Lessons from Noah's Ark

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark.

ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Nothing says "Love" like a child

Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
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'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4
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'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7
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'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Emily - age 8
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'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
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'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7
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'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends
even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6
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'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8
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'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6
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'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5
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'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7
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'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4
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'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7
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'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it,
you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8
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And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Matthew 18:
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Mark 9:
36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them,
37 "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Ten Commandments - Simplified

Some people have trouble with all those 'shall's' and 'shall not's' in the Ten Commandments. In Southeastern Missouri they translated the 'King James' into 'Butler County' language.

(1) Just one God
(2) Put nothin' before God
(3) Watch yer mouth
(4) Git yourself to Sabbath meetin'
(5) Honor yer Ma & Pa
(6) No killin'
(7) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(8) Don't take what ain't yers
(9) No tellin' tales or gossipin'
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff


That's it, plain an' simple.

Be Thankful

Each day this past year, Jim Fite has posted a "thought for success" to all Judge Fite Company agents and employees. During November, his emails were all about being thankful. I asked that he post them all in one email so I could share them with you. I hope something here "strikes a chord" with you.

I am THANKFUL: "TO EACH OF YOU THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CLIENTS LIVES AND THE SUCCESS OF EACH OTHER." ~ Jim Fite, President, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
I am THANKFUL: FOR A WARM BED AT NIGHT.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY GOD WHO COMFORTS ME AND GIVES ME STRENGTH.
I am THANKFUL: FOR BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT MYSELF.
I am THANKFUL: FOR BEING ABLE TO LIVE LIFE ABUNDANTLY WITH SO LITTLE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR PEOPLE WHO CARE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.
I am THANKFUL: FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
I am THANKFUL: FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY GOD, COUNTRY, STATE, CITY, COMPANY, NEIGHBORHOOD, FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE crazy people I work with BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!
I am THANKFUL: FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Give 'em Hell Harry

Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States. During a speech he was giving in 1948 during his presidential campaign, a supporter yelled out "Give 'em hell, Harry" and that became, not only a common nickname for him, but also the name of a play about part of his politcal life. His reply was, "I'm not giving them hell. I'm just telling the truth and they think it's hell."

Many times, we hear the truth and don't respond appropriately because it is not what we WANT TO HEAR.

The Bible tells us to listen carefully to wise counsel. We must be careful about not only who we listen to, but about who we ignore. After all, Balaam's donkey was wise and he was forced to listent that animal. We don't always know what vehicle God will choose to talk to us!

Numbers 22:
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
24 Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck her again.
26 Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!"
30 So the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?" And he said, "No."
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
32 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.
33 "The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live."
34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back."


Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

Proverbs 9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.

David's Thanksgiving Message - Psalm 118

Psalm 118:
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever."
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, "His mercy endures forever."
4 Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever."
5 I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
11 They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the LORD'S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you hear all of the complaining about the government. It means we have freedom of speech.

Be thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, window that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing. It means you have a home.

The Potter and the Clay

Keep your life in perspective. He has made you and now it is up to you to make the right decisions about how to live the life He has given to you.

Isaiah 29:
15 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, And their works are in the dark; They say, "Who sees us?" and, "Who knows us?"
16 Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"

Isaiah 64:
8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Jeremiah 18:
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

Romans 9:
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
21 Does not the potter have power over th"Why have you made me like thise clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Whenever we lament our misfortunes (as we see them), we are, in effect, questioning the wisdom of God who made us this way. Our job on earth is to make the best of what He has given us to use - not to worry or be despondent about those things we don't have - or can't do.

Do Something

US Senator Paul Simon of Illinois is quote as saying:

"Hard work is not a substitue for talent, but among the least successful people I know are those with considerable talent who mistakenly thought talent alone would be their key to a bright future."

It's not what you have that counts, it's what you DO with it.

