Stuff Happens, a fiction
I was no doubt destined to be a plumber. I had a friend whose family had a plumbing business, and while finishing school I worked there some weekends.
After I graduated school I needed a job, and I worked there to support my lifestyle, I was not planning on becoming a plumber but the more I worked at it, the more I liked learning about plumbing and the science of the plumbing industry.
I remember some of the learning experiences of doing plumbing work. One such experience taught me a great deal about the necessity of planning my work prior to the actual execution of the particular project.
We had finished a reclamation project on the 5th floor of a five story building which was originally a whiskey storage warehouse. We were doing all the necessary clean up. The other construction workers were cleaning up as well. We were lowering our tools and excess material down with an old original manual pulley arrangement that had been used in lifting the whiskey barrels up and down from the various floors. And with help from the crew on the ground we had finished our clean up.
Just then, a brick layer had come down from the roof where he had erected a brick penthouse. He inquired of our pulley arrangement and asked if he could use it. Of course we agreed and he then set about to lower his excess bricks down to his waiting partner on the ground. He cast the pulley rope down to his helper, who tied it off to his truck bumper. He had found an old whiskey barrel, and brought it and tied it to the rope on the other end of the pulley arrangement.
Then he proceeded to load the barrel with bricks. When he had finished with the loading of the bricks into the barrel he signaled for his partner to untie the anchor rope and let the barrel of bricks down slowly. The helper whose name was Raoul obliged, and released the rope from the bumper of the truck.
As he did this of course and holding onto the rope so as to slowly lower the bricks,not realizing that 400 pounds of bricks would jerk him off the ground immediately, Raoul who weiged no more than 140 pounds went sailing upward immediately. Then at the approximate ½ way point Raoul and the barrel met, giving Raoul cuts and abrasions about his chest and mid section. Upon hitting the ground, the bottom came loose from the barrel and all the bricks held it in spilled into a pile, while the barrel was left empty, And Raoul still in the air 5 stories up.
Gravity being what it is, Raoul who was still grasping the rope as his lifeline then began to descend quite rapidly and met the barrel again about ½ way down, this time giving him lacerations and bruises on his legs and buttocks. Still holding onto the rope for dear life Raoul fell into the pile of bricks, breaking both ankles and both wrists.
Upon hitting the bricks Raoul began screaming and crying for help as he then could not move. Then as he looked up, again to his surprise, the empty barrel came plummeting back down and fell directly on him again. We had to spend the rest of the day helping The bricklayer get Raoul out of the barrel. Raoul was carried to the hospital, and that is the reason we are having to fill out his medical condition for him so he will be able to submit the accident report to the insurance company..
Disasters occur daily, we were just doing what comes naturally, working, playing, resting, getting along with our lives, and then one day, the bottom falls out, we are left dangling, trying to hold on to what is left. Life has come to us with a surprise. Alzheimers happens, It becomes a part of our lives. We had no plan that included Alzheimers. Right in the middle of our plans, it happens, we are not ready for it, nor are we prepared for the turn our lives will take. But there are choices we now must make. How do we fight this fight. What does the Bible have to offer when trial and tribulation come to our door. We must search the scriptures and continue in our faith.
Billy Graham puts it this way. When something bad happen to us or to those we love, it’s natural for us to ask why God has let it happen. To be honest, we do not have a full answer to that question, nor does anyone this side of heaven. We live in a fallen, imperfect world, and life is riddled with sorrow and pain. As the Bible says about our years on earth, “their span is but trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 90:10).
The real issue, you see, isn't why bad things happen, but how we should react to them. Will we react in anger and bitterness or will we respond in faith and trust? Anger is a dead-end road–it only hurts us and those around us, and doesn't solve anything. But faith gives us hope–hope for the present and hope for the future.
When something bad happen to us or to those we love, it’s natural for us to ask why God has let it happen. To be honest, I don’t have a full answer to that question, nor does anyone this side of heaven. We live in a fallen, imperfect world, and life is riddled with sorrow and pain. As the Bible says about our years on earth, “their span is but trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 90:10).
The real issue, isn’t why bad things happen, but how we should react to them. Will we react in anger and bitterness or will we respond in faith and trust? Faith gives us hope–hope for the present and hope for the future.
We start with the obvious merits of simple positive thinking. In Philippians 4:8 the Bible instructs us in proper thinking: "And now, my friends, all that is true, all that is noble, all that is just and pure, all that is lovable and gracious, whatever is excellent and admirable—fill all your thoughts with these things" The characteristics of an optimistic mind-set include the ability to focus on the positive when the negative seems overwhelming. Very often the key lies in turning a problem into a challenge and then working to bring ourselves to equal the challenge.
