Category: Today Is

TODAY IS… an awesome day to thank God for the greatest gift of all. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

 

December 25

TODAY IS…

an awesome day to
thank God for the greatest gift of all.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11 NIV

As the title of this book reminds us, each day is A Gift From God. The days of our lives are precious, each and every one. They hold out promise and hope. The days of our lives are among the most valuable of all gifts that God gives us, and there are many, as the devotionals in this book have attempted to demonstrate.

But the most precious gift ever given by the One who gave us this world in which to live, and our very lives with which to enjoy it, was the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, the One whose birth would change the world forever.

Zechariah used these beautiful words to describe the gift that the world would soon be given: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:79 NLT). The morning has broken, and it is surely a beautiful day!

Jesus came to occupy our hearts, but it is not a forced occupation. We must want Him there, and we must seek the light that He will shine upon those dark areas of our souls that we would like to say good-bye to. We must desire the life that will come when we learn the savior’s lessons that will teach us to die to ourselves. We must volunteer to serve and be willing to sacrifice all that we are and all that we have in order to receive all that He came to give.

Hopefully we are all aware that we must thank God each and every day for all of His grace, all of His love, and all of His mercy. But on this day that has been set aside to mark the arrival of the most valuable gift ever given, we must all be sure to give special thanks to God.

With this gift in our possession, we can feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, house those who are homeless, and heal those who are sick. With this gift we can refuse to fall prey to the temptations of Satan and those he has corrupted on this earth. With this gift we can live in a significant manner and we can understand the concept of humble service to our brothers and sisters.

By accepting this remarkable, priceless gift of love, we can be better spouses, better parents, better friends, and better neighbors.

Let us all humbly, gratefully, joyfully, and tearfully accept this gift and say “Thank You” to Almighty God.

TODAY IS… a superb day to pray for peace. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

 

December 24

TODAY IS…

a superb day to pray for peace.

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”  Matthew 5:9 NLT

All of the chaotic preparations of the season begin to wind down. Last minute shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, traveling; all of these things begin to end and we are ready to enjoy our families, our friends, our neighbors. Businesses begin to close early – those that are actually still trying to get things done – and a quiet begins to descend on our communities.

All that we have done to celebrate this time of year is acceptable to God. He loves to hear our laughter, and the sound of excited children. He loves our music and He wants families and friends to draw closer, be nicer, and love each other.

But God also wants each one of us to reach out and pray for peace throughout the world. Some people laugh or become cynical at the mere thought or mention of world peace, but this is something that would truly please God because we cannot have peace throughout the world without people loving each other, respecting each other’s differences and being concerned for each other’s health and welfare.

World peace is not something that is just for beauty pageant contestants to hope for. It is certainly not something to laugh about or refuse to think about because we see so many obstacles to it.

World peace should be in our prayers every day, but especially on this day. We should gather our families and thank God for our good fortune and for the love we share with one another, and we should use that time as an opportunity to collectively ask God to use His power to help make us all kinder, gentler, and more compassionate. We should take this little bit of time to teach our children the importance of giving thanks and giving the gift of prayer for peace throughout this world that God created for us to share with one another.

Those who feel that world peace is impossible are the very people that Jesus Christ was talking about when He said, “You don’t have enough faith,’ Jesus told them. ’I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.’” (Matthew 17:20 NLT).

Use the gift of prayer and your faith to move the mountains of hate, war, persecution and oppression. Pray to God for peace throughout the world.

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TODAY IS… a fine day to pray for satisfaction. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

 

December 23

TODAY IS…

a fine day to pray for satisfaction.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”  Matthew 5:6 NASB

Today we are going to pray again, only this time, our prayer will be for our satisfaction. No? Too self-centered? Too selfish? Christ said that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we “shall be satisfied.” So if we take the gift of today and pray for God to “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3-4 NIV), are we not exhibiting a hunger and thirst for righteousness? And are we not blessed by God for this and satisfied?

Prayer for other people who need it desperately will provide us with the satisfaction that we are reaching out to millions of people we will probably never meet and are making a difference in their lives. Prayer to God is a powerful tool in the fight against injustice and there is little that is more unjust than starving children, orphans and others who live their lives in a simple daily quest of survival.

