Just Gas...

Just a gas pump, right? Now think back a few MONTHS ago when gas was over $4/gallon. Then, it was really important because it seemed to be affecting everything! Overnight, EVERYTHING seemed more expensive! People talked about nothing else and they were ANGRY! Consider the following article sent to me by Ron Cameron:

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.' Please share this with someone you care about.. I JUST DID

I really liked this, but I think they should have added a lot more coffee and one more ingredient: gluten. When combined and heated the whole thing would solidify. God is like that; if HE holds everything together, then your life is rock solid.

Jesus said:

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

The Webster Bible

The most important things in this life are those leading to the next. If God's priorities are truly yours, then life will be completely full. Its not the rolling stones, but life can be a gas, gas, gas! Anyone for a fill up?

Kids say the darndest things

If you recognize this picture, then you are as old as I am. In the early days of TV, Art Linkletter had a popular show called house party and one segment was called "kids say the darnedest things". Each child would be asked a seemingly simple question and the responses from young children were often hilarious! My thanks to Paul Harris for sending me this!

What Love means to a 4-8 year old....

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. 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:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'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

'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

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'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)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7

'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

'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

'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann -age 4 '

I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.' Mark - age 6

'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

And the final one:

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'

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply say the following small prayer for the person who sent you this. Heavenly Father, please bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know they may be needing this day! And may their life be full of Your peace, prosperity and power as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with You. Amen. Then send it on to five other people. Within hours you caused a multitude of people to pray for other people. Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life. John J. Stankiewicz

I have always liked the following:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Webster Bible

Suprise!

This photo does make me wonder! Its probably very innocent, but what's the knife for? The cake, of course! However, it does say something about marriage; you never really know what's going to happen. Even after 40 years, I never really know what my wife is going to do next! One thing is for sure, if there is enough love, the MARRIAGE WILL WORK!
Paul put it this way:
Eph 5:21 subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22 The wives! to your own husbands subject yourselves, as to the Lord,
Eph 5:23 because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ is head of the assembly, and he is saviour of the body,
Eph 5:24 but even as the assembly is subject to Christ, so also are the wives to their own husbands in everything.
Eph 5:25 The husbands! love your own wives, as also the Christ did love the assembly, and did give himself for it,
Eph 5:26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the bathing of the water in the saying,
Eph 5:27 that he might present it to himself the assembly in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it may be holy and unblemished;
Eph 5:28 so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife--himself he doth love;
Eph 5:29 for no one ever his own flesh did hate, but doth nourish and cherish it, as also the Lord--the assembly,
Eph 5:30 because members we are of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones;
Eph 5:31 `for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be--the two--for one flesh;'
Eph 5:32 this secret is great, and I speak in regard to Christ and to the assembly;
Eph 5:33 but ye also, every one in particular--let each his own wife so love as himself, and the wife--that she may reverence the husband. Young's Literal Translation

There have been many surprises over the years, but the most pleasant is that genuine love can continue to grow and with the help of God it can be beautiful beyond description.

When 1 and 1 is not 2

This is a relic isn't it! My first calculator (1971) wasn't much better; it was big and expensive and didn't do much, but it was MINE! I enjoy watching the science channel and recently I saw an episode about string theory. Basically, it says that all things are possible in the apparent infinite number of universes. I don't remember who came up with the idea, but whoever it was, they probably have a lot more braincells than I will ever have!! So, with all things being possible, I set out to think about how math could work in another universe; suppose 1 and 1 weren't 2 there? What would they be? I really don't know the answer, but there is a case in THIS WORLD where it could be. We don't think about it much, but 1 is a digit in our numbering system. If you list the next placeholder you now have a ten... so add the two placeholders together and you have 11. Its just a matter of how you look at things!

Think about the following Bible passage:

2Co 12:1 To boast, really, is not profitable for me, for I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2Co 12:2 I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago--whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known--such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;
2Co 12:3 and I have known such a man--whether in the body, whether out of the body, I have not known, God hath known, --
2Co 12:4 that he was caught away to the paradise, and heard unutterable sayings, that it is not possible for man to speak.
2Co 12:5 Of such an one I will boast, and of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities,
2Co 12:6 for if I may wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for truth I will say; but I forebear, lest any one in regard to me may think anything above what he doth see me, or doth hear anything of me;
2Co 12:7 and that by the exceeding greatness of the revelations I might not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of the Adversary, that he might buffet me, that I might not be exalted overmuch.
2Co 12:8 Concerning this thing thrice the Lord did I call upon, that it might depart from me,
2Co 12:9 and He said to me, `Sufficient for thee is My grace, for My power in infirmity is perfected;' most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of the Christ may rest on me:

I think Paul was probably referring to himself in the passage and if so, what the point? Well, no matter how much we may "know", God knows more. All this leads to a focal point; which is, if you think 1 and 1 are not 2 you may be right, but so what, God has a better calculator. Just open the pages and look.... its called The Holy Bible!

Its snow problem

Living in Florida in the winter has its advantages, but not during August, when its 90+ EVERY DAY! As a child in upstate New York, I thought it was a "big deal" to see 2 or even 3 feet of snow, but the above picture is mind blowing. Can you imagine living there? I guess the trick is to be happy where you are and realize that we all have problems, some just seem overwhelming!

