Ponderings...

The Power of Appreciation

Motivational speaker and author Dale Carnegie once told of a woman who worked with some church friends on a self-improvement program. After one meeting, she went home and asked her husband how she could be a better person, particularly as a wife.

The husband told her he’d think about it and provide an answer the next day. While pondering his wife’s request, the man realized he could offer a few suggestions. But he also could think of a thousand self-improvement ideas for himself.

The next morning, the man ordered some roses. He had them sent to his wife with an uplifting note that read, “I love you just the way you are.” After that, the couple’s personal shortcomings seemed quite small in the face of their steadfast love for one another.

Hay, There!

An elderly farmer was finishing his haymaking one Sunday afternoon when his pastor drove by. “I noticed you weren’t in church this morning,” said the pastor. “Don’t you know that the Creator made the world in six days and then rested on the seventh?”

“Yes,” replied the farmer, as he looked uneasily at the rain clouds gathering in the sky. “I know all about that. But he got done and I didn’t.”

Ten Commandments for Right Living

1. Thou shalt not worry, for by doing so thou shalt suffer the same disaster many times.

2. Thou shalt not try to dominate or possess others, for each person is responsible to God.

3. Thou shalt not desire after fame, for the burdens of greatness are an affliction unto the spirit.

4. Thou shalt not desire after great wealth, for great wealth of itself does not bring peace.

5. Thou shalt relax, for great tension is an abomination unto the flesh.

6. Thou shalt have a sense of humor or thy years will seem much longer and more painful.

7. Thou shalt love the beautiful and serve the good, for this is according to the will of heaven.

8. Thou shalt harm no other person by word, thought or deed, regardless of cause; for to do so is to perpetuate the sorrows of this world.

9. Thou shalt not be angry at any person for any reason, for anger injures most the one who is angry.

10. Thou shalt remember that God is Creator and that you are a unique and important part of his created order, unlike any person who has ever lived.

’Twas the Day After Bible School

’Twas the day after Bible school and all over town,
With a sigh of relief, we all settled down.
Out to the golf course goes Dad in his cap,
And home in the bedroom Mom’s taking a nap.
Gone Linda, gone Brenda, gone David and Johnny,
Gone Margie, and Mary, and Ronnie and Donnie.
Gone stories, and puppets, and songs in the air,
Gone paint under fingernails and paste in the hair.
Rest sweetly, dear workers, and wake with good cheer,
For Bible school won’t come again for a year.
As they drifted off, I heard them exclaim:
“ It was worth all the hard work and we’d do it again!”

God’s Yearly Gift

Economic times are tough, and everything keeps getting more expensive. But God thoughtfully gives all of us a free yearly trip around the sun.
Enjoy the ride!

Guidance from Wesley

John Wesley (1703-1791) offered the following “Rules of Conduct” for Christians:

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

Helping the Brokenhearted

A retired pastor counseled younger peers to remember that in every pew sits someone dealing with a broken heart. Hasn’t that been us at some point? What have we learned from our brokenness? What helps? What doesn’t?

People who are hurting don’t need platitudes and quick answers. In fact, it’s often best not to say anything at all. The most important thing is to just be there. Sit. Listen. Hold a hand. Respond with brief expressions of understanding. When appropriate, offer assurance that God knows of the situation and cares.

After Jesus healed the paralytic, the man stood up and returned home glorifying God (Luke 5:17-26). Likewise, Christ says to the brokenhearted today, “Stand up and go into your future, glorifying God with good works for his kingdom.”

Making Sure God Understands

After former New York City Mayor Ed Koch had a stroke, he told God that he’d lived a full life and wouldn’t mind dying. But he wanted to be taken immediately and not be cut off a bit at a time, like a roll of salami.

When Koch (who is Jewish) was in the hospital, a visiting rabbi prayed in both English and Hebrew. The words were: “Heal me and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved.”

Later, New York City’s Roman Catholic cardinal entered the mayor’s room and offered to pray in Hebrew. But the ailing mayor, who never lost his sense of humor, said, “Your Eminence, I already took care of the Hebrew and English. Could you just do the Latin?”

Bible Quiz

Which king wrote a psalm begging God to cleanse him thoroughly after he committed adultery? Choose the correct name below.

A. Saul
B. David
C. Solomon
D. Uriah

Answer: B (See Psalm 51.)

Simple Virtues

We do not very often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty and humility are graces which ought to color everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mold, but … these are the most continually called for in daily life.
-François de Sales

The Memorial Rock

In a sermon, Baltimore pastor John Schmidt told of an experience from more than 30 years ago. While he was walking through the French Quarter in New Orleans, two men asked him for a handout. He offered to go buy them some food if they were hungry.

The men agreed they needed food, so the three of them walked to a grocery store. Schmidt bought bread, bologna, mustard and milk. When he gave the food to the men, one had tears in his eyes.

Reaching into a pocket, that man brought out a pretty rock. “Look,” he said, “I have nothing to give you for doing this. But I’ve been carrying around this beautiful rock, and I want you to have it.”

From the pulpit, Schmidt then held up the rock to show the congregation. He’d kept it for three decades as a reminder of the men and their gratitude for his kindness.

“I have to be concerned about the people around me,” Schmidt said. “Even if they look like they aren’t being responsible with their lives, I’m called to love them because God loves them.”

 

updated August 3, 2008