Justice is spelled MOM

Mother's Day is a wonderful time to celebrate Mom. We learn a great deal from our moms and they can teach us much about who God is. In our western tradition we commonly think of God as male. The truth is God is neither male nor female and while the Bible displays father charecteristics of God it also displays mother characteristics. "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you" Isa. 66:13 "How often I have longed to gather my children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Lk. 13:34.

I had the privilege of speaking at Willow Lakes Church on Mother's Day and what I shared with those gathered was that we can learn much about God and about Justice from our MOMs.

Merciful - I am very grateful that Mom's are merciful. Mercy can be defined as compassion shown to an offender. Children offend often and were we to receive the punishment deserved it is unlikely any of us would make it to adulthood. Moms are merciful and compassionate. So is God.

At Administer Justice our vision is to Administer Justice with mercy and compassion. We see thousands of people in need of help and hope. In need of compassion and mercy which while part of God's character and command, "This is what the Lord Almighty says, 'Administer true Justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'" Zech. 7:9, is still best understood through our moms.

I learned mercy and compassion from my grandmother. A Norwegian immigrant with a grade school education, she taught me much. She worked past retirement age in a home for abondoned children. Well into her eighties she volunteered for her church and many different community groups. While on a very limited income she never stopped giving regularly to support different Christian organizations. She spent several hours a day in prayer and through her prayers, her time, and her resources gave of herself to help others in need. My grandmother taught me to understand the hope that is found in a compassionate, merciful God. "this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:21-23.

overseer - I am grateful for the oversight moms provide. Oversight can be defined as the function or duty of watching or guarding for the sake of proper direction or control. The dictionary even says - like a mother gives oversight to children as they play. How difficult it is for moms to watch their children grow. Always wanting to rescue them but knowing that for the good of their children they cannot do that. They walk that difficult balance between proper direction and control. God provides this as well. While he could control us he provides us freedom. He longs to place us under his wings like a mother hen but he allows difficulties and suffering to help us mature and persevere (Rom. 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).

At Administer Justice we believe in this lesson learned from our moms. We walk a difficult balance between rescuing someone from all the troubles facing them and helping them understand the purpose in trials and suffering. We encourage individuals to be proactive in resolving their issues and seek to empower them through education to better equip them for future conflicts.

I learned this important lesson of oversight from my mother. She had three sons and I was the oldest and most head-strong among us. Many are the nights she prayed for me. She always stood by willing to help but she let me learn and make mistakes while doing all she could to minimize the seriousness of those mistakes. And this lesson helps us understand God. As Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations, "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men... to deprive a man of justice - would not the Lord see such things?" Lam. 3:32-33,36.

M ischief and Misfortune. Mom's are Merciful Overseers of Mischief and Misfortune. Mischief is that which we bring upon ourselves and misfortune is that which we have no control over. Every mother knows how mischievous a child can be. From the moment they are mobile they challenge mom on what can be touched or put inside the mouth. As children get older the challenges change but that rebellious spirit remains. The Bible calls that rebellion sin. At the same time mom's feel the pain of misfortune. A child loses a job, experiences a health crisis, marriage crisis or other serious issue, and Mom's heart breaks. These are outside her control but she weeps over the pain and longs to see things restored.

We understand God's heart when we understand our moms. Jesus wept over Jerusalem for them to turn toward him. Jeremiah similarly wept, "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven and say,'We have sinned and rebelled.'" Lam. 3:40-42.

At Administer Justice we see a mixture of mischief and misfortune. Some problems result from bad choices while others result from circumstances beyond anyone's control. Regardless of the cause our desire is to demonstrate a heart of compassion, love and concern for the individual. We want them to experience peace in the midst of difficult circumstances. And we want to see them restored.

I think mischief could probably best be defined as twin boys. While my sons are a great blessing they are certainly a great challenge as well and I learn about love and patient understanding as I watch my wife be a mom to our boys. Her unconditional love teaches me about the love God has for me. No matter what I have done nothing can separate me from the love of God.

I believe being a Merciful Overseer of Mischief and Misfortune is the heart of a MOM. I believe it demonstrates true justice, mercy, compassion and love. And I believe it reflects the heart of God. Thank you moms. Thank you God.

What is the Meaning of LIFE?

