The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 236, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 1, 2013 Page: 21 of 23
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The Baytown Sun
Religion
Sunday
December 1, 2013
If I had only one day to live
As I pen this article on the eve of
Thanksgiving Day, I am so thankful that
I am still alive and well. Recently, the
thought came to my mind, “What if I
knew I only had one day to live. What
would I do on that last day of my life?”
Actually, I believe I would be over-
flowing with an abundance of thanks-
giving. I would not be bitter, angry, or
resentful that l had one day to live, but
thankful that God graced me with such a
wonderful life on this earth.
The first person that I would be most
thankful for is God himself, his undying
love towards me is immeasurable. His
thoughts towards me number as the sand
granules on the beaches. I'm so thankful
for his tender mercies. I would turn to-
ward heaven and declare once again, “Be
thou exalted C) God above the heavens,
and let thy glory be over all the earth." I
would thank God from whom all bless-
ings flow. I would celebrate because I
have the blessing of ministry, the bless-
ing of family, the blessing of song, the
blessing of wisdom. Above all, I have
the blessings of eternal life.
The next person I would be thank-
ful for is the wife of my youth, Barba-
ra. Without question, except for C hrist,
she is my best friend. I would thank her
for bearing our children and helping me
raise them in the admonition of the l ord.
I would thank her for being my partner
in life and ministry. I would hold her
hand and embrace her. I would kiss her
sweetly and tell her, “As far as heaven
is from the earth. “I'll be forever loving
you.*
1 would then gather my children and
speak words of w isdom and life. I would
tell Justin, the oldest, “Whatever you do,
^■Kjjr~’ do it heartily unto the
Lord. Give it your all.
KT You have done well
and I am pleased. Go
/ now and be blessed."
I would say to my
son Jeremv, “I his is
mmr JtM■ my son in whom I am
well pleased. You are
highly gibed and tal-
ented. and you must al-
ways use those gibs to
the glory of God. Go
now and be blessed.”
I would tell Christin Rose, “Remem-
ber. every time you write your name it
is a reminder that Christ rose from the
dead. C io spread the gospel through your
beautiful singing voice. Let the world
hear God in your song. Go now and be
blessed.”
TOMMY
MEEKINS
i theft
To my daughter, Melody, “Always
strive to be as beautiful on the inside ai
you are on the outside. Your gifts ant
talents are immeasurable. Alway s strict
for the best. Go now and be blessed.'
To my youngest daughter, ( arissa
“You are the most caring with a heart
full of compassion and mercy. There if
nothing greater than love, and you refleei
the light of God’s love. Go now and bt
blessed.”
In the last moments of my life, I wouk
sit quietly in my home, “<Jakland on Bur-
net Bay.” Overlooking the beautiful bay
I would repeatedly say, “ Thank you Lore
for all you have done for me.” In my
final breaths, I would whisper the LordY
Prayer and with my hands lifted towarc
heaven I would declare, “Tor thine is the
kingdom, the power, and the glory
Forever and ever, Amen."
Be prepaerd
Let every heart,...pre-
pare him room.
When our family was
traveling back from va-
cation in the Carolinas
one year we traveling
through a little |
town in Georgia.
When we
stopped at a red
I looked over
to my right and
there was a Boy
Scout building
out behind a
Baptist Church.
On the side of
the Scout Build-
ing there was a
carved wood-
JIM
Gill
Faith
an Adv ent Wreath.
Some churches will
bring evergreen trees in-
doors and decorate them
w ith lights and Christian
symbols.
At Faith we
will have a “Santa
Sighting" on De-
cember 8th when
we have a Christ-
mas luncheon
following our
morning worship
service.
Then there’s
caroling and of
course the Can-
dlelight Christ-
mas Eve service
en sign. It was Presbyterian
probably some
young scouts merit badge
project. The sign said.
“Be Prepaerd."
