June 28

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen.
Not only because I see it, but because I see everything by it. C S Lewis

"The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion." -- Billy Graham

"Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard." -- Robert Schuller

"Success is always temporary. When all is said and done, the only thing you'll have left is your character" -- Vince Gill

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not on this earth for eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake." -- Marie Beynon Ray (Adapted)

The Wounded Healers
With all its imperfections, sins, blemishes, and warts, the Church of Jesus Christ is the intended healer of the world's wounds. Christians are called to be compassionate, wounded healers.

Perhaps, Henri Nouwen, the Roman Catholic theologian, has said this better than anyone else. The author of many books, Nouwen speaks of Christians as "wounded healers" who have compassion.

Compassion is not pity. Pity lets us stay at a distance. It is condescending.
Compassion is not sympathy. Sympathy is for superiors over inferiors.
Compassion is not charity. Charity is for the rich to continue in their status over the poor.
Compassion is born of God. It means entering into the other person's problems. It means taking on the burdens of the other. It means standing in the other person's shoes. It is the opposite of professionalism. It is the humanizing way to deal with people. "Just as bread without love can bring war instead of peace, professionalism without compassion will turn forgiveness into a gimmick."

Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special regard to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you. --Augustine


Flesh Become Word
The word must become flesh, but the flesh also must become word. It is not enough for us, as human beings, just to live. We also must give words to what we are living. If we do not speak what we are living, our lives lose their vitality and creativity. When we see a beautiful view, we search for words to express what we are seeing. When we meet a caring person, we want to speak about that meeting. When we are sorrowful or in great pain, we need to talk about it. When we are surprised by joy, we want to announce it! Through the word, we appropriate and internalize what we are living. The word makes our experience truly human.

Food for Thought...
I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed; just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a
machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then...do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

"It is a fundamental principle in the life and walk of faith that we must always be prepared for the unexpected when we are dealing with God." - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Qualification for the Gift of the Gospel
Jesus came to raise the dead. The only qualification for the gift of the Gospel is to be dead. You don't have to be smart. You don't have to be good. You don't have to be wise. You don't have to be wonderful. You don't have to be anything...you just have to be dead. That's it. Robert Farrar Capon

Despite the "Do Not Touch" signs, a museum was having no success in keeping patrons from touching--and soiling--priceless furniture and art. But the problem evaporated overnight when a clever museum employee replaced the signs with ones that read: "Caution: Wash Hands After Touching!"

"Change is inevitable except from a vending machine."

"The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room."


"The 50-50-90 rule: Any time you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong."

A young lady was soaking up the sun's rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, "Do you believe in God?" She was surprised by the question but she replied, "Why, yes, I do." Then he asked her: "Do you go to church every Sunday?" Again, her answer was "Yes!" He then asked: "Do you read your Bible and pray everyday?" Again she said, "Yes!" By now her curiosity was very much aroused. The little lad sighed with relief and said, "Will you hold my quarter while I go in swimming?" Are we who claim to be followers of Christ always trustworthy?

"He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world." Benjamin Franklin

By Voltaire: Common sense is not so common.
"A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well."
Silence is more eloquent than words. Thomas Carlyle

** When Bishop Booth, the Episcopal bishop up in Vermont, died--he was a young man, but he led a beautiful Christian life--the nurse said, "I know where the bishop is tonight. His soul is in hell." A woman who heard those remarks was absolutely stunned into silence. She stood there quiet, and the nurse went on, "That's the only place that the bishop would be happy--where there were so many people who needed help." The bishop was Jesus' man, for Jesus sought hell, and Jesus still hungers for sinners. -- Bruce W. Thielemann, "Telltale Tears"

** The purpose of the church, financially, is not to accumulate as much money as possible but to give away as much as possible. -- Jerry Hayner

June 21

Jesus doesn’t promise calm seas. But He does promise to calm us in every sea.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result."-- Albert Einstein

The Boat Is a Symbol for the Church
The boat is a symbol for the church. It has been that way from the beginning. The ship has always been a symbol for the church. The logo for the ecumenical movement in our day is the symbol of a ship upon the sea. The Roman Catholic Church refers to itself as "the bark of Peter" which means "the ship of Peter." Architecturally, that part of the sanctuary in which all of you sit is called the "nave." Up front we have the chancel. Out back we have the narthex. That's "churchspeak." But where you are is the nave. The word "nave" is obviously linked, linguistically, to the word "naval." Literally, "nave" is the Latin word for "ship." Even as we sit here in church, we are in the boat with the disciples. And, as Al Gurley is fond of pointing out, if you look up at the ceiling, you can see the ship's prow, albeit upside down.

