November 1, 2010

“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Gen. 4:7



“How do you react when someone suggests you have done something wrong? Do you move to correct the mistake or do you deny that you need to correct it? Maybe you even attack the person that pointed out your wrong. After Cain’s sacrifice was rejected, God gave him the chance to right his wrong and try again. God even encouraged him to do this. But Cain refused, and the rest of his life is a startling example of what happens to those who refuse to admit their mistakes. (He wandered in the land of Nod [Nod means forever wandering], forever separated from the presence of God) For Cain to master the sin crouching at the entrance to his desires, he would have to give up his jealous anger so that sin would not find a foothold in his life. Like Cain, we will be victims of sin if we do not master it.” (Life Application Bible. Parentheses mine)





Thought for the week: Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. -- Edgar Allan Poe, "Eleonora"





Funny for the week: "Flight Attendant Trivia"

To pass the time while our plane was being de-iced, the flight attendants played a trivia game with the passengers. They asked us to guess the total number of years the three of them had worked for the airlines.

After an attendant collected our estimates, we heard the announcement:

"The correct answer is 26 years. For the two people who came closest with 28 years, we have prizes. And for the passenger in seat 12F who guessed 85 years, would you please step off the plane once we are airborne."



You go girl…….Chaplain Barnes



Last week’s answer:

8. How many Angels spoke to the Shepherds?

a. One See Luke 2:9

b. Three

c. A “multitude”

d. None of the above



This week’s question:

9. What “sign” did the angel tell the shepherds to look for?

a. “This way to baby Jesus”

b. A star over Bethlehem

c. A baby that doesn’t cry

d. A house with a Christmas tree

e. A baby in a stable

f. None of the above

October 25, 2010

“…surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” Gen. 28:16

He wore bib overhauls every day, even to church. He drove an older model Buick and loved his peach farm. He was advanced in years and had turned most of the day to day operation over to his sons and hired hands. He lived with his bride of 70 years in the house they built decades ago and where they raised their boys. He started out with a dairy farm and when the price of milk fell, converted to peach farming. He saved his money and loaned it to churches wishing to build new facilities. Many times I sat beside him at church dinners and chatted about unimportant things. It was only several years after his death that I learned I had been in the presence of one of the wealthiest men in the county I was living in at that time, and I did not know it. He never hinted at his wealth, never flaunted it like the Hollywood set. He just lived a quite peaceable life and used his money to expand the Kingdom of God. I have often wondered how many times I have also been in the presence of God and have been too busy or insensitive to know it? How many times has he come to me as a street person asking for help, or a stranger setting alone on a bench and I blazed by to accomplish lesser things? Maybe you have too. Ask God to open your eyes to see Him in the day to day intercourse you have with people. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

Thought for the week: Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
-- Oscar Wilde

Funny for the week: "A Touch of Home"

Although we were being married in New Hampshire, I wanted to add a touch of my home state, Kansas, to the wedding. My fiancée, explaining this to a friend, said that we were planning to have wheat rather than rice thrown after the ceremony.

Our friend thought for a moment. Then he said solemnly, "It's a good thing she's not from Idaho."

Yelp, flying spuds would sure hurt…Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer:

7. Who saw the star in the East?

a. Shepherds

b. Mary and Joseph

c. Three Kings

d. Both A and C

e. None of the above The Wise Men did. (They were not Kings) See Matt. 2:2

This week’s question:

8. How many Angels spoke to the Shepherds?

a. One

b. Three

c. A “multitude”

d. None of the above

October 18, 2010

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye upon you. Do not be like the horse or the mule;…whose temperament must be curbed with bit and bridle.” Psalm 34:8-9

I am going to let you in on a secret: I like my comfort zone! Bet none of you are guilty of that. Let God start nudging me to serve him in a new or different way and man, I can find more excuses and arguments why not to than congress can find sink holes to pour taxes into. I invent reasons why it will not work and rationalize why I should not be the one to do it. I thought I had a monopoly on that art until I read my Bible and found a lot of company. Even though I often quote the proverb, “The only thing that does not change is change”, I resist it in my own life. Fear of the unknown may only be human, but some of us are over gifted with it. Yet in it’s purest form, it is nothing more than faithlessness and that is sin. The passage quoted above says that if God calls you to something, he will equip you to do it. He will guide you and he will protect you while you do it. Not only that, when he tells you to open a new door, there is always a special blessing behind that door. So, if you feel God has been calling you to some task that scares you to death, go ahead, take a deep breath, turn the door knob and walk in and enjoy God’s blessing. Me? I prefer to stay here and make sure everything stays the same, just in case. But then again, maybe…..

Thought for the week: There's no secret about success. Did you ever know a successful man who didn't tell you about it? -- Kin Hubbard

Funny for the week: HEAVEN AND HELL

While walking down the street one day a Corrupt Senator was tragically hit by a car and died.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we ' re not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator..
"Well, I ' d like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we ' ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"Really?, I ' ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.
"I ' m sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it ' s time to visit heaven.." So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. "Well, then,

you 've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell..
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.
"I don ' t understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there ' s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
The devil smiles at him and says,
"Yesterday we were campaigning ...
Today, you voted.."

ouch………….. Chaplain Barnes

Last week’s answer:

6. Which animals does the Bible say were present at Jesus’ birth?

a. Cows, sheep, goats

b. Cows, donkeys, sheep

e. Sheep and goats only

d. Miscellaneous barnyard animals

e. Lions, tigers, elephants

f. None of the above The Bible does not name any being present

This week’s question:

7. Who saw the star in the East?

a. Shepherds

b. Mary and Joseph

c. Three Kings

d. Both A and C

e. None of the above