Month: July 2020

The breeze was blowing warm—promising a real summer day to soon follow.  As the breeze moved the branches about ever so gently, there was a momentary flash of orange.  High in one of the trees was an orange balloon trapped among the branches.  It was most likely some child’s escaped treasure.  As the wind moved, it bobbed about not able to break free.  It wanted to soar.  It wanted to loft itself high above the landscape, but it continued to be confined by the summer foliage.

That balloon was like many young people.  They have dreams of rising to the top of chosen careers.  They want to make a difference in the world by flying high but so many of them are trapped by limited self-concept.  Convincing them they can fulfill their dreams is not as easy as just saying, “You can do it.”  We need to help others understand that they do not have to rely only upon themselves.  God longs to move inside and empower us with help from heaven.

God longs for all of us to fly high.  Few ever achieve their full potential.  We allow bad habits, influence from others who do not want us to soar, and our own doubts to keep us trapped in the branches.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 20, 2004

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

There are about 150 varieties of fuchsias each with a special name like pinwheel, flaming pink, cardinal, red spider, pink rain, and snowcap.   These plants have the reputation of being expensive and fragile—plants one buys each spring only to have them die each fall. However, in Ireland fuchsias grow like weeds.  They line the roadsides with red walls for miles on end.  They are beautiful, hardy and need no special care—they have found just the right environment.

People like plants will flourish if placed in the right environment.  Sometimes there is the temptation to think of some students as just bad kids—those kids voted most likely to end up in jail.  However, that does not need to be so.  Sometimes a student is hostile and belligerent for what we are tempted to think is no reason at all.  But usually there is a reason; we just do not know what it is.  It is the same for many adults.   

Oh, that we would pray for God’s wisdom to know how to help those around us find the right environment—to flourish.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 19, 2004

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

Brian Williams closed the NBC evening news by reminding us how much our world has changed in the past sixty-five years.  I could not but wonder how our world will change in the next sixty-five years.  Christians long for Jesus to return, but should He not, what will be?  If we have not foolishly blown ourselves into the horror of a nuclear winter will Iran and a united Korea be our closest allies?  One thing we do know for sure.  There will be massive change.

Most all who read this will have closed their eyes to await that glorious moment Paul speaks of in I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15 when a trumpet will blast and the dead in Christ will be raised and gloriously changed into immortal beings.  But until we do close our eyes that last time our present goal is to change.   Personal change, personal growth is the substance of our journey.  Only people with closed, self-deceptive minds do not recognize the need.  If we read the promises we know anything is possible if we will only reach out in self-discipline to use the power made available to us.  In II Peter 1 we read about that amazing and precious promise that we, right now, can participate in the divine nature of our God.  Should we do so, the changes in our lives might be subtle to us, but not to those about us as we become rivers of blessings.

It is long overdue for us to stop excusing our failures with, “Well, I’m only human.”  According to the promise we need not be “only” human.  We become literal temples for the Holy Spirit.   How grand.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 19, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

We have all seen grass growing in the cracks in sidewalks.  But this morning I saw a full blown petunia smiling at the sun and all who passed over it.  What amazed me was hundreds of people were stepping over it leaving it unharmed.   How grand.  Lest I leave the impression all these people were consciously aware and being kind and ecologically responsible, I have to point out the petunia was strategically located in a crack between the sidewalk and the first concrete step going into a building on our campus.  But it was right in the middle of our summer graduation crowd and I must add it made it so much better for its presence.

Being egotistical I wondered if my presence in the crowd added as much pleasure as did the petunia.  Honestly speaking, I seriously doubt it.  Being that crowds are not my favorite place I went to my office as soon as I could.  Families were busy celebrating and taking pictures.  A handful of loose balloons sailed high and out of sight.  These used to be great days for Kodak but digital cameras have changed all that.

Have you ever departed from a gathering being sorry that you had talked too much?  Sometimes we become infatuated with our own wit and think everyone in the room needs us to carry the event.  Yuk!  We get in the car and chastise ourselves for thinking we added pleasure to the crowd.  In Romans 12:10 Paul wrote, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.”  Today a single silent petunia added to the day.  I should learn that silently listening to another is a sure way to bring pleasure to another.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 18, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

So often we are admonished to read our Bibles in search of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.  However, sometimes we can read just for the sheer pleasure of the content.  Some of Paul’s adventures are as exciting as Indiana Jones’.  There are shipwrecks, mob scenes, a snake bite, escaping a city in a basket.  There is the awesome beauty of the Psalms and of course the narrative of David’s many battles.

Ecclesiastes is filled with great ideas.   Chapter 9 alone is full of entertaining thoughts.  Solomon tells of a poor wise man, surely an oxymoron, who saved his city from a siege by a strong king.  The problem is he never tells us how.  But I want to know.  In verse 7 we read, “Eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.”  That drives a teetotaler like me just a bit crazy.  In verse 8 he said, “Always be clothed in white.”  White was worn to festivals.  Some paraphrase this as each day dress beautiful and fancy. Verse 11 says, “Time and chance happen to them all.”   The “them” is us.  Good times and bad times come to us all.  Accidents happen.  The last verse says, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.”

I think before I go to sleep tonight I will reread one of my favorites.  In Acts 12 Peter is in prison and an angel aids him in a great escape.  It’s an awesome story that should fill all our hearts with courage and hope.  As Paul said, “With God on our side, who can be against us?”  Do you want some really great reading?  Your Bible is full of good stuff.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 17, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th century English preacher, once used the following wonderful story.  It seems a particularly loud-mouthed know-it-all boarded a ship.  After a few days at sea with the obnoxious one telling everyone, even the captain, what to do, a severe storm arose.  The captain was very busy trying to keep everyone safe when the unbearable man started getting in the captain’s way.  The captain took him to the front of the deck, handed him the end of a rope and instructed him to hold very tightly and to talk to no one.   After the storm subsided and all were safe the man stepped forward expecting to be hailed a hero for saving the ship.  As he insisted on recognition for his great feat, he forced the captain to speak.  The captain then revealed the other end of the rope the man clutched was not attached to anything.

