Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

I don't know about you but I aways make it a point to wake up early on the last Thursday of every November to make sure that I don't miss anything on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I'm not ashamed to say that I love it! It makes me feel like a kid again for at least three hours. I'm not alone in this, either. Millions of Americans share my sentiments and have been doing so for 85 years while the smell of turkey and stuffing take over the house. This makes for many good memories!

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade took place on November 27, 1924, and its early years are much more interesting than you might expect.
According to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, by Robert M. Grippo and Christopher Hoskins (2004; Arcadia Publishing), many of the employees of the world's largest retail store (at that time) were first generation immigrants. They were so thankful to America and to New York for the opportunities that they had been given that they decided to celebrate their good fortune with a tradition rooted in the festivals of their homeland: parades!
While today we enjoy samplings of Broadway plays and musicals, high-school marching bands, colorful floats, and gargantuan balloons, the 1924 parade looked much different. The parade was a 6 mile trek that began at 145th Street and ended at Macy's flagship store on 34th Street. It consisted of floats, professional bands, clowns, and live animals rented from the Central Park Zoo.
For many decades we have been watching the parade run from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST, but in 1926 Macy's adhered to a 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. time slot to honor President Calvin Coolidge's Thanksgiving Proclamation that recommended that people "cease from their daily work, and in their homes or in their accustomed places of worship, devoutly give thanks to the Almighty for the many and great blessings they have received, and seek His guidance that through good deeds and brotherly love they may deserve a continuance of favor." By 1927 Macy's president, Jessie L. Strauss, announced that the parade was going to be " bigger and better than ever before". And he delivered. They were able to replace the live animals with balloons made by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The first balloon was Felix the Cat.
In 1928, they started filling the balloons with helium. There were only 5 balloons that year, but as each balloon reached the parade's end at Macy's storefront they would be released into the air, free to go where the wind would take them. These balloons were equipped with timed safety release valves that would allow them to float for up to a week.
Macy's did want their balloons back, so they hatched a plan to sew address labels into the fabric of the balloons. If the finders would return the balloon to Macy's, they would receive $100 as their reward. Today's equivalent value would be $1265 per balloon!
In 1929, ten balloons were released and $50 per balloon was rewarded for its return. In today's economy, that's $632! That year, newspapers notified people living in the vicinity of Roosevelt Island of prevailing winds sending balloons in their direction.
By 1930, fifteen balloons were paraded and a Macy's designer broadcasted a message over the radio advising residents of the Eastern Seaboard to watch the skies, balloons might be heading their way.
I suspect (and I may be wrong) that Macy's encouraged the beneficiaries to spend their money in their store. But nevertheless, it was a wise investment for Macy's and a good deal for the claimants.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus relays a parable about the servants and the talents. By talents we don't mean unique God-given abilities that it seems like so few of us actually have, and even though it speaks of money, it's not really so much about money. It's about understanding God's economy and how it relates to us, understanding the correlation between responsibility and blessing, and then finally, identifying where we fit in the picture.

A wealthy man, perhaps a king, sets out to travel into a far country. But before he does, he calls three of his servants to him and distributes a portion of his funds to them with the expectation that his resources would be handled responsibly, and invested in a way that would yield a good return. The man was wise enough to consider that all three men were at different stations in life and would perform at different capacities.To the first servant he gave 2 talents, to the second he gave 3, and to the third he gave 1.
Upon the rich man's departure, the first two servants traded, invested, and dispersed their money in ways that brought great profit. The third servant went and buried his talents. Why would he do this? Did he feel slighted? Did he consider his amount insignificant? Perhaps he was greedy, lazy, or busy with other things. Maybe he even thought his lord would overlook such a small thing.
The lord returns and calls a meeting that the servants may give an account of their stewardship. The results will be judged and the lord will respond accordingly.
The first two servants display their progress and it is shown that they doubled their talents. The rich man is pleased with the results and calls them "good and faithful". He then blesses them with honor and more responsibility and tells them that they can be partakers of his joy.
Due to his own fault, the third servant is not so fortunate. He brings no inflated return to the rich man's coffers. He claims that his master does not need his help or his contributions because certainly, a man who is independently wealthy would never see the value in a meager two talents. He claims, because of his own status, that he is afraid and that his instinct for self-preservation wouldn't allow him to do it.
His master found this unacceptable, and called the servant "wicked and slothful". He would never enter into this sphere of joy because he had squandered away his opportunity by inactivity. Shame, ridicule, and regret were his companions.

