As much as I dislike going to doctors, I guess it’s time I admit if I’m going to live any longer I need to put my trust in a good general practitioner. It happened to me again last week, that denial that something is going wrong in the body and it needs an attentive hand before it gets out of hand. But no, I can ride this thing out without a doctor. Wrong!! It’s amazing how a microscopic bug can take over the body, cause an infection and essentially shut down the whole digestive process. The body is a team effort and when one player goes down it’s time for the coach to make a decision. As a coach I haven’t been making very good decisions lately nor paying the attention I ought to my players. Life and health is a fragile thing, and old age ain’t for sissy’s, so I guess it’s about time I admit I need help with my general health and stop being so macho about the whole thing. Needless to say, I was very ill last week and recovering this week with some high-powered medicine. For best results, engage brain and use.
Before he was terminated by the Dallas Cowboys football team, Coach Barry Switzer was seeking advice all around the NFL on what ingredient makes for a winning football team. He eventually sought out Steve Mariucci of the San Francisco Forty-Niners, who told him the MOST important thing to having a winning football team was to have a quarterback who was extremely smart. As proof he took him over to quarterback, Steve Young, and asked Steve this question: “Who is you father’s brother’s nephew?” Steve Young, without hesitating a moment answered, “I am”. When Switzer returned to the Cowboys practice facilities, he went over to Troy Aikman and asked him the same question: “Who is your father’s brother’s nephew?” Troy thought about it for a moment and told the coach he needed some more time to come up with the right answer. Then, Troy went to Deion Sanders and asked him the question. Deion immediately replied, “Why, I am”. So Troy Aikman went back to Coach Switzer and said, “I have the answer. It’s Deion Sanders”. Switzer giggled and said, “No, No, you’re wrong. It’s Steve Young.” Not much has changed, has it.
A customer service representative for a national pager company received an unusual complaint on the phone one day. It seems a man keeps getting paged by a “Lucille”, somebody he doesn’t know and doesn’t want his wife to see. The rep instructed the man to simply call her and ask her to stop paging him. “She don’t never leave no number, so I can’t call her back”, replied the irritated customer. The rep asked how he knew it was Lucille if she didn’t leave a number. “She leaves her name”, was the reply. After establishing that the customer had a numeric-only pager the rep asked the customer to spell her name for him. Very slowly and methodically the customer said, “L-O-W-C-E-L-L.”
[Ephesians 6: 10-18] We use everything from vitamins to antibiotics to fend off unwanted germs and viruses harmful to our body, but what about our spirit? Paul talks about our war with spiritual forces always trying to invade our nature of love and kindness and goodness. When we let them in, we become like the world, and lose the image of God, of which we are made. Paul says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Beware!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
All I Hear Is Buzzing
I wonder if the insect world gets as annoyed with buzzing cicadas as we sometimes do with barking dogs. There’s nothing worse than flip flopping in bed because of a barking dog in the neighbor’s backyard, which happens to be right under your bedroom window. The prehistoric urge to kill boils up in thought, but a simple “shut up – go lay down” generally quiets the pup and a word with the neighbor solves the problem. I wonder what a spider does when a cicada moves in next door for a week or two. All that buzzing would drive me crazy. Cicadas live underground for up to fifteen years, supposedly, living on tree root fluids. The mature cicada digs its way to the surface to date and mate for two weeks, and then dies. By the way, the male cicada is the one making all the noise trying to attract a female’s attention. My bunkmate took up making strange noises in her sleep a few years ago, I probably do the same, but it was enough to wake me often in the night. Earplugs have solved the problem, but now I don’t hear the alarm clock. Going to sleep at night and waking in the morning is getting complicated with age. I’m still getting up on my own, that’s a plus for sure.
Diet and exercise seems to be the buzz everywhere today. A secretary engaged in such a conversation said, “I’ve started a new exercise program. I do 20 sit-ups each morning.” The others in the group didn’t seem impressed. She continued, “That may not sound like a lot, but you can only hit the snooze button so many times.”
