Finally we are back home in Georgia after 10 days in Florida. Vacations are wonderful but I now need a vacation after the vacation. During my time away I was able to read a new book by two of my favorite people. They are Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey. These two good old boys from Alabama have had a nationally syndicated radio show for years. I first discovered them when I lived in Alabama. They came along after a really challenging time in my life and I was trying to recover from a difficult financial crisis. My wife and I were making a new start at age 50+ and these guys gave me a lot of laughter during these trying times.
They just finished their new book "Rick and Bubba's guide to the almost perfect marriage". Let me first say that I think it is difficult for masters of one media (radio) to sit down and write a quality book. I cannot begin to tell you how many great speakers (pastors) have written books that were far below the quality of their speaking. I think the biggest challenge is that people have enjoyed their humor on radio and to transfer this to a book is not an easy task. In fact with this book you also receive a CD with about twelve episodes from their radio show. The CD is hilarious and worth the price of the book.
Now back to the book. It is laced with humor but at the same time takes a very serious look at marriage and relationships. I think one of the things I gained from the book is that to have a happy marriage you must have a sense of humor and not take yourself too seriously. Also this book focuses on the need for a Christ centered marriage in order to survive the trials one will face in any marriage. These guys are not trained marriage counselors but the simplistic look at our marriages has many valuable lessons we all need to learn. I have been married for forty years and still find that a book such as this will help in my own marriage.
Near the end of the book Rick shares the recent story of the loss of he and Sherry (his wife) of their two year old son in a tragic drowning accident. I heard the story on the radio show as well on national TV (Fox News) and it broke my heart. Rick shares how he and Sherry are overcoming this tragedy and the fact that they did not allow this tragedy to destroy their marriage as often is the case when a couple loses a child. This story is very inspiring to any couple and made me think about how precious my children and grandchildren are. At the same time it is wonderful when one can suffer through a crisis with their mate by their side.
It is easy to recognize that Rick and Bubba are not professional writers...in fact on their radio program they many times destroy the English language but the reader will recognize that these guys understand the value of their marriage and families. They unashamedly put God first in all things, their spouse second, their children third and themselves fourth. The book will make you laugh, make you cry and is an enjoyable read. It is a bestseller on Amazon.com and worth the time you take to read it.
Hopefully now that I am back home again I can get back to serious blogging. Hope you and your family have a wonderful rest of the summer.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Hole In Our Gospel
I am enjoying a time in South Florida. I was able to complete the reading of the book, A Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, The President of World Vision. I am not going to go into a lot of the details found in the book, but I am going to recommend that everyone read this book. I would say that this book has caused me to pause and reflect on my standing as a Christian. I know after reading this book that I am not doing what I am called to do. In fact I would say that a majority of professing Christians have forgotten a major part of the Gospel.
Mr. Stearns has given us some shocking statistics in this book that woke me up to the dire situation the children and families of our world are in. The most shocking fact is that 25,000 children in our world die everyday due to hunger, unsanitary water and lack of medical care. An ear infection can be a death sentence. Mothers cannot produce enough milk to sustain their newborn infants. So what are we to do? We cannot solve all of the worlds problems and after all Christ told us that there would always be poor people among us. Also most of those suffering are not in our country. I have heard many people say we must take care of our own before we worry about the rest of the world. I do not think that God called us to worry about only those in our neighborhoods or our own country. We have been blessed in the United States and I feel that God expects us to use the resources He has given us to help those in need, no matter where they are located.
What are we to do? How can we solve the problems of the hungry thousands of miles away? There are excellent organizations including World Vision, the Southern Baptist Convention and countless others that can take our funds and maximize the value of these gifts to help the most people. If we help just one or a few we can change countless lives. One person directed by God in the midst of Africa can change lives all around him. It is up to us to give this one person a chance. You might say I am only one person. I am too small to make a difference. A quoted African Saying is "If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito."
