Thought for the Day: The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer up
somebody else.

Scripture for the Day: Give, and it shall be given unto you.  Luke
6:38

ALL THE JOY YOU NEED

Thomas Aquinas once said, "No one can live without joy." But many
people try. And the reason is often simply because they don't
know how to be happy! They are so intent on the three Ps --
power, prosperity and prestige -- that they miss out on joy.

Try to imagine this picture. It is a photograph taken by Henri
Cartier-Bresson, who pioneered modern photography as an art form
during the early decades of the 20th Century. He became known for
his photographs of apparent contradictions: pictures that left
mysteries unexplained.

One of his famous photographs was shot in a poor section of Spain
in the 1930s. The picture depicts a run-down alley surrounded by
decaying walls, strewn with rubble randomly stacked in thick
piles lying on the street, and riddled with bullet holes dotting
gray walls. The setting alone evokes feelings of sadness and
despair.

But then...the contradiction. Within the grim alley children are
playing. They wear dirty and tattered clothes, as one might
expect in such a setting, but like playing children everywhere,
they laugh with carefree joy. In the foreground, a tiny boy on
crutches hobbles away from two other boys, his face lit up with a
broad grin. One boy is laughing so hard he has to hold his side.
Others lean on the cracked walls, beaming with delight.

It is easy to spot the contrast -- and the point. Joy amidst the
rubble of life. Laughter amongst its ruins.

We cannot avoid pain, however hard we try. But we can avoid joy.
We cannot escape hardship and trouble, but we can miss out on
much of life's peace and laughter.

If you feel as if you could use more joy, try this:

     Spend time daily doing something you enjoy.
     Do those things that bring inner peace.
     Learn to laugh heartily and frequently.
     Cultivate within yourself an attitude of hope.
     Fill each day with as much love as it can possibly hold.

You'll still have plenty of problems, but through it all, you'll
find all you joy you will ever need.

STEVE GOODIER
http://lifesupportsystem.com/books.html

*No man is a failure who is enjoying life.
  William Feather

Thought for the Day: For peace of mind, resign as general manager of
the universe.

Scripture for the Day: Cease striving and know that I am God.  Psalm
46:10 NASB

The Journey
a scrapbook of life in Christ

December 6, 2004

The Beginning of Forever
Too Much

Prelude, part one

Christmas Eve, 1969
U.S. Naval Amphibious Base
Norfolk, Virginia

The fresh-faced lad--just out of high school and boot camp, too young
to vote or do much of anything but serve his country--stood staring
out the darkened barracks window. The huge building was quiet with a
heavy stillness that only fed the empty melancholy in his heart.

Earlier that day the barracks had slowly emptied out, a man at a
time, as those fortunate enough to have family or friends nearby took
off for a day or two celebration. The boy wondered whether they had
left to celebrate Christmas--or just to celebrate a few days away
from the navy. He guessed that it was a little of both.

One man at a time the building, with its endless rows of six-man
cubicles, had lost most of its population, until finally the only
signs of life heard were the muffled echoes of rock-and-roll music
played from a few portable cassette players.

A chill hung over the Navy School of Music as early dusk draped
itself across the Amphibious Base. The east coast was a long way from
Iowa, and right now the boy felt as if he were on the moon. So this
is it, he thought. "Well--Merry Christmas," he said bitterly to the
empty cubicle.

The real meaning of Christmas, like so many other things in this age
of insipid relativism, has been left up to the individual. In a world
in which there are few absolutes, Christmas is up for grabs.

Hollywood would have us believe that the meaning of Christmas is a
roster of block-buster movies intended to wow and entertain theatre-
goers. Wall Street and the giants of commerce would have us believe
that Christmas is the opportunity to make all the money that will
cover their losses during the rest of the year; therefore, to them,
Christmas is when common folks are reminded of all those things
without which they cannot live even one more day.

Local news programs and charities want us to think that the real
meaning of Christmas is brotherly love, charity, giving, and caring
about each other. For them, Christmas is when the people who have,
give to those who haven't.

On a certain level, they all are correct. There is nothing inherently
wrong about entertainment, making money or, of course, giving things
to the needy.

But, sadly, Christmas has become something more than what it really
is. Like a squalling, demanding brat whose body has quickly outgrown
his little playsuit, the Christmas of our time has outgrown its
original intent. The holiday has become something bursting at the
seams, an annual occurrence in which every hope, every expectation,
every escape from disappointment is invested. Christmas has become
the climax to our year--the bright celebration meant to erase from
our memory every sad moment that has come into our lives during the
previous eleven months. If Christmas turns out to be everything we
expect, we declare it to have been a good year; if Christmas is a
disappointment, our year has been something less than it should have
been.

Because of this, people today can't wait to celebrate the yuletide.
Houses are now draped in brilliant, multi-colored sparkles well
before Thanksgiving--that envious second cousin in the family of
holidays, now just a sad, impatient foundling standing in the way of
its more grand, and better-dressed, relation. Christmas decorations
line the aisles of department and discount stores long before the
ghouls of Halloween have finally been put out of our misery.

The problem is not so much that something has been left out of
Christmas, but that too much has been put in. The occasion of
Christmas--literally, the "Mass of Christ"--has become cluttered with
so many events, so much eye-candy, so many things that have nothing
to do with the day commemorated, that we can no longer make contact
with--or even find amidst the chaff--the person at its center: the
Christ child.

The Incarnation

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 kjv)

The eternally existent Jesus Christ was born on earth so that He
might die for our sins. He died for our sins so that we might have
eternal life with the Father in heaven. His incarnation, then, was
the beginning of our forever.

Some Christians quarrel with the heritage or terminology of our
common "Christmas" holiday and, as a result, choose to ignore it. The
venerated English preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon held to such a
position.

"We do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called
Christmas. First, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but
abhor it. And second, because we find no scriptural warrant for
observing any day as the birthday of the Savior. Consequently, its
observance is a superstition."

While I am loathe to disagree with the late, great Puritan pastor and
writer, I can imagine no great sin in celebrating the moment at which
my Salvation showed Himself to mankind. We can certainly take issue
with the layering on of tradition, superstitious calendar-watching,
and almost idolatrous high-holiness; we can detest the rabid
commercialism that smothers December 25th of each year. But were we
to disregard totally the remembrance, we would be ignoring an
important part of Christ's gospel. For without His physical death, we
could not enjoy eternity with the Father, and without His physical
birth, He could not have died.

Truly God

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born
of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who
were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
(Galatians 4:4-5 nasbu)

I imagine that if God had intended for us to disregard the event of
Christ's earthly birth, then the early chapters of Matthew and Luke
would not have dwelt on it so. Perhaps they would have begun much
like the gospel of Mark, with John's baptism of Jesus, or the gospel
of John, with the more mystical beginnings of the Son of God.