Take time

Valerie Starr, Shakespearean actress, on November 4, 1991, is quoted at Stratford-upon-Avon as saying "Everything is within walking distance, if you have the time."

Take the time.

Nehemiah 8:11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."

Psalm 4:4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Live Life

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the one's who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it and if it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.

JESUS

Jesus ...

Had no servants, yet He was called Master
Had no degree, yet He was called Teacher
Had no medicines, yet He was called Healer
Had no army, yet kings feared Him
Won no military battles, yet He conquered the world
Committed no crime, yet He was crucified
Was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today
AND
He is coming again!!!!!!!!

Prayer

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything?

Oh, yes! It really does!

1. Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances? No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

2. Does prayer change your financial future? No, not always, but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs.

3. Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies? No, not always, but it will change your source of strength and comfort.

4. Does prayer change your wants and desires? No, not always, but it will change your wants into what God desires.

5. Does prayer change how you view the world? No, not always, but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.

6. Does prayer change your regrets from the past? No, not always, but it will change your hopes for the future!

7. Does prayer change the people around you? No, not always, but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.

8. Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain? Oh, yes, always! And it will change you from the inside out!

So, does prayer REALLY change ANYTHING?

Yes. It REALLY does change EVERYTHING!

Enjoy the Sabbath - It was made for YOU!

Isaiah 56:
1 Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil."

Matthew 12:
8 "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Matthew 12:
10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" --that they might accuse Him.
11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?
12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Mark 2:
27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

(NKJV)

Work Hard and Live

George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright (1856-1950) wrote the play Man and Superman.

"I want to be completely used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I celebrate life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me, but rather a splendid torch which I hold in my hand at this moment in time, and I want it to burn as brightly as possible before passing it on to future generations."

Matthew 5:
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Ecclesiastes 9:
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

Possible or Impossible?

Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a British fiction writer from Sri Lanka. He is quoted as saying "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Mark 10:27 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

Luke 18:27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Who discovered water?

Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian educator, philosopher and scholar living from 1911 until 1980. He is quoted as saying "I don't know who discovered water, but it wasn't a fish."

Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

Genesis 1:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was without form, and void (literally, became chaotic); and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."
7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
15 "and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so.
16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens."
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

What can you count?

Ken Kersey (Canadian jazz pianist 1916-1983) quote "You can count how many seeds are in the apple, but not how many apples are in the seed"

Matthew 10:30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Walk the Talk

Ralph Waldo Emerson quote "What you are speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say you are"

Matthew 5:
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Philippians 2:
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Timely - with no comment

H. L. Mencken, American Journalist 1880 - 1956, quote "Elections are the advance auction of stolen goods."

Famly

Family is very important in the Bible, and, as this year’s Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am especially thoughtful about how important my family is to me. These thoughts have been in my head for many years and I want to take a moment to share them with you today.

Alfred Jackson (Papa) Dalton – died in 1951 at age 63 of a cerebral hemorrhage when I was 7. He was a funeral director and, later, a coffin salesman. From him I learned love of grandchildren and family along with the wisdom of planning.

Effie Belle Johnson (Mama) Dalton – died in 1990 at age 97. From her, I learned the joy of Christian music and I can still hear her singing “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah”.

Frank Lambert (Grandpa) Hinton – died in 1973 at age 82. From him, I learned how a truly peaceful man can live – with a sense of humor. I can’t find anyone who ever saw him mad. I also learned a lot about business and finances.

Ellora Helphenstine (Grandma) Hinton – died in 1997 at age 107. From her, I learned a lot about true service to others and hard work – as well as honesty and integrity and faith.

Julia Lafell (e) Dalton Hinton – died in 1997 (9 days before Grandma) at age 75. From mom, I learned a lot about appreciation for literature, including poetry, and service to others. Mom was truly at her very best when someone needed help – whether she knew them or not.

Eugene Fay Hinton – died in 2003 at age 85. From dad, I learned a lot about work ethics. Seeing him put himself out to help those less fortunate, then not even charging them for the work made a lasting impression.