When people are suffering, it is our responsibility to minister to them, care for them, pray for them, and comfort them. Those suffering in any way, need our love and encouragement.
Psalm 73:23_26 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Life's First Things
Opening prayer
God of our salvation, Just as we come into your presence in great humility, we also come in the joy of spending time with each other in fellowship among like followers of Your Son Jesus. We are thankful for the time and for the presence of those who work so faithfully to bring this food and fellowship to our gathering. We pray for your blessing during our meal and the fellowship we will enjoy. Be with those among us who are not able to be here for whatever reason. Be with those of us who are suffering illness and those who care for them. Restore their health and bring them back into our midst is our prayer,in the name of Jesus , Amen
Now for a short devotion.
God of our salvation, Just as we come into your presence in great humility, we also come in the joy of spending time with each other in fellowship among like followers of Your Son Jesus. We are thankful for the time and for the presence of those who work so faithfully to bring this food and fellowship to our gathering. We pray for your blessing during our meal and the fellowship we will enjoy. Be with those among us who are not able to be here for whatever reason. Be with those of us who are suffering illness and those who care for them. Restore their health and bring them back into our midst is our prayer,in the name of Jesus , Amen
Now for a short devotion.
The theme of our get together today is game day
My, my, what a good idea that is, I can’t wait to get started
As it happens, that is the title of our devotion today
I can’t wait to get started.
I was 5 years old and on my very first day of school my mother had to walk with me to show me the way. I did not want to go to school, and resisted the whole way. Mother left me there just inside the doorway and returned home. I returned home by another route and actually beat her back home, and was there when she came in the door. I was taken back to school and into the classroom, and introduced to Ms. Hooper, my first grade teacher. Ms. Hooper was a strict disciplinarian and 15 minutes in the coat closet was her favorite form of punishment for wrong doers. That was the first lesson I learned at school, do not raise Ms. Hooper’s ire or punishment will ensue. That’s when I said to myself , “What a good idea school is, I can’t wait to get started”.
There are many times in life when we will have to do things that take us out of our comfort zone, That is just the way life is. First grade was it for me. I will never forget that first day. I actually thought to myself, “do I really have to do this for the rest of my life”?
There’s the story of Gideon for instance. God made a great warrior out of a small timid farmer who was deathly afraid to go into battle. God had a plan for him and would have it no other way. And soon he was leading his army into battle. Gideon probably said to himself, “What a good idea war is, I can’t wait to get started”.
For instance there’s The story of Noah, God used Noah to start his new world. Can you imagine Noah out in the desert, with God telling him to build an ark so that he can save his own family the worlds animal species, two by two, from a flood, that would destroy the rest of civilization. Noah probably said to himself. “Well o.k. we were tired of the desert anyway, I can’t wait to get started”.
And there’s the story of Jonah, God wanted him to go to Nineveh, and preach to a specific wicked and corrupt group of people about righteousness, repentance, and forgiveness. Jonah resisted, as these people would probably want to kill him. Jonah might have said to himself, “My what a good idea, I can’t wait to get started”.
Then there’s the story of Moses, Chosen by God to defy The Egyptian ruler Pharaoh and to deliver his people out of slavery, through the Red Sea, across a barren wilderness and into the Promised Land. Moses might have said to himself, “My what a good idea opposing the most powerful man in the world, I can’t wait to get started”.
Then of course we do not want to skip over Esther, what a great story. Esther, a beautiful woman destined to be the person God chooses to make justice for the Jews. Esther is God's choice as the Jewish queen of a Persian king Ahasuerus. King Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, refuses to obey him, and pose nude for all his friends to display her beauty. Then Esther is chosen for her beauty to replace her. Because Esther was placed in the palace “for such a time as this” (Esth. 4:14), we can trust God’s timing for placing us in different situations. It’s easy to struggle with timing; thinking that we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. But who knows? Maybe we are in the right place at the right time! What we can’t see with our eyes, we must believe with our hearts. Every human being goes through difficulties where God seems to be absent. This is nothing new. Esther encourages us that even if we can’t see God’s hand, to just be patient and step out in faith believing we are in the right place. Can't you just hear her speaking to God about this plan, (which could have cost her life if it had gone awry) "Hurry up Lord I can't wait to get started".
My, my, what a good idea that is, I can’t wait to get started
As it happens, that is the title of our devotion today
I can’t wait to get started.
