Rick McPherson November Newsletter, 2023
My wife has helped me with research and information for over fifty years. She forwarded the following from Dr. Henry Cloud, @ boundaries.me; and asked what I thought. I thought they were great and would be perfect for this Newsletter entering … THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
1. NURTURE your relationships.
2. SAVOR your blessings.
3. PRACTICE gratitude.
4. FORGIVE.
5. AND GIVE UP THE STUFF you are holding on to.
I know that none of us need yet another list at this busy time of year. But, take a moment, fix yourself a hot cocoa, find a comfy chair and think about a couple (or all) of the items on the list. I want to make sure that I don’t just think about them, I want to do them. All of the items require some action; otherwise, what’s the point?
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CHRISTMAS TOYS & GIFTS
We are continuing our traditions of delivering toys and gifts to Native American Reservations at Christmas. This year we are receiving items from two television stations and a local tire distribution center. These are brand new and we deliver them to the Quinault Reservation at Lake Quinault, WA, and Celilo Indian Village at the Yakama Reservation, The Dalles, OR. I wish I could take each of you with me and let you see the joy and happiness that these toys and gifts bring to children and adults. Let me just say, “thank you,” for your kindness and generosity as you give to make this a reality.
AND…
Did you know the verse, “it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven,” (Matthew 19:24) does not mean a sewing needle? In ancient times the gates had two large leaves and a smaller door called the eye of the needle intended only for the passage of pedestrians. When the large gates were closed, getting a camel through the eye of the needle, it required the camel to shed its load and bend its legs and neck. It was a difficult task that often left scratches. Jesus teaching was not that it was impossible for a rich man to get into heaven but a reminder that whether you are rich or poor you must shed your burdens, bend your neck in obedience, kneel before God and acknowledge Him that He is the only way to salvation. And on this journey you will get scratches along the way.
By Elise Wood
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