October 4
A 2006 Yahoo online poll reported that the average U.S. family owns 12 tech devices, including three TVs, two computers, and seven other gadgets such as MP3 players, video game consoles and mobile phones. Poll respondents said their overlapping use of all these devices adds up to about 43 hours during each 24-hour day.
It's funny: Our techno-gadgetry allows us to stay in contact with so many different friends that we're often guilty of ignoring the people in the room with us in favor of those we're talking to online or on the cell phone.
Some random thoughts in relation to managing life and God’s creation:
* We humans own nothing—neither the land we stand on nor the body we live in; see Luke
12:13-21.
* The First Article of the Apostles’ Creed should read, “...Maker and Owner of heaven and
earth.”
* In relation to the stewardship of money, the goal must not be to encourage people to give
more. It must be to inspire people to manage better and rob less.
* We must get people to think beyond “tithing”–an OT concept referred to in Malachi 3:8-
13. The issue is not persuading people to give ten percent–and then keep the rest for
themselves! No one owns anything–and God owns everything.
* According to Jesus, being “blessed” has nothing to do with possessions or status; it has to
do with devoting life to serving Jesus in all His “distressing disguises” (Mother Theresa’s
term). Here, ponder Matthew 25:31-46.
* God has provided abundantly–but humanity has not shared compassionately.
* “One never sees a U-Haul attached to a hearse!”
The total area of Denver International Airport is 53 square miles, twice the size of Manhattan Island, New York, and larger than the city boundary of Boston, Miami or San Francisco.
The fastest moon in our solar system circles Jupiter once every seven hours - traveling at 70,400 miles per hour.
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist, and a member of the ACLU.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, 'God if you are real then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 min.' The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, 'Here I am GOD, I'm still waiting.'
It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.
The other students were shocked and stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, 'What in the world is the matter with you? 'Why did you do that?'
The Marine calmly replied, 'GOD was too busy today protecting America 's soldiers, who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So he sent me.'
The classroom erupted in cheers!
According to a press release from the Bible Literacy Project, more than 350 public schools in 43 states will be using their textbook, "The Bible and Its Influence," as the new school year begins. In Texas alone, over 50 public schools will be teaching the course.
Another textbook, "The Bible in History and Literature," published by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, is being used in 508 school districts (2,015 high schools) in 38 states.
Snickers is the most popular candy.
The man who invented shorthand, John Gregg, was deaf.
There are five tillion trillion atoms in one pound of iron.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
......Abraham Lincoln
- I hope the next time I move I get a real easy phone number, something like two two two two two two two. And then when people would say, "Mitch, how do I get a hold of you?" I'd say, "Just press two for awhile, and when I answer, you'll know you've pressed two enough."
- When you buy a box of Ritz crackers, on the back of the box they have all these suggestions as to what to put on top of the Ritz. "Try it with turkey and cheese. Try it with peanut butter." But I like crackers, that's why I bought it. I like crackers! I don't see a suggestion to put a Ritz on top of a Ritz. I didn't buy them because they're little edible plates. They've got no faith in their own product.
- I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long.
- I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it, to help it achieve its full flavor potential.
- By the way, you don't have to be sweaty and holding a basketball to enjoy Gatorade. You could just be a thirsty dude! Gatorade forgets about this demographic.
- My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.
- I don't have a microwave oven, but I do have a clock that occasionally cooks stuff.
- I didn't go to college, but if I did, I would have taken all my tests at restaurants, because "the customer is always right."
- I've got an oscillating fan at my house. The fan goes back and forth. It looks like the fan is saying "no." So I like to ask it questions that a fan would say "no" to. "Do you keep my hair in place?" "Do you keep my documents in order?"
- I just bought a two-bedroom house, but don't we get to decide how many bedrooms it has? This bedroom has an oven in it. This bedroom has lots of people sitting around watching a TV.
- I had a parrot. The parrot talked, but it did not say "I am hungry," so it died.
- I went to a pizzeria and ordered a slice of pizza. They gave me the smallest slice possible. If the pizza was a pie chart for what people would do if they won a million dollars, I was given the "donate it to charity" slice. "Excuse me, I would like to exchange this for the 'Keep It!' slice."
- You know, I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're going and hook up with them later.
The detective was interviewing the man whose clothing shop had just been burglarized.
"It's bad," said the proprietor, "but it's not as bad as it could have been if he'd robbed me yesterday."
"Why is that?" the detective asked. "Because today everything was on sale."
~
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
It was Jimmy's first day of kindergarten and the teacher was starting the class off by teaching her students about the Pledge of Allegiance. She instructed everyone to stand and place their hands over their hearts, and repeat after her.
Halfway through, however, she stopped as she noticed that Jimmy did not have his hand over his heart.
It was on the right cheek of his fanny.
"Jimmy," she scolds, "I will not continue until you put your hand over your heart."
"But it *is* over my heart," Jimmy protests.
