Ed Christian's World

This poem was one of Grandfather’s favorite, written in about 1855 by Helen Hunt Jackson.

New Years Morning

Only a night from old to new!
Only a night, and so much wrought!
The Old Year’s heart all weary grew,
But said: “The New Year rest has brought.”
The Old Year’s hopes its heart laid down,
As in a grave; but trusting, said:
“The blossoms of the New Year’s crown
Bloom from the ashes of the dead.”

The Old Year’s heart was full of greed;
With selfishness it longed and ached,
And cried: “I have not half I need.
My thirst is bitter and unsolved.
But to the New Year’s generous hand
All gifts in plenty shall return;
True love it shall understand;
By all my failures it shall learn.
I have been reckless; it shall be
Quiet and calm and pure of life.
I was a slave; it shall go free,
And find sweet peace where I leave strife.”

Only a night from old to new!
Never a night such changes brought.
The Old Year had its work to do;
No New Year miracles are wrought.

Always a night from old to new!
Night and the healing balm of sleep!
Each morn is New Year’s morn come true,
Morn of a festival to keep.
All nights are sacred nights to make
Confession and resolve and prayer;
All days are sacred days to wake
New gladness in the sunny air.

Only a night from old to new;
Only a sleep from night to morn.
The new is but the old come true;
Each sunrise sees a new year born.

Helen Hunt Jackson (1809 – 1884)

From my house to yours – Happy New Year to all, may your New Year be full of love, joy and peace!

Love always,

Ed

When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see? How about when you look at your children, your neighbors or even the checkout clerk at the grocery store, what do you see? Do you see love, compassion and hope or do you see something else?

God created us all in his image, out of love and compassion. He gave us hope and eternal life through His son, Jesus. Yet, today, so many have a problem seeing this in their everyday life. Has our world changed so much that we have lost the truth of life? Or have you?

Ask yourself if everything you do in life today reflects the Christian values you were raised on or the Christian values you took on when you asked God to be your Savior. Everything! If not, what has changed in you? What are you going to do about it? Have you lost all empathy?

We now live in a divided country, pushed to extremes by the media we read and listen to, along with the politicians and we have not pushed back. I wonder why. Are we so out of tune with ourselves that we can let the outside world control our every thought and move? I sure hope not, but when I see all the hate and mistrust, the racial divide, the lack of compassion in people and the total self righteousness in defending all these actions I wonder where we have let ourselves get to. There is nothing that is stopping us from turning this all around, but us.

God had a reason for creating us in His image. As a Christian, the Holy Spirit has entered your body and resides within you. Are you following the path God is leading you down or are you using free will to take your own path?

So I ask you again, when you look in a mirror, or at your children or at your neighbors and friends what to you see? That face looking back at you just may be the face of God. As I said we are created in His image for a reason and that reason is to remind us that He is with us every step of the way, every minute of everyday. He is love and so must we be love! So take a close look and see if you are living as an example of what He expects of you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

All my love,

Ed

Yesterday I heard, for the first time ever, that racism has no place in church. This is something I have been writing about for years, yet this is the first time I have ever heard it brought up in the context of a message in church.

The message was centered around Psalms 24: 1- 4 where David declared that God created all people, regardless of race, color, religion or anything any of them had done. One can assume this includes the LGBT community though the pastor did not actually mention them. Actually God created everything, including the birds and animals that inhabit the earth. Every human on this earth has been created in His image, for His purpose.

The reason this is so important is because my church is Southern Baptist and the SBC has a history of being very racist. Over the past few years they have managed to elect an African American as it’s leader. In spite of this the SBC remains un-bending on the LGBT community, conservatism and has failed to stand up for equal rights when it comes to voting among the African American people. This prejudice has defined the SB church and while they are actively pursuing people from the African American community to join, they still continue to shun them inside the church. They still pass judgment on people who don’t think like they do and will not let a member of the LGBT community become a member of the church. They are intolerant of the non conservative and continue to mix politics with the church.

So the message yesterday could be the first step in opening the door to all in our community or it could be just words. time will tell. A Christian is a Christian and the gospel has not defined one sect being more Christian than another any more than it defines one sin as worse than another, sin is sin.

I am looking forward to the messages the next few weeks to see where the pastor is leading us. Are we going to end our racism in the church or are they just words. I see it as a step in the right direction and pray that these are not just words.

Walk daily with God at your side.

Love,

Ed