Perhaps God's blessings are different than you might have ever thought. Blessing and responsibility are so closely connected as to be virtually inseparable. In fact, they are two sides of the same coin!
His blessings come from above (James 1:17) with a return address label (like a balloon). But there is no real reward in just keeping it to yourself. He wants you to divide and invest it that it may draw interest, and benefit not only you, but the King and His economy. Not only will we be rewarded, but we will have the privilege of being called "good and faithful" servants. We can know what true joy is by not keeping God's goodness to ourselves. We could choose to claim fear and self-preservation as a motive for sitting on our hands but, in the end, all we would have to show for it is shame and regret.

God fills each person's cup to their own personal capacity with blessings. When we add initiative, it becomes overflowing. When a cup overflows it trickles down and disperses. Oftentimes, we say that God had blessed us through providing for us, or even opened up a door for us when we had no place to turn. But do you see the responsibility in it? Do you honor Him through it? Do you use these blessings to turn around and touch other people's lives with them?

It is easy to see how rich God is in His goodness to us when we speak of His love for us, His sacrifices, His compassion, His mercy, His patience, and His grace! But what do we do with that? Absorb it? Or do you let these Godly characteristics spill out from you onto others? Are you impacting God's economy by giving back to Him by touching the world? That's what this is really all about.

Over 80 years ago, Macy's employees poured out their heart to New York. People were told to look up because something would be coming their way. Return would be rewarded, and the parade would continue to grow in size and bring joy to millions of people for years to come.

I hope that we can all learn from Macy's and, perhaps, view it a little bit differently the next time we watch it.

Country Roads

In 1971, a song that would become the #2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 came over the radio and moved listeners so deeply that, reportedly, many stopped whatever they were doing just to hear this young man sing so passionately about a place he called home. He sang of its beauty, its mountains, its memories. He described it as "Almost Heaven".
Take Me Home, Country Roads, by John Denver, became so popular world-wide that it became his signature song and everybody and their uncle wanted to visit West Virginia. Who could blame them? Denver sounds so homesick that's it's hard to believe that he wasn't born and raised there. But in fact, he had never even been to West Virginia up to that point.
So, how can someone so fervently and so convincingly sing about a place that they have never been? As it turns out, Denver didn't even write the song.
Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert were a singing duo known as Fat City when John Denver met them. They were opening for him at a club called The Cellar Door, In Washington D.C., in 1970, when they insisted that he listen to a song that Bill had been working on. Back at their hotel room, John listened to the song and loved it so much that he insisted upon having it, rather than letting them sell it to Johnny Cash. Changes were made and the first standing ovation followed at The Cellar Door the next time the trio performed it off of a scrap piece of paper.
The story just gets more interesting because, in a twist of irony, Bill and Taffy had never even been to West Virginia themselves when the song was composed. The couple were on their way from D.C. to Maryland for a Nivert family reunion when Bill penned the words to Country Roads. The idyllic, pastoral settings that surrounded them made the words spill forth on paper.
But how did West Virginia make it into the song? Danoff had a very good friend that lived there and he would often send him picture postcards (probably in an attempt to get him to visit) of the Mountain State with little notes like "West Virginia, it's almost heaven". These notes found their way into the lyrics.

Those who have trusted Christ speak passionately of a place that they have never been. And yet, they call it home! We know that we have a forwarding address because Jesus told us so in John 14:1-3. We are pilgrims and strangers here on the earth (Ps. 119:19; 1 Ptr. 2:11).
When we speak of our heavenly home, we speak of its beauty, its inhabitants, and its amenities. Heaven is the place where we know that we belong.

I believe that God has sent postcards from Heaven in the form of several different things.
1. The Holy Bible - Heaven is mentioned 470 times in scripture. We can read about it from Genesis to Revelations.
2. Jesus Christ - He restored sight, hearing, and missing flesh. He made the lame to walk and the dead to rise. He healed diseases and cast out demons. He demonstrated sacrificial love and appeared to many after His resurrection.
3. His People - Jesus told His followers in Matthew 5:16, Let your light so shine among men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.
4. His Blessings - James 1:17 says, Every good and perfect gift comes from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

Looking at these postcards, certain questions might arise.
What is Heaven? A.It is the place where God sits on His throne (Ps.11:4) B. It is the eternal realm of God's children (Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 21:3). C. It is a place of reward (Matt. 5:12; 1 Cor. 3:14).

Where is Heaven? Heaven is not here on Earth and it is not a state of mind. It is an actual place (John 14:1-3). This is demonstrated by the fact that it has its own architecture, agriculture, geography, geology, and inhabitants (Rev.7:16; Rev. 21; Rev. 22:1, 2, 5).
Is it possible that Heaven is beyond the empty place in Space that has astronomers baffled? In Job 26:7 it says, He (God) stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
In Is. 14:13, Lucifer said that he would ascend into Heaven and exalt his throne above the stars of God. He said that he would sit upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.
Psalms 75:6 says, For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. (That leaves only one option)

Why should we care about Heaven? This might sound absurd but - some people choose not see beyond their current circumstances. We anticipate Heaven because there will be no more curse (Rev. 21:4, 5), no more tears, death, sorrow, or crying, and no pain. All things will be new (Rev. 21:4, 5).

