January 08 Newsletter
A Thought for the New Year
A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.
Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
And enjoy your hot chocolate.
Blessed New Year!
Jesus could have stayed in heaven.
Yet Jesus came to earth for us.
Jesus could have claimed status.
Yet Jesus was humble.
Jesus could have lived without suffering.
Yet Jesus suffered for us.
Jesus could have avoided the cross.
Yet Jesus went to the cross for us.
Can we do the same? Can we live like Jesus?
Tater People
Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work. They are called "Speck Taters."
Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work. They are called "Comment Taters."
Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don't want to soil their own hands. They are called "Dick Taters."
Some people are always looking to cause problems by asking others to agree with them. It is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet. They are called "Agie Taters."
There are those who say they will help, but somehow just never get around to actually doing the promised help. They are called "Hezzie Taters."
Some people can put up a front and pretend to be someone they are not. They are called "Emma Taters."
Then there are those who love others and do what they say they will. They are always prepared to stop whatever they are doing and lend a helping hand. They bring real sunshine into the lives of others. They are called "Sweet Taters."
Census Bureau Projects Population of 303.1 Million
As our nation prepares to ring in the new year, the U.S. Census Bureau today projected the Jan. 1, 2008, population will be 303,146,284 -- up 2,842,103 or 0.9 percent from New Year’s Day 2007.
In January, the United States is expected to register one birth every eight seconds and one death every 11 seconds.
Meanwhile, net international migration is expected to add one person every 30 seconds. The result is an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 13 seconds.
Making A Difference In 2008 by Jon Walker
The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ (Matthew 25:21 NLT)
God is equipping you to make a difference in his world. Rick Warren teaches that the donation of your life matters more than the duration of your life.
Do you really want your life to be significant in 2008? Then begin investing your time and money into showing people how they can make peace with God. That’s an investment that will make a difference, not for 10 years, or 50 years, or even 1,000 years; it will make a difference for eternity.
Quite honestly, there is nothing more significant you can do with your life. There is no more significant use of your time or resources than to help other human beings learn about Jesus. If you help just one person get into heaven, your life will have been eternally significant.
Charlene, a nurse in the Saddleback Church congregation, says God taught her to give her life to something bigger than just living for herself. “I'm a nurse, and when I heard about the tsunami that struck Indonesia [several years ago], I felt God calling me to help,” she says. “I was nervous because the area we were going to serve in is devoutly Muslim. I wasn't sure how the people would react to us being Christians.
“God gave me so much love for all the people, and we felt the Spirit moving,” says Charlene. “I know seeds were planted, and I believe that someday many of those people will come toknow Christ. God showed me that he would protect and take care of us. It was a wonderful experience. Itmakes me want to give my life to something bigger than just living for myself.”
What does this mean?
· Ask God about the donation of your life – Ask God what he wants your donation to be in the years you have left.
· Believe God wants to use you – You can change the world, one person at a time.
· Question to consider – What do you need to change in your life so you can begin living for godly significance?
A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.
Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
And enjoy your hot chocolate.
Blessed New Year!
Jesus could have stayed in heaven.
Yet Jesus came to earth for us.
Jesus could have claimed status.
Yet Jesus was humble.
Jesus could have lived without suffering.
Yet Jesus suffered for us.
Jesus could have avoided the cross.
Yet Jesus went to the cross for us.
Can we do the same? Can we live like Jesus?
Tater People
Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work. They are called "Speck Taters."
Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work. They are called "Comment Taters."
Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don't want to soil their own hands. They are called "Dick Taters."
Some people are always looking to cause problems by asking others to agree with them. It is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet. They are called "Agie Taters."
There are those who say they will help, but somehow just never get around to actually doing the promised help. They are called "Hezzie Taters."
Some people can put up a front and pretend to be someone they are not. They are called "Emma Taters."
Then there are those who love others and do what they say they will. They are always prepared to stop whatever they are doing and lend a helping hand. They bring real sunshine into the lives of others. They are called "Sweet Taters."
Census Bureau Projects Population of 303.1 Million
As our nation prepares to ring in the new year, the U.S. Census Bureau today projected the Jan. 1, 2008, population will be 303,146,284 -- up 2,842,103 or 0.9 percent from New Year’s Day 2007.
In January, the United States is expected to register one birth every eight seconds and one death every 11 seconds.
Meanwhile, net international migration is expected to add one person every 30 seconds. The result is an increase in the total U.S. population of one person every 13 seconds.
Making A Difference In 2008 by Jon Walker
The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ (Matthew 25:21 NLT)
God is equipping you to make a difference in his world. Rick Warren teaches that the donation of your life matters more than the duration of your life.
Do you really want your life to be significant in 2008? Then begin investing your time and money into showing people how they can make peace with God. That’s an investment that will make a difference, not for 10 years, or 50 years, or even 1,000 years; it will make a difference for eternity.
Quite honestly, there is nothing more significant you can do with your life. There is no more significant use of your time or resources than to help other human beings learn about Jesus. If you help just one person get into heaven, your life will have been eternally significant.
Charlene, a nurse in the Saddleback Church congregation, says God taught her to give her life to something bigger than just living for herself. “I'm a nurse, and when I heard about the tsunami that struck Indonesia [several years ago], I felt God calling me to help,” she says. “I was nervous because the area we were going to serve in is devoutly Muslim. I wasn't sure how the people would react to us being Christians.
“God gave me so much love for all the people, and we felt the Spirit moving,” says Charlene. “I know seeds were planted, and I believe that someday many of those people will come toknow Christ. God showed me that he would protect and take care of us. It was a wonderful experience. Itmakes me want to give my life to something bigger than just living for myself.”
What does this mean?
· Ask God about the donation of your life – Ask God what he wants your donation to be in the years you have left.
· Believe God wants to use you – You can change the world, one person at a time.
· Question to consider – What do you need to change in your life so you can begin living for godly significance?
posted by joypastordon at 10:37 AM
1 Comments:
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