Instead, the gospels of Matthew and Luke include rather detailed
narratives of the night He was born (Luke) and the succeeding days in
Bethlehem (Matthew), describing the birth itself, as well as the
subsequent visits of the shepherds and magi. Here is the evidence
that God would have us remember the occasion--indeed, to approach
with reverence and to consider for awhile this first night, when
Jehovah made physical contact with mankind.

He would have us feel the lonely chill of the shepherds' night,
inhale the acrid musk of the hay that became the infant's bed, to
understand the hearts of His earthly parents, and to experience the
reverent adoration of a group of strangers who knew in their hearts
that this child was, truly, God.

The true Christian religion...does not begin at the top, as all other
religions do; it begins at the bottom. You must run directly to the
manger and the mother's womb, embrace this Infant and virgin's Child
in your arms, and look at Him--born, being nursed, growing up, going
about in human society, teaching, dying, rising again, ascending
above all the heavens, and having authority over all things. (Martin
Luther)

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King.
Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.
(Charles Wesley)

Copyright 2004, David S. Lampel. All rights reserved.
The Journey: #049
Visit our web site at http://dlampel.com

*Christmas is not a date. It is a state of mind. Mary Ellen Chase

Thought for the Day: A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the
handwriting on the wall, claims it is a forgery.

Scripture for the Day: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God.  Psalm 14:1

Does God Exist?

A man went to a  barber-shop to have his hair cut and
his beard trimmed. As the barber began  to work, they
began to have a good conversation. They talked about
so  many things and various subjects. When they
eventually touched on the  subject of God, the barber
said: "I don't believe that God exists."

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
"Well, you just have to  go out in the street to realize
that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God  exists, would
there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned
children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering
nor pain. I  can't imagine a loving a God who would allow
all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond
because he  didn't want to start an argument. The barber
finished his job and the  customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barber-shop, he saw a man  in the
street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed
beard. He  looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned
back and entered the barber  shop again and he said to
the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and  I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed.
"Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be
no people with  dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like
that man outside."

"Ah,  but barbers DO exist! " answered the barber.
"What happens, is, people do  not come to me. "

"Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point!
God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't
go to Him and do  not look for Him. That's why there's
so much pain and suffering in the  world."

*If there were no God, there would be no Atheists.   G. K. Chesterton

Interested in a 5 days a week Christian devotional?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cathysTFTD

Thought for the Day: It is impossible for a person to despair who
remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.

Scripture for the Day: I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from
whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made the
heaven and earth.

GENERATIONS FOR JESUS

In August I was given the vacation of a lifetime as I journeyed
with my earthly father.  We traveled together hundreds of miles
away, back to his small hometown situated on the ocean.  I
was trying to take in all the beauty of what I saw, the sounds
and smell of the ocean, and how I wanted to share all that with
my husband and children left behind back home.  I was then
reminded of how much more our Heavenly Father yearns to
share with us His gift of Eternity and the beautiful city He has
prepared for us there.  Many will never be able to take such a
vacation here on earth, but the beauty of Eternity as described
for us is free for all.

As we traveled the roads my dad shared stories of happenings
that had gone on before my time, things I had no idea of,
detailed events he recalled that had left lasting impressions
on a young lad.  Growing up in that remote area would be known
more as poverty today.

My favourite, the one that inspired me the most, was of a man I
never met, and yet the impact will be everlasting.  Unknown to
him, insight into the future was passed on to me.  My
grandfather was a man who died before my parents married.
Yet I feel a sense of his dedication to Jesus Christ being
passed on down to me.

In a small town a minister he was, in a little country church, known
as `Wine Harbour Baptist'.  As I drove with my dad on
the country roads passing other small churches, the
impressionable words were said, "Dad preached here; Dad
pedaled his bike to preach here in the evenings".  Inspiring
were those words, for the church was not a mile or two away,
but a distance of several miles from where they lived.

As I thought of this during my stay, and walked the roads he
had once walked before me, I questioned myself as to how
many miles have I  `pedaled' to share what I have: the promise
of Eternity, sins forgiven by Jesus Christ.  What distance have
I been willing to go to share that good news?  As I go forward in
life and look back over the distance I have traveled, I realize the

importance of what I pass on to future generations as it has
been passed on to me.

In my hands I have original copies of sermons written by my
grandfather. Biblically based, these are some words taken
from one of them in his own handwriting:
Psalm 42:11 … I shall yet praise Him.

1.      How impossible to beat it off!

2.      How it fans a spark to a flame!

3.      How it goes on through difficulty!

4.      How it holds fast in trial!

5.      How it glows in darkness!

6.      How tireless it is!

(Yet, Yet!)  I shall yet Praise Him!

This is the blessing passed on to me from past generations,
and what a privilege I have been given to continue for the cause
of Jesus Christ, and to just know His Name!


Psalm 61:5  For thou, O God, hast heard my vows:  thou hast
given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.  (KJV)



As continued to walk on the dirt roads of Wine Harbour, the
prayer in my heart was that all that I have done wrong may be
forgotten and lost; and that all that is done for His Name's
sake may be remembered in future generations: a love for
Jesus Christ, and knowing that He is the answer to today's
problems as He was in the past and will be in the future.



I never knew my grandfather, but what my grandfather never knew is
that he passed on to me what I cherish most.  My
earthly heritage, by his sowing seeds of selfless love, has
been transferred into an eternal heritage in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue that shall rise against thee in
judgment thou shalt condemn.  This is the heritage of the
servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith
the LORD.  (KJV)
Counting my blessings,
Dawn Champagne

*Charles Haddon Spurgeon said that preaching is like throwing
a bucket of water at a row of bottles. Some of the water goes
in some of the bottles. But by talking to people personally, you
have the opportunity of topping off every bottle and making sure
none of the water spills.

Thought for the Day: Christmas is when God came down from heaven with
a a baby in His arms.

Scripture for the Day: Let the little children come to Me, and do not
forbid them; for of such is the kindom of heaven.  Matthew 19:14

Two things....Because of the holidays, the TFTD may come out
erratically.  Also, you all are invited to The Best Christmas Pageant
Ever, being presented at my church (Good Shepherd Presbyterian in
Lilburn) this Fri. and Sat. at 7:30, and again on Sun. at 6:00.

JUST A MOMENT -----
by Max Lucado

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.

As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other. But in
reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that
segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While
the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven
opened
herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life
being
created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He
stretched
against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror,
but
as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy
carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused,
and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype.

Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception.
And
were it not for a group of star-gazers, there would have been no
gifts.

To think of Jesus in such a light is-well, it seems almost
irreverent,
doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It
is
much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the
manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes.
Pretend
he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.

But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he
intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only
if we let him in can he pull us out.
______________________________
from God Came Near
Copyright 2004 Max Lucado
http://maxlucado.com/shop/detail.php?pid=B103P

*Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, If he's not
born in thee thy soul is still forlorn.  Angelus Silesius

Thought for the Day: Enjoy happiness; treasure joy.

