When Josiah was almost three his father caught him telling a lie. So his dad proceeded to explain to him how lying was wrong. Josiah in that little child’s voice said, “Daddy, I’m not a lion - I’m a horsie.”
What can you say to that? After you pick yourself off the ground laughing.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Paradise in Washington
Today is my Father’s birthday. He and my Mom went to Paradise Resort by Silver Creek. They took along with them my two nephews, Isaiah seven and Ezekiel six. In the evening they all came back to celebrate Natalie’s 18th birthday. Nat is the sister of the boys. After the party Natalie and all her friend went down stairs to play games. The older ones of us, the two boys and their young friend, Bonnie, played ‘Apple to Apples’ the Christian version. During the game one of the card read ‘Paradise’ – Ezekiel face lit up and he said, "We went to paradise today." We all got the biggest laugh from that.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Men versus Women
Men Versus Women
Let's say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time.
A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else.
And then, one evening when they're driving home, a thought occurs to Elaine, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?"
And then there is silence in the car.
To Elaine, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: Geez, I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he's been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I'm trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn't want, or isn't sure of.
And Roger is thinking: Gosh. Six months.
And Elaine is thinking: But, hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of relationship, either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward...I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?
And Roger is thinking: So, that means it was...let's see...February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer's, which means... let me check the odometer... Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.
And Elaine is thinking: He's upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment; maybe he has sensed, even before I sensed it, that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.
And Roger is thinking: And I'm going to have them look at the transmission again. I don't care what they say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees and this thing is shifting like a garbage truck and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.
And Elaine is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry, too. I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.
And Roger is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty… scumballs.
And Elaine is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.
And Roger is thinking: Warranty? They want a warranty? I'll give them a warranty. I'll take their warranty and...
"Roger," Elaine says aloud.
"What?" says Roger, startled.
"Please don't torture yourself like this," she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. Maybe I should never have... Oh God, I feel so... She breaks down, sobbing.
"What?" says Roger.
"I'm such a fool," Elaine sobs. "I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly. There's no knight, and there's no horse."
"There's no horse?" says Roger.
"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" Elaine says.
"No!" says Roger, glad to finally know the correct answer.
"It's just that...it's that I...I need some time," Elaine says.
There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work. "Yes," he says.
Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand. "Oh, Roger, do you really feel that way?" she says.
"What way?" says Roger.
"That way about time," says Elaine.
"Oh," says Roger. "Yes."
Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks. "Thank you, Roger," she says.
"Thank you," says Roger. Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn.
When Roger gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it.
The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it, either.
Meanwhile, Roger, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine's, will pause just before serving, frown, and say, "Norm, did Elaine ever own a horse?"
And that's the difference between men and women.
Let's say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time.
A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else.
And then, one evening when they're driving home, a thought occurs to Elaine, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?"
And then there is silence in the car.
To Elaine, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: Geez, I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he's been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I'm trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn't want, or isn't sure of.
And Roger is thinking: Gosh. Six months.
And Elaine is thinking: But, hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of relationship, either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward...I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?
And Roger is thinking: So, that means it was...let's see...February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer's, which means... let me check the odometer... Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.
And Elaine is thinking: He's upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment; maybe he has sensed, even before I sensed it, that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.
And Roger is thinking: And I'm going to have them look at the transmission again. I don't care what they say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees and this thing is shifting like a garbage truck and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.
And Elaine is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry, too. I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.
And Roger is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty… scumballs.
And Elaine is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.
And Roger is thinking: Warranty? They want a warranty? I'll give them a warranty. I'll take their warranty and...
"Roger," Elaine says aloud.
"What?" says Roger, startled.
"Please don't torture yourself like this," she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. Maybe I should never have... Oh God, I feel so... She breaks down, sobbing.
"What?" says Roger.
"I'm such a fool," Elaine sobs. "I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly. There's no knight, and there's no horse."
"There's no horse?" says Roger.
"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" Elaine says.
"No!" says Roger, glad to finally know the correct answer.
"It's just that...it's that I...I need some time," Elaine says.
There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work. "Yes," he says.
Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand. "Oh, Roger, do you really feel that way?" she says.
