Guard Your Heart

This Christmas Eve afternoon finds me in St. John's, Newfoundland nearing the end of a 34 hour layover, or pause between a series of flights.  My room has a view of the harbour some distance away. I started my shift with a trip on the B767, and in a few hours I will switch and take back our B757 full of westbound freight this Christmas Eve, just in time to be back home with my family for Christmas and our family celebrations tomorrow.  I enjoy the challenge of my work very much however, I need to recharge, and this quiet layover has been great for that as well as take time for some deep-down reflection.

My work related visits to "the Rock", have always brought warmth to my heart, mostly because of the inherent charm from the folks in this community.  The local TV news is playing clips of quick people interviews up on Signal Hill overlooking St. John's, where a new "compass star" will replace the old 5-point star, hoisted aloft each Christmas.  Several locals explain enthusiastically to the viewers that the new star will remind them more of the star that attended Bethlehem and ever-reminds them of "our Lord".

Several times yesterday I was called "me darling" and "me luv" by smiling, friendly faces while being waited on as a haircut and dining customer.  Relaxing in this hotel setting among warm hearts and refreshing dialects is a perfect place to reflect on 2015 looming just ahead.  A whole year of choices lie waiting for all of us.

23Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it. - Proverbs 4:23

Recently at our post-dinner evening family altar, I have been reminding our teenagers of the importance of 'guarding your heart'.   In my bible reading in 1 Kings this month, I was amazed to see how the nation of Israel rose and fell depending on how well the king guarded his heart.  My amazement caused me to go back and reread it all.   There are various ways to guard your heart.  Not only do we need to keep certain things 'out', we are to keep certain things 'in'.  On the "in-list", we need to retain the love and warmth that Christ offers our heart, and spread it around our sphere of influence.

Not only does a warm guarded heart better communicate the bible message and better orders your world, but I know only too well that projecting this proverbial warning to others is part of a huge self-reminder in my own quest as well.  During 2014 I met and worked with so many people who have allowed their heart to turn cold.  In 2014 I have also worked with many people who have kept their hearts warm.  No doubt you have likewise experienced similar temperature differences.  I really don't want my heart to grow cold....but I am aware that it easily can. You can often instantly tell who is which. Colder hearts consistently seem to have "No-faces", whereby you can foretell that the answer to your question, request, idea or thought will be a firm "No".  Contrast that face to warmer hearts with "Yes-faces", projecting "affirmation" with unconditional love, possibility and acceptance.

In his powerful two-minute song, "My Eyes Are Dry" (click) , musician Keith Green speaks volumes to my own, cold-prone heart.

My eyes are dry, my faith is old
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine
Soften it up with oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew in the wine of Your Blood

My eyes are dry, my faith is old
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine
Soften it up with oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love