Monday, July 28, 2014
Saturday, July 5, 2014
THE OLD SELF DOUBT
For some reason the other night, I remembered the time a teacher, Mrs. Griffin, said to my mother that I “had a flare for writing”. I did with that statement as I have done with so many other similar affirming statements about me: I blew it off. I said to my self, “she's just saying that to flatter. She doesn't really mean it. She's saying what she wishes, not what is.”
Once I remembered that event I said “Why do I always disallow or minimize the good things that are said about me?” It is a bad habit. I ought rather to appreciate the positive things. I ought to try to own them and build on them. I ought to improve myself in the way that is spoken to me. I ought to believe that I am “that way” and that I can do “that”.
I am tempted to doubt, to say “What if I am not 'that'?” Well, if I'm not “that” I won't be able to do “it”.
But it is more honorable to endeavor to become “it” while trying, hoping and being positive. How can it be honorable by never starting the thing because I think “What if I'm not”? How can it be honorable never try 100% and only give 75%? 50%? 5%?
[[ Lord please help me to put away from me my disbelief in myself. Please help me to appropriate the “good works which you have before ordained that I should walk in them” Help me to recognize the “goodness and mercy which shall follow me all the days of my life.” After all I am dwelling “in the house of the Lord forever”. How bad can that be - - rather, how excellent that is. ]]
Once I remembered that event I said “Why do I always disallow or minimize the good things that are said about me?” It is a bad habit. I ought rather to appreciate the positive things. I ought to try to own them and build on them. I ought to improve myself in the way that is spoken to me. I ought to believe that I am “that way” and that I can do “that”.
I am tempted to doubt, to say “What if I am not 'that'?” Well, if I'm not “that” I won't be able to do “it”.
But it is more honorable to endeavor to become “it” while trying, hoping and being positive. How can it be honorable by never starting the thing because I think “What if I'm not”? How can it be honorable never try 100% and only give 75%? 50%? 5%?
[[ Lord please help me to put away from me my disbelief in myself. Please help me to appropriate the “good works which you have before ordained that I should walk in them” Help me to recognize the “goodness and mercy which shall follow me all the days of my life.” After all I am dwelling “in the house of the Lord forever”. How bad can that be - - rather, how excellent that is. ]]
Friday, May 30, 2014
MOTORS AND ANCHORS
Here is a quote from a man named Wayland (I suppose the person is a man, my having only the last name) . . .
"There are two types of people - anchors and motors. You want to loose the anchors and get with the motors because the motors are going somewhere and they’re having fun. The anchors will just drag you down."
This quote is either good or ridiculous depending on the assumptions you bring to it.
Wayland here seems to think anchors are bad; they are preventing you from making progress toward a goal you want to achieve. But I think of anchors as safety devices. Anchors keep your boat from drifting to places you don’t want to go, like going aground.
Wayland seems to think motors are good; they are powering you toward a positive goal. But motors do not always take you to the right places. There are some motors I do not want in my life. I do not want the motors of hateful, negative thinking. I do not want motors that drive me to buy things I do not need.
Yes an anchor can be a hindrance if you throw it overboard at the wrong time or place, but why would you? If you needed to leave your boat offshore in a river, or in a cove near the seashore, would it be OK with you for it to drift with the current or tide? If you habitually sailed near the brink of Niagara Falls would you choose the boat without an anchor?
Yes a motor provides the impetus, the power, to get somewhere; but where is the “somewhere” and how do you need to arrive there? If you need to go forward is it OK for you to use a motor that runs only in reverse? What about a motor that only goes forward and never runs in reverse? I do not paddle my Ford Explorer to the store with a canoe paddle. Neither could I use 200 horsepower V-6 in my canoe. Different motors are for different purposes. The world could have done without the motors that drove Nazi Germany, but we needed the motors that eventually won the war.
People are not only anchors, and they are not only motors; they can be both anchors and motors. It’s up to you to choose where and when to use an anchor just as it’s up to you to choose what type of motor you need for your situation. Choose the right motor; choose the right boat; don't forget your anchor.
This quote is either good or ridiculous depending on the assumptions you bring to it.
Wayland here seems to think anchors are bad; they are preventing you from making progress toward a goal you want to achieve. But I think of anchors as safety devices. Anchors keep your boat from drifting to places you don’t want to go, like going aground.