Scripture: True religion with  contentment is great wealth. 1 Timothy
6:6

God Is Eternal

When my youngest son was 3 years old, he sat in my lap at Church. (We
had a guest speaker this particular Sunday) The guest speaker was in
the middle of a very loud sermon when he bent over the podium and
started yelling "God is eternal," "God is eternal," while banging his
fist for emphasis. My son looked very serious for a moment and then
as young children do, he exclaimed very loudly, "Momma I didn't know
God was a turtle." Needless to say, he had 3 rows of pews cracking up
in the middle of the poor speaker's sermon.

This is really not funny.....

There was a little old cleaning woman that went to the local
church. When the invitation was given at the end of the service,
she went forward wanting to become a member. The pastor
listened as she told him how she had accepted Jesus and
wanted to be baptized and become a member of the church.

The pastor thought to himself, "oh my, she is so unkempt, even
smells a little, and her fingernails are not clean. She picks up
garbage, cleans toilets - what would the members think of her."
He told her that she needed to go home and pray about it and
then decide.

The following week, here she came again. She told the pastor
that she had prayed about it and still wanted to be baptized. "I
have passed this church for so long. It is so beautiful, and I
truly want to become a member."

Again the pastor told her to go home and pray some more. A
few weeks later while out eating at the restaurant, the pastor
saw the little old lady. He did not want her to think that he was
ignoring her so he approached her and said, "I have not seen
you for a while. Is everything all right?"

"Oh, yes," she said. "I talked with Jesus, and he told me not
to worry about becoming a member of your church."

"He did?" said the pastor.

"Oh, yes" she replied. "He said even He hasn't been able to get
into your church yet, and He's been trying for years."

The Millionaire

At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man
rose to give his testimony.

"I'm a millionaire," he said, "and I attribute it all to the rich

blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning

point in my faith, like it was yesterday:

I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting

that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his

work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it

all to God's work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided

to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that

decision, and that is why I am a rich man today."

As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by

this man's story. But, as he took his seat, a little old lady

sitting in the same pew leaned over and said: "Wonderful story!

I dare you to do it again."

*Money doesn't always bring happiness. People with ten million
dollars are no happier than people with nine million dollars.

Thought for the Day: There is nothing wrong with being a team player,
as long as you are very careful about choosing your team!

Scripture for the Day: He that walketh with wise men shall be wise;
but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 13:20

READY FOR HOME -------
by Max Lucado

General William Nelson was a Union general in the Civil War. Though
he
faced death every day, he never prepared for his own. Who knows what
he
was thinking as he rode into battle after battle? Maybe he was too
busy
staying alive to prepare for death.

All that changed, however, one day as he was relaxing in a house with
his men. A brawl broke out, and he was shot in the chest. Knowing he
was dying, he had only one request: "Send for a clergyman."

What had happened? Why the urgency? Did the general suddenly learn
something about God that he had never known? No. But he did learn
something about himself. He realized death was near. Suddenly only
one
thing mattered.

Why hadn't it mattered before? Couldn't he have said yes to God the
week before or that very morning? Absolutely. Why didn't he? Why was
the salvation of his soul so urgent after the shot and so optional
before it? Why had he postponed his decision to accept Christ until
his
deathbed?

Because he assumed he had time.

A dangerous assumption. "Teach us how short our lives really are,"
prayed Moses, "so that we may be wise" (Ps. 90:12).
________________________________
  From A Gentle Thunder
Copyright 1995 Max Lucado
http://maxlucado.com/shop/detail.php?pid=B120H

*Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it
shall never have a beginning. John Henry Cardinal Newman

Thought for the Day: God has a history of using the insignificant to
accomplish the impossible.

Scripture for the Day: And Jesus looking upon them said, "With men it
is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are
possible.  Mark 10:27

The Story of Soul
(Author Unknown)

There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was
whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the Joy of the
Lord, but he was a baby Christian.

As Soul was walking, a beautiful and seductive woman came out from
behind a tree. Soul was very startled. He said, "Hello, I'm Soul,
what is your name?"

She replied, "I am Temptation, I have what you want."

"What do I want?" replied Soul.

"You want to do all things which are of the flesh," said Temptation.

Soul replied, "O.K., lead me."

So he and Temptation went off and fulfilled the desires of the flesh.
When Soul returned to the garden, he met a man named Condemnation.
Condemnation said, "Hey, I see you have met my friend, Temptation."

Soul said, "Yes, who are you?"

"I am Condemnation, I come after Temptation. We work hand-in-hand."
Then Condemnation jumped on Soul's back and began to beat him. He hit
him in the face and kicked him when he was down. This went on for
several days.

On about the third day, a man named Mercy came running and said, "I
command you, Condemnation, to stop beating Soul."

Condemnation snickered, "Make me."

So Mercy unsheathed his sword and cut Condemnation in two.

As Soul watched in astonished pain, he was overtaken by the power of
Mercy. Mercy walked up to Soul and said, "I have dealt with
Condemnation before. He should not show up around you anymore."

Soul replied, "How can I ever thank you?"

"Well," replied Mercy, "I was sent here by God and He told me to
introduce you to a dear friend of mine. His name is Redemption."

Redemption walked up and said, "Hello Soul, I see that you are not
doing well."

Soul replied, "Not until Mercy came along. It is a pleasure to meet
you Redemption."

"Well", said Redemption," I am glad to meet you. Are you ready to
accept me?"

"What do you mean?" asked Soul.

Redemption said, "Well, when you accepted Jesus and decided to walk
with Him, then you chose to accept the things of Him and His love. I
am a part of Jesus' love. I help you feel forgiven. You will never
have to deal with Condemnation again. Temptation may come around, but
I have someone I would like for you to meet who can help you with
that. His name is Grace."

Grace walked up to Soul and said, "Hello Soul, I have been waiting
for you. As a matter of fact all three of us have been waiting to
meet you. I will help you take the way out of Temptation that God
gives you as it comes up. The last person we want you to meet is
Faith."

"Hi Soul, I am Faith, and I will help you stay strong and keep your
beliefs strong," said Faith.

Soul began to cry. When he began to cry, Redemption said, "This is
what we were here for. Jesus redeemed you, saved you by Grace through
Faith and gives you his Mercy.

Jesus loves you Soul."

Soul said, "I love you, Jesus."

*If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes. Corrie Ten
Boom

Thought for the Day: To be upset over what you don't have is to waste
what you do have.

Scripture for the Day: Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have
everything I need!  Psalm 23:1 TLB


THE GOD WHO LOVES BOLDLY -----
by Max Lucado

God, I have a question:  Why do you love your children? Why do you
tolerate us? You give us every breath we breathe, but do we thank
you?
You give us bodies beyond duplication, but do we praise you?

Seldom.

We complain about the weather. We argue over who gets which continent
and who has the best gender. Not a second passes when someone,
somewhere, doesn't use your name to curse a hammered thumb or a bad
call by the umpire. (As if it were your fault.)

