a parable

Once upon a time there was a wonderful King that ruled a Kingdom. The King was always doing fine and wonderful things for His people. The people desired in their hearts to worship and glorify the King and His wonderful deeds.

So the King planned appointed times each year: special times for celebrations to tell the stories of His deeds to the people’s children and to glorify the King. The King wrote the instructions of how to observe the celebrations in a book called the Book of Wisdom.

For many years the people enjoyed these celebrations. Each year they would learn more about their King and feel closer to Him. They realized the King’s celebrations were not only to tell stories of the things the King had done for His people in the past, but also foreshadows of more fine things the King was planning to do for them in the future.

to finish reading the parable, click on this link (http://heartofwisdom.com/biblicalholidays/?p=7)

What does Hebrews 10:25 mean in relationship to our weekly church worship services?

Bill’s blog (http://thin-edge.org/2007/08/04/custom-or-command-christian-worship-hebrews-1025/) with the question:

What does Hebrews 10:25 mean in relationship to our weekly church worship services?

Alan Knox chimed in (back in 2007) with this answer:

Bill,

You’ve asked some great questions. But, the command in Heb 10:24-25 is not to assemble, but to consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Meeting together does not satisfy any commands of God. If we meet with other believers every day of the week, but never interact with one another in order to help one another mature toward Christ-likeness, then we have accomplished nothing. Should we meet together? I think that’s asking the wrong question. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, why would we not want to spend time with one another? Our desire to meet with and interact with one another does not come from obeying a command, but from the new and mutual life that the Spirit is creating within us. As Paul would say, it is not “if” we meet together, but “whenever [we] come together” that we should do everything for the purpose of building one another up. Thanks for this post.

-Alan

if a man is called….

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music,or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Interruptions are my ministry

This guy (who just happens to be named Guy -- :oP) has hit the nail on the head for how I feel about my “spiritual gift”.  I help people when they need me.  I like how he shows this is just as much a ministry as an intentional ministry.  You can read the whole article here – (http://guymuse.blogspot.com/2010/10/interruptions-are-my-ministry.html).

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One of my mottos is "ministry happens." I think that at least 90% of the ministry that happens in the gospels is spontaneous. Jesus was headed from one place to another and an opportunity would present itself. Jesus was willing to get off the beaten path and take the road less traveled. He didn't see them as detours or dead ends. Too often we mistake human interruptions for divine appointments. --from a Mark Batterson message entitled "Wild Goose Chase."

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What if God also has "to do" lists? What if God has on his list today for Juán to call me and see about our getting together for coffee at 2:15 this afternoon and talk about his problems?
When I seriously pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done..." am I not in effect saying, "Lord, your "to do" list has priority. Your agenda today takes precedence over my own." While meeting Juán at 2:15 may not be on my list, I would be foolish to blow off meeting Juan at 2:15 if he is on God's list.

why i don’t care about success

‘Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.’ ~Albert Einstein

read the article at the link -   http://zenhabits.net/anti-success/ 

 

Success isn’t about achieving something in the future, but about doing something right now that you love.

So doesn’t that mean I care about success? Well, sure, if you define success as whatever it is you care about, then of course you’re going to care about success. But then “success” really doesn’t have a meaning, does it? If it can mean anything, then it means nothing.

So forget about “success”, and just find joy, passion, love, awesome-ness right now, in this moment. *That* is a success you can achieve, without any self-help course, without any method. Just go out and do it.

this and that…

1.  Yesterday we discovered/confirmed that Deanna is allergic to kiwi fruit.  She had mentioned a while ago after eating some kiwi that her mouth felt weird but I didn’t give it much attention and forgot about the whole matter.  Then yesterday we were at Susan’s house and she offered Deanna a kiwi and Deanna mentioned she might be allergic.  So I told her to try some b/c I had Benadryl  on hand just in case.  Well she ate one and a few minutes later her tongue was going numb and her throat felt like it was closing.  So I gave her a Benadryl and now she will no longer be allowed to have kiwi.  But the interesting thing is that if someone is allergic to kiwi they may also be allergic to latex so we will have to keep that in mind. 

What is a cross reaction?

People who have a latex allergy may be allergic to some foods, as well. This is called a cross reaction. When this happens, your body responds with the same allergic symptoms that you would have if you were exposed to latex. Cross reactions differ from one person to another. Someone may have a reaction to all the foods noted to cause cross reaction while another may have no reaction at all. Likewise, if you are allergic to any of these foods, you may also be allergic to latex:

• apples, bananas, kiwi, peaches, plums, figs, grapes, melons, papaya, passion fruit, cherries, nectarines, pears, pineapple and strawberries;
• carrots, celery, raw potatoes, avocados and tomatoes;
• chestnuts and hazelnuts;
• wheat and rye.

If you are allergic to any of these foods, tell your doctor before having any medical procedure. You could have a cross reaction to latex.

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/indoors/food_safety/latex/latex2.htm

2.  We found out last week that we have a new wild animal in the neighbourhood.  Someone took a picture of a racoon in our driveway.  I had no idea they were this far north here in Alberta but my SIL said she heard on the radio they have been migrating further north lately.  I think it would be neat to see one but at the same time I would be scared to come across it at night or something like that.  http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/index.php?s=522

30 day email detox

Stressed-out from too much sending and replying, Katie Goodman did what the rest of us only dream of: Quit e-mail cold turkey. Weeks later, she was a new (and much improved) woman. Take that, in-box!

http://www.oprah.com/money/The-30-Day-Email-Detox

 

I quit Facebook but I am not so sure I could quit email.  ;oP

this fits in well with my previous post about careers and such

October 18, 2010

“Many people worry so much about managing their careers,
but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives.
I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be.
The rest will work itself out.”

—  Reese Witherspoon

They called a time of death on Jeff. Then, his doctor heard the Lord say, 'Pray for him.'