I recently got my 2002 Honda Odyssey back from the mechanic, there was a problem with the fan in the heating/air system and a part needed to be replaced.  I was worried when I first took it in; the car has 328,000 miles on it and I feared the problem might not be repairable.  But it was.  I got the car back and it works fine.  My hope is soon to buy a new car and give this one to my son (or someone else who needs it).  The resale value is very low and I can give it to someone who can still use it for local travel.  Many have told me that I am foolish for keeping my cars for so long, but for over 40 years this is a strategy that has worked for me.  I see no reason to change my approach now...

I spent three days working to put up the Christmas lights so our family could share in our annual "turning on the of the lights" on Thanksgiving evening.  I had tested all the lights before placing them in their appropriate places and I thought everything was "good to go."  But on Thanksgiving morning I decided to do a final test and one whole section of lights failed to shine.  I was frustrated and ready to throw away several strings of lights and purchase new ones.  But then my son and family arrived and my son had a different perspective on the problem...

There are two amazing tools that scientists use, but each for a very different purpose.  With a microscope one can look at very small objects and make them appear to be very big.  Something as small as a germ can look like a monster when viewed through a microscope.  In contrast, with a telescope one can look at very large objects (which are miles and miles away) and they will appear in a "manageable" size for us to examine.  Through a telescope we can look at the moon as easily as if we were holding a 4 x 6 photo.  In simple terms:  with a microscope small items can look big and with a telescope large items can look small.  So when it comes to your problems, through which scope are you peering?

Sam, my grandson, was so excited.  About a year ago he developed an interest in archery and began "shooting" regularly at a local archery range.  Recently he got his first bullseye.  He had come close many times, but this time he hit the target right in the center.  He didn't do this by closing his eyes and hoping; he did it by learning to take aim.  It is a timely lesson as we consider, "What will we aim for, for 2020?"...

I have known Mike Platten, who is a Christian professional magician, for years and have enjoyed watching him perform and share his testimony on several occasions.  Recently he shared his gifts both in public worship and for the children's Christmas party at the 1st United Methodist Church in Sapulpa.  As Mike began his performance, he made it clear that the "magic" he performed was just a "trick" based on illusion, and that the only one who could truly perform miracles was Jesus Christ.  He brought his point home in an effective way by doing a card trick featuring the "king of hearts" and reminded the audience that we need to remember, this Christmas, that Christ came into the world to be the King of our heart.  But it was his statement, "Jesus is the only one who performs true miracles" that caught my attention.  It reminded me of the wonderful miracle that we know of as Christmas...

Recently my wife got a splinter in her hand.  It was very small (difficult to see) and impossible for her to extract on her own.  Still, this small object caused her some pain and great annoyance.  She finally summoned my help to do some "surgery."  Once we got it out she said, "I can't believe how much this small splinter has disrupted my day!"  Her experience, however, confirms a principle that proves true in many areas of life.

This month we celebrated Beth's (my daughter, pictured above with brother John) 37th birthday.  It was a joyous event, in large part due to the fact that Beth loves birthday parties.  She loves seeing her friends and family.  She loves the atmosphere of special events; and people love being around her because she is a special person.  Beth is special in many ways:  she has a delightful (bubbly) personality; she has a wonderful sense of humor, and she has numerous special needs, many of which she has risen above.

In light of the recent passing of Billy Graham it is difficult not to share personal thoughts regarding his life and ministry.  I had the privilege of hearing him "live" on two occasions:  The first was when I was in college and he was the featured spearer at Expo 72 in Dallas Texas.  I had only been a Christian for a couple of years and hearing him speak to 40,000+ college students in the Cotton Bowl was an incredible experience.  The second time I heard him was in Oklahoma City, some 25 years after the Expo event, at what many thought may be his last public rally.  It wasn't, but the experience of hearing him twice, with a 25 year span between events, brought home for me the challenge of perseverance and faithfulness.  Billy Graham's message and life rang true across the years.
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Though I didn't know it when I first heard him, I now realize that Billy Graham was a solution focused preacher.  He proclaimed that we do not have to be bound by our old life of sin but that we can find a whole new life and future through faith in Jesus Christ.  In a day when segregation was a way of life, Billy insisted on a new future at his events; one where black and white could sit together and hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Billy, no doubt, wanted us to leave the old ways behind and focus our hearts on the new kingdom Christ would one day bring.  Thank God for his life, his example, and his legacy.  I can say, along with countless others, that his life and message have been a wonderful part of my journey.

If you start at a point and walk 50 miles in one direction, obviously you will end up at another specific point.  But if you start at the same beginning point and alter your direction even by one degree, 50 miles later you will be in an entirely different place.  The lesson:  small changes in direction over time take us to an entirely different ending.  

Many people, especially as we begin a new year, plan to make huge changes in their life.  Some of these include:  a radically altered diet, an aggressive exercise program, accomplishing monumental new tasks, and possibly even the transformation of one's personality.  The problem is, striving for big changes seldom works.  But small changes, which are realistic and sustainable, can in time make a huge difference in the quality of our life.  

For 2018, what small changes can you make in:  your attitude, your spiritual disciplines, your diet, your financial management, your exercise routine?  A basic principle of Solution Focused Therapy is that small changes lead to big changes.  So as you live into 2018 and consider the "life improvements" you want to take on; Think Small!  By the end of the year you may be surprised at where life has taken you.