Since the dawn of man the question has been asked and great quests undertaken in response. At some point all of us want to know why we are here. For those who come to Administer Justice in the midst of great struggles the question is even more profound as life seems so unfair. Is life merely a random series of circumstances that are ultimately meaningless or does life have meaning?

LIFE. To examine the meaning of life why not start by looking at the word itself. If we are trying to get to the heart of the matter then why not look to the heart of the word? At first glance that which lies in the middle is the word "IF".

IF. That seems like an appropriate place to start. Life is full of "ifs". Sometimes we make life hard on ourselves because we worry about the ‘what ifs’ of life. What if this happens or what if that happens and yet no amount of worrying will change the answer to the questions. Then there are the ‘if onlys’ of life. If only this were to happen or if only that would have happened then things would be different. Yet again we can do nothing to change this. The one certainty of life is that it is full of uncertainties.

None of us know what will happen in our life. We are no better or worse than the thousands who come in the midst of great conflict and pain to Administer Justice. Each of us is only a series of tragedies away from being in the same circumstances. So was the writer of Ecclesiastes right when he wrote that everything was meaningless? Thinking so can lead to two extremes as we examine the meaning of life a little more closely.

I. On one side of "if" is the letter "I". If we believe life has no meaning then we can believe that I must make of life what I choose. We can easily trust in our own strength, physical beauty, intelligence or abilities and believe all that matters is "I". My plans are all that matters. James dealt squarely with this "if" side when he wrote: "Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil." James 4:13-16. That is a different way of looking at the ifs of life although focusing too much on this can lead to the other extreme.

F. On the other side of "if" is the letter "F". We all know what an F means. Failure. If everything is predetermined by God then it doesn’t matter what I do so I’ll do nothing. I’m not good enough anyway so why try. As a past professor of business law I gave a number of F’s to students. However never once was that grade received because that was the best a student could do. It was always received because of a lack of effort on the part of the student. They didn’t care. We are all students of life and many of us do not care. This is usually the result of fear and worry. Jesus addressed this issue in his sermon on the mount when he said to many in the crowd who felt this way: "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?...Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own." Matthew 6:25,27,34. If life is to have meaning then it must be more than just I or F. Pride and fear don’t bring meaning so we must have to look closer.

That which is unseen. What lies at the center of the extremes? What lies between I and F? Nothing. There is blank space between the I and the F. For the person who struggles with I this is a good place to begin to find meaning. As Paul wrote to the Galatians: "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Galatians 6:3. For the person who struggles with F the unseen is a good place to begin to find meaning. As the writer of Hebrews proclaimed: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1.

Certain of what we do not see. In the midst of life’s uncertainties the only true certainty is a humble faith. In humility and by faith Abraham set out for an uncertain future in an unknown land. In this same way all the men and women of faith listed in Hebrews 11 were able to face great struggles and uncertainty with perseverance and a peace that surpasses all understanding. Deep down isn’t that what we all long for? Don’t we desire peace and a knowledge that life has meaning. That your life matters. It does and you can experience that peace. How? How then shall we live? Let’s take another look.

LIVE. For you to truly live you need to examine that word. What’s at the heart of how to live - an "IV". You need to be hooked up to an "iv". You cannot find meaning in life in yourself. You will quickly dehydrate. Since sin entered the world we live in a dry and weary wasteland. If your honest you know you’ve felt that dry weariness. You’ve longed for something else. For refreshment for your soul. You need to be re-hydrated with an iv.

IV. First, no iv can be inserted into you without your consent. You have to acknowledge your need for help. You have to recognize that all your planning could be for nothing or all your worrying and fear brings you no joy. In humility and by faith you have to recognize your need for a Savior. Jesus Christ gave up everything because he loves you. He created you and believes you have infinite value. He died for you. Do you believe he is God sent to pay the penalty for your pride in trying to do things in your own way? Do you believe he loves you and died for you? Do you believe he rose from the dead and wishes to provide you with everlasting, meaningful life. He said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10.
If you want to have that full, meaningful life you only have to ask. "Jesus I’ve messed up. I’ve tried to do things my way and it hasn’t worked. I believe you are the Son of God and want to have a relationship with me. Thank you for dying for me. Please enter my heart and my life and change me. I want to live the full meaningful life you desire for me. Thank you for saving me and setting me free. Amen."

