May 10, 2010

“Let your steadfast love become my comfort; according to your promise to your servant.” Psalm 119:76

Here in the greatest state in the union, North Carolina, we hold bragging rights to the largest Emerald find in the world. Hiddenite seems to be ripe with gems and the locals tell me that after they plow a field, you can find gems that the plow turns up. People who do that are especially happy when it rains. The rain washes the fresh turned earth down and exposes the gems making it easier to find them. Have you ever noticed how God sometimes withholds the blessings until after the rain and storms come? The blessing is there, but we just can’t see it until we weather the storm and through the lessons learned, see the blessings. As a friend of mine said when she lost sight in her eye following surgery, “Sometimes he calms the storm, sometimes he calms the child.” Either way, the storm brought us to the place we could recognize the blessing. However you must remember, He will always do it His way, in His time for His glory. So, if today your life seems to be a dreary rainstorm, start looking because God just may be using that rain of circumstances to wash away the dirt in your life so the gem can shine.

Thought for the week: Men are like bagpipes: no sound comes from them till they're full.
-- Irish Proverb

Funny for the week: "Missed Delivery"

Working at the post office, I'm used to dealing with a moody public. So, when one irate customer stormed my desk, I responded in my calmest voice, "What's the trouble?"

"I went out this morning," she began, "and when I came home, I found a card saying the mailman tried to deliver a package, but no one was home. I'll have you know, my husband was in all morning! He never heard a thing!"

After apologizing, I got her parcel.

"Oh good!" she gushed. "We've been waiting for this for ages!"

"What is it?" I asked.

"My husband's new hearing aid."

What?................. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Who visited the witch of Endor? Saul (1 Sam. 28:7-8)

This week’s question: Who was the third king of Israel?

May 3, 2010

“and he said to them, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. This is the great and foremost commandment.’” Matthew 22:38

The sign said honk if you love Jesus; so I honked, and a policeman arrested me for disturbing the peace.

The sign said smile if you love Jesus; so I smiled all day long and people thought I was a staff worker for Jimmy Carter.

The sign said wave if you love Jesus; so I waved with both hands and lost control of my car and crashed into the back of a church bus.

Oh God – If I cannot honk, or smile, or wave,

How will Jesus know that I love Him? (copied)

The exhortation to love God is found ten times in Deuteronomy and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. (First five books of the Old Testament) Jesus quoted this verse from Deuteronomy 6:5 because it is the essential creed of Judaism. This love of God involves the total person. His heart was regarded as the seat of the mind and will; it controlled the emotions. The soul referred to the source of life; one’s very being. The word “might” or strength indicated our ability to work and do. Our love for God should dominate our emotions, direct our thoughts and be the dynamic for our actions. When we have this degree of love for God, it will be evident in how we treat others.

Thought for the week: Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both. -- John Andrew Holmes, "Wisdom in Small Doses"

Funny for the week: Exercise

The woman needed encouragement to keep pedaling the exercise bike in her gym. So my friend, the gym manager, said, "Close your eyes and imagine you're riding along Broadway in New York City. It will be more interesting." Inspired, the woman cycled on, but after a minute she stopped.

"What's wrong?" asked my friend.

"The traffic light's red," she replied.

I love it ! ………..Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Name the four brothers of Jesus. James, Simon, Joses (or Joseph) and Jude (or Judas) (Mark 6:3)

This week’s question: Who visited the witch of Endor?

April 26, 2010

“This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

In Genesis it says that at the end of each day after God had made each thing, He declared it GOOD! I have never quite figured out how the Mosquito made it in that blessing. If there ever was something that had no apparent good, it would be that varmint. Yet, God does all things well or good and he made them too. It seems only we humans have the innate ability to focus on all the minor irritations of life and let the “little things” cloud out the mammoth blessings that come to us each day. I am sure the evil one would have us ignore those blessings and focus only on those small nagging irritants of life. Don’t let him. Choose to be happy because happiness is indeed a choice. No one can make you be unhappy or mad. You choose. Likewise you can choose to be happy when you choose to focus on the right things. So what will it be today? Golden sunrise of another God given day and life or buzzzzz? It’s your choice! Amen, you think about that while I kill this mosquito.

Thought for the week: Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
-- Napoleon Bonaparte

Funny for the week: Girlie Wisdom!

1. A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... She has 14 kids but doesn't really care.

2. One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

3. My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

4. The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

5. The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.

6. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

7. Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

8. Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain consciousness.

9. I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting fire to my underwear.

10. Amazing! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks 2 sizes!

11. Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like...'You know sometimes I forget to eat!' Now I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name and my keys, but I have never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat!

12. The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing and then they marry him.

13. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day!

Move over Plato…………… Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer: Who bowed down seven times to his brother after a long separation?

Jacob (or Israel) (Gen. 33:3)

This week’s question: Name the four brothers of Jesus.