I am a citizen of the United States of America by birth. By vocation I have been a blocklayer, an aircraft mechanic, a teacher, a pastor, a cowboy, a shootist, a hunter and a missionary. I have lived for more than a year in other countries including South Korea, Japan and Mozambique. I am also a citizen of heaven by Papa God's grace and mercy. My calling is to love: myself, others including my enemies, and God ... all of which I am still learning. If I don't measure up sometimes please have patience with me. I am still under construction.

My one political quote in this letter:
Patriotism is supporting your country all of the time...
and your government when it deserves it.
-Mark Twain-

WATCH YOUR HEART! It controls the issues of life! No. I am not talking about the pump though it too is important. I am talking about the attitudes and emotions that make up and govern our life. Do not allow hatred of others in your life. I AM NOT SAYING THAT WHAT OTHERS DO IS NOT IMPORTANT! I am not saying to agree with them.
BUT
I am saying our attitudes will affect us more than those we disagree with.
HATRED WILL AFFECT OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AS WELL AS OUR MENTAL HEALTH.
It is like eating poison and hoping it will kill our enemies.
Guard your heart! Get rid of hatred.
You do not have like or agree with ... and you do not have to hate!

A Suggestion For Happiness
-look for the opportunity to do unexpected acts of kindness for someone
-help someone you do not know and who most likely you will never find out how your help affected
-stop any judgmental thoughts that may come and do your best to see the person simply as a fellow human being

One of the problems today is "under-defining" grace. We tend to weaken grace and make it just one of the resources of God that helps us do things either for ourselves or for God. We have lost the understanding that grace is the foundation that everything is built on. Somehow we have forgotten that salvation is God's plan and His doing. We did not find the Lord! He found us and included us in His love. It was totally His doing, not ours. In doing this He gave to us everything that is needed for life and godliness. He made us perfect and complete and we can stand in His presence with no fear, no shame, no guilt. Not because we did so well but because God through Jesus has completed everything that needed to be done to make it so. We often get lost in trying to do when all along we need to realize, it is done! Religion says "Do" while grace says "Done." Remember, religion is "do-do!"

"Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who declares the ungodly "Not Guilty", his faith is counted as righteousness."
Romans 4:4-5
Did you see that? God is not asking people to "shape up" and "try to be better." He declares THE UNGODLY "Not Guilty" and when the UNGODLY believe that, God says, "Not only are you not guilty, you are righteous!" That means we can stand in His presence without fear of punishment. He ain't out to hammer us! He is out to pour His love upon us.

This is the great mystery of His grace, that He would come and seek us out, rescue us and save us.
We do not deserve it.
Yet He has done it!
It is called "GRACE."

Celebrate the Birthday of our nation ... but even more, celebrate Papa God's Love for humanity!

Blessings!

Jim

--
Ele era velho.
Ele era corajoso.
Ele era feio.