My mother’s father was born on February 29. Every four years they would have a big celebration. He joked when he was 80 that he was really only 20 and just getting started. He had a long and eventful life.

One story that I remember happened when he was a young man. He and some friends were down by the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. His friends dared him to “shimmy” out over the river on a tree limb. He got stuck. His friends stood and laughed. He was terrified to let go because he could not swim. Finally, exhausted, he released the limb, and fell into water about three feet deep.

Often we hesitate because we take counsel of our fears. Perhaps we need to learn the lesson that U. S. Grant shared with some of his generals who were fearful of what their enemies were doing. He remembered being out in the desert and being frightened by the howling of wolves. Rebuking his timidity, he crept to the source of the howling. He found one wolf making a lot of noise. And he figured the wolf was more frightened of him than the reverse. It was Grant’s way of saying, never take counsel of your fears.

Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow. He then followed by saying that tomorrow would bring its own worries. Trouble enough will come for all of us in time, and it may not be at all what we fear, so the advice to let go, and let God still pertains to all of us.

Or, as the old preacher Vance Havner once said, “If you ever feel like you’re at the end of your rope, let go; cause underneath are the everlasting arms.”

Words my grandpa could have said “Amen” to.

Peace and grace,

Pastor Dan

KCAY (Keep Christmas All Year) will return in the next Tidings.

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