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey, but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away in about 1.7 seconds, still half asleep, eyes closed, the first time and every time after that. Amazing!
[2 Chronicles 7:14] “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is what the Lord said to Solomon about the use of the temple. “…But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from my land.” “…When people ask why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple; People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers; …and have embraced other gods worshipping and serving them, that is why he has brought all this disaster on them’” (v. 19-22) 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” Which case do you think God will recognize as a genuine plead for the healing of our land? 1 – Become a raving fool calling for the burning of a certain group of believer’s book of rites, in the name of God or, 2 - Become a humble dedicated believer in the power of prayer and know that God will do the heavy work. All our complaining and bickering and scheming, trying to solve our political problems is nothing but buzzing in the ear of God. Do you love our land enough to pray for it? If we don’t start petitioning God, the foundation of this country, according to his will not ours, God will uproot us rather than heal us. Put your gods aside for one minute and pray to God for healing peace.
Diet and exercise seems to be the buzz everywhere today. A secretary engaged in such a conversation said, “I’ve started a new exercise program. I do 20 sit-ups each morning.” The others in the group didn’t seem impressed. She continued, “That may not sound like a lot, but you can only hit the snooze button so many times.”
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey, but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away in about 1.7 seconds, still half asleep, eyes closed, the first time and every time after that. Amazing!
[2 Chronicles 7:14] “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is what the Lord said to Solomon about the use of the temple. “…But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from my land.” “…When people ask why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple; People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers; …and have embraced other gods worshipping and serving them, that is why he has brought all this disaster on them’” (v. 19-22) 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” Which case do you think God will recognize as a genuine plead for the healing of our land? 1 – Become a raving fool calling for the burning of a certain group of believer’s book of rites, in the name of God or, 2 - Become a humble dedicated believer in the power of prayer and know that God will do the heavy work. All our complaining and bickering and scheming, trying to solve our political problems is nothing but buzzing in the ear of God. Do you love our land enough to pray for it? If we don’t start petitioning God, the foundation of this country, according to his will not ours, God will uproot us rather than heal us. Put your gods aside for one minute and pray to God for healing peace.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Wicked and Lazy
I’m certainly glad that’s over with! August I mean. The month of August has a way of bringing the laziness out in me, big time. I think I remember something about the dog days of summer and if they’re in August, I guess that’s why this dog doesn’t hunt in the heat. When the thermometer grows to 90 degrees I start slowing down and when it tops 100 degrees you’ll find me under the porch taking a nap with Rover. The problem with taking the month of August off is that the housework suffers severely. I took inventory the other day and discovered I had tree limbs on the ground, grass growing tall and the house air conditioner giving up under the pressure. As Charlie Brown would say, “AWK”! I’ll soon have to get up off my lazy side and get back to my domestic chores as it’s rumored a cold-front and a little rain is headed our way.
A new attorney in town had just opened up his office. He was concerned about building a clientele and as he heard someone at the door, then saw it opening, he grabbed up the phone receiver thinking that he must impress this prospective client that he was busy. Pretending he had someone on the phone he said, “Well, I’m very sorry, but it will be at least two weeks, due to my present case load, before I could possibly take your case.” He put down the receiver and asked the man now standing in front of his desk, “Yes sir, and what can I do for you?” The man grinned and said, “I’m here to hook up your phone.”
A man left work one Friday afternoon, but instead of going home he stayed out the whole weekend playing golf with the boys and spending his entire paycheck. Sunday night, when he finally appeared at home, he was confronted by his very angry wife who barraged him for nearly two hours with a tirade for his actions. Finally his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him, “How would you like it if you didn’t see me for two or three days?” To which the husband replied, “That would be fine with me.” Monday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Tuesday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Wednesday brought the same results. Then on Thursday the swelling went down enough he could see her just a little out of the corner of one eye.
After the sermon, a gentleman came up to the preacher and said, “My wife said I should come apologize to you. I guess I was rude. I talked all the way through your sermon. But I really didn’t mean to. It’s just that sometimes I talk in my sleep.”
