Ready or not, here I come!

I remember my childhood days of playing hide and seek in my grandparents backyard.  Whoever the seeker of the hidden people was would shout out ready or not, here I come.  I bet you that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father saying, saints of God, Ready or not, Here I come.

This past Sunday was the First Sunday of Advent in many churches, protestant and catholic alike.  Also, the first Sunday of Advent is the first day of a new year in the church.  I remember going to a Roman Catholic school, and would be excited about advent and Christmas.  My favorite Advent hymn to this day is "Veni Emmanuel" or Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel.  The word advent comes from the Latin word Adventum, its meaning is conveyed as the coming or the arrival.  In many homes and churches, including my own, you will find advent wreaths, in which candles are lit in anticipation of Christ's coming.

However for Christians, advent is not a season of the anticipation of Christmas, which seems to be the grand finale, but rather a season of preparation and anticipation of our Savior's second advent.  There are many spirituals and contemporary gospel songs that encourage us to "Get Ready."  The question then becomes how do we get ready for Jesus' return?  The answer is simple.  We must occupy until he comes.  We must make ourselves ready by becoming the people that he himself called us to be.  We must love our neighbors as ourselves, we must prepare our hearts for the work of the ministry and discipleship.  In our anticipation we must keep watch and wait.  We don't know when that time should come.  Here's a rhetorical question for you.  Are you ready?  If you're like me, your answer may be a resounding NO!  I say to myself and you as well in the words of the old negro spiritual, "You better get ready!"  Even so Lord, quickly come.

Peace,
Karsten

Give Thanks!

Give thanks with a Grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy one.
Give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ, his son!
and now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich.
Because of what the Lord has done for us.  Give thanks!

The apostle Paul reminds us, that in all things, give thanks!  As you spend time with your family today, just count your blessings and name them one by one.  You'll then realize that we have SO much to be  thankful for.  By far, our good days far outnumber our bad days.  Everyday of living gets sweeter than the day before.  Give thanks!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Peace,
Karsten

So unworthy, but yet so thankful

As I sit and blog, I am literally speechless.  Thanksgiving is a little more than a week away, Christmas decorations have been put up pretty much all over the city.  I am enjoying an attitude of gratitude.  If I had ten thousand tongues, it just wouldn't be enough to say "Thank you, Lord!"  I cannot utter up enough gracias, merci, danke, obgridado, efharisto, or todahs, to thank God for his infinite grace and mercy.  I am so unworthy, but yet so thankful.  It could have been the other way.  God didn't give up on me, and I'm not going to give up on myself.

The challenge for today is to turn your complaint into an offering of thanksgiving.  For example, instead of saying: These people on my job are getting on my nerves.  Consider saying;  Lord, I thank you that I am gainfully employed and that you have surrounded me by people, with whom I can share my faith. Remember, whatever your lot in life, we truly have so much to be thankful for.  I am so unworthy, but yet so thankful.  We are all products of grace.

Peace,
Karsten

Me and my big mouth!

I laugh just thinking about the blog entry title for today.  I have had countless foot in mouth moments in my life and anticipate having a few more.  Whether it's the white lie, the slip up, the inside joke that if everyone was clued in on, someone's feelings would be hurt, the four lettered-one syllable word that you didn't intend to slip out.  Whatever the case, James 1:19 reminds us:  "Wherefore my beloved bretheren, let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak."

I actually find it interesting that James admonishes us to listen before speaking.  Wow, If I could only master that concept.  The challenge for today is not to beat yourself upside the head for saying things that you can't take back, but rather listen, think and the speak!  In your personal time of meditation, just sit in blessed quietness and listen to your heart before making your supplications.  Listen to your friends and loved ones, often times they just want to be heard and not judged.  Happy Friday!

Peace,
Karsten

Get Excited!

One of the elements of school spirit at my job is the common tagline "Get excited!"  After an SGA officer or other student leaders make announcements at school assembly and other club meetings, at the end they'll respond with "Get excited!"  Example:  "The Spanish Club will have a guest speaker on Thursday -- Get Excited!"

Excitement and enthusiasm are very contagious.  During this time of year, we're more concerned with contracting colds, the flu (swine 09, or other various strands), strep throat, and my personal favorite, pneumonia.  Just as these illnesses are very contagious, our excitement and enthusiasm are as well.  Today is a new day, Get excited and be glad about it.  You may be looking at your life and thinking.  I don't have much to be excited about.  I'm unemployed, I'm single, My money is funny and lauging at me, I hate my job, I hate my life, and the list goes on and on.