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, “Daddy, I need to ask you something,” he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.
-- Garrison Keillor

Four Things You Cannot Recover
The stone ... after it is thrown.
The word ... after it is said.
The occasion ... after the loss.
The time ... after it is gone.

Remember ... "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

Have you ever tried to accomplish a task using the wrong tool? It’s like trying to turn a slotted screw with a Phillips’ screwdriver! They don’t fit, the screw doesn’t turn. You need the right tool to match the requirements of the job. Building a household of faith is much the same way. Our Scripture lessons for today tell us God needs willing hearts, attitudes of reconciliation, and “just the right person with the right gifts for the right job.” You may wonder if you possess the right tools/skills for “faith-building” - you do, God has already given them to you. So stop hitting that nail with the handle of the screwdriver!


My Dad's Hands
Bedtime came, we were settling down,
I was holding one of my lads.
As I grasped him so tight, I saw a strange sight:
My hands. . .they looked like my dad's!

I remember them well, those old gnarled hooks,
there was always a cracked nail or two.
And thanks to a hammer that strayed from its mark,
his thumb was a beautiful blue!

They were rough, I remember, incredibly tough,
as strong as a carpenter's vice.
But holding a scared little boy at night,
they seemed to me awfully nice!

The sight of those hands - how impressive it was
in the eyes of his little boy.
Other dads' hands were cleaner, it seemed
(the effects of their office employ).

I gave little thought in my formative years
of the reason for Dad's raspy mitts:
The love in the toil, the dirt and the oil,
rusty plumbing that gave those hands fits!

Thinking back, misty-eyed, and thinking ahead,
when one day my time is done.
The torch of love in my own wrinkled hands
will pass on to the hands of my son.

I don't mind the bruises, the scars here and there
or the hammer that just seemed to slip.
I want most of all when my son takes my hand,
to feel that love lies in the grip.

June 14

Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet!!

In 1990, 86% of Americans claimed to be Christian and in 2009 the percentage of the faithful had dropped to 75%. Christianity is losing.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." -- Laura Ingalls Wilder

"True repentance is to cease from sin." -- Ambrose of Milan

"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." -- Carl. W. Buechner

"You cannot reason with a hungry belly; it has no ears." -- Greek proverb

"Kindness makes a fellow feel good, whether it's being done to him or by him." -- Frank A. Clark

"Others can stop you at times--however, no one can stop you permanently--only you can do that." -- Ray Lammie

"One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared." -- Merlin Olsen

"It is far easier to leave angry words unspoken than to mend the heart those words have broken." -- Author Unknown

So far I've done alright, God. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very happy about this. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed. And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help.

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. - Denis Waitley

"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation."-William Arthur Wood, author

"I have to have a raise," the man said to his boss. "There are three other companies after me."
"Is that so?" asked the manager. "What other companies are after you?"
"The electric company, the telephone company, and the gas company."

We never know what a tiny seed, planted at the right time (a word of encouragement, a deed of kindness), might become. "If you cannot pray like Peter, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say he died for all." On Father's Day next Sunday, if we are lucky, we remember our own fathers' love and support. Chances are it's not the big things that come to mind, but the everyday expressions of love which grew in us (like seeds) as we matured. Little things cast long shadows in the Kingdom of God.

I was getting to the point of my conversation when suddenly my train of thought pulled out of the station, leaving me on the platform.

My bathroom scales are also beginning to show signs of inflation.

It is so like our flesh to want to enjoy all the blessings and the benefits of our inheritance in Christ but not want to have to deny ourselves, make sacrifices, practice spiritual disciplines, or wage spiritual warfare.
If you’re not content with what God has already provided for you, you won’t be content with the things you think you want.
Don’t expect God to give you more if you haven’t taken possession of what He’s already given you.

Suspicious Delivery - There was an unexpected knock on my door, and like I always do I first opened the peephole and asked, "Who's there?"
"Parcel post, ma'am. I have a package that needs a signature."
"Where's the package?" I asked suspiciously. The deliveryman held it up. "Could I see some ID?" I said, still not convinced.
"Lady," he replied wearily, "if I wanted to break into your house, I'd probably just use these." And he pulled out the keys I had left in the door.