You fill the world with food, but we blame you for hunger. You keep
the earth from tilting and the arctics from thawing, but we accuse
you of unconcern. You give us blue skies, and we demand rain. You
give rain, and we demand sun. (As if we knew what was best anyway.)

We give more applause to a brawny ball-carrier than we do to the God
who made us. We are a gnat on the tail of one elephant in a galaxy of
Africas, and yet we demand that you find us a parking place when we
ask. And if you don't give us what we want, we say you don't exist.
(As if our opinion matters.)

We pollute the world you loan us. We mistreat the bodies you gave us.
We ignore the Word you sent us. And we killed the Son you became.

You have every reason to abandon us. But do you?

I see the answer in the rising of the sun. I hear the answer in the
crashing of the waves. I feel the answer in the skin of a child.

Father, your love never ceases. Never. Though we spurn you, ignore
you, disobey you, you will not change. Our evil cannot diminish your
love. Our goodness cannot increase it. Our faith does not earn it
anymore than our stupidity jeopardizes it. You don't love us less if
we fail. You don't love us more if we succeed.

Your love never ceases.

How do we explain it?

God's love is not human. His love is not normal. His love sees your
sin and loves you still. Does he approve of your error? No. Do you
need to repent? Yes. But do you repent for his sake or yours? Yours.
His ego needs no apology. His love needs no bolstering.

And he could not love you more than he does right now.
_____________________________________
  From A Gentle Thunder
Copyright 1995  Max Lucado
http://maxlucado.com/shop/detail.php?pid=B120P


*Sometimes, we just need to be amazed by the small things.  Angela
Pacheco

Thought for the Day: Put as much as you can into every hour.  You'll
have much more to draw upon later!

Scripture for the Day: Whatever you do, work at it with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.It is the Lord Christ you
are serving.  Colossians 3:23,24

The Journey
a scrapbook of life in Christ

November 8, 2004

The Senses
Smell

We must begin eternal life here below, not only in our conscience,
but also with our praise. Our soul ought to be like a flower, not
merely receiving the gentle influence of heaven, but, in its turn,
and as if in gratitude, exhaling also a sweet and pleasant perfume.
It should be our desire, as it once was that of a pious man, that our
hearts should melt and dissolve like incense in the fire of love, and
yield the sweet fragrance of praise. (Christian Scriver Gotthold)

Baked chicken. Mashed potatoes. Roast beef with carrots, potatoes,
and onions. Baked ham with raisin sauce.

Every Sunday when I was growing up, around 12:15 in the afternoon,
after a full morning at church, I would step through the front door
of our house to be greeted by the rich aromas emanating from the
kitchen. Every Sunday morning, as the family dressed for Sunday
School and worship, Mom would put the finishing touches on that day's
dinner, placing it in the oven on a low heat so it would be ready
after the final "Amen" of the eleven o'clock worship service. And
every Sunday our growling stomachs would be met by a house exuding
the savory aromas that would fill our nostrils. Made all the more
hungry by the smells, we would have to suffer the wait while Mom
fixed the accompanying vegetables and salad, and filled a towel-lined
basket with her fresh, homemade crescent rolls.

To this day, the smell of chicken fixed the same way, or of pot
roast, carrots and potatoes ready for the dinner table, will
immediately transport me back to those more simple days. In those
aromas I am reminded of our home on Church Street in Marshalltown. I
can see the basic, unsophisticated furnishings of the living room
where we would bide our time with the Sunday funnies while we waited
to be called to the table. I can see the small dining room, and the
table set with the best dishes we had. I can remember the taste of
each dish, the scent of candles burning in the center of the table,
the comfortable conversation of a family enjoying the homely custom
of breaking bread together.

More than anything else, however, those smells remind me of the love
Mom had for her family. Even though on Sunday morning she was already
busier than the rest of us, it was important to her that she feed her
family a hearty, wholesome meal--from her own kitchen. Every dish was
prepared with care, with practiced skill, and with her devotion and
love.

A Soothing Aroma

But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of man's hands.
They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;
They have hands, but they cannot feel;
They have feet, but they cannot walk;
They cannot make a sound with their throat.
Those who make them will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them. (Psalm 115:3-8 nasbu)

From the very beginning God made it clear that He was singularly
unlike any of the man-made deities that some favored--those that had
been imagined and fabricated by their own worshipers. His role,
indeed, was a reversal of the process: Instead of being a god
fashioned by man, He was the God who had fashioned man. More than
that, He was the God who fashioned man in His own image. Remarkable.
And thus was established the pathway for authentic worship and
communion.

He had a mouth, and could speak.
He could see.
He could hear.
He could smell.
He could feel.
He could walk.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal
and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The
Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, "I
will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent
of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy
every living thing, as I have done." (Genesis 8:20-21 nasbu)

From the outset, God demonstrated that He shared our senses. He
showed that He would interact with us in much the same way we
interact with each other. When we spoke, He would listen. When we
were in need of it, He would touch. Our lives would be open to Him,
because He could see. And our devotion and praise would not be for
naught, because He could smell their aroma.

The Fragrance of Our Lives

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love,
just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering
and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2 nasbu)

Like it or not, each of our lives has an aroma about it. We smell.
Our actions, our thoughts, our words--all deliver upward a fragrance
that is either pleasant or unpleasant to the Lord. It is easy to
marvel at God's mental acuity, how He is able to sort out and respond
to simultaneous entreaties from believers all over the world. But
think, too, of His olfactory acuity--His ability to sort through the
confusing melange that drifts heavenward from more than six billion
souls. Were we to sense the same, we would surely pass out from the
stench! But God not only does not swoon, He is able to isolate,
identify, and evaluate each individual aroma that wafts into His
nostrils.

When we worship Him in Spirit and truth, our adoration rises in a
cloud of offering, a fragrance that is sweet in the Lord's nostrils.
Our songs rise in a vaporous ribbon, a sacrifice of praise that He
inhales as a sustaining nectar. Indeed, our very lives--everything
between our morning alarm and our evening slumber--can be a pleasing
aroma to Him.

The fragrance of our lives tells God how much, how deeply, how
authentically we love Him. Just as the hearty aromas that embraced my
senses every Sunday noon bore witness to the love Mom had for her
family, the aromas wafting heavenward from our lives bear witness to
our level of devotion to an attentive, gracious God.

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold--
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine--
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart--it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love--my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself--and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
(Frances Ridley Havergal)

Copyright 2004, David S. Lampel. All rights reserved.
The Journey: #045
Visit our web site at http://dlampel.com


*When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.
  Live your life so when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
  Indian saying

Thought for the Day: Laughter is the hand of God on the shoulder of a
friend.

Scripture for the Day:  A cheerful heart is good medicine.  Proverbs
17:22

Prayer
A tale is told about a small town that had historically been
"dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a tavern.