Wayland seems to think motors are good; they are powering you toward a positive goal. But motors do not always take you to the right places. There are some motors I do not want in my life. I do not want the motors of hateful, negative thinking. I do not want motors that drive me to buy things I do not need.
Yes an anchor can be a hindrance if you throw it overboard at the wrong time or place, but why would you? If you needed to leave your boat offshore in a river, or in a cove near the seashore, would it be OK with you for it to drift with the current or tide? If you habitually sailed near the brink of Niagara Falls would you choose the boat without an anchor?
Yes a motor provides the impetus, the power, to get somewhere; but where is the “somewhere” and how do you need to arrive there? If you need to go forward is it OK for you to use a motor that runs only in reverse? What about a motor that only goes forward and never runs in reverse? I do not paddle my Ford Explorer to the store with a canoe paddle. Neither could I use 200 horsepower V-6 in my canoe. Different motors are for different purposes. The world could have done without the motors that drove Nazi Germany, but we needed the motors that eventually won the war.
People are not only anchors, and they are not only motors; they can be both anchors and motors. It’s up to you to choose where and when to use an anchor just as it’s up to you to choose what type of motor you need for your situation. Choose the right motor; choose the right boat; don't forget your anchor.
Friday, March 21, 2014
ANGRY OVER NOTHING
I was sitting on the porch this morning when two professionally dressed cyclists rode by - - the kind dressed in all the fashionable cycling wear and helmets. As they rode buy one dropped behind the other and moved toward the curb to make room for an on-coming automobile. I thought to myself, "what if that guy decided not to move over?" I wondered, "What if that guy was thinking, 'I am going to keep my lawful place on the road, I'm not going to move for anybody; to hell with anyone who thinks I should move for them!' " I imagined that man as having a confrontational, sour attitude. I almost put myself in a sour, confrontational mood just thinking about it.
But the thing is: I don't have a clue what that guy was thinking. You can't know what anyone's attitude is if they don't speak to you, or by communicating in some other way (as in writing or with a gesture). You don't know what you are not told and there is very little point in trying to imagine what you don't know -- at least in a case like this.
I could have put myself in a sour frame of mind over something that never happened.
How often do we do that?
But the thing is: I don't have a clue what that guy was thinking. You can't know what anyone's attitude is if they don't speak to you, or by communicating in some other way (as in writing or with a gesture). You don't know what you are not told and there is very little point in trying to imagine what you don't know -- at least in a case like this.
I could have put myself in a sour frame of mind over something that never happened.
How often do we do that?
Friday, February 21, 2014
WHY NOT?
In our family (Lizzie and I) the domination of women is not an issue. I never thought it was right for me to dominate my Wife/Partner/Friend. I don't associate with, nor care to associate with, any person who advocates the abject submission of women, or even the general submission of women.
It makes me sad that some men and some groups push domination of women. Some men take advantage of their strength and force-of-will. Some cultures promote subservience of women as the natural order of the human condition. Why is this so? I believe for many it's simply a case of: “That's the way it's always been done.” It's passed of from Father to Son and from the culture to the men.
Why did I not grow up thinking dominance was my right? I believe it's because my Mother was an intelligent woman who knew right from wrong and saw it as her duty to pass this knowledge to her children. She required her children to act accordingly in her presence. I believe it's because I never saw my Father dominate or be harsh to my Mother. My Father also would not let his children speak disrespectfully. I believe it's because I live in this country and in this age where women have stood up themselves.
It makes me sad that some men and some groups push domination of women. Some men take advantage of their strength and force-of-will. Some cultures promote subservience of women as the natural order of the human condition. Why is this so? I believe for many it's simply a case of: “That's the way it's always been done.” It's passed of from Father to Son and from the culture to the men.
Why did I not grow up thinking dominance was my right? I believe it's because my Mother was an intelligent woman who knew right from wrong and saw it as her duty to pass this knowledge to her children. She required her children to act accordingly in her presence. I believe it's because I never saw my Father dominate or be harsh to my Mother. My Father also would not let his children speak disrespectfully. I believe it's because I live in this country and in this age where women have stood up themselves.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
WHOSE OPINION IS THIS?
When you are hearing a negative voice in your head saying something disparaging about you know it's probably the Devil. He's always the first one in line with his two cents. Know that's all his opinion is worth -- about two cents -- even less than that. Don't listen
Monday, January 6, 2014
VOICES
There are many voices that proclaim themselves to be the truth. Yet there is only one which is of God. As Psalm 55 suggests some are from clamorous enemies and some seem to be friends. How can we tell them apart?
Without God's word I don't know that it's possible to know good from bad. We would eventually throw some voices out after experiencing their bitter fruits. This would come at a high cost and being delayed much by the experience. Others would never be recognized as folly. We would continue on though life with them.
If we did not read God's word how would we know them?
Someone has to tell us what is good and what is bad. Whose voice do you listen to?
Without God's word I don't know that it's possible to know good from bad. We would eventually throw some voices out after experiencing their bitter fruits. This would come at a high cost and being delayed much by the experience. Others would never be recognized as folly. We would continue on though life with them.
If we did not read God's word how would we know them?
Someone has to tell us what is good and what is bad. Whose voice do you listen to?
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
YE ARE GODS
Joh 10:34: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
“your law” Jesus uses that phrase when he talks to the religious leaders about psalm 82. Here it says, “is it not written in your law . . .” They, the religious leaders, have taken God's law and have twisted it into their own law in the sense that they use it for their own ends. Over the generations the leaders have determined that only a certain interpretation can be applied to God's word: their own interpretation, no one else's. They have stopped understanding it according to god's sense. Perhaps they feel they can an amend it as we would amend the U.S Constitution.
It must have taken some length of time to go by tradition from God's intended meaning of his word to man's meaning. Perhaps some of this change was influenced by the desire to control the congregation into certain actions, certain ways of thinking. Who knows better than those who have gone to Bible school? Surely the trained clergy knows better. Perhaps they feel they can an amend it as we would amend the U.S Constitution.
Step-by-step inch-by-inch, here a little and there a little.
But let me also be quick to say: he who has not read the Bible for himself is in no position to challenge one who has. A person who has gone to Bible school most likely knows much better than he who has not even read his Bible.
“your law” Jesus uses that phrase when he talks to the religious leaders about psalm 82. Here it says, “is it not written in your law . . .” They, the religious leaders, have taken God's law and have twisted it into their own law in the sense that they use it for their own ends. Over the generations the leaders have determined that only a certain interpretation can be applied to God's word: their own interpretation, no one else's. They have stopped understanding it according to god's sense. Perhaps they feel they can an amend it as we would amend the U.S Constitution.
It must have taken some length of time to go by tradition from God's intended meaning of his word to man's meaning. Perhaps some of this change was influenced by the desire to control the congregation into certain actions, certain ways of thinking. Who knows better than those who have gone to Bible school? Surely the trained clergy knows better. Perhaps they feel they can an amend it as we would amend the U.S Constitution.
Step-by-step inch-by-inch, here a little and there a little.
But let me also be quick to say: he who has not read the Bible for himself is in no position to challenge one who has. A person who has gone to Bible school most likely knows much better than he who has not even read his Bible.
Monday, December 23, 2013
IF IT'S NOT BROKEN DON'T BREAK IT
It's easy for me to be negative about work and about others' participation in it. I think the worst of them - - that they are taking the laziest route, that they are seeking only to advance their careers, that they have motives other than they ought to have.
In truth what do I know about another's motivation unless they tell me what it is? I end up speaking unhealthy things which do not improve the situation but rather harms it.
I should refrain from speaking harmful things, and speak helpful things.
God wants to build a fruitful world, not a broken, crippled one. I want to help what God does, not harm it.
In truth what do I know about another's motivation unless they tell me what it is? I end up speaking unhealthy things which do not improve the situation but rather harms it.
I should refrain from speaking harmful things, and speak helpful things.
God wants to build a fruitful world, not a broken, crippled one. I want to help what God does, not harm it.
Monday, December 16, 2013
FAMILY TREES
Once I was diagramming family trees while waiting for Lizzie to finish at Publix. It's amazing how complex they grow over just 3 or 4 generations into the past, or into the future. It's like a tree: you are now, the trunk. Below, in the past, are the roots: your parents, grand parents, etc. Above is the future: your children, grand children, etc.