He had the right raw
materials and the proper
equipment. He was pre-
pared for his project but
he wasn't so good on the
important detail of spell-
ing.
In churches around
the world these next few
w eeks are a part of a sea-
son of preparation we
call Advent.
It is a season of getting
preparing to celebrate the
birth of Jesus.
Church members will
when everyone
will be given a
candle to light and hold
high while we sing Joy to
the World, including the
line “let every heart pre-
pare him room."
Unlike the scout who
was long on preparation
but short on details I
hope that this season of
Advent will not only be
one where you prepare
him room, but one where
you pay attention to the
details that you not get
so caught up in the prepa-
ration that you miss the
reason for the prepara-
tion, celebrating the Joy
that came into the world
LITTLE BIDDY BITS
Tell vour storv
Our women's ministry team needed someone
to speak at their Ladies Christmas Night Out.
They asked me for suggestions.
I told them I did not know anyone with a more
inspiring story than Amanda, the young lady who
directs our children's ministries at Old River.
When they invited Amanda to give her testimo-
ny, she immediately accepted and said. “It's my
story, so I don't have to study tor it. I m glad to
tell it."
1 Peter 3:15 says, “Stand ready to tell the rea-
son for the hope that you have. < Jr as an old
hymn says: “This is my story; this is my song.
Praising my Savior, all the day long!
Danny H Biddy. Pas for of the Church on Old
River since 1977 www oldriverhaptisi.com
How to overcome evil
Airport chaplains l<i llici>
count'd with heavens
SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
The Associated Press
light special candles on at the birth of Jesus
rhankful for leaders
RAYMOND
VAN BUSKIRK
Redeemer
Lutheran
I Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV)
tells us: “First of all,
then, I urge that supplica-
tions. prayers, interces-
sions, and thanksgivings
be made for all people,
for kings and all
who are in high
positions, that
we may lead a
peaceful and qui-
et life, godly and
dignified in every
way.
This is good,
and it is pleas-
ing in the sight
of God our Sav-
ior, who desires
all people to be
saved and to come to the
know ledge of the truth."
Pray for politicians?
Yes!
Romans 13:1-2 tells us
to: “Let every person be
subject to the governing
authorities. For there is
no authority except from
God, and those that exist
have been instituted by
God, Therefore whoev-
er resists the authorities
resists what God has ap-
pointed, and those who
resist will incur judg-
ment."
God gives us our rul-
ers. Some times we feel
really blessed such as
during wars that threaten
our very existence as a
country.
People loved and re-
spected George Wash-
ington, Abraham Lincoln
and FDR for their leader
them.
What about bad lead-
ers? You can argue from
the Bible that God per-
mitted them to rule. Per-
haps we can lean much
from them. Per-
haps we should
be on our knees
praying even
more for them,
getting closer to
God and pray ing
for provision,
protection, and
repentance unto
salvation.
Those who
obey the law
avoid rulers'
wrath and God's wrath.
In that way we may lead
a peaceful and quiet life
godly and dignified in
every way." In doing
so, we witness to our
rulers about Christ with
the purpose of saving
all people, even and es-
pecially people that may
disagree w ith us.
Should we be thankful
for our rulers even if we
did not vote for them or
agree with them? Yes,
they are gifts from God
and serve a purpose even
if it is to teach us a les-
son. Luther called them
part of our daily bread:
“devout and faithful rul-
ers, good government"
We are sinners and need
forgiveness, so do our
rulers.
So, pray for them to
be guided by God’s hand
A commonly held
idea is that evil men
hold sway because the
righteous do nothing to
resist them.
Consequent-
ly, we are
harraged with
messages,
calling us to
rise up and op-
pose the evil
being commit-
ted or planned
by others.
By way of
contrast. Ro-
mans 12:21
say s Be not
overcome of
evil, but overcome evil
w ith good. These words
simply echo those of
Jesus in Matthew 5:39-
RICK
GROTTS
SjQlander Ra
Fellowship
ship (at least most people in all that they do and to
did). It doesn't mean that serve as devout and good
we enjoyed everything
that happened or agreed
with every decision,
but God blessed us with
rulers to the blessing of
all people.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Amen.
