POST THANKSGIVING OBSERVATION

          Thanksgiving.  It has come and gone.  Food was eaten, football was watched and not one mention of God.  No grace was said.  No talk of the goodness of God.  This is what occurred in the house of a family who doesn't live for the Lord.  They don't go to church and while they believe that a God exists, their belief is contingent on how good things are with them.  That was the scene in the house I was at yesterday.  They weren't ungodly people, they were people without God.  They were unaware of their sin.  They were equally unaware of their need of a savior.  It was a fairly large family gathering of roughly 16 people and no one was interested in discussing Jesus or God or anything of the kind.  Being in Philadelphia Eagle country (Nazareth, PA), most were intent on seeing the Eagles pound the Cowboys into submission (which they did!).  All partook in the feast that was spread out buffet style on big tables in the finished basement of the house.  While it was a very nice, relaxing day, it left me wondering if there was something more I could have done to inject God into the day.  The event didn't really lend itself to any of that, so I let it go.  But I had been praying that God would reveal Himself to family members in a real way and now I have more folks to add to that list.  If I was supposed to say something I failed in my mission, but I didn't feel any conviction or compulsion to do so.  May God reveal Himself in a real and special way to all those across the world who may be seeking something more yet don't know where to look for it.  Amen. rlkeller

INTERVIEW / WORK SCHEDULE

          I will be doing a brief interview with Claude Jennings at WGTS-FM, Washington DC regarding Thanksgiving and being thankful.  Not sure when it will air, but we are taping it tomorrow morning at around 9:30 am.  Claude has become a good friend and support to me and my ministry.  He was the one who conducted my first interview regarding my first book There Are No McDonald's in Heaven: Waiting on God.  We've stayed in touch ever since.  

          Starting yesterday we will be working longer hours.  Instead of 3 pm to 11:30 pm, it will be 3 pm to 1:30 am.  Ugh!  I will be asking my supervisor if I can leave at 12:30 am instead, since I live an hour away.  I hope so cuz the $45 I will net for that extra 6 hrs of work is hardly worth driving home at 1:40 am all blurry eyed.  We'll see what he says.  Blessings to all! rlkeller

GIVING THANKS

THANKSGIVING ... A time to give thanks.  Yesterday at work I heard someone proclaim rather loudly that they were going to come to work on Thanksgiving. That they don't celebrate the holiday.  They have nothing to be thankful for.  How sad! To me, everyday is thanksgiving because in my opinion there is always something to be thankful for.  I woke up this morning and found myself above ground and still breathing.  I'm thankful for that.  I'm thankful for my family.  I'm thankful for my job.  I'm thankful for good health.  And so on... . It all depends on your focal point.  If it's YOU, then things may seem kind of bleak at times.  If it's the Lord, there's always hope no matter what the situation.  rlkeller

TIS THE SEASON ...

          The holiday season is upon us.  Halloween is past and Thanksgiving is looming just on the horizon.  You'd think Christmas would be upon us any day what with the decorations already going up in stores and around towns.  Back in the day, as in when I was growing up (that would be back in the 1960's to early 70's), Thanksgiving weekend was when the Christmas season officially began.  Nowadays, with Blue Laws* a thing of the past, shopping for the holidays is the main reason for the season.  Mankind's allegiance to the credit card is misplaced.  Spend money you don't have to make others happy with a plethora of gifts and spend the next 6 months paying off the debt incurred.  The notion that the season should be about a baby born in meager surroundings in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago escapes folks.  The world would like to collectively forget all about Christ at Christmas time.   Even Christians find it hard to carve out several moments on Christmas morning to thank the Lord for the coming of His  Son, as if it were simply another historical event that could be rushed through without so much as a second thought.  Put Christ back in Christmas.  Focus on the real reason for the season.  Don't debate about what exact day Jesus was born or regale us with tales of how Santa Claus is a replacement for Christ.  Embrace the holiday with a spirit of love and grace and give of yourself in a special way to someone in need.  Be a blessing to someone every day.  rlkeller

* Stores had to be closed.

GETTING THRU TO THE UNSAVED

          How do you get through to those around you who are gleefully stumbling their way to eternal damnation.  They embrace every pleasure known to man and think nothing of the consequences.  When things go wrong they ask why God would allow such a thing to happen to them, as if they had any right utter such a thing based on their disobedience.  Bad things can happen to good people, but they most assuredly happen to the unsaved as the consequence of bad decision making.  When you engage them in conversation regarding spiritual things they act like they are interested, yet prove they are not by their subsequent actions.  Lord, have mercy on their souls and provide open doors of opportunity to share the peace and fulfillment that comes from knowing You. Amen. rlkeller 

