Christmas boxes are toys no matter what is in them. That is the conclusion I have come to as I watch my grandchildren open their presents.
First there is the wrapping paper around the box. There is a special joy on their faces as they tear off the paper. You can see the excitement and expectation as every layer of paper and box reveals a little more about the contents that awaits them.
Next comes the box. They finally get to see what is inside. Suddenly we see if it is clothes, toys, games, tools, or something totally unexpected. The surprise is half the fun as we watch the excitement being unwrapped.
Some things have to be tried on or played with immediately. Other things are stacked in a corner to be examined later. The fun of giving and receiving is followed by the enjoyment of having something new. All this fun began with an empty box. Before the box could be opened it had to be filled with a present someone picked out with you especially in mind.
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
A new year is like an empty box. I have heard it said that you only get out of life what you put into it. In fact, I’ve said it a few times. But that saying does not go nearly far enough. Like a present, a new year is also what others put into it for you. We are all connected to the world around us. And, we can find treasure as we unwrap every layer of our experiences of life.
Happy New Year
Bro. Robin
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Stockings by the Fire
I remember as a child waking up on Christmas morning and heading straight for the presents. Some time later in the morning we would remember the stockings that were pinned to the fireplace mantel. They were overlooked mostly because we already knew what was in them. Christmas Stockings at my house were always the same every year. They were white tube socks filled with assorted nuts and fruit and maybe some coins in the toe. Dad was responsible for doing the socks and he was predictable, most years.
After I got married I discovered that Christmas Stockings were a big deal in some homes. Joyce’s family used specially made stockings. They were shaped liked stockings but much larger and decorated for Christmas. In them we found new socks, (I always found it humorous that there were socks in my stocking!), and there were always fun things like pencils, toys, and snack food.
Joyce and I have carried on her family’s tradition. Every year before the presents can be opened we look inside the “stockings.” The actual decorative stockings hang in the living room. In their place we fill gift bags with goodies that the kids and grandkids always look forward to. Some things are practical, like new socks, and there are always fun surprises that we pick out especially for each person.
They say the tradition of Christmas Stockings goes all the way back the St. Nick himself. The original Nicholas was a fourth century Christian who became a lay preacher and because of his extraordinary devotion eventually became the Bishop of Myra, in modern day Turkey. As the story goes, he heard of a man with three daughters who was so poor he could not afford dowries so they could be married. Nicholas wanted to help but knew the man was too proud to accept charity so he walked by his house and threw three gold coins in the window. As it happened, the girls’ stockings were hanging by the fire to dry and by a miracle the coins landed in the stockings. The girls could get married and a legend was born.
Christmas has been a time of gift giving from the beginning. The wise men from the east brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the baby Jesus. We give gifts to our children and each other. The gifts may be small or large, practical or fun, but they all represent the love and sacrifice that went into the gifts we give.
Jesus was, and is, God’s greatest gift to us. He continues to give us gifts through his Holy Spirit. As we fill our stockings and give our gifts this year I pray that we will take the time to remember his gift. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16)
Merry Christmas,
Robin & Joyce Cowin
After I got married I discovered that Christmas Stockings were a big deal in some homes. Joyce’s family used specially made stockings. They were shaped liked stockings but much larger and decorated for Christmas. In them we found new socks, (I always found it humorous that there were socks in my stocking!), and there were always fun things like pencils, toys, and snack food.
Joyce and I have carried on her family’s tradition. Every year before the presents can be opened we look inside the “stockings.” The actual decorative stockings hang in the living room. In their place we fill gift bags with goodies that the kids and grandkids always look forward to. Some things are practical, like new socks, and there are always fun surprises that we pick out especially for each person.