Restoration. Maybe you believe you are saved and yet the deceitfulness of wealth or the worries of this world have choked your life and you are not experiencing any peace or joy. There is help and hope for you. The history of the world is all about restoration. God restoring man unto himself. For you to live life differently you need to be restored. God has an "iv" for you. Just like a physical iv is a mixture of nutrients and medicines, God’s spiritual iv is a mixture of medicines for your soul. First is the Spirit. When you accept Christ as Lord of your life he promises to send his Spirit to comfort, counsel, and convict you. He promised us that "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33. So none of us should be surprised by the trouble, difficulties and uncertainties of life. Rather Jesus said that he was the vine and we were branches and that if we remained in him and obeyed his commands then we would bear much fruit. We would have a fruitful, meaningful life. But he warned, "apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5. So how do we do that?

First is by receiving the Spirit who convicts us of sin and guides us in truth. But the only way to know this truth is through the second ingredient of our "iv": Scripture. The Bible is truth. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16. Don’t you want to be thoroughly equipped for life? You can be. But you have to regularly read the Bible. Then what?

As you read the Spirit will guide you and help you ‘put off’ your old self and your old ways and ‘put on’ new ways of living. This isn’t the power of positive thinking, it is the power of replacement thinking. You will begin to replace old attitudes of anger, bitterness, jealousy, lust, slander and others with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are known as the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). You need help in doing this and that is why you must seek others and you must serve others. In seeking others who are mature Christians, you learn from them in very practical, supportive ways. This is why the church is so important. You need help. But don’t just seek others - serve others. The Bible is filled with ‘one another’ passages in how we are to love one another, serve one another, put the interest of others ahead of our own and demonstrate mercy and compassion in all that we do. Volunteer at church, Administer Justice or another faith-based service organization. In seeking and serving others you will be blessed and find a more abundant, meaningful life.

Injustice. Life is full of uncertainties. The ifs are always present. ‘ I will’ instead of ‘thy will’ will frequently get in the way and the fear of failure and worry will attack us all. Why is justice not served in this life? It is because it isn’t on the menu. Life is not about fairness. We need to put fruit on our menu instead. With a steady diet of the fruits of the Spirit, the meat of the Bible, the fellowship of Christian friends and regular prayer we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. We will be empowered to live differently. We will serve others and our life will be characterized by a humble faith in the unseen and the unknown. The choice is yours. You are no different than me. We are all a sum of the choices that we make and the circumstances we face. Will you face your circumstances with a thankful heart trusting God or will you face them in your own power? I pray that you will know the abundant, meaningful life and that you will live that life to the full. LIVE LIFE.

A Time for Everything

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecc. 3:1-2, 4.

No Justice. If Justice is a blind woman holding balanced scales and a sword to be certain that justice is swift, fair and impartial, why do tragic things happen to good people? Administer Justice has tragically lost two good friends and volunteers in the last few months - Daisy Cuilty-Beltran (19) in November and Steven Price (54) last week. Steve's wife Linda is our executive assistant and he left behind two adult sons, Bryan and David.

Which of us does not cry out with Job, "Though I cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my path in darkness." Job 19:7-8. It is easy to get trapped in the darkness of injustice. Job had lost his family, his health, and his wealth and he could not understand why.

Know Justice. Ultimately Justice cannot be found in a blind woman, but only in He who can give sight to the blind - Jesus Christ. We all want answers to the why, but God answers with a who. This was his response to Job: "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's and can your voice thunder like his?" Job 40:8-9.

No Peace. Isaiah picked up on Job's cry of injustice in Isaiah 59. There Isaiah proclaimed: "The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace. So justice is far from us and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong we are like the dead. We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice but find none; for deliverance but it is far away." Isa. 59:8-11.

I have counseled many people in extreme pain facing serious challenges. Often I see these individuals trapped by the pain so that they cannot experience peace. Anger, like a growling bear, or sorrow, like a mournful dove, blinds them and though they look for light all is darkness. Though they search for deliverance it is far away. There is no peace.

There are no easy answers. Job's so called "friends" were no friends at all by accusing him or telling him to just get over it, let it go, and move on. That is not helpful. Rather than try and offer help they should have offered hope. The truth is the problems many people face are profound, the pain is palpable, but the hope found in the promises of God are possessible.