A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and
planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene.

It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the
bar and it burned to the ground.

The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers
of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a
lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible.

The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated
that "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear.
The tavern owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not."


Kids!

Teddy came thundering down the stairs, much to his father's
annoyance. "Teddy," he called, "how many more times do I
have I to tell you to come downstairs quietly? Now, go back
upstairs and come down like a civilized human being."

There was a silence, and Teddy reappeared in the front room.

"That's better," said his father, "now in future will you always
come down stairs like that."

"Suits me," said Teddy. "I slid down the railing."

Baptism

The youth director had been trying for months to get the little
boy down the street to come to church to be with his third
grade Sunday school class.

Finally after talking to the boy and his mother for what seemed
to be the hundredth time the boy finally agreed to go this next
Sunday, which he did and seemed to enjoy all of the
proceedings except as the baptismal service began he ran out
the back door and ran all the way home.  His mother asked him
why did he run home instead of riding with the youth minister.

The little boy answered, "Its all a racket, They get you there
and let you make all those nice things and tell you great stories
just to get you relaxed so they can drown you at the end of one
of the services.
The pun?

Late for work already, I was annoyed to find a strange car in my
reserved parking space again. After locating a spot far away, I
stormed into my office determined to have the car towed. As
the morning wore on, however, my anger mellowed, and I
decided to give the driver another chance.
During lunchtime, I went outside and left this note on the driver's
windshield: "Please don't take my parking space. If you do, and
your car disappears, don't say I never towed you!"

*Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.
  Albert Schweitzer

Thought for the Day: The greatest use of life is to spend it for
something that will outlast it.

Scripture for the Day: But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not
break in and steal.  Matthew 6:20
The Strange People Without Shoes
(By Dr. Bill Bright, Founder and Chairman of Campus Crusade for
Christ International)

The story is told of a man who traveled to a certain city on one cold
morning. As he arrived at his hotel, he noticed that everyone there
was barefooted, including all the clerks and guests. In the coffee
shop, he noticed a well-dressed fellow at a nearby table and
asked, "Why aren't you wearing shoes? Don't you know about shoes?"

"Of course, I know about shoes," the patron replied.

"Then why don't you wear them?" the visitor asked.

"Ah, that is the question," the patron returned. "Why don't I wear
shoes?"

After breakfast, the visitor walked out of the hotel and into the
snow. Again, every person he saw was barefooted. Curious, he asked a
passerby, "Why doesn't anyone here wear shoes? Don't you know that
they protect the feet from the cold?"

The passerby said, "Believe me, we all know about shoes. See that
building? It's a shoe factory. We are so proud of the plant that we
gather there every week to hear the man in charge tell us how
wonderful shoes are."

"Then why don't you wear shoes?" the visitor persisted.

"Ah, that is the question," the passerby replied. "Why don't we wear
shoes?"

When it comes to prayer, many Christians are like the strange people
in that city. They know about prayer. They believe in prayer. They
know how wonderful it is and what a blessing it can be. They
frequently gather at the church to hear sermons about how wonderful
prayer is. But if you ask them why they don't pray more, they would
say, "Ah, that is the question. Why don't I pray more?"

Prayer is an indescribable privilege. As you know, it is very
difficult to speak with the mayor of your city, the governor of your
state, congressmen or President. What is amazing is that you can
speak with the all-powerful, all-wise and all-loving Creator, God and
Savior anytime, day or night, 24 hours a day -- no appointment
needed!

In my study of God's Word and in my travels throughout the world, I
have become absolutely convinced that wherever people really pray
according to biblical principles, God works in their lives and
through them in the lives of others in a special way.

Let us be praying Christians and not like those people without shoes!

[Copyright (c) 2002, Bill Bright. All rights reserved. However,
readers may copy and distribute this message as desired, without
restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered.
Forwarding this e-mail to friends is encouraged. For many free
evangelistic and spiritual growth materials, visit the Campus Crusade
for Christ Web site at http://www.ccci.org. See
http://www.newlifepubs.com for Bill Bright's own materials.]

*Prayers are the moments when it is easiest to break through the veil
to eternity and whisper into the ear of God.  John Killinger

Thought for the Day: A true friend never gets in your way unless you
happen to be going down.

Scripture for the Day: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is
born for adversity.  Proverbs 17:17

THE POWER OF TOGETHER

The poet Rupert Brooke set out to travel by boat from England to
America. Everyone on deck had someone there to see him or her off -
everyone except him. Rupert Brooke felt lonely, terribly lonely.
Watching the hugging and kissing and good-byes, he wished he had
someone to miss him.

The poet saw a youngster and asked his name. "William," the boy
answered.

"William," he asked, "would you like to earn a few shillings?"

"Sure I would! What do I have to do?"

"Just wave to me as I leave," the lonely man instructed.

It is said that money can't buy love, but for six shillings young
William waved to Rupert Brooke as the boat pulled out. The poet
writes, "Some people smiled and some cried, some waved white
handkerchiefs and some waved straw hats. And I? I had William, who
waved at me with his red bandana for six shillings and kept me from
feeling completely alone."

We are all lonely at times. But here was a man who was strong enough
to admit his loneliness. One psychotherapist says that a necessary
first step toward coping with loneliness is for people to feel free
simply admitting they are lonely. For once we recognize it, then we
can do something about it.

What can we do? Reach out to friends and family. Too many people are
lonely because they have been building walls instead of bridges.

We can also find others who may be lonely and help fill their
emptiness. The world is full of them. Mother Teresa used to describe
loneliness as "the biggest disease" of our time. And the loneliest do
not all reside in nursing homes, nor do they all live by themselves.

Finally, we can recognize that, spiritually, we are not alone. This is
a time for us to dig deep into our spiritual being.

Lily Tomlin quipped, "We're all in this alone." But, of course, that
isn't true. And great joy comes from discovering the power in the word
"together."

*The best cure for worry, depression, melancholy, brooding, is to go
deliberately forth and try to lift with one's sympathy the gloom of
somebody else.   Arnold Bennett

Thought for the Day: A keen sense of humor helps us to overlook the
unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant,
overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable.

Scripture for the Day: Let the peace that Christ gives control your
thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have
peace.  Always be thankful  Colossians 3:15

I will be taking a break for Thanksgiving.  Have a great holiday and
I will be back next Monday.

From Coach Davis

If you're not careful, when you go to a foreign country you'll tend
to give the most thanks for things that may not be very important in
the Kingdom of God. "I thank you, Lord, that my country is not like
this one! We have so much more and are so much smarter! Thank you
that our food does not taste like this food! Thank you for
dishwashers and televisions! Thank you that we all have cars and that
our streets aren't so crowded! Thank you that public restrooms are so
much more pleasant in our land! Thank you, Lord, that I don't live
here!"

