New Year, Same Old?

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Hi, how you doing?  How were your holidays?  Mine were wonderful and packed.  Lots of fun and lots of things to do.  Maybe too much.  The more things you have to do the faster times goes by and boy!  it flew by.  So, here we are at another cross-roads in life so to speak.  A new year lies ahead of us and what kind of year will it be.  What kind of year do you want it to be is the question.  Thats right.  It is up to you in a lot of ways.  

Let me ask you this: "Is the glass half full or half empty?"  I know it sounds simple but life is about the attitude we approach it with.  Will you dwell on what you don't have or what you do have?  Will you count your blessings (and share them too) or will you complain about your problems (and dwell in them)?  I am 62 years old and I always thought I would be more prosperous by now.  Oh, I have a nice house (the church owns it), and I have a nice truck (2010 and the bank owns it) but what is actually mine is mostly second hand purchases or hand me downs.  I owe around $52,000 on my school loans for college and seminary plus other bills so we basically live pay check to pay check.  I have some toys and some nice clothes (at least I think they are nice).  We can go out to eat every now and then and even to the movies. When I retire, whenever that may be, we will have to look for someplace cheap to live.  BUT, we are happy with our lot in life.

I feel blessed to be married to a wonderful woman and have 4 beautiful and gifted children who have families of their own.  I am doing what I love to do and what I believe I am called to do by God.  I have a great church and love my people.  My health could be better and I will work on that this year, but again I am blessed to live where I do, to have a great dog, fantastic friends, loving family, and a purpose in life which is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have direction and a goal in life every day that I get up.  The glass may seem half empty at times and when it does I simply get a smaller glass by remembering those who are less fortunate than me, that things could always be worse,  and that this world is not my home.  I am Heaven bound my dear friends because of Jesus Christ and my only purpose in this life is to bring Him honor, glory, and praise.  It is my prayer that people see Jesus in me and want what I have so that John 3:16 becomes a reality in their lives.  Yep, 2018 is what we make it and as the Good Book says, "If God be for us who can be against us" and "We have favor with God and Man".  Change your glass, count your blessings, tell someone about Jesus and praise the Lord always.  

God loves you and so do I,

Pastor Bruce

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