[Matthew 25: 14-30] “…And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” We have all been given talents and blessings that God expects us to work with to bring about a return in his name. Most people don’t give it a second thought to use their talents and blessings in the name of our Lord to teach the truth of God. Instead they use them only to their own benefit not thinking of the welfare of others along the way. Is it okay to gain from your talents and blessings? You bet. God has nothing against gain, but he does have a problem when we forget where it came from and we call it “mine”. Are you a Christian, a child of God? Are you using your talents and blessings to rescue others from this sinful world? Do you hide your talents and blessings for fear of making an embarrassing mistake or losing part of what “belongs” to you? The master said to that person, “You wicked, lazy servant!” I’d rather make mistakes and lose it all, than be called wicked and lazy.
A new attorney in town had just opened up his office. He was concerned about building a clientele and as he heard someone at the door, then saw it opening, he grabbed up the phone receiver thinking that he must impress this prospective client that he was busy. Pretending he had someone on the phone he said, “Well, I’m very sorry, but it will be at least two weeks, due to my present case load, before I could possibly take your case.” He put down the receiver and asked the man now standing in front of his desk, “Yes sir, and what can I do for you?” The man grinned and said, “I’m here to hook up your phone.”
A man left work one Friday afternoon, but instead of going home he stayed out the whole weekend playing golf with the boys and spending his entire paycheck. Sunday night, when he finally appeared at home, he was confronted by his very angry wife who barraged him for nearly two hours with a tirade for his actions. Finally his wife stopped the nagging and simply said to him, “How would you like it if you didn’t see me for two or three days?” To which the husband replied, “That would be fine with me.” Monday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Tuesday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Wednesday brought the same results. Then on Thursday the swelling went down enough he could see her just a little out of the corner of one eye.
After the sermon, a gentleman came up to the preacher and said, “My wife said I should come apologize to you. I guess I was rude. I talked all the way through your sermon. But I really didn’t mean to. It’s just that sometimes I talk in my sleep.”
[Matthew 25: 14-30] “…And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” We have all been given talents and blessings that God expects us to work with to bring about a return in his name. Most people don’t give it a second thought to use their talents and blessings in the name of our Lord to teach the truth of God. Instead they use them only to their own benefit not thinking of the welfare of others along the way. Is it okay to gain from your talents and blessings? You bet. God has nothing against gain, but he does have a problem when we forget where it came from and we call it “mine”. Are you a Christian, a child of God? Are you using your talents and blessings to rescue others from this sinful world? Do you hide your talents and blessings for fear of making an embarrassing mistake or losing part of what “belongs” to you? The master said to that person, “You wicked, lazy servant!” I’d rather make mistakes and lose it all, than be called wicked and lazy.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Back To School
It’s that time of the year when it seems most families have shifted gears and roared off into a totally different daily routine. This is especially prevalent in families with school children. The summer out of school daily activities verses the in school, is totally different, yet sometimes still just as hair pulling. Getting back into a ridged time schedule of going to bed at night and rising on time in the morning has been known to heighten the emotions of both parent and child to a point of screaming and crying. I think most families renew their evening meal gathering which may have unraveled during the summer months. It’s a good time to talk about the next days schedule and whose suppose to be where and when. There is so much activity in school nowadays I don’t know how some families keep up. Whatever a “normal” school year routine is for your family, good luck, and don’t get too hyper with each other, it’s not healthy.
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather’s computer keyboard producing an array of letters and numbers on the monitor screen. When questioned what she was doing, she said she was writing a story. “What’s it about?’ asked the grandfather. “Oh, I don’t know”, she replied. He then asked, “How come?” She stopped what she was doing, sighed and answered, “Because I can’t read, Grandpa!”
A little boy was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park. It was the fall of the year and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked, “Doesn’t it look like an artist painted the scenery? Do you know God painted this for you?” The little boy said “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.” Grandma inquired, “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?” With great assurance the little boy said, “Well, in Sunday school we learned that Jesus sits on God’s right hand.”
