It’s Memorial Day here in the U.S.A. It’s not appropriate to say “Happy Memorial Day”, for this is a truly solemn holiday. It’s the day each year that we honor our fallen heroes – those military personnel who served their country in a time of war – and who gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep our freedom strong. They gave their life.
This is not a day for those like me who once served in the U.S. Armed Forces, for I am still alive. My day is Veterans Day on November 11TH. It is not a day for those who are currently serving in the military. That day is Armed Forces Day – the 3RD Saturday of May.
On this day I remember our fallen heroes. I will never forget.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.(John 15:13)
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
Happy Sunday May 24TH 2020. This is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us be the church. Let us bring the church – in everything we do – and everywhere we go.
For me (and for many of you as well) this is our 10TH Sunday in a row of no corporate church services. Many church services have been presented online – either LIVE or on Memorex. (If you get that reference then you are as old as me.)
I’ve watched many church services online. My Pastor has generally preached solo on Saturday nights from our sanctuary – recording his sermons – and then uploading them to Facebook soon after. I’ve been watching them the next morning – on Sundays right around 10 AM – the exact time when I would normally be driving to our church building. (Hopefully we’ll be able to do that again real soon – maybe as soon as next Sunday.) I miss my church family in-person.
Incidentally you can view any of my Pastor’s recent sermons on Facebook by clicking this link.
I’ve recently updated and enhanced my SERMONS page here on my blog. Check it out for my own sermon history. I’ve got future enhancements planned for this blog to include audio files of sermons. It would be a new concept for me – preaching a sermon while recording it (via my iPhone), and then uploading it as an audio file to my blog. I’ve never done it before, so I’ll experiment with it. Maybe there’s a podcast in my future ?
You know our God doesn’t want us to stay in place in neutral mode. He wants us to keep moving forward towards Him and His light. He wants us to move forward physically and spiritually. I believe that if you’re not learning something new about God on each new day of this journey then you’re not moving forward towards Him. You may not be retreating, but you may be standing still, or just barely moving along. Standing still does not get you closer to God. Barely moving along means you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities – on a lot of miracles – that God has planned for you. We must keep learning each and every day that God gives us on this Earth. Older people can learn about God from younger people. Longtime believers and followers of God can learn about God from newer and even baby Christians just learning how to walk on this journey.
Together we must:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead – fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.(Proverbs 3:5-8)
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
This was my little feline buddy ‘Boots’. I met him in 1994, and we officially became housemates on New Year’s Day 1995. Over the years Boots developed my personality in a cat’s body. He was the smartest cat I’ve ever met. I talked to him, and he understood me, and he responded to me.
Boots’ favorite hobbies included greeting me at the front door all the time, following me everywhere I went, watching my every move, eating with me, sleeping with me, and (for fun) pushing geckos off the back porch screen in order to “save my life”. If Boots saw a gecko climbing on the outside of the screen it would only take him mere seconds to jump up and push that gecko off the screen and tumbling 15 feet to the ground below. Once he did that he’d look back at me for my instant approval (which I always granted).
Boots was with me for 12½ years – the toughest 12½ years of my adult life. Exactly 13 years ago last night on May 16TH 2007 was a horrible night for Boots and I. He was in agonizing pain (due to the effects of various diseases), and he could no longer hide it. He was screaming all night long. He could no longer walk. He lost the ability to purr. I knew that was his last night of life.
The next morning I made the ultimate decision to put him to sleep to end his terminal pain and suffering that he was enduring. I was with him at the very end at the animal hospital, and he meowed at me one last time as if to thank me for loving him for all of those years. His eyes slowly closed after that, and I cried.
His doctor said it was my final good deed for him, and that he probably lived much longer than he should have – due to the love that I provided to him over the years.
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
… And Proverbs Chapter 31 Verses 27 and 28 continue with this:
She carefully watches everything in her household, and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of our Moms. Thank You for all that you do each day, and may:
The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
And all God’s children said, “AMEN !”
All rights reserved (c) 2020 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries
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