St. Luke's Blogs

We all know the fear and worry that happens when the yellow warning light comes on in our car. To say the least, it is inconvenient to take your car to the mechanic. Even worse, the smallest repair can often cost so much. For many families, an unexpected car repair is more than the family budget will allow. This means cars are often driven unsafely, or worse, the family finds themselves without transportation. The amazing people at Hard Luck Auto in Midwest City know the struggles people can face when their car is broken. That is why they have started a non-profit mechanic shop where they fix cars for free… yes, free.

I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him. “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born…

Decorating the house for Christmas every year is always a meaningful tradition that just makes you feel good.  When I drive down the street in my neighborhood, coming home in the evenings, and see the lights on the outside of the house and the lights of the big Christmas tree in the front window, it always makes the day better, no matter what has happened that day.  There’s just something about Christmas lights that attracts our attention like moths drawn to a flame.

You quickly appreciate the simple convenience of flipping a switch and getting light – especially when I, like hundreds of thousands of other Oklahomans, were plunged into darkness and cold during the October ice storm…

Many years ago, I attended a youth conference with several hundred young adults.  During a keynote address in a large conference room, one speaker asked the facility staff to turn out all the lights.  I remember the silence and complete darkness that surrounded us.  Then the speaker turned on a single lightbulb in the center of the room.  At first, the lonely light seemed so dim in a large room full of people.  The speaker then asked everyone to individually move to a place in the room that represented “how close you feel to God in relation to the light.”  Some moved close.  Others moved far away.  In complete silence, we each reflected on our emotions and spiritual connectedness.  It was a powerful moment for me personally and for all who were in attendance.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.”

Over the past three Christmas and New Year’s holidays, we have traveled to some amazing places with our extended family; Maui, Disney Land, and San Diego.  We have made so many special memories with our families at those places.  We look forward to our family trips because there is a new adventure planned for us each day.  But if you have ever seen the movie Home Alone, where the family is running frantically through the airport to catch their flight and hoping they didn’t forget anything, you understand how rushed we have felt trying to get through the airport. However, we have never forgot one of our children at home!