An even worse thanksgiving was described by Jesus in a parable:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down
on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the
temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The
Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I
am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like
this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I
get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even
look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,'God, have mercy on
me, a sinner.' I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went
home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14)

God sees perfectly! And on that day when we all see clearly, we may
find everything upside down. The places in the world where the
Kingdom is advancing most are those places where we would probably
not want to live. Some of the children of God with the strongest
faith would be pitied by most in our land. Just as the poor widow
Jesus pointed out in the temple, some of the ones who are most
generous would not even be noticed by those who give out of their
wealth.

It is right to give thanks for country and heritage and food, but as
we celebrate this week, let's humbly remember our greatest blessing:
A Father loved the world so much He gave His precious Son, so those
who realized they were lost and needed mercy could put all their hope
in Him and become children of God. Our King wants to eat with us!:)

"These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are
lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my
mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a
thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor,
blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the
fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can
cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you
can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest,
and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears
my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he
with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me
on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his
throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches." Revelation 3:14-22


*Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another.
             -- Marquis de Condorcet

Thought for the Day: Be generous and kind in evaluating the work of
others, so that you might encourage those things which are worthy.
Be slow to judge and quick to praise.

Scripture for the Day: Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned.  Luke 6:37

THE HAND

At first it sounded like a Thanksgiving story, but the more I
reflected on it, the more appropriate it seemed for any time of
the year. The way I heard it, the story went like this:

Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class
a fun assignment -- to draw a picture of something for which they
were thankful.

Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged,
but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other
traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought,
would be the subjects of most of her student's art. And they
were.

But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a
different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery,
frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas
was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at
the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.

Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of
something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing
else. Just an empty hand.

His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose
hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer,
because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police
officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still
others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so
the discussion went -- until the teacher almost forgot the young
artist himself.

When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at
Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The
little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher."

She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him
here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she
said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show
you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together."
Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.

Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.

The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something
about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends
showing friendship, and how much it means to the Douglases of the
world. They might not always say thanks. But they'll remember the
hand that reaches out.

  -    By Steve Goodier

http://lifesupportsystem.com/books.html


*If you pause to think, you have cause to thank.

Thought for the Day: The largest room in the world is the room for
improvement.

Scripture for the Day: And that you, always having all sufficiency in
all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  2
Corinthians. 9:8

MAKE YOUR LIFE AN EXPERIMENT

Do you experiment with new attitudes and new behaviors? Do you
constantly try to improve your skills? Do you make your life an
"active science"? It is not hard to see what can happen when we
refuse to improve ourselves.

Do you know who set the standard for fine watch-making for most
of the 20th Century? If you answered, "The Swiss," you are
correct. Swiss wrist watches dominated world markets for at least
60 years and Swiss companies were committed to constant
refinement of their craft.

It was the Swiss who came forward with the minute hand and the
second hand. They led the world in discovering better ways to
manufacture the gears, bearings, and mainsprings of watches. They
even led the way in waterproofing techniques and self-winding
models. By 1968, the Swiss made 65 percent of all watches sold in
the world and laid claim to as much as 90 percent of the profits.

Now...which country sold the most wrist watches in the 1980s? The
answer is Japan. By 1980, Swiss companies had laid off thousands
of watch-makers and controlled less than 10 percent of the world
market. Their profit domination dropped to less than 20 percent.
Between 1979 and 1981, eighty percent of Swiss watchmakers
lost their jobs.

Why? The Swiss had refused to change the way they traditionally
designed watches and utilize the less expensive and more accurate
Quartz crystal. (Quartz movement, ironically, was invented by a
Swiss.) They did not seriously experiment with a radical new way
of designing timepieces.

Our lives are not so different. Without constant
experimentation -- daily growth and change to become the best we
can be -- our old attitudes, behaviors and skills will no longer
work for us. The old ways of thinking and doing will be about as
relevant as a grandfather clock on a space shuttle. We need to
experiment and improve. We need to turn our lives into an active
science.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do," wrote
Mark Twain. "So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe
harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." Make your life an experiment...and something wonderful
can happen!

By Steve Goodier

Get Inspirational Books By Steve Goodier Here: (877) 344-0989
http://lifesupportsystem.com/books.html
http://lifesupportsystem.com/books.html

*You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when
you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the
spirit of love.  Henry Drummond

Thought for the Day: Once a word has been allowed to escape, it
cannot be recalled.

Scripture for the Day: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it
may minister grace unto the hearers.  Ephesians 4:29

The Journey
a scrapbook of life in Christ

November 1, 2004

The Senses
Hearing

Because God is the living God, He can hear; because He is a loving
God, He will hear; because He is our covenant God, He has bound
Himself to hear. (C.H. Spurgeon)

Fallen man, no matter his inclination, has a tendency to go too far.
If to him God is personable, accessible, then he errs in making Him
too human--too much the pal, the good ol' boy, the buddy who tags
alongside like a doting puppy. If, on the other hand, to him God is
utterly holy, untouchable, then he errs in making Him too distant and
unreal--so unlike humans in every way that he remains unimaginable,
and utterly inaccessible. Even under the best of conditions, man
seems destined to apprehend only a bare subset of who and what God
truly is.

For this reason we humans can become confused regarding the qualities
of God that we more often associate with creatures of flesh, rather
than creatures of spirit. We know from our grade school days that
humans have five senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell. We
can easily imagine that a supernatural God would have extra senses
beyond our imagining--such as prescience--but seldom think of God
possessing the same mundane senses given to man.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness..." (Genesis 1:26a nasbu)

But with the exception of sin (and the small difference that we are
of flesh and He is of spirit), God and man are made of the same
stuff. He has given us sight because He has sight; He has given us
hearing because He hears. God, in His wisdom, has given us senses we
can use to commune with Him, because they are the same ones He uses
to commune with us.

Hearing Our Prayer

So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of
water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave
her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about
in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was used
up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat
down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, "Do not let me
see the boy die." And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice
and wept. God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to
Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you,
Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he
is." (Genesis 21:14-17 nasbu)

Out of all of God's senses, perhaps it is His hearing that is most
dear to us. For, since we now speak to Him only through forms of
prayer, it is God's hearing that is most critical to our relationship
with Him. When our hearts are heavy with sorrow, we beseech Him. When
we are confused, and need vital direction, we plead with Him. When
our hearts are filled with a joy that we are compelled to express, we
sing to Him. All of this would be for naught, if God could not hear.

The Israelites would still be slaves of the Egyptians.
David's songs of praise would have evaporated in the ether.
Nehemiah's habitual entreaties would have been issued in vain, and
Jerusalem would not have been rebuilt.
Manasseh would still be chained in Babylon.
Lazarus would still be in his tomb.
God's sense of hearing is essential--from a human perspective--to our
communion with Him. Without it our relationship would be utterly one-
sided. God could still read our hearts, and observe our actions, but
He would not know those things we choose to say--or not to say--
directly to Him.