Another hindrance for many would be that they do not trust some of the organizations that offer aid to those in need. Some of these might include World Vision or the United Nations, etc. The sad thing is that our churches have for the most part dropped the ball in having a burden for the least of these. Again it is not in our backyard so we turn a blind eye. This is not to condemn the efforts of all churches but you would have to agree that many of the mega churches have massive budgets but contribute a small percentage to missions. Should be spend huge amounts on buildings or feed the poor? I would say that I would be slow to condemn any organization or individual who helps the hurting and the dying regardless of their affiliation as the church has failed miserably. It was amazing to me that the amount of money required to eliminate hunger, disease and premature death in our world is a small amount in comparison to the dollars spent on other ministries by churches. I also think about the stimulus money being spent by our country on the most foolish things in the world, such as tunnels for turtles to cross the road in Florida when we have 25,000 children dying everyday in the world.
I can remember the debate surrounding the Aids epidemic. It was not our problem because the people contracting the virus were participating in behaviour that contributed to their illness and death. What about the children born with Aids? Is it their fault? Are we to turn a blind eye to this crisis? If we knew that a home full of children were dying in a fire and we could help them, would we? Of course and we would not have a second thought. Yet we turn our backs on people everyday only because they are not in our neighborhood or our community. We have an obligation from God to feed and care for the poor. I feel He will hold us accountable for ignoring them.
We are not all called to travel to distant lands to lend a hand to the hurting. But we are called to do all we can to support those who can. As you can tell this book has inspired me to open my heart to listen to God and what He would have me to do. I think each of us must ask the question "What would God have me to do?" I personally spend enough money on frivolous things to care for several children who are dying today. I could save lives tomorrow with just a stroke of a pen.
This book was put into my path so that it would cause me to reflect on my calling from God. It is a book that really stirred up within me a burden for those who suffer today. I know that I must spend some time digesting the book and what it is I must do. In some ways I wish I had never picked it up as it made me uncomfortable but it also made me realize that I have neglected a major part of the gospel. Our gospel is about more that getting fire insurance. It is about our obligation to reach the world for Christ. If a child or an adult are suffering we must first alleviate the suffering. The love of God will shine brightly to those we minister to. I invite you to step up to the plate. Read this book and open your heart to the love God has for the least of these and join Him in caring for them.
Mr. Stearns has given us some shocking statistics in this book that woke me up to the dire situation the children and families of our world are in. The most shocking fact is that 25,000 children in our world die everyday due to hunger, unsanitary water and lack of medical care. An ear infection can be a death sentence. Mothers cannot produce enough milk to sustain their newborn infants. So what are we to do? We cannot solve all of the worlds problems and after all Christ told us that there would always be poor people among us. Also most of those suffering are not in our country. I have heard many people say we must take care of our own before we worry about the rest of the world. I do not think that God called us to worry about only those in our neighborhoods or our own country. We have been blessed in the United States and I feel that God expects us to use the resources He has given us to help those in need, no matter where they are located.
What are we to do? How can we solve the problems of the hungry thousands of miles away? There are excellent organizations including World Vision, the Southern Baptist Convention and countless others that can take our funds and maximize the value of these gifts to help the most people. If we help just one or a few we can change countless lives. One person directed by God in the midst of Africa can change lives all around him. It is up to us to give this one person a chance. You might say I am only one person. I am too small to make a difference. A quoted African Saying is "If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito."
Another hindrance for many would be that they do not trust some of the organizations that offer aid to those in need. Some of these might include World Vision or the United Nations, etc. The sad thing is that our churches have for the most part dropped the ball in having a burden for the least of these. Again it is not in our backyard so we turn a blind eye. This is not to condemn the efforts of all churches but you would have to agree that many of the mega churches have massive budgets but contribute a small percentage to missions. Should be spend huge amounts on buildings or feed the poor? I would say that I would be slow to condemn any organization or individual who helps the hurting and the dying regardless of their affiliation as the church has failed miserably. It was amazing to me that the amount of money required to eliminate hunger, disease and premature death in our world is a small amount in comparison to the dollars spent on other ministries by churches. I also think about the stimulus money being spent by our country on the most foolish things in the world, such as tunnels for turtles to cross the road in Florida when we have 25,000 children dying everyday in the world.
