What's In a Biscuit?

Papa Jack's County Kitchen gave us a pretty good deal on sausage biscuits.  For a planned community outreach, we purchased 150 sausage biscuits from Papa Jack's and set up two stations at stop signs in front of the church.  On Monday, November 26th (the Monday after Thanksgiving holidays), we gave out the breakfast biscuits to folks as they were headed out to work in the morning.  We started at 7:00 AM and were done giving them away at 8:00 AM.  No charge, just love........

It didn't seem like that big of an outreach to begin with, however.  We know we need to get out into the community more and be good Christians but something always seems to keep us pinned up within the confines of the church. So, instead of going door to door, we stopped folks from neighborhoods around the church as they were heading out to work after having a four day holiday.  We gave them a free breakfast biscuit with our church web address and "Have a blessed day!" sticker on the wrappers. 

Peoples' reactions to our good will offering were great!  One guy came back by after running some errands and forced us to take a monetary donation for the church.  Another person came back, parked in the church parking lot, crossed the street and chatted with the pastor about what we were doing.  We saw many grins and smiles and received genuine thank-you's for what we were doing.  We got looks of amazement for our braving the cold weather.  We were ignored by some who were in too much of a hurry to roll down their window.  And when the biscuits ran low, we got a little sad to see it all end.  It was that good....it was the kind of feeling one gets when the bitter-sweet end to a mission trip comes.  Often, you find yourself feeling more blessed than the ones you were sent to help and yet, without fail, you feel you blessed them.  God made it that way.  It was Jesus' plan.

He said, "Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, body and soul and love each other."  It's what's in a biscuit.

 

Was Paul a Brown-Noser?

Several years during my career, I found myself in the position of being thought of as the boss' "favorite".  In fact, those years saw me winning top awards for performance, not only in extravagant trips but in pay bonuses as well.

I used to examine myself quite seriously and ask whether or not I was "kissing up" to my boss and I grew extremely depressed whenever I would overhear co-worker comments that alluded to it.  The fact was I was only trying to do a good job and earn a good day's pay.  I found myself, upon occasion, actually avoiding my boss to make sure that nobody thought of me as a brown-noser.  Some days, I even let my efforts grow lax because of the dilema I faced.  It wasn't easy for me.

I have come to the conclusion that what I misunderstood many times was the position that a boss holds.  If you are the boss, who will you choose to do special projects?  One whom you can trust and whom you know will succeed and complete the project on time? Or, will it be one whom you know will whine, complain and mess things up? 

Certain things these days have made me think of God and the choices of people He made to do certain great things.  It wasn't because those people were great or because they had any "super powers".  God chose his people very carefully knowing that He could trust them and that they would hold true to His purposes.  From Job to Moses, from Peter to Abraham, from Noah to Joseph, we see individuals who were unwavering in their faith and loyalty even in their faults.  Was the Apostle Paul a brown-noser?

Before we go "blaming" a person for being the boss' favorite, before we go blaming the boss for "playing favorites", I think we should take a very long, hard look at ourselves.  What are our motives and what are our intentions?  How loyal are we to our company and how much do we want to see it succeed?  Does our boss see this or know it?  How much do we know about our boss and how worthy is our boss of our efforts?  Is our co-worker and boss, whom we are criticising, actually selfish people only looking out for themselves or are they truly just trying to help the company succeed?

Pray about it.  The answers will come.

For the Birds

My pastor is a bird freak!  He is constantly talking about his love of birds and posting beautiful photos of his latest conquests.  He goes to great lengths to find places where he can get photographic opportunities on any bird he can see. 

His motives for this obsession are pure and intricate.  He says that birds show us a usually ignored part of God's creation, one that is taken for granted.  He feels like birds are a way to stop and enjoy a readily available gift from our Father.  Following is a quote from his blog: 

"Birds are a beautiful part of life. Their songs inspire us—their appearence entertains us. But really there is a whole world going on around us that we fail to stop and notice in this hustle-bustle life we live. Through pictures, I like to encourage others to notice that world and to gain from it."

I had begun feeding birds before meeting my pastor and even purchased Peterson's Field Guide to help me identify them.  Now, I enjoy discovering every new bird that shows up and look forward to sharing my discoveries. 

You know, winter proves to me that God takes care of His creatures.  Even when my feeders go empty a couple days, all the birds show back up when I fill them again.  I know they can survive without me but I like to help.  Blessings to you all.  <><

(Enjoy my pastor's blog at http://devoblog.posterous.com/pages/bird-photography )

Seeing is Believing

Mary is losing her eyesight.  She is up in age now and slowly but surely, her sight is fading.  The other day, while visiting, when I asked her if she wanted me and my Pastor to pray with her, she said yes.  She wanted us to ask God to allow her to keep just a very small part of her sight.  She said she didn't need a whole lot, just a little bit....just enough to be able to see how to get around in her little trailer.  And suddenly, there it was again.....Grace.  It keeps popping up, doesn't it?

