When outside there is something we do not need to fear this time of the year. During the spring when the sun is warm, the snow has receded, the ground has thawed and life bursts forth after a long cold winter it is not uncommon when walking through the grass, flower bed or garden to see a legless reptile slithering away. For many the sight of a snake strikes fear and panic in their minds. Even though garter snakes are harmless, how might you respond to a dangerous snake such as a cobra, rattlesnake, copperhead, water moccasin or coral snake. Any of those would catch our attention.

Reputation: a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, or reliability. (Dictionary.com) A reputation is something that is established over time with consistency, but can be tarnished in no time flat.

What will it take for some people to believe that Jesus is God, the savior of the world; to believe he is the way, the truth, and the life?  Will it take a sign, an answered prayer, a vision, or a miracle? Would an unbeliever recognize a sign or a miracle; after all it could be a coincidence or luck. Perhaps the best sign and miracle of all would be someone rising from the dead.

We all know what it is to be hungry and thirsty. Our stomachs and mouths tell us when to eat and drink. We also know what happens when we do not eat or drink. People in third world countries experiencing starvation or malnutrition show signs of sickness, child development is hindered and many more problems often resulting in death.

Psalm 139:1-3 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways

Christmas is over for another year, the gifts are still new, some toys broken and thoughts drifting toward a new year. How easy it is to move from two months of preparing for Christmas to leaving it behind and moving on. Was His birth a flash in the pan and now it is business as usual?