I can remember the debate surrounding the Aids epidemic. It was not our problem because the people contracting the virus were participating in behaviour that contributed to their illness and death. What about the children born with Aids? Is it their fault? Are we to turn a blind eye to this crisis? If we knew that a home full of children were dying in a fire and we could help them, would we? Of course and we would not have a second thought. Yet we turn our backs on people everyday only because they are not in our neighborhood or our community. We have an obligation from God to feed and care for the poor. I feel He will hold us accountable for ignoring them.
We are not all called to travel to distant lands to lend a hand to the hurting. But we are called to do all we can to support those who can. As you can tell this book has inspired me to open my heart to listen to God and what He would have me to do. I think each of us must ask the question "What would God have me to do?" I personally spend enough money on frivolous things to care for several children who are dying today. I could save lives tomorrow with just a stroke of a pen.
This book was put into my path so that it would cause me to reflect on my calling from God. It is a book that really stirred up within me a burden for those who suffer today. I know that I must spend some time digesting the book and what it is I must do. In some ways I wish I had never picked it up as it made me uncomfortable but it also made me realize that I have neglected a major part of the gospel. Our gospel is about more that getting fire insurance. It is about our obligation to reach the world for Christ. If a child or an adult are suffering we must first alleviate the suffering. The love of God will shine brightly to those we minister to. I invite you to step up to the plate. Read this book and open your heart to the love God has for the least of these and join Him in caring for them.
Monday, July 6, 2009
She'll Grow On You.....
Ellie, my granddaughter from Texas has come to visit with us for a few weeks. I am amazed at the energy of a three-year old. She has had us on the go since arriving last Friday. How children can change your lifestyle. I have little down time and I am learning all about the attention span of a little girl. But oh how wonderful our grandchildren truly are. I am blessed with five granddaughters. Ellie is from Texas and has sisters Mary Caroline now one month old and Anna who is two. In Oklahoma my granddaughters Reagan and Avery age five and four reside.
I reflect on the joy these little girls bring me every time they call me on the phone and say "Hi Papa" and they are not bashful at all. They will tell me how much the love me and they know just how to melt my heart. While I basically give up all quiet time except for the early mornings...I learn so much about them while chasing them around the park or the mall. This past Sunday Ellie and I went to the park and she moved nonstop for two hours with me in close pursuit. At the end of the day on our way home I heard Ellie in the backseat say "Thank you Papa for taking me to the park" I said you are welcome Ellie to which she replied "I love you Papa". Talk about touching your heart. Tears formed in my eyes and I silently thanked God for the precious little girls He blessed Sharon and I with. I also am thankful for their parents and that God chooses to give little ones to young folks. We love for them to stay with us but I am not sure how long we could keep up with them.
As I close this post I say simply "Thank You Ellie, Anna, Mary, Reagan and Avery for loving this old Papa and for always telling me so. Thank you for the hugs and thank you for the honesty from your little hearts.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Shorts in Church
One might think I am running out of ideas but this one came to me as I was entering church today at Brown's Bridge Community Church. I am nearly sixty years of age and my estimation is that I have attended church services on at least 75% of Sundays since my birth. That is about 2,200 church services in various denominations in the U.S. On many of these occasions I wore a tie or a suit. Gradually the ties went away and then we went to khaki slacks and polos, then no socks and then the khakis were replaced by jeans and finally today for the first time I wore shorts with boat shoes (no socks of course) and a nice golf shirt. My grandfather one of the greatest Baptist deacons of all time probably did a flip in his grave and I can even hear my mom talking about wearing your best to services.
