I'm sure that if you had heard, read, or seen any more stories about Michael Jackson, you (like me) would have torn your hair out. I don't want to take away from his showmanship. There is no doubt that he was a fantastic performer. I really like his music. That being said, he led a lost life and it doesn't seem as though there was anyone there to show him the way. As I watched the programs about his life, my heart went out to him. An accused child molester? Yes. Maybe if there was someone in his life who could have told him about a Father who loved him more than anything (at least more than his earthly father), he could have found some self worth. As it was, he died trying to fill his life with fame and fortune, won and lost.
There have been other lost lives, Heath Ledger, Anna Nichole Smith, and various other performers lost to the
"high life". The frustrating question for me is wondering if they ever had anyone share the Lord with them. To, at least, give them the chance to accept or reject.
Are there any lost lives in your family or acquaintances? We all have them. I once did sewing for a store and the woman who gave out the projects was living a lost life. I always thought I should say something to her but I never did. She moved out of state and later succumbed to brain cancer. I felt bad that I had let the chance to share slip by.
What we all need to do is come to the place where we say that we are NOT ashamed of the gospel and not allow a lost life to go on without being given the chance to hear the gospel. A lost life can be found.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Stench
Stench....even the sound of that word gives me the creeps. I never knew the true meaning of the word until my husband and I returned from being out of town. Maybe I should start at the beginning....
While out of town with my husband on business, I made one of my usual phone calls home to make sure that everything was going alright. When my son answered he told me that a skunk must have gotten into the garage because he could smell it. I asked him how long he had been noticing the smell and he told me that it had been two days. TWO DAYS? He then proceeded to tell me that he really smelled it when our dog came into his room. I immediately knew the problem, our dog must have cornered a skunk and got sprayed. Think about it....this had been going on for TWO DAYS! Skunk spray is like an oil and resists being washed out without some special care. My son said he had no idea what to do about cleaning the dog. I told my computer smart son that he should find out on the internet (duh!). He and his friend found a recipe for cleaning the dog and went to the local dog wash at midnight. Needless to say, the dog was improved (not totally gone) but the house continued to smell.
We are now at the point where we come home from the trip. We opened the door and....YUCK! We hurriedly ran into our bedroom and shut the door. It was all for naught since we had to come out eventually. It was a stench that hung around for a long time (at least to me). It goes away eventually but during the time...oh my!
In the Old Testament, God comments on the aroma of the sacrifice. He called it a "pleasing" aroma. Why? Because the sacrifice was done in the correct way. When we offer God our sacrifice (whatever that may be, be it time, money, serving, etc.) do we do it in a way that will bring a pleasing aroma to God? Do we grudgingly give of our time, money, service, etc.? Are you sending up a pleasing aroma to God or is it a stench in His nostrils? Knowing how bad a "stench" can be, it is vital that we joyfully and willingly give God the best sacrifice and done in the right way. In order for me to remove the stench from the house, I burned candles, sprayed, and aired out the house. In order for us to remove the stench from God's nostrils, we need to ask for forgiveness for our attitude and for giving a poor sacrifice. After all, God gave us a way to remove the stench from our lives when He gave His Son. May all your (and my) sacrifices be a pleasing aroma to our Lord.
While out of town with my husband on business, I made one of my usual phone calls home to make sure that everything was going alright. When my son answered he told me that a skunk must have gotten into the garage because he could smell it. I asked him how long he had been noticing the smell and he told me that it had been two days. TWO DAYS? He then proceeded to tell me that he really smelled it when our dog came into his room. I immediately knew the problem, our dog must have cornered a skunk and got sprayed. Think about it....this had been going on for TWO DAYS! Skunk spray is like an oil and resists being washed out without some special care. My son said he had no idea what to do about cleaning the dog. I told my computer smart son that he should find out on the internet (duh!). He and his friend found a recipe for cleaning the dog and went to the local dog wash at midnight. Needless to say, the dog was improved (not totally gone) but the house continued to smell.