Hearing it All

"In my distress I called upon the Lord,
Yes, I cried to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears."
(2 Samuel 22:7 nasbu)

Until the day when we kneel before Him, in person, we may never know
why it is important to an omnipotent, omniscient God to hear the
spoken words of His people. But His word makes clear that it is.
Though He knows the contents of the deepest recesses of our hearts,
our minds, our loathings and yearnings, God still asks us to speak
directly to Him with our mouth. He has His reasons--as mysterious as
they are--to hear expressed by our own lips our supplication, our
worship and praise, our confusion, our frustration, even our anger.

Beyond His ability to hear our spoken words, God also can "hear" our
prayerful silence. Not only can He hear, but through the ministry of
the Holy Spirit, God can interpret our unintelligible groanings.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is
right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to
pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making
prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. (Romans 8:26 The
Message)

God listens to all of our life. Like a benevolent version of Orwell's
omnipresent Big Brother, God hears what we hear; He hears what we
say, and do not say; He hears those things we keep hidden in our
heart; He hears those things we wish He didn't, and those things we
think He hasn't. God, for our benefit, doesn't miss a thing.

For the choir director; on a stringed instrument.
A Psalm of David.
Hear my cry, O God;
Give heed to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
Let me dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.
For You have heard my vows, O God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.
(Psalm 61:1-5 nasbu)

They who seek the throne of grace
Find that throne in every place;
If we live a life of prayer,
God is present everywhere.

In our sickness and our health,
In our want, or in our wealth,
If we look to God in prayer,
God is present everywhere.

When our earthly comforts fail,
When the woes of life prevail,
`Tis the time for earnest prayer;
God is present everywhere.

Then, my soul, in every strait,
To thy Father come, and wait;
He will answer every prayer:
God is present everywhere.
(Oliver Holden)


Copyright 2004, David S. Lampel. All rights reserved.
The Journey: #044
Visit our web site at http://dlampel.com


*You cannot always control circumstances. But you can control your
own thoughts. Charles E. Popplestone

Thought for the Day: Humor works best when it brings joy to others.
Scripture: We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy.  Psalm
126:2


Christian Education

The new pastor decided to visit the children's Sunday
school.  The teacher introduced him and said, "Pastor,
this morning we're studying Joshua."

"That's wonderful," said the new pastor, "let's see what
you're learning.  Who tore down the walls of Jericho?"

Little Billy shyly raised hand and offered, "Pastor, I
didn't do it."

Taken aback, the pastor asked, "Come on, now, who tore down
the walls of Jericho?"

The teacher, interrupting, said, "Pastor, Billy's a good
boy. If he says he didn't do it, I believe he didn't do
it."

Flustered, the pastor went to the Sunday school director
and related the story to him.

The director, looking worried, explained, "Well, sir, we've
had some problems with Billy before.  Let me talk to him
and see what we can do."

Really bothered now by the answers of the teacher and the
director, the new pastor approached the deacons and
related the whole story, including the responses of the
teacher and the director.

A white-haired gentleman thoughtfully stroked his chin and
said, "Well, Pastor, I move we just take the money from
the general fund to pay for the walls and leave it at that."

Long Distance

One of my duties as church secretary is to answer the phone
and refer calls. The telephone rang one day with an urgent
caller on the other end: he needed to talk to the senior pastor.

I quietly opened his office door to find him praying. I returned to
the phone and politely told the caller, "I'm sorry. He's in
conference ... long distance!"

A Concussion

One weekend my friend, a nurse, was looking after her six-year-old
nephew when he fell off a playground slide and hit his head. Worried
that he might have a concussion, she checked him all night. Every
hour, she'd gently shake him and ask, "What's your name?"
     Soon, he began moaning in protest each time she entered the room.
When she went in at 5 A.M., she found something white on his
forehead. Leaning close, she saw a crayon-scrawled message taped to
his forehead. It read, "My name is Daniel."

Sorry for this pun.....

A research group on sea mammals captured a rather odd
porpoise on one of its trips. Its peculiarity was that it had feet.
After they had photographed and measured the poor thing, they
prepared to set it free.

"Wait a minute," said one of the researchers, "Wouldn't it be a
kindness if our ship's doctor here were to amputate the feet so
that it would be like other porpoises?" "Not on your life,"
exclaimed the doctor,

"That would be defeeting the porpoise."

*Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't
belong.

Thought for the Day: Unless you try to do something beyond what you
have already mastered, you will never grow.

Scripture for the Day: .reaching forth unto those things which are
before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13,14
Things As They Are
(Author Unknown)

The tom-toms thumped on all night, and the darkness shuddered round
me like a living, feeling thing. I could not go to sleep, so I lay
wake and looked; and I saw, and it seemed like this:

That I stood on a grassy plateau, and at my feet a precipice broke
sheer down into infinite space. I looked, but saw no bottom; only
cloud shapes, black and furiously coiled, and great shadow shrouded
hollows and unfathomable depths. Back I drew, dizzy at the depth.

Then I saw forms of people moving single-file along the grass. They
were making for the edge. There was a woman with a baby in her arms
and another little child holding on to her dress. She was on the very
verge. Then I saw that she was blind. She lifted her foot for the
next step.... it trod air. She was over, and the children over with
her. Oh, the cry as they went over!

Then I saw more streams of people flowing from all quarters. All were
blind, stone blind; all made straight for the precipice edge. There
were shrieks, as they suddenly knew themselves falling, and a tossing
up of helpless arms, catching, clutching at empty air. But some went
over quietly and fell without a sound.

Then I wondered, with a wonder that was simply agony, why no one
stopped them at the edge. I could not. I was glued to the ground, and
I could not call. Though I strained and tried, only a whisper came.

Then I saw that along the edge there were sentries set at intervals.
But the intervals were far too great; there were wide, unguarded gaps
between. And over these gaps the people fell in their blindness,
quite unwarned; and the green grass seemed blood red to me, and the
gulf yawned like the mouth of Hell.

Then I saw, like the picture of peace, a group of people under some
trees, with their backs toward the gulf. They were making daisy
chains. Sometimes when a piercing shriek cut the quiet air and
reached them, it disturbed them and they thought it a rather vulgar
noise. And if one of their number started up and wanted to go and do
something to help, then all the others would pull that one down. 'Why
should you get so excited about it? You must wait for a
definite 'call' to go. You haven't finished your daisy chains. "It
would be really selfish," they said, "to leave us to finish this work
alone."

There was another group. It was made up of people whose great desire
was to get some sentries out; but they found that few wanted to go,
so it was that sometimes there were no sentries for miles and miles
at the edge.

Once a girl stood alone in her place, waving the people back; but her
mother and other relatives called and reminded her that her furlough
was due; she must not break the "rules." And, being tired and needing
a change, she had to go and rest awhile; but no one was sent to guard
her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a waterfall of
souls.