When do we go to Heaven? When we shed this mortal coil, our soul and spirit separate from our bodies and are immediately with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). There is no holding pattern for the soul and no restless wandering through space and time. 1 Thess. 5:9-11 says, For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or slepp, we should live together with Him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together. and edify one another, even as also ye do. Ps. 116:15 says, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
God so greatly desires to be with us that He will not allow anything to interrupt His relationship with us. Death of the physical body is not an impediment to God's love. In fact, death is very important to the believer and to God because it is only then that we can mutually enjoy an unfettered relationship with our Saviour.

How do we get to Heaven? In John 14:6, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

One Man loved West Virginia so much that he shared small pictures with his friend. The friend was inspired by what he saw and wrote a song. Another was introduced to the song and was so moved by it that he sang it to the whole world. And the world paid attention!

My friend, do you know that Heaven is your home? If you put your trust in Jesus as God's satisfactory payment for your sin, then the Father will prepare a place for you and it will be the place where you belong.

Believers in Christ, I challenge you this week to allow God to use you as Heaven's postcard. You can make a difference!

Burning the Monkey's Paw

In 1902 an English author by the name of William Wymark Jacobs wrote a short horror story that would soon become his most well-known piece of work. It was called, The Monkey's Paw.The story tells of an elderly couple who simply go by the name of Mr. & Mrs. White and their grown, living-at-home son, named Herbert. While Herbert is the only surviving child left to the Whites, this family seems to have settled into a contented, convivial existence with each other in their humble English abode.
One evening, while Mr. White is waiting for a friend to arrive fresh at his doorstep from his service in India with the British Armed Forces, he busies himself with an amicable, but humorous, game of Chess with his son. Sergeant-Major Morris finally arrives and sits warming himself by the fireplace blathering on about his adventures over-seas, filling Mr. White with pride but leaving mother and son scratching their heads at what they suspect to be embellishments.
At the behest of Mr. White, Morris unveils a mummified monkey's paw that he claims has had a spell put on it by an old fakir. This talisman supposedly works like magic. This "holy man" wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.
Morris was the second man to possess this amulet, and he in turn received it from the first man whose last wish was for death. Morris has had his three wishes and and now desires to discharge himself of the charm so he pulls it from his pocket and immediately throws it into the fire. Mr. White scrambles to pull it out and claim ownership, even offering to pay for it. Morris tells him to pitch it into the fire like a sensible man. White refuses to do so and then Morris tells him that if he must have it, then to wish for something sensible.
Dinner has ended, bed-time is approaching, and Morris sallies out the door. A discussion ensues about what to wish for, but the old man remarks, "I don't know what I want, and that's a fact. It seems to me I've got all I want.".Herbert convinces his father that two hundred pounds couldn't hurt, implying the reasonable and manageable nature of the wish. Mr. White acquiesces, all the while feeling somewhat foolish. Mother, father, and son eventually make their ways to their respective beds with fear and excitement simmering in their consciences at the possible potency of the monkey's paw. They feel even more ridiculous the next day when no evidence is produced to verify the incantation, but they are still holding out. Herbert goes to work at the cotton mill, as usual, and by the time plates are ready to be set for dinner that night the old couple has decided to resign this foolishness to the shelf.
While preparing for the evening meal a mysterious man approaches their door and is invited in. He identifies himself as a messenger from the mill. Anguish fills the home as the man relays the terrible news that their son was caught in the machinery and could not be saved. He also informs them that the company disclaims all responsibility and admits no liability. However, for the son's service to this establishment, they will tender a certain sum of compensation.
Mr. White asks, "How much?"
"Two hundred pounds.", said the man.

The son is buried two miles away in a huge cemetery and the disconsolate parents return home to grieve the loss of what was their last remaining child. Ten days pass and on that night the old man wakes up to his wife crying by the window. She quickly works herself into hysterics as she remembers that there are two remaining wishes left on the paw! She chastises herself for not having thought of it before! "We can wish our boy alive again!". Mrs. White pleads with him to race down to the parlour to retrieve the paw while he vehemently challenges her to reconsider this asinine request. Mr. White tries to convince her that upon identifying the body, their son could only be recognized by his clothes due to the degree of mutilation the boy suffered, and this vision should not be regurgitated from the grave.
The old man eventually yields to his wife's appeals and descends the staircase with great trepidation. He returns with the charm and makes the wish. Some time passes to no avail and Mr. White decides to work up the courage and go downstairs. Fumbling to light a match, he drops the whole box when he hears a barely audible rapping at the door. He pauses and hears it again. He races back up the stairs and tells his wife that it was only a rat on the staircase that was heard. Suddenly, the knocking becomes so loud that it shakes the whole house. Mrs. White, in her delirium, knows that it is Herbert. She races down the steps and approaches the locked door, but struggles with the locks.
The knocking won't stop!
Mr. White begs her not to let it in!
He grabs the paw and makes one last wish just barely before she can get the door open. The knocking stops. The door flies open and a rush of cold air wafts up the stairs. Mr. White runs down the stairs, past his wailing wife, and out the door. The street lamp shone on a deserted road.