"What way?" says Roger.
"That way about time," says Elaine.
"Oh," says Roger. "Yes."
Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks. "Thank you, Roger," she says.
"Thank you," says Roger. Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn.
When Roger gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it.
The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it, either.
Meanwhile, Roger, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine's, will pause just before serving, frown, and say, "Norm, did Elaine ever own a horse?"
And that's the difference between men and women.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Interesting Information—Fun Trivia
Many years ago, in Scotland, a new game was invented.It was ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"
and the word GOLF entered into the English language.
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The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstones.
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Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the US Treasury.
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Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
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Coca-Cola was originally green.
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It is impossible to lick your elbow.
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The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska.
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The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% ( now get this...)The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
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The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400.
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The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.
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Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
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The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.
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The youngest pope was 12 years old. Benedict IX (1032 AD)
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The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
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The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.
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Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:Spades - King David; Hearts - Charlemagne; Clubs - Alexander; Diamonds - Julius Caesar
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111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
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If a statue in the park has a person on a horse with both front legs in the air, that person died in battle.If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle.If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
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Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
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Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace
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Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession
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Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter A? A. One thousand
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Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?A. All invented by women.
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Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
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Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day
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In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes.When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on.Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight."
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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month...which we know today as the honeymoon.
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In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.
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AND FINALLY At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Can You Find Thirty (30) Books of the Bible
Can you find thirty (30) books of the Bible in this paragraph?
Actually, there are 31 if you can find the variant of one Old Testament prophet's name.
There are 30 books of the Bible in this paragraph. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his john boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "The books are all right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found. God Bless.
Actually, there are 31 if you can find the variant of one Old Testament prophet's name.
There are 30 books of the Bible in this paragraph. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his john boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "The books are all right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found. God Bless.
Book of the Bible
GENESIS
EXODUS
LEVITICUS
NUMBERS
DEUTERONOMY
JOSHUA
JUDGES
RUTH
SAMUEL
KINGS
CHRONICLES
EZRA
NEHEMIAH
ESTHER
JOB
PSALMS
PROVERBS
ECCLESIASTES
SONG OF SONGS
ISAIAH – salvation is of Jehovah
JEREMIAH – promotion is of Jehovah
LAMENTATIONS - weeping
EZEKIEL –God is my Strength
DANIEL –God is my Judge
HOSEA – to save
JOEL – Jehovah is God
AMOS – to burden
OBEDIAH – serving Jehovah
JONAH – a dove
MICAH – who is like God
NAHUM - comforted
HABAKKUK – ardently embraced
ZEPHANIAH – treasured of Jehovah
HAGGAI – my feast
ZECHARIAH – remembered of Jehovah
MALACHI – my angel or my messenger
MATTHEW
MARK
LUKE
JOHN
ACTS
ROMANS
CORINTHIANS
GALATIANS
EPHESIANS
PHILIPPIANS
COLOSSIANS
THESSALONIANS
TIMOTHY
TITUS
PHILEMON
HEBREWS
JAMES
PETER
JUDE
REVELATIONS
EXODUS
LEVITICUS
NUMBERS
DEUTERONOMY
JOSHUA
JUDGES
RUTH
SAMUEL
KINGS
CHRONICLES
EZRA
NEHEMIAH
ESTHER
JOB
PSALMS
PROVERBS
ECCLESIASTES
SONG OF SONGS
ISAIAH – salvation is of Jehovah
JEREMIAH – promotion is of Jehovah
LAMENTATIONS - weeping
EZEKIEL –God is my Strength
DANIEL –God is my Judge
HOSEA – to save
JOEL – Jehovah is God
AMOS – to burden
OBEDIAH – serving Jehovah
JONAH – a dove
MICAH – who is like God
NAHUM - comforted
HABAKKUK – ardently embraced
ZEPHANIAH – treasured of Jehovah
HAGGAI – my feast
ZECHARIAH – remembered of Jehovah
MALACHI – my angel or my messenger
MATTHEW
MARK
LUKE
JOHN
ACTS
ROMANS
CORINTHIANS
GALATIANS
EPHESIANS
PHILIPPIANS
COLOSSIANS
THESSALONIANS
TIMOTHY
TITUS
PHILEMON
HEBREWS
JAMES
PETER
JUDE
REVELATIONS
Sunday, February 4, 2007
The Parable of the Old Man, The Boy, and The Donkey
The Parable of the Old Man, The Boy, and The Donkey
There was an old man, a boy and a donkey. They were going to town and the boy was riding the donkey, with the old man walking alongside.