Once a child caught at a tuft of grass that grew at the very brink of
the gulf; the child clung convulsively, and it called, but nobody
seemed to hear. Then the roots of the grass gave way, and with a cry
the child went over, its two little hands still holding tight the
torn off bunch of grass.

And the girl who longed to be back in her gap thought she heard the
little one cry, and she sprang up and wanted to go; at which her
relatives reproved her, reminding her that no one is necessary
anywhere - the gap would be well taken care of, they knew. And they
sang a hymn.

Then through the hymn came another sound like the pain of a million
broken hearts wrung out in one full drop, one sob. And a horror of
great darkness was upon ME, for I knew that it was the cry of blood.

Where were the heralds? Where are the men of God who will sacrifice
self and case to preach Christ to a dying world? The definite call is
to you beloved child of God. All that are redeemed belong to God. He
has a distinct claim upon every saved soul and says to all, "As My
Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21).

Then thundered a voice, the voice of the Lord; and He said, "Whom
shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I; send
me." And He said, "Go, and tell this people..." (From Isaiah 6:8;
Mark 16:15). The Lord Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature ... and lo, I am with you
always..." (Matthew 28:20)

*The world takes its notions of God from the people who say that they
belong to God's family. They read us a great deal more than they read
the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus Christ." -
Alexander Maclaren

The above ad is inserted into this email automatically by YahooGroups
as a condition of their free hosting Cathy's Thought For The Day.
I have no control over any content of the advertisement.

Thought for the Day: .the cheerful man will do more in the same time,
will do it better, will preserve it longer, that the sad or sullen.

Scripture for the Day: When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go
wrong, when he is cheerful, everything seems right!  Proverbs 15:15
(TLB)

No TFTD on Monday!

IF YOU HAD IT TO DO OVER

One woman announced, "I intend to live forever! So far so good.." But
the length of our lives is not the real issue; it's the quality and
meaning that matter. Not the years in a life, but the life in the
years.

When asked what he wanted to be remembered for when his life was over,
Leo Buscaglia replied, "I want to be remembered as somebody who lived
life fully and with passion. I've been asked to write my epitaph and I
have always thought that the perfect one for my tombstone would be,
'Here lies Leo who died living.'"

I want to die living. And I want to be remembered as one who lived
with purpose, joy and verve. I want to spend my time learning what
goes into a whole and happy life, then building that life the best I
can.

Sociologist Tony Campolo told about a study in which fifty people over
the age of 90 were asked to reflect upon their lives. "If you had it
to do over again," they were asked, "what would you do differently?"
Though there were many answers, three responses dominated. Here they
are:

First, many respondents answered, "I would reflect more." Do you ever
feel that too much time is spent in "doing" and not enough spent
thinking about what you are doing and why you are doing it?

Second, they said, "I would risk more." Do you think that important
opportunities either have been or might be forfeited because of your
fear to take a necessary risk?

Finally, they said, "I would do more things that would live on after I
died." Do you feel that you are immersed in something bigger and more
enduring than your own existence?

Reflect more. Risk more. Leave a legacy. These are what our elders say
they would do the second time around.

But why wait for a second time around? Every new day is a second
chance! Reflect more today -- it will reveal to you what is truly
important. Risk more today -- take a chance on making that dream come
alive. Get involved with something which makes a difference in this
world -- and a beautiful legacy is what you will leave behind.

Like Leo Buscaglia, I want to live fully and with passion. And if all
my plans don't work out as I had hoped, I'm still betting that I will
have more fun!
__________

This reading is found in Steve Goodier's popular book
     TOUCHING MOMENTS
     60-second readings that touch the mind and heart.

*First keep the peace within yourself, and then you can also bring
peace to others.  Thomas a Kempis

The above ad is inserted into this email automatically by YahooGroups
as a condition of their free hosting Cathy's Thought For The Day.
I have no control over any content of the advertisement.


Thought for the Day: Tact is the art of making a point without making
an enemy.

Scripture for the Day: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the
tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 12:18

This is the last day that I am sending this TFTD privately.  If you
are having problems with joining the group, please reply to this
email, and I'll see what I can do!  My husband joined yesterday, and
we discovered that, if you are not already a member of Yahoo!Groups,
it can be a challenge.  I'm sorry; I didn't want to make it hard for
you all!
Also, I've tried something different, and the ad at the top isn't
quite so obnoxious, but the TFTD now will come from "gatorcathy!"
<GGGGGG>
Link to the new email list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cathysTFTD/

THE  APPLAUSE THAT REFRESHES

"Do you think my hair is soft and shiny?" Jessica asked Josh one
moonlit evening.

Josh answered, "Yep."

"And are my eyes bright and beautiful?" she continued.

"Yep," he replied.

After a few minutes Jessica forged ahead, "Josh, do you think my skin
is smooth and clear?"

"Yep."

At this, Jessica smiled brightly and declared, "Oh, Josh, you say the
sweetest things!"

Lucky for Josh, he got a little help!

No relationship can be built on flattery, but sincere compliments
smooth over many rough edges. A thoughtful compliment is a way of
saying, "I care enough to notice." Even relationships that are not
romantic in nature will benefit from well-placed compliments.

Granted, some people feel suspicious, embarrassed, or defensive when
complimented. They sometimes suspect that fine words might be part of
a manipulative design. And quite often, people respond to compliments
with mixed emotions rather than plain gratitude, primarily because
they find the sincerity behind them suspect.

But most often, sincere encouragement can bolster self-confidence and
cement friendships. In love relationships, thoughtful compliments can
help keep the fires of romance burning vigorously.

One marriage counselor says, 'Compliment your spouse at least once
every day." He cautions against flattery by adding, "It should be
sincere. Then point out something new you appreciate about him or her
every week. Make sure it is something you have never mentioned before.
You'll be surprised at what it does for your marriage."

Sincere compliments cost nothing and can accomplish so much. In ANY
relationship, they are the applause that refreshes.
__________

This reading can be found in Steve Goodier's book:
     PRESCRIPTION FOR PEACE

*One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good
poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few
reasonable words.

Please excuse the duplicate or triplicate you may be getting.

Thought for the Day: Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the
cobwebs of the heart.

Scripture for the Day: A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful
mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries the bones.  Proverbs
17:22 AMP


Fireflies

When my grandson, Billy, and I entered our vacation cabin, we
kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting
pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in.

Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use,
Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

Bedtime

Little Johnny had just been put to bed for the umpteenth time and his
mother's patience was wearing thin. "If I hear you call 'Mother' one
more
time, you will be punished," she warned him sternly.

For a while it was quiet, and then she heart a small voice call from
the
top of the stairs, "Mrs. Jones? Can I have a drink of water?"

Doctors!

A newly hired nurse listened while the doctor was yelling, "Typhoid!
Tetanus! Measles!"

She asked another nurse, "Why is he going on like that?"

The experienced nurse replied, "Oh, he just likes to call the shots
around
here."

*Don't take life too seriously,  you  won't get out alive.
Unknown