Mowing a Straight Line

 

My front yard is on a hill and a little difficult to mow.  For years, I had a push mower … operated by my son.  But when John graduated from high school and moved out of the house, I got a riding mower.  I always mow across the hill making it easier to mow.  But after I finish mowing across, I start at the bottom of the hill beside our mailbox and mow diagonally uphill.  Once uphill, I turn and mow downhill next to my first swath.  The grass stragglers left behind by the across-the-hill cutting are trimmed leaving my front yard looking like a well-manicured baseball outfield.  But that first cut starting beside the mailbox must be absolutely straight because the subsequent cuts key off of that first cut.  So, when I start that first cut, I look to the far side of the yard and focus my eyes on the downspout on the corner of my house.  As I mow, I don’t look at the ground; I don’t look behind; I look straight ahead and keep the nose of my riding mower aimed at that downspout.  I constantly recorrect my mower as it bounces left and right mowing straight toward that downspout.  And when I make my turn. I discover that the first strip is as straight as an arrow!  The apostle Paul did what I did: Philippians 3:13&14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, 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.”  Hey, let’s focus on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Let’s keep our eyes upon Him.  And if we do, when our life is over and we look back upon our days, everything will be just right.  Yes, it will.

Collections

 

My mother-in-law used to collect salt and pepper shakers.  Some of them were cute, but most of them were corny.  Nothing says Thanksgiving like shaking a porcelain turkey and out flies salt.  My wife has several sheep, and the word got out that she collects sheep.  Now she has several more from the ladies in her Sunday school class.  I collect pictures of dead presidents.  If anyone would like to send me some, please do.  Ha, ha!  I have a collection of used Bibles on a bookshelf downstairs.  When I travel to Cameroon, I sign them and give them to young preacher boys.  What a blessing to them and a blessing to me.  Nothing thrills my heart more than to see men who love the Word of God!  But a collection of Bibles is not a good thing.  Bibles are books and books are meant to be read.  Bibles should not be left on a shelf collecting dust (no pun intended).  David said in Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  Hey, read your Bibles; don’t collect them.  And for sure don’t collect dust ON them!

Larry Russell

 

I had difficulty starting my computer this morning, so I am posting late in the day. AND I was up late with the homegoing of my dear friend, Larry Russell. Larry and Doris Russell were members of Calvary when we joined in August of 1980 - almost 44 years ago. Larry loved the Lord and was ready to go to heaven. Larry was a kind man who loved his family, loved his church, and loved the Lord. I never heard Larry say anything against another person. Never. He will be missed by his dear wife and children and grandchildren and his church family and by me. Enjoy your heavenly reward, Brother Larry. Well done! Psalms 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

Forgetfulness

 

Sundays are busy, and there are many details that I must remember.  Last week, I hung my sport coat on a chair by the door and forgot it.  Oops!  When I got to church and noticed my missing jacket, it was too late to return home and retrieve it.  I explained to Pastor Jamie why I was leading music without my sport coat, and he was understanding.  I was a little embarrassed at my absentmindedness (but not too much).  Hey, how often do we forget important things?  My dear friend, Larry Russell, is at the end of his life and will pass on into eternity very soon.  Brother Larry is ready for that moment.  But how many of us put off our eternal preparations?  We know that we must face our Maker someday, but we assume that it will be much later.  We tell ourselves that we will make our final preparations later.  But eternal decisions are serious and should not be put off.  Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  It’s one thing to forget a jacket, but it’s quite another thing to forget to make our peace with Jesus Christ.  One will result in a little embarrassment, but the other will make the difference between eternal life or eternal death.  Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Don’t forget before it’s eternally too late.