Another Man's Crime

Thought: "When you make the sacrifice in marriage, you're sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship" - Joseph Campbell

Bible text: “But the fact is, it was our pains he carried--our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him--our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).

Calvin Willis stepped out of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, his arms raised in victory. Willis had served 22 years—half his lifetime—behind prison bars for another man’s brutal crime. Post-conviction DNA testing in 2003 excluded Willis as the perpetrator of a 1981 rape for which he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Despite a solid alibi and evidence that pointed toward another individual, witnesses’ accounts and a match between Willis’ blood type and fluids found at the scene persuaded a jury that Willis was guilty. Only after technological advances enabled further testing of the decades-old DNA was Willis exonerated.

It is unthinkable that Willis, or any other human being, would purposely accept the punishment for another’s crime. However, fully understanding the path His conviction would lead Him, Jesus suffered willingly for crimes he had no part in—the sins of countless generations to come. He took the wrongs of the beings He loved so much and made the crimes His own, accepting not only the disfiguring stigma of the sins themselves, but also the separation from God that was an inherent part of the process.

Healing Power

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 foretells the story of His great sacrifice. “But the fact is, it was our pains he carried--our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him--our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).

Christ knew we were imperfect. He could see each and every sin humans would commit throughout the centuries. He knew many would turn their back and refuse His sacrifice. And yet, we are told, like a lamb about to be sacrificed, Jesus lay down His life in an effort to save even one person who might choose life over sin and Christ over chaos (Isaiah 53:7).

While it is only natural for a human to seek justice over a wrongful conviction, Christ knew His acceptance of our sins would have wonderful eternal ramifications for those who would choose Him. Isaiah 53:12 states, “Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly--the best of everything, the highest honors--Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.” For the cost of His suffering, we are invited to spend eternity with Him in a place created especially for us.

By Lauren Schwarz. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines. Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE ®.

Soul sized issues

Bible text: Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Hebrews 10:22

Thought: Like cold water to a parched throat so is peace to a weary soul.

Prayer:Sovereign Father, as I begun this new day filled with responsibilities and soul sized issues; I am irresistibly drawn into Your presence by the magnetism of Your love and my need for your guidance. I come to You at Your invitation; in the quiet of intimate communion with You, the tightly wound springs of pressure and stress are released and a profound inner peace fills my heart and mind.

I hear again the impelling cadences of the drumbeat of Your Spirit calling me to press on in the battle for truth, righteousness, and justice. My mind snaps to full attention, and my heart salutes You as Sovereign Lord. You have given me a mind capable of receiving Your mind, an imagination able to envision Your plan and purpose for me, and a will ready to do Your will.

Help me to remember that no problem is too small to escape Your concern and no perplexity is too great to resist Your solutions. I know You will go before me to show me the way, behind me to press me forward, beside me to give me courage, above me to protect me, and within me to give me wisdom and discernment.

Lead on, oh King Eternal…in Your all-powerful name.

Genesis 20

Read the whole chapter of Genesis 20.

What we can learn from this is that deception can come just as easily by what you don't say. We can see here a great example of someone trying to stick to the letter of the law while missing the principle behind it entirely.

Someone once said that even "facts" come with interpretations and preconceived ideas. In what less-than-honest ways do you sometimes interpret the "facts"? Might you need to make something right in a case in which you, like Abraham, twisted the facts more by what you neglected to say than by what you actually said?

Learning Patience

Text: Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:8,9 NIV).

Thought: Patience is a quality you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.

A man's car once stalled in heavy Friday evening traffic just as the light turned green. All his efforts to start the engine failed. A chorus of honking rose from the cars behind him.

Feeling just as frustrated as those other drivers eager to get home or to their weekend destinations, he finally got out of his car and walked back to the first driver and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't seem to get my car started. If you'll go up there and give it a try, I'll stay here and blow your horn for you."

The person who is chronically impatient rarely makes another person go faster or arrive earlier. Rather, the effects are nearly always negative - to others as well as to the impatient person. Accidents occur more frequently in haste. Ulcers, headaches, and other health problems develop more quickly. And relationships can become more readily strained.

As an antidote for impatience, try giving yourself "ten more minutes." Get up ten minutes earlier every morning, leave ten minutes earlier, arrive ten minutes ahead of schedule, and so forth. You'll likely arrive at the end of the day feeling much more relaxed.

Prayer: Father, I ask You to deliver me from self centredness and transform me into the image of Jesus Christ-Amen.

Serving God

Text: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6 NIV).

Thought: Most people wish to serve God - but only in an advisory capacity.

An old poem tells of a woman who was walking through a meadow one day. As she strolled along, meditating on nature, she came upon a field of golden pumpkins. In the corner of the field stood a majestic, huge oak tree.

The woman sat under the oak tree and began musing about the strange twists in nature. Why tiny acorns on huge branches and huge pumpkins on tiny vines. She thought, God blundered with Creation! He should have put the small acorns on the tiny vines and the large pumpkins on the huge branches.

Before long, the woman dozed off in the warmth of the late autumn sunshine. She was awakened when a tiny acorn bounced off her nose. Chuckling to herself, she amended her previous thinking, Maybe God was right after all!

In every situation, God knows far more about the people and circumstances involved than we can ever know. He alone sees the beginning from the ending. He alone knows how to create a Master Plan that provides for the good of all those who serve Him.

Prayer: Father, I place my trust and confidence in You. I surrender my will to You and receive Your joy and peace-Amen.

Work doesn't make a person, relationships do!

No one ever said on his or her deathbed: I wish I had spent more time at work!

Biblical texts: I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. (Ecclesiastes 2:18)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Colossians 3:23) Dutch author and priest Henri Nouwen admits in his book "In the Name of Jesus" that he felt as if he was in a "rut" in his life for more than twenty years. Nouwen seemed to have it made, with an outstanding academic resume and a noble field of study. Yet, he said, "As I entered into my fifties, I came face-to face with a simple question, "Did becoming older bring me closer to Jesus. After twenty-five years of priesthood, I found myself praying poorly, living somewhat isolated from other people, and very much preoccupied with burning issues, I woke up one day with the realisation that I was living in a very dark place."

Nouwen asked God to show him where He wanted him to go and the Lord made it clear to him that he should leave his prestigious role as a distinguished professor and join the L'Arche communities for mentally handicapped people. In Nouwen's words, "God said, Go and live among the poor in spirit, and they will heal you." So he did. He faced numerous lessons, some painful, a few humiliating, but in all, he learned how to be a humble servant and a compassionate, caring friend. Nouwen came to realise: it's not work that makes a person, but rather, relationships.

With God, all things are possible!

You can accomplish more in one hour with God than one lifetime without Him.

Biblical Text: Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible". (Matthew 19:26)

Rachel and Jim owned a commercial building, half of which Jim used for his dental practice. For fifteen years, they had experienced no difficulty in renting out the other half. They counted on the extra income to pay their bills, and then they lost their renter. A real estate agent told them, "Forget about advertising for a while. Absolutely nobody is renting."