They say the tradition of Christmas Stockings goes all the way back the St. Nick himself. The original Nicholas was a fourth century Christian who became a lay preacher and because of his extraordinary devotion eventually became the Bishop of Myra, in modern day Turkey. As the story goes, he heard of a man with three daughters who was so poor he could not afford dowries so they could be married. Nicholas wanted to help but knew the man was too proud to accept charity so he walked by his house and threw three gold coins in the window. As it happened, the girls’ stockings were hanging by the fire to dry and by a miracle the coins landed in the stockings. The girls could get married and a legend was born.
Christmas has been a time of gift giving from the beginning. The wise men from the east brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the baby Jesus. We give gifts to our children and each other. The gifts may be small or large, practical or fun, but they all represent the love and sacrifice that went into the gifts we give.
Jesus was, and is, God’s greatest gift to us. He continues to give us gifts through his Holy Spirit. As we fill our stockings and give our gifts this year I pray that we will take the time to remember his gift. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16)
Merry Christmas,
Robin & Joyce Cowin
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Ready for Winter
With fall in full force I have been giving some thought to winterizing. I have already winterized most things around my house. The hoses have been drained and the lawn mower is stored. I need more firewood and I still have a few things to take care of but for the most part I am ready for winter.
As I was making my mental list for winter I remembered a time in college when I was asked to help with a winterizing job. A friend of a friend had an opportunity to make some money winterizing greenhouses in the area. He covered them with plastic sheeting that helped protect the glass-covered houses from ice and snow. It seemed like an easy way to make a few bucks so I agreed to help.
The job involved unfolding the plastic on top of the greenhouse and tacking it down at the eaves. It was cold and windy and the plastic was uncooperative. He needed someone light and agile to go to the center of the roof and help with the plastic. He had asked me to do it. It seemed easy enough until I got to the middle and realized that there was no place to put my feet, surrounded by glass, and pushed around by the wind. The sound of cracking glass was unmistakable.
We heard him groan and we all worked faster to get the job done and get off the roof before someone fell through it. When he counted the cracked panes later he said that we would all have to share from our profit to cover the cost. I could see how much this pained him so I volunteered my profit to pay for the glass. He accepted my offer and I later found out that the homeowner was very understanding. He also admitted that he should not have attempted the job with the wind blowing like it was that night. So I ended up being the only one who did not make any money.
Preparing for change costs. Change happens to us often. We experience changes at work, in our families, with our relationships, and the world around us is always changing. We also go through changes at Church. We have to constantly be on our guard against the blowing winds of change and adjust our balance to minimize the cost. But no matter what we do there is always a cost involved.
Jesus often called us to count the cost. It was never a question of whether or not there would be a cost to following Him. He called us to always be ready to make sacrifices. He also promised great rewards for those sacrifices.
He said, “And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29 HCSB)
Obeying Jesus costs us and those around us. We may not see the rewards in this life but we gladly pay the cost because of who made the promise. We cannot stop change. We can follow the one who will lead us through it.
Bro. Robin
As I was making my mental list for winter I remembered a time in college when I was asked to help with a winterizing job. A friend of a friend had an opportunity to make some money winterizing greenhouses in the area. He covered them with plastic sheeting that helped protect the glass-covered houses from ice and snow. It seemed like an easy way to make a few bucks so I agreed to help.
The job involved unfolding the plastic on top of the greenhouse and tacking it down at the eaves. It was cold and windy and the plastic was uncooperative. He needed someone light and agile to go to the center of the roof and help with the plastic. He had asked me to do it. It seemed easy enough until I got to the middle and realized that there was no place to put my feet, surrounded by glass, and pushed around by the wind. The sound of cracking glass was unmistakable.
We heard him groan and we all worked faster to get the job done and get off the roof before someone fell through it. When he counted the cracked panes later he said that we would all have to share from our profit to cover the cost. I could see how much this pained him so I volunteered my profit to pay for the glass. He accepted my offer and I later found out that the homeowner was very understanding. He also admitted that he should not have attempted the job with the wind blowing like it was that night. So I ended up being the only one who did not make any money.