Nancy Gayle Hinton Buie – the middle child. She has always been there for me to discuss our most intimate details – about our childhood and adulthood experiences. Her openness and faith are exemplary. She made an excellent choice for a husband, James C. Buie, who has been there for her and his family through their developing years – with faith and diligence.

Janet Faye Hinton Fitzgerald – “Baby Faye-Faye” – Okay, she was dad’s favorite, but she is dear to us, too. She was there to help clean my apartment during my bachelor days which is just one example of how she learned the attitude of “service to others” from mom. In 1980, she made an excellent decision to marry Bill Fitzgerald who has been a perfect mate for her. Their friendship is an ideal example for a marriage.

Monica Hope Hinton – Some may ask why I am including a child who died before she was born, in 1969. Quite simply, from her (we did not officially name her, but chose this name many years later) I learned the importance of the unborn child. Her death heightened my awareness of abortion issues.

Janis Renee Hinton Proctor – What can I say? She is absolutely, from my prejudiced view, the most beautiful daughter ever and has my utmost admiration for her choice of a husband, for her intelligence, for her organizational skills and for her wonderful child-rearing skills.

Brian Wayne Hinton – Again, what can I say? Brian has surpassed any expectations I could have ever had for him. His intelligence, business and organizational skills are as exemplary as his sister’s. His honesty and integrity are beyond reproach. And, his care for his sons is beyond anything I could have ever wished. And, he has grown into an extremely handsome man.

Juanita Ann Smith Hinton – Last and most. This is the only member of my family that I chose to invite into it. That was clearly the best decision I have made in my lifetime. She has been stretched beyond her wildest expectations. She raised two children with care and concern that is immeasurable. We are still learning how to live together, and though the first years were great, our current lives together are wonderful beyond belief.

Live for today

Dr. Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying "Nothing heightens a man's senses so much as the prospect of being hanged in the morning."

Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

Luke 12:19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'

When we are young, an invincible, we can eat, drink and be merry - putting aside many things "for the future". We seem to know that the future is "out there" but it just simply doesn't matter much today.

If we knew for a fact at a young age, that we would not die until a certain age, we would most likely live even more dangerously than we do. But, when we know for certainty that our life if finite, our attitude changes completely. Our priorities are completely rearranged. For many, it is for the better. For many, it is for the worse - they are full of regret, fear and anger.

God says, in the Bible, that we should live a happy life. We should enjoy whatever He has given us to enjoy. The date of our death, for most of us, is unknown. Live today as if you will be hanged tomorrow morning.

What you say cannot be "unsaid"

John Sewel, a prominent Cadillac dealer in the Dallas area, is quoted as saying "You can shear a sheep for many years, but you can only skin it once."

We need to make wise decisions. Not all of them can be "undone".

I recall the story about the grandfather who was appalled by statements made by his grandson that had truly hurt someone. The boy simply did not understand why it was som important.

The grandfather gave a box of nails and a hammer to the grandson, then told him to go out to the back forty and hammer all of the nails into the wooden fence. When the boy was done, the grandfather told him to go out and take all of the nails out of the fence.

The grandson was frustrated, but did as he was told. When he was done, he went back to his grandfather and was told to look at the fence. The nails were gone, he pointed out, but the holes remained.

When we say something, we need to realize that the impact can oftern never be repaired.

Proverbs:
12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:23 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.

James 3:
3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

John Muir quote:

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings; nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine into flowers; the winds will blow their freshness into you and the storms their energy; and cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

Psalm 46:
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Don't rely on own knowledge - seek wise counsel

Woodrow Wilson is quoted as saying "I use not only all the brains I have, but all I can borrow."

Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.

Proverbs 20:18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

Prover 24:6 For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

Isaiah 19:11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools; Pharaoh's wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, The son of ancient kings?"