I can be fairly certain
that most of us don’t
really believe that this
is possible. Our minds
and past experience say
loudly that evil must be
overcome by resistance
and opposition. I he
very idea that we could
overcome evil by kind-
ness, patience, and un-
derstanding is just too
ludicrous for words.
No way, Jose!
I understand fully.
My head tells me the
same thing. I guess in
effect, my mind says
show me one time in
human history where
evil was subdued by
kindness, and maybe I
could accept the possi-
bility.
In that regard, the
story of Jesus comes to
mind.
What was Jesus' mis-
sion?
To deal with sin.
right?
In dealing with sin,
did he also deal with
evil?
Aren't sinfulness
and evil essentially the
same?
If Jesus came to deal
with sin and evil, was
he successful?
If successful, how did
he overcome evil?
We will notice that
the Bible describes Je-
sus’ mission as involv-
ing forgiveness, res-
toration, redemption,
justification, etc. Each
of these terms imply
that Jesus dealt with
evil/sin by extending
love, mercy, and grace,
not by opposing, criti-
cizing. and punishing.
An additional note
is the fact that Jesus'
sacrifice is said
to be integral to
our salvation.
How did that
sacrifice occur?
Did the sac-
rifice of Jesus
come about be-
cause he resist-
ed or submitted
to ev 11 men?
If Jesus had
resisted evil in
the wav we are
prone to do,
would he have died at
all?
It's debatable, but
certainly his story
would be very differ-
ent.
It Jesus' death was
necessary, then unless
he vvas to commit sui-
cide, someone had to
be the instrument of
his death, l ither Jesus
vvas going to resist the
attempt on his life and
oppose God's purpose
or he was going to sub-
mit, in accordance w ith
that purpose. We know
from the scriptures,
which vvas the case, lie
submitted and there-
by tully demonstrated
overcoming evil with
good.
()f course, Jesus was
not reluctant to point
out evil and its devas-
tating effect on man-
kind at large, including
the perpetrators. But
when it came down to
the final solution, his
was not the approach
that we assume is the
only viable one.
We can always con-
clude that what Jesus
did in dealing with sin
is not a realistic life les-
son for our health and
happiness. In effect,
that is precisely how
the church and Chris-
tians have historically
reacted to these counter
intuitive words.
Ironically, by assum-
ing the path of Jesus
is unworkable, we at-
tempt to claim Jesus as
Savior while rejecting
his message and exam-
ple as a fantasy.
Please visit us at
w w w. sj oI a nderroadfel -
lowship.com.
ATLANTA — The Rev
Frank Colladay Jr. sKhk! at
the end of the gate waiting.
On the arriving plane was a
passenger whose husband
had just died of a heart attack
on another flight. Her name
was Linda Gilbert The two
had never met before.
Colladay’s parish happens
to be the world's busiest air-
port. His flock consists of
people passing through who
might need comfort, spiritual
advice, or someone to pray
with.
On this day. a traumatized
Gilbert needed even more.
Colladay guided her through
Hartsfiekl-Jackson Interna-
tional Airport, drove her in
his silver l ord Fusion to the
medical examiner to see her
husband's body and arranged
for a flight home for both of
them.
“Ile didn't say a whole lot.
But just his presence being
there, it just felt comfort-
ing and reassuring." Gilbert
says. "I didn't know that air-
ports have chaplains."
Most people don't.
Airports arc mini-cities
with their own movie the-
aters. tire departments and
shopping malls. Many also
have chapels, typically tiny
non-dem an (national spaces,
in out-of-the-way locations.
They offer an escape from
constant gate change and
security announcements and
are staffed by 350 part- and
full-time chaplains world-
wide Roman Catholic,
Protestant and, to a lesser ex-
tent, Jew ish. Muslim or Sikh.
