Showing posts with label Holiday/Feast Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday/Feast Day. Show all posts

Monday, January 16, 2012

He Had a Dream...

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day!



Let me start by saying that I don't know everything about MLK, and have heard rumors of disagreeable things he did. But for the moment, I am choosing to overlook those things, and focus on the epic things he did!!

If you don't already know [which I kind of doubt], Mr. King was an incredible person who fought for the right of all people to be treated equally, regardless of the color of their skin. His efforts did not go unheard. Today we do not have segregated buses and drinking fountains (that I know of), and I don't have a second thought about seeing people around me of every race. It's become a way of life (well, I've heard that racism is still prevalent in some areas of the country, but those peeps are just taking longer to jump on the bandwagon of reality and truth!).

Here's a video of his timeless "I have a dream" speech. Love it!


It seems such a foreign concept nowadays to be against someone just because of the color of their skin, but I am reminded that people are still targeted for reasons that are just as preposterous. For example:

  • Babies are killed - why? Because of their age and location, and sometimes gender. 
  • Elderly people are euthanized - why? Because they are a burden to have around. 
[And in case you didn't guess, I think both those are ridiculous reasons to be against people, along with skin color.]

I love how Mr. King was an outspoken advocate for all people, and I leave you a striking quote to stew in for a while: 
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy? Are you sitting in your seat with a bag of popcorn, or are you in the crowd fighting for what you believe in? 




Friday, January 06, 2012

Happy Epiphany

Seems like Christmas was ages ago, doesn't it? Well, it was just 12 days ago, and today we celebrate the day when the three kings found the baby Jesus, after being guided by the star to Bethlehem.


"And the word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." ~ John 1:14

Today we don't have a giant star leading us straight to Jesus, but the light of God's love is there for anyone who believes in it.

"What came to be through Him [Jesus] was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." ~ John 1:5

We are called to share this light with others, and to help others realize the beauty, grace, and mercy of God. This is definitely something I strive to do in my own life, and I hope that you do too. It is not enough to just believe in God, and His everlasting love and mercy. We have to live our lives as examples to people who may not know God. We have to show them God's mercy and love so they can be guided to the light of Christ, just like the three kings.

What did you do yesterday to spread the light of God, and what can you do today, and tomorrow, to brighten the whole world with the love and hope of Christ's birth?