The Word of God

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrine is holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand object, our good design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Pray it in, read it through, live it out, and pass it on.

---Anonymous

The Dash

Think of a funeral. The music is playing softly. Sniffles are heard as people silently weep. Thoughts race through people's minds of what could have been.

Then the pastor steps to the podium. For the next few moments, an entire life is summarized, celebrated, and remembered in an average of an hour.

Only those who loved the deceased know what the dash means though.

You know, the dash between the birth date and the date of death.

Like, 1921 - 2009.

Yet in that little dash is many times something great.

Now, let's imagine that it's your funeral; your eulogy being read; your life being remembered. Is there anything you want to change?

On the day of your funeral it will be too late to change anything. However, you have the ability to make a difference now.

What can you put into your "dash" that will be celebrated and remembered? Whose life can you impact now, while you have the chance?

What memories can you make now that will bring comfort when the pastor refers to your dash?

Morbid?

Sure, just a little.

But, God's Word instructs us to number our days so that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

Are you making a living, or making life?

While you have the chance, make a lasting impact on your dash.

A carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

His young daughter complained that life and things were too hard for her to handle. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, give in, and throw in the towel. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, two more would arise.

Being a chef, her dad took her into the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on the stove and set the burner on high. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second he placed eggs, and in the last one he placed ground coffee beans. He let each pot sit and boil without uttering a single word to his daughter.

Waiting impatiently, the daughter drummed her fingers on the table wondering what her dad was doing. After about twenty minutes he turned off the burners. First, he fished out the carrots and placed them in a bowl. Then he pulled out the eggs and placed them in a bowl. Then he ladled the coffee and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her he asked, "Darling, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. She humbly asked, "What does it all mean dad?"

He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.

The carrot went into the boiling water strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after being subjected to the boiling water, it came out softened and weak.

The egg had been fragile. It's thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But after sitting in the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you," he asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

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How you feel is really up to you.

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Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.

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I choose to be the coffee bean - I choose to change the water!

Lessons from geese

This fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in their "V" formation, consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way...

Fact - as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird immediately following. By flying in the V formation, the whole flock has at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on it's own.

Lesson - people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust (uplift) of one another.

Fact - when a goose flies out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to got it alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.

Lesson - if we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others. It is harder to do something alone than together.

Fact - when the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation, and another goose flies to the point position.

Lesson - it is sensible to take turns doing the hard and demanding tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent of each others skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact - the geese flying in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Lesson - we need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. We need to make sure our honking is not discouraging.

Fact - when a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two other geese will drop out of formation with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out to find another formation to catch up with their flock.

Lesson - if we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other during difficult times as well as in good times.