Making Ourselves Available

I've heard it said, that if you want something done, you should ask the busiest person.  That's because the busiest person doesn't usually say "No", but also because the busiest person can usually handle being busy and is always glad to help.  On the other hand, many who frequently say, "No", could say, "Yes", sometimes - so that the majority of the work doesn't fall on just a few.

Here's a cute story and some good thoughts about "Making Ourselves Available". It's from Alan White's "Thought for the Day" posts and is used with permission.

MAKING OURSELVES AVAILABLE

     A man was going up to bed, when his wife told him he'd left the light on in the garden shed - she could see it from the bedroom window.  But he said that he hadn't been in the shed that day.  He looked, and there were men in the shed, stealing things.  He rang the police, but they told him that no one was in his area, so no one was available to catch the thieves.

     He said OK, hung up, counted to 30 and rang the police again. "Hello. I just rang you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed?  Well, you don't have to worry about them now, I've just shot them all."

     Within five minutes there were half a dozen police cars in the area, an Armed Response unit, the works.  Of course, they caught the burglars red-handed. One of the policeman said to this man: "I thought you said you'd shot them!"

     He replied, "I thought you said there was no one available!"

     The same thing happens frequently in my life.  Someone asks me to do something and I respond, "I don't have the time."  Often, what I mean by that is, "I don't regard this as important enough."  The truth is, we find (or make) the time to do whatever we regard to be important.

     Someone has said you can tell a person's priorities by looking at his checkbook.  There is a great deal of validity to that.  We are willing to spend money on the things we think are important.  But perhaps a greater indicator of our priorities would be our planning books -- a record of how our time is spent.

     For all of us, choices must be made.  We don't have time to do everything, so we must choose those things which are of greatest importance to us.  Just be careful that your choices are those things which are also most important to God.  The greatest men and women in the Bible were not those with the greatest resources or talents, but they were men and women who made themselves available to be used by God whenever He called.  May God never hear us say, "Sorry, but I'm not available!"

     "Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

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Ladies' Salad Supper - 2013

Last night was the annual ladies' salad supper I host in my home each year.  This year I was able to plan it while the Sojourners were here, working at Tipton Home.

The many different salads were delicious, but my favorite part is always the fellowship of Christian sisters. (Note:  I've concentrated on the Lady Bug party theme on my other blog...www.3cherrycokes.blogspot.com)

Usually we play some kind of "story" game or have a theme for the stories, but this time I had different questions for the ladies - a list of questions they were able to choose from and answer. I've listed them below: 

What is one question you want to ask God?
What has been your favorite decade in your life?  Why?
What was your favorite age? Why?
Where has been your favorite place to visit?  Why?
Where has been your favorite place to live? Why?
When you were young, what did you want to grow up to be?  Did you?

1. What is your favorite month of the year? Why?

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?  

1. What is your favorite scripture or book in the Bible?

1. What is your favorite memory?

1. What do you consider the worst mistake you ever made?  What did you learn from it?

1. What is your favorite tradition?

1. What advice do you have for the rest of us?

1. What do you wish you had learned sooner in life?

1. What is your favorite Easter memory?

1. What is your favorite food? 

1. What has been your favorite job? Why?

          What is your biggest fear? Why?

It's so much fun learning more about each of the ladies as they answer their questions.  It is good for them to get the opportunity to share, as well.

It's always a fun evening together!  I couldn't help but get a little saddened thinking about a few of the ladies who are no longer living.  We all loved hearing their stories!  I really wish we had some of them recorded so that we could hear them once again.

I'm thankful for the examples each of these women are in my life.  What a great thing to be able to share together as sisters in Christ!

Parenting 101

Our children's minds are like sponges - soaking up everything they learn through seeing, hearing, and experiencing.  It's amazing to watch little ones learn as they grow - learning to talk and communicate - learning to live in this world.  They only learn what they are being taught.  

What are your children being taught?  Are they learning the limits of their surroundings, what is safe and unsafe?  Are they experiencing life of a loving family and extended family who care for them and want the best for them?  Are they learning about God, Jesus, the Bible, and the church?

Sadly, many, many children in the world are not learning what they need to be learning.  They are not learning what God wants them to learn.  Instead of learning about God and His Plan for them, they are learning about the world and how the world says is the right way to live.  They're watching too much TV.  They're playing too many video games - some inappropriate for anyone, not just children.  Some are learning that in order to survive, one must steal, cheat, and that everyone is out to 'get' them in one way or another.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Learning begins at home. And the kind of learning God wants us to learn begins at home.  It begins by living out our Christian lives in front of our children. It begins by sharing God's Word with them - both by reading and by our actions.  It begins by demonstrating a servant's heart so that our children see the example of Jesus in the lives of their parents.  It begins by how we treat one another and respond to one another.