Consider the words of the Apostle Paul:

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, 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 any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace will be with you.
Php 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am, with that to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

The Webster Bible

No matter how deep the snow of your life may be, things change. Remember, snow melts!

Introspection

Is it possible to measure God? How would one go about it? I was thinking about it tonight after I read the following passage from Luke 18.

Luk 18:9 And he spoke this parable to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Webster Bible

How Big is God how large is He?
Bigger than a pebble, smaller than a tree?

Far, far away or right near by
The search is most difficult, but still I will try.

Do I start with my heart
Or begin with my eye?

When I start with the heavens I can barely see
The immensity of God is eternity.

When I look at others and compare them to me,
I know I can never measure God;
Instead he measures me.

Astronomers have measured huge distances as the above picture of our galaxy's center plainly shows, but, I wonder.... Do we even understand our own hearts?

Lunch!

When I first looked at this I thought they were singing! Then I realized they were waiting for their lunch (or whatever)! Food is necessary and often very enjoyable. My grandfather Raymond lived through the depression and would often say "Its a good day when you get a dish of beans"!!! You would never know it to look at me now, but as a youngster I (and everyone else in the family) never really had enough to eat. I remember my grandmother Gladys would sometimes get a little extra food and then give it to me when nobody was looking. She cared for me a great deal and to this day I still don't know why. I could say the same thing about the God of the heavens too. Why should HE care about me; what have I done? But, I have to admit, I can see how my way has been guided throughout my life. Its like the way the Israelites were guided in the dessert. Think about the following passage from Deuteronomy and see if its something like how God has worked in your life...

Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments, or not.
Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

The Webster Bible

Just like the chicks in the picture, we need to learn to depend upon God; we NEED HIM! Its not just food, either and not just lunch.... life with God is a banquet!

Fear

I couldn't move in my bed, I tried, but for some reason nothing happened. Finally, I saw a shadow behind me, and it was getting bigger. Two small "arms" appeared in front of my head and then there was a deafening crunch and incredible pain in the back of my head, followed by a terrible burning sensation. I woke up screaming!! This nightmare actually happened to me about fifteen or so times in the early seventies. I remember two episodes with spiders, one as a child and the other at age seventeen, when I fell into a pit in the cellar and came out with about twenty or more large black ones crawling all over me. In my mid-twenties I started reading the Bible seriously for about an hour or more a day and didn't even notice the nightmares had stopped. In retrospect, I think God took them away, but I just didn't think about it at the time because I was so engrossed in my reading. What you fear says a great deal about you!

Jesus said to his disciples:

Mat 10:28 And fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

The Webster Bible

I thank God its been over 30 years since I had those nightmares and I still wonder what they meant or what actually caused them. But, fear is not necessarily a bad thing, for it can help you stay alive when faced with danger. Its easy to understand worldly fear, but I wonder how many of us truly comprehend Godly fear? Perhaps we should think it more often; it might just save our lives!

When 1 is 0

I would feel very nervous about using this toilet! I imagine most people would not even have such a thing in their house, let alone even think about training their young with it. I can envision little kids being terrified that it would gobble them up. Why show such a thing? Because there are no real pictures of black holes, that's why. A black hole gobbles everything up, even light, so there aren't any pictures! Its an astronomy object with unbelievable mass and yet we can't see it; sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Discipleship is like that, consider what Jesus said:

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whoever will save his life, shall lose it: but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? The Webster Bible

You can't really see spiritual life, except for its godly effects in this life; yet it is there. Like the black hole, you have to believe in something you can't see and according to Jesus, your very life depends on losing what you want to keep. The truth is that we can't understand everything; we can try, but to quote Wayne Walden "stop talking, you're making my head hurt". I have tried to truly understand the complexities of the eternal, yet like Job in the Bible, I realize I will never completely do it. To me, its like making a one into a zero; first you realize that you are at the bottom and God is at the top and the only way to approach the infinite is to bend to the will of the Almighty. When you submit to HIS WILL for your life and give up your own, you gain your life by losing it; again, a contradiction to our thinking, but not to HIS. Sometimes its just easier to do something rather than to try to comprehend it. I rejoice in the times I have truly given myself over to the will of God and regret those times I haven't. I don't know about you, but I think its better to be a zero than a 1; safer, too.

Oh, No!

This is going to hurt! Could this accident waiting to happen have been avoided? Possibly, but its more likely he (or she) just took too many chances, didn't pay attention to their own safety or maybe just didn't care. There are a lot of things in life that are dangerous, but knowing how to handle yourself in a spiritually dangerous situation is essential. Look at the example of Jesus!

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou art the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 And saith to him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall uphold thee, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7 Jesus said to him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up upon an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,
Mat 4:9 And saith to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus to him, Be gone, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The Webster Bible

Notice that in each instance of temptation Jesus answers with Scripture. Pretty good example to follow isn't it? If we all did, I think there would be a lot less spiritual "Oh, No's" in this world. Perhaps even a few less accidents too.