I think in reality, Mary may also be afraid.  She lives alone and doesn't have a 24/7 caregiver.  Her daughter and son-in-law are busy working and only can attend to her in the evenings with spare time. 

We were heart stricken deeply by Mary's humbleness.  I mean, if I'm gonna ask God for something, would I not ask for 20-20 vision?  It made me realize once again how selfish I can be in my petitions to our Father.

That night when I prayed my daily visit with the Lord, I prayed to God to allow Mary to continue seeing for the rest of her days.  I prayed for Him to comfort her and always let her know He is by her side.  Before too much longer, Mary will see like a hawk.

The Value of Home Grown

I literally hate to buy tomatoes at the grocery store.  At best, I prefer to buy them at those little produce stands you see by the side of the road.  Better yet, I love to grow them.  There is something so very satisfying about going out to the back yard, picking one, washing it and cutting it up for evening supper's salad. Grocery store tomatoes are not tasty or juicy and somehow they just don't seem to "be from around here".  I always look forward to April 15th.  Usually, it is a safe date to set out your plants.

Perhaps it's the loving care you give them as they grow such as the battles you fight with the cut worms, the worry you have when you leave home and remember you forgot to water them before you left and all the hastle of tieing the stalks to the stakes to make sure they can't blow over from the weight of all that lucious fruit.  And, believe it or not, I really do enjoy giving them to neighbors.  (I can never eat all that I grow and it breaks my heart to see one go to waste.  And, my wife doesn't can stuff.)

The good book teaches us that we don't need to pray for the Lord to make the job easier for us.  We are to pray that we are strengthened for the job at hand.  It's true.  Test it!  Grow a tomatoe bush this summer. 

When He Comes

The jokes and hoopla continue as we enter the eve of the latest prediction of Christ's return to us.  The story is that He will come to rapture all believers on May 21st (tomorrow).  I read headlines this morning that there will be parties going on to celebrate the fact that the guy predicting this was wrong.  (To be held on Sunday of course.)

Jesus said, "Only our Father in Heaven knows the day and hour."  I take Him at His word for this as I contemplate what His coming really means.  Prophets of the Bible related their experiences and visions in the only way they knew how at the time.  In the end, it simply means we have hope that extends into time without restrictions. 

Why would anyone have a party to celebrate the fact that Christ did not return yesterday?  I can only ascertain that they either don't know the way, or that they simply don't want Him to return.  Either way it is a sad statement that will be made and it will be a black eye once again given to Christianity.  Regardless of whether or not anyone predicts the date and time, in the end does that really matter?  There will still be skeptics, there will still be believers, and, when it does occur, those of us who are righteous will join in singing and rejoicing praises to our Lord and Saviour.  Those of us who are not righteous will bow down and confess Him as Lord of all.

Pony Express

Today is Thursday and we haven't had a mail delivery since last Saturday.  The snow event here shut down mail carriers due to ice and snow on the roads.

Today, we were able to get out of the neighborhood and go to the grocery store.  It seems like spring with the sun out and the ice melting finally.  On the way, my wife brought up that perhaps the mail would be delivered today having spied a mail truck.  We laughed and joked about where the old saying went... "neither rain, nor sleet nor snow..." (you know the one).

I guess with all the i-phones and computers, the U.S. Mail is taking a new look.  Nothing real good ever comes in the U.S. Mail any more unless it is something you bought on-line.  Even bills get delivered on line anymore and the people you owe frown when they have to send your bill by "snail mail", not to mention that the competition from UPS and Fedex seem to be more prominent.  I saw in the headlines this morning that the U.S. Treasury is now going to offer debit cards instead of refund checks to those fortunate enough to get something back this year.  I wonder how they will send them out?

The best time to get mail continues to be Chrismas.  Christmas cards are much better if delivered in the U.S. Mail.  They are more personal and bring you closer to your friends and relatives.  I can't remember the last time I received a hand-written letter from anyone....i'd still like that.  I miss good mail.  I keep a supply of stamps although I can't remember the last one I used except for mailing out some Christmas cards this year.

I guess the old saying has fallen by the wayside.  Very few things make it vital that the mail be on time in today's world of data bits and megabytes.  Still, if you really want to show someone you love them, sit down at the table with a pen and paper and write them a letter.  (If you can't remember cursive writing, print.)