At this time of year, many people open up their purse strings in a generous spirit to give friends and family wonderful gifts that express their love. But there are so many millions who have nothing to give, and who need so much for themselves. “Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.” (Psalm 10:17 NLT). But millions of people around the world do not know to cry out to God for help. It then becomes our responsibility to cry out for them.

While it is perfectly acceptable to smile, be happy, enjoy friends and family, and exchange gifts at this time of year, it is also a very important time to pray to God to give us satisfaction by calling upon Him to strike down those who would prey upon the poor and oppressed of the world. “Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted.” (Psalm 10:12 NASB). So many think that they can walk unnoticed upon the backs of the weak, “But You see the trouble and grief they cause. You take note of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in You. You defend the orphans.” (Psalm 10:14 NLT).

God understands that perhaps our finances are limited, so there is not much we can do although we do all that we can. But the power of prayer cannot ever be emphasized enough, so if we pray several times throughout the day for justice for the poor and the oppressed, we are doing something positive, something that will help, and something that will bring us satisfaction.

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TODAY IS… a terrific day to whistle while you work. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

December 22

TODAY IS…

a terrific day to whistle while you work.

“And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – this is indeed a gift from God.”  Ecclesiastes 5:19 NLT

ATTITUDE. We all have heard about people who have a good attitude or a bad attitude. But what do people say about our attitude?

If our relationship with God is a strong one, our attitude about every aspect of our life will be upbeat, positive, and cheerful, and people will notice this.

“Perhaps,” you say. “But what about during times of loss and tragedy? Will we be ‘upbeat, positive, and cheerful’ then?” Certainly there will be times when sadness will enter our lives. But our attitude toward whatever it is that is making us sad will have a definite affect on our ability to cope and people will notice this as well.

When our relationship with God is strong, we try to see lessons in everything that happens to us, and around us. We want to use whatever comes our way in this life to help us become closer to God. The right attitude will find us always relying on God when we face trying situations, but the right attitude will also find us thanking God, humbly, when the days of our lives are truly blessed with happiness as well.

Our attitude reaches into every corner of our life. It determines our willingness to accept another person despite differences that we may have. It determines whether unpleasant or mundane tasks are undertaken with enthusiasm and the same level of attention to detail as those tasks we enjoy. Our ability to “whistle while we work” grows out of a good attitude and a good relationship with God can help us to “pucker up and blow” as Marilyn Monroe once said.

Ruth’s quiet determination to pick from the fields what was left by the harvesters reflected her good attitude towards work. Her industriousness was noticed by Boaz when he came to inspect his fields and he asked his foreman about her. “The servant in charge of the reapers replied, ‘She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.’” (Ruth 2:6 NASB).

Her good attitude was rewarded even though she was looking for no reward. This is just a small example of how a good attitude can affect our lives in a positive way. Of course, it is important to ask God to help us always maintain a good attitude and a good relationship with Him will help to bring that about.

Our attitudes can reflect the selfishness of the world around us if we so choose, but an attitude that reflects the humility and self-sacrifice of Christ will help us to “whistle while we work,” and that will be music to God’s ears.

TODAY IS… a good day to acknowledge that all you need is God. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

December 21

TODAY IS…

a good day to
acknowledge that all you need is God.

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’”  1 Samuel 17:45 NIV

Of the eight sons of Jesse, David was the youngest and least experienced in war. Unlike the rest of his brothers, as well as the entire army of Israelites, when David looked at Goliath he did not see a giant who was to be feared. Instead he saw an ordinary man in defiance of God. While his brothers, and even King Saul, thought the idea of David facing Goliath in battle was ludicrous, David’s only thought was victory for God.

Armed with his faith in God, David told Goliath exactly who would defeat him. “This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.” (1 Samuel 17:46a NIV). David knew that God would claim victory through him and his faith. While David would physically slay Goliath, it would only be possible because of God. “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:47 NIV).

David taught us that when we are doing the will of God there is no possibility of defeat. David also taught us to have confidence in ourselves when we are fighting battles in God’s name.

Because of his faith, David reaped great rewards. This is something we all need to take note of. If we can establish a relationship with God where our lives are lived with the goal of doing His will, we will find a path to rewards beyond our wildest dreams. When we ask God what He wants us to do, “You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2 NLT).

