Month: December 2016

It’s that time when carols are played over and over again.  In quite an unusual manner, I have just recently been able to start listening to the carols this December.  I think Sirius XM playing Marshmallow World over and over again and the 25 channels of my TV playing constant Christmas music have soured me just a little bit.

I was glad to finally sit down at my desk and listen to a few of the deeper carols and be reminded of again of what has become my favorite carol over the last few years ( here, here, here and here) – O Come O Come Emmanuel.

I can’t put my finger on the exact reason that this particular song has taken the number one spot.  I think it’s because it not only reminds me of the longing of the world for the Christ to be born long ago, but it also echoes the similar sentiment that follows of the Christ have today around the return of the same King.  Each verse  ( and there are a lot of versions and verses)  extols the virtues of the coming King and encourages us to rejoice in that coming.

But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13

It also reminds me again how much joy is found in knowing that his coming resolved so much of the complexity of the world for us.

Sing it with me, O Israel….

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

I was surfing the twittersphere over the weekend when I stumbled upon this quote from a Triathlete magazine story.

“I believe that, no matter what race day or life brings, that putting one foot in front of the other is everything.”

"I believe that, no matter what race day or life brings, that putting one foot in front of the other is everything."https://t.co/tDCcb7LgjN

— Triathlete Magazine (@TriathleteMag) December 10, 2016

Some days, most days,  you have to keep pushing forward, no matter what the day brings.    If its cold and rainy, hot and humid, or just blah, the key is to just keep moving. Ironman athletes encourage each other with the phrase ‘Just keep moving forward’. Always moving forward is key to that event and like this little quote says, it key to life.

There’s also a little bit of biblical wisdom laced in there.  Consider

The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.  Job 17:9

And

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.Philippians 3:13 

 Friends, Let us keep moving forward, one step at a time, towards our common goal.

It would be an amazing day for me if I actually did the right thing from the time my iPhone plays its sweet tune at 5am until my head hits the pillow at, well, whenever it does. By the way, my iPhone tells me I should hit the pillow at 10.  Bless Siri’s heart.

But seriously, wouldn’t you love a day where everything you did was good and right and in line with the will of the Creator.

Just one day.

Just one day to be given the ‘Ohio State’ treatment and be treated as more than you really are.

Just one day.

Unfortunately, most of the time I feel like the Columbia Lions from the 80’s, where the losing streak just rolls on.

The good thing is our creator keeps short accounts.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

Amen!

Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. — Psalm 51:1

AMEN!

Maybe, in actuality, every day in the eyes of the Lord is a day of perfection?  Maybe he does see us as Blue Chippers despite our performance?  Maybe we are like Ohio State?

Maybe if I remembered that the day would be so much better?  Maybe my light would shine?

Maybe that one day I yearn for is actually every day?