I was 5 years old and on my very first day of school my mother had to walk with me to show me the way. I did not want to go to school, and resisted the whole way. Mother left me there just inside the doorway and returned home. I returned home by another route and actually beat her back home, and was there when she came in the door. I was taken back to school and into the classroom, and introduced to Ms. Hooper, my first grade teacher. Ms. Hooper was a strict disciplinarian and 15 minutes in the coat closet was her favorite form of punishment for wrong doers. That was the first lesson I learned at school, do not raise Ms. Hooper’s ire or punishment will ensue. That’s when I said to myself , “What a good idea school is, I can’t wait to get started”.
There are many times in life when we will have to do things that take us out of our comfort zone, That is just the way life is. First grade was it for me. I will never forget that first day. I actually thought to myself, “do I really have to do this for the rest of my life”?
There’s the story of Gideon for instance. God made a great warrior out of a small timid farmer who was deathly afraid to go into battle. God had a plan for him and would have it no other way. And soon he was leading his army into battle. Gideon probably said to himself, “What a good idea war is, I can’t wait to get started”.
For instance there’s The story of Noah, God used Noah to start his new world. Can you imagine Noah out in the desert, with God telling him to build an ark so that he can save his own family the worlds animal species, two by two, from a flood, that would destroy the rest of civilization. Noah probably said to himself. “Well o.k. we were tired of the desert anyway, I can’t wait to get started”.
And there’s the story of Jonah, God wanted him to go to Nineveh, and preach to a specific wicked and corrupt group of people about righteousness, repentance, and forgiveness. Jonah resisted, as these people would probably want to kill him. Jonah might have said to himself, “My what a good idea, I can’t wait to get started”.
Then there’s the story of Moses, Chosen by God to defy The Egyptian ruler Pharaoh and to deliver his people out of slavery, through the Red Sea, across a barren wilderness and into the Promised Land. Moses might have said to himself, “My what a good idea opposing the most powerful man in the world, I can’t wait to get started”.
Then of course we do not want to skip over Esther, what a great story. Esther, a beautiful woman destined to be the person God chooses to make justice for the Jews. Esther is God's choice as the Jewish queen of a Persian king Ahasuerus. King Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, refuses to obey him, and pose nude for all his friends to display her beauty. Then Esther is chosen for her beauty to replace her. Because Esther was placed in the palace “for such a time as this” (Esth. 4:14), we can trust God’s timing for placing us in different situations. It’s easy to struggle with timing; thinking that we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. But who knows? Maybe we are in the right place at the right time! What we can’t see with our eyes, we must believe with our hearts. Every human being goes through difficulties where God seems to be absent. This is nothing new. Esther encourages us that even if we can’t see God’s hand, to just be patient and step out in faith believing we are in the right place. Can't you just hear her speaking to God about this plan, (which could have cost her life if it had gone awry) "Hurry up Lord I can't wait to get started".
Very often in our every day existence we are faced with things that take us out of our comfort zone. Joining others in the service of our country, a worthy cause but not all that pleasant. Doing unpleasant chores, Working with unpleasant people, Taking the lead in a distasteful task. Taking care of the sick and afflicted doing the hard work of caring for a property, caring for our friends who need us, or for the homeless and misplaced people of our society. Just remember what Jesus said.
"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
The truth of this tale is that God has a plan for your life, and there is no resisting it. God uses regular down to earth ordinary individuals in his service to accomplish extraordinary results. Just as God used ordinary men and women throughout history to accomplish his purposes and even into the 21st century. God can use any or all of us in accomplishing his purposes for our world. Just as God sacrificed the life of his son Jesus and gave us a way to salvation if we trust him with our heart, repent of our sins and believe on him. If we do that, then God promises to remember our sin no more.
My, Isn’t that a good idea, I can’t wait to get started. Amen
"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
The truth of this tale is that God has a plan for your life, and there is no resisting it. God uses regular down to earth ordinary individuals in his service to accomplish extraordinary results. Just as God used ordinary men and women throughout history to accomplish his purposes and even into the 21st century. God can use any or all of us in accomplishing his purposes for our world. Just as God sacrificed the life of his son Jesus and gave us a way to salvation if we trust him with our heart, repent of our sins and believe on him. If we do that, then God promises to remember our sin no more.
My, Isn’t that a good idea, I can’t wait to get started. Amen
Life's Little Twists
There is a story which I think properly describes our society today. We are actually so busy doing what it is we do on a daily basis, that we have regimented our time to almost the final exact minute. Before bedtime we get everything ready for tomorrow, We sort out our next days clothes, we lay them out, we do the same for our children we check our calendars to make sure of our appointments for tomorrow, then we have our teeth brushing time, our prayer time and then to bed. We get up in the morning. First we get the kids up, dress them for school and feed them, then we do the same and then off to our daily routine. Take the kids to school, do our early shopping, meet with friends, have lunch, do our regular afternoon schedule, Then off to pick up the kids at school. Then home to fix dinner and begin planning for tomorrow. I have probably left out some of your favorite chores, but I think you get the picture.