Sometimes we get so caught up in complicating things that we forget how incredibly simple it all was when it began. God created a diverse world of beauty and wonder. He created birds to fill the air with music, and He created a multitude of creatures to walk the earth. He populated the oceans with fish of all different shapes and sizes, and planted trees that produced delicious fruits and scattered flowers about to add color and to scent the air. He created man and woman for no other purpose than to enjoy what He had made when He left them alone. He did not leave a long list of instructions. There were no cumbersome rules and regulations to follow. There was one simple rule – do not eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We all know that did not work out so well. But we all have another opportunity to live uncomplicated lives. All we have to do is live for God. If we make our relationship with Him one of the complete faith and trust of David, then God will lead us to a life worth living and no one – not even Goliath – will be able to stand in our way.

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TODAY IS… a perfect day to be led astray. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

December 20

TODAY IS…

a perfect day to be led astray.

“The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, ‘Why did you not bring Him?’”  John 7:45 NASB

When the religious leaders and Pharisees sent the temple guards to arrest Jesus, they returned empty handed. When they were asked why they had not done what they were instructed, “The officers answered, ‘Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.’” (John 7:46 NASB). Of course, the religious leaders were incredulous. Not fully believing the response, “The Pharisees then answered them, ‘You have not also been led astray, have you?’” (John 7:47 NASB).

If we, like the soldiers, have been led astray by the words that Jesus spoke, then the only thing we can do is – Praise God!

It is unusual, perhaps, to “Praise God” for being led astray, but if this is what the religious leaders of Jesus’ day consider being led astray, then there is not much else that we can do.

The truth of the matter, as we all know it to be, is that the soldiers were not led astray, they were led to the truth. The religious leaders and the Pharisees could not see the truth because it did not meet their expectations of what the truth should have been. When God selected Mary to give birth to Christ – a birth which we are preparing to celebrate in just a few days – He did not find it necessary to consult with anyone else before He made that selection. He saw in Mary’s heart what He needed to see to make His choice. The fact that the One He sent to save the world did not meet the expectations of the most learned religious leaders of the day has caused many people through history to believe that those who recognized Christ as the One sent by God to offer salvation to the world and to die for the sins of all mankind, were all led astray.

In actuality, those who really are being led astray are those who fail to accept the gift that Christ was sent to offer with His death.

If being led astray means that we are lining up behind Jesus Christ to follow Him into the Kingdom of God, then let us pray that we are all led astray. If being led astray means that we are being led to an everlasting life full of peace, joy, happiness, and love, then the choice is clear. When the temple guards chose not to arrest Jesus, they were thought to be fools by those who should have known better.

God sent His Son to us in exactly the way that He chose to, and if we choose to follow Him and be “led astray” then we have made the right choice.

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TODAY IS… an excellent day to avoid the crush. By Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

December 19

TODAY IS…

an excellent day to avoid the crush.

“Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, You forgive them all.”
Psalm 65:3 NLT

This time of year is a difficult one for millions of people. Certainly many people simply feel the crush of the season as “the day” approaches. Shopping, parties, family, friends – all good things, certainly, but each one adds to the burden that we carry. The good news for all of these people is that Christmas Day acts as a safety valve, and once it arrives, the pressure is off and many people relax and enjoy the peace and goodwill that seems to settle over the world, if only briefly.

Millions of others feel the weight of the season in an entirely different way. Millions dread the arrival of this time of year and many of us face severe bouts of depression and loneliness. Many are overcome with negativity and bring their self-worth into question. Many of us feel the weight of our sins and do not know how to keep from being crushed under that weight. There is no time that is good to feel the burden we feel when we are overwhelmed by our sins, but this time of year seems to make us more aware of the oppressive weight on our souls that comes as a result.

If we fall into the first group, there is not much that can help beyond patience – it will all be over soon. If we fall into the second group we need to turn to God and ask for His help. We also need the prayers of those in the first group.

Sometimes we feel that we have nowhere to turn. Our actions have caused us to dig ourselves deeper and deeper into darkness. We see no way out, other than to fill the hole in on top of ourselves, and the ability to see any light at the end of our personal tunnel has long since left us. We have forgotten that this season of joy, which we have allowed to become an additional weight on us, signifies the birth of the very One who can remove that weight from our shoulders and lift us up out of the hole that we have dug.