People grow and mature at different rates.
Thomas Edison's teacher said he could never amount to anything and advised his mother to take him out of school.
Winston Churchill was admitted to school in the lowest level classes and never moved out of the lowest group in all the years he attended Harrow.
Albert Einstein seemed so slow and dull that his parents feared that he was mentally deficient. One observer has said, "Great minds and high talent, in most cases, cannot be hurried and, like healthy plants, grow slowly."

A pastor was giving a lesson to a group of children on the 23rd Psalm. He noticed that one of the little boys seemed disquieted by the phrase "Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life..."
"What's wrong with that, Johnny?" the pastor asked.
"Well," answered Johnny, "I understand about having goodness and mercy, for God is good. But I'm not sure I'd like Shirley following me around all the time."

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." -- Helen Keller

"Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead. You can only see one thing clearly, and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin." -- Kathleen Norris

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -- Art Linkletter

"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer." -- Unknown

"While your children are growing up, they might forget some of the sermons you've preached or act like they're not interested in the things of God. But they'll never forget your example. Live above reproach and let the light of Jesus shine brightly through you." -- Gloria Copeland

"True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God's love." -- W.M. Taylor


A Salvation Army lassie was informed by a policeman that a local ordinance would prevent her from ringing her bells to invite contributions. But such a crude law could not stop such an inventive woman. The next day she did a brisker business than ever as she waved one sign and then another in the air. The signs said "ding" and "dong."

Once Upon a Time Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.
A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one, except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower, except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.
It turned out that the winner was DEAF!
The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic, because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have. "There's life and death in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be.... POSITIVE! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams! Always think: God and I can do this! If you fall down 10 times, stand up 10 times.

June 7

~Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.
'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

Did you know that a glass of hippopotamus milk contains eighty calories, or that only five percent of people are able to dream in color?

- I got a check marked "Insufficient Funds" back from my bank ... in these uncertain economic times, I had to call and ask if they were talking about themselves or me.
- If I melted a whole lot of dry ice, could I swim in it and not get wet?
- One of my favorite bookstores went out of business. The owner posted a sign on his door that read, "Words failed me."
- Somebody once asked me how many books I've read in my lifetime. I don't know. I'm not dead, yet.
- My Dad once bought me a really cheap dictionary. I couldn't find the words to thank him.
- Knowledge is power, but it still won't run my appliances.
- There are three types of furniture: Antique, modern, and comfortable.
- I think I know why cows always look so sad. They've finally figured out they are actually TWO of the four food groups.
- I walked three miles this morning. But only because I forgot where I parked.
- An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but an onion a day keeps *everybody* away.

A Texas rancher and his wife were arguing while touring Paris. They were hardly speaking to each other after being seated in a fancy French restaurant for dinner.
When the waiter arrived, the rancher said," I'll have a BIG THICK PORTERHOUSE STEAK." The waiter replied,"Monsieur, what about Ze Mad Cow?" He said, "She'll
have a salad."

The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes to do, but in liking what one has to do.

I think I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others. Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. - Elbert Hubbard

I am reading a very interesting book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.


"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result."-- Albert Einstein

DO YOU FEEL TIRED?
If you're an adult of average weight here is what you accomplish in 24 hours:
Your heart beats 103,689 times,
Your blood travels 168,000,000 miles,
You breathe 23,040 times,
You inhale 438 cubic feet of air,
You eat 3/4 pounds of food,
You drink 2.9 quarts of liquids,
You speak 4,800 words, including some unnecessary ones,
You move 750 muscles,
Your nails grow .000046 inch,
Your hair grows .01714 inch,
You exercise 7,000,000 brain cells.... Do you feel tired?

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing--that's why we recommend it daily." -- Zig Ziglar

"A skeptic won't take KNOW for an answer." -- Unknown

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?


" I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right."

God has two thrones - one in the highest heavens; the other is in the lowliest heart.

"What lies behind us and what lies between us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." --Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way." -- Babe Ruth, baseball player

"The greatest thing in the world is not where we stand but in which direction we are going." -- Unknown

"You are 100% emotional in everything you think, feel and decide. You decide emotionally and justify logically." -- Brian Tracy

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" -- John Wooden, basketball coach

"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation." -- William Arthur Wood, author

"God is a busy worker, but he loves help." — Basque Proverb

I am reading a very interesting book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.