As they rambled along, they passed some old women sitting in the shade. One of the women called out, ''Shame on you, a great lump of a boy, riding while your old father is walking."
The man and boy decided that maybe the critics were right so they changed positions.
Later they ambled by a group of mothers watching their young children play by the river. One cried out in protest, "How could you make your little boy walk in the hot sun while you ride!"
The two travelers decided that maybe they both should walk.
Next they met some young men out for a stroll.
"How stupid you are to walk when you have a perfectly good donkey to ride!" one yelled derisively.
So both father and son clambered onto the donkey, deciding they both should ride.
They were soon settled and underway again. They next encountered some children who were on their way home from school.
One girl shouted, "How mean to put such a load on a poor little animal."
The old man and the boy saw no alternative. Maybe the critics were right. They now struggled to carry the donkey.
As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the confused animal and he fell to his death in the river.
And the moral, of course, is that if you try to please everyone you will never know what to do, it will be hard to get anywhere, you will please no-one, not even yourself, and you will probably lose everything.
Over the twenty-six plus years in the ministry I can relate to this story.
T. C.
There was an old man, a boy and a donkey. They were going to town and the boy was riding the donkey, with the old man walking alongside.
As they rambled along, they passed some old women sitting in the shade. One of the women called out, ''Shame on you, a great lump of a boy, riding while your old father is walking."
The man and boy decided that maybe the critics were right so they changed positions.
Later they ambled by a group of mothers watching their young children play by the river. One cried out in protest, "How could you make your little boy walk in the hot sun while you ride!"
The two travelers decided that maybe they both should walk.
Next they met some young men out for a stroll.
"How stupid you are to walk when you have a perfectly good donkey to ride!" one yelled derisively.
So both father and son clambered onto the donkey, deciding they both should ride.
They were soon settled and underway again. They next encountered some children who were on their way home from school.
One girl shouted, "How mean to put such a load on a poor little animal."
The old man and the boy saw no alternative. Maybe the critics were right. They now struggled to carry the donkey.
As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the confused animal and he fell to his death in the river.
And the moral, of course, is that if you try to please everyone you will never know what to do, it will be hard to get anywhere, you will please no-one, not even yourself, and you will probably lose everything.
Over the twenty-six plus years in the ministry I can relate to this story.
T. C.
Getting Nickels for Gravel
When Jesse was in first grade he got into the car after school all excited – look mom I made 15 cents. I asked him how he got the three nickels. He was all happy and said he sold some rock to the kids in his class then he showed me one of the rocks. Turning it over in my hands I saw it was gravel - like what covered the playground. I said, “Jesse this looks like gravel from the playground. Why did they pay you for it when they could just get for themselves during recess?” His answer made me laugh. He said, "They didn’t get it for themselves because they were too lazy."
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Slow Down
Added on February 9, 2008:
This article has helped me try to slow down it wasn’t until September, 2007 when I got sicker than I knew was possible to be that sick - that I have learned to go slower. It took three weeks to get my strength back. During that time I learned it is okay to relax and everything doesn’t have to be done now.
On December 29, 2007 – At Klinton’s memorial while doing a memorial for my sister too something in me has changed. There is a peace that I had never known and a realization that being fast isn’t always better. I like this new feeling.
Love ya all lots, Pastor Cindy
Quote for Oct. 25th, 2004 - Slow Down
Hyperactivity is a curse on intimacy in our relationships. While people sometimes take pride in being a workaholic, it is, in fact, a sin because it reflects that the workaholic views life from the perspective that he is indispensable. Workaholics are deceived into believing that everything in life depends on them sacrificing themselves on the altar of constant activity.