Daniel 2:14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;

Surpassing the Master?

Nell Elam, teacher at the Starkville, Mississippi public school is quoted as saying "The disciple who doesn't surpass his master, fails him."

Jesus says the same. And, in this time of greater medicine for treatment of severe diseases, we can believe it. In His time, the world did not have the ability to move mountains as we do today on a routine basis to make roads and to build cities. Heart disease and cancer, the two leading causes of death, can be controlled and in many cased cured. In His time, only He had that power. He still has that power and more. But we have learned to do many things, and to progress.

John 14:
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Think Good Thoughts; Think God Thoughts

John Williams, a tennis pro from South Seas Plantation on Captiva Island, Florida is quoted as saying "You can control the way you play by the way you think."

Of course, he was talking about tennis, but this concept is also a Biblical direction for playing the game of LIFE.

Philippians 4:
1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Maria Robinson

I was in the waiting room at the Allen Presbyterian Hospital recently (again) for some tests. The reception area had a paper posted that caught my eye and I asked for a copy. This quote is attributed to Maria Robinson. I had never heard of her, so I went online (of course). She apparently is a writer with many, many published quotes. I found this one to be at the top of the list.

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

We all make mistakes, and many of us have dwelt on them - regretting them and making them a much larger part of our lives than they merit. The past is gone and we can't change it, but we can change our behavior starting this very moment. That is what the Bible means about "overcoming" and "repentance". It means "never doing that again."

Learn from the mistakes of the past and change the behaviors of the future. God will forgive the past.

Don't drift through life - Do something!

"I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving; To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

James 4:
13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

We are not to focus on what we DON'T HAVE!

Peter Drucker quote - "The great mystery isn't that people do things badly, but that they occasionally do a few things well. The only thing that is universal is incompetence. Strength is always specific! Nobody ever commented, for example, that the great violinist Jascha Heifetz couldn't play the trumpet very well."

God has given each of us a gift. Our challenge is to identify it and then to use it for HIS purpose.

We are never to focus on what we DON'T HAVE. That is to question God's purpose.

1 Corinthians 12:
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Be Happy

Benjamin Franklin - "Wine is a constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy."

Ecclesiastes 2:
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 3:
12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor-it is the gift of God.

Mastering Love

"Some day after mastering the winds, the waves, the tide and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then - for the second time in the history of the world - man will have discovered fire." - Tielhard de Chardin - French Jesuit poet, scientist and writer 1881 - 1953

Matthew 5:42 "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 22:
37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 "This is the first and great commandment.
39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

John 14:
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.
30 "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
31 "But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

1 Corinthians 13:
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

It won't come to you automatically

Richard Bach quote "You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however."

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Robert Frost on Education

Robert Frost "Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence."

Proverbs
1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
1:6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
3:35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.
6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
8:33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it.
9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
9:12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone."
10:1 A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his moth
10:5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.
10:8 The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.
10:10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble, But a prating fool will fall.
10:14 Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
12:16 A fool's wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame.
12:18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
13:1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
14:3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.
14:16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.
15:2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
15:5 A fool despises his father's instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent.
15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, But the heart of the fool does not do so.
15:12 A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, Nor will he go to the wise.
15:31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise.
17:7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince.
17:10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.
18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
18:15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
19:20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
20:3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
21:11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
23:19 Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.
24:7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.
26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
28:11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
29:8 Scoffers set a city aflame, But wise men turn away wrath.
29:9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
29:11 A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.

Overcome Obstacles

Ernest Shackleton, Arctic explorer "Obstacles are merely things you overcome."

1 John 2:13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

1 John 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Revelation 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

Revelation 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'

Revelation 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

Revelation 2:26 "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations--

Revelation 3:5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

Revelation 3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Revelation 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Mississippi Wisom

Quote cited from Jerry Clower of Liberty MS

"I don't care how good you can pick a guitar,
how good you can sing,
how good you can tell a story,
how good you can perform ...