To ease her financial worries, Rachel started swimming laps at her local YMCA pool. One day when she was feeling especially anxious, she decided to pray as she swam, using the alphabet to keep track of the number of laps. She focused on adjectives to describe God, starting with the letter A. "You are the almighty God," she prayed on lap one. "A benevolent God, a beautiful God," she prayed on the next lap, and then, "You are a caring, creative, can-do God." By the time she had completed 26 laps, an hour had passed and her fears were gone. She knew God would provide.

A short time later, a physical therapist called to say she had seen the "For Rent" sign in the window and asked to see the office. It was what she wanted. So, she and her partner rented the space. Rachel still prays while swimming laps. "After all," she says, "I've discovered God's goodness stretches from A to Z!"

Where are you, and where do you want to be?

Laziness and poverty are cousins.

Biblical text: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. (Proverbs 24:33,34)

One day, a grandfather told his grandchildren about his coming to America. He told of the trains and ship that he took from his home in Eastern Europe. He told of being processed at Ellis Island and how he had gone to a cafeteria in lower Manhattan to get something to eat. There, he sat down at an empty table and waited quite some time for someone to take his order. Nobody came. Finally, a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and explained to him how a cafeteria works.

She said, "You start at that end" ? pointing toward a stack of trays ? "and then go along the food line and pick out what you want. At the other end, they'll tell you how much you have to pay."

The grandfather reflected a moment and then said, "I soon learned that's how everything works in America. Life's a cafeteria here. You can get anything you want ? even very great success ? if you are willing to pay the price. But you'll never get what you want if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it yourself."

The difference between where you are and where you want to be can often be summed up in one word: work.

Positive thinking overcomes...

Thought: It isn't your position that makes you happy or unhappy, it's your disposition.

Bible text: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Timothy 6:6,7 NIV).

A traditional Supervisor's Prayer states: Lord, when I am wrong, make me willing to change. When I am right, make me easy to live with. So strengthen me that the power of my example will far exceed the authority of my rank.

A positive attitude may not directly change your circumstances, but it will change the way you respond to your circumstances. The responses of positive people are far more likely to be:

When Reward Outweighs Recognition?

Thought: Authority makes some people grow and others just swell.

Biblical text: The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11, 12)

Everybody knows of Isaac Newton's famed encounter with a falling apple, and how Newton introduced the laws of gravity and revolutionized astronomical studies. But few know that if it weren't for Edmund Halley, the world may never have heard of Newton. Halley was the one who challenged Newton to think through his original theories. He corrected Newton's mathematical errors and prepared geometrical figures to support his discoveries. It was Halley who coaxed the hesitant Newton to write his great work, "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy." And it was Halley who edited and supervised its publication, financing its printing even though Newton was wealthier and could better afford the cost.

Historians have called Halley's relationship with Newton one of the most selfless examples in science. Newton began almost immediately to reap the rewards of prominence; Halley received little credit. He did use the principles Newton developed to predict the orbit and return of a comet that would later bear his name, but since Halley's Comet only returns every 76 years, few hear his name. Still, Halley didn't care who received credit as long as the cause of science was advanced. He was content to live without fame.

Sometimes just the reward of what we are doing far outweighs the recognition we often think we need to have.

The Unbreakable Bond of Marriage

May our Father be with you always,
Never try to walk alone.
Keep Him in your hearts
And always in your home.
Each night before you rest
As in your bed you lay.
Join close hand in hand
Then begin to pray.
Call upon our Father
To strengthen this bond so tight.
Forgetting all trials and fears
As you hold close every night.
For two that join as one
And never cease each day,
Lifting their prayer to heaven
In this very special way,
Will only see their love increase
Added in every measure,
For two who pray to Our Father
Will always stay together.


Copyright© 2001 Jeffrey Campbell

On keeping confidences...

Thought: A shut mouth gathers no foot.

Biblical text: He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3 NIV).

Constance Cameron tells a lesson her mother taught her. One day, when she was about eight, she was playing beside an open window. Inside, Mrs Brown was confiding a personal problem to Constance's mother. After Mrs Brown had gone, the mother realised that Constance had heard everything that had been said. She called her in and said, "If Mrs Brown had left her purse here today, would we give it to anyone else?"

"Of course not," the girl said. Her mother went on, "Mrs Brown left something more precious than her pocketbook today. She left a story that could make many people unhappy. That story is not ours to give to anyone. It is still hers, even though she left it here. So we shall not give it to anyone. Do you understand?"

She did. And from that day on, whenever a friend would share a confidence or even engage in careless gossip, she considered what they said to be the personal property of the other person - and not hers to give to anyone else.

The old saying bears great truth: "If you don't have something positive to say about someone or something, don't say anything."

Death Will End

Thought: Live life so completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left for him to steal.

Bible text: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

I can still remember the night that my sister received the news that changed her life. A neighbor came running to the door and breathlessly told us that a long distance call was waiting for her at grandma's house. We didn't have a telephone yet, so the entire family quickly piled into the car and we rode the half-mile distance with her to grandma's house.

The soft tick-tock of the living room regulator clock was punctuated by my sister's ragged sobs. My mother's soft voice quietly shushed my five-year old inquiries about the terrible event that had occurred. A longtime boyfriend was dead, and my sister could not contain her sorrow. The following weeks were filled with emotion as she struggled to understand why the brave young soldier that she adored was gone. He was a medic in the Vietnam conflict and was mortally wounded while attempting to reach a fallen buddy.

It was then, at the tender age of five, that I realized that death is an indiscriminate dream stealer. My sister's life was profoundly affected, and my own young life was filled with questions that I couldn't seem to answer. One of those questions was, "why did he have to die?" It didn't seem fair. He was young, handsome, and sure seemed to like me whenever I came around him. As small as I was, I still thought he would have made a great brother-in-law, and his loss troubled me.

Why do we lose those we love? Somehow a pat answer like, "because we live in a sinful world" just hasn't brought the closure and peace that I long for. To lose someone that I care about is painful, life altering, and I'm tired of it. I've had my fill of watching people I love pass away, and the only thing that keeps me coping is the thought that someday we'll never have to say goodbye again.

The Bible says, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

I may not understand it all now, but I'm strangely comforted to think that someday I will. And when that day comes, death, and all the pain that accompanies it will be a thing of the past.

Saved by Hope

Thought: "In all things it is better to hope than to despair." -Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

Bible text: "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?" (Romans 8:24)

We cannot exist without hope. We need something to look forward to. Today's disappointments make us long for better tomorrows.

Success doesn't do away with our need for hope. Even a lifetime of accomplishments and happiness fails to bring complete satisfaction. There must be something more to live for.

This is what prompted the Apostle Paul to say, "we are saved by hope" (Romans 8:24).

The Bible says there is more to life than meets the eye, ". . . the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). Life's true success is attained when we learn to place proper value on our houses, vehicles, investments and personal properties. When we do this, we'll realize that all the material things we have are only ours to use temporarily. Sooner or later, we leave them all behind. I once had a neighbor who frequently remarked, "I have yet to see a Brinks truck following a hearse!"