Mr. & Mrs. White admittedly had everything they needed and were actually happy. The only problem was that someone came along and presented an option to them that could give them something more, something different, something magical, almost.
In the end they lost what they loved the most and could only imagine going back to the way things were before. Were they warned? Yes. But they were also led to believe that they could manage a small wish as long as they were "sensible" about it.

All that has to take place to essentially destroy what we love the most is the insertion of an idea that crystallizes in our minds. We can't shake it! It tells us that we're missing out on something - that more is better, that while there are drawbacks they can be managed, or at least the gain is worth the loss. Sometimes, we fail to recognize that we are actually in a happy place with no more than what we have and that a fulfilled desire would only drive us deeper into a pit of despair.

This story is as old as time itself. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2 & 3.
What did Adam and Eve not have? Well, let's think about it. They lived in a lush, unpolluted world. They inhabited a non-aggressive environment, they didn't struggle with weight issues or arthritis, and they didn't have to pay bills. Not to mention that they never had to wonder if they were wasting their time with someone other than their soul-mate. Life was a breeze (probably at 74 degrees).
Adam and Eve had dominion over everything and the Garden as their smorgasbord (Gen. 2:16 & 17). God put only one prohibition on them....and that was to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (2:9). Doing so would bring death (separation).
None of this seemed to present a problem until Satan showed up (Gen.3) as a beautiful serpent and planted doubt in Eve's mind about the whole matter. He basically implanted the idea that the one who loved them and had already given them the whole world as their playground was obviously holding out on them. Satan told them that something magical would happen! Their eyes would be opened up and they would distinguish, understand, and experience good and evil. And you know what? He was right! He just downplayed the consequences and made the gain seem worth the loss. Once the thought had crystallized in her mind, a sense of entitlement swept over her. They probably genuinely felt that they would be able to manage this minor detail.

Adam and Eve lost (died to, were separated from) several things in The Fall. If you look closely then you will see that things are no different for us when we doubt God's goodness and provision and focus our thoughts and efforts on fulfilling wishes that cannot guarantee our best interests.

Here's what they lost:

1. They lost self-respect (3:7): They saw their own nakedness in a different light (I can relate). As a child of God, when we know that we've sinned we begin to see ourself in a very undignified way for our ignoble choices. Self-absorption and dashed expectations frustrate the mind and mars our ability to affectionately meet the needs of the ones we are to love and respect.
2. They lost faith in each other (3:12). Whether we are a witness to avarice and greed or are a purveyor of it, someone always gets thrown under the bus. Once the finger-pointing begins resentment develops and changes the way we feel about each other and affects how much we believe that can give of ourselves to others.
3. They lost cohesion (3:16-19): Part of the curse was that woman's desire would be for her husband and he would rule over her. Simply put - woman would failingly seek to define and measure herself through relationships, and man would failingly seek to define and measure himself through his work because of the difficulty in now providing for them. These are both overbearing characteristics that generally result in a train wreck. Both mean well, but they go about it the wrong way.
4. They lost joy in their purpose: The last point brings us to this point which is - Man was formed to enjoy creation and communion with his Creator but now he's so busy trying to clean his own mess up that he can't focus on that which matters most.
5. They lost peace: There's not a soul that could disagree that Adam and Eve probably spent their entire lives wishing that they could go back to the way things were when being with each other and walking with God was all they needed. And all because they just had to have that one thing!


The problem with discontentment and the accumulation of things to one's self is that what was previously considered valuable to us is now deemed valueless, at least until we've made our catch. But then we're miserable because it didn't fulfill our expectations, and then we're on to the next pursuit.
If we would trust God to be more than enough for us, then we would experience what Proverbs 10:22 says, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it. 1 Timothy 6:6 say, But godliness with contentment is great gain.

If someone hands you a monkey's paw - THROW IT IN THE FIRE!...and leave it there.

If you want to safeguard yourself from a life of wishful thinking then here's a tip: Be sensible and, Delight thyself in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Ps. 37:4. Practice putting things into perspective and assign value to what God has already provided you.