If you still ain't good people,
you ain't nothing."

Ecclesiastes 3:12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson

"To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have successful."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

You can't teach

Galileo quote "You can't teach a person anything. You can only help him discover it for himself."

People will not listen to you until they are ready to hear the answer. An answer to a person without the question is useless.


Proverbs
12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.

18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.

23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

29:9 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

Live for today; You are not promised a tomorrow

Moliere quote "Men spend most of their lives worrying about things that never happen."

Matthew 6:
30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

James 4:
13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

Choose how you live this day wisely

Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Don't WASTE IT!!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

We all have dire situations in our lives. It is how we view them that makes us different.

Live life. Don't Worry; Be Happy! It is a choice! It is YOUR choice.

About God and Barbers

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: 'I don't believe that God exists.'

'Why do you say that?' asked the customer.

'Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.
Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.'

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

'You know what? Barbers do not exist.'

'How can you say that?' asked the surprised barber. 'I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!'

'No!' the customer exclaimed. 'Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.'

'Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me.'

'Exactly!' affirmed the customer. 'That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world.'

Problems

The problem isn't the problem, the problem is the attitude about the problem. from Kelly Young

And remember, the solution to any problem simply changes the problem. Problems are opportunities to test our attitude and to help us overcome the world.

Revelation 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

We don't "overcome" chocolate and wine and other things we enjoy. We can only "overcome" challenges in our lives.

Lessons from Noah

I am not afraid of tomorrow - for I have lived thru yesterday, and I will love today . . . . .

Noah's Ark : Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .

ONE : Don't miss the boat.
TWO : Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR : Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN : For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE : When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN : No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Most people walk in and out of your life,
but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

Do Something!

Chinese proverb as reported by Guy Kawaski:

Man stand for long time with mouth open before roast duck fly in.

The purpose of memories

"Today I know that ... memories are the key, not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do."

Corrie ten Boom (The Hiding Place, 1971)

RECALL NOTICE:

I just received this today from a cousin.

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.
Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter God' Kingdom so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention!

- GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'!

Because He Lives!

Choose Happiness

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying "People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Choose happiness. It is your decision.

Marriage

This was posted on Facebook by Vicky Gray Deaton. She gave me permission to share it.

MARRIAGE

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside
the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

Problem Solving

The solution to any problem only changes the problem, so choose wisely which problem you want to live with.

Where are you looking?

Worry looks around
Sorry looks back
Faith looks up

Be Careful Who You Listen To

Dr. Ernest Boyer, President of Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Learning during a commencement address at Trinity University in 1988 said "An incompetent teacher is even worse than an incompetent surgeon. For a surgeon can only cut up one person at at time."

Trials

"A man is never so on trial as in moment of excessive good fortune."

This quote (author unknown) came up yesterday when commuicating with a person experiencing person trials.

James 1:

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

1 Peter 1:

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.

What are you afraid of?

James F. Byrnes is credited with making this inciteful statement:

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity; they seem more afraid of life than of death."

Watch for an open door

Jack Kemp's mother is quoted as saying "A door never closes on your life that another one doesn't open."

Watch for it. Ask God for guidance, and He will open the next door.

Isaiah 28:29 This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

Control what you say

Lou Holtz quote: "When all is said and done, usually more is said than done."

Proverbs 6:2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 17:27 He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.

Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

James 3:
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Where are you going?

"Cheshire-Puss ..." said Alice, "would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where ..." said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

" ... So long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

Many people go through life like Alice. They want someone to give them direction without much real thought about where they want to end. Once you set your goal on Eternal Life, the answer is really quite simple. Jesus gave us the answer:

John 14:
4 "And where I go you know, and the way you know."
5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Eleanor Roosevelt quote: "The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

I wonder if she got that idea from Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 3:
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Ecclesiastes 5:
18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes 8:
15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

Keep Growing

E. Stanley Jones quote - "You don't grow old. You get old by not growing."

Children

Children are living messages we send to a time we will not see. - Author unknown

Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

Fairness

We say "Life is not fair", and then behave as if it is. Quoted from John Hall of Innovation Consulting, Inc.

