Time! What Is It Worth?

I hear folks asking almost daily, What is wrong with the kids today? They have more activities, more entertainment, more time than I ever had.  And off they go shaking their heads as they hear of more and more kids involved in drugs, gangs, dangerous activities and promiscuity, etc. 

The answer is the most important thing they left out and is found at the end of this sad but oh so true little story.  Take time to read all the way to the end rather than just skipping to the ending. 

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A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
...
"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.

"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?

"That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.

"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.

"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."

"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare him ask such questions only to get some money.

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep son?" he asked.

"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.

"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

Share some time with those who need you.
They need our time more then we will ever know.

Unashamedly borrowed from my good friend and former classmate: John Jones. Thanks John for such gems!   

Sunday Music Time

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Too often we only go to the Lord in prayer  in prayer when we need or want something. How often do we  just do as this songs says?: 

"I Just Came To Talk With You Lord" By Sheri Easter

Taking time to just come and talk will help eliminate a lot of the time we spend just asking for things we want because He already knows we need and will provide. 

Perhaps this is the day to do as this song says.

When the Wind Blows--Are You Ready?

Do You Sleep When the Wind Blows?
Here's a quick little story with a great life lesson.

A handsome young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the old farmer asked for his qualifications, he replied with an air of confidence "I can sleep when the wind blows." The statement puzzled the farmer. But he liked the pleasant looking young man nevertheless and hired him.
...
A few days later, the old farmer and his wife were rudely awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. The farm tools had been placed neatly in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. The young man slept soundly. All was well. The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows ".

Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm when it broke loose. So when the wind blew, he was fearless. He slept in peace.

How does this apply to our lives?

In time, it isn't the things you do, but the things you leave undone, which give you a heartache at the setting of the sun.

 

Hatip to my friend and former classmate John Jones

Sunday Music Time

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I love old time hymns sung acapella and the Issac's always do a great job.

 Hope you enjoy this song and the message that indeed we do have Blessed Assurance with
 Christ.


Just to put a bit more joy and perhaps a bit of laughter into your day, I recently found this list of old time church songs and how they compare to various occupations and things we do in daily life.   Hope you enjoy them as well.


Dentist's Hymn ....................................Crown Him with Many Crowns
Weatherman's Hymn ............................There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
Contractor's Hymn ...............................The Church's One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn ...............................Holy, Holy, Holy
The Golfer's Hymn ............................There's a Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn. .........................Standing on the Promises
Optometrist's Hymn .............................Open My Eyes That I Might See
The IRS Agent's Hymn ........................I Surrender All
The Gossip's Hymn .............................Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn .....................Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn ...........................Sweet Bye and Bye
The Realtor's Hymn. .........................I've Got a Mansion Just over
the Hilltop
The Massage Therapists Hymn .............He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn .............................The Great Physician

AND for those who speed on the highway - a few hymns:
45mph ........................God Will Take Care of You
65mph .....................Nearer My God To Thee
85mph .....................This World Is Not My Home
95mph .......................Lord, I'm Coming Home
100mph ......................Precious Memories

Faith--Going To The Other Side

When Jesus and the disciples set out from shore after a day in which Jesus had healed many people, cast out demons and performed many other miracles, He, said "let's go to the other side".  The disciples, along with Jesus cast off from the shore and being tired Jesus went to the front of the boat to rest.

 

While they were sailing to the other side a storm arose and the boat began to take on water , the waves were crashing down upon them and the disciple were afraid that they would sink.

 

They woke Jesus from his rest and asked him how he could sleep through all this storm and was he going to let them drown in the middle of the lake? 

I can imagine that Jesus was not real pleased with his disciples for several reason but he got up immediately and spoke to the winds and the storm, telling them to be still and cease.   And no, be assured that Jesus did not speak in a very calm, low wimpy voice magnified with music, as is often portrayed in the movies.  The scripture says He orders the winds to stop and when one gives an order they do not speak in soft, low tone of voice.  I imagine it was more of a shout of  BE STILL!

After calming the storm Jesus turns to his  disciples and ask them, "where is you faith?"  Had the disciple so soon forgotten who they were on the boat with? Had they forgotten that Jesus had just healed many people right before their eyes? Had they not heard Jesus say, "Let go to the other side?"  Did they doubt Jesus when he said they were going to the other side?  

So many times we set out to do things that we know  God is leading us to do and then become afraid due to circumstances that surround us. 

Do we really think that Jesus will take us to the middle of the lake and then let our boat to sink after he has said, lets go to the other side?

Have you ever felt as if your "boat" was sinking in the middle of the lake?

Sunday Music Time

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This is posted to go with Saturdays Post-- Forgive? Why?

Gaither Vocal Band Im Forgiven

Forgive? Why?

From the  February 22nd post entitled Problems  there came questions and comments concerning forgiveness.

Today we have directed our thoughts back to those comments and wish to address the subject of forgiveness from a scriptural point of view.

The words forgive/forgiveness appear over 100 times in the Scripture so indeed it is an important subject. 

What does  word forgive mean?  The dictionary says: to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)

to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc.), (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty,  (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc.)

Ok, so what if I don't feel like forgiving someone?  It is natural for us not to feel forgiveness because we live in a sinful world where getting even is more common than forgiveness. This of course is exactly what Satan , the enemy, wants us to do. Having a nature of not forgiving others or even ourselves brings about bitterness, and bitterness has been linked to stress-related illness by medical researchers.  Is there any wonder that there is so much sickness, especially illness connected to bitterness and stress?  If we forgive the wrong or hurt someone has inflicted upon us then we have loosened a hold that the enemy had upon us. That is not the enemy's plan but it is God's plan.   When we forgive someone we free ourselves spiritually and emotionally. Forgiveness is an act of our own personal will in obedience and submission to God's will, putting our faith and trust in God to being about emotional healing.

Ok, then why should I forgive someone?   When Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray he included forgiveness in that prayer. Matthew 6:12 says: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.  Jesus felt it important enough to explain this phrase. In Matthew 6:14 & 15, He said: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

So to forgive is taught by Jesus and he tells of the consequences of not forgiving others.

How often should I forgive a person:  Jesus told Peter, in Matthew 18:22 to forgive "until seventy times seven".  In other words we are to continue to forgive as often as one does something that we need to forgive.

Unless we forgive we continue to hang on to that hurt or misdeed done against us and that builds Bitterness which leads to,  Resentment which leads to Retaliation and that leads to Anger and anger leads to Hatred, hatred leads to Violence and violence leads to Murder.

Do you now begin to understand why it is important to forgive?

One last example and the perfect example of forgiveness.  Against who else other than Jesus has so much hatred been shown?  He was beaten, had a crown of thorns planted on his head, made to carry his cross through the streets , then nailed to a cross and crucified to suffer for hours so that we could be forgiven.
 
His own words from the cross were:  Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. (Luke 23: 42)

Can you think of a better reason to forgive?