More crosses sent out today and Barry's getting walls up on the lodge. Horses are doing very well and more supplies to be donated soon as we start to plan the barn and corals area. Diane and I are blessed to be speaking at second serving at the Lloyd Gospel Fellowship church in Jodies room hope to see you there. Josh McDowell said we are a generation that has forgotten to pass our faith in God on to the next generation. Hmmm wonder what we have taught them in church then. He also says that rules without relationship leads to rebellion, and truths without relationship always leads to rejection.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday 's blessings
More crosses sent out today and Barry's getting walls up on the lodge. Horses are doing very well and more supplies to be donated soon as we start to plan the barn and corals area. Diane and I are blessed to be speaking at second serving at the Lloyd Gospel Fellowship church in Jodies room hope to see you there. Josh McDowell said we are a generation that has forgotten to pass our faith in God on to the next generation. Hmmm wonder what we have taught them in church then. He also says that rules without relationship leads to rebellion, and truths without relationship always leads to rejection.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday's Frenzy
Day of getting caught up on paper work, mail and phone calls. Walls to build at the ranch and friends to help with painting their home. No end to Kingdom building.
Funny how a $100 "looks" so big when taken to church, but
so small when taken to the mall or a favorite shop.
Funny how long it takes to serve God for an hour, but how
quickly a team plays 60 minutes of hockey.
Funny how long a couple of hours spent at church are, but
how short they are when watching a movie.
Funny how people can't think of anything to say when they
pray, but don't have difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a
friend.
Funny how people get thrilled when a hockey game goes
into overtime, but complain when a sermon is longer than the
regular time.
Funny how hard it is to read a chapter in the bible, but
how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling novel.
Funny how people want to get a front seat at any game or
concert, but scramble to get a back seat at church services.
Funny how people need 2 or 3 weeks advance notice to fit a
church event into their schedule, but can adjust their schedule
for other events at the last moment.
Funny how hard it is for people to learn a simple bible verse
well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people to
understand and repeat gossip or a joke.
Funny how people believe what the newspaper says, but
question what the Bible says.
Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do
not have to believe, or to think, or to say, or do anything.
FUNNY, ISN'T IT OR NOT ?
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday A Day of Change
When does our lives become so much about us that we find ways to justify not getting involved, cause what differance will it really make anyway.
There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher.
Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of
her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told
the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her
students and said that she loved them all the same. But that
was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in
his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and
noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his
clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath.
And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where
Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his
papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting
a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required
to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off
until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for
a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with
a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good
manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent
student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled
because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home
must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been
hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't
show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if
some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and
doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many
friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was
ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students
brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons
and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was
clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from
a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the
middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to
laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the
stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of
perfume.
But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed
how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some
of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough
to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my
Mom used to."
After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that
very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and
arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs.
Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked
with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she
encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the
year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the
class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children
the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy,
telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in
his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.
He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his
class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his
whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while
things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had
stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the
highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was
still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.
This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree,
he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she
was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now
his name was a little longer. The letter was signed,
Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another
letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going
to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple
of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might
agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually
reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs.
Thompson did. And guess what?
She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones
missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume
that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last
Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr.
Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you,
Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for
making me feel important and showing me that I could make
a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She
said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who
taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to
teach until I met you."
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday day of contrast
Luke 9:61 (NIV)
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”