THE COURT JESTER

          I happen to be an introspective person.  Introspection is self-examination.  I constantly critique my own behavior for the purpose of becoming a better man.  I have a tendency to kid around a lot.  I use sarcasm and a general busting of chops to get a laugh.  It has been said that there are times when folks don't know when I being serious or just kidding around.  While that made me reflect on my behavior nothing struck home better than our facility manager busting chops when he really should have been serious.  Once I saw first hand how annoying and childish it looked to have some one of authority act in such a manner nearly all the time, I realized that this could potentially be what people see when I'm doing pretty much the same thing.  That is not emulating Christ.  I have ratcheted back my silly, sarcastic behavior big time.  I mostly keep my mouth closed.  Oh I still do chime in with a barb or two or perhaps a silly reaction to a funny situation, but I have toned it down a lot.  I don't want to annoy people so I have asked the Holy Spirit to regulate my words and actions so that I more resemble Christ and not a goofy court jester.  rlkeller

FEASTING ON THE WORD

          We serve a great and merciful God.  How many times believers stumble, making mistake after mistake until they get it right.  Feasting on God's word daily will fill you with spiritual nourishment so that you can progressively begin to avoid the stumbles and stay upright.  rlkeller

PEOPLE ARE STRANGE

          Every day I see folks striving to find their true identity.  They dress a certain way, talk a certain way, even carry themselves a certain way. I suppose all this is done to impress others.  God forbid they are just real. 

         I believe I'm a little too real for some folks.  If I'm talking to someone and another person walks up and starts to engage the person I'm speaking with in conversation right in the middle of what we are saying, I think nothing of saying "excuse me, we were talking".  The common response I have received, especially from woman, has been "you don't have to be so mean" or "you're being mean to me".  I hold my tongue, but want very badly to say "oh please, grow up".  

      Belligerent, rude people never seem to think they are in the wrong.  In their effort to find themselves they interrupt, cuss regularly and act in a way that I suppose they think makes them look 'cool'.  And these are folks that range in age from 20-30, give or take a year or two.  This is at my work place.  I tend to tune out most of the gutter slang and profusion of profanity.  I do my job and inject my faith when appropriate and the opportunity arises.  Jim Morrison (lead singer of The Doors, circa 1960's) may have had it right after all ... "people ARE strange" and it's not just when your a stranger. rlkeller

WORK / THANKSGIVING

       Apparently I am going to be asked to be a regular and permanent part of the Inventory Control team.  It remains to be seen if the powers that be will agree to this, but I am finding that I have some good support from co-workers and supervisors that should make this happen.  With it is supposed to come a bump in pay.  That would be nice.  God has brought all this about and I am grateful.  I did my fair share of griping when the chiefs were making bad decision after bad decision, but I mostly kept quiet.  It's all working out slowly, in God's good time. 

      With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching it's as good a time as any to count your blessings.  Truthfully, every day is Thanksgiving for the Christian, because quite frankly, we could never thank God enough for all He has done for us.  Salvation from sin is the such an in describable gift that no other gift this side of heaven could ever trump it.  Serve God with your life, worship Him simply for who He is and thank Him each day that you are above ground and still breathing.  rlkeller

WORK / MY BOOK

          Things are quieting down at work for now.  Soon we will be ramping up for cyber Monday.  That's the Monday after Thanksgiving when big sales online cause people to buy, buy, buy.  We'll no doubt be very busy.  Business should tail off by Christmas and then we will be working a straight 40 hrs per week.  It will show in our paychecks without a doubt, but it will be nice to begin to spend a little more time at home.  Know what I mean?

          Haven't done too much on my divorce book recently.  I did find a website DIVORCE & REMARRIAGE IN THE BIBLE.  That should be somewhat helpful.  Since I don't have the money to publish anyway, I'm not really in any hurry to complete my manuscript.  God's timing is perfect and it will get done when it needs to get done.  For all I know Christ may return before I write another line. rlkeller

I STRUGGLE FROM TIME TO TIME ...

          As a believer in Christ of over 35 years I still find myself doubting the path I'm on from time to time. When the dust settles on any given day I realize I'm right where God wants me, but when I reflect on where I've been and what I've done in this life I wonder how I got where I am at this point.  I've have highs and lows and all things in between and I still marvel that I'm alive and well.  Without the Lord in my life I shudder to think of where I'd be or what I'd be doing.  Sometimes I wonder if I'd even be alive.  My humanness gets the better of me occasionally and I become downcast.  I wear my feelings on my face so it's very apparent to all around me that things aren't okay.  I struggle with all that from time to time.  How about you?  Am I all alone in this regard or do some of you encounter the same emotions and struggles?  rlkeller

CHRISTIAN CONCERT / FOOTBALL

          Found out we're going to a FOR KING & COUNTRY concert in Trenton, NJ on the night of Saturday, November 22nd.  They are good.  From down under.  We first saw them last April when they played with the NEWSBOYS in Middletown, NJ.  Good message to their music.  Looking forward to it.  

          Something I'm not looking forward to is tonight's game between my Giants and the Indianapolis Colts.  I'll be at work so I'll be spared the humiliation.  Maybe they will shock the world and win, but the way they've been playing I kinda doubt it.  Could be ugly.  Oh well, I try to remind myself that there's always next year.  The common cry of the fan of a losing team.  (lol)  rlkeller