It isn't hard to see why things never bring lasting happiness and fulfillment. We need to make our heaviest investments in those securities that last. Why not consider the following portfolio, "now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). These lasting enjoyments may be experienced through
(1) trust in God and in His Word, the Bible;
(2) through quality time spent with family and loved ones;
(3) and through a joyful expectation of endless life in the world to come.

These are the only things that endure.

Integrity and Patience build character

Thought: Reputation is made in a moment: character is built in a lifetime.

Biblical text: I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. (Job 27:6 NIV).

A man once had a friend who was a skilled potter. He often went to watch him at work as he molded the clay into various vessels. One day he asked his friend how he determined what he was going to make. The potter said he had discovered that when he was rested, he tended to make beautiful things, but when he was tired, he made more ordinary vessels for menial uses. As the potter reflected on this, he concluded that when he was relaxed, he had both the ability to focus and the patience to make something beautiful. Often times the process of making a perfect object involved crushing an almost completed vase or bowl back into a lump so that he might start over. Beautiful objects also require that he be much more careful at each stage. When he was tired, by contrast, he was less able to focus, less patient, and thus more apt to make mistakes and more likely to resort to making items that did not demand such precision.

So it is with our lives. Building character takes focus and patience, with attention to detail and an ability to be consistent over time. While God is ultimately our Potter, we also play the role of potter in forming our own character. The more stressed we are, the less likely we are to create a character of beauty.

How to deal with 'know-it-all' people

Thought: The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Biblical text: "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse." (Proverbs 9:7)

When Charles Spurgeon was still a boy preacher, he was warned about a certain woman with a reputation for being extremely quarrelsome. He was told that she intended to give him a tongue-lashing the moment she saw him next.

Spurgeon said, "All right, but that's a game two can play."

Shortly thereafter she met him and began to assault him with a flood of verbal abuse. He simply smiled back at her and said, "Oh, yes, thank you. I am quite well. Thank you for asking. I hope you are the same."

His remarks were followed by another tirade of know-it-all comments - this time voiced at a slightly higher volume. He responded again, smiling quietly, "Yes, it does look rather as if it might rain. I think I had better be getting on."

"Bless the man!" the woman exclaimed and then concluded, "He?s as deaf as a post. What?s the use of storming at him!"

Never again did she assault Spurgeon with her arguments. And never did he tell her what he had done! There's no point in arguing with know-it-all people. Better to let them have their say and walk on.

oh my sweet teeth!

i can never forget this couple of days after i've had underwent my first surgical extraction of my right upper and lower molars better known as "wisdom teeth".

to tell u honestly, i couldn't do it the first time i saw my oral surgeon.why on earth will he begin with statements concerning complications? it made me doubt of his skills and capabilities...but after talking to my mahal and to the assistant who never leaves me, i was convinced that he was just telling me what conditions i have to expect after the operation.

It lasted for like 30-40 minutes for both of them and haven't exactly figured out it was done already...i was quite surprised it ended sooner as i expected. my right cheeks seemed bloated and i realized later, my teeth socket is bleeding so much...ssscarrrry!!!! grrrrrrr!

I really prayed a lot it would stop soon but it lasts for about 12 hours i think..the first few hours is really bothering me, very uncomfortable as the lower socket continued to bleed longer than i could bare. I could have gone to the doctor but i didn't. what i could remember is i whispered so many prayers and i believe it soothes me like a calm sea.

Now, its exactly 42 hours, 2 days, right? after that disturbing moments... im not petrified anymore...i am reassured by the tender-loving care given to me by my mahal...thank you so much mahal :) u made my day so wonderful even in my eerie moments... thank u also to ate amore, leah, macel, cathy and all of u who called me and keep in touch with me this moments of my life. It made me treasure ur friendship so much more than u could think of!

Please Lord comfort me as i go thru this healing process!
November 17, 2006 at 03:47 AM Permalink Comments (0)

When communication isn't the answer...

Thought: He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.

Biblical text: A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. (Proverbs 18:6 NIV).

What must surely be one of the most frustrating conversations in history was reported in Theatre Arts magazine. A subscriber, desiring to report on a particular upcoming event in his community, dialled "Information" to get the magazine's telephone number.

The operator drawled, "Sorry, but there is nobody listed by the name of 'Theodore Arts.'"

The subscriber insisted: "It's not a person; it's a publication. I want Theatre Arts."

The operator responded, this time a little louder. "I told you, we have no listing for Theodore Arts in this city. Perhaps he lives in another city."

By now the subscriber was thoroughly peeved. "Confound it, the word is Theatre: T-H-E-A-T-R-E!"
The operator came back with certainty in her voice, "That's not the way to spell Theodore."

Sometimes there's just no communicating with someone who refuses to hear you, who seems unwilling to understand your point of view, or who simply "doesn't get" what you are trying to say. Rather than give that person a real kick, however, better to hang up and try dialling someone who can hear you and does understand!

Walking the walk, or talking the talk?

Thought: In order to receive the direction from God you must be able to receive the correction from God.

Biblical text: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."

As a professional stock-car racer, Darrell Waltrip was once proud of his image as "the guy folks loved to hate." When crowds booed, he'd just kick the dirt and smile. Then things began to change. He miraculously survived a Daytona 500 crash. He began going to church with his wife, Stevie. He and Stevie began to try to have a family. Stevie, however, suffered four miscarriages.

One day their pastor came to visit. He asked, "Your car is sponsored by a beer company. Is that the image you want?" Darrell had never thought about it. He had always loved watching kids admire his car, but the more he thought about it, he discovered that he did care about his image. He thought, if Stevie's and my prayers were answered for a child what kind of dad would I be? He remembered his pastor's admonition to "walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

He didn't know what to do to convince the car owner to change sponsors, but amazingly, an opportunity opened for him to sign with a new racing team sponsored by a laundry detergent company! After much thought and more prayer, he switched teams. Two years later, daughter Jessica was born, and a few years later, daughter Sarah. In 1989, he won Daytona.

To be active does not mean to be productive

Thought: Don't mistake activity for achievement. Busyness does not equal productiveness.

Biblical text: "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had been made. She came to Him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:40-42)

In April 1973, the Park Centre YMCA in Midland, Texas, USA, asked for volunteers to help repair seventeen run-down homes in the city. The effort was so successful that Midlanders made it an annual event. After volunteers had completed repairs on one home, the owner opened her front door and exclaimed, "It's just like Christmas in April." The name stuck."

Christmas in April" has not only made hundreds of homes more liveable in this West Texas oil town, but it helped bring the city together. Men and women, young and old, black, Hispanic, and white volunteers build community spirit as they scrape, caulk, plaster, paint, hammer, and roof together. Said one volunteer, "It's a blessing to us as well as to those we help. There's no better way to get to know someone than to sit up on a roof with him or her all day."

One year 398 gallons of paint, 600 pounds of nails, 224 squares of roofing materials, 60 doors, and $10,000 of lumber were used to repair 84 homes.

Midlanders have learned how to be both busy and productive by pulling together to help others. In most instances of our lives, work need not be left undone or goals sacrificed. Priorities simply need to be realigned.