There is no problem that we have that is too big for our Lord. There is no sin too great that cannot be forgiven if we accept Christ into our life, repent of our sins, and ask forgiveness. There is no darkness that cannot be thrown into comforting light by the grace and glory of God if we will only reach out and ask God to take our hand.

Many, many people choose this time of year to pronounce a death sentence upon themselves. Pray for those who would take their life with their own hand and ask God to help them reach out for His hand instead so He may lift them up from under their burden.

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Time for another excerpt from the book, “Today Is….A Gift From God” by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the book,
“Today Is….A Gift From God.”

http://www.amazon.com/TODAY-IS-Gift-From-God/dp/1497365244

*******

December 18

TODAY IS…

a fine day to accept the appointment.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.”  1Timothy 1:12 NIV

Given Paul’s background as an ardent persecutor of those who followed Christ, what an unusual selection by Christ for one to serve Him. Or so our human minds would think. It is important to constantly remind ourselves that God sees into places we cannot see and knows things about us that perhaps we don’t even know.

The story of Paul is a great one on many levels, but one of the most encouraging lessons to be learned from Paul is that God will use us, regardless of our past, if we will only let Him. Paul could have refused the appointment, but he did not. This can only show that his heart was good in places that he couldn’t see. It took God to bring out his best, but it took Paul to let Him and to follow His instructions for service.

One of the things that distinguished Paul from many others was his commitment to travel in spite of the hardships that travel in those days presented and spread the Good News about Christ to everyone he met. He recognized the importance of the instruction Christ had given to His disciples when He said, “So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.” (Matthew 9:38 NLT).

God is trying to appoint all of us to become “Pauls’” as well. The question is how many of us will accept that appointment? If we have doubts, we need to examine the cause. Perhaps we have had “checkered” pasts. Maybe even darker than checkered. Jesus told His disciples that “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37 NASB). He was speaking about the abundance of people eager to be led to salvation and He was calling for prayer for those who would be willing to be appointed to be workers for Christ. If Paul, given his background, can accept the appointment of Christ then the person who should feel unworthy of service because of their past simply cannot exist.

If Paul can do it, so can you.

How we have lived our lives in the past is of no concern. How we are willing to live our lives in the future is all that is important. If Christ is calling you – if Christ is trying to appoint you – it is because He sees in you what may not yet be visible to you. It is not our place to second guess Him.

We must pray for courage to accept the appointment to serve Christ and not let our past hold us back from our future. And we must pray that others will accept the appointment as well, because “the harvest is plentiful.”

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“IMPOSSIBLE THINGS” by Tony Casson

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“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 NLT

“Like stars across the sky, we were born to shine.” Andrea Bocelli – “Because We Believe”

“‘There’s no use trying,’ she said: ‘One CAN’T believe impossible things.'” Alice in “Through The Looking Glass” by Lewis Carroll

It was a little over 4 years ago I stood in front of that mirror in the bathroom of a run-down motel in south Florida staring with hatred at the person looking back at me. A few minutes later, I was lying on the floor of the shower stall, awaiting death. At that moment in time, it would have been impossible for me to imagine sitting here writing these words. The REASON for writing them would have appeared BEYOND impossible to me. I certainly would have shared Alice’s perspective.

I have mentioned repeatedly the pending publication of a book of daily devotionals I have written titled “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”. On the morning of December 27, I awoke to a message from my friend Diane Woodall informing me that she had completed the task she so selflessly took on for me almost 2 years ago. After typing, correcting, advising, and encouraging me for all that time, and after going through the process required to transform our combined work into an e-book, in the middle of an email she stated, simply, “You are now officially published.”

After the moment that was required for those words to sink in, I typed her an ecstatic reply, returned to my cell, closed my door, placed a pillow on the floor and fell to my knees (my knees are older than their years) where I broke down in tears of joy and thanks to God for His gift of this new life that enabled me to do something that a few short years ago would have seemed impossible to even contemplate, let alone attempt. I cried tears of thanks that God could transform me into someone who could care enough for others that I would want to write such a thing. I cried tears of joy for the forgiveness He has given me for a life not lived well, knowing that I will never live the same way again. I cried tears for my children. They were tears of thanks for what God has shown me I will be able to be for them in the future, but they were also tears that acknowledged the immense sadness for all that I was NOT for them in the past. I did not dwell on those failures of the past, I simply reminded myself of them as a part of the joyous celebration of THIS day, and the days that I look forward to remaining in my life.