Know Peace. Isaiah went on to write: "The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, and he was appalled that there was no one to intercede; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him." Isa. 59:16. The creator of the universe is appalled at injustice and He interceded on our behalf. As Isaiah wrote earlier, "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear to dull to hear." Isa. 59:1. He hears your cries and understands your pain. He interceded by sending his only son to die on our behalf. "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering...Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows... he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed." Isa. 53: 3-5.

By his wounds we are healed. "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." John 1:4. The way out of the darkness of pain, sorrow and injustice is through the light of he who came to give us life. "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jn. 10:10. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am." Jn. 14:1-3. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Jn. 11:25-26.

Do you believe this? John 11:35 tells us Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus and there is a time to mourn. But we should not allow the darkness of death or despair rob us of the peace that is promised through a personal relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts by troubled and do not be afraid... I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world." Jn. 14:27, !6:33.

Rest in Peace. So "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." Mt. 11:28-29. Rest in the strong arms of the Lord. He alone provides the peace your soul yearns for and he alone provides light out of the darkness of death and despair. In this world we have many troubles and there are no easy answers to the difficult questions. The challenge is to take our focus off of the inanswerable why and instead focus on the answerable who is in control, who has overcome the world, who has promised peace and rest for our souls. We mourn the loss of our good friends even as we rejoice that they knew the Lord. May they, and we, rest in peace with our Prince of Peace.

If you do not know this peace and would like to know more about how you can experience peace even in the midst of pain and sorrow please give me a call at 847-844-1100. We want you to know what it means to experience True Peace.

Posted by Bruce D. Strom, Executive Director Administer Justice, 201 Penny Ave., Ste. 420 East Dundee, IL 60118. To learn more about Administer Justice visit www.administerjustice.org.

Happy New Year?

Are you happy? If you are like many people in the United States then the truthful answer to that question is "no". According to empirical data compiled over several years through General Social Surveys of the United States only 30% of us are "very happy". When I had my private law practice January was one of our busiest months for divorces and domestic violence. Between the stress of holidays, the darkness of the days, the often bleak weather, and the coming of the Christmas credit card bills, it is often simply too much. Professional counselors also report a significant increase in depression at this time of year. These feelings are not limited to adults. Government statistics released last week showed that nearly one in 10 teenagers, or 2.2 million, experienced major depression in 2005. For many the prospect of another year is anything but happy.

Do you want to be happy? That is a better question. Some people are so chronically depressed that they actually answer that question "no", however, the overwhelming majority of us really want to be happy. So how can you achieve happiness? Let me offer five quick suggestions for the new year:

1. Laugh! Did you know that the average American child laughs 200 times per day, while adults only laugh 15 times a day. That is what a recent Harvard Medical Study concluded. So why are we so serious? We let things weigh us down when we would be better off laughing. The study demonstrated numerous physical benefits to laughing from brain chemistry to blood pressure, cholestoral levels, reducing pain levels and many others. Besides that it's fun!

Come on, think about it. A lot of people spent a lot of money and wrote a very impressive paper to demonstrate that laughter really is the best medicine! Or think about the government well-being studies to determine whether you are happy. The extensive report takes a very serious approach: "This approach has a Benthamite utilitarian flavor. It may be viewed as an empirical
cousin of the experienced-utility idea advocated by Kahneman." It's amazing how serious we can take fun.

Honestly my twin six-year-old sons understand laughter best and it is exactly why Jesus chastised his serious disciples and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14. We spent New Year's in New York and went to the Central Park Zoo where these pictures were taken. My boys laughed a lot and made us laugh. So go ahead and break out of your shell - and laugh!

2. Let Go. The older we get the more baggage we hold onto. Holding onto the wrong that was done to us by someone else only hurts us - not the other person - so why hold on? Don't be a timid rabbit. Be bold and let go. Don't let fear or anxiety control you. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7. So don't be controlled by what others say or do, but rather be self-controlled and "do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31.

3. Lean. You cannot do everything yourself. I don't know why we have such a hard time acknowledging we need help. We get ourselves trapped in a web of our own design because we won't lean on the help of others. If you're not in a church small group or have a group of positive encouraging friends, then you need to attend a local church and find this group. We all fail and every one of us needs help and encouragement to face the difficult challenges of life. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6. So lean a little!