[Hosea 4: 1-6] I know that relaxed schedules and disciplines can also bring about the skipping of worship during the summer. Spiritual education is as important as mental schooling. Our country is suffering due to the lack of faithfulness, and love, and no acknowledgement of God in the land. This is a good time to return to worship as a family. A preacher made a house-call to a long time member who suddenly stopped coming to worship. The preacher waited patiently at the door after knocking. The member opened the door and without a sound returned to his rocking chair in front of the fireplace. The preacher also sat in a chair next to the fireplace for quite some time without a word ever being said. Then the preacher got up, took the tongs, and picking up a glowing ember he placed it on the hearth where both could see it. The preacher sat back down without saying a word and the silence continued between the two men. The ember glowed for a while, but then started to lose its brilliance and heat. When the ember was just about out, the preacher silently stood up, took the tongs and returned the ember to the fire where it once again glowed brilliantly. After a few more moments watching the fire, the preacher turned to leave. The man got up out of his chair and as he walked him to the door he said, “Thanks for the fiery sermon. I’ll see you Sunday.” Without God, we as a people, living in a land of milk and honey, will be destroyed because of our lack of knowledge about God’s will for our lives. Our country is being plundered and paganized by anti-Christ’s. One day, God will turn his back on America.
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather’s computer keyboard producing an array of letters and numbers on the monitor screen. When questioned what she was doing, she said she was writing a story. “What’s it about?’ asked the grandfather. “Oh, I don’t know”, she replied. He then asked, “How come?” She stopped what she was doing, sighed and answered, “Because I can’t read, Grandpa!”
A little boy was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park. It was the fall of the year and everything was beautiful. His grandmother remarked, “Doesn’t it look like an artist painted the scenery? Do you know God painted this for you?” The little boy said “Yes, God did it and he did it left handed.” Grandma inquired, “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?” With great assurance the little boy said, “Well, in Sunday school we learned that Jesus sits on God’s right hand.”
[Hosea 4: 1-6] I know that relaxed schedules and disciplines can also bring about the skipping of worship during the summer. Spiritual education is as important as mental schooling. Our country is suffering due to the lack of faithfulness, and love, and no acknowledgement of God in the land. This is a good time to return to worship as a family. A preacher made a house-call to a long time member who suddenly stopped coming to worship. The preacher waited patiently at the door after knocking. The member opened the door and without a sound returned to his rocking chair in front of the fireplace. The preacher also sat in a chair next to the fireplace for quite some time without a word ever being said. Then the preacher got up, took the tongs, and picking up a glowing ember he placed it on the hearth where both could see it. The preacher sat back down without saying a word and the silence continued between the two men. The ember glowed for a while, but then started to lose its brilliance and heat. When the ember was just about out, the preacher silently stood up, took the tongs and returned the ember to the fire where it once again glowed brilliantly. After a few more moments watching the fire, the preacher turned to leave. The man got up out of his chair and as he walked him to the door he said, “Thanks for the fiery sermon. I’ll see you Sunday.” Without God, we as a people, living in a land of milk and honey, will be destroyed because of our lack of knowledge about God’s will for our lives. Our country is being plundered and paganized by anti-Christ’s. One day, God will turn his back on America.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Do You Ignore Instructions?
It’s time for that old school bell to start ringing again. Of course that’s only a call for formal classes of teaching. It seems there’s a lot of activities going on around the school yard at least a full month before classes begin. Football players are scrimmaging in the attempt to learn new plays and formations with the hope of throwing off upcoming opponents. Sports of new sorts such as volleyball and soccer, not in my yearbook, and the old standards, track and field, baseball and basketball, will be in the lineup of activities throughout the year. The band and flag corps along with the cheerleaders are practicing new routines to razzle-dazzle and excite assembled fans of interscholastic competition. I’ve got to tell you though; I don’t know how some of these teens and parents get it all done in a 24 hour period. I’m just happy there’s a learning rule in effect: No pass; No play. Learning has to be the number one priority.
