2012.02.27 Monday Morning Message

Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma.

The New York Giants took home the "Lombardi Trophy" after winning the Super Bowl.  It is a coveted trophy named after Vince Lombardi, who coached the Green Bay Packers years ago.  Coach Lombardi is a sort of a legend in my home state of Wisconsin.

Lombardi loved the game of football.  Even before he made a name for himself in football, he was offered lucrative jobs in firms not connected with the game, but he chose to stay with football.

He had a way of working with players!  He sought the best from his players, calling for personal
discipline, stressing the need of practice, practice, practice.

He was a great coach, but above all he was a man of God.  A Roman Catholic, he attended church daily.  He had his priorities right!  God was number one; obedience to God meant everything to him.  He preached to his players, God, family and the Green Bay Packers in that order.

When we think of the game of football, we can find many similarities to life.  Some teams are
content to rest on past performances, satisfied with the status quo.  Some teams allow set backs to break their spirit soon arguing with team mates and criticizing the play of others.  Some players expect more reward, more praise.

Football carries with it parallels to life.  Life is such that we shall always make "wrong plays".   When Lombardi reviewed "wrong plays" with his team, he worked hard to correct them, and to 
encourage his players to move ahead, facing new challenges without the baggage of past mistakes.

God does not stop loving us every time we do something wrong.  Neither should we stop loving ourselves and each other for being less than perfect.

Best Wishes, Cheers,
Richard

2011.11.07 Monday Morning

Top of the morning and all good wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.  

Pilgrim Church is one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the area, celebrating its 129th birthday on the Sunday nearest All Saints Day, which this year falls on Tuesday, November 1.  Thankful for its past, Pilgrim Church continues a faithful mission and outreach ministry.  Congratulations 'Pilgrims'.

Having received a wonderful heritage, my prayer for Pilgrim Church in the present and future is "to think outside the box", and set before you A VISION  of what God wants you to be.

The importance of having a vision comes from my dear Mother.  In her declining years, she went blind.  At first she was frustrated, angry, and reluctant to admit her limitations.  Strong and capable all of her life, her blindness forced her to seek help from family and friends.

She was a remarkable lady.  She did not engage in self-pity, but soon took charge of her life and began to turn her handicap into a blessing.  She had been an executive secretary at the J. I. Case Co., in Racine, Wisconsin.  Still able to type, she wrote countless letters of support and encouragement to people, encouraging them to develop new ways to be useful.  All of us have handicaps; some are just more visible than other.

Stevie Wonder once said, "Just because a person lacks the use of eyes doesn't mean a lack of vision."

"Be Thou my vision,

  O Lord of my heart...

        Though my best thought

By day or by night,

 Walking or sleeping,

     Thy presence my light"

With blessings and in friendship,

Richard