Thought for the days

For the world....their problems define their theology.

For the Christian....their theology defines their problems.
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Schweppes Burst slow motion balloons Ad

My life today was anything but slow motion, but watching this made me quite aware that slowing down to enjoy life isn't really a bad thing.

Just thinking

I have just a few moments before I need to head out for a meeting early this morning. It seems that lately the days are long and the nights are short, but as one friend told me, "I can rest when I'm dead!"

I'm just thinking this morning-

The most important thing on planet earth are the people. How do we care for and help one another through these days? How do we demonstrate God's love to those around us? What's the best way to help people with all their fears and worries in the days we are in?

It seems that this is the perfect time for the church to be what it was meant to be- the body of Christ on planet earth caring for one another and demonstrating the love of God for the world to see. Our culture is such an individualist society that group caring and sharing are not in our minds. We don't think as a body, as a family. We focus on "ME". What an amazing opportunity for the church to become what it was designed to be- a living, breathing body of believers madly in love with God and each other, caring for one another and demonstrating that we love each other more than we love our stuff. What a testimony we would tell if we opened our homes to one another, sharing our resources and our lives with each other.

In a time when everyone is afraid what an opportunity we have to shine a bright light on the family of God caring for one another, loving each other and sharing our lives with each other. I wonder....could we duplicate what we see in Acts 4 and 5? Could we really come together and care for each other in this way? This morning I'm just thinking about what could be......

Photo dictionary: Bliss

Quote of the day

This quote made me smile, which then made me sad because I actually understood exactly what he's talking about.

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By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere. -Billy Crystal

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Quote of the day

The Christian's chief occupational hazards are depression and discouragement. - John R. Stott

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Simple problem solving

One of our ladies came in last week for counseling. We talked for a long time about all she is dealing with. I listened a lot. Briefly, I shared a few thoughts with her, but then got out a piece of paper and drew a circle on the blank piece of paper-

I showed her the picture.....and then I said, "this is the solution to your problems." Then I waited......

After a moment she looked at me with a puzzled look on her face as if to say, "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? ARE YOU CRAZY?" But she was kind enough to actually say, "I don't understand...." I told her, "There are only a few things you can do anything about. Those things are inside the circle. Everything outside of the circle is out of your control. You have been focusing your attention and efforts on the things you can't do anything about and so you are frustrated. Focus you attention on the things you can do something about, and don't worry about the rest." She left my office with a dazed look on her face and I wondered if she got it.

The next day she called and was a different woman on the phone. She said, "your picture changed my life! I got it! I understand and it's so much easier when I only have to work on what I can do something about." I smiled.

So, today, draw a circle on a piece of paper and list in the circle those things you can do something about...then work on those things. Don't worry about the things you can't do anything about. Trying to change those things will only make you crazy!

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Bears begging for food

What can I say? Amazing!

Never give up! Never surrender!

In my reading of different news sources and articles there are some articles that make you smile and others that make you cry....imagine one that does both-

South Korean woman fails driver's test 775 times

Sat Feb 21, 12:57 am ET
SEOUL, Feb 21 – A South Korean woman who has failed the driver's exam 775 times is not about give up on her hope of buying a truck one day to go into her own business, whether other drivers want her on the road or not.
Cha Sa-soon, 68, has been trying since 2005 to pass the written portion of the test to get a licence, but she has so far failed to get the 60 percent required to clear it.
"I've looked up some guidebooks to get a driver's license, and they were saying it takes at most five years to get this," Cha said in North Jeolla province, where farmers on tractors or cows can be just as common on country roads as motor vehicles.
"It's already been four years, so I might pass the test next time. That's what I hope for."
Driving schools in South Korea offer courses to enable applicants to walk away with a licence in a week. Cha has not been fortunate enough to set foot in such a class, which tends to congregate more in busy metropolitan areas, but she remains unfazed, even after having spent more than 10 million won ($6,800) on test applications.
"I believe you can achieve your goal if you persistently pursue it," she says. "So don't give up your dream, like me. Be strong and do your best."

(Reporting by Reuters TV, writing by Jack Kiml Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

Something I don't care about

Last night was "OSCAR NIGHT!" The academy awards were given out and the Hollywood show was center stage.

This morning, as I'm working at home on my day off, the news is all aglow with photos and stories about the dresses, the hair, the looks, the "stars."

And I'm thinking....yeah, but there are people with real problems who just need grocery money...why this in-your-face waste? Why such a focus on all this now? It's amazing to me, and one thing I don't care about....in case you were keeping track....this is an event, as far as I'm concerned, that is completely wasteful and meaningless.....there, I feel much better now. Thanks for letting me complain.

Is your God big enough?

I'm surprised at how often I have to ask this question as I talk to people and talk to myself- "Is your God big enough...?" Big enough for your problem, big enough for your need, big enough because you are out of work, big enough because of your situation....is YOUR God big enough?

That should be an easy question, but the truth is that often our words and thoughts tell us and others that our God is small....unable to help us, so we have to take care of it ourselves. I know my own heart, so I can say this with great confidence- most of us worship a god we have created, and not the God who created us! If your God isn't big enough to help then you should be worried! You have a real problem, and it's not simply that you don't have a job, don't have enough money, are sick or have some other problem. You have a problem because your god isn't the right one. The battle of the bible and the battle of the ages is to get men and women to worship the God who is....the God who is able, who is big enough, who can meet your needs...answer your prayers...help you.

Are YOU worshipping the God who created you or have you created one of your own? For me...even as a Christ follower for many years...I have to constantly clean out my "idol closet" and once again worship the God who is...it's the ongoing battle of the human heart. Let me close this by saying there is only one God who is big enough. If your eyes and heart are focused on him then, regardless of the battle ahead, you will be ok.

Monday's cartoon

Not only was Noah the worse preacher who ever lived he was also the master of the bad pun.

Fear of falling

What a time we are living in! Every day I'm hearing of members of our church family who have lost their jobs, wives who have to go back to work and fears of loss most in our culture have never experienced. The fear of falling is in the air. The sense of panic is toxic. We are in a time when we can no longer be self-reliant....it's not enough. Our best experiences, our multiple degrees and our years of self-reliance will not sustain us through these days. We are in a time when the fear of falling is real. All around us are those who have hit the ground and are struggling to recover. What will we do if WE fall? It is a fearsome time in a culture that has been proud, confident and self-reliant. What's amazing to me is that this fear is worldwide. All around us the things we have trusted in are crumbling before our eyes. All around us the things we depended on are collapsing. What do we trust in now? How will we survive now? What do we do now?

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King David asked the same questions. Here's his answer. It's been the answer for multiple millions. In case you are looking for something to calm your fear of falling may I direct your focus to David's solution-

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Psalm 42:5-11- Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

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Saturday's cartoon

The Crevasse - Making of 3D Street Art

This is very interesting. I thought you would like it.