The challenge for today is to simply get excited!  Get excited about the expectancy of possibility.  You are pregnant with potential and before long, the excitement of the birth of your baby named Potential will be very contagious.  You may not be where you are, but thanks be to God that you are not where you were.  If you need a boost in excitement, say this old school prayer with me.

Eternal God, our Father,
I come before today just as humble as I know how.
Thank you for allowing me to see another day.
I could have been dead and sleeping in my bed.
But you, in your mercy woke me up clothed in my right mind.
Lord, give me strength to do your will.
Put love in my heart.
Send your angels and mercy down to watch over me.
Forgive me, and I'll forgive others.
And when you call me home, I want to hear you say,
Well done, thou good and faithful servant.  

Amen
KGT

We build people

As I was on the treadmill at my neigborhood Y, the sign that had been up for a long time really caught my attention and ministered to me on the treadmill of all places at about 250 burned calories and a body drenched with sweat. The sign had the YMCA logo and read "We build people."  That is the name of the YMCA's capital campaign in which the funds will be used to do just what it implies, building people.

What more could you expect from an organization whose official name is the Young Men's Christian Association?  The Y has a long history in meeting the needs of others.  Its history goes all the way back to England in the 1840s.  I know that when we think about the Y today, we may simply think about the nice gym.  However the Y extends itself beyond the walls of its facilities to provide health and wellness education to the community, after school tutorials, summer day and boarding camps, and the list goes on.

As I thought about the "We build people" Capital Campaign, I became more pensive as I am about to embark upon discerning the call to serve in the diaconate in my church.  Christ has called us to build people.  We build people through exhortation, education, empowerment and edification.  There are thousands of broken and hurting people in our community.  Our charge is not only to build them up, but to reach one and teach one.  Say it with me...We Build People!  I build People.  Ok, let's not just talk about it, but be about it.  In your building and edifying of someone else, you may find that you have been built up and fortified as well.

Peace,
Karsten

The Upset and the Uproar

The problem with any election process is that ultimately, there is a winner (Yay!) and a loser (*%^$!).  Election Day has come and gone.  In Washington, and other cities across the country, some people are really happy and others are in a state of uproar and outrage.  The funny thing is that the millions of people that didn't vote for whatever reason will be the first ones to sound off when things don't work in their favor, even the ones that voted will chime in as well.  Go figure! 

Whether you're lifting up tea cups at a Tea Party rally, riding a blue donkey into the sunset, subscribing to Palin Power and NOBAMA political rhetoric, it is important for you to know that we serve a God who sits high and looks low.  As good-natured and spiritually mature people, we should keep the governance of our nation and its executors in our earnest thoughts and prayers.

Remember every knee in heaven and earth will bow and surrender to the ultimate, True and Righteous Judge on that great gettin' up morning.  If you find yourself upset, in uproar and outrage, rejoice in the fact that God has already worked it out.  There is a passage of messianic scripture which comes from Isaiah reminding us that: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end."  Isaiah 9:6-7

I love how poetic this passage of scripture reads in the King James Version of the Bible.  The challenge for today is to remember that the government, regardless of partisan affiliation, economic status and reforms, health insurance reform and tax increases -- shall rest upon the shoulders of our Redeemer.  Wait on the Lord and be of good courage.

Peace,
Karsten

The power of a voice

Today is a very important day in the governance of our nation.  Across
the country many states, commonwealths, cities, towns and counties will elect
new officials, or retain incumbents.  As a child I remember going to the
polls with my mom in the morning before she went to work and I went to
school.  Then after school, I would go vote with my grandparents, who were
retired.  Outside of Christmas, voting with my family is one of my
favorite childhood memories.

However as a child, I had no idea how precious the privilege of voting
really is.  It was instilled in me from an early age to vote, and for that
I am eternally grateful to the elders of my family.  I find it hard to
believe, but am humbled at the same time that my ancestral lineage is comprised
of very enterprising and hard working people who were at one point in our
nation's history only considered 3/5 of a man, with no rights under the
constitution than to be the property of someone else.  I think about the
Jim Crow Era, segregation, the black suffrage and am truly humbled that I am
now considered to be a whole man, with the rights, and opportunities as any
other citizen in our great nation.

The challenge for today is to VOTE, if you have not already.  In addition
take time to pray for all elected officials and the election taking place
today.  The following prayer is the prayer for an election, which comes
from the Book of Common Prayer.

Almighty God, to whom we must account
for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States
in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful
administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation
be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Do you know the power of your voice?

Peace,
Karsten