There is a difference between "good" and "great" !

Thought: The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.

Biblical text: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Charles F. Kettering, a noted scientist and inventor, believed that the easiest way to overcome defeat was simply to ignore completely the possibility of failure and to keep forging ahead.

He once gave an address to Denison University on this theme. He told how he had once given a tough project assignment to a young researcher worker in a laboratory at General Motors. He wanted to see how the man would react to a difficult problem so he kept from him notes about the project that had been filed in the lab's library. These notes, written by expert researchers, included various sets of statistics and formulas that proved the assignment the young man had been given was impossible to do.

The young researcher worker set his mind to the project, and worked virtually night and day for weeks. He refused to give up or think the project impossible. One day he came confidently to Kettering to show his work. He had succeeded in doing the impossible!

A little extra time?a little extra effort?a little extra care?a little extra attention sometimes makes all the difference between success and failure, and not only that, but the difference between good and great.

There is much value in the present!

Thought: Time is more valuable than money because time is irreplaceable.

Biblical text: "Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16)

How many times have we said, or heard others say, "Not to worry. I'll do it tomorrow." Sometimes people put off doing today what they know or want to do because they don't think they know enough or can perform well enough. The fact is, there is no "magic age" at which excellence emerges or quality surfaces.

Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin was 26 when he wrote "Poor Richard's Almanac". Charles Dickens was 24 when he began his "Pickwick Papers" and 25 when he wrote "Oliver Twist". Isaac Newton was 24 when he formulated the law of gravitation.

A second danger is to think that creativity and invention belong to the young. This is equally untrue! Emmanuel Kant wrote his finest philosophical works at age 74. Verdi at 80 produced "Falstaff" and at 85, "Ave Maria". Goethe was 80 when he completed "Faust". Tennyson was 80 when he wrote "Crossing the Bar" and Michelangelo completed his greatest work at 87. At 90, Justice Holmes was still writing brilliant "Supreme Court Opinions".

Seize the day! Redeem the "now" moments of your life.

The moment you wait for may never arrive. The moment once past will never return.

Where Are the Nine?

Thought: Develop an attitude of gratitude.

Bible text: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

One day Jesus healed ten men of the dreaded, wasting disease of leprosy. As soon as they were healed, they took off running. Running to get back home to family and friends, and good home cooking. You see, they had been quarantined as social outcasts for a long time. As they ran, one of the men suddenly realized he had forgotten to thank his Healer. He turned around, ran back to Jesus, fell down at Jesus' feet and gave thanks.

Jesus asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17) Jesus shared human nature. He felt the ingratitude. Only one out of the ten came back to thank Him.


The Unthankful Majority

Most people are unthankful. They don’t mean to be. It just seems to come naturally. We all appreciate the blessings and favors God and others give us. We just don’t say "Thank you" often enough.

Chances are, you won’t be thanked for most of the things you do in this life. Just as Jesus wasn’t thanked by most of those men who were healed. But Jesus healed them anyway. And Jesus is our example in all things.

Being thankful tells a lot about a person’s character. It tells us if that person is courteous, kind and thoughtful. It shows even more. It shows if that person can be trusted with more blessings and favors.

Winning Life's Race

Thought: "...human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." Lee Iaccoa

Bible text: "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" 1 John 5:4,5.

Nike wants us to believe that having the right shoes will make us winners. We can overcome any obstacle with the right equipment and the right attitude.

Attitude comes from what we believe. Belief is a powerful force. The mind is a powerful force. If I believe in something or someone strong enough, it can have an effect.

What are you thinking?

Some say the mind can either help us heal or help us die. It all depends on what we think and what we believe. Studies show that those with positive attitudes heal much quicker than those with poor attitudes. The same is true for those who approach business, marriage, finances, etc with a positive attitude. Winners believe they are winners before it actually comes true.

Nike is right about one thing. “Nike” is what overcomes the world. Not the shoe, but the “Nike” name. It’s a Greek word that means “victory.” It is used only once in the New Testament and it’s found in a powerful verse about overcoming the world. The verse tells us who overcomes the world and what overcomes the world.

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory (nike) that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4,5).

Our Response

Are you like the man in the Bible who came back and thanked Jesus? Or like the majority who kept on running? We all need to be programmed by default to be more thankful. And to remember to tell others, especially those closest to us how much they are loved and appreciated. Let’s ask God to give us a gratitude attitude, not just during holiday seasons or on special occasions, but every day.

God gave Jesus to make possible our healing from a terminal disease–the disease of sin. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Drain and Fill

Thought: "Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty." Frank Herbert

Bible text: "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces the fruit of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" Hebrews 12:11

Growing up my father owned a gas station and my two brothers and myself spent a lot of time down there filling cars up with gas and doing other odd jobs. Although both of my brothers were quite talented around cars, everything that I touched seemed to turn into utter catastrophe.

Case in point. One time my dad was his usual frustrated self toward me and in almost utter despair told me to go outside and fill "it" up with water. When I arrived at the car I was confronted with a totally dumbfounding choice. On the one hand there was an empty car radiator that my father had just drained and needed to be filled. Right in front of the car there was also a half-filled can of gasoline.

Well of course I dared not ask my father which one to fill up so I decided to put water in the gas can. A couple of minutes later my dad came out and looked at the still empty radiator and asked why I didn't fill it up. His frustration knew no bounds when I meekly explained that I had put the water in the gas can. Needless to say, he didn't entrust me with any heavy responsibilities for the rest of the day.

Draining of the heart

Luke 11:13 tells us that the Father in heaven really wants to fill us with His Holy Spirit. But just as water ruins gas, so our sinful hearts will ruin the work of the Spirit in our lives. Therefore, before God fills us with His Spirit, the vessel of the human heart must be drained of sin and self. This draining of the heart is often a painful, but ultimately, fruitful process: "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces the fruit of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).

Just as it would make no sense to change your car's oil without draining the old oil out first, God is waiting with wrench in hand to remove the drain plug and replenish our hearts with the fresh oil of His Spirit. Drain and fill. May we all be willing to empty our hearts so God's Spirit can fill us with wisdom and power from above.

When to Believe

Thought: "The things you can see are fleeting; The things you cannot see are real."

Bible text: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Modern-day miracles and supernatural events surround us. Mobbed with tabloid stories of alien abductions, UFO sightings and and many popular T.V. shows that chillingly thrill viewers with storylines built around communicating with the dead, we are deadened to amazing and unexplained happenings by over-exposure to tales of the fantastic.

When reports of a Y2K catastrophe began to circulate in 1999, millions of people stocked their pantries with bottled water and canned food. Fears of a worldwide bird flu epidemic have people hoarding expensive and unproven antibiotics. The world has been haunted by terrorist attacks giving reign to paranoia and uncertainty.

We are quick to accept as true modern myths and terrifying news reports while at the same time we shake our heads at some of the more fantastic Bible stories. What makes it easier to fear mosquitoes than believe a Man could feed a crowd with one small boy's lunch?