So many problems in the world would be alleviated if we all just took these two simple, yet profound, verses to heart - and lived them out in our lives and in the lives of our children.  Imagine a world where these verses were taught in the home daily!  Imagine the difference it would make in our schools, in our communities, and in our world.

It starts with YOU, and it starts with ME.  We must be the ones to start thinking and living and learning how God wants us to - and not in the way the world says is right.  He has the plan.  We just have to follow it!

The Bible on TV

Did you watch "The Bible" on the History channel last night?  If you didn't, I hope that you will take the time to check on the next airing of the mini-series. It was a very well-made movie, and our family is looking forward to watching the remaining eight hours in the series.  

We enjoyed talking about how the Bible was depicted, searching scriptures about certain points in the TV story - comparing them to the Bible for correctness, and watching the way miracles of God were played out on the set.  Seeing the difference in the Israelites and Egyptians - in the way they looked, dressed, and lived was very interesting.  

It was really good to "watch" the rebellion of the people that we read about so often in the Word.  To see Lot's wife turn to 'look' at Sodom and Gomorrah, then turn to salt in front of our eyes was very graphic, but made a great point.  To see the faith of Noah, Abraham, and Moses was very inspiring.  It made a big impression on our children - seeing it and not just hearing or reading it.

When Abraham bound up Isaac and placed him on the altar as a sacrifice, our youngest said, "I couldn't do that!".  We talked about how hard that would have been to even consider doing, but that God wants us to have that deep of faith that we would trust Him just as Abraham did.  I want to have that kind of faith, but I'm not sure I do right now.  That's the kind of faith we should all strive to have.

I couldn't help but wonder how God feels about all of us now.  Yes, He loves us.  Yes, He is patient with us.  Yes, He wants all of us to be saved and live with Him for eternity.  But just like the story depicted, there are many rebellious people in the world.  So many refuse to believe Him and His Word.  Many live only to please themselves and don't care about Him or His Word.  They don't care about the Savior.  

Then others may not yet know about the Savior. That's why our job as Christians is so important!  It's our job to tell the world about God and His Son!  It's our job to teach others the truth found only in God's Word!  We must diligently work to spread the Good News!

Let's get busy!  We've got a lot to do!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

2 Peter 3:9-12a

The Chronicles of Biscuit - When People Aren't Kind

The Chronicles of Biscuit - Stories about our youngest son, whose nickname is Biscuit.

This morning Biscuit requested that I make "green eggs and ham" because they're celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday today at school.  Funny that he requested it that and he's the one who doesn't even like egg! :)

Anyway, we were in the kitchen, along with two of his siblings and he started talking about something a classmate had said about him.  Rather than get upset about the classmate, I asked if he had been mean, too.  I asked if he had said anything unkind to her and on and on.  He said no, but admitted that in the past he has probably been unkind to other classmates as well.

I asked Biscuit what God would want us to do in this situation:  forgive, pray for the classmate....and I told him to just not let it bother him, because what was said wasn't possibly true, anyway.  (It had to do with paying to get into a certain thing at school.  That isn't possible, and if it was, we certainly wouldn't pay for it!)  Biscuit's response was so honest and sweet.  He said, "But it's hard."  I agreed.  "Yes, it is Biscuit.  It really is.  Just remember that when you treat people unkind.  It's hard for them, too."

Why is it so hard to forget the negative things in life, yet so easy to forget some of the positive things?  Maybe it's because the negative things hurt us - sometimes really deeply hurt us.

There are things I remember from childhood, and sadly a lot of them are not pleasant memories, yet I really had a great childhood!  It's those negative things that stick out in my mind!  I don't dwell on them, but they just stay there and pop into mind every once in a while.  Unkind words.  Unkind actions.  Mean people or attitudes.  But you know what, I alway think back and remember some of the times when I was the mean one!  That's even worse!  I've apologized over and over to my three best friends for being ugly to them in elementary.  We all laugh about it now, but if I could go back and change that - I would!  God has forgiven me.  They have forgiven me.  I still want to 'punish' myself!  Sometimes that's just how we humans are, isn't it?!

The most important thing to remember when people aren't kind is to first remember God loves you.  But also remember that God loves the other person, too - just as much - and He wants us to love others.  Sometimes 'liking' others is hard.  Sometimes forgiving others is hard.  But loving others enough to care about their souls and where they will spend eternity means that we will love them enough, and love ourselves enough, that we won't allow unkind words and actions to ruin our relationship with Him.  He'll forgive us when we ask.  He will help us forgive others.  He will help us when we're struggling with difficult people.

So, I'm praying for Biscuit today as he goes to school and faces the struggles of elementary life.  I have a feeling that there will be more and more kinds of things like this going on for a few years - simply because it always seems to get more prevalent in the preteen to early teen years.  I ask that you say a little prayer for Biscuit, too....that when people treat him unkind....that he will also respond with kindness (or nothing at all!).  That he will treat others the way he would want to be treated.....even when it's hard.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32