Copy & Paste

Matthew 6:5-18
5) And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6) But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7) And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their man words. 8) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9) Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11) Give us this day our daily bread; 12) And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13) And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14) For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15) but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16) And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18) that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Happy Friday

It’s been a GREAT week. How was it for you?

But it wasn’t easy this week. In fact, it was an extremely tough week, for a variety of reasons. Some personal. Some professional. One of the toughest in the past year. Not the toughest, but in the top ten.

And so it goes. Life is good. Life is hard.

I try to find the joy in the multitude of blessings that surround us everyday. Wisdom is a blessing, isn’t it? Click here on WISDOM, to see a short video to make you think. If you don’t like to think, don’t do it. Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂

Little Crosses

When driving through Frankenmuth, Michigan, I’m

always intrigued with the many simple little crosses

I see in the front yards of the homes we pass by.

Those crosses are a statement of support for the

Frankenmuth’s Christian foundation.

Two years ago an atheist living there complained

about two crosses on a bridge in town. He

requested that they be removed, and so the town

removed them.

Then he decided that since he was so successful

with that, the city shield should also be changed

since it had on it, along with other symbols, a

heart with a cross inside signifying the city’s

Lutheran beginnings.

At that point, the residents decided they had had

enough. Hundreds of residents made their

opinions known by placing small crosses in their

front yards.

Seeing this quiet but powerful statement from

the community, the man removed his complaint.

Those simple crosses remain in those front yards

today.

 

 

 

In The Blink Of An Eye, Life Will Never Be The Same

From a friend:

The precious 3-year old had a cold, which was nothing out of the ordinary for her. Seemed to be doing better, but then was awake all last night. Mom rocked her and gave her juice and then around 5 AM Mom noticed that Alice’s breathing was off. She and her husband were getting ready to take her to the hospital when she stopped breathing and went limp in Mom’s arms. She was gone when the ambulance got there.

On one hand, it’s so extraordinary that she lived for three years, as most trisomy 18 babies don’t live to be born, and of those who are (born), the vast majority don’t live past a few days or weeks. On the other hand, I cannot imagine loving and bonding with a child who you know is dying, and having them with you for three years. They just spent last week in Ocean City. It seems so horribly cruel. The poor little thing struggled every day of her life. She was never able to speak, sit up, crawl……. developmentally she was stuck at two months old. Compared to what Mom and Dad have been through and are feeling right now, any pain in my life seems to pale in comparison

Mid Life Celebration.com?

What is Mid Life Celebration.com?

It’s my primary site, for sharing the amazing joy we can feel, and the privilege we all have, for being alive.

It’s pretty cool. Seriously, what else did you expect me to say? It’s fun to write about this mid-life gift of life.

But don’t take my word for it. www.MidLifeCelebration.com

Make it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will? Carpe diem, jeff noel 🙂