And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. Mark 12:42-43 ESV
Last week we had just finished our Christmas caroling time at a nursing home and began to pass out some large print Christmas devotional books as our gift to the residents. Most of them lit up with smiles and thanked us for the book, but when one of our volunteers came to a table in the back, the lady reached out and slipped three one-dollar bills into their hand. Despite urging her that she didn’t need to pay for our gift, she insisted, “No please take it! I want to give something!”
That dear lady not only reminded me of the widow in today’s verse, but she also showed me that longing to give is a basic desire of every heart. Some of us, unfortunately, have had that desire dampened by people who have taken unfair advantage of us. But Jesus never mentioned anything about how well the two little coins she contributed, were spent. What mattered to Him, was that the love she gave with, made the gift precious. None of the rich guys who went ahead of her and made a big deal of their offerings had impressed Jesus. But the small sacrifice that she eagerly gave with a pure heart was a treasure to Him. That also reminded me that whether we have gold, frankincense and myrrh or just two pennies, God sees more than pennies, and He is watching our hearts today!
Thursday morning Sunshine is a free devotional newsletter produced by Rob Keller, Pastor Janice Burnett and myself (Peter Caligiuri). Pastor Janice is a nursing home chaplain in Western New York, I do volunteer nursing home ministry here in Florida and my friend Rob is a professional graphic artist and writer who lends his talents to Sunshine. If you would like to receive the pdf format of Sunshine please contact me at revpete51@gmail.com and I’ll be delighted to include you in our weekly mailing.
Giving Thanks by Peter Caligiuri
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 ESV In today’s verse the Apostle Paul tells us to be thankful for everything. Now without a doubt there were plenty of terrible things going on in the world in Paul’s day just as there are in ours. But the thankfulness Paul talks about is more than simply recalling the good things we have experienced. Instead, the gratitude that God has in mind is about seeing things as He sees them. We may see the potholes in the road but God sees the whole journey. We feel the cold of the winter wind while God sees the trees resting while they gather their energy for spring. We are angry over hurtful words spoken to us while God is giving us an opportunity to learn to forgive. We experienced the loneliness of the Covid-19 lockdown, but God was giving us time to remember what and who matter most in life. If we are able to see all of our family again this year, will we remember to tell them we love them and hold them close? But whether we are together or apart from our loved ones, the biggest blessing is that Jesus has promised to sit with us! God is good. We have much to be thankful for!
Giving thanks when things go well
Is an easy thing to do
But giving thanks when the chips are down
Is God’s will for me and you!
Yes, give thanks for ‘all things’ for, as it has been well said ‘Our disappointments are but His appointments.’” –A.W. Pink
Riddles in Heaven? By Rob Keller
Do you like riddles? Here’s one I thought was pretty clever: What runs around the yard day and night, but never moves or never gets tired? Give up? Well, you’ll have to keep reading to get the answer. Ready for another one? What has a beginning, but no end? To find the answer, just look in the mirror. If you are a Christian It’s you! The moment you received Jesus as your Savior, you were born into God’s family and began a life that will never end. Yes, some day we will leave this world behind and find ourselves frolicking on Heaven’s streets of gold, but that isn’t when eternal life begins. It starts right here and now. That’s because the eternal life that God gives us is not just about how long we live, but it’s also about how well we live. Now that our sins are forgiven, we can live in a close relationship with God. We have the privilege of talking with our Him (That’s prayer). Jesus calls us his friends. In God’s kingdom, our lives now have meaning and purpose. This new life fills us with deep peace and joy, no matter our circumstances. These are just a few of the blessings we are given as a “down payment”, of the full inheritance we will have in Heaven.
In Heaven, where we will live forever, we will receive bodies that will never grow old, get sick or die. There will be no pain or sorrow. We will join multitudes of believers worshipping around God’s throne. We will be reunited with beloved friends and family and gather around a table to share the most amazing banquet ever. God’s word gives us only little glimpses of what eternity will be like, but remember, it can start right here and now.
Did you figure out the first riddle yet? The answer is a fence! It runs around the yard, but never moves or gets tired. Life can be full of riddles but when we get to heaven every one will be answered at the feet of Jesus Christ!
The Lighter Side With Sue Hyson
The phone rings at the church parish, “Hello, is this Father O’Malley?”
“Yes it is.” The priest replied
“This is the IRS calling. Do you have a parishioner named Ted Houlihan?
“Well yes, Ted is a member of our congregation.”
“Did Mr. Houlihan donate $10,000 to the church?”
Father O’Malley thought for a moment and then replied, “He will!”
Sunshine News: This is the week for giving the 30-day Christmas Devotionals. If you do not receive one please let me know and we will work on getting a copy to you. It is great to welcome Sue Hyson back to the newsletter with her lighter look at life. For my blogging friends I have made Finding Jesus This Christmas available as a free download from 11-17-21 through 11-20-21. You may either search for it on Amazon as Finding Jesus This Christmas by Peter Caligiuri or follow the link below. Have a blessed week all!
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10 ESV
Okay I know it is at least a month early, but I am posting this now in order to offer a resource that you might consider for friends or family who need a large print devotional. Though the big-tech companies seem bent on converting us all to on-line reading, there is much to be said for actual books we can hold in our hands and make our own by scribbling in the margins. Each Christmas and Easter for the last several years I have put together a devotional in a large print version for the people I visit in various kinds of long term care. Even some of my friends in our small prayer group seem to prefer this for themselves when we purchase a number to be given away at the four communities which I visit. This year the collection is a 30 day reader titled, “Finding Jesus This Christmas” – because with all the confusion filling our world, we wonder, “Where is Jesus in the middle of this mess? ” We may wonder where the wise men came from or why shepherds seemed to be the only people who could hear the angel choir. Though Christmas is filled with questions, we still sense a mysterious truth who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This Christmas is a day to pause and remember that no matter our situation or how crazy our world has become – God still remembers us!
You can follow the link below for the large print version or search by title and author of Amazon for the e-book and standard size print versions.
praise2worshipdotnet 
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