Weekly Greeting - March 22, 2024
Dear Bethlehem Family,
It’s spring! We have reached the time of the year we begin to think about summer vacations. Williamson County’s School’s spring break just ended and some of our families have taken advantage of the time off for an early vacation.
Stephanie and I are looking forward to driving to Detroit this summer to visit our daughter Kathryn who moved up there last summer. I have only been to the airport in Detroit so I am looking forward to visiting the city. I definitely want to visit the Motown studios where so much great music has been recorded.
Tim Hansel, who wrote the classic book, “When I Relax I Feel Guilty,” offers some great suggestions for planning vacations and for considering different types of “vacations.”
One type of vacation he describes can be enjoyed without leaving your home. In fact, there are “vacations” we can enjoy every day. Here are some of the ways we can enjoy a daily “vacation.”
· Don’t get out of bed until you can think of one thing you are thankful for, and secondly, say, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.” (or a similar verse or devotional thought).
· Go outside and try to find something in your yard you’ve never seen before. You might be surprised how many there are.
· Hug something or someone.
· Phone someone and let them know what they mean to you.
· Do something different in the morning. Put on two different color socks, sit at a different chair at breakfast, write a poem, go to work or the gym in a different way. Somehow find a way to break the normal routine of your morning.
· Tell Jesus one reason you are glad He’s your Lord.
You can probably think of a lot of others. Sometimes as we look forward to our longer vacations we forget to appreciate how awesome each day really is and to be grateful for it. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Blessings,
Craig
This Sunday is Palm Sunday. We are moving quickly toward Easter Sunday. Our text this week is Mark 11:1-11. We will be reflecting on what is often referred to as Jesus’ triumphal procession into Jerusalem. We don’t often think of Jesus, through whom the universe came into existence, as needing anything. However, when he sent his disciples to get the donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem, he told them to answer anyone who asked him why they were taking it, “the Lord needs it” (Mark 11:3). Sometimes we might feel unimportant or even inadequate, but the Lord needs us to do what we can in welcoming Jesus into our world and into our lives. It is amazing what we can learn from a gentle, humble donkey.