May 31

Charles Schultz, the artist who provides us with the Peanuts cartoons, is one of my favorite theologians. That ought to tell you something about the kind of seminary president I am. In one of his cartoon series, he has Snoopy, that hound of heaven, saying of Woodstock, that would-be bird of paradise; "Someday, Woodstock is going to be a great eagle." Then in the next frame he says, "He is going to soar thousands of feet above the ground." Woodstock takes off into the air and as Snoopy looks on he sees the bird upside down whirling around crazily. So he has second thoughts. In the third frame Snoopy says, "Well, maybe hundreds of feet above the ground " But hardly had the words gotten out of his mouth when Woodstock plummets to the ground and lies there, on his back looking dazed, and Snoopy has to conclude, "Maybe he will be one of those eagles who just walks around."
Isn't it amazing - how quickly we settle for less than is promised, and for far less than is possible? Charles Schultz,


The Fruit of the Spirit Do we have the fruit of the Spirit? Can someone coming into our door to visit for the first time recognize these traits in us?

Love: - Do we love each other, and do we love those who are different from us? Do we love and welcome visitors, no matter who they are? Do we try to make their acquaintance, so that we can love them? Do we put their comfort above our own?

Goodness: Peter tells us (2 Peter 1:5) to support our faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge. Our salvation is the result of God's goodness. Likewise, other persons should benefit as a result of our goodness. Our mission work should clearly show our faith in God's goodness.

Peace: Is there peace between us, and peace within us? Can someone tell by being with us, that we have a peaceful soul, based upon God as the source of all that we have?

Faithfulness: - Is our steadfastness to Christ's church based upon an enduring loyalty that is true to God, no matter how we feel about the pastor, the district, the conference, the women's group, the organist, or any other facet of our organization?

Gentleness: - Do we exhibit care and protection for all of God's creation? Are we gentle with the environment, with each other, and with ourselves?

Joy: Do we look joyous to the outsider? Do we feel joy inside? True joy in being a child of God should be able to override all unhappiness and bitterness we feel, and should be reflected in our total involvement in our worship.

Kindness: - This action word can be directed outwardly or inwardly. Do we show compassion and generosity to others and ourselves?

Patience: - How many of us are willing to let others (and ourselves) come along at each one's own pace? How many of us can forgive seven times seventy?

Self-Control: - This is one of the hardest, and may include all of the others. This requires an inner discipline only manageable with the grace of God's Spirit to sustain us in our trials. Do we constantly pray for help in this area, and constantly call on God to help us? If not, we should.


On a 95 degree day, the interior of a parked car can reach:
Dashboard 181 degrees (temperature to cook poultry)
Seats 159 degrees (temperature to cook ground beef)
Steering wheel 159 degrees (temperature to cook medium rare beef)

"Lots of people think they're charitable if they give away their old clothes and things they don't want. It isn't charity to give away things you want to get rid of and it isn't a sacrifice to do things you don't mind doing." -Myrtle Reed, author (1874-1911)

The Purpose of Coffee Hour Coffee was always served at our church after the sermon. One Sunday our minister asked one of the smaller members of the congregation if he knew why we had coffee hour. Without hesitating, the youngster replied, "To wake people up before they have to drive home."


“Cars the Disciples Would Drive”
1. Simon Peter ("Bubba, the Rock"): Chevy truck, most likely an S-10 Extended Cab, 4x4 with lots of extras.
2. Andrew: Dodge Grand Caravan
3. James, son of Zebedee: Porsche
4. John: 1965 Mustang
5. Philip: Ford Taurus
6. Bartholomew or Nathaniel: Toyota Camry
7. Thomas Didymus: VW Beetle
8. Matthew: Lexus
9. Simon the Zealot: pre-owned Jeep Wrangler
10. James, son of Alphaeus: used Chevy Impala, neutral colored.
11. Thaddaeus: Buick LeSabre or Honda Accord
12. Judas Iscariot: DeLorean

Each moment is a moment God has given us, and it is there, in that place, and no place else, that we will at that moment find him. --Ronald Wilson

As you know, the show Touched By An Angel always ended with a white dove and when I see that, it gives ME hope--hope completely divorced from what the program was just about. I see the dove and I am reminded of WHO lives in me! Why does this happen? I think it is part of the heritage of my faith, being brought up in church where a white dove was the symbol of the Holy Spirit--a visual link to an invisible God. I am convinced also that I probably am not alone in this kind of response. Even to the unchurched and non-believer, there is a gentleness in the white bird, and a strength when we see her soar on the winds. There is comfort in such a sight! In the words of Paul Hovey, “The word Comforter as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally, it means "with strength." Jesus promised his followers that "The Strengthener" would be with them. This promise is no lullaby for the fainthearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living.” No wonder the ancient church released hundreds of white doves [or pigeons] when they gathered to celebrate the Feast of the Pentecost every year.

