Happy Friday! We are home at last! I think we are going to stay for a while.

We had a wonderful time in San Antonio with our friends Carme and Dave Russell. We spent New Year’s Eve watching movies, talking late and eating. It was like old times with a few more gray hairs. Our anniversary was spent with our friends and Travis. We went to the Riverwalk for a while and ate at Mad Dogs British Pub. We ate “pub grub”, served by a “kilted” wait staff and had a wonderful time. The Christmas lights were still on at the Riverwalk and it was so pretty.

This morning took us to the hospital to be with our friends as Carme had a breast biopsy this morning. She should know something hopefully by mid to late next week. Please keep her and Dave in your prayers.

Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.” Did you ever say something you did not mean to say? All of a sudden something sparked your use of language and the wrong words came out. I am talking about words that you cannot take back even though you say you are sorry and “I did not mean it.” I am certainly guilty of that.

God breathed life into man at the dawn of time. God took a handful of dirt (as the poem The Creation by James Weldon Johnson goes) and breathed life into man. A man who could talk, sing, pray, praise and worship with the breath of the One who gave him/her life. How many times per day to we say things not pleasing to God? How many times do we say things that do not honor God and show our gratitude to Him for our very breath.

The song “Breathe” says the powerful words, “This is the air I breathe. Your Holy Spirit, living in me.” The breath of God is His Holy Spirit and it lives in us. I cannot breathe on a handful of dirt and cause life to form. But I can speak words of comfort to someone who is hurting or in fear. I can speak words of encouragement to someone who is going through a difficult time. I can praise God for His very being and the countless blessings I have received and for the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I can worship God. I don’t have to have a sanctuary or wait until Sunday to worship God. The scripture doesn’t limit us to worship in a specific place or time. It says that everything that has breath needs to praise the Lord.

Maybe that is how we should begin this new year. Begin each day by praising God in His sanctuary. His sanctuary is where we find His presence. Another song says, “Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary.” Let’s all be sanctuaries for the presence of God and become the praise of God’s glory. Let us journey in worship this year. Let us praise God first and then figure out the rest. Let us not waste our breath on words that are not pleasing to God.

Take joy in the journey my friends. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.