I would like to understand how the roots grow ever bigger below into small rootlets, yet all reach back to a single couple: Adam and Eve. Even if you hate the idea of God and creation, it still reduces down that way: to a single couple, or at least a very few couples.
I would like to understand how the roots grow ever bigger below into small rootlets, yet all reach back to a single couple: Adam and Eve. Even if you hate the idea of God and creation, it still reduces down that way: to a single couple, or at least a very few couples.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
IT STARTS WITH A MACHETE
Matt Dhann wrote, “What new paths for our minds do we need to blaze?”
The old roads are paved and easy to travel. To make a new road we have to hack out the brush, chop down the trees, blast out the rock, bring in the foundation gravel. It's a long process.
But first you machete out the brush. If you keep traveling the path, the brush doesn't grow back. The more traveled the path is the more obvious the path becomes. It gets more defined when you drive jeeps and logging trucks over it.
When you've built an inn in the forest you need a more serious road, not just a track. From a dirt road it can grow to be a paved road, to a multi-lane road, to a major road, to a highway, to an Interstate. If the way becomes important enough there eventually will also be railroads and airlines.
It all starts with the knowledge there is a new way to go and the decision to pick up the machete.
The old roads are paved and easy to travel. To make a new road we have to hack out the brush, chop down the trees, blast out the rock, bring in the foundation gravel. It's a long process.
But first you machete out the brush. If you keep traveling the path, the brush doesn't grow back. The more traveled the path is the more obvious the path becomes. It gets more defined when you drive jeeps and logging trucks over it.
When you've built an inn in the forest you need a more serious road, not just a track. From a dirt road it can grow to be a paved road, to a multi-lane road, to a major road, to a highway, to an Interstate. If the way becomes important enough there eventually will also be railroads and airlines.
It all starts with the knowledge there is a new way to go and the decision to pick up the machete.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
START WHERE THE INFORMATION IS
I wondered today if the part of God's attention toward creation and us is not a very small part of what God pays attention to? We think that it is all he has to do.
But, in fact, whatever part of his "time" he spends on us is 100 % of all we have. We have our being in him, not he in us. How can we hope to comprehend the boundaries of God?
We are self-important about what we say we know about the universe. We say how big stars are and how hot they are and what they are made of from observation of an infinitesimal speck of light passing through a man-made spectrometer. We start with what we have been given on earth (helium gas and a prism) and presume the same rules apply uniformly thru out the universe.
Unlike the stars, which hardly give anything, God has given us the Bible. It provides us much more information than stars. Certainly more than a few bands of light on a spectrometer.
But, in fact, whatever part of his "time" he spends on us is 100 % of all we have. We have our being in him, not he in us. How can we hope to comprehend the boundaries of God?
We are self-important about what we say we know about the universe. We say how big stars are and how hot they are and what they are made of from observation of an infinitesimal speck of light passing through a man-made spectrometer. We start with what we have been given on earth (helium gas and a prism) and presume the same rules apply uniformly thru out the universe.
Unlike the stars, which hardly give anything, God has given us the Bible. It provides us much more information than stars. Certainly more than a few bands of light on a spectrometer.
Monday, November 25, 2013
THE SUPERNATURAL
Life as I am experiencing it has an intimate connection to the spiritual world. Jesus said something like “As I am in the Father, so are you in me; as the Father is in me so am I in you” (Look at John 17 and preceding). He was physically in the world: we could have seen, herd him and touched him.. Yet he talked with the Father. He said “my Father and I are one”.
So that should be true between Jesus and us today - - we are in him and he in us. We should treat our daily living as if we are also somehow also presently in heaven. What if a veil could be pulled back and we could see the spiritual beings about as it was done for Elisha's servant when he saw the heavenly army? (2 Kings 6:16)
How do I adopt an attitude of living my physical life and realizing, experiencing that I am at the same time living the spiritual life?
I'll bet we have been tricked into thinking that the physical is now, and the spiritual comes later. Or we think that any spiritual event is unusual in the physical course of events. What if the spiritual is coursing along at all times but we have made ourselves blind and unhearing toward it? If everyone else chooses to be blind should we follow meekly along and be blind too?
What do I do to see? What do I do to listen?
-- Keep looking to see spiritual things
-- Keep listening to hear spiritual things.
