Pets may improve infant health!

Last Sunday as I was speaking, I mentioned how a vaccine works in our body so that we and our children won’t get sick. A vaccine does that by injecting people with a dead form of the infection. Yes, you are injecting them with the very thing you are trying to protect them from you force their body to build defenses for the live invader. As much as we would like to protect our loved ones against every harm, they need to be equipped with the tools to do battle. The battle builds muscle and teaches tactics thereby building layers of defense for your loved one.

It goes against the current and natural inclination of every parent to protect their child from harm whether it be injury, disease, emotional calamity or what. It is culturally correct to shield our children in safe sterile environments so that they will stay and be safe.

That is why this video article caught my attention.

          
That was the title for an article on America Now June 25/2013. The following is an excerpt of the article.

It appears man's best friend may provide some valuable benefits to new parents and their baby.      

Researchers in Finland found that babies up to a year old in homes with dogs were not only healthier overall, but also had fewer respiratory tract symptoms and fewer infections.    

"One question that I get asked a lot as a pediatrician is, ‘Can I have a dog in the house? I have this new baby. Is that going to be a problem?' So this article really shows that in that first year it can actually be a good thing to have them both together," explains Dr. Emma Raizman of the Cleveland Clinic.

Raizman did not participate in the study, but she says researchers believe that a dog, and to a lesser extent cats, help a baby's immune system mature faster -- and that means fewer runny noses and doctor visits.

How does an immune system mature faster? I must be challenged on a regular basis. That pet in the home brings in other stuff. Stuff you do not want your child to get and it (the stuff not the pet) jumps on the child with wild abandon with a shout of “fresh meat.” Of course this is way too soft for you to hear or you would do something about it.  The baby’s immune system (designed and installed by God) jumps into action battling off the invaders stomping them into the ground (so to speak). Each time a fight breaks out that baby gets stronger and more developed to defend itself against infection. The presence of pets so the study indicates may improve infant health.

Recent events and some not so recent can shake our misconception of faith as being battle free. Far from it, faith has always been a war where God allows trials and tribulations to be our vaccines developing our character, building strength, deepening our reliance upon Him and his Spirit for life. This is the refining process that builds our faith defenses to face and overcome (Jesus words) a more difficult and trying future. There is ALWAYS Hope! It is not up to us!

For the promise of God needs neither angelic witness nor human intermediary but depends on him alone. Galatians 3:20 J.B. Phillips

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG

On the first day of Summer

Van Halen wrote, “Summer’s here and the time is right for dancin’ in the streets.” I have to admit I enjoy the break from driving the school bus each afternoon and sleeping a little later each morning (6:30 instead of 5:30). I do seem to plan a few more projects than I will even attempt much less get done in the “break.” The lazy time allows for a back to basic approach. I time when I consider what it is that is core to who I am and what I am to do. What do I really believe about God and how does my behavior reflect my beliefs. The core to all of that is the dynamic of relationship with my Father in heaven.

Two core values of faith in Jesus are being and doing. Being in the presence of God each moment of the day and doing what he asks, following him in his plan and purpose. The first is being in his presence and how we might do that continually when we can’t see God, like the wind. We can see the results of the wind as moss sways in the trees or dist covers our car but we cannot see the wind. Likewise we can see every moment the results of God’s presence but not himself. Sometimes our “eyesight” fades and it is so very hard to see the results of God’s presence. How can we sharpen our eyesight, heighten our senses to the presence of God?

Max Lucado in Just Like Jesus has some tips for heightening our awareness of God and his presence in our daily lives. They are simple and yet profound to our relationship and awareness of that relationship.

1.        Give God your waking thoughts.  Before we do anything even get out of bed get into his presence in thought and spirit.

2.        Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence. I find this best done before I begin other tasks lest I forget.

3.        Give God your whispering thoughts. Consider every moment as a potential time of communion with God. As you pick fruit from a bush or sit waiting in traffic, every moment has potential presence packed in it.

4.        Give God your waning thoughts. As you end your day consider God’s activity in the hours gone by. Finish in the presence of the One who loves you so and not Jay Leno.

Those thoughts are so simple and yet so fundamental to our experience within the presence of God. So elemental to our realizing God is around and in us working inviting us into his task and accomplishments.      

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG

Father's Day is here!

Here we are the middle of June, summer I looked around as I was walking the dog and thought about the plans I had made for this “summer.” One or two started but none finished and here we are at Father’s day. Mid-June and I’ve had no completion of my plans. No finished project I can point to and feel proud about the accomplishment, no success to measure my worth.