Skepticism is a worldwide epidemic. Faith and acceptance wane while confusion and disbelief grow. Christians are ridiculed for trusting in God's power while the media hails modern scientific accomplishments as miracles. It's as though belief in the unproven is child's play.

What can I believe?

Miracles should be the great faith builders of Christianity, but the world has turned doubt of the supernatural into a reason to question the existence of a loving God.

Faith was an issue even in Christ's day. In the midst of a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asks His terrified disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Even after spending years at His side, their reply was, "Who is This? Even the wind and the waves obey Him" (Mark 4:40 NIV).

Hebrews 11 is known as the chapter of faith. According to the first verse of Hebrews, "To have faith means to be confident of the things we hope for and to be sure of the things we can't see," (Clear Word Bible). More than this, Hebrews 11:6 explains that the faithful not only believe God exists but that God rewards those who seek and believe.

Not everything can be scientifically proven; therefore, faith is a necessary part of a Christian's walk. While solid proof is reassuring, there are rewards to believing the unseen and coming to understand and accept the unknowable. Having a faith in a God who is bigger than our fears and stronger than our cynical side eases our daily walk and gives us strength to live through uncertain times.

Come On In

Thought: "The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse."

Bible text: "Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--how good God is". Psalm 34:8

Jesus said that coming to God is like coming to dinner. To show what He meant, He told this story:

“There was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servants to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’ Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses” Luke 14:15-18.

An excuse is what a person makes when he or she doesn’t want to do something, but doesn’t have a reason. After all, why would people not want to come to a big dinner, especially when the meal is free? Simple. They’re not hungry; at least not for the kind of food being served, or they don’t care for the type of people at the dinner. Dinner is more than just food. It’s fellowship and togetherness between family and friends. In this case, it’s the people who make up the followers of God.

The host figured, “If I make the dinner, they will come.” But they didn’t. So he told his servant, “Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here. The servant reported back, ‘Master I did what you commanded–and there’s still room.’ The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full” Luke 14:21-23!

Looking for hungry people

You see, the host wanted those at his dinner who really wanted to be there. People who were really hungry. The Bible says, “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat” Matthew 5:6.

God’s dinner would not appeal to someone whose appetite has already been satisfied with lollipops and other things. Things like making a lot of money, owning a new house or car, or watching the latest movies.

Then, there are others who are so satisfied with God, that they would rather give up anything rather than miss out on God. God has to be real. All those who love God and like being with him, can’t just be imagining their hunger is satisfied.

God says, “There’s still room. I want my house full!” Why not accept God’s invitation: “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see--how good God is” Psalm 34:8!

Share in the listening...

Thought: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Bible text: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3 NIV).

Although the North American Indians had no written alphabet before they met the white man, their language was anything but primitive. The vocabulary of many Indian languages was as large as that of their French and English conquerors. Often, their expressions were far more eloquent. In an Indian tongue, for example, the concept for the word friend is beautifully stated as "one-who-carries-my-sorrows-on-his-back."

A friend or family member who comes to you for solace ... or even claiming to be seeking advice ... very often wants nothing more than your presence, your listening ear, and your quiet caring of sorrows. A young man discovered this shortly after his marriage. His wife frequently came home from her job telling of the woes of her day. His response was to offer suggestions and give solutions. His wife finally said to him, "I've already solved the problems of the day." The husband asked, perplexed, "Then why are you telling me about them?" She replied, "I don't need Mr Fixit. I need a loving ear."

The friend who provides both physical and emotional shelter is a true haven, one who helps another weather a storm in safety

Stand up, be strong!

thought: If you don?t stand for something you?ll fall for anything!

Biblical text: If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. Isaiah 7:9

As legend has it, a just and good man went to Sodom one day, hoping to save the city from God's judgment. He tried talking to first one individual and then the next, but nobody would engage in conversation with him.

Next, he tried carrying a picket sign that had "Repent" written on it in large letters. Nobody paid any attention to his sign after an initial glance.

Finally he began going from street to street and from marketplace to marketplace, shouting loudly, "Men and women, repent! What you are doing is wrong. It will kill you! It will destroy you!"

The people laughed at him, but still he went about shouting. One day, a person stopped him and said, "Stranger, can?t you see that your shouting is useless?" The man replied, "Yes, I see that." The person then asked, "So why do you continue?"

The man said, "When I arrived in this city, I was convinced that I could change them. Now I continue shouting because I don?t want them to change me."S

peak out for those things you believe to be true and good. If you remain silent, others may take your silence as agreement with their position-which may not be at all what you believe.

Sibling Rivalry

Thought: A man is never in worse company than when he flies into a rage and is beside himself.

Bible text: A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated. (Proverbs 14:17 NIV).

A little girl was once in a very bad mood. She took her frustration out on her younger brother, at first just teasing him, but eventually, punching him, pulling his hair, and kicking him in the shins. The boy could take it all - and even dish back a few blows - until the kicking began. That hurt! And he went crying to his mother, complaining about what his sister had done.

The mother came to the little girl and said, "Mary, why have you let Satan put it into your heart to pull your brother's hair and kick his shins?"

The little girl thought it over for a moment and then answered, "Well, Mother, maybe Satan did put it into my heart to pull Tommy's hair... but kicking his shins was my own idea."

All the evil in the world doesn't come from direct satanic involvement. Much of it comes from the heart of man. What we do with our anger, feelings of hatred, and frustrations is subject to our will. We can choose how we will respond to stress, or to the behaviour of others. Our challenge is to govern our emotions; otherwise, they will rule in tyranny over us.

Perseverance through burdens and struggles

Thought: Don't be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond.

Bible text: Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:3,4 NIV).

An old legend says that God first created birds without wings. Sometime later, God made wings and said to the birds, "Come, take up these burdens and bear them." The birds hesitated at first, but soon obeyed. They tried picking up the wings in their beaks, but found them too heavy. Then they tried picking them up with their claws, but found them too large. Finally one of the birds managed to get the wings hoisted onto its shoulders where it was finally possible to carry them.

To the amazement of the birds, before long the wings began to grow and they soon had attached themselves to the bodies of the birds. One of the birds began to flap his wings and others followed his example. Before long, one of the birds took off and began to soar in the air above!

What had once been a heavy burden now became the very thing that enabled the birds to go where they could never go before... and at the same time, truly fulfill the destiny of their creation.

The duties and responsibilities you count as burdens today may be part of God's destiny for your life, the means by which your soul is lifted up and prepared for God's heavenly kingdom.

Serving others with helpings of love

Thought: The fellow who does things that count doesn't usually stop to count them.

Biblical text: Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13 NIV).

For more than a quarter of a century, Arnold Billie was a rural mail carrier in southern New Jersey. His daily route took him sixty-three miles through two counties and five municipalities. Mr Billie, as he was affectionately known, did more than deliver the mail. He provided "personal service." Anything a person might need to purchase from the post office, Mr Billie provided - stamps, money orders, pickup service. All a customer needed to do was leave the flag up on their mailbox.

One elderly woman had trouble starting her lawn mower, so whenever she desired to use it, she would simply leave it by her mailbox, raise the flag, and when Mr Billie came by, he would start it for her! Mr Billie gave a new definition to the phrase "public servant."