Chuck Swindoll tells a story about a first grader who became curious because her father brought home a briefcase full of papers every evening. Her mother explained, "Daddy has so much to do that he can't finish it all at the office. That's why he has to bring work home at night." "Well then," asked the child innocently, "why don't they put him in a slower group?"
That’s what needs to happen to many workaholics. We need to move to a slower group. Jesus never rushed. Not once. In fact, on many occasions he separated Himself from the demands on his time and went off alone, to a solitary place.
Hyperactivity can be defined as a lifestyle driven by busyness and filled with more activity than God leads us to do. Not every good thing we do is a God thing. We must learn to discern which matters are to hold our time and attention and which ones to let pass. Otherwise, we forfeit intimacy with our Heavenly Father and with our families for the sake of results that won’t even matter at all in a hundred years.
Douglas MacArthur II, was the nephew of the famous WWII General. He served in the state department when John Foster Dulles was Secretary of State. One evening Mr. Dulles called MacArthur at his home. His wife answered the phone and explained that her husband was not there. Not recognizing who the caller was, she angrily complained, "MacArthur is where MacArthur always is, weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and nights--in that office!" Within minutes Dulles had MacArthur on the phone. He gave him this terse order: "Go home at once, boy. Your home front is crumbling.
Is your home front crumbling? Do you give the time and attention to your mate and your children that proves the love you profess for them? Time may be the best thing you can give to those you love.
Jesus once told His disciples, “Come apart and rest awhile.” (see Mark 6:31) In the hustle and bustle of your lifestyle, do you hear a faint voice extending this invitation to you? May the Holy Spirit enable each of us to see what is most important in our lives and adjust our schedules to align our time with the true order of importance.
--Steve McVey
This article has helped me try to slow down it wasn’t until September, 2007 when I got sicker than I knew was possible to be that sick - that I have learned to go slower. It took three weeks to get my strength back. During that time I learned it is okay to relax and everything doesn’t have to be done now.
On December 29, 2007 – At Klinton’s memorial while doing a memorial for my sister too something in me has changed. There is a peace that I had never known and a realization that being fast isn’t always better. I like this new feeling.
Love ya all lots, Pastor Cindy
Quote for Oct. 25th, 2004 - Slow Down
Hyperactivity is a curse on intimacy in our relationships. While people sometimes take pride in being a workaholic, it is, in fact, a sin because it reflects that the workaholic views life from the perspective that he is indispensable. Workaholics are deceived into believing that everything in life depends on them sacrificing themselves on the altar of constant activity.
Chuck Swindoll tells a story about a first grader who became curious because her father brought home a briefcase full of papers every evening. Her mother explained, "Daddy has so much to do that he can't finish it all at the office. That's why he has to bring work home at night." "Well then," asked the child innocently, "why don't they put him in a slower group?"
That’s what needs to happen to many workaholics. We need to move to a slower group. Jesus never rushed. Not once. In fact, on many occasions he separated Himself from the demands on his time and went off alone, to a solitary place.
Hyperactivity can be defined as a lifestyle driven by busyness and filled with more activity than God leads us to do. Not every good thing we do is a God thing. We must learn to discern which matters are to hold our time and attention and which ones to let pass. Otherwise, we forfeit intimacy with our Heavenly Father and with our families for the sake of results that won’t even matter at all in a hundred years.
Douglas MacArthur II, was the nephew of the famous WWII General. He served in the state department when John Foster Dulles was Secretary of State. One evening Mr. Dulles called MacArthur at his home. His wife answered the phone and explained that her husband was not there. Not recognizing who the caller was, she angrily complained, "MacArthur is where MacArthur always is, weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and nights--in that office!" Within minutes Dulles had MacArthur on the phone. He gave him this terse order: "Go home at once, boy. Your home front is crumbling.
Is your home front crumbling? Do you give the time and attention to your mate and your children that proves the love you profess for them? Time may be the best thing you can give to those you love.
Jesus once told His disciples, “Come apart and rest awhile.” (see Mark 6:31) In the hustle and bustle of your lifestyle, do you hear a faint voice extending this invitation to you? May the Holy Spirit enable each of us to see what is most important in our lives and adjust our schedules to align our time with the true order of importance.
--Steve McVey
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