4. Learn. Did you know that there are more male snails than female snails? I didn't. Now I know that is not an earth shattering fact to know, but my boys thought it was pretty cool and I couldn't help thinking how you could tell the difference and who checked all the snails to know this?! Go ahead - laugh! Daniel is reading everything he can get his hands on and he recently read about Balto, a brave Alaskan dog who led a team of sled dogs across treacherous terrain to save the people of Gnome, Alaska in the 1920's. Balto lived out his days in the Cleveland Zoo and they erected a statue in his honor in Central Park and my sons wanted to visit the statue so we found it and took them. Is that information important? It's not brain surgery, but it is fun to learn knew things and to learn them together with family or friends. It is not just a public service announcement - learning is fun! Learning helps us to be less self-absorbed and realize that we are part of something much bigger. Information helps us connect with other people and causes us to listen and look outside of our own particular problems and challenges. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful... Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:8-9.

You can learn all sorts of fun things. If you want joy you can hold a Joy Seminar at your work - no kidding! Or better yet you can become a certified yoga laugh instructor by visiting www.laughterforhealth.com. Truth is often the funniest medicine of all.

5. Love. It's hard to love when the world is crashing in around you, but love is the key to true happiness. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:10-12. So don't stick your head inside a safe tortoise shell. Step out of your protective shell and love. You may not be loved back - you can't control that - but you can love even the unlovable because of He who loved you enough to die for you.

Happy New Year! So have a very happy new year! Laugh a lot, lean a little, let go of the past - this is a new year - learn, and love. And if none of that works and you're still experiencing marital problems then remember the sage advice of the old song: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life never make a pretty woman your wife, so from a personal point of view get an ugly woman to marry you!"

Posted by Bruce D. Strom, attorney and Executive Director of Administer Justice a charitable not for profit organization providing free or low-cost mediation, financial and legal services to empower the powerless, provide hope for the hopeless and show mercy and compassion to one another. For more information visit www.administerjustice.org

Let it Snow?!

What comes to your mind when you wake up and see that it is snowing outside? Be honest. If you are like me the first thing that comes to mind is snow shoveling or driving in bad road conditions, delays and cold. However if you asked Joseph or Daniel my twin six year old sons they would answer all excited by the possibilities of snowmen, sledding, snowball fights and hot chocolate. It’s amazing how people seeing the same thing can have such dramatically different responses.

I was reminded of this last week when I was stranded by snow at the Philadelphia airport. I had traveled with our legal services director, John Talley, for three days of training with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for our low income taxpayer clinic. Spending three days with IRS agents is bad enough without having to spend an additional day stranded in an airport. The lines were long and people’s tempers were short. Anger and swearing were common. But no amount of anger could change the reality of being snowed in. John and I remained calm and spent a great deal of time with a frustrated airline employee. When we finished with our alternate arrangements John grabbed the woman’s hand, smiled and said, "thank you". That simple act of kindness in the midst of the storm brought a tear to her eye. We cannot control the bad things that happen in this world, but we also do not need to be controlled by them.

"No man or woman can be strong, gentle, pure, and good, without the world being better for it and without someone being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness." Phillips Brooks. What a simple truth that is so often lost in the midst of life’s storms. We know this has been a stormy year for you. While we are grateful for the opportunity to have helped you, we know that help is often small. We try to follow Phillips Brooks advice but sometimes we fail. "The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden."

So who is Phillips Brooks? I was reminded of him as I sat stranded in Philadelphia with a lot of time on my hands. He was the pastor of a wonderful old church in downtown Philadelphia during the Civil War. Following the great distress of that war he traveled to Israel and visited Bethlehem. A couple of years later he wanted to compose a song for the children of his church to sing at Christmas that could give these young people hope in a country still healing from tragedy. "In this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still the dear Christ enters in." He wrote. He handed the words to his organist and asked him to come up with an easy tune for the children and the day before the scheduled event the tune came to the man and both the words and the music to a Christmas classic were born:

O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light - the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary - and gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav’n. No ear may hear His coming, but, in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin and enter in - be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle and snow and long ‘to do’s’, we pray that you can experience the stillness of Bethlehem. "How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!" We pray that when people and events fail you that you can cling to the most wondrous gift of all.

Phillips Brooks died suddenly when he was only 58 years old. A five year old child at the church was heard asking what had happened to her friend. Her mother told her that he had gone to heaven. The little girl just smiled and said, "The angels must be so happy!" So much of life really is a matter of perspective!

