Every year people make resolutions: to lose weight, to spend more time with their children, or to do better at work or school, to save money or to read the Bible or go to church.

Every year people a few people succeed, but many fail to keep their resolutions. 

Amnesias… it means to remember in such a way that we relive an experience or event.

This time of year we want to Amnesias our lives as children at Christmas. It is the reason we continue myths about snowmen and elves and we decorate our houses with bright lights and trees. We want to relive Christmas’ past again today.

November is a strange month. It comes from the Latin word, Novem, which means nine, even though it’s the eleventh month on the calendar.

Ever since my wife, Jackie, went to work full time for the Air Force our schedules have been mostly mismatched. For thirty years we had Mondays off together. We could catch morning coffee together many days and often dinner. We could sometimes even take Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. Now we work opposite shifts. When she comes home, I have to work, and when I can get free, she is working. We have to be very intentional if we want to spend time together (and we do want to spend time together). 

I have to mow the lawn, pay some bills, write a sermon and a newsletter article. There are phone calls to make and visits people expect me to do. Then there are plans for vacation and summer to make, figuring out how we will connect with family and friends this summer and how to get my crazy schedule under control. Somewhere I will need to get something to eat for my family and another pair of pants needs replacing.

To all you dads out there: While you're relaxing in your recliner and watching sports on June 21, and your kids are on their best behavior to honor Father's Day, don't forget to thank a United Methodist.