True Christian servants rarely think of themselves as doing anything other than the ordinary, when what they actually do is quite extraordinary! The apostle Paul called himself a slave to Christ, yet he was more concerned about being a good servant to ever worry about being a real slave. Why? Because true servants are motivated by love. It is love they know they have received from Christ. And it is love they give. eternity.

Positive thinking overcomes...

Thought: It isn't your position that makes you happy or unhappy, it's your disposition.

Bible text: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Timothy 6:6,7 NIV).

A traditional Supervisor's Prayer states: Lord, when I am wrong, make me willing to change. When I am right, make me easy to live with. So strengthen me that the power of my example will far exceed the authority of my rank.

A positive attitude may not directly change your circumstances, but it will change the way you respond to your circumstances. The responses of positive people are far more likely to be:

- Active
- Solution oriented
- Generous towards others
- Involving of others
- Immediate or timely
- Rooted in dignity and respec

tPositive people are much more likely than are negative people to turn their ideas into positive behaviour. Positive behaviour, in turn, does change circumstances, and nearly always so, for the better.

To grab hold of a slippery problem and rise above it, first grab hold of a positive thought!

The Expected Harvest

Thought: What goes around comes around.

Bible text: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7)

What goes around comes around. Every farmer knows that if you plant corn, you're going to harvest corn. The same principle applies to our personal lives. If we violate laws, we're going to reap the consequences.

Research clearly shows that physical inactivity leads to an increase in mortality rates. People who are sedentary have more heart disease, more strokes and more cancers than people who are physically active. Diet also plays into this. The point is, the choices we make have a direct impact on the longevity and quality of our lives.

People who violate civil laws typically end up reaping a bitter harvest. Either they spend their lives looking over their shoulders while running from the law, or they reap the consequence of forced compliance (either through fines or incarceration). According to the U.S Justice Deaprtment, by mid-year 2002, over 2 million Americans found themselves in jail. I'll venture to guess that most of these people never dreamed their actions, or inactions would result in such a harvest.

The Bible says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

What kind of harvest are you expecting? What seeds are you planting?

A ladder of trust

In Romans 5:1-5, Paul climbs a "ladder of trust" in Christ. Follow him as he lays hold of each rung:

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Every round goes higher, until, in verse 5, he exclaims, "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." The bud of hope bursts forth into the flowering beauty of a transformed life in Christ.

Why not resolve now to lay hold of the hope that is set before you (Hebrews 6:18). Give your life to Jesus today. This investment will yield rich rewards, both now and in the days come.

Laughter: the music of the soul

Thought: Humour is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles.

Biblical text: "A cheerful heart is good medicine; but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22) Stand-up comedian and author David Brenner was signing books in a San Francisco bookstore when a young man handed him a newly purchased copy to be signed and said softly, "I want to thank you for saving my life." Brenner replied flippantly, "That's okay." The young man stood his ground and said, "No, I really mean it."

Brenner stopped signing and looked at him. The man said, "My father died. He was my best friend. I loved him and couldn't stop crying for weeks. I decided to take my own life. The night I was going to do it, I happened to have the TV on. You were hosting 'The Tonight Show', doing your monologue. Next thing I knew I was watching you and laughing hysterically. I realised then that if I was able to laugh, I was able to live. So I want to thank you for saving my life." Humbled and grateful, Brenner shook his hand and said, "No, I thank you."

Laughter does more than help us escape our problems. It sometimes gives us the courage to face them. As humorous author Barbara Johnson has said, "Laughter is like changing a baby's nappies. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes things more acceptable for awhile."

Change Is Coming

Thought: Change is inevitable!

Biblical text: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" Romans 12:2

My world is changing around me and I have to face it. And like most people I don’t really like change. Something about facing the unknown makes one feel very uncomfortable. Most would rather keep things the way they are because one knows what to expect and how to deal with it.

But…change is inevitable. One thing we know for sure…things are going to change!
This is especially true in our Christian experience. Jesus compared His kingdom to a man planting seeds, allowing them to grow and harvesting the crop (see Mark 4:26-29). He said: “All by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” This tells us growing is a part of life. We will be constantly changing. Later Jesus used another metaphor to illustrate our connection to Himself. He said: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (John 15:1-4).

This clearly tells us that we will be growing and constantly changing when we are connected to Jesus. And we will be producing “fruit” that brings glory to God. If we are not changing and bearing fruit, we are not connected to Jesus and our life is dead and useless.

Jesus makes it happen

So, change is good in Jesus. It is His job to change us from the inside out. He has a plan to continue to grow us as we face the changes the world throws at us. And it does! James tells us to “count it all joy” when we face various trials in life" (James 1:2-5). When we are connected to Jesus, the trials and changes that happen around us actually develop the fruit in us.

Paul also said: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). To be transformed is the same process of metamorphism that caterpillars go through to become butterflies. He is basically telling us not to get stuck in the ways of the world, but to change and become what God wants us to become.

There’s that word again…change.

So we have a choice. We can continue to live in this world and allow the natural change to take us down the predictable road to death, or we can give our lives to God and allow Him to fill us with His Spirit and lead us down a road of change that leads us to His eternal kingdom.

Oh…the best part. We have a God who never changes, or at least when it comes to who He is and His character. Notice: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Knowing this…we can face every change with growing confidence.

Listen To Jesus

Thought: To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also. - Igor Stravinsky

Biblical Text: Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: 'This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!' Mark 9:7

Most people have the ability to hear audible sounds. Their ears work fine! For these, hearing is a deeply treasured gift! Unfortunately, some lose this capacity by way of heredity, accident or disease. When this occurs, the silence can be overwhelming.

There is another kind of hearing loss beyond the physical that leads to a form of deafness many are ignorant of. This deafness often leads to broken marriages, work-related squabbles and failed dreams. It is the failure to "hear" with one's heart.

It's one thing to hear what someone is saying with your ears, but quite another to "hear" what they mean. To develop the capacity to read a person's unspoken signals and respond appropriately, develops understanding, empathy and trust.

Be quiet and listen

Hearing God requires more than reading Bible texts and listening to sermons. Unless we take proactive measures to turn off the "white noise" in our lives and expect more than someone's else's regurgitated thoughts about faith, we'll miss hearing what God is saying to us.

One day Jesus invited Peter, James and John to join Him for a mountain hike. They ended up on a ridge where Jesus was transfigured (transformed) into a bright dazzling being. Moses and Elijah were there talking with Jesus. The disciples were overwhelmed!

Peter was so excited, he said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Mark 9:5) At that moment Peter's eyes and ears were engaged, his tongue was loose, and his heart was doing flips. He and the others were terrified!

"Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: 'This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!' " (Mark 9:7) Peter, just be quiet and listen!

How many times do we need do the same?

How do you pack your suitcases?

Thought: Our days are identical suitcases-all the same size-but some people can pack more into them than others.

Biblical text: "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15,16)

Sparky didn't have much going for him. He failed every subject in the eighth grade, and in high school, he flunked Latin, Algebra, English, and Physics. He made the golf team, but promptly lost the only important match of the season, and then lost the consolation match. He was awkward socially?more shy than disliked. He never once asked a girl to go out on a date in high school.

One thing, however, was important to Sparky-drawing. He was proud of his artwork even though no one else appreciated it. He submitted cartoons to the editors of his high school yearbook, but they were turned down. Even so, Sparky aspired to be an artist. After high school, he sent samples of his artwork to the Walt Disney Studios. Again, he was turned down.

Still, Sparky didn't quit packing his suitcase! He decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons. The character he created became famous worldwide-the subject not only of cartoon strips but countless books, television shows, and licensing opportunities. Sparky, you see, was Charles Schulz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. Like his character, Charlie Brown, Schulz may not have been able to do many things. But, he made the most of what he could do!

Hold on to your Dreams!

Thought: The poorest of all men is not the man without a cent but the man without a dream.

Biblical text: Where there is no vision, the people perish?(Proverbs 29:18)

An unusual band of thirteen business and professional men in Toronto, Canada, respond in a unique way to multiple-alarm fires in their city. They have formed a volunteer fire-fighting unit, although they don't directly fight fires. Dressed in their own rubber fire fighting uniforms, they are armed with police passes. The truck they man is a red mobile canteen.

The fire fighters appreciate their service-in fact, the fire fighters union bought the canteen truck for them, and also purchases all supplies for the truck. When a fire alarm is received, a "must" call goes to them.

These fire fighters describe themselves as "middle-aged businessmen who never outgrew their childhood dreams."

What is it that you dreamed of doing as a child?

In the most reflective moments of your life, do you still nurture that dream? Do you wonder "what might have been if??"

Dreams are not only a great source of hope and courage, they are often windows to one's destiny. Revisit your childhood dreams. Perhaps it?s time for you to give them expression.

Hens at Work

Thought: The secret of success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching.

Bible text: But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:15).

Hard work means nothing to a hen. Regardless of what business prognosticators say about the price of eggs... regardless of what others expect of her... regardless of fluctuations in the commodities market... she keeps on digging worms and laying eggs.

If the ground is hard, she scratches harder.
If it's dry, she digs deeper.
If it's wet, she digs where it is dry.
If she strikes a rock, she digs around it.
If she gets a few more hours of daylight in the barnyard, she digs a few more hours.
Have you ever seen a pessimistic hen?
Have you ever seen a hen cackle in disgust at the prospect of her job?
Did you ever hear one cluck because the work was hard, the conditions were poor, and some of her eggs were taken from her before they hatched?
No.
Hens save their breath for digging. They save their cackles for the eggs that are laid.

Hear the voice of your conscience

Thought: Conscience is God's built-in warning system. Be very happy when it hurts you. Be very worried when it doesn't.

Biblical text: "So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." (Acts 24:16)

These lines from Dr. Arnot give an interesting description of a person's conscience: "A person may be saved from death by seeing the reflection of danger in a mirror, when the danger itself could not be directly seen. The executioner with his/her weapon is stealthily approaching through a corridor of the castle to the spot where the devoted invalid reclines. In their musings, the captive has turned their vacant eye towards a mirror on the wall; and the faithful witness reveals the impending stroke in time to secure the escape of the victim. It is thus that the mirror in a person's breast has become in a sense the person?s saviour, by revealing the wrath to come before its coming. Happy they who take the warning, happy they who turn and live!"

It has been said that person's conscience was given to him/her after the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Person's desire to know good and evil had been granted. But God, in His mercy, gave people a means of telling good from evil. That mechanism, which He placed in our heart, was the conscience.

Don't ignore the promptings of your conscience or let your conscience become calloused. It's more than a sixth sense. It's beacon whose homing signal is Heaven.

God is the Healer of all

God can heal a broken heart, but he has to have all the pieces.

Biblical text: My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways. (Proverbs 23:26 NIV).

A boy once said to God, "I've been thinking, and I know what I want when I become a man." He proceeded to give God his list: to live in a big house with two Saint Bernards and a garden... marry a blue eyed, tall, beautiful woman... have three sons - one who will be a senator, one a scientist, and one a quarterback. He also wanted to be an adventurer who climbed tall mountains... and to drive a red Ferrari.

As it turned out, the boy hurt his knee one day while playing football. He no longer could climb trees, much less mountains. He married a beautiful and kind woman, who was short with brown eyes. Because of his business, he lived in a city apartment, took cabs, and rode subways. He had three loving daughters, and they adopted a fluffy cat. One daughter became an nurse, another an artist, and the third a music teacher.

One morning the man awoke and remembered his boyhood dream. He became extremely depressed, so depressed that he became very ill. Close to death from a broken heart, he called out to God, "Remember when I was a boy and told You all the things I wanted? Why didn't You give me those things?"

"I could have", said God, "but I wanted to make you happy."

Remember, God wants the best for us. Trust Him with your whole heart - He's the original heart surgeon.

Give the world your best!

Thought: If a task is once begun, never leave it 'till it's done'. Be the labour great or small, Do it well or not at all.

Biblical text: "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." (John 17:4)

The order from the head teacher was abrupt: "The classroom needs sweeping. Take the broom and sweep it."

Young Booker T. Washington knew that this was his chance. He swept the room three times, and then dusted the furniture four times. When the head teacher came back to evaluate his work, she inspected the floor closely and then used her handkerchief to rub the woodwork around the walls, the table, and the students? benches. When she could not find one speck of dust anywhere in the room, she said quietly, "I guess you will do to enter this institution."

Cleaning a classroom was nothing less than Booker T. Washington?s entrance examination to Hampton Institute in Virginia. In later years, he would recall this as the turning point in his life. He wrote in his autobiography, "Up From Slavery", "I have passed several examinations since then, but I have always felt that this was the best one I ever passed."

Slacking off, goofing off, and dozing off rarely open doors of opportunity. Those doors are opened best by a consistently excellent effort. Give the world an effort of that calibre today!

Giving it your best effort...

He who wants milk should not sit on a stool in the middle of the pasture expecting the cow to back up to him.

Biblical text: Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. (Proverbs 10:4 NIV).

Miss Jones, an elderly spinster, was the oldest resident of her Midwestern town on the day she died. In writing her obituary, the editor of the local paper became stumped after noting her age. Miss Jones had never spent a night in jail or been seen intoxicated on the streets. She also had never done anything noteworthy. While musing about what he might write, the editor went out for coffee and in the local cafe, he met the owner of the tombstone company, who was equally perplexed as to what to write about Miss Jones.

The editor returned to his office and assigned both the obituary and tombstone epitaph to the first reporter he saw, who happened to be the sports editor. If you pass through that little town, you'll find this on Miss Jones' tombstone:Here lies the bones of Nancy JonesFor her life held no terrors.She lived an old maid. She died an old maid.No hits, no runs, no errors.

If we don't try, we don't do...if we don't do...we can't bless others. We each have a contribution to make to the lives of others. Give your best effort today. It's your best shot at scoring in the game of life.

Are you a leader?

Thought: Put others before yourself, and you can become a leader among people.

Biblical text: "But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." (Matthew 20:26,27)

The following set of contrasting remarks has been offered as a character sketch of a good leader. For a personal challenge, as you read through the list, circle the descriptive words you believe most closely identify you:

Self-reliant but not self-sufficient
Energetic but not self-seeking
Steadfast but not stubborn
Tactful but not timidSerious but not sullen
Loyal but not sectarian
Unmoveable but not stationary
Gentle but not hypersensitive
Tender-hearted but not a perfectionist
Disciplined but not demanding
Generous but not gullible
Meek but not weak
Humorous but not hilarious
Friendly but not familiar
Holy but not holier-than-thou
Discerning but not critical
Progressive but not pretentious
Authoritative but not autocratic

Ask God to help you develop in the descriptive words you didn't circle.

Circumstance changes perceptions

ignorance is always swift to speak.

Biblical text: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (James 1:19 NIV).

One of the favourite stories of Arturo Toscanini, the great symphony conductor, was this:

An orchestra was playing Beethoven's Leonore overture, which has two great musical climaxes. Each of these musical high points is followed by a trumpet passage, which the composer intended to be played offstage.The first climax arrived, but no sound came from a trumpet offstage.

The conductor, annoyed, went on to the second musical high point. But again - no trumpet could be heard.

This time, the conductor rushed into the wings, fuming and with every intent of demanding a full explanation. There he found the trumpet player struggling with the house security man who was insisting as he held for dear life onto the man's trumpet, "I tell you, you can't play that trumpet back here! You'll disturb the rehearsal!"

Until you know why someone is acting the way they do, it's better not to criticize him. Until you know who has told him to act, it's better not to attempt to stop him!

Don't let setbacks stop you from reaching your goal.

Failure in people is caused more by lack of determination than lack in talent.

Bible text: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

In 1982, internal-medicine resident Barry Marshall was frustrated that there was no cure for his patients with ulcers. Then, while studying a stomach biopsy, he saw organisms resembling Campylobacter bacteria, first identified by his hospital's pathologist, Dr. J. Robin Warrne. Warren and Marshall studied 100 ulcer patients for a year, and found the bacteria in 87 percent of the cases. Leading specialists, however, insisted the bacteria developed after the specimens were removed. For decades, clinical researchers had concluded that ulcers were based on weak stomach linings. Marshall's bacterial theory was snubbed.

Warren and Marshall cultured the bacteria for observation and found that a combination of bismuth and antibiotics destroyed it. Again, their report was met with scepticism. Marshall reported study after study. Still, doctors refused to conduct clinical trials. Finally, trials began in 1985, four years after Marshall's initial findings. These studies confirmed both Marshall's bacterial theory and his treatment methods.

Because a young internist "wouldn?t accept no" from the medical community, the vast majority of ulcers, and some stomach cancers, can now be treated successfully!

Focus on the positives and the negatives will look after themselves...

Two things are hard on the heart - running upstairs and running down people.

Biblical text: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

A faculty member at a university once became very distraught over the weaknesses of a particular administrator with whom he had a negative relationship. He allowed himself to think about the man constantly. Hateful, negative thoughts so preoccupied him that it affected the quality of his relationships with his family, his church, and his colleagues. He finally concluded that he needed to leave and accept a teaching appointment elsewhere.

A friend asked him, "Wouldn't you really prefer to teach at this university, if the man were not here?" "Of course," the man responded, "but as long as he is here, then my staying is too disruptive to everything in life. I have to go."

The friend then asked, "Why have you made this administrator the centre of your life?" As much as the man tried to deny the truth of this, he finally had to admit that he had allowed one individual and his weaknesses to distort his entire view of life. Still, it was not the administrator's doing. It was his own. From that day forward, he focussed on his students and his teaching... and he found new joy in his "old job."

When you concentrate on running down others usually the only one that gets run down is you.

Forgiveness heals the Desire for revenge

The best way to get even is to forget.

Biblical text: But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35 NIV).

In his book, Beneath the Cross of Jesus, A. Leonard Griffith tells the story of a young Korean exchange student, a leader in Christian circles at the University of Pennsylvania, who left his apartment on the evening of April 25, 1958, to mail a letter to his parents. As he turned from the mailbox, he was met by eleven leather-jacketed teenage boys. Without a word, they beat him with a blackjack, a lead pipe, and their shoes and fists - and left him lying dead in the gutter.

All Philadelphia cried out for vengeance. The district attorney planned to seek the death penalty for the arrested youth. And then, this letter arrived, signed by the boy's parents and twenty other relatives in Korea: "Our family has met together and we have decided to petition that the most generous treatment possible within the laws of your government be given to those who have committed this criminal action... In order to give evidence of our sincere hope contained in this petition, we have decided to save money to start a fund to be used for the religious, educational, vocational, and social guidance of the boys when they are released ... We have dared to express our hope with a spirit received from the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ who died for our sins."

When you forgive it takes you from the place of the victim to that of a victor.

Forgiving and Forgetting!

When you point the finger at someone, don't forget that there are always three fingers pointing back at you.

Biblical text: Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14 NIV).

The story is told of a boy and his mother who went to a shopping mall. The boy acted badly - demanding this and that, running away from his mother, hiding so she couldn't find him, whining that he wanted something to eat or drink, interrupting her while she was attempting to talk to sales people or make a purchase. In total exasperation, she finally gave up and returned to the car.

As they were driving home, the boy could sense her displeasure and he said, "I learned last week in church that when we ask God to forgive us when we are bad, He does. Does He really do that?"

The mother replied, "Yes, He does." The boy continued, "And the teacher said that when He forgives us, He throws our sins in the deepest sea. Does He do that, Mom?" The mother responded, "Yes, that's what the Bible says."

The boy was silent for a moment and then he said, "I've asked God to forgive me for acting bad at the mall, but I bet when we get home, you're going to go fishing for those sins, aren't you?"

Surely one of the best ways to avoid a quarrel with a person is to avoid going fishing for their past sins!

Gain Strength from your Adversities!

True faith and courage are like a kite - an opposing wind raises it higher.

Biblical text: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)

Norma Zimmer, the well known singer for Lawrence Welk, had a difficult childhood as a result of her parents' drinking. Singing was her escape! As a high school senior, Norma was invited to be a featured soloist at the University Christian church in Seattle. When her parents heard she was going to sing a particular song, they both insisted on attending the service. She tells about that morning, "I stole glances at the congregation, trying to find my parents ... then in horror I saw them - weaving down the aisle in a state of disheveled intoxication. They were late. Few empty seats were left... The congregation stared. I don't know how I ever got through that morning."

After she sang and took her seat, her heart pounding and her cheeks burning from embarrassment, the pastor preached: "God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in time of trouble." She says, "My own trouble seemed to bear down on me with tremendous weight... I realised how desperate life in our family was without God, and that day I recommitted my life to Him ... Jesus came into my life not only as Saviour but for daily strength and direction."

Don't let a difficult time box you in. Let it drive you to Jesus.