JEFFREY SWAINSTON, CHAPLAIN
P.O. Box 77
Manton, MI 49663
(616) 405-6921
revjeff82@gmail.com
"COME TO ME, ALL WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." - MATTHEW 11:28 IN MEMORIAM 2014
Geraldine Bailey - North Adrian #721
Philip Clipfell - Colon #215
James Hazel - Home #129
George Huffman - Home #129
Margaret Wetzel - Home #129
Richard Kelley - Rome #293
Kenneth Murray - Fredonia #1713
Rita Orlowski - Barnard Grange #689
Doris Ely - Lime Creek Grange #712
Marge Wagner - Summit City Grange #672
Gary Hallock - Burns Grange #160
Mary Carson - Burns Grange #160
Dick Wooters - Summit City Grange #672
Alvin Thelen - Capitol Grange #540
Jerry Dennert - Oceana Center Grange #1047
Alice Beebe - Rome Grange #293
Charles Johnson - North Adrian Grange #721
David Armstrong - Adams Grange #286
IN MEMORIAM 2013
Ed Schwartz - Fredonia #1713
Joanie Miller - Fredonia #1713
Eva Grant - Home #129
Esther Pfister - Rome #293
June Ohlman - North Adrian #721
John Baldwin - Oceana Center #1047
Margaret Beardslee - Community #1675
E. Marie Dean - Summit City #672
Eva Grant - Home #129
Ruth Strebbing - Plymouth/Westand #389
Donna Jean Hauri - Studley #1174
Dean Yoder - Torch Lake #1840
Vivian Foor - North Adrian #721
Jody Barnes - Gratiot #1898
Peg Brown - Burr Oak #1350
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 GRANGE NEWS
Whether you’re a busy mom who’s worried about your child’s future, an overwhelmed college student in the throes of midterms, or a rising executive with demands pulling from every direction, it’s difficult not knowing what tomorrow will bring. This anxiety is something that keeps many people awake at night — but does it do any good?
God doesn’t tell us to rest for His own good — He tells us to rest for our own good. God
Emulate the Lord’s pattern of work and rest tonight.
Don’t Be Anxious About Tomorrow
As you sink into bed tonight, exhausted, are you already thinking about tomorrow’s meetings, next week’s obligations, and next month’s deadlines?
You’re anxious about tomorrow… and the next day… and the next.
Whether you’re a busy mom who’s worried about your child’s future, an overwhelmed college student in the throes of midterms, or a rising executive with demands pulling from every direction, it’s difficult not knowing what tomorrow will bring. This anxiety is something that keeps many people awake at night — but does it do any good?
One result of anxiety is that it can certainly make you feel productive. At least you’re keeping a running tally in your mind of things to do, scenarios that could go wrong, or new ideas to explore, right? But the problem is this: you can’t keep going all the time. Your mind and body need a break. You need a break. Your boss needs a break. Even the president needs a break sometimes.
The best thing you can do for yourself is take time to rest. True rest doesn’t look like collapsing into bed, nerves fried and adrenaline pumping, either. It looks like letting your mind, body, and soul rest in the palm of the Lord.
True rest always involves surrendering to God.
God doesn’t tell us to rest for His own good — He tells us to rest for our own good. God
worked six days and rested the seventh. He was — and is — the mastermind behind the entire world, yet He took time to give Himself a break. To cease from working, to cease from creating, cease from doing.
Emulate the Lord’s pattern of work and rest tonight.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 GRANGE NEWS
Usually the answer that follows is a long list of to-do’s before Christmas day. Baking, sending Christmas cards, buying and wrapping gifts, hiding presents from the children, or delivering them to neighbors, choir or band practice, preparing for guests, or preparing to travel.
The shepherds may gently guide us to follow their act of worship.
Possibly the wise men would teach us to give Jesus our most valuable gifts.
This year I am tempted to keep a close count of the number of times I hear the question, “Are you ready for the holidays?”
What does that mean exactly? If I were to guess what people mean when they ask one another if they are “ready for the holidays,” I would say most are not talking about spiritual readiness. I bet what they typically mean is, “Have you made a list of all the stuff you need to do before the 25th and have you checked it off?”
Usually the answer that follows is a long list of to-do’s before Christmas day. Baking, sending Christmas cards, buying and wrapping gifts, hiding presents from the children, or delivering them to neighbors, choir or band practice, preparing for guests, or preparing to travel.
I wonder, if Jesus were making a holiday preparations list, what would He include? What if those who were there on Christ’s birth day could advise us on getting ready for Christmas? What would be on their list?
Joseph might recommend we listen closely to the voice of God to prepare. Mary may suggest we ponder the miracles of heaven.
Perhaps the angels would propose we sing about the King.
Perhaps the angels would propose we sing about the King.
The shepherds may gently guide us to follow their act of worship.
Possibly the wise men would teach us to give Jesus our most valuable gifts.
The innkeeper may suggest “Hospitality: open your heart and home.”
And Jesus’ list would likely encourage us to be a light on the hill pointing the way for others to know Him.
And Jesus’ list would likely encourage us to be a light on the hill pointing the way for others to know Him.
Comparing my to-do list to the ones above, I wonder if I lived at that time, would I have missed Christ’s birth? Would my busyness have kept me from slowing down to take time to worship in the stable? Unfortunately I have “missed” many Christmases in the here and now because I’ve not slowed down long enough to bow my knees and experience the miracle.
I want Christmas for my family to be more about an act of worship and awe than a frenzy to decorate, shop, and jump through the world’s hoops. I don’t want to miss the true reason we celebrate.