Then suddenly one day you are middle aged. Finished with raising children, you are now doing whatever it takes to hold your life together, working, helping at school or at church, busy doing errands and still having contact with the kids. They seem never to grow up. Now you have some security with your finances, and your marriage is holding together so there might be a moment to relax. Time off, away from responsibility, time with just you and your spouse, growing older together. Still vitally involved, but just not quite as intense.
Then just as you’re feeling secure and somewhat satisfied with your life, You are old. I don’t know how it happens, it just does. Just yesterday you were young and vibrant, now you are old and decrepit, and your health is failing.
Well there was this aging mother of 4 boys, she was in her late eighties. Her husband had died and she was alone. Her four boys were diligent hard working and very successful and each had always paid the highest of respect and honor to their mother. As they were meeting one day to discuss how to deal with their mothers failing health, each one had a plan. The oldest stated that he had bought a nursing home and she had nothing to do but cash the checks they would send her and it would be income for his mother until she passed away, The next brother stated that he had bought her a yacht which would house her in the best and most luxurious fashion until it came time for her last rites which would be performed at sea. The next brother informed them that he had set aside enough money to keep her in the lap of luxury until that final day. Then the younger brother admitted that he had not thought on that grand scale and said that since she had been such a faithful Christian, and now her eyesight was failing, and she loved reading the bible, He sought a way to help her continue in bible study and reading. He thus had bought a parrot which had been trained to quote the bible, chapter and verse. This bird would respond to any biblical selection that was told to him, and would repeat it verbatim. Each son presented each gift to the mother , who accepted the gifts graciously. About a week after this happened, the mother sent these massages to each of her sons. Dear sons, I am really grateful for the nursing home you bought for me. Thank you for that but I do not wish to be associated with a nursing home. I have fallen in love again this time it is with a rich prince who has one of the worlds finest yachts, so I will not need the one you gave me, thanks anyway. And Philippe promises me The healthiest of environmental foods prepared on his Yacht. So I will not need your money. My time will be spent sailing the seven seas and enjoying the finest of cuisine. Speaking of which, The chicken you sent me was very tasty. Thanks for everything.
Then suddenly one day you are middle aged. Finished with raising children, you are now doing whatever it takes to hold your life together, working, helping at school or at church, busy doing errands and still having contact with the kids. They seem never to grow up. Now you have some security with your finances, and your marriage is holding together so there might be a moment to relax. Time off, away from responsibility, time with just you and your spouse, growing older together. Still vitally involved, but just not quite as intense.
Then just as you’re feeling secure and somewhat satisfied with your life, You are old. I don’t know how it happens, it just does. Just yesterday you were young and vibrant, now you are old and decrepit, and your health is failing.
Well there was this aging mother of 4 boys, she was in her late eighties. Her husband had died and she was alone. Her four boys were diligent hard working and very successful and each had always paid the highest of respect and honor to their mother. As they were meeting one day to discuss how to deal with their mothers failing health, each one had a plan. The oldest stated that he had bought a nursing home and she had nothing to do but cash the checks they would send her and it would be income for his mother until she passed away, The next brother stated that he had bought her a yacht which would house her in the best and most luxurious fashion until it came time for her last rites which would be performed at sea. The next brother informed them that he had set aside enough money to keep her in the lap of luxury until that final day. Then the younger brother admitted that he had not thought on that grand scale and said that since she had been such a faithful Christian, and now her eyesight was failing, and she loved reading the bible, He sought a way to help her continue in bible study and reading. He thus had bought a parrot which had been trained to quote the bible, chapter and verse. This bird would respond to any biblical selection that was told to him, and would repeat it verbatim. Each son presented each gift to the mother , who accepted the gifts graciously. About a week after this happened, the mother sent these massages to each of her sons. Dear sons, I am really grateful for the nursing home you bought for me. Thank you for that but I do not wish to be associated with a nursing home. I have fallen in love again this time it is with a rich prince who has one of the worlds finest yachts, so I will not need the one you gave me, thanks anyway. And Philippe promises me The healthiest of environmental foods prepared on his Yacht. So I will not need your money. My time will be spent sailing the seven seas and enjoying the finest of cuisine. Speaking of which, The chicken you sent me was very tasty. Thanks for everything.
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