The Word Worker

Tag: Joy

  • Recession Christmas, Part 3: Hard Blessings

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Part of Christmas tradition is the giving of gifts. It has been argued that this tradition has become too commercialized, that focus on gifts detracts from what is important. I certainly saw advertisements that missed the point and pushed the idea of social status rising from gift quality or price. However, the concept of giving…

  • Recession Christmas: Part Two

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    wordworkerrussell
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    No matter what other traditions people may have around the holidays, food is always a key factor. Every family has their favorite recipes, associates certain flavors and smells with family and good times. My favorite holiday memories from childhood involve baking with my grandmother. We made piles and piles of candy, cookies, and pies. Although…

  • Important

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    wordworkerrussell
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    The world is full of wars, conflicts, political arguments, societal inequities, and many other unpleasant things we humans deem important. We fixate on everything that is wrong, twisting ourselves into knots trying to figure out who we are supposed to hate, who or what is the enemy. We bury our noses in news, gossip, and…

  • Lifted Hands

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    wordworkerrussell
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    ” Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord.” Ps. 134:2 “So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name I will lift up my hands.” Ps. 63:4 “I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you.” Ps. 143:6 When a small…

  • Are You Entertained?

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Thunder rolled, a deep rumble that drew all eyes to the mountain. Clouds gathered to darken the peaks, lightning punctuating the unending noise. The glow of fire began to turn the roiling shadows red, flickering tongues of flame piercing the billowing waves of black. Invisible shofars reverberated in the air as the watchers clapped hands…

  • The Self-Limited God

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    wordworkerrussell
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    The Everlasting. The Omnipotent. The I AM. The One without physical form, without physical space, without limits of any kind. This God, the Alpha and Omega, Creator of all things, took on the form of His creation. We repeat this often, and quote scriptures about it, but I wonder if we truly grasp the enormity…

  • The Corner

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    wordworkerrussell
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    It wasn’t beautiful, the corner of Cedar and Walnut. In fact, whatever planner decided to name the streets after trees must of have had some twisted sense of humor. No forest could have less to do with the dirty, dingy gray of metal and concrete. Despite uninviting appearances, the bench at the corner was always…

  • Thankful

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    wordworkerrussell
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    As we enter the holiday season this year I feel the mood around me to be different than past years. Politics, economic uncertainty, and a persistently negative media presence seem to be doing their best to destroy our spirit and leach the joy from the season. It is one of Satan’s most effective tactics to…

  • Christmas Train

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    wordworkerrussell
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    The whistle blew, a cheery sound in the crisp air. Even the steam from the pipe crystallized into gray mist that blended with the distant mountain peaks. The world around lay white and silent, the train with its crimson cars and bright window frames a brilliant spot of color. Inside the warm cars passengers laughed…

  • Blessed

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    wordworkerrussell
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    “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven.” Matthew 5:10-12 Being an outcast is…