Preparing for change costs. Change happens to us often. We experience changes at work, in our families, with our relationships, and the world around us is always changing. We also go through changes at Church. We have to constantly be on our guard against the blowing winds of change and adjust our balance to minimize the cost. But no matter what we do there is always a cost involved.
Jesus often called us to count the cost. It was never a question of whether or not there would be a cost to following Him. He called us to always be ready to make sacrifices. He also promised great rewards for those sacrifices.
He said, “And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29 HCSB)
Obeying Jesus costs us and those around us. We may not see the rewards in this life but we gladly pay the cost because of who made the promise. We cannot stop change. We can follow the one who will lead us through it.
Bro. Robin
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Fire
Fire can warm us and feed us. A warm stove can be the center of a home and represent the warm memories we have growing up. It can also be a problem when it gets out of control. The ability to make and control fire gives us an edge when it comes to survival in this world.
Starting a fire in my fireplace takes skill and patience. The end result is a warm and cozy living room. In addition to the fireplace I also have an outdoor grill. I like to grill all kinds of food when the family gets together. Last year I built an outdoor fire pit for when the weather gets cold. We have already used it once this year for s’mores with the grandkids.
The three grandsons were home with me when I was ready to light the fire pit. I had recently bought a fire starter that could be used for camping. It was a metal stick with magnesium on one side and flint steel on the other. I wanted to show it to the grandkids so I had them gathering sticks and dry grass. I shaved of some magnesium and then lit the metal shavings with sparks made by striking the steel. We then lit a small pile of dry grass and soon had a fire going.
In their eagerness, the boys began piling on more grass but it was green grass this time and they accidently put the fire out. We started the fire again with dry grass and twigs and soon we had a good bed of coals. We pulled out the marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers and began to enjoy an evening of roasted marshmallows and s’mores. The boys said later that it was the best evening ever. For boys there is nothing better than the combination of fire and sweets.
Paul told Timothy to, “keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB) In the Old Testament a pillar of fire led the Children of Israel by night. Jeremiah said that if he could not speak in God’s name, “…there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones.” (20:9) John the Baptist said that Jesus would, “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16) When the Holy Spirit was given to us they observed that it looked like “flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” (Acts 2:3)
The Holy Spirit is compared to fire throughout the Bible. Like fire, the Spirit requires fuel and the freedom to burn. The Spirit, like a fire, can be quenched when we insist on doing things our way. The big difference is that a fire out of control is dangerous to our lives. When the Holy Spirit gets out of our control God is free to burn away everything that is not like Him. He wants us to supply fuel of our lives surrendered to Him and keep the fire stirred by obedience to His word. Then He will keep us fed and warm and give us the power to do His will.
Bro. Robin
Starting a fire in my fireplace takes skill and patience. The end result is a warm and cozy living room. In addition to the fireplace I also have an outdoor grill. I like to grill all kinds of food when the family gets together. Last year I built an outdoor fire pit for when the weather gets cold. We have already used it once this year for s’mores with the grandkids.
The three grandsons were home with me when I was ready to light the fire pit. I had recently bought a fire starter that could be used for camping. It was a metal stick with magnesium on one side and flint steel on the other. I wanted to show it to the grandkids so I had them gathering sticks and dry grass. I shaved of some magnesium and then lit the metal shavings with sparks made by striking the steel. We then lit a small pile of dry grass and soon had a fire going.
In their eagerness, the boys began piling on more grass but it was green grass this time and they accidently put the fire out. We started the fire again with dry grass and twigs and soon we had a good bed of coals. We pulled out the marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers and began to enjoy an evening of roasted marshmallows and s’mores. The boys said later that it was the best evening ever. For boys there is nothing better than the combination of fire and sweets.