Finally I cried tears of thanks to God for the woman who has devoted so much of her time to a man she has never even met because this is what God had led HER to do. God created the need in me, and led Diane to me to fill that need, and together we have made a formidable team for HIM. Don, her husband, is probably on HIS knees thanking God that it is over.

To say that I am humbled by Diane’s willingness to give so much of herself to projects that are important to me would be a gross understatement. To further state that I am humbled by the fact God would deem ME worthy of His love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace and help me see this vision come to pass would be an even greater one.

Each day truly is a Gift from God for each one of us. This book, “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, represents a giant step forward from where I once stood. Granted, it is just one step, but it most certainly is a HUGE one. There are many more steps to be taken in my life, and I look forward to taking them, one by one, led by God, and accompanied by individuals such as Diane.

The greatest gift we can ever give to ourselves is to live every waking moment of every day of our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God and reflects His character, His will, and His purpose. The greatest gift that we can give to another human being is the selfless gift of ourselves, which is what Diane Woodall has given me. She has helped me to learn a valuable lesson, and it is one I shall endeavor to always remember.

I now offer “TODAY IS….A Gift From God” to each and every person reading these words. It is not offered as the best compilation of devotions, thoughts, and meditations ever written. It is not offered as any sort of literary masterpiece. It is not offered as a solution to EVERY problem or situation that may be faced in life. No, my friends, it is not offered as any of these things. Instead, it is humbly offered as evidence of the Hope that lies with God for each and every living human being. It is offered as PROOF of the ability of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to wash away that which is evil in our lives and replace it with something that is renewed and restored when we accept Christ as our savior. It is offered, with love, as the living, breathing relationship with God that it represents by a man who realized late in life that the answers to all of the questions he could never find answers to were always within the sound of his voice. All it took to begin to find those answers, establish that relationship and produce this book as testimony TO that relationship were the simple words, “God, please forgive me.”

Impossible?

Not at all. It’s really quite simple, because NOTHING is impossible with God. NOTHING.

To preview “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, click here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HKKL1RE

TODAY’S GIFT by Tony Casson

On By Tony CassonIn Today IsLeave a comment

Time for another excerpt from the upcoming book, “Today Is….A Gift From God.” Today’s devotional is from December 25.

TODAY IS…

an awesome day to thank God for the greatest gift of all.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11 NIV

As the title of this book reminds us, each day is A Gift From God. The days of our lives are precious, each and every one. They hold out promise and hope. The days of our lives are among the most valuable of all gifts that God gives us, and there are many, as the devotionals in this book have attempted to demonstrate.

But the most precious gift ever given by the One who gave us this world in which to live, and our very lives with which to enjoy it, was the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, the One whose birth would change the world forever.

Zechariah used these beautiful words to describe the gift that the world would soon be given: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:79 NLT). The morning has broken, and it is surely a beautiful day!

Jesus came to occupy our hearts, but it is not a forced occupation. We must want Him there, and we must seek the light that He will shine upon those dark areas of our souls that we would like to say good-bye to. We must desire the life that will come when we learn the savior’s lessons that will teach us to die to ourselves. We must volunteer to serve and be willing to sacrifice all that we are and all that we have in order to receive all that He came to give.

Hopefully we are all aware that we must thank God each and every day for all of His grace, all of His love, and all of His mercy. But on this day that has been set aside to mark the arrival of the most valuable gift ever given, we must all be sure to give special thanks to God.

With this gift in our possession, we can feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, house those who are homeless, and heal those who are sick. With this gift we can refuse to fall prey to the temptations of Satan and those he has corrupted on this earth. With this gift we can live in a significant manner and we can understand the concept of humble service to our brothers and sisters.

By accepting this remarkable, priceless gift of love, we can be better spouses, better parents, better friends, and better neighbors.

Let us all humbly, gratefully, joyfully, and tearfully accept this gift and say “Thank You” to Almighty God.

*******