Here’s a helpful hint for you busy soccer moms. Unless you deliberately set aside a little time for regular relaxation, you will not be able to efficiently care for your family. Therefore, plan to relax a minimum of an hour and a half every couple of years.
A teacher in the second grade drew a greater-than (>) and a less-than (<) sign on the chalkboard and asked, “Does anyone know what these signs mean?” A few moments passed, and then a boy confidently raising his hand said, “Fast-forward and rewind!”
Catlin’s mother was teaching her the Lord’s Prayer. For several evenings, at bedtime, she would repeat what her mother would say as she learned. One night, Catlin decided to go solo. Her mother listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word with perfection right up to the end of the prayer. “…lead us not into temptation”, she prayed, “but deliver us some e-mail…” What?!! Keep working at it mom.
During one high-school concert season, the music students were preparing for the big extravaganza. The teacher had clearly communicated every detail to the students and to the parents, on two different occasions, what was expected of the students, including the time for the mandatory rehearsal. But, on rehearsal day, one panicky mother called during practice to see what time her teenager was suppose to show up. Another called to say, “Oh, we’re taking Tommy to Grandma’s. It’s okay if he misses rehearsal, right?” When the teacher reminded the parents that this was a mandatory rehearsal and it had already begun she heard, “Why didn’t someone tell me? How was I to know?” How often are we instructed and informed, only to not listen and act?
[1 Thessalonians 4: 1-12] Just as the teacher was troubled that her clear instructions were ignored, is it possible that God is troubled by our tendency to ignore his clear instructions? Paul reminds us that his God-inspired message tells us “…how to live in order to please God…” and that those instructions come by “…the authority of the Lord Jesus.” God is not pleased, but grieved, when we ignore his instructions. (Ephesians 4:17 - 5:2) How do we keep from forgetting about God in our busy daily life? The Hebrew writer says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess…” and “…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How can we do this? “Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10: 23-25) We don’t meet together because we have nothing better to do. We meet to remember God and his love for us. Are you following instructions?
Here’s a helpful hint for you busy soccer moms. Unless you deliberately set aside a little time for regular relaxation, you will not be able to efficiently care for your family. Therefore, plan to relax a minimum of an hour and a half every couple of years.
A teacher in the second grade drew a greater-than (>) and a less-than (<) sign on the chalkboard and asked, “Does anyone know what these signs mean?” A few moments passed, and then a boy confidently raising his hand said, “Fast-forward and rewind!”
Catlin’s mother was teaching her the Lord’s Prayer. For several evenings, at bedtime, she would repeat what her mother would say as she learned. One night, Catlin decided to go solo. Her mother listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word with perfection right up to the end of the prayer. “…lead us not into temptation”, she prayed, “but deliver us some e-mail…” What?!! Keep working at it mom.
During one high-school concert season, the music students were preparing for the big extravaganza. The teacher had clearly communicated every detail to the students and to the parents, on two different occasions, what was expected of the students, including the time for the mandatory rehearsal. But, on rehearsal day, one panicky mother called during practice to see what time her teenager was suppose to show up. Another called to say, “Oh, we’re taking Tommy to Grandma’s. It’s okay if he misses rehearsal, right?” When the teacher reminded the parents that this was a mandatory rehearsal and it had already begun she heard, “Why didn’t someone tell me? How was I to know?” How often are we instructed and informed, only to not listen and act?
[1 Thessalonians 4: 1-12] Just as the teacher was troubled that her clear instructions were ignored, is it possible that God is troubled by our tendency to ignore his clear instructions? Paul reminds us that his God-inspired message tells us “…how to live in order to please God…” and that those instructions come by “…the authority of the Lord Jesus.” God is not pleased, but grieved, when we ignore his instructions. (Ephesians 4:17 - 5:2) How do we keep from forgetting about God in our busy daily life? The Hebrew writer says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess…” and “…let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How can we do this? “Let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10: 23-25) We don’t meet together because we have nothing better to do. We meet to remember God and his love for us. Are you following instructions?
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