From the Home Place

October 19, 2025

Well, yesterday presented us with our first snow for this season. Though I’m not even close to being ready for winter, it will be here in full force soon. The oncoming winter is like all of the other undesirable events in our lives; we are seldom ready for it to hit. But, as the Bible tells us, it does absolutely no good to focus upon the bad and ignore the good.

So, for today, look for something good in your life, and then thank your Heavenly Father for it. Maybe it will be something kind that someone says to you, or perhaps, it will be something kind you say to someone else? A kind action, a good attitude, a special blessing that God drops into your life – then pause and praise Him for it!

Can you imagine what it is like for God to hear about nothing but the “bad” stuff that is going on in our lives? We complain about this, and grumble about that, asking for, asking why, asking what if. But how often do we praise Him for even the little things of life?

I just spent the last 30 minutes attempting to get the furnace to come on in our camper, which we are still using during our construction phase. So, at 24 degrees outside, a camper with no heat is a bit cold on the inside. In the midst of attempting to get the furnace to work properly, I had to stop and ask forgiveness – forgiveness for allowing the cold of the outside world to impact my “inside” temperature.

In Philippians 2:5 we read, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” What “attitude” are we supposed to have? Reading further down the page you will find that the attitude we are to copy has three elements to it: 1) Jesus lowered Himself to our level which implies we are to do the same with folks that Jesus brings into our lives. 2) Jesus humbled Himself, we (I) way too often “think more highly” of myself that I should. Remember, we are told to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.” (1 Pt. 5:6) It would appear that humility comes only when we place our lives under the “might hand of God” and realize that we are not so high-and-mighty. 3) Jesus was “obedient to the point of death.” We too, should be willing to die to self so we can live for God.

All of that challenges me, and I hope you as well, to be like Jesus today, lowly, humble and obedient. I once read a story written by Dr. D.L. Moody’s barber: He said that when Mr. Moody left his barber shop, “everyone there felt as if they had been in the presence of God.” As we go to church and go through the rest of this day, may those around us know they have been in the presence of Jesus, working in and through one of His servants.

Seeking to be like Jesus with you, Neal