July 13, 2009

"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" Psalm 27:13

There are three toxic attitudes that I believe are very easy for cops to develop. Attitudes that grow on us and against which we must fight our whole life. NEGATIVISM: "Things are bad." PESSIMISM: "Things will turn out bad." CYNICISM: "People and their motives are bad." Just like bacteria can ruin milk, these three attitudes can sour your attitude, poison your soul, erode your faith and make life miserable. And that is true not only for cops but for anyone who becomes infected with these attitudes. God gives us the spiritual ability to resist and rise above these attitudes; to grow in faith, keep confidence in the future, trust God's grace to change people. Dealing with bad situations that tend to always turn out bad because people with bad motives are behind them can color our outlook quickly. That is why only the one who said, "I am the light of the world.." can shine into our dark thoughts and feelings, illuminate and warm the cold black night and give us hope. Do you know Him? He is the only vaccine against these toxic attitudes.

Thought for the week: Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
-- Harry S Truman, Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959

Funny for the week: "Impressions"

One day, at the dry-cleaning shop of a local air force base, I overheard a young airman describe in great detail how he wanted his uniform cleaned and pressed.

When he finished, the counter clerk asked, "Are you getting an award, or do you have an important military function to attend?"

"Nothing like that," the airman said. "I'm going home on leave, and my little brother is taking me to his second-grade class for show-and-tell."

Atta boy ! …………….. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: In the Beatitudes, who does Jesus say will be satisfied (or filled)? Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matt. 5:6)

This week’s question: What do both Calvary and Golgotha mean?

July 6, 2009

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

Put yourself in his place. Think for a moment. He is in prison. Not a clean heated and cooled one like Caldwell has, but a dirty filthy stinking damp rat infested hole in the ground. He was waiting to be executed the next day. They would come for him at noon, drag him from his cell, stretch his neck over a block and chop his head off. What he did not know was that a church across town was praying for him. God answered their prayers and sent an angel to rescue him. But what was he doing? SLEEPING! Peter was asleep! He had given the Lord his fears and how he was at such peace he was sleeping. Man, I wish I had faith like that. Peter knew his Lord and Jesus had given Peter such inner peace that life or death, imprisonment or freedom mattered none. God can and does give us an inner serenity when we abide in Him. Like a parent calming a frightened child, the Lord wants to take away our fears. Will you let Him? Will I? Will we seek Him and let Him deliver us from ALL our fears? The decision is ours.

Thought for the week: You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers. -- John J. Plomp

Funny for the week: "Locked Out"

First I had to work late. Then I discovered that I'd locked my keys in the car. But the last straw was learning that roadside service couldn't get a locksmith to me for at least two hours. Finally the guy showed, looking exhausted.

As he struggled with my door, I joked, "Do those Slim Jim tools come in purse-size?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "They're called keys."

OneLiner

"To prevent sagging skin, eat 'til the wrinkles fill out."

My kind of reasoning………………………….Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: What was the garment of John the Baptist made of? Camel hair (Matt. 3:4)

This week’s question: In the Beatitudes, who does Jesus say will be satisfied (or filled)?

June 29, 2009

"Ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure." Proverbs 4:26

Many decades ago a friend of mine and her husband were riding down the road in their car. She was driving and he was in the passenger seat. An opossum suddenly swaggered out into the road in front of her and she swerved to miss the ugly beast. Her car left the road, overturned and both of them were seriously injured. From that day on I began to condition myself and my wife to never swerve when driving. Grip the steering wheel, slow down, brake, but do not swerve. Many a person has been killed in head-on crashes when someone swerved to miss an animal in the road. Here's my point. Some of the worst decisions we have ever made in life occurred when we rushed into a choice and did not think about it. We never give God the chance to lead us and advise us. Thinking is spiritual! The Bible tells us to "Ponder" our paths. That means to consider well. Think! Pray and then consider the options, decisions and consequences and then apply the Bible. By doing this ahead of time, we will find ourselves in fewer positions that require us to make a snap decision. Then when the opossum staggers out in the road, if we have prepared ourselves mentally before hand, we will ruin his day and not the rest of our lives. Yes, God wants us to trust Him, but he also gave us brains and He wants us to use them too.

Thought for the week: The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
-- Walter Bagehot

Funny for the week: "Birds and Bees"

A father decided it was time to have "the talk" with his ten-year-old son. Sitting the boy down, he thought it best to first find out what his son might already know. So he asked his son if he knew about "the birds and the bees".

"I don't want to know," his son replied, bursting into tears. "Promise you won't tell me. Please!"

Confused by this reaction, the father asked his son what was wrong.

"Oh dad", the boy replied, in between sobs, "when I was six, I got the 'there’s no Santa' speech. At seven I got the 'there’s no Easter bunny' speech. When I was eight, you hit me with 'there's no Tooth Fairy' speech. If you are going to tell me now there's no such things as birds and bees I don't know what I will do!"

Was his daddy a Republican Congressman?..........Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: How many days did water flood the earth in Genesis?

150 days (Gen. 7:24)

This week’s question: What was the garment of John the Baptist made of?