Several futile attempts to persuade Jimmy to move his hand later, the teacher finally sighs and asks, "Why do you think that's where your heart is?"
"Because," Jimmy replies, "every time my Gramma comes to visit, she picks me up, pats me right here, and says, 'Bless your little heart,' and my Gramma wouldn't lie!
ARE YOU PUSHED OR PUSHING?
How long would you keep an automobile that had to be pushed everywhere it went? How much would it be worth t you? How much pleasure would you find in it? You probably wouldn't keep a car like that very long, because it just couldn't be depended on to get you where you wanted to go, when you wanted to go.
The Lord is no more pleased with one of His servants that continually has to be pushed than you would be with an automobile that continually needs pushing.
God wants men and women of initiative and fervency of spirit. Paul taught us to be diligent, "not slothful...fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11)
A Christian that has to be pushed continually in order to keep him in service and attending worship is not devoted to Christ. It is understandable that a new convert might need to be pushed or encouraged, but if one who has been a Christian for many years must still be pushed, he is not growing spiritually as he should. He is not spiritually mature. Do
you have to be pushed? --Author Unknown
DON'T GIVE UP!
Your life is not a boring stretch of highway. It's a straight line to heaven. And just look at the fields ripening along the way. Look at the tenacity and endurance. Look at the grains of righteousness. You'll have quite a crop at harvest ... so don't give up! --Joni Eareckson Tada
GOD IN THE QUIETNESS
Recently, my hunger for some silence and solitude in my fast-paced life led me to a quiet monastery perched above the Pacific Ocean. After arriving, I sat on a bench overlooking the vast coastline 1,000 feet below. I beheld a vibrant, flaming pink sunset -- breathtaking, majestic, and powerful, yet at the same time, completely silent.
The quiet was a vivid contrast to what I had been experiencing. When we feel overwhelmed, we tend to move faster, become impatient, strive harder to stay in control. We seek to work things out for ourselves and turn to personal sources of strength instead of God. Like the Israelites, who were quick to trust in sources of power apart from God (horses, chariots, alliances), we are quick to trust in our own strength, our own resources,
our own abilities.
Yet God calls us to a different way. When we are caught up in busyness and striving, God calls us back to wait in quiet confidence until we can place our trust in God rather than our own efforts.
Lord, when we feel life is out of control, help us return to you. We repent of trusting in and depending upon any source of strength apart from you. We wait for your strength and your deliverance. Amen. --Stacey Padrick, "The Upper Room," date unknown
Peace with God is where all peace begins. --Jim Gallery
"When Jesus went home, he left the door open." - Max Lucado
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
You are so special!
It's funny: Our techno-gadgetry allows us to stay in contact with so many different friends that we're often guilty of ignoring the people in the room with us in favor of those we're talking to online or on the cell phone.
Some random thoughts in relation to managing life and God’s creation:
* We humans own nothing—neither the land we stand on nor the body we live in; see Luke
12:13-21.
* The First Article of the Apostles’ Creed should read, “...Maker and Owner of heaven and
earth.”
* In relation to the stewardship of money, the goal must not be to encourage people to give
more. It must be to inspire people to manage better and rob less.
* We must get people to think beyond “tithing”–an OT concept referred to in Malachi 3:8-
13. The issue is not persuading people to give ten percent–and then keep the rest for
themselves! No one owns anything–and God owns everything.
* According to Jesus, being “blessed” has nothing to do with possessions or status; it has to
do with devoting life to serving Jesus in all His “distressing disguises” (Mother Theresa’s
term). Here, ponder Matthew 25:31-46.
* God has provided abundantly–but humanity has not shared compassionately.
* “One never sees a U-Haul attached to a hearse!”
The total area of Denver International Airport is 53 square miles, twice the size of Manhattan Island, New York, and larger than the city boundary of Boston, Miami or San Francisco.
The fastest moon in our solar system circles Jupiter once every seven hours - traveling at 70,400 miles per hour.
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist, and a member of the ACLU.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, 'God if you are real then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 min.' The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, 'Here I am GOD, I'm still waiting.'
It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.
The other students were shocked and stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, 'What in the world is the matter with you? 'Why did you do that?'
The Marine calmly replied, 'GOD was too busy today protecting America 's soldiers, who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So he sent me.'
The classroom erupted in cheers!
According to a press release from the Bible Literacy Project, more than 350 public schools in 43 states will be using their textbook, "The Bible and Its Influence," as the new school year begins. In Texas alone, over 50 public schools will be teaching the course.
Another textbook, "The Bible in History and Literature," published by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, is being used in 508 school districts (2,015 high schools) in 38 states.
Snickers is the most popular candy.
The man who invented shorthand, John Gregg, was deaf.
There are five tillion trillion atoms in one pound of iron.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
......Abraham Lincoln
- I hope the next time I move I get a real easy phone number, something like two two two two two two two. And then when people would say, "Mitch, how do I get a hold of you?" I'd say, "Just press two for awhile, and when I answer, you'll know you've pressed two enough."