It was interesting but no one seemed to notice at my church. It helps in that our pastor, Andy Stanley came out on stage with jeans, a polo not tucked in and that some of the members of the band have rings in ears, noses etc and that the common trend at the church seems to be not to put a lot of emphasis on dressing up. I truly think this is all a relief to many folks. They do not have to meet a certain dress code or standard. If they don't have the latest fashion trends they can still come to our church and feel comfortable. I do have a few hangups though about what one wears to church as follows:
*You really should wear clothes that have been laundered and pressed
*You really should comb your hair and perhaps shower and shave before attending
*I am not ready for flip-flops ( I guess I am still a little conservative)
*Ladies..I don't think swim suit cover ups are appropriate
*I do have a little problem with ladies wearing strapless gowns with tattoos on their shoulders
*Also I think bare midriffs and short skirts don't quite fit at church
*Guys I think you need to leave the logo tees at home as well as old SEC champions tees, etc.
It's kind of interesting that a few months ago I commented to my wife that a lot of the guys looked like they barely were out of bed when they grabbed the nearest pair of wrinkled shorts and t-shirts, threw on the flip-flops and headed off to church. As mentioned above I do have a bit of a problem with this but I find that I am perhaps more understanding in this age of dress down. I admit that I like the idea of casual wear to church.
I realize that the subject today may be a bit controversial as some churches today still require a stringent dress code especially for pastors, deacons and leaders but also for those who might want to be in these positions but I really wonder what God might be thinking about all this? I'll ask a few questions to sum up:
*Does God look more on the outward appearance or what's in the man's heart?
*Did the early Christians dress up for services or gatherings in their house churches?
*Were there fashion trends in the early church?
*How about more recently, let's say the 1800's, did men wear coat's and ties or a clean pair of overalls?
*Does the Bible spend a lot of time on fashion? I recall a passage about not wearing anything that might distract from worship, but that is about it.
*Is it possible to worship God and be touched by God while wearing a pair of shorts?
*Does it really matter to seekers if we are all dressed up at Church? Do they feel more comfortable if we are not overdressed? Do they feel that they don't have to fit a certain dress standard and does this make it easier for them to attend services?
It is hard for me to believe that what we wear can be a point of contention in many of our churches today but it is. I do know that I probably would not want to be a part of any fellowship that would think less of a person because they do not meet the criteria established by this body. I am thankful that my own church has figured out that this is not high on God's list of priorities for the church. I truly feel that He is more interested in what the person's heart is all about and what he does with the gifts and talents that God has given him.
Does all this mean that we throw away all tradition such as music, Bible teaching etc. Absolutely not. But when our emphasis on man designed criteria takes the place of the true reason for worship then we do have a problem in the church. Another question I will pose is why for the most part is church attendance and membership declining? Perhaps it is the inflexibility of the church in general today. Not meeting people where they are and how they are and the famous words of the dying church "we never did it that way before".
One thing I don't mean to do is to belittle those who choose to worship via traditional means. If one wants to attend services where everyone wears a suit and tie and sings traditional hymns and reads only from one version of the Bible this is fine. These folks should not however looked down on those who choose a different path. The gospel is the same..always has been and always will be...In the meantime I just received a pair of madras shorts for Fathers Day and I've got to get a shirt that will match for next Sunday's services.
It was interesting but no one seemed to notice at my church. It helps in that our pastor, Andy Stanley came out on stage with jeans, a polo not tucked in and that some of the members of the band have rings in ears, noses etc and that the common trend at the church seems to be not to put a lot of emphasis on dressing up. I truly think this is all a relief to many folks. They do not have to meet a certain dress code or standard. If they don't have the latest fashion trends they can still come to our church and feel comfortable. I do have a few hangups though about what one wears to church as follows:
*You really should wear clothes that have been laundered and pressed
*You really should comb your hair and perhaps shower and shave before attending
*I am not ready for flip-flops ( I guess I am still a little conservative)
*Ladies..I don't think swim suit cover ups are appropriate
*I do have a little problem with ladies wearing strapless gowns with tattoos on their shoulders
*Also I think bare midriffs and short skirts don't quite fit at church
*Guys I think you need to leave the logo tees at home as well as old SEC champions tees, etc.
