Thursday, September 29, 2016

Pedal

I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since I took the back seat to Jesus, My Lord. Christ makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way, but it was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said "Pedal!" I was worried and anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared", He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord's and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd
wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Christ.

And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says ... "Pedal."

-- Author Unknown




Wednesday, September 28, 2016

A Prayer For Time Management

Dear God,
Sometimes I find it hard to manage my time well. There is so much to do. Please help me to prioritize my daily activities to align with your will, your plan, your purpose, and to do what is most important as well as the little mundane tasks that must be done. Help me to know when to say "no" to projects and requests that come along that would overwhelm me or take away from what you want me to do. Please help me to always love and care for those lives you have entrusted to my care and circle of influence.
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.


Monday, September 26, 2016

Everything Happens For A Reason

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there…to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test limits of your soul.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create whom you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart.
If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things. Make every day count. Appreciate everything that you possibly can, for you may never experience it again.

Talk to people whom you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create you own life and then go out and live it.

Share this with anyone whom you believe
has made a difference in your life!
"If you take your eyes off your goals, all you see is obstacles."
~Author Unknown~


Sunday, September 25, 2016

Hanging By A Thread

A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet.
He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something.
HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? "HELP! He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. "Jack, Jack, can you hear me?"
"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!".”I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?".”Yes, but who are you, and where are you?".”I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere. " ."The Lord? You mean, GOD?”.”That's Me."
"God, please help me! I promise if, you'll get me down from here, I'II stop sinning. I'II be a really good person. I'II serve You for the rest of my life."
"Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's get you off from there; then we can talk. Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully.”.”I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do.”.”Okay. Let go of the branch. ““'What?"
"I said, let go of the branch, just trust Me. Let go"
There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE 'UP THERE??”
'Have you ever felt like Jack? We say that we want to know the will of God, but when we find out what it is, we can't handle it. Sounds too scary, too difficult. We decide to look elsewhere. When He says, "Let go of the things that stand between you and Me, and trust Me with your life," it sounds pretty scary. But when we let go, we find freedom and safety in His hands."


Thursday, September 22, 2016

Before I Go

When my life has reached its very end,
And I take that final breath;
I want to know I've left behind,
Some "good" before my death.
I hope that in my final hour,
In all honesty I can say:
That somewhere in my lifetime,
I have brightened someone's day.
That maybe I have brought a smile
To someone else's face,
And made one moment a little sweeter
While they dwelled here in this place.
Lord, please be my reminder
And whisper softly in my ear ...
To be a "giver," not a "taker,"
In the years I have left here.
Give to me the strength I need,
Open up my mind and my soul
That I might show sincere compassion,
And love to others before I go.
For if not a heart be touched by me,
And not a smile was left behind ...
Then the life that I am blessed with,
Will have been a waste of time.
With all my heart, I truly hope
To leave something here on earth ....
That touched another, made them smile
And gave to my life ... worth.
~ Author Unknown ~



Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Garbage Truck

One day I hopped into a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car moved out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches.  The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call,

"The Law of the Garbage Truck".

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. Don't let garbage trucks take over your day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so
        "Love the people who treat you right; Pray for the ones who don't."




Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Counting The Nuts

Galatians 5:25-26 – “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
There was as story recently in which some passengers on a major airline were complaining that the first-class passengers got more cashews in their snacks than rest of the folks.  Somebody sat there and counted how many nuts of each kind he had.  He didn’t think the mix of almonds, cashews, and other nuts was fairly divided.  I hate to break it to you, but if you’re counting your nuts, you might be nuts.  Happiness never comes from comparing your blessings to somebody else’s. That’s called envy, and it will rot your soul.  Proverbs 14:30 says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”  Maybe you don’t count nuts, but do you keep track of who has a nicer house or car than you?  Does it bother you when someone else gets a promotion at work?  Do you become jealous of friends having fun together and spending time together if you’re not there?  The Bible says love doesn’t keep a count of the bad things, but rejoices in the good things. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.” (1 Cor. 13:4) Instead of getting upset when someone has extra, why not be glad for them?  If you have to count something, count your blessings.  When you concentrate on what you have, instead of what you don’t, you’ll be surprised how much more joy you’ll find. The things that really count in life are how much we love God, and how much we love and serve others.  Everything else is just peanuts.