Ezekiel 1:
25 "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?
26 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
28 "Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
29 "Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"

Do It Well

Martin Luther King, Jr. quote --

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.'"

The future

Nils Bohr, physicist, was quoted as saying "It's hard to predict, especially the future."

Don't worry about it!

Interesting Concept - Bible vs Cell Phone

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

Focus on the positive

Art Mortell is quoted as saying "People are remembered in life not for how few times they fail, but for how often they succeed."

Remember that, in baseball, a batter who does not get a hit 7 times of 10 is considered a success. That means he hit for a .300 average. Babe Ruth set records for striking out, but he is most remembered for hitting home runs. Thomas Alva Edison once boasted that he knew 1000 ways of creating an electric light bulb that did not work - before he changed the world as we know it.

Love is stronger than death

A quote from Robert Fulghum:

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge; that myth is more potent than history. I believe that dreams are more powerful than facts; that hope always triumphs over experience; that laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death."

Think Positive

If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you're right.

Remember, with God all things are possible.

Be Careful Who You Trust

There are two types of fools: Those who trust everyone and those who trust no one.

When facing surgery, one must trust the anesthesiologist, the nurses and the surgeons. But, in reality, one's trust must ulimately be in God. Beyond that, one does not have any control.

Remember, experts disagree. Otherwise, there would be no controversy over the "best answer" for anything. Make sure your decisions, and your trust, are clear in prayers. Then let God's will be done.

Live One Day at a Time

You may want to consider the phrase "Day tight compartment living". After, today is all we have. The past is history. We need to learn from it, but not be enslaved to it. "Get over it" is something we human beings have a hard time doing.

We need to plan, but to always understand that God's plan will take precedence over out plans.

"If you are constantly looking back, chances are pretty good you'll fall into a hole ahead."

Don't Worry - But if you do ...

Worrying about what's right is always more important than worrying about who's right.

You can do the impossible

Nothing is more rewarding than to watch someone who says it can't be done get interrupted by someone actually doing it.

Remember - the Titanic was unsinkable and the Spanish Armada was unable to be defeated. Never say anything is impossible. If it is God's will, it will happen.

Don't Lie

Remember - people who will lie for you, will lie to you.

What does it take to make you happy?

If you aren't happy with what you've got now, what makes you think you'll be happier with more?

Live Right

If someone says something unkind about you, live your life so that no one will believe it.

Win

The race is not always won by the fastest runner but sometimes by those who just keep running.

Maintain your equipment - including your body

Spend the extra dollars to maintain your equipment. Remember, you don't have to brush all your teeth either ... only the ones you want to keep.

Wise or Foolish

Remember - a wise man can say a foolish thing, and a fool can say something wise once in a while.

Note from God

I have heard this before, and have just come across it again in a book I am currently ready.

"Do not feel totally, personally, irrevocably responsible for everthing. That's my job" signed, God

How many times do we take on more responsibility than is actually ours. I am of the opinion that it happens as much or more often than the times we shirk our real responsibilities.

We need to go to the Holy Spirit - that is, we need to clear our minds and listen to what the Spirit is telling us. Then we can be open to listening to the will of God - and read His notes to us.

Top Ten Predictions

Sometimes an email going "around" is really good enough to share. Most are not that good and many are downright cruel. But Nita received this one and I thought I would post it for you to see.

With all the problems the world is facing, it can be unsettling to the mind. Today, I will share with you ten predictions that are true!

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still honor the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Isn't it great to remember who is really in controls and that "the word of the Lord endures forever."? (1 Peter 1.25

Shakespeare Quote

"When the sea was calm, all ships alike showed mastership in floating." - William Shakespeare

We learn and grow from adversity. Good times do nothing to test a person's character.