Success is a word thrown around in our culture. The problem is the definition keeps on moving, changing and morphing as well. In a conversation recently I asked a man/father/ husband what a successful day was. “How did he define a successful day?” He replied very candidly, “A successful day is not yelling at my child.” He then went on to tell of the trying morning the two of them had attempting to get out of the door. Many of us can relate to that definition. The problem is most days we are not successful even by that definition much less the others measures of manhood, wealth, fame, power, prestige.

A definition is thought. Thought about what a word of action means not just in the short term but also in the long term. Whose thought do you embrace? That will define success. Some my say they were successful by just making it to the end of the day. I say that is survival not success. Jesus illustrated this in a parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-28). A talent here is not an ability but rather assets of large value, a large sum of money. To one the Master in the story gave 5, another 2 and finally 1 to the third to manage for him while he was away. When the master returned the first brought 10 talents. He had doubled the talents and was praised “well done good and faithful.” Likewise the second brought 4 talents. He also had doubled the talents and in the same manner was praised, “Well done good and faithful.” Both were entrusted with more responsibilities for the future. The third returned with the 1 talent he had been given. He survived the task. At least he didn’t lose it he still had the 1 talent.  We might measure that a success but it was not. The key to his failure is in his words,

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’ Matthew 25:24-25 HCSB.                 

Did you see it? “I was afraid.” Men, most days we fail to succeed because we are afraid. Afraid we don’t have what it takes or afraid of what others will say or do, afraid of what might happen to our family, afraid of how much energy it will take. Let’s face it we look tough and strong on the outside but we are soft and weak on the inside. We are afraid we won’t succeed.

This story teaches us the definition of success written by God. It’s called faithfulness. Success in God’s eyes is measured in faithfulness to Him, faithfulness to our wives, faithfulness to our children, and faithfulness to ourselves. Faithfulness is doing the best you can with what you have. Two talents do your best, five talents do your best, one talent do your best, sweeping the floor do your best, washing the car do your best. You can only do your best when you are present.

Success in God’s eyes is not measured in outcome but in faithfulness to the task. When on the job be there, when home relaxing with the family be there, when worshipping be there Your Heavenly Father is and he wants you to join him. Faithfulness is to live in the moment given you to take advantage of the opportunity God gives to speak, serve or be for Him. Not the past or the future but right then and there taking in all that God has put before you. Men, when we live like that each day is successful. We have been a success in God’s eyes and when we trust him more in our own.

Have a GREAT Father’s Day!     

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG

Boy it was a week...

Barbara and I have been in South Mississippi for a few days just to be away. I don’t know what a vacation is or what you do on a vacation. I asked Barbara what people do on vacation she did not know either. It seems like we do more on vacation than when we are not and yet also do less than when we are not.

I have had a nap each day. Now that is a good vacation practice. I have pulled weeds in several flower beds, not normal. We repainted some patio furniture and hung a ceiling fan. Rearranged two rooms and rebuilt an old floor lamp with parts from a discontinued wall fixture from Lowe’s with new wiring. It now looks like it was made that way from the factory. Shopping was all a part of these adventures getting ideas and repurposing items to meet our needs. That is not what I intended to do.

I brought four books with me a devotional book by Max Lucado, a Bible J.B. Phillips translation (that’s what I am reading from now, a book by Andy Stanley that I began earlier this year and just quit and a book for and to pastors. I can say I have read the devotion book daily, the Bible every other day, the preacher’s book some last night and the Stanley book zero. That is less than what I had planned to do.

We are about a mile from the gulf and only went there one evening. I thought we might be in the water more. I guess not. Vacations go like that for us. I don’t know if that is planning or the lack of planning that makes them like that. They just are. Yet, we have done exactly what we wanted when we wanted with the exceptions for the weather.

The same week included a tropical storm and the 69^th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Europe. All while on vacation. Is there really ever a vacation from life? No not really just a change of scenery from your normal situation. I am certain it’s time to go home. I am tired and need to go back to the normal schedule to rest. Oh wait Camp Crossroads is next week (VBS). That means no rest. I will need a vacation after that.

Maybe the answer to the vacation question (what is it) is rest. But we don’t rest on vacation at least I don’t. Hebrews speaks of entering God’s rest. Do we need a vacation to enter God’s rest? No, we need to enter God’s rest in a daily meeting of prayer, scripture and stillness. We don’t need a vacation to begin that practice. But, it might be good time to start on vacation.

Hey there’s an idea go on vacation and enter God’s rest.

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG