Silence

 

When I was in junior high school, my uncle Gray was teasing his daughter and my aunt about women talking.  Carol and Aunt Gerrie protested, claiming that they could control their mouths.  So, Uncle Gray bet them a trip to watch the Baltimore Orioles play that they could not go 24 hours without talking.  Sunday morning came.  I walked into church and spoke to Aunt Gerrie, but she said nothing.  I asked Carol what was going on, and she said nothing.  I asked her brother Gene what was going on, and he explained the bet.  We had a lot of fun trying to get them to speak, but they held on, and they won the bet.  But I don’t remember if they got the free trip to watch the Orioles play or not.  Actually, Uncle Gray may have used the bet to get himself a trip to see the Orioles as well.  Hey, in the Bible, Israel was told not to speak at all as they marched around Jericho for seven days!  Joshua commanded them in Joshua 6:10, “… Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout.”  But on that seventh day, the priests blew the rams’ horns and Joshua commanded the people to shout, for the Lord had given them the victory.  And when the people shouted, God made the walls of Jericho to fall down flat, and the armies of Israel walked right into Jericho!  God gave them a tremendous victory because they obeyed and kept quiet until the appointed time.  Hey, do you obey God too?  I hope you are not like Achan who disobeyed God.  But that’s another story.  Obey the Lord and He will give you the victory!

The Gym

 

Some people go to the gym to work out and some people go to the gym just to go to the gym.  They like to be seen with their little sweat bands and head bands, and their matching shorts and tee shirts.  They have their cute little gym bag with their Nalgene water bottle with the sipper spout.  They go to the gym, but they hang out at the smoothie bar and talk.  Oh, they may take a selfie with an exercise machine in the background, but they never break a sweat.  Hey, there are folk who go to church just like our friends who go to the gym.  Some go to church to worship God, but many go to church just to be at church.  They like to hang around with the good people.  They like to dress up and look good so that they can tell everyone at work on Monday that they went to church on Sunday.  But church never makes a difference in their lives.  They never break a spiritual sweat.  That’s because they are professors and not possessors.  They know about Jesus Christ, but they don’t know Jesus Christ.  And when things get tough, they can’t make it because they are spiritually flabby.  The apostle James warns in James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  Hey, get honest with God.  But more importantly, get honest with yourself.  Are you an authentic Christian?  Then act like it!  Or are you just a pretend Christian?  You need to get honest and trust Jesus.  Get real ... really!

Bookcover

 

My wife likes to shop at Aldi’s.  I do not.  They have great prices, but I miss my name brand items and they don’t have plastic bags to put our stuff in.  As we were shopping, I collected five empty boxes and put them under the shopping cart to put our items in at checkout.  But I was late for a doctor’s appointment, and we were in a hurry.  At the self-checkout, I tried to pack our purchases quickly and carefully, but quickly was more important.  So, I ran out of boxes.  My wife said, “Gerald, just buy one of Aldi’s paper bags.  They’re only 12¢.”  She was right, so we got home with an Aldi’s paper bag.  And as I was emptying the bag, I got nostalgic.  When I taught Junior high school years ago, the first day of school’s assignment for the next day was to bring in paper grocery bags the next day to cover our schoolbooks.  Being OCD, I showed the students exactly how to do it.  And being OCD, I’ll show you exactly how to do it.  Hey, I’m in good company, because the apostle Paul was OCD too!  Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”  Paul didn’t just tell the people in Corinth how to be a Christian, he showed them how to be a Christian.  Can I make a bold application?  If a new Christian wants to learn how to be a Saint of God, can they follow your example?  Like my finished book cover looks sharp, will their new life in Christ look sharp if they follow your example?  Think about it.

Patience

 

This may come as a surprise to you, but I am an impatient person.  I don’t like to wait at a traffic light.  I watch the light going the other way, and when it turns yellow, I am ready to go.  I like to get a split-second head start on my green light.  And doctor appointments frustrate me.  Why do I have an appointment for 9 AM when everyone knows that the doctor won’t see me until 10 AM?  Now I know why it’s called a “waiting room”.  I get done with supper at Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to get the check.  I look around for the waiter and fume, “What’s taking so long?”  But have you ever noticed that God isn’t in a hurry?  He has all the time in the world.  It could be that God is using difficulties in my life to develop patience in me.  James 1:3 & 4 says, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”  Actually, the only way to overcome impatience is to be patient.  counterintuitive, right?!  And God is wise enough to send us difficult situations to help us to develop patience.  So, be careful what you ask for: don’t ask for patience, or God will give you trials to develop your patience.  Ask for wisdom during your testing, and you’ll get patience … for free.

Witness

 

Years ago, I was traveling on rain-slick Highway 153 when I saw a semi-truck plow into a pick-up truck.  I helped the man and woman and their twelve-year-old daughter out of the over-turned truck to safety.  No big thing.  But then, six months later, I was summoned to court as a witness in the family’s lawsuit against the trucking company.  When I got to the witness stand, the bailiff held out a Bible, asked me to place my left hand on it, raise my right hand, and repeat after him, “I solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”  Wow!  What a serious statement that I had to affirm.  Hey, that’s what the apostles of Jesus were asked to do in the book of Acts.  They were asked to repeat the truth about Jesus … the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  And they did.  And what were they called?  You guessed it, “witnesses”.  Acts 4:33, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”  They obeyed the Lord’s command to be witnesses.  Hey, are you obeying the Lord’s command to speak out for Him?  If you are, you are a witness.  Good job!  Keep it up!

Words

 

When I was about seven years old and my brother, Phillip, was about five years old, we were riding in the car with our parents.  Suddenly, a police car blew by us, lights flashing and sirens blaring.  My little brother said confidently, “That policeman is going to murder someone.”  My mother corrected him saying, “The policeman may have to shoot someone, but he isn’t going to murder them.”  Then, with my infinite wisdom, I spoke up and said, “Don’t say what you don’t know what is.”  My dad opened his mouth to correct me but thought for a moment.  Then he shrugged, closed his mouth, and dropped what he was going to say.  What I had said made sense … well, sort of.  Hey, the words of little children may not always be accurate.  They speak from their limited understanding.  But the good Lord always has the right things to say.  In Psalm 12:6 we find, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”  Hey, you can trust the words that God speaks.  They are true.  Why not take a few minutes and read some of His words right now.  Then read them every day!  Daily Bible reading is a good habit to get into.

Dominion

 

The word “dominion” is very interesting.  I think of a king when I hear the word dominion, because a king has dominion over his realm.  A good king keeps wickedness under control and assures that good people thrive under his dominion.  God is the King of the universe, but in Genesis, God gives dominion to man to rule over the earth.  Mankind is not given the animals and the earth’s resources to plunder, but man is given the responsibility to rule carefully over God’s creation in God’s stead.  The apostle Paul warns us that death has dominion over our bodies because of the power (dominion) of sin.  But praise the Lord, someday, dominion will be restored to the proper King of kings in the end times.  The little one-chapter book of Jude gives proper praise to the King of glory and says in verse 25, “To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”  Well said, Jude, well said!  Hey, are you giving the King of the universe His proper place in your life today?  Think about it.

Let Your Light Shine

 

Brother Jamie was preaching last week and said, “Be an example.  Light is always seen, but never heard.”  Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Signs of the Times

 

Coming out of Walmart Friday afternoon reminded me of the signs of the times.  The checkout lines and self-service kiosks are on the left of the exit doors, so the nearest door on the left was labeled “Exit”.  And when coming in, because customers are exiting Walmart on the right (their left coming out), the door coming in (on their left) was labeled “Entrance”.  But going to the left is counterintuitive.  We drive on the right, and we just naturally move to the right.  So, when approaching another shopper, we just naturally go to the right of them.  Naturally.  So, back to the signs of the times part: Friday, I noticed that Walmart had taken down the exit and entrance signs above the doors, outside and inside.  The two doors are simply unlabeled.  Customers can use the door that they prefer … left or right.  So, Friday, I walked out of the nearest door (on the left) and bumped into two people coming in the same door (on their right).  This reminded me of the uncontrolled days when the judges ruled Israel.  Judges 17:6, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”  Hey, without authority, there is anarchy.  Folk do what they think is good for them, which may or may not be for the good of the other person.  I’m glad that the Lord God is a rock that we can depend upon.  God said in Malachai 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I change not …”

Sore Muscles

 

My wife warned me, but I wouldn’t listen.  Saturday afternoon, we finally made it home from four days in the hospital.  My wife wanted to sit out on the back deck and soak up the waning sunlight.  I wanted to mow, but the blade engage handle on the riding mower wouldn’t work.  An investigation for another day.  So, I got my trusty grabber and began collecting pinecones in the back yard.  Pinecone collecting never ends.  When I finish, more have dropped, and I must start again.  I strategically place the five-gallon bucket, pinch a cone with my grabber, and flip it into the bucket.  I can get about 35 large cones in a bucket.  It takes about 3 ½ buckets to fill a kitchen trash bag.  But after two bags were filled, my shoulder began to hurt.  I had done too much pinching and flipping with my weak rotator cuff.  The pinecones weren’t that heavy, and the action wasn’t that taxing, but 245 pinches and flips took its toll on unused muscles.  And Kathy was right, the next day, my shoulder would barely move.  Hey, how are your praying knees?  Are they not used very much?  Would they begin to cramp up if you began to use them as much as you should?  Or how about your Bible-reading fingers?  If you were to read your Bible as much as you scroll through the posts on facebook, would your Bible-reading fingers begin to ache?  How about your looking-around-for-friends-at-church neck muscles?  Do you contact absentees when they aren’t in the house of God?  Or does someone have to use their neck muscles to look around to find you?  Are you AWOL at the House of God.  Paul said in I Timothy 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”  Hey, be an example to others.  Use your spiritual muscles.  Don’t let them become flabby from disuse, like my rotator cuff.  Stay spiritually active and stay close to the dear Lord.  Be spiritually fit.  You’ll be glad that you are!

Busy?

 

The job of a nurse is a difficult job.  I saw it firsthand last week when my wife was a patient at Memorial hospital for four days.  There are calls from rooms, paperwork to fill out, meds to dispense, and IVs to monitor.  My wife tries not to bother her nurse unless it is absolutely necessary.  The red call button is used only as a last resort.  I usually go to the nurse’s station to pick up ice or towels.  But Friday evening, when I went to the nurse’s station to tell Kathy’s nurse that her IV had run out, I saw the complete picture. Four nurses were chatting and laughing while call buttons were dinging, cell phones were ringing, and room lights were blinking.  Each nurse had an item in their hand, and they were busy with necessary work, but they had paused a moment to communicate and laugh with each other.  They were not ignoring their patients; it was just that the alarms and the lights and the phone calls never ended.  They never caught up.  They had learned to cope with the unending needs.  Hey, have you learned to tune out to the needs of others?  Do you feel sorry for older church members … but don’t have time to sit on the front porch and talk with them?  Do you wave to neighbors as you are on your way to church … but don’t have the time to stop by and actually speak to them about their eternal condition?  We must make the time to get involved with others.  Philippians 2:3-5, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”  Jesus gave of Himself to others, and we should follow in His steps.

Happy Father's Day

 

My son, John, his dear wife, Laura, and my grandson, Greyson, came over Sunday night and grilled pork chops.  When I got home from church Sunday evening, about 7:30 pm, I had a great Father’s Day meal!  Laura said, “Greyson is trying to make some money for a new X-Box game system.  He picked up pinecones for you in the back yard.”  I replied, “Great!  I usually pay him and Bennett $2 for a five-gallon bucket.”  But when I went outside to pay Greyson, he refused.  He said, “I didn’t have a gift for you, so I picked up pinecones for you for Father’s Day.  Happy Father’s Day, Granddaddy!”  What a great idea, Greyson.  I’m not sure if you thought of it yourself, or had help with the idea, but it was a good gesture anyway.  Thank you very much, Greyson, for such an original gift!  Proverbs 17:6, “Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”

Someone Beat Me to It

 

I hate it when someone is better than me!  I am very competitive and like to be first.  So, when someone is better than me, more diligent than me, or quicker than me, I am frustrated.  So, Friday, I went to the bathroom at Memorial Hospital and found a Gospel tract in the men’s restroom.  Someone from Providence Baptist Church was more diligent than me in handing out tracts.  They were more clever than me in placing it where someone had time to sit and read it.  And they were quick to obey the dear Lord’s command in Mark 16:15, “… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”  Hey, be a faithful witness wherever you go … even in the men’s restroom, fourth floor, Memorial Hospital.  Oh wait, someone already has that covered.

Bread of Life

 

My wife has a dear friend who drives downtown to a bakery to buy artisan bread.  It is a sourdough recipe and is really good (and really expensive).  And because it is artisan, it is heavy, has a hard crust, and is difficult to chew … but soooooo tasty!  Chewing half a slice is like chewing half a loaf of regular white bread.  The bread is satisfying.  Hey, like the heavy bread is satisfying to my palate, the Lord Jesus is satisfying to my soul.  Jesus said in John 6:35, “… I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”  Jesus truly satisfies.  Yes, He does!

Delayed

 

I have discovered that I have a washing machine that is smarter than I am.  It has many features, one of which I just found out last night.  I had put a load of clothes into the washer, just getting ready to start it when I remembered that my wife was upstairs taking a shower.  Yikes!  That was close!  But then I noticed the “time delay” button and began to investigate.  I could delay the start for 1 hour or two hours, and so forth up to twelve hours!  Wow, what a great feature!  So, I delayed the start for one hour (when my wife is finished with her shower), although she will hear a noise downstairs after we’ve gone to bed and think it’s a burglar.  My great idea may come back to bite me.  Often, I wonder why the dear Lord has delayed His second coming.  So, why is he waiting?  What is He waiting for?  And why doesn’t the Lord come back sooner than later?  Well, much is said in the Bible about the second coming of the Lord.  It will be sudden, and it will be quick.  Paul said in I Thessalonians 4:16-18, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  What wonderful, comforting words!  The Lord Jesus is waiting for just one more person to be born into His forever family.  Jesus Christ does not want anyone to miss out on His eternal life!  II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  And when the family of God is complete, Jesus will come quickly and powerfully to catch us all up to be with Him forever and forever!  I am so glad that Jesus delayed his coming until after April 17, 1956, because that’s when I got into His forever family.  Hey, have you become a part of God’s forever family?  Now would be a great time to make that decision.  Don’t “delay”.  Do it now before it’s eternally too late.

Pill Container

 

For years, I would be asked, “What medications are you on?”  I would smugly reply, “None.  Really, none at all.”  But all of that changed last September.  Now I take two pills in the morning and four at night.  Oh, well.  It was a nice run while it lasted.  Now when I am asked, “What medications are you on?” I take out a paper that I carry in my wallet and unfold it.  Too many medications for me to remember.  And I hate filling up that morning-and-evening pill container!  And when it’s empty, I even put it off another day, but then I have to open up multiple pill bottles anyway to take my meds.  But I have figured out a way to stretch it out, if only a little bit.  When I fill up my pill minder, I set out one extra dose on the table.  That gives me eight instead of only seven.  So, I get one free day before I have to fill the dreaded pill container.  But since it is morning and evening pills, I only get a free day every other week.  You may say that it isn’t worth the effort, but that extra day is my triumph over my disability!  Hey, do you struggle with daily prayer?  Do you have problems reading your Bible every day?  Do you have little sins that you struggle to overcome?  Don’t be overwhelmed; take it one day at a time.  And if you fail, don’t beat yourself up, just start over again … one day at a time.  I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  Hey, look to the Lord!  He will provide that door of escape.  Gain the victory one day at a time … through Jesus Christ!

Diligent

 

Saturday afternoon, I came home tired.  We had a work day at church to get ready for our mission conference that starts next week.  My area of responsibility was plumbing.  I replaced the float valve and filler seal in a toilet.  Then I replaced a dripping faucet with a new one.  But the new sixteen-inch supply line on the cold side was just a bit too short, which necessitated another trip to the hardware.  And to install the faucet, I had to lay on my back under the sink inside the cabinet … no small feat for this old man.  But I got ‘er done!  So, now, back to coming home tired.  When I walked in the door I went straight to the refrigerator and took out my half-full bottle of Coke.  But as I unscrewed the cap, I didn’t hold it tightly and I dropped it on the kitchen floor (remember I was tired).  So, I had to bend down to pick up the little red cap.  But as I stood up, the cap fumbled out of my fingers and fell to the floor again.  So again, I had to bend down and pick it up, this time holding a little tighter and concentrating on what I was doing.  Because I was tired and careless, I had to pick up that little bottlecap twice.  What a lesson!  I remember my dad saying, “If you don’t take the time to do a job right the first time, you will have to take the time to do it right the second time.  Doing it right the first time always takes less time than doing it twice.”  Because of my tiredness, I did more work.  Solomon said in Proverbs 13:4, “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.”  Hey, the word for the day is diligent.  Attend to details and be diligent, and you’ll have a good day!  Yes, you will!

Michelin Wiper Blades

 

The wiper blades on our car were showing signs of wear: I could see streaks when they wiped the rain off our windshield.  So, last Monday, I bought two new Michelin premium wiper blades at Costco.  I put them in the back seat of the car planning to install them when I have the time.  But they have been in the back seat of the car for almost a week.  I have new wiper blades, but they do me no good unless I put them on the wipers and use them.  Hey, a Bible does you no good unless you get it out and read it.  The Bible is not a good luck charm that you carry around to ward off the devil.  The Bible is a book intended to be read.  And the Bible is a supernatural book with the ability to change the one who reads it.  Paul said in II Timothy 3:16&17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”  The Bible is profitable and the Bible is purposeful.  The Lord gave it to us to instruct us.  Don’t neglect your Bible, like my wiper blades.  Use it and become a better person.

Ambitious Terrapin

 

Friday, I was early to pick up my wife from dialysis.  Nothing unusual, because I am always early to pick her up.  I would rather wait on her than have her waiting on me.  When Kathy rolls out, she is SO over dialysis!  While waiting, I usually play my entire repertoire of songs on my ukelele.  So, Friday while I was playing, I saw movement in the grass beside the dialysis clinic.  I put down my uke and walked over about fifty feet to find a large terrapin (a water turtle).  As I approached, it pulled inside as far as it could.  I stood there for a moment and considered what the turtle was attempting to do.  This turtle had left the safety of the sediment pond behind the dialysis center, crawled up the embankment, and set out across a five-acre field.  How brave!  It had no idea what lay ahead, or even if it would find a new pond to live in.  But it set out anyway!  I don’t know what motivated the turtle to migrate, whether it was looking for a mate, or a bigger pond, or to escape a bullying turtle, but it was on the move.  This turtle couldn’t know of the road that it would have to cross.  It knew nothing of the factory and parking lot that was ahead.  But this adventurous turtle forged ahead anyway!  What a lesson for me!  David said in Psalm 31:23&24, “… for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”  Hey, don’t be afraid to trust the Lord.  Be adventurous; be ambitious … for God!  He will never let you down!

Nicknames

 

Growing up, I had two nicknames.  My brothers and cousins called me Bubbie.  Bubbie is not much better than Bubba, but a little better.  And because I was solitary growing up, my Granny Whitely called me Turkey.  Another not-too-flattering nickname.  Fast forward fifty years.  My granddaughter had a baby doll that she loved.  It had a cute vinyl head with vinyl forearms and legs sewn onto a cotton body which gave her a comfortable feel.  But one evening, Mary Kate left her baby doll outside and it rained.  The next day, the doll was drenched, giving her the nickname of Heavy Baby.  Not a very sweet name, but an accurate name, nonetheless.  Hey, Jesus had many names too, one of which was Man of Sorrows, found in Isaiah 53:3.  Not a very pleasant name, but a wonderful name because of the next two verses: Isaiah 53:4&5, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”  Jesus was stricken and smitten for us sinners!  He took the pain, the shame, and the suffering of Calvary’s cross for us!  So, to us, who are born again into God’s forever family, Man of Sorrows is a meaningful, wonderful name!  Yes, it is!

Merging

 

The I-24/I-75 interchange has been under construction for years and can lead to endless frustration for commuters.  On mornings, sleepy drivers from north Georgia merge onto I-75 until it swells with bumper-to-bumper commuters during rush hours.  And then, it gets worse!  As drivers head west toward Chattanooga, the interstate narrows to one lane!  And this forced merging reveals the character of the drivers.  Many drivers refuse to yield one single car-length.  They stubbornly ride the bumper of the car in front of them refusing to give a gap to the car beside them to merge.  To merge or not will end in a net change of ½ second in their commute!  But they fight for that ½ second!  But then there are those who slow just a bit and share the road.  And because of their kindness, they remind others to be a little kinder.  They set the pace for the rest of the day … for themselves and for others, because their kindness is contagious.  Paul reminded Timothy to be an example to others in I Timothy 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”  Today, you can be greedy, or you can be kind. The choice is up to you.

Sylvania Headlights

 

I just saw a cute commercial for Sylvania headlights.  This family was driving on a curvy country road, but because of their newly installed Sylvania headlights, they were able to see the deer standing in the road ahead.  There are many dangers in the darkness, but with Sylvania headlights, you can be safe.  Or at least that’s what the commercial says.  Hey, there are dangers ahead in your life too.  You cannot see into the future and what lies ahead of you is as unsure as a dark, curvy, country road.  But there is one way to see into the future.  You can trust the One Who is already there in the future.  God knows what the future holds because God is outside of time.  God is there in the future right now!  David said it best in Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  God’s Word, the Bible, can direct your life and keep you safe on the road ahead.  After all, God knows what lies ahead around that curve.  Trust in the Lord.  God is much better than Sylvania.

Own It

 

We went to McAlister’s for supper last afternoon.  My wife ordered and I began to order my usual baked potato when the server stopped me mid-sentence.  She said, “I’m sorry, we don’t have any baked potatoes right now.”  I looked shocked and began to scan the menu on the wall for my second choice.  As usual, I tried to make a joke about it.  I said, “Well, I think that the manager should be fired.”  Now the server looked shocked.  I quickly added, “Just kidding.  But I can’t believe that you don’t have any baked potatoes.”  Then a second girl behind the server spoke up, “It’s my fault.  I didn’t put the potatoes into the oven.”  Then it was my turn to look surprised.  I couldn’t believe that the girl would be so honest!  She owned the error and admitted so, right out loud!  I was at a loss for words … something that never happens … or at least never heretofore.  Usually, folk blame someone else for the mistake (someone who is not present to defend themselves).  But this young lady admitted her mistake and was taking responsibility for the consequences.  How refreshing!  Solomon said in Proverbs 22:29, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”  Good for you, girl!  You are on your way up!  So, let me give you some advice for today: speak the truth; say it like it is; own up to your mistakes and move on with your day!  Because it’s going to be a great day for you!  Yes, it is!

Great Expectations

 

Do you have plans for the future?  I do.  I plan on going to cardiac rehab on Monday morning, but none of us knows what a day will bring forth.  I don’t mean to be morbid, but on any given day, there are tragic car accidents.  People receive cancer diagnoses.  Others may get a pink slip at work.  We all have expectations for the future, but only the Lord knows the future.  In college, I read “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens.  It was one of his longest novels.  The book followed the life of a little waif (Pip) who was the beneficiary of a mysterious donor.  He was taken under the wing of an old lady (Miss Havisham) and grew up with the old lady’s granddaughter (Estella).  Pip was groomed, tutored, and became a wealthy, powerful man.  But after almost 400 pages of tedious reading, Pip and Estella never got together!  What a waste of my time!  Pip had ‘Great Expectations’ for his life and I had ‘Great Expectations’ for Dickens’ book, but neither happened!  Hey, have you ever had ‘Great Expectations’ in your life?  But have your plans failed?  It could be that your plans are not what the dear Lord had planned for your life.  God told Israel in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  The Lord has ’Great Expectations’ for Israel, and the Lord has ‘Great Expectations’ for you as well!  Hey, let the Lord lead and follow His expectations.  You’ll never be sorry that you did.

Misunderstanding

 

My wife bought a dress at Hamrick’s Tuesday, but when she tried it on that evening, it was too big.  No problem.  I took the dress back for an even exchange Wednesday morning.  I found the dress in a size smaller.  Success of my mission … or so I thought.  When I stepped up to the cashier, she said, “We’ll process the new dress first and do the return next.”  No problem … or so I thought.  She scanned my receipt, scanned the tag on the new dress, and then scanned the smaller size dress.  Then she said, “That’ll be $2.”  I was puzzled and said, “But it’s an even exchange.”  She said, “You used an e-coupon to purchase the original dress, and there isn’t enough balance to use your e-coupon on the smaller dress.  That’ll be $2.”  I was even more puzzled, and said, “But if you take off the original dress FIRST, there should be enough to use the e-coupon like my wife did last night, and it should be an even exchange.”  Now it was her turn to look puzzled.  She thought for a few seconds and called out, “Katie. I need an override!”  And the manager (Katie) stepped over.  She said, “What’s the problem?”  And I had to go through my story from the beginning once again.  Now it was Katie’s turn to look puzzled … but only for a moment.  Then it dawned on her.  She looked like a lightbulb had turned on in her head.  She said, “Oh!  No problem.”  Then she typed in her identification number and went back up to her perch behind the cashiers.  My cashier smiled at me and said, “We’re even.  Thank you.”  And handed me the new smaller size dress.  Sometimes we look at a situation one way and someone else will look at the same situation another way.  Each view may be valid … in the eyes of the person who holds to that view.  Often, it is difficult to see the situation from the other person’s view.  We need to understand them.  We need to step out of our shoes and step into their shoes.  Paul said that we should not judge one another.  Rather, keep your own opinion to yourself.  Romans 14:5, “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”  After all, I am accountable to the Lord and you are accountable to the Lord.  Neither of us are accountable to each other.  Hey, mind your own business, and I should mind my own business.  Let’s get along and both serve the Lord, our Master.

Sudoku Lessons

 

Life lessons from Sudoku puzzles.  Note: if you don’t do Sudoku puzzles or don’t know anything about Sudoku puzzles, none of this will make sense.  Don’t bother to read it.  Just go take a nap or count flowers on the wallpaper.  But if you know Sudoku, keep reading.  This is for you.  Look at your problem from every possible angle before you make a decision.  If a solution isn’t clearly seen, work on a different problem.  Your time is better spent working on the second problem than obsessing over the first problem.  And the solution of the second problem may lead to the solution of the first problem.  When problems get really hard, set them aside and come back to them later.  Fresh eyes may lead to a fresh solution.  Never give up.  Every problem has a solution, no matter how elusive it may be.  Always check your work.  If you make a mistake early on but you keep going, every move that you make after the mistake will only lead to compounded mistakes.  Catch mistakes early to save wasted time.  Go back to where you made the original mistake and start over.  Don’t be too proud to look in the back of the book to find your errors.  And when you complete a puzzle, don’t get too smug … there are always more puzzles, and each one is harder than the one that you just finished!  Now, make your own application.

Rainy Monday

 

Monday morning, I woke up early to the crash of thunder and the heavy patter of rain on the roof.  Mondays are hard enough, but rain makes it even harder to crawl out of bed and hit that cold linoleum floor with bare feet.  It was only 3 am, but I needed to see what was going on outside.  So I crept into the kitchen and turned on the back porch light.  The deck umbrella had blown away (I found the pieces of it in the front yard later in the morning).  I should have closed it, I mused.  Rain was falling in buckets and twigs were blown off the trees by gusts of wind.  I went back to bed, if only for a few minutes.  I got up at 4 am and posted on facebook.  I brushed my teeth and took all of my vitamins and supplements.  Kathy struggled to awaken while I prepared her dialysis bag.  We left home a little late, but for a Monday morning with rain, the dialysis center was glad that we showed up at all.  Small limbs were everywhere as I drove cautiously through our subdivision and onto the main road.  But flashing blue police lights around the bend slowed me to a stop.  A tree was down blocking the road.  I turned around and considered an alternate route.  Bridge construction on Poplar Springs Road ruined my plan B.  I pulled out my phone, clicked on Google, and confidently said, “North Georgia Kidney Center from here.”  And moments later, Google had a route picked out for me.  The Google algorithm knew the best way because it had all of the possible choices figured into the equation.  Hey, God is even better than Google!  God knows every decision that we make, every move that we make, every day of our lives … all 8 billion of us!  And the good Lord works His perfect will to bring the best moves for all of us in each of our lives.  David said it best in Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”  My steps are ordered by the Lord, even on a rainy Monday morning!  Hey, let the dear Lord lead you today!  After all, His way is much better than Google!

Bad News

 

Pastor Jamie has been preaching through the book of Nehemiah for the past few Wednesday evenings.  Nehemiah led an exodus of Jews back to Jerusalem who had been taken into captivity in Babylon 70 years earlier.  They were met by other Jews who had hidden from the Babylonians and were still there in the area.  Both groups were motivated by Nehemiah and Ezra to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and reestablish the worship of the Lord at the Temple.  While cleaning out rubbish in one of the rooms of the Temple, workers found a copy of the Book of the Law and brought it to Ezra.  Nehemiah and Ezra summoned the people, and on an appointed day, from morning to midday, Ezra read to the people from the Book of the Law and explained what it meant.  The people were shocked, embarrassed, and repentant.  They began to weep and wail in bitter anguish over their sins.  But Nehemiah stopped them cold.  Nehemiah 8:9, “And Nehemiah … said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.”  They had to hear the bad news before they could hear the good news.  Hey, that’s exactly how we are!  We must hear that we are terrible sinners before we can do anything about our sin.  We must hear the bad news before we can repent.  I have a tract that says exactly that: First, the Bad News; then the Good News.  Hey, trust Jesus Christ today before it’s eternally too late.  You’ll be eternally glad that you did.

Coffee Refill

 

I am not a coffee snob, but I do like my coffee.  On cold mornings (or all day long on cold days), nothing warms the body like a hot cup of coffee.  I usually put several creamers in the coffee that I buy out because it is too strong.  At the risk of being called a wimp, I do not like strong coffee.  My sister likes the double-shot expresso, but I would like a half shot expresso, if there were such a thing.  My wife and I like to buy Dunkin’ Donuts ground coffee to make at home.  And in order to get a better price, I buy the big 30 oz. plastic container.  It costs about $20, but I can get it on sale, and then I have enough to last until the next sale.  But the big container is too big to leave on our counter.  So I have a smaller 12 oz. bag that I refill.  Reminds me of the Lord’s goodness.  He gives to us and we give it out to others.  But unlike my big plastic container, God’s goodness never runs out!  Paul said in II Corinthians 1:4&5, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”  We comfort others.  And when we become exhausted and are in need of comfort ourselves, God gives of His boundless stores and comforts us.  But unlike my plastic container, the dear Lord NEVER runs out of comfort!  God’s grace is endless!  Yes, it is!

Master Club

 

Last Wednesday evening, we had our Master Club awards for the elementary kids at church.  Those little guys were so cute!  Each clubber said three Bible verses that they had memorized (some had a little more help than others).  Even the quiet kids were bold and said their verses!  What a blessing!  One verse that was quoted was Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  What a great concept to get into the heads of children who are just beginning their lives!  If they follow God’s Word for the rest of their days, the dear Lord will direct their steps.  Yes, He will!  And of course, Master Club is named after the Master, Jesus Christ Himself.  And what a great term, Master.  It’s so easy for us to be independent and to do the Christian life all on our own.  But the key is to make Jesus Christ the Lord (the Master) of our lives.  Hey, is Jesus just a great teacher to you?  Is He just a good example for you to follow?  Or is He your Boss?  Is Jesus Christ your Master?  Think about it.

Press On

 

I know this is hard for you to believe, but this seventy-four-year-old man used to run cross country in college.  In 1969 I worked third shift at Standard Coosa Thatcher thread mill.  I got off work at 6 AM, ran 3 miles, and then went to breakfast at 7 AM.  Then to classes at 8 AM until 1 PM.  Then I ran 5 miles until supper, and then crashed until 10 PM and work again.  I did it then, but I couldn’t do it now.  Now, my running is limited to running to the dining room table.  In 1969, I ran in a race at Bryan College.  I got off work at 6 AM and hitchhiked from Chattanooga to Dayton, Tennessee.  But by the time that I got to Dayton, the race had already started.  So, the officials noted the time and let me start late.  The race was from Dayton to Spring City, a distance of 17 miles.  A few miles into the race, I became so tired that I almost gave up.  But about the same time, I caught up and passed two runners who were in last place.  So I kept pressing on.  Towards the end, I had to force myself to take each step.  I finished the race in 3 hours 10 minutes.  Hey, the Christian life is just like that race.  This life isn’t a sprint, it’s a long-distance run that takes determination each step of the way.  Paul said in Philippians 3:13&14, “… forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  We should stay focused on Jesus and press on.  Don’t give up, press on.  Don’t let discouragement slow you down, press on.  Whatever comes your way, press on.

Paper Cut

 

Have you ever gotten a “paper cut”?  They really hurt!  It’s hard to believe a little sheet of paper 3 thousandths of an inch thick can do such damage.  Well, a while back, I was typing at my computer, but I was distracted by a tiny piece of bacon stuck between my teeth.  I should have stopped typing and gotten some dental floss, but the ideas were flowing and didn’t want the interruption.  I tried to work it free with my tongue, but it wouldn’t budge.  I tried to suck it free with air, but that little piece of bacon was stubborn.  So, I picked up a piece of paper lying on my desk.  It was junk mail from an insurance company trying to get my business.  So, I used it to get that annoying piece of bacon free.  After two tries, the bacon popped out, but I got a paper cut on my gum.  I wonder if the paper cut would be covered by the insurance agent’s business insurance.  After all, it was kind of his fault.  Kind of ...  That funny story reminds me that it is easy to blame other people for my mistakes.  I Peter 3:9, “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”  Hey, the paper cut isn’t the fault of the paper (or the company that sent it to me): the paper cut was my careless move!  Next time I’ll think first.  Well, maybe …

Old Age

 

Getting old has advantages.  Fellow customers at Lowe’s offer to help me load boards into my truck.  No one expects me to help move heavy stuff at church.  My children instruct my grandchildren to “help Granddaddy.”  At family picnics, I am only asked to bring myself.  That being said, many other aspects of getting old stink.  After doing minimal work around the house, I have aches and pains in muscles that I never knew that I had.  Normal activities take days to recover from.  And I just can’t seem to sleep at night.  Oh, I have no problem falling asleep; I just have trouble staying asleep.  I wrap up in a toasty blanket and fall fast asleep. But I wake up two hours later hot and sweaty.  Last night I got up and went to the bathroom and laid down on top of the blanket.  The cool topside of the blanket felt so refreshing.  I went fast asleep in moments.  But then my bony knees rubbing on each other woke me up again.  So I stuffed a small pillow between my knees, felt relieved, and fell back to sleep once again … but only to wake up five minutes later with leg cramps because the pillow had pinched off the blood flow to my legs.  I rolled upright with my legs on the side of the bed to restore circulation.  But then I was wide awake.  I prayed to the dear Lord for relief in my pitiful situation.  But as I was rubbing my legs, the good Lord remined me of the many good things that I had: I had a blanket to get me hot, I had air conditioning to get me cool, I had a pillow for my bony knees, and I still had legs even if they did hurt!  Hey, even with my old age problems, God is still a good good Father!  Yes, He is!

1962

 

In 1962, my dad and several other men under the leadership of Brother Grant Nelson, helped to start Faith Baptist Church in Joppa, Maryland.  After meeting in Pete Beavers’ basement for several months, the new church had enough money to buy property near the old Joppa post office.  The ten acres had a house, a goat barn, and a two-story block building used as a turkey barn.  The men shoveled out truckload after truckload of turkey manure before they got down to the floor.  But the work was a blessing in disguise: they sold the manure to a farmer and made money for the renovations.  Every Saturday was spent from daylight to sunset working on the church property.  As a junior high boy, I learned how to be a Christian man by watching and listening to those men as they worked on the new church.  They sweated and laughed and worked together to get the job done.  What an impact on my life!  One particular Saturday, two men were cleaning out the old hand-dug well. My dad had made a windless to crank the buckets of sludge up and out.  Another man was down in the well digging while the bucket was being emptied topside.  My dad would unhook the full bucket, set it aside, hook up an empty bucket, and then carry the full bucket away from the well to be dumped.  But as he turned his back, the weight of the empty bucket was just enough to overcome the resistance of the windless, and while no one was watching, the bucket began to descend on its own.  As the rope played out of the windless it added more weight, and the bucket plummeted out of control.  My younger friend, Richard, boldly reached out grabbing the rope stopping the bucket’s out of control descent.  Mt dad secured the rope, and another man triaged Richard’s hand.  Richard’s palm was scraped, blistered, and bleeding from the rope burn, but he was fine otherwise.  Quick thinking on Richard’s part was fortunate for the man down in the well.  But Richard had a reason for his quick action: the man at the bottom of the well was his dad.  Hey, Richard’s brave concern reminds me of the dear Lord’s concern for lost sinners like me.  Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  Thank you, Lord, for your love for me!  Thank you for your sacrifice on Calvary!

Harmon Killebrew

 

I read a great story a few years ago written by Hall of Famer, Harmon Killebrew.  He said, “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  My Mother would come out and grumble, ‘You're tearing up the grass!’  Dad would reply. ‘We’re not growing grass, we're raising boys.’”  No one knows what the Killebrew yard looked like.  But most baseball aficionados from the 60’s and 70’s certainly know what Harmon Killebrew did.  And Harmon Killebrew’s dad knew the importance of building into the lives of his boys.  David said in Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”  God knows what lies ahead in our lives and God can order our steps.  Hey, are you letting God direct your steps? After all, God knows exactly where you will be in the future.  Why not let Him be in charge?