It's kind of interesting that a few months ago I commented to my wife that a lot of the guys looked like they barely were out of bed when they grabbed the nearest pair of wrinkled shorts and t-shirts, threw on the flip-flops and headed off to church. As mentioned above I do have a bit of a problem with this but I find that I am perhaps more understanding in this age of dress down. I admit that I like the idea of casual wear to church.
I realize that the subject today may be a bit controversial as some churches today still require a stringent dress code especially for pastors, deacons and leaders but also for those who might want to be in these positions but I really wonder what God might be thinking about all this? I'll ask a few questions to sum up:
*Does God look more on the outward appearance or what's in the man's heart?
*Did the early Christians dress up for services or gatherings in their house churches?
*Were there fashion trends in the early church?
*How about more recently, let's say the 1800's, did men wear coat's and ties or a clean pair of overalls?
*Does the Bible spend a lot of time on fashion? I recall a passage about not wearing anything that might distract from worship, but that is about it.
*Is it possible to worship God and be touched by God while wearing a pair of shorts?
*Does it really matter to seekers if we are all dressed up at Church? Do they feel more comfortable if we are not overdressed? Do they feel that they don't have to fit a certain dress standard and does this make it easier for them to attend services?
It is hard for me to believe that what we wear can be a point of contention in many of our churches today but it is. I do know that I probably would not want to be a part of any fellowship that would think less of a person because they do not meet the criteria established by this body. I am thankful that my own church has figured out that this is not high on God's list of priorities for the church. I truly feel that He is more interested in what the person's heart is all about and what he does with the gifts and talents that God has given him.
Does all this mean that we throw away all tradition such as music, Bible teaching etc. Absolutely not. But when our emphasis on man designed criteria takes the place of the true reason for worship then we do have a problem in the church. Another question I will pose is why for the most part is church attendance and membership declining? Perhaps it is the inflexibility of the church in general today. Not meeting people where they are and how they are and the famous words of the dying church "we never did it that way before".
One thing I don't mean to do is to belittle those who choose to worship via traditional means. If one wants to attend services where everyone wears a suit and tie and sings traditional hymns and reads only from one version of the Bible this is fine. These folks should not however looked down on those who choose a different path. The gospel is the same..always has been and always will be...In the meantime I just received a pair of madras shorts for Fathers Day and I've got to get a shirt that will match for next Sunday's services.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Left To Tell
It is a beautiful evening here in North Georgia. It is amazing for the July 4th weekend. This of course is a time when we celebrate our Independence. Over the course of this week I completed reading a book about a country that struggled with freedom. It is a true story of a young girls journey through the civil war in Rwanda. The story takes place during the 1990's. The author of the book is Immaculee Ilibagazi. The full title of the book is Left To Tell Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. She was assisted with the book by Steve Erwin. It was a great story of an evil time in the life of the country of Rwanda.
The young girl is an amazing young Catholic girl and her family. She was a brilliant student with parents who expected her to achieve both scholastically but also as a beautiful young girl. I don't want to tell the entire story but her native country was thrown into a violent civil war between the Tutsi and the Hutu's. During the struggle her mom, dad and all except one brother were violently massacred by the Hutu's. Many of the killers were neighbors and people her family had helped. Over one million were killed in this slaughter. The goal of the Hutu's was to eradicate the Tutsi race.
This young girl survived by hiding in a bathroom at a pastor's home. She along with six other women hid in the 4' x 6' bathroom for over ninety days. Barely with enough room to move, bodies upon bodies they survived. She lived to tell the story and of her close relationship with God through this ordeal. One interesting highlight is that she taught herself English while in the bathroom with no tutor. She went on to work for the U.N. but the most important point is that she found a way to go to the prison and forgive the one's who killed her parents and brothers.
