Be Patient

November 18, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Why all the rushing around? The hurry up, the plow through, the I have to finish this so I can rush off to that…and on and on it goes. No wonder we are lost…we don’t even take time to acknowledge where we are or what is going on around us. As we approach the holiday season, let’s not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of all the things we are supposed to do…let’s strive to acknowledge the reason for the season and to make time to be present with whoever God has us spending time with this year. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Ephesians 4:2

(This photo was taken in December of 2013 in northwestern Wisconsin)

Friendship

November 11, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

A relationship in which both individuals are equally nourished by their time together. We all have different types of relationships. A true friendship is one where both people care for and provide for each other. Who are your true friends? In our relationship with Jesus, He provides for us…what are we doing to serve Him? May the peace of the Lord wash over your relationships. Amen.

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“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

(This photo was taken by oen of my friends in July of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Self-less

August 4, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

One of the most tragic afflictions of our time is selfishness. The me first with a lack of consideration for others attitude, constantly assessing my place in the world compared to others and then determining my own value based on what others think about me. This perspective pushes God to the side and puts me first as the top priority. This has always been an affliction on human society and it seems to have grown exponentially since the explosion of social media. One of the world’s greatest needs right now is more humility. Imagine the impact on human relationships when people are looking to lift others up instead of tearing them down. I am not suggesting we ignore self-care rather we put God first to guide us in the way we live. I pray that we all take time to be humble and serve others more than we look to be served. May God’s peace be with you. Amen.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition of vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Friends

May 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Often times, not always, these are the people who are more like our brothers and sisters than the ones in our family. There is trust, honesty, a sharing of experiences, giving as often as receiving and love. Some friends are only for a period of time in our life and others last the whole way through, even when there are gaps of time. Like everything else that is good they are a gift from God. Who are your true friends? Give thanks to God for those people and say a prayer for them and their life this day. Amen.

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“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:12-13

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Perspective

May 29, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we talk about the rich and the poor our minds immediately go to someone’s value based on their financial position. There are more ways to be rich or poor than with money. People can be rich or poor in intellect or with emotions. The bible talks about spiritual poverty and spiritual riches. If we get it stuck in our minds that money is the key item to define poverty and wealth then we are missing out on so much joy and we are setting ourselves up for constant defeat and struggle. Turn towards the Lord in prayer and read God’s Word regarding wealth and poverty (1 Timothy 6:3-10) and be open to expanding and shaping your perspective of rich and poor. Amen.

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2

(This photo was taken in March 2018 in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico)

Give Thanks

January 26, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Lord, I thank you for the people you have put in my life. My family, my friends including all of those who help me to see things differently, the encouragement they provide and the joy and laughter we experience together. They help guide me through the rocky moments and events in life. Because of them I know you are near and I give thanks for your faithfulness and your love. Thank you, Lord…I love you…Amen.

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“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalms 100:5

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

How We Treat Each Other

December 31, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The changing of the year signifies a milestone, a break point, a natural point in time to reflect and to begin again or renew or start over…we say things like ‘this year is going to be a good year’ or ‘I hope the next year is better than last year.’ We never truly know what the next year or even the next day will be like or if we even will be given the gift of life to live tomorrow, or next year. We so easily slip into taking the days and life in general for granted…until something happens and you lose someone. When 2018 started I had no idea we would lose 3 relatives this year…I did not know that the last time I said good-bye to my Dad on a Sunday in early August that he would not live to September. In fact on August 30th, 2018 none of us knew, including my Dad, that Sunday August 31st was the day he was going home to the Lord. Life is a gift…people and relationships are far more valuable than anything else this world offers you. We are created out of God’s love to bear good fruit to others in the world and to be loved. Life is a gift, let’s do our best not to take it for granted…every day we are allowed to wake up we should be thankful to God and treat others the way we would like to be treated. Amen.

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“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Find Rest For Your Soul

December 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The pace of life in society tends to be frenetic and hurried. Rushing to get here and there taking little time to stop…and live in the present moment. There is time to rest, to be more balanced and to set down our technology devices and have an in person conversation with a friend or family member. To talk and to listen…all we have to do is make the decision to do it. The world and other people are not going to do it for you…there is one person I know who actually invites us to come to Him and find rest. He is even willing to take on our burdens and to give us peace and comfort. Take your worries, your fears and all those things weighing down on you and bring them to the Cross of Christ and you will find rest for your soul. Amen.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Thanksgiving

November 22, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What are you thankful for? Think about the last week of your life, the last month, the last 12 months. Where were you or what was going on last Thanksgiving? Are you able to be with or spend the day with the same people you have for many years or have some gone home to the Lord? Thinking about the events and people in your life…who or what are you most thankful for? How you view this day and your life in general is driven by your attitude. If you want to be more thankful or have a more positive outlook on a daily basis, start each day with time for gratitude for what is good and what you are grateful and thankful for in your life. We can all start with prayer and thanking God for the sacrifice of His Son to save us. Happy Thanksgiving Day to you. May we all experience the peace, love and joy of being thankful. Amen.

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 by our daughter while on a family road trip near Dillon, Colorado)

We Are Not Alone

November 12, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Not only is God with us each day and everywhere we go, He has also put other people in our lives. Think about the people in your life. I read this morning about three types of relationships…people we minister to and we receive very little from…people who minister to us and we give them very little back…and the people closest to us, the ones who nourish us and our spirit and we nourish them and their spirit equally. Who are the people in these groups for you? One is your ministry to others, the second is someone else’s ministry to you and the third group…these are the people that are with you during your highest highs and your lowest lows, the ones you want to notify first when something happens. We need to be sure we are investing the majority of our time and energy in the third group, after all it is God who put them there to assist us and for us to assist them no matter what may come our way. I pray we all reflect and recognize who “our people” are and we strive to give them our best. Amen.

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