We are now at the point where we come home from the trip. We opened the door and....YUCK! We hurriedly ran into our bedroom and shut the door. It was all for naught since we had to come out eventually. It was a stench that hung around for a long time (at least to me). It goes away eventually but during the time...oh my!
In the Old Testament, God comments on the aroma of the sacrifice. He called it a "pleasing" aroma. Why? Because the sacrifice was done in the correct way. When we offer God our sacrifice (whatever that may be, be it time, money, serving, etc.) do we do it in a way that will bring a pleasing aroma to God? Do we grudgingly give of our time, money, service, etc.? Are you sending up a pleasing aroma to God or is it a stench in His nostrils? Knowing how bad a "stench" can be, it is vital that we joyfully and willingly give God the best sacrifice and done in the right way. In order for me to remove the stench from the house, I burned candles, sprayed, and aired out the house. In order for us to remove the stench from God's nostrils, we need to ask for forgiveness for our attitude and for giving a poor sacrifice. After all, God gave us a way to remove the stench from our lives when He gave His Son. May all your (and my) sacrifices be a pleasing aroma to our Lord.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Summer
I love summer. This summer, however, has been disappointing because of the cool weather. These cool summer days have me asking, "Global warming?" But that is a topic for another time.
Why is it that summer seems so short? I have heard that what makes a day, week, month, year or season seem so short is the amount of things we have to do during that time. When we are bored, the days seem to drag by. Once in a while, I would love to be able to spend a day in a good book and just sit back and take my mind to foreign lands, adventures, mystery and suspense. But, unfortunately, I have a job to do (custom sewing) and just when I think I can take a rest, more orders come. Don't get me wrong, with so many people out of work, I'm grateful for the opportunity to make money. As with all things, when you have the money you don't have the time to do projects around the house and when you have the time, you don't have the money. I guess that no matter what position I'm in, I will just have to be content.
I have found that vacations can be just as hectic as staying home; same tune, different dance. This year we went to Branson, MO. We went to see some shows and took it easy. I had the chance to actually read and finish a book! Now that's a vacation for me. But now that I'm home, I have been inundated with work. I guess that idle hands are the devils playground (or so I've heard).
So summer is speeding by. Soon it will be Fall. I actually heard an advertisement on TV last night for back to school stuff! I noted that in some of the stores, they're stocking up school supplies. Yikes! Didn't the kids just get out of school? Summer is speeding by and the media is taking it away! So...enjoy what's left of your summer, spend time getting to know your children again (not the terrors that you have to prod to do homework), and realize that time spent relaxing and pondering God's wonderful creation is time well spent. Maybe, if we take time to be still, summer will slow down.
Why is it that summer seems so short? I have heard that what makes a day, week, month, year or season seem so short is the amount of things we have to do during that time. When we are bored, the days seem to drag by. Once in a while, I would love to be able to spend a day in a good book and just sit back and take my mind to foreign lands, adventures, mystery and suspense. But, unfortunately, I have a job to do (custom sewing) and just when I think I can take a rest, more orders come. Don't get me wrong, with so many people out of work, I'm grateful for the opportunity to make money. As with all things, when you have the money you don't have the time to do projects around the house and when you have the time, you don't have the money. I guess that no matter what position I'm in, I will just have to be content.
I have found that vacations can be just as hectic as staying home; same tune, different dance. This year we went to Branson, MO. We went to see some shows and took it easy. I had the chance to actually read and finish a book! Now that's a vacation for me. But now that I'm home, I have been inundated with work. I guess that idle hands are the devils playground (or so I've heard).
So summer is speeding by. Soon it will be Fall. I actually heard an advertisement on TV last night for back to school stuff! I noted that in some of the stores, they're stocking up school supplies. Yikes! Didn't the kids just get out of school? Summer is speeding by and the media is taking it away! So...enjoy what's left of your summer, spend time getting to know your children again (not the terrors that you have to prod to do homework), and realize that time spent relaxing and pondering God's wonderful creation is time well spent. Maybe, if we take time to be still, summer will slow down.
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