-- Keep reading the Bible and rehearse the passages that support spiritual intimacies.
-- Realize that “the Kingdom is at hand” means it is AT HAND. It is here now. It is a natural thing.
-- Realize your “natural” perceptions could well have a supernatural component.
-- Embrace your “natural” perceptions and ask God to show you what he wants you to supernaturally know.
So that should be true between Jesus and us today - - we are in him and he in us. We should treat our daily living as if we are also somehow also presently in heaven. What if a veil could be pulled back and we could see the spiritual beings about as it was done for Elisha's servant when he saw the heavenly army? (2 Kings 6:16)
How do I adopt an attitude of living my physical life and realizing, experiencing that I am at the same time living the spiritual life?
I'll bet we have been tricked into thinking that the physical is now, and the spiritual comes later. Or we think that any spiritual event is unusual in the physical course of events. What if the spiritual is coursing along at all times but we have made ourselves blind and unhearing toward it? If everyone else chooses to be blind should we follow meekly along and be blind too?
What do I do to see? What do I do to listen?
-- Keep looking to see spiritual things
-- Keep listening to hear spiritual things.
-- Keep reading the Bible and rehearse the passages that support spiritual intimacies.
-- Realize that “the Kingdom is at hand” means it is AT HAND. It is here now. It is a natural thing.
-- Realize your “natural” perceptions could well have a supernatural component.
-- Embrace your “natural” perceptions and ask God to show you what he wants you to supernaturally know.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
THE OLD SELF DOUBT
For some reason the other night, I
remembered the time a teacher (who I can see, but not remember the
name) said to my mother that I “had a flare for writing”. I did
with that statement as I have done with so many other similar
affirming statements about me: I blew it off. I said to my self,
“she's just saying that to flatter. She doesn't really mean it.
She's saying what she wishes, not what is.”
Once I remembered that event I said “Why do I always disallow or minimize the good things that are said about me?” It is a bad habit. I ought rather to appreciate the positive things. I ought to try to own them and build on them. I ought to improve myself in that way that is spoken. I ought to believe that I am “that way” and that I can do “that”.
I am tempted to doubt, to say “What if I am not 'that'?” Well, If I'm not “that” I won't be able to do “it”.
But it is more honorable to discover “it” while being positive, trying and hoping. How can it be honorable by never starting the thing because I think “What if I'm not”? How can it be honorable never try 100% and only give 75%? 50%? 5%?
[[ Lord please help me to put away from me my disbelief in myself. Please help me to appropriate the “good works which you have before ordained that I should walk in them” Help me to recognize the “goodness and mercy which shall follow me all the days of my life.” After all, I am dwelling “in the house of the Lord forever”. How bad can the be - - rather, how excellent that is. ]]
Once I remembered that event I said “Why do I always disallow or minimize the good things that are said about me?” It is a bad habit. I ought rather to appreciate the positive things. I ought to try to own them and build on them. I ought to improve myself in that way that is spoken. I ought to believe that I am “that way” and that I can do “that”.
I am tempted to doubt, to say “What if I am not 'that'?” Well, If I'm not “that” I won't be able to do “it”.
But it is more honorable to discover “it” while being positive, trying and hoping. How can it be honorable by never starting the thing because I think “What if I'm not”? How can it be honorable never try 100% and only give 75%? 50%? 5%?
[[ Lord please help me to put away from me my disbelief in myself. Please help me to appropriate the “good works which you have before ordained that I should walk in them” Help me to recognize the “goodness and mercy which shall follow me all the days of my life.” After all, I am dwelling “in the house of the Lord forever”. How bad can the be - - rather, how excellent that is. ]]
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE NEIGHBORS?
When an individual regards the Bible as the word of God - - and reads it - - he is forever become a different person. And those individuals are catalysts of change for everyone about them. Even those who do not regard the Bible as special are unavoidably influenced for change by those who do. You can not live alongside a group of people and not be changed by them.
Those cultures that have seriously regarded the Bible were changed at their roots by it. And as a result of that every other culture beside them were changed. Eventually the world was forever changed.
Even the ones who hold the view that there is no god have been solidly and unquestionably influenced by the book about Him - - the Bible. The influence spread from Israel to Rome to Europe and hence throughout the world. If the no-god believers were to attempt to reverse the influence the Bible has already had they would have to undo thousands of years of history, and explain why they did.
