The Christmas Card

I recognized the handwriting on the envelope immediately, as I pulled the mail from the box. It was a Christmas card. The beautiful writing addressed to my wife and I was from my mom. She always hand writes all the names and addresses. Mom has never used a computer. But unlike me, you can read her writing.

I walked slowly back across the road and to the house. I hesitated at the thought of opening the card. I knew it would be a Christmas card. She has faithfully sent them out through the years. But this would be the first year...

With tears in my eyes, I read the beautiful poem and Christmas wish. And I read the signature below, "Love, Mom." You see, this is the first Christmas card I have ever received from P.O. Box 182 without two names on it. Daddy passed away in March. His name is missing.

There's a lot of joy around the Robbins' house this year. Trish and I are staying busy. Loving God, loving our church, loving our family. But there's a couple of missing spots. Those who know us know this, and I pray will forgive me for feeling the need to write about it again. Sometimes when I feel like crying, it seems to be good therapy just to put it in words. I have been hesitant to do so because of my daughter, Tina. Her husband, Michael passed away in July. Both Dad and Michael passed away due to cancer. Tina, like mom, has some good days and some bad. But mom doesn't read my blogs. Tina does. So I try to keep my thoughts to a minimum.

You never know when just a simple thing will trigger a memory. Like a Christmas card. And we are not alone in facing a Christmas with pain and adversity. I know many of you are facing some things that make this a difficult time for you. My prayers are that the Lord will give you his divine strength. And I pray you will be surrounded by family and friends who will help you.

It's going to be ok, Johnny

I don't remember when or where I first heard the story. Through the years I have retold it many times, many times without thinking about it in advance. It is the story about a dad and his little boy.

Dad was off work that day and mom needed to do some shopping. It was a beautiful day and daddy decided to take the toddler to the park. Fastening the little one in the swing, dad pushed him back and forth. The little one began to whine, and dad was beginning to panic. A sympathetic mom saw what was going on as the father kept repeating, "its going to be alright Johnny" while pushing the little one in the swing. The neighborly mom came to the side of the little one, looking down, and tried to calm the little one, referring to him as "Johnny". At this, the dad said, "his name is Jason, I'm Johnny."

I'll give you a minute, my joke telling and remembering is not all that strong. But the story line is that dad was encouraging himself. Sometimes you just have to do that. As David did in the bible, when he was up against great difficulty and the men who had stood with him turned against him. When no one else was there to do it, David encouraged himself. To encourage oneself is to take courage, to be strong, to stand. The bible exhorts us to having done all to stand.

We all have times when we face adversity and need encouragement. I am thankful for those moments when the Lord sends a friend along to help. It might be an email, a text on my cell, a call. It might be on facebook or twitter, or another way. I am appreciative of those moments. I just contacted an old friend this week and really didn't know why. I was impressed to encourage them. They related that they were going through a severe time of testing, and the words I shared were very timely.

Walt Mills used to sing a song, "I've got a feeling, everything's going to be alright." We sang it many times back in those years. But the fact is that everything is not going to be alright. Some marriages don't make it. Some people turn on you and leave you. You lost the good paying job, didn't get the promotion. A family member died of a disease. You can become bitter at the events going on in your life.

Yet in spite of all the pain, adversity, and sorrow, you can make it through this. You can survive. God put you here for a reason. I just want to encourage you today to hang in there, hold on. The sun will shine again. I love you and God loves you.

Be blessed!
Pastor Ronnie