- When you buy a box of Ritz crackers, on the back of the box they have all these suggestions as to what to put on top of the Ritz. "Try it with turkey and cheese. Try it with peanut butter." But I like crackers, that's why I bought it. I like crackers! I don't see a suggestion to put a Ritz on top of a Ritz. I didn't buy them because they're little edible plates. They've got no faith in their own product.
- I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long.
- I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at the store, oftentimes I will drop it, to help it achieve its full flavor potential.
- By the way, you don't have to be sweaty and holding a basketball to enjoy Gatorade. You could just be a thirsty dude! Gatorade forgets about this demographic.
- My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.
- I don't have a microwave oven, but I do have a clock that occasionally cooks stuff.
- I didn't go to college, but if I did, I would have taken all my tests at restaurants, because "the customer is always right."
- I've got an oscillating fan at my house. The fan goes back and forth. It looks like the fan is saying "no." So I like to ask it questions that a fan would say "no" to. "Do you keep my hair in place?" "Do you keep my documents in order?"
- I just bought a two-bedroom house, but don't we get to decide how many bedrooms it has? This bedroom has an oven in it. This bedroom has lots of people sitting around watching a TV.
- I had a parrot. The parrot talked, but it did not say "I am hungry," so it died.
- I went to a pizzeria and ordered a slice of pizza. They gave me the smallest slice possible. If the pizza was a pie chart for what people would do if they won a million dollars, I was given the "donate it to charity" slice. "Excuse me, I would like to exchange this for the 'Keep It!' slice."
- You know, I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're going and hook up with them later.
The detective was interviewing the man whose clothing shop had just been burglarized.
"It's bad," said the proprietor, "but it's not as bad as it could have been if he'd robbed me yesterday."
"Why is that?" the detective asked. "Because today everything was on sale."
~
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
It was Jimmy's first day of kindergarten and the teacher was starting the class off by teaching her students about the Pledge of Allegiance. She instructed everyone to stand and place their hands over their hearts, and repeat after her.
Halfway through, however, she stopped as she noticed that Jimmy did not have his hand over his heart.
It was on the right cheek of his fanny.
"Jimmy," she scolds, "I will not continue until you put your hand over your heart."
"But it *is* over my heart," Jimmy protests.
Several futile attempts to persuade Jimmy to move his hand later, the teacher finally sighs and asks, "Why do you think that's where your heart is?"
"Because," Jimmy replies, "every time my Gramma comes to visit, she picks me up, pats me right here, and says, 'Bless your little heart,' and my Gramma wouldn't lie!
ARE YOU PUSHED OR PUSHING?
How long would you keep an automobile that had to be pushed everywhere it went? How much would it be worth t you? How much pleasure would you find in it? You probably wouldn't keep a car like that very long, because it just couldn't be depended on to get you where you wanted to go, when you wanted to go.
The Lord is no more pleased with one of His servants that continually has to be pushed than you would be with an automobile that continually needs pushing.
God wants men and women of initiative and fervency of spirit. Paul taught us to be diligent, "not slothful...fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11)
A Christian that has to be pushed continually in order to keep him in service and attending worship is not devoted to Christ. It is understandable that a new convert might need to be pushed or encouraged, but if one who has been a Christian for many years must still be pushed, he is not growing spiritually as he should. He is not spiritually mature. Do
you have to be pushed? --Author Unknown
DON'T GIVE UP!
Your life is not a boring stretch of highway. It's a straight line to heaven. And just look at the fields ripening along the way. Look at the tenacity and endurance. Look at the grains of righteousness. You'll have quite a crop at harvest ... so don't give up! --Joni Eareckson Tada
GOD IN THE QUIETNESS
Recently, my hunger for some silence and solitude in my fast-paced life led me to a quiet monastery perched above the Pacific Ocean. After arriving, I sat on a bench overlooking the vast coastline 1,000 feet below. I beheld a vibrant, flaming pink sunset -- breathtaking, majestic, and powerful, yet at the same time, completely silent.
The quiet was a vivid contrast to what I had been experiencing. When we feel overwhelmed, we tend to move faster, become impatient, strive harder to stay in control. We seek to work things out for ourselves and turn to personal sources of strength instead of God. Like the Israelites, who were quick to trust in sources of power apart from God (horses, chariots, alliances), we are quick to trust in our own strength, our own resources,
our own abilities.
Yet God calls us to a different way. When we are caught up in busyness and striving, God calls us back to wait in quiet confidence until we can place our trust in God rather than our own efforts.
Lord, when we feel life is out of control, help us return to you. We repent of trusting in and depending upon any source of strength apart from you. We wait for your strength and your deliverance. Amen. --Stacey Padrick, "The Upper Room," date unknown
Peace with God is where all peace begins. --Jim Gallery
"When Jesus went home, he left the door open." - Max Lucado
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!
You are so special!
posted by joypastordon at 3:39 PM
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