Those cultures that have seriously regarded the Bible were changed at their roots by it. And as a result of that every other culture beside them were changed. Eventually the world was forever changed.
Even the ones who hold the view that there is no god have been solidly and unquestionably influenced by the book about Him - - the Bible. The influence spread from Israel to Rome to Europe and hence throughout the world. If the no-god believers were to attempt to reverse the influence the Bible has already had they would have to undo thousands of years of history, and explain why they did.
Friday, May 17, 2013
BACKSTAGE
The admirable qualities of Biblical characters are often hidden behind the words of certain Biblical passages. Nehemiah is a good example as can be seen in Nehemiah 2:
He was proven. After being brought as a slave to a foreign land he worked diligently within his new circumstances. He eventually worked his way up to being the King's cup-bearer (or wine steward, or wine servant).
He earned a high level of trust, for the wine servant had close contact to the king. The king and his security team knew Nehemiah would neither stab nor attempt to poison the king.
He was familiar and on conversational terms with the king. When he perceived Nehemiah was sad the king cared enough to be concerned -- and the king was interested in Nehemiah's welfare.
The king also realized Nehemiah was a capable leader in his own right. He knew Nehemiah could conceive, organize and guide the reconstruction of Jerusalem, so he sent him off to accomplish it.
The Bible does not state these facts directly to us, we have to imagine them through reading the story, by hearing the words and viewing the actions. There's a lot to be learned backstage.
He was proven. After being brought as a slave to a foreign land he worked diligently within his new circumstances. He eventually worked his way up to being the King's cup-bearer (or wine steward, or wine servant).
He earned a high level of trust, for the wine servant had close contact to the king. The king and his security team knew Nehemiah would neither stab nor attempt to poison the king.
He was familiar and on conversational terms with the king. When he perceived Nehemiah was sad the king cared enough to be concerned -- and the king was interested in Nehemiah's welfare.
The king also realized Nehemiah was a capable leader in his own right. He knew Nehemiah could conceive, organize and guide the reconstruction of Jerusalem, so he sent him off to accomplish it.
The Bible does not state these facts directly to us, we have to imagine them through reading the story, by hearing the words and viewing the actions. There's a lot to be learned backstage.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
GETTING RICHER THROUGH DEBT
I get a "quote of the day" via email; today's quote was: "Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them."
This relates directly to my previous post: Running Into Debt. But there is one debt that is enriching and encouraging to retire, and that's our debt to appreciate and act on God's gift to us through Jesus Christ. What we do to "retire" that debt makes us richer in character and oddly can increase our other kinds of wealth.
This relates directly to my previous post: Running Into Debt. But there is one debt that is enriching and encouraging to retire, and that's our debt to appreciate and act on God's gift to us through Jesus Christ. What we do to "retire" that debt makes us richer in character and oddly can increase our other kinds of wealth.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
WE CAN DO MORE
In Nehemiah one we notice that he was the Cup Bearer to the king. I'm not exactly sure what this position entailed but it certainly meant that he was close to, and trusted by, the king. It must have taken years of background history for him to become established at the Cup Bearer's position.
He was close enough that the king noticed Nehemiah was troubled and sad (chapter two). For you, this is like President Obama personally being concerned about you, and wanting to know why you are troubled. It would mean you had that kind of high-flying job, which almost everyone else doesn't.
The whole book ends up with Nehemiah going back to Israel and rebuilding the wall, making the defenseless defensible. But he was a CUP BEARER, for crying out loud! He had no credentials for being a General, or Governor, or Architect, or Contractor.
What this shows us is that we can do a lot more than others believe we can do, or that we ourselves think we can to.
He was close enough that the king noticed Nehemiah was troubled and sad (chapter two). For you, this is like President Obama personally being concerned about you, and wanting to know why you are troubled. It would mean you had that kind of high-flying job, which almost everyone else doesn't.
The whole book ends up with Nehemiah going back to Israel and rebuilding the wall, making the defenseless defensible. But he was a CUP BEARER, for crying out loud! He had no credentials for being a General, or Governor, or Architect, or Contractor.
What this shows us is that we can do a lot more than others believe we can do, or that we ourselves think we can to.