I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.

Money talks.......but things have been reeeeeeal quiet around our house lately.

In my kid's American History class, they are studying the 50's. She's taking me for show and tell tomorrow.

A young father tried to hush an exuberant young daughter who stomped around a church sanctuary on a weekday afternoon. "Please be quiet. This is God's house." With that, the curious girl pushed open the sanctuary door, peered around, and then announced, "Don't worry. God's not home today."


Robert Schuller tells of a winter at home, when his dad needed firewood. He found a dead tree and sawed it down. In the spring, to his dismay, he found new shoots had sprouted from the trunk. He said to his son, "I thought sure it was dead; the leaves had dropped, the twigs snapped, it seemed as if there was no life there. But now I see there is still life at the taproot of the old tree." He looked at his boy and said, "Bob, don't forget this important lesson. Never cut down a tree in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in a low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst mood. Wait. Be patient. The spring will come." And so, the disciples waited 24 hours, then another day, then a week, and now it has been 10 days, but still they waited - waited and prayed!

Thought For The Day: ©¿©¬
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare."

"Pile your troubles on God's shoulders – he'll carry your load and help you out." - Ps. 55:22 (MSG)

Those who love in the Lord never see each other for the last time. - German Proverb


Whoever enjoys his life is doing the Creator's will. -- Jewish Proverb

"Behind every sin is a lie of unbelieving. When you sin, at that moment, you think you're doing what is best for you. You think you're doing the right thing, but you've been deceived. When your kids do something dumb, at that moment, they think what they're doing is smart, but it's dumb. The Bible tells us that Satan deceives us."

Definition: Marriage is the process of finding out what kind of man your wife would have preferred.
Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is a husband.

"We always have time for the things we put first." – Paul Johnson

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." -- Robert Louis Stevenson

Of all the things that matter, that really and truly matter, working more efficiently and getting more done, is not one of them." -- Mike Dooley


"The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us." -- Unknown

Pun of the Day My rechargeable batteries are revolting.

"Your thinking is simply a reflection...of your heart." -- Doug Firebaugh

"When you give someone a book, you don't give him just paper, ink, and glue. You give him the possibility of a whole new life." -- Christopher Morley, 1890-1957, Novelist, Journalist and Poet

"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." -- Unknown

"Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord, find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity." -- Albert Einstein

It's one thing for Muhammad Ali to float like a butterfly in a boxing ring, but on airplanes, seat belts are required. Regarding one particular flight he took, Ali says in his book, "When the flight attendant asked me to put a seat belt on, I told her that Superman didn't need a seat belt. "She smiled at me and said, 'Superman don't need no plane, either.'"

Instead of seeing co-incidences, we need to see God-incidences in order to benefit from God's presence and help.

Pebble in the Water
Drop a pebble in the water, just a splash, and it is gone,
But there's half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on;
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing out into the sea,
But there isn't any way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And there's little ripples flowing, to a great big wave have grown.
And you've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word or gesture; in a minute it is gone,
But there's half a hundred ripples circling on and on and on;
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there isn't any way to stop them once you start them on to flow.
Drop an unkind word or gesture, in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life that's happy when you dropped that unkind word.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness; just a flash and it is gone,
But there's half a hundred ripples, circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave,
'Til you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness; in a minute you forget,
But there's gladness still a-swelling and there's joy a-circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort, whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water, just by dropping a kind word.
-- Author Unknown.

"Your life is a reflection of your thoughts. If you change your thinking, you change your life." -- Brian Tracy


A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver's license. First, of course, he had to take an eyesight test. The optician showed him a card with the letters:
'C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.'
"Can you read this?" the optician asked. "Read it?" the Polish guy replied, "I know the guy."

The church is the place where people from all diverse tribes and nations are affirmed in their magnificent variety. The church is a community where people can be what they are, and do what they do best.

Nowadays people can be divided into three classes - the Haves, the Have-Nots, and the Have-Not-Paid-For-What-They Haves.