Phillips Brooks also said: "Charity should begin at home, but should not stay there." At this time of year we find it helpful to remember that we are not alone in our struggles and ask individuals to consider sharing with others in need. We share Phillips Brooks prayer for you as you hear the songs of Christmas may "praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth."

Posted by Bruce D. Strom, Executive Director Administer Justice, www.administerjustice.org

The Path to Peace

May is mental health month and this past week was Children's mental health week. More and more children are seeing therapist and being prescribed medication as the joy of childhood is taken from them. At a very young age children are already without hope. In an information age they suffer from information overload which is confusing and forces them to grow up faster than they should. The headlines say it all, "Across the suburbs, stress abounds" "Strategies for Managing Stress" "Coping with Stress". How can we find that elusive path to peace?

The promise of a pill. We all want a magic pill. "Just make it go away" is something I hear all the time or "I can't deal with it anymore." As a guardian ad litem (a person appointed by the court's to look out for the best interest of children) I have seen the pain children suffer as a result of broken homes and broken lives. Every day I encounter people at Administer Justice who do not know how they can face another day. The problems are profound, the pain is palpable, but the promise of peace is possessable.

"When life takes a turn, put your faith in us" reads an advertisement from Provena Mercy Medical Center. I strongly disagree. Many people want to put there faith in me. They think I can fix there problem for them, but I can't. It is always wrong to put faith in an imperfect person who will disappoint. Do not put your faith in men, but rather put your faith in the one who made men. Recent headlines highlight the danger of relying on professionals. The former psychologist at Delnor Hospital is being accused of practicing witchcraft and several patients are suing this individual and the hospital. While we all want a magic potion to make our problems go away, we usually don't mean that literally.

There is nothing wrong with medication. In my experience it is sometimes necessary to help a person focus and deal with difficult issues which must be dealt with in order to achieve physical, emotional and spiritual health. However, the pill should not be the place of first resort and it can never replace the reality of sin and the need for a Savior.

The promise of a person. The experts give similar advise on handling stress: set realistic goals, treat your body right, set and re-set your priorities, take one task at a time, take breaks, be realistic, learn to relax and meditate, give yourself a break, be flexible, avoid excessive competition, go easy on criticsm, manage your anger, be honest with colleagues, share your feelings, talk it out with a loved one. These are all good practical pointers, however, there is no anchor to make any of them work. Without the person of Jesus Christ there simply is no peace. The bumper sticker has better advice: "No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace." "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30. That is a promise that is possessable.

The prescription for peace. True peace starts with realizing that you are not strong enough, smart enough, or talented enough to solve life's problems on your own. It begins with a recognition that something is missing. That there is an aching in your soul. That longing is to be reunited with the one who made you. In sin we have disobeyed God and have broken his commands and have been separated from him. Evicted from Eden we wander homeless in a world full of pain and problems. We need to return home. Jesus is waiting for us with open arms and he has prepared a room especially for you. All you need to do is acknowledge you cannot do things on your own, acknowledge that he created you, that he knows your innermost needs, that he was born a person, lived a perfect life, and died an unjust death on a cross for your sins so that he could take your pain and your problems upon himself and give rest for your souls. Will you pray for that peace today? "Jesus I cannot do this on my own. I'm tired of running and I need your help. I know you died for me and I want to live my life for you. Please save me."

Becoming a child of God is that easy. Living a life for God is not. God is not a magic potion. While he has promised peace and joy he has also told us how we can experience that in his word and it requires everything from you: You must die to yourself and live for God. Read the Bible starting with the gospel of John. Read about how simple men with many problems were transformed by the power of God's Holy Spirit and changed the world. They were able to face hunger, hardship, pain and death with joy and peace. You can too, but it requires continuing to read the Bible. Meditate on it and pray daily. Join a local church and get involved in a Bible study. We work with many churches and would be happy to recommend one near where you live. Finally focus on others and get involved in a service organization as a volunteer. We would love to have you volunteer with us. As you serve others you will focus less on yourself. If you want to know more call us 847-844-1100 or e-mail us at help@administerjustice.org. We want to pray for you and encourage you in your life of faith so that we can walk through the difficult storms of life together with you.

By: Bruce D. Strom
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