Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

I Timothy 6:17

Our American culture exalts in wealth.  The TV is full of ads, etc., that remind us again and again of our favored position in the world, backed by huge wealth.  Christmas is upon us – get out and buy!  That is what we hear.

This produces an arrogance that soon turns into selfishness, when we forget the needs of the 90 per cent of the world’s people.  We try to hold on to all our privileges.  We are so sensitive about this that we dread seeing people not like ourselves coming among us.  I do believe that we put our hope in wealth.  The problem is we hope in that which will pass, without a warning.

Our brother Timothy encourages us to put our hope in God.  That sounds strange to many but is life-giving hope to us who believe in the saving and keeping work of Jesus Christ.  Timothy reminds of whom we follow –  the Lamb of God.  He provides us with everything for our enjoyment.   Living in Jesus is the way we were meant to live!  Outside of him is nasty grasping for all kinds of wealth.

Lord, as Christmas approaches, give us the grace to enjoy life in God, our true and eternal Friend.

I find the morning sun, pouring into our sitting room, to be especially attractive. The simple furniture being lit by a strong Winter sun is a joy to the eye and spirit.  The fact that through the years we were able to build and repair these pieces satisfies the soul.

As the weather turned colder we boys sawed wood to heat the fireplace in our sunroom.  Our house was heated by soft coal, but the sunroom that was added since the house was built had a fireplace so as the weather turned colder, about November, we went to our few acre woods to cut logs for the fireplace.  We used a cross-cut saw for that.  The old, trusty saw had handles at each end that we pulled to cut the two-foot long logs.  I was the smallest boy so I usually found myself holding the logs as tight as possible as the older boys did the sawing.  This was great fun, often in the new snow.

We hauled the cut wood to the house with a wheelbarrow, where we stacked the wood to heat the sunroom.  Our fireplace was not very efficient, smoked a lot and needed to be hot to burn the logs that were often a bit wet.  The smell was undoubtedly wild.  That fireplace served us well but often smoked a lot before the heat created draft enough to take the smoke upward instead of into the room!  But when it was roaring – that was another world. As I recall, we used coal if we wanted to keep the fire going. Wood burned fast.

Then in December we boys created a wonderland of roads and houses, in the sunroom that faced the road.  We also cleaned our little electric train that ran on a track but which needed much tender care.  It ran but only when a cautious hand ran the transformer.  Otherwise it ran not at all or was on its side on the curve as it sped too fast.  Anyway, it was always a challenge that we enjoyed meeting the best we could.

The center of attraction was the decorated tree, touching the ceiling.  I think we cut our own tree in our woods, not certain.  No matter, the tree always had that pine aroma that we loved.

I took a picture of the fireplace years later.  Here it is with a wicker sofa in front of it.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8

Today’s Daily Light, December 15, is nudging us to love.  A good reminder at this time of year when it seems like selfishness is just fine.  But the reminder is always there to be altruistic, not selfish.  I do believe that being a believer sends us down this road.  From a child I was thinking, “What will I get?”  That seemed well enough, but it must be abandoned by a much more compelling motivation, here, in Peter’s letter, it clear, we are to love one another, be compassionate and humble.  We all have needs, emotional and other needs, but our greatest need is to have compassion.

As I reflect, I am aware of the fact that my health seems to require more and more of my interest.  Getting older in the flesh is not to be despised but embraced.  But I am discovering it comes with certain demands. I need to guard against selfishness in its many forms.

Am I like-minded?  Do I really try to enter the lives of others?   Am I sincerely sympathetic, as Jesus is?  And do I love others, always compassionate and humble?

I have some work to do!  How about you?   Christmas reminds us of the joy of giving, may I give open-handedly?

Why should Christmas be so full of memories, joys and much more?  As I write I am transported into memories, dreams and good feelings.   Our tree decorated at home with lights and tinsel in the sun room with a miniature scene of houses, cars and a small train running cheerfully about.  It had a tendency to fly off the track which meant reaching in and putting it back on the track, prepared for the next flip.

In the same room the fireplace is warming everything up with good cheer.  The scene was like another world, with a white paled fence separating the ordinary life and the visions imagined inside that fence.  It was my wonderland,

I was the end of a string of 5 sons so I did not have much to do with the marvelous tree, I just enjoyed it.  With the room lights turned off and the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights casting their shadows, it was, indeed another world.

I did not, at that time, see the importance of Jesus in it all. It was a joyous time in our very own house, surrounded by brothers and sisters and friends.  When I was 16, when I sold out to Jesus, then I could see an entirely new level of meaning in the Christmas events.  I do not despise the early fantasies, just see God’s hand in leading me to be a disciple of what Christmas is all about, Jesus, as he came to bless us with eternal life!

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:7

This is the heart of the Gospel.  Try as we might, we can not understand the things of God unless we are changed.  Jesus calls it being “born again.”  It is as radical as that.  I know because it describes me perfectly.

Only the new born, a person born to a new life, can walk with our Lord Jesus.  God can not change, ever.  If we are to walk with Him, we must be changed.  Our natural person has a problem with that.  Rightly so.  Christians of all ages share this common truth, we “must be born again.”  No matter what our culture, we must be born again, into the culture of the followers of Jesus.

Such confidence we have through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  

2 Corinthians 3:5 – 6

Paul speaks of confidence.  That means that we are sure of something. He then switches to the word “Competence.”  It means “the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.”  Paul makes it clear that we as believers in Jesus do not claim that we are, in ourselves, competent.  God makes us so.  Confidence and competence are twins, both wonderful gifts of the Spirit.

Our confidence comes from God. And (God) has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant.

As I see it, the point is that God gives us the ability to believe that He will do what He has promised!  We cannot.  He can.  That is good news, indeed.

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

Isaiah 35:3, 4

Life is not always a great festive occasion when warm blood courses through our bodies, enabling us to move forward. where great and wonderful things are going to happen to us.

I am up there in years and my hands are getting a bit feebler and my knees are feeling age, to some degree.  Signs of getting older, I suppose, is the point.  So, this passage from Isaiah has special relevance to me.

I know that as I add years my strength will weaken.  I am not surprised!  But I must learn to live with limitations as my years advance.  That is also in God’s gracious plans for all of us, young and old.

I find great delight in consolation in the advice, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.”  The important thing is to know that God will come.  He knows more than I about such things.  He is my strength.  Mine is wavering but His grows stronger.

Lord give me determination to rest in you.  Help me to see that old age is in your plan for me and for all like me.

Dr. Adiga agrees on concentrating on red blood cells.  Makes sense.  Timing to be determined.  His staff will prepare.

We decided against the more elaborate treatment, at least for now.

That’s it.  Thanks for praying.

Don

This morning I will have an important appointment with Dr. Adiga to sort out how I should go about treatments for my blood.  Our family, including Dr. Glenn, favors concentrating on building up my red corpuscles, so we will discuss that.  The cocktail of meds that we were considering is probably not the way to go.  We will be Glenn, Jane, Anna Ruth and me.

If I am not mistaken the symptom that concerns me most is light – headedness when I sit for a while and then get up to do something.  I usually have to stop for a bit but then do what I want to do.   I am pleased that I can do my daily 2 mile walk in the community.  I feel good doing that.  I suppose I could just keep going as is.  The Dr. will advise.

It takes some mental adjustments to sync with aging.  I am working on it!  My spirit tells me I am vital, my body tells me to adjust to advancing age.  Jesus will help me to balance things.

In case you are interested I will give a report of our visit today some time.