New Resolve by Dr. Bimler

Ho-hum, yes, here's another boring frosty tree branch photo. In Iowa, what's a very amateur photographer to do in January except snap scenes of things covered in frost and snow?!


Husband's brother made it to Rapid City, SD, by 6 p.m. yesterday. At around 10 a.m., he left our farm amid well-wishes, hugs, good-bye arm waving, and prayers for safe travelling. His newly-acquired pickup was loaded down with furniture and other items he had chosen from his dad's house. He chose an antique bedroom set and the china hutch as his big items. When he and his wife were here for the funeral, she had asked me about a set of red glass Avon dishes that she remembered our mother-in-law having on display in the hutch years ago. I hadn't seen it since she died, but the guys found the set all boxed up in a closet. I had told Husband that she had asked about it, and her husband chose it as one of his picks. He said she cried when he told her he was able to get it for her. They live near Flathead Lake in northwest Montana......gorgeous country!

On the phone this morning, he said he had headed out at 3 a.m. this morning from Rapid City, and was calling from the Billings, MT, area. He said the pickup was running just fine and that the wind was terrible yesterday on I-90 in Minnesota, but it had calmed down once he got into South Dakota. Before he left yesterday, I reported to him something I had just heard on the news........that the temperature in Butte, Montana, was minus 33 degrees!! Something for him to look forward to!


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Yesterday in the mail was a monthly magazine from the Thrivent Insurance Co. Before tossing it in the recycling tote, I turned to Dr. Richard Bimler's "Daily Bread" article on the last page. He usually writes something worthwhile, and this month especially so. Here is an excerpt from his devotional article, "New Resolve".........I feel he showcases here the best part of Lutheran doctrine as far as living your daily life is concerned........he's speaking of New Year's resolutions:

"Resolutions are not bad in and of themselves. It is important and healthy to set personal goals and throw yourself into projects with the best of intentions. The problem with resolutions is this: They tend to encourage us to focus on ourselves, rather than on our faith in a living Lord who loves and forgives us, even when we botch things up------including our resolutions.

This year, before making resolutions that center only on self-improvement, let's first celebrate soul improvement and help each other rediscover the never-to-be-broken resolution that our Lord gives us in Baptism: He calls us as His own, even when we fail!

We are God's people, not because of what we have done or resolve to do, but because of what Christ has done for us through His life, death and resurrection. With this as our focus, we are empowered by the Spirit to share our gifts of joy, peace, patience, kindness, forgiveness and thankfulness-----not because we want to earn God's favor, but because we are His people.

In other words, it is not that we "gotta" do it, but that we "get to" do it. we get to serve God and others. We get to take care of ourselves in order to take better care of others. We get to tell others about Christ's love for everyone. It is not about us; it is about Christ living in us.

A little girl who portrayed the angel in our Christmas program one year summed it up well. As the shepherds came and huddled all around the manger scene, the little angel noticed that the audience could not see the baby Jesus in His crib. With her halo shining brightly, she yelled at the shepherds, "Get out of the way and let Jesus show through!"

Simple but profound words: "Let Jesus show through".......


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Have a wonderful day and "let Jesus show through"!!