Make Everyday.. The Best Day of Your Life..

Make Today.. The Best Day of Your Life..

Today is the best day of our life! Everyday is an opportunity to have a great day.. Everyday can be a day of joy, celebration and blessing.. we should celebrate the new year and every new day!

Today, let’s celebrate life. Let's celebrate the beauty of creation. Let's go through the day with our heads up, our eyes open, and with a happy heart. We live in a beautiful world. We need to stop and marvel at God's simple gifts: the beauty of the sunrise, the clouds in the sky above, the trees, the flowers, the birds. We should stop and look around at our family and our dear friends.

Today, let’s share our excitement for life with others. Let’s make someone smile. Let’s perform some act of kindness for someone we don't even know. Today, we will give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. Today, tell a child how special they are, and tell someone we love just how dear they are to us.

Today is the day we will quit worrying about what we don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given us. we will remember that to worry is just a waste of time because of our faith in God and His divine plan for our lives.

Tonight, before we go to bed, let’s go outside, let’s raise our eyes to the heavens. Let’s stand in awe of His creation, and let’s praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends, let's thank the Lord for the best day of my life. And we will go sleep, excited with expectation because we know tomorrow is going to be an even better day!

Have A Great Day..

Let's make today the best day of our lives. It is really very easy. All we need to do is have the right attitude. We just need to look at the wonderful blessings that God has given us. The people who love us, the simple joys of life, the wonder of creation.. all are gifts from God. We are blessed!

Let’s decide to make this the best day of our life!!

Christmas Story..

Christmas Is Coming!

Christmas is an amazing time of the year. As we remember Christ birth.. Why He came.. What he Did.. It has an effect on us. Christmas seems to bring out the best in people. People have different attitudes.. They are more considerate.. more caring.. more concerned. There really is a Christmas spirit.

I remember a story about a lady waiting in a store to pay for her purchases. There in the line were two young children waiting to pay for their purchase. The boy was about eight and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat that looked two sizes too small and a pair of tattered tennis shoes two sizes too big. His jeans came to the top of his socks. In his hands were a few crumpled dollar bills.

The girl's clothing wasn't any better than her brother's. Her hair was a blonde mass of curls. Her beautiful blue eyes were fixed on her older brother. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers clutched to her chest. As the Christmas music played through the store, the little girl swayed to the tune of "Jingle Bells."

When they finally reached the checkout register, the little girl raised up on her tip-toes and very carefully placed the shoes on the counter. You would have thought they were real gold and fragile enough to break at the slightest jar. Those shoes were her treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars on the stand and began to search his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12.

"I guess we will have to put them back," he bravely said. "We'll come back some other time, maybe tomorrow." The little girl moved her head back and forth, the woman could see the tears filling her eyes. A soft sob broke from the little girl lips. "But.. but.. Jesus would have loved these shoes," she cried. "We'll go home and I'll collect some more cans and we'll get some more money. Don't cry. Please, don't cry. We'll come back tomorrow," he said.

The woman's heart was touched. She handed some money to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time and, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around her legs and the little girl said in a small voice, "Thank you lady."

The woman had to know. She looked down into the little round face and asked, "What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?"

The boy answered, "Our Mommy is real sick and she is going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas. She is going to be with Jesus." The girl spoke up, "My Sunday school teacher said the streets in Heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't Mommy be beautiful walking on those streets in these shoes?"

The woman's eyes flooded with tears, as she looked into her wide eyed, tear-streaked face. "Yes," she answered, "I am sure she will." Silently she thanked God for using these children who reminded her of the true spirit of giving.

Let's talk about Christmas.. Christmas isn't about presents. Christmas is about reaching out and touching lives with love. It is a hand made gift pressed into the Father's hands. It is a card carefully constructed by a six year old hand that says, "Merry Christmas, Mom." It is a family sitting down and listening to Dad read the Christmas Story from the Bible. You see.. Christmas is the ultimate expression of love and caring. Christmas is John 3:16, "For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten son.."

Lord.. Help us to remember the real meaning of Christmas..

Thanksgiving!!

Today.. When I was praying.. Instead of asking for His help.. I found myself just thanking God for all He was doing in my life, in my family and in our church. God is so good. We are so blessed to be His children and to know His love. Do you ever just walk and really look at life? Do you ever stop and thank God for all He has done for you?

I remember a story about a man who visited the doctor for a check up. In a few days he was called.. The Doctor had a serious look on his face. Bob braced himself for the worse. Doctor Colin began to tell him about the test. Then came the chilling words.. "Bob.. it's cancer.. and it's fatal. You have a few months at best."

It was just a few days later that Bob got the call to return to Doctor Colin's office. He found himself at the same desk. The Doctor looked even more worried than before. He looked at Bob and began to speak, "Bob, there has been a terrible mistake. The lab mixed up the tests. You aren't dying. You are in perfect health. I am so sorry about the mistake. I know the pain and heartache we have caused you and your family. You have every cause to be upset and angry."

Bob just sat there for a moment, "Angry?" He replied, "I am not angry. I am blessed. Last week, when I walked out of this office, I looked up and felt the warm sun on my face. I looked at the flowers growing along the walk. I smelled fresh bread coming from the ovens across the street at the bakery. I stopped and realized just how wonderful life could be."

Bob had tears in eyes, "Doc, I went home and held my wife for the first time in a long time. I smelled her hair, I kissed her lips, I told her how much she meant to me. I took time to play with my children. I watched them draw silly little pictures and I realized how precious they were to me. On the job, at the store, in restaurants, every where I went I saw people who blessed my life." Bob looked into the doctor's eyes, "Angry. No way, I am blessed because for the first time, I really appreciate my life."

Today.. Take time to look at life and Thank God for His blessings..

We have an incredible weekend planned for Mother's Day. We are honoring all the women in attendance with a beautiful rose. It is a small thing, but it symbolizes our appreciation for the wonderful women of God who are part of our church. God has truly blessed our church with some amazing women. Sometimes, I stand in awe of the women of God in our church and in the Church world today. We have women on the front lines of ministry, and they are making a difference in the church and the community.

Praise God for the wonderful Christian women who are teaching our children about God, going to the streets to feed the hungry, serving the hurting, helping the sick, providing comfort and food for the widows and widowers, and doing whatever is necessary to expand and strengthen the church and the work of the kingdom.

Many of these women are working, most are mothers and wives, and yet, they are actively involved in ministry in the church. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to pastor such a great group of women and young ladies. On this Mother's Day.. all of us.. say Thank You for your heart for the church and for Christ.

God bless you all..

Pastor Ed

Welcome!

Welcome to my personal blog site, where I will be periodically posting articles and comments meant to enrich your personal walk with Christ. For additional resources, including audio messages, please visit the Orange Hills Assembly website at www.orangehills.net. And if you haven't been to Orange Hills before, we'd love to see you this weekend!