Paul told Timothy to, “keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB) In the Old Testament a pillar of fire led the Children of Israel by night. Jeremiah said that if he could not speak in God’s name, “…there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones.” (20:9) John the Baptist said that Jesus would, “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16) When the Holy Spirit was given to us they observed that it looked like “flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” (Acts 2:3)
The Holy Spirit is compared to fire throughout the Bible. Like fire, the Spirit requires fuel and the freedom to burn. The Spirit, like a fire, can be quenched when we insist on doing things our way. The big difference is that a fire out of control is dangerous to our lives. When the Holy Spirit gets out of our control God is free to burn away everything that is not like Him. He wants us to supply fuel of our lives surrendered to Him and keep the fire stirred by obedience to His word. Then He will keep us fed and warm and give us the power to do His will.
Bro. Robin
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Clear Waters
I stood on a bluff overlooking two streams of water as they merged into one a hundred feet below me. It was an amazing view both beautiful and dangerous at the same time.
It had been raining before we got there and we canoed all day in rain. The river had been rising all day and the canoeing got exciting with the high water producing challenging rapids. The danger kept other boaters away and we seemed to have the river to ourselves. We were exhausted when we made camp early in the afternoon.
Our campsite was a cabin next to a spring that could only be reached by boat. The spring flowed into the river along side a high gray bluff that was covered in green. The bluff overlooking our campsite was too great a temptation as we discussed what the view must be like from the top. We forgot our exhaustion as we climbed to the top and took in the view.
We looked down on the clear spring as it flowed into the muddy water of the rising river. At the intersection the water swirled in confusion as if trying to decide if it would continue on clear like the spring or muddy like the river. But the river was more powerful than the spring and we watched as an ugly transformation took place. The rising brown water of the river began to push its way into the stream of the spring. The spring was constant and was not getting any stronger. It became obvious that the river being fed by the rain would eventually overcome the spring if it continued to rise.
That night the river crested and in a few days it was back to normal. The river had turned muddy because the rain ran over the hills and valleys and brought everything that was loose on the surface into the river. The spring never stopped flowing clear water. After the rain stopped the constant flow of cold clear springs eventually cleared up the water and the river ran clear. Soon, the clear river once again attracted crowds of happy people playing in its water.
Thinking back about that experience I am reminded of the passage in James 3:1, “Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?” No, sweet and bitter water come from two different sources. If they try to merge it will only turn the good water bitter. But when the flow of bitter water is stopped and the sweet water is allowed to continue it will eventually all flow sweet again.
Our relationship with God is our most important relationship. As we draw near to him, the source of all that is holy and good, He clears up the dark places in our life. James 4:18 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Robin
It had been raining before we got there and we canoed all day in rain. The river had been rising all day and the canoeing got exciting with the high water producing challenging rapids. The danger kept other boaters away and we seemed to have the river to ourselves. We were exhausted when we made camp early in the afternoon.
Our campsite was a cabin next to a spring that could only be reached by boat. The spring flowed into the river along side a high gray bluff that was covered in green. The bluff overlooking our campsite was too great a temptation as we discussed what the view must be like from the top. We forgot our exhaustion as we climbed to the top and took in the view.
We looked down on the clear spring as it flowed into the muddy water of the rising river. At the intersection the water swirled in confusion as if trying to decide if it would continue on clear like the spring or muddy like the river. But the river was more powerful than the spring and we watched as an ugly transformation took place. The rising brown water of the river began to push its way into the stream of the spring. The spring was constant and was not getting any stronger. It became obvious that the river being fed by the rain would eventually overcome the spring if it continued to rise.
That night the river crested and in a few days it was back to normal. The river had turned muddy because the rain ran over the hills and valleys and brought everything that was loose on the surface into the river. The spring never stopped flowing clear water. After the rain stopped the constant flow of cold clear springs eventually cleared up the water and the river ran clear. Soon, the clear river once again attracted crowds of happy people playing in its water.
Thinking back about that experience I am reminded of the passage in James 3:1, “Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?” No, sweet and bitter water come from two different sources. If they try to merge it will only turn the good water bitter. But when the flow of bitter water is stopped and the sweet water is allowed to continue it will eventually all flow sweet again.