James 1:
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Romans 5:
"1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Marriage - Growing Together

I had heard the "cycle" before from other readings. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was the first scientific person to ask people what they were experiencing when facing death. The stages of the cycle as she published in On Death and Dying were experienced in this sequence: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. This was not new to me as I continued ready Dr. M. Scott Peck's book The Road Less Traveled and Beyond. What was new to me was this cycle being applied to a successful marriage.

He wrote "Someone in an audience once asked me whether long-term marriages go through these stages, and I said they do indeed. Initially, as differences between partners emerge, our first tendency is to try to deny those differences and to deny that we have fallen out of love. When we can no longer deny that, we get angry at our spouse for being different from us. When that eventually doesn't get us anywhere and our spouse doesn't change, we try to bargain in some manner or another - 'I'll change in this way if you'll change in that way.' When that doesn't work, then we tend to bewcome depressed and the marriage looks very doubtful. But if we can hang in there - often for a period of many years, and in the case of my marriage to Lily it was close to twenty years - we can finally learn how to accept our spouse and can come, as Lily and I have done, to a relationship that is better than romantic love and even seems to partake of glory. But many people seem to believe a marriage that experiences these stages is not a good one at all, as if long-term relationships must be totally smoot sailing. ... Indeed, despite all the ups and downs - through the death of illusions and the rebirths of trust and acceptance - that Lily and I experenced, we have emerged with a greater degree of understanding than either of us could have ever envisioned."

I don't know if I could have understood this all years ago, but, especially for those of you who have not been married nearly 42 years, that Dr. Peck's analysis is absolutely true. At any time in the "cycle" (denial, anger, bargaining, depression or acceptance) many couples decide it is not worth the effort and file for a divorce. In fact, for some marriages, that is the only workable solution. BUT, if you can navigate the "cylce", the end result is incredible. Making a marriage "work", does indeed require "work".

Flip Wilson

Flip Wilson in his character "Geraldine" said:

"Don't let your mouth write a check your body can't cash".

Many of you may be too young to have seen Flip Wilson in action, but he was quite funny. As with many comics, his comedic statements often had very serious points. This one is exceptionally appropriate.

The book of James addresses this quote very well.

James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

John Colyer quote 1761

"If a boy has enough intelligence, he should consider studying for the ministry; unless when he goes to carousing, drinking and wenching, in which case, he ought to consider law."

Marriage Counseling

Ok, the title may be a bit misleading, but I didn't think of another way to say it. No, I am not a marriage counselor, but in my role as a minister as well as many years as a manager at EDS, I have been a good listener of people with marriage problems. I found a common thread through many of the stories.

As in the recent past, I turn to Dr. Scott Peck to put my experiences into words.

"I assume that Lily (his wife) should somehow be there for me whenever I wanted her, and not be there whenever her presence was inconvenient. Furthermore, I assume that she should somehow not only know which time was which but also know it wihtout my having to tell her. It was perhaps another decade before I was able to fully cure myself of that particular insanity."

Wives seem to know this, but don't always know how to deal with it. They maybe don't even know how to express it. Husbands seem to most often be completely unaware of it. I was. As Dr. Peck's experience notes, it can take years or decades to overcome this "insanity". We must work at it. And, when husbands and wives recognized these sorts of behavior, and work at them, the rewards can be incredible.

Sydney Smith on Marriage

Sometimes reading a quote creates an "aha moment". I have had a great many of them over the past 66 years and had another today while reading a weekly news magazine. The quote was attributed to Sydney Smith, an English writer. The quote was picked up from the Fort Wayne Indiana News-Sentinel.

"Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they can't be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them."

Since I am a very visual learner, the image of a pair of shears came easy to me. Have you ever seen a pair of shears with the center pin broken or lost? No matter how sharp the blades, a pair of shears that is not joined so it cannot be separated is utterly useless.