us and if you aren't ready, then you had better hustle.

If you are like most people, you decided last Christmas, that this Christmas would be different. You vowed that you were going to slow down, that you weren't going to get caught up in all the commercialization of the season and you were going to spend more time reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. So, how are you doing with that?

Christmas has come to mean so much more than simply celebrating the birth of Jesus. He may be "a" reason for the season, but in 2008, He's not the only reason. Today, it's about giving and getting. It's about spending time with our families and friends. And it's a time, to at least give lip service to peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind.

And those things aren't bad things.

But amidst the sacrificed trees and turkeys, let's remember that Christmas is about God stepping into our world and into our lives. And I trust that you will find Him a little time this Christmas, to welcome Him into your world and your life.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Quest for Stuff!

Penn of Denn

Quite the story from the States last week, about the Wal-Mart worker killed in the shopping frenzy that followed Thanksgiving Day. The Friday following Thanksgiving south of the border, has traditionally been known as Black Friday and I'm sure that name has a different meaning for at least one family this holiday season.

One news story reported that police are reviewing security video, to see if they can pinpoint who was responsible for the man's death. I'm thinking that even if the pictures are crystal clear, showing perfectly those who trampled the hapless worker, I'm not sure they will have discovered those responsible.

Are those who were three or four feet to either side any less guilty, simply because of their location? Seriously though, would they have reacted any differently had they been closer?

When someone dies at the hand of someone else, it is usually the result of base emotions like anger or jealousy. In this case it was greed and people's quest for more "stuff" cost a man his life.

We need to be careful that our quest for more "stuff", doesn't cost us our eternity. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.