Our relationship with God is our most important relationship. As we draw near to him, the source of all that is holy and good, He clears up the dark places in our life. James 4:18 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Robin
Monday, December 12, 2011
Weeds
I had yard work chores in my Dad’s yard as I was growing up. But, I did not know the responsibility of my own yard until I was pastoring my first church and we were given a parsonage to live in. I soon found out that there was more to taking care of a yard than just mowing the grass.
One year I had a great crop of weeds. They were prickly and tall with a tough stem. I first tried to handle them like everything else in the yard. I mowed them all down. The weeds, however, grew much faster than the grass and mowing also seemed to encourage them to multiply.
As my problem grew so did my determination. I grabbed a bucket and I pulled them all out. Well, I pulled anyway. Some of them came out roots and all but most of them only came out level with the hard soil. Immediately after the next rain they were back with a vengeance and had multiplied again. They also looked taller as if taunting me with my failure.
I decided to try again. This time I grabbed a hand spade with my bucket. The soil was softer because of the rain. I meticulously removed each weed with the root and any weed that broke off I used the spade and dug out the root.
I actually had a neighbor who drove by and rolled down the window to tell me that will still never work. Every yard in the neighborhood had the same problem and we were just going to have to wait until winter and used weed and feed then, in her opinion.
To everyone’s surprise, including my own, the weeds stayed gone this time. Before the next spring I followed advice and used a high quality fertilizer. That year I had the best yard on the block. I also used the same fertilizer on the Churchyard and saw the same result there.
Remembering that experience always reminds me of the warning in Hebrew 12:14-15: “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness – without it no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many” God’s word is like that spade, digging out the root of bitterness. Pursuing a course that is opposite of peace produces a root of bitterness that leads to trouble. Peace and holiness go together. Peace and holiness both have to be pursued. You cannot have one without the other.
An unwanted root has to be removed completely or it will continue to grow back and multiply. The key to peace is forgiveness, which is also the key to removing the root of bitterness. Forgiveness should be followed up with holiness to keep the root from returning later. Peace, forgiveness, and holiness are personal pursuits that are part of a healthy spiritual life of a Christian. We cannot do this by ourselves but we can do all things through Christ.
Bro. Robin
One year I had a great crop of weeds. They were prickly and tall with a tough stem. I first tried to handle them like everything else in the yard. I mowed them all down. The weeds, however, grew much faster than the grass and mowing also seemed to encourage them to multiply.
As my problem grew so did my determination. I grabbed a bucket and I pulled them all out. Well, I pulled anyway. Some of them came out roots and all but most of them only came out level with the hard soil. Immediately after the next rain they were back with a vengeance and had multiplied again. They also looked taller as if taunting me with my failure.
I decided to try again. This time I grabbed a hand spade with my bucket. The soil was softer because of the rain. I meticulously removed each weed with the root and any weed that broke off I used the spade and dug out the root.
I actually had a neighbor who drove by and rolled down the window to tell me that will still never work. Every yard in the neighborhood had the same problem and we were just going to have to wait until winter and used weed and feed then, in her opinion.
To everyone’s surprise, including my own, the weeds stayed gone this time. Before the next spring I followed advice and used a high quality fertilizer. That year I had the best yard on the block. I also used the same fertilizer on the Churchyard and saw the same result there.
Remembering that experience always reminds me of the warning in Hebrew 12:14-15: “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness – without it no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many” God’s word is like that spade, digging out the root of bitterness. Pursuing a course that is opposite of peace produces a root of bitterness that leads to trouble. Peace and holiness go together. Peace and holiness both have to be pursued. You cannot have one without the other.
An unwanted root has to be removed completely or it will continue to grow back and multiply. The key to peace is forgiveness, which is also the key to removing the root of bitterness. Forgiveness should be followed up with holiness to keep the root from returning later. Peace, forgiveness, and holiness are personal pursuits that are part of a healthy spiritual life of a Christian. We cannot do this by ourselves but we can do all things through Christ.
Bro. Robin
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