Monday, April 29, 2013
RUNNING INTO CREDITORS
I get an email from a source that provides a "motivational quote of the day". I absolutely disagree with Today's quote
"Running into debt isn't so bad. It's running into creditors that hurts."
If you get into debt, you put yourself there. You have creditors because you put yourself into their hands. You borrowed because you felt you wanted something now rather than putting yourself to the discipline of working and saving for it. It will hurt when you must put off other desirable things because now the bank is standing at the head of the pay line. What hurts worse is when you do not honestly deal with your creditors and have law enforcement guiding you to the pay line. A good man (or a good woman, for that matter) always stands behind his commitments.
It is hard to find honor in letting someone cosign for your debt, for then you are introducing risk into their lives. You are dragging them into your pay line. There may be cases where this is acceptable, but I'll bet more are not acceptable than are.
Very few debts are "good" debts. Paying a mortgage rather than paying rent comes close. While you are sharing some of your wealth with the bank, with the rest you are slowly gaining title to the house and land. Car debt sometimes seems to be necessary, but many times it can be avoided (or at least greatly lessened) by buying a used vehicle - - or maybe just repairs, maintenance, or waiting and saving. School debt is more troublesome. Will the targeted occupation guarantee an income large enough to justify the debt? Doctors, Engineers and Lawyers may answer yes, few others can. Have you applied for scholarships? Are you willing to work and pay-as-you-go?
A quote like "Avoid debt if at all possible" would be a better quote than the one above, but I guess it wouldn't be as funny.
"Running into debt isn't so bad. It's running into creditors that hurts."
If you get into debt, you put yourself there. You have creditors because you put yourself into their hands. You borrowed because you felt you wanted something now rather than putting yourself to the discipline of working and saving for it. It will hurt when you must put off other desirable things because now the bank is standing at the head of the pay line. What hurts worse is when you do not honestly deal with your creditors and have law enforcement guiding you to the pay line. A good man (or a good woman, for that matter) always stands behind his commitments.
It is hard to find honor in letting someone cosign for your debt, for then you are introducing risk into their lives. You are dragging them into your pay line. There may be cases where this is acceptable, but I'll bet more are not acceptable than are.
Very few debts are "good" debts. Paying a mortgage rather than paying rent comes close. While you are sharing some of your wealth with the bank, with the rest you are slowly gaining title to the house and land. Car debt sometimes seems to be necessary, but many times it can be avoided (or at least greatly lessened) by buying a used vehicle - - or maybe just repairs, maintenance, or waiting and saving. School debt is more troublesome. Will the targeted occupation guarantee an income large enough to justify the debt? Doctors, Engineers and Lawyers may answer yes, few others can. Have you applied for scholarships? Are you willing to work and pay-as-you-go?
A quote like "Avoid debt if at all possible" would be a better quote than the one above, but I guess it wouldn't be as funny.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
WHAT'S NEXT
Elijah had been doing a lot of work for God and he was tired. He was thinking he was all alone in getting it done. In fact Jezebel was out gunning for him because he had caused the death of all her false prophets. He told God, "I've been angry like you about all the false prophets and how your people have turned their back on you. Now I'm the only one left." God in effect said, "Go back. I'm not finished with the work I have for you to do. You do not realize this, but there are seven thousand more like you that have never worshiped the false Gods."
We are like Elijah. We often think there is not much more that we can do. But it's not over; there's more to do; there always is. There are a few church things to do, but most are personal things and family things. The only time we will know it's through is when we're face-to-face with Jesus in heaven; then that part of the work is done.
Be patient, the next set of tasks will become apparent soon.
(( We were reading in 1 Kings today, chapters 18 and 19. Lizzie wrote a blog too. Here is a line to hers: .ELIJAH WAS SUCCESSFUL
We are like Elijah. We often think there is not much more that we can do. But it's not over; there's more to do; there always is. There are a few church things to do, but most are personal things and family things. The only time we will know it's through is when we're face-to-face with Jesus in heaven; then that part of the work is done.
Be patient, the next set of tasks will become apparent soon.
(( We were reading in 1 Kings today, chapters 18 and 19. Lizzie wrote a blog too. Here is a line to hers: .ELIJAH WAS SUCCESSFUL
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