Today we pause to remember that fateful day that FDR said would go down in infamy.  It was the day that the United States was attacked by our enemies and thrust us into World War 2.  December 7th, 1941: Pearl Harbor Day.

Many thousands of our servicemen died in the attacks by kamikazes as they used their planes to destroy our ships at Pearl Harbor.  It was a day that would change our nation forever. 

Our prayers are with our military men and woman that have served in past wars as well as the ones who serve today.  We are ever mindful that we are free because of their sacrifice.

God bless our troops and God bless America!

I just read an interesting article at www.ichilly.com about the old Christmas song, 12 Days of Christmas.  This song has always intrigued me, because I wonder who could write such a song.  Took some creativity and, well, the song just doesn’t seem to have presents that most people would want.  I don’t know about you, but if somebody gave me ten lords leaping, I would ask them to take it back and get me a 50” plasma.  12 drummers might be cool for a couple of hours, but 12 drummers would get old by day 2.

Ichilly.com gave the history of this song and then it all made sense.  Enjoy the background of this song:

“From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church.  Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

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1. The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
2. Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments
3. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
5. Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the  Old Testament (aka Pentateuch).
6. Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit– Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
8. Eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes (Matthew 5).
9. Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit – Love, Joy, 12 Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
10. Ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in The  Apostles Creed.”

Just uploaded our latest podcast for growthhelps.com.

It is a discussion on Servant Leadership and what it means to lead with others.  Check it out here.

I have always been one to bring work home.  It is one of those things that I have tried to cut back over the last couple of years.  Home time is not meant to be a carry over from work, although sometimes it is inevitable. 

But ladies, it could always be worse.  This cartoon reveals the ultimate workaholic:)

As we look forward to a new year, it is a good time to make a goal to read through the Bible in 2010. 

To help encourage you in your goal, we just uploaded a new podcast at growthhelps.com that discusses Bible Reading plans.  Check it out here.

You can also print a variety of Bible Reading Plans Here.

“I may not be able to change the world I see around me, but I can change the way I see the world within me.”

-John Maxwell, Developing The Leader Within You–

Have you ever taken time to look inside of your heart?  I am not talking about an Arteriogram or MRI here, but a soul evaluation.  Heart searching is a painful procedure but it is necessary for spiritual development.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life."

It is the responsibility of each person to keep track of what is within his heart and clean it out accordingly.  You see, I am not responsible to come over and clean your house. (I don’t like housework anyway)  It is your job to clean your own home.  Sometimes we are better judging someone else’s heart or trying to clean someone else up.

The wise man here in Proverbs said it is YOUR heart you must keep.  Cleaning spiritual house is a necessity.  As believers we often tend to allow our heart to fill up with some small things that eventually grow into big things.  It is kind of like a house that needs to be dusted.  Sometimes you don’t notice the dust until the light comes on.

Turn the light on in your life and look at what kind of dust build up you have.  It may be the way you talk, the way you act.  It could even be the things you watch on TV or the things you listen to.  Perhaps it is your temper that causes you to stumble at times.  It may be something that you are not aware of except for a heart searching.

Many times I have allowed things to creep into my life that I didn’t realize until I did a good heart searching.  The Holy Spirit revealed these things within my life so that I might root them out.  There have been times He has revealed to me some bitterness that I was hanging on to.  Out of your heart springs the issues of life.  What comes out of your heart is either good or bad issues.

We shouldn’t go into issues should we?  We all have some ISSUES!  The only way to deal with bad issues is to search our heart.  The good issues come by allowing God to root out the bad and replacing it with the good.  The greatest thing about seeing your heart the way God sees it is that God is working some marvelous things in your life.  He doesn’t reveal it to you to condemn you but rather to mature you.

Our God is making a bride that is prepared for Him.  A Bride that is blameless and pure.  Allow Him to clean you up.  You clean your spiritual house as the Holy Spirit reveals the dust.

Let me pose to you some questions to ponder this week of thanksgiving:

What if God began to treat us like we so often treat Him?

What if God began to treat us like we so often treat Him?

What if God met our needs to the same extent that we give Him our lives?

What if we never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain?

What if God stopped loving & caring for us because we failed to love & care for others?

What if God took away His message because we wouldn’t listen to His messenger?

What if He wouldn’t bless us today because we didn’t thank Him yesterday?

What if God answered our prayers the way we answer His call for service?

What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we did not follow Him today?

Thank God that He doesn’t treat us the way we deserve…thank God for Him mercy and grace.  This thanksgiving let’s take on a new attitude and be thankful in all things.

I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”