Monday, September 19, 2016

You Took My Place

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!"

The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!"

The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out,
"What happened to you?" The visitor replied, "I took your place."




Sunday, September 18, 2016

A Mouse, A Pig, A Cow, And A Snake

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.
"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me... I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap
catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.



Thursday, September 15, 2016

Pancakes

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard, and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.

He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk, and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor
which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, (and he didn't know how the stove worked!). Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor.

Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky, we insult a friend, we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in
tears because we can't think of anything else to do.

That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets allover Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes," for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried ...

~ Author Unknown ~


 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

God's Scales

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.  She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.  John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."   John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.  Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list? Louise replied, "Yes  sir".   "O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever  your grocery  list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."  Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it.  She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.  The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.   The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."  The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.  The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.  It was not a grocery list; it was a prayer, which said: "Dear Lord, you know my Needs and I am leaving this in your hands". The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.  Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, "It was worth every penny of it." Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs. 
Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 
1.  Free your heart from hatred. 
2.  Free your mind from worries. 
3.  Live simply. 
4.  Give more. 
5.  Expect less. 
No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.   God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way. 
It's better to lose your pride to the one you love, than to lose the one you love because of pride. 
We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give. 
Never abandon an old friend. You will never find one who can take his place.  Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows older. 
We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.



Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Time

Imagine there’s a bank that credits your account every morning with 86,400 dollars. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? DRAW OUT ALL OF IT, of course!!! Each of us has such a bank. It’s name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of one year
Ask a student who has failed a
final exam.

To realize the value of a month:
Ask a mother who has given birth
to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly
newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to
meet.

To realize the value of one minute:
Ask a person who has missed the
train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one second:
Ask a person who has survived an
accident.

To realize the value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a
silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special … special enough to spend your time.
And remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift — that is why it is called the PRESENT!



Monday, September 12, 2016

A Visit From The Pastor

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services I regularly, suddenly stopped coming to church. 
After a few weeks, the Pastor decided to visit.  The Pastor found the ·man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for the Pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The Pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. 
Alter some minutes, the Pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched this in silent contemplation as the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and lifeless. 
The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more   the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. 
I As the Pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”
We live a world today which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes, the best sermons are the ones left unspoken



Sunday, September 11, 2016

The Way Home


Steve Reinhard tells a heartwarming story about a little girl who walked home from school every day. The quickest way home for her was through the town's cemetery. It was her favorite time of day. She
loved to feel the breeze in her hair and to watch the birds. Sometimes she just threw herself on the soft, green grass and watched clouds turn into castles and angels and great white stallions. As she skipped
around grave stones, she whistled her favorite tune or sang a song. Other times, she liked to kneel down and read the names and dates on gravestones, and to glide her fingers across the engraved lettering.
She particularly enjoyed those walks through the graveyard.

Still, her friends asked, "Why do you walk through the cemetery after school?"

That's easy, she would always reply. "Because it's the way home."

In an ultimate sense, that is true, isn't it? The way home is always through the cemetery. And it does not have to be a fearful passage at all, this way that leads home. It is a trip we can actually look  forward to with joy.

Which is good to know, especially when we're holding the hand of one who is about to make the voyage. Or when we are ready to go ourselves.

 Steve Goodier

Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Ant and the Contact Lens

(A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona)

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock.

Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.

Well, here she is, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.

Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see
all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff.

One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

W ell, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on its back.

Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.  Yes, I do love GOD.  He is my source of existence and my Savior.  He keeps me functioning each and every day.  Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him… I can do things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Beautifully Stated

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~anonymous~