I he positions are highly
sought-after and considered
glamorous, with chaplains
saving they love the excite-
ment and unpredictability of
airports.
The job is unlike other
church assignments. There
isn’t a permanent congrega-
tion. No baptisms, weddings
or funerals. Instead, airport
chaplains preach to a crowd
that is transient by nature.
I rust must be earned
quickly. There’s little time
for small talk, everybody is
rushing to catch a flight.
"You only get one chance
to impress them; one chance
to help them," says Bishop
D.D. Hayes, a non-denomi-
national pastor at Dallas-l ort
Worth International Airport.
“Many times, we touch lives
we never see again."
There are daily or weekly
services but most ministering
occurs elsew here.
Chaplains see troops off
to war and are on hand vv hen
bodies of the fallen return.
They comfort fliers visiting
sick relatives and those trav-
eling for medical treatment
themselves. During weather
delays, chaplains take the
heat off gate agents by stand-
ing nearby passengers
tend to be on their best be-
havior when in the presence
of a priest.
They aren't at airports to
proselytize and surpris-
ingly very few passengers
confess to a fear of flying.
Often, the chaplains just
roam terminals offering a
friendly face and occasional
directions. Some walk up to
seven miles a day.
“When I came into the
lob, my predecessor said you
have to buy good shoes,’
says the Rev. Jean-Picrrc
Dassonville, a Protestant
who just retired alter 12
years at Charles IK* Gaulle
Airport in Paris.
Chaplains need outgo-
ing personalities. They
have to recognize the sigiw
that something is wrong
ami know how to approach
strangers.
The Rev. Wina Ilordijk, a
Protestant minister at Am-
sterdam's Schiphol Airport,
recently saw a teenage girl
sitting by herself, cry ing. Hie
girl was supposed to travel
throughout Europe with her
boyfriend but he dumped
her at the start of the trip.
“I always have a lot of
handkerchiefs in my bag.
I lordi jk says.
Ifien there arc the more
serious situations.
The Rev. Jonathan Bald-
win, who is assigned by Hie
Church of England to l on-
don's Gatwick Airport, was
once asked by a couple to
join them as their son and his
new wife returned from their
honeymoon The groom's
sister had committed suicide
the dav after the wedding,
Baldwin obtained a quiet
room tor them to meet, break
the news and cry privately.
Chaplains don't just sup-
port fliers; there are also
thousands of airport workers
Employees at ticket count-
ers, security checkpoints and
control towers arc under ex-
treme stress. I hey often need
to chat with somebody inde-
pendent from their job.
I or those who work Sun-
days, the airport chapel be-
comes their de facto church.
“You come into a chapel,
you know you’re in God’s
house,” says Vibert I dvvards.
who prays daily before start-
ing his shift as a baggage
handler at New York's John
F. Kennedy International
Airport.
To relate, chaplains learn
airport lingo, tor instance
calling workers who unload
luggage from planes “ramp
rats ”
fhe first airport chapel
was founded at Boston's Lo-
gan International Airport in
1954. Today there are cha-
pels as far away as Genev a,
Istanbul and Bangkok. Cath-
olic dioceses assign and
pay for priests at larger
airports. In some cases, air-
ports or airlines will prov ide
financial support. Many
chaplains are v olunteers.
Services are quick and in-
formal. If 20 people arrive,
it's a big crowd. As flights
near boarding, worshippers
duck out.
“People are a little bit up-
tight already. It's a great en-
vironment for ministry," says
the Rev. Hut/ Hertzberg, the
senior Protestant chaplain at
Chicago's two airports. “In
the 21st century, we need to
bring the ministry to where
the people are instead ot
waiting for them to come to
our churches."
Getting them to services
SEE CHAPLAIN • PAGE 6C
h
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Bloom, David. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 236, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 1, 2013, newspaper, December 1, 2013; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1066392/m1/21/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.