Spurgeon’s point was all who think they will earn heaven by their wondrous feats and righteous lives will someday discover they were only holding a rope connected to nothing.  If we long for salvation there is only one way.  We have to trust our Captain.  Jesus and only Jesus will be able to take us safely to the other side.  Paul put it so well in Ephesians 2. “Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.”  The Message Paraphrase.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 16, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124

St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

One evening when my boys were teens, three of us were watching one of them play floor hockey in our college gym.  I never did see what precipitated the fight but the one playing hockey was into it with another player.  I could not believe my eyes as I watched his brother leap from our side and hurl himself into the fray to be by his embattled brother’s side.  I never had a brother, just sisters.  I guess that’s what brothers do.

Remember when Jack Kennedy appointed his brother to be his attorney general?  The press was filled with editorials about nepotism.  But there are times when one needs someone beside them they can implicitly trust.  We were all riveted to the news as we watched those two brothers agonize us through the Cuban missile crisis.  The editorials about nepotism slowed down, way down.

We think the little book of James toward the end of our New Testament was written by James, Jesus’ brother.   I can only imagine the struggle he went through to finally realize his brother was Emmanuel, God with us.   What kind of relationship must that have been!  I am amazed in his letter he doesn’t do a lot of bragging about who he was.

Lest we become envious of him, let’s remind ourselves of the promises in Romans and Galatians.  We are promised we can be adopted into God’s family and become members of the family.  What an awesome thought it is to come to the same realization that James did.  Jesus, the Creator of all things according to Hebrews, is our brother.  I like that because I know when I am in trouble He will leap to my embattled side. It’s what brothers do.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 14, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

 

 

New England is deep into summer.  The greens have lost their newness and have darkened into a lush verdancy.   Roadsides are strewn with Queen Ann’s Lace and Daylilies.  Purple Loosestrife has filled the wetlands along the edges of the rivers and marshlands.  Evening shadows lengthen until 8:30 p.m. before falling away to the night.   Eighty-degree days toast the air and herald the coming of sixty-degree evenings.  Wood thrushes sing from the woods the most beautiful sounds of nature.

If one leaves the rush of the highways and slows down on the winding rock fence walled roads that led to calendar picture villages, one is treated to well-mown yards and Edenic flower gardens.   Unique houses fly flags as do the light poles in the towns.  One can feel the pride of home and country when moving along the oak and maple lined streets.  If you turn off the air-conditioning and roll down the windows almost every street fills one’s nostrils with the glory of some backyard chef trying out his charcoal grill. In the distance you can hear the calliope sounds of Pop Goes the Weasel as the local ice cream man slowly moves through the neighborhoods baiting both little and big people to come and buy Snow cones, Popsicles and Eskimo Pies.

Summertime in New England is as good as life gets.  It fills one with thanksgiving and praise for the one who made it and closed out Genesis ! with “that’s very good.”

“He owns the day and the night.  He put the stars and sun in place.  He laid out the four corners of earth and shaped the seasons of summer and winter.”  Psalm 74:16 – 17

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 14, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

People-watching far exceeds bird-watching as a source of fascination.  Don’t get me wrong.  Bird-watching is great fun; it’s just that it is far exceeded by the fun of people-watching.  My favorite sighting for the day was at Taco Bell.  There was this old guy (That means he is older than I.) with diamonds studs in his ear lobes.  He was well groomed with a nicely trimmed beard.  But it was those studs that grabbed my attention.  They just didn’t belong.  They seemed so out of place.  I was instantly reminded of Proverbs 11:22, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”

There are some things that just do not go together.  James 3:9-12 puts it this way.  “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

There are certain behaviors, words and attitudes that just do not belong in a real Christian’s walk.  But by the same token some of us are so lacking in a sense of humor we think everyone should always be solemn and straitlaced.  When I look at some Christians I definitely don’t want to be like them.  But I think we all can agree that there is no room for judgmental, derogatory speech and downright nastiness in our lives.   We must not use honesty as weapon to cut into other’s hearts.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 13, 2011

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

It’s eight o’clock in the evening here in Massachusetts.  It’s July and it is eighty degrees.  There is no breeze.  Leaves are hanging still.  Sunflowers are starting to lose their vibrancy because it has been many days since we had any serious rain that would concern someone with a convertible.  I was thinking about John 3 this afternoon.  Jesus told Nicodemus that God’s Spirit moved like the wind among the trees.  What of an evening like this when there is no breeze?  What of an era like this when there seems to be so little of God’s Spirit among the church?  Hum?  Perhaps I am being too harsh and overly critical.  Usually that is our problem.   We are parochial.  If we don’t personally see something then it isn’t happening anywhere.

This might have something to do with our desire to be at the center of anything worthwhile.  When someone tells me they were deeply moved last week in church my response is, “Oh, that’s nice.”  Rarely do I stop and ask, “What was it?  What was said?  What was the point?”  Instead it’s just a “that’s nice.”  Since I didn’t hear it or even worse because I didn’t say it, it really didn’t matter much.  Horrors.

But honestly I must say from my very narrow and limited view I don’t see much happening among God’s people.  Paul wrote in Colossians, “(I) do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”   I like that prayer. This night I pray this for you and I do so desire that you do so for me.

Perhaps there is a mighty breeze all around me.  Perhaps the dearth of fresh air is only located where I am sitting.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 9, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org