My point in reviewing this book today is to express my confusion as to why no country came forward to prevent this holocaust? After WW11 it had been said by many that we should never allow what occurred in Germany to happen again. Yet we stood by and offered no help to stop this conflict. In fact France was the only country to move in initially though it was very late in the conflict. Eventually the U.N. sent peacekeepers long after the killing had transpired. Why would we allow this genocide to occur? I would very much like to hear from our leaders at the time as to why this was allowed?
Many feel we have enough problems of our own and do not need to become involved in another country's business. I disagree. We should never allow the wholesale slaughter of innocent people who are killed simply because of their race or nationality. It is our duty as the greatest country in the world (I hope we still are) to come to the aid of those who cannot protect themselves. Another thought I had while reading the book was why did these people not have weapons to protect themselves? The Tutsi defended themselves with rocks and sticks while the Hutu's were armed with Machetes and Guns. Perhaps it was not fashionable to own weapons or maybe they had no fear from attack. Whatever the case I feel it is imperative that we never lose the right to bear arms in our country.
I plan to do more research on this war and why we did not become involved. In the meantime this book will break your heart but it will also encourage you as to how great our God truly is and how He intervened in this young girls life. I am happy to tell you that she is now married to an American, has two children and works for the U.N. in NYC. She lived to share a gruesome tale of mass slaughter but also to tell of the victory she claimed through it all. If you get a chance check out this book on Amazon. Hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful fourth of July and take a moment and thank God for our freedom and say a prayer for the people of Rwanda.
The young girl is an amazing young Catholic girl and her family. She was a brilliant student with parents who expected her to achieve both scholastically but also as a beautiful young girl. I don't want to tell the entire story but her native country was thrown into a violent civil war between the Tutsi and the Hutu's. During the struggle her mom, dad and all except one brother were violently massacred by the Hutu's. Many of the killers were neighbors and people her family had helped. Over one million were killed in this slaughter. The goal of the Hutu's was to eradicate the Tutsi race.
This young girl survived by hiding in a bathroom at a pastor's home. She along with six other women hid in the 4' x 6' bathroom for over ninety days. Barely with enough room to move, bodies upon bodies they survived. She lived to tell the story and of her close relationship with God through this ordeal. One interesting highlight is that she taught herself English while in the bathroom with no tutor. She went on to work for the U.N. but the most important point is that she found a way to go to the prison and forgive the one's who killed her parents and brothers.
My point in reviewing this book today is to express my confusion as to why no country came forward to prevent this holocaust? After WW11 it had been said by many that we should never allow what occurred in Germany to happen again. Yet we stood by and offered no help to stop this conflict. In fact France was the only country to move in initially though it was very late in the conflict. Eventually the U.N. sent peacekeepers long after the killing had transpired. Why would we allow this genocide to occur? I would very much like to hear from our leaders at the time as to why this was allowed?
Many feel we have enough problems of our own and do not need to become involved in another country's business. I disagree. We should never allow the wholesale slaughter of innocent people who are killed simply because of their race or nationality. It is our duty as the greatest country in the world (I hope we still are) to come to the aid of those who cannot protect themselves. Another thought I had while reading the book was why did these people not have weapons to protect themselves? The Tutsi defended themselves with rocks and sticks while the Hutu's were armed with Machetes and Guns. Perhaps it was not fashionable to own weapons or maybe they had no fear from attack. Whatever the case I feel it is imperative that we never lose the right to bear arms in our country.
I plan to do more research on this war and why we did not become involved. In the meantime this book will break your heart but it will also encourage you as to how great our God truly is and how He intervened in this young girls life. I am happy to tell you that she is now married to an American, has two children and works for the U.N. in NYC. She lived to share a gruesome tale of mass slaughter but also to tell of the victory she claimed through it all. If you get a chance check out this book on Amazon. Hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful fourth of July and take a moment and thank God for our freedom and say a prayer for the people of Rwanda.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Putting us to the test
I think that God does challenge us from time to time. In a recent blog I wrote an expose on the Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians. Day by day I discussed the attributes of love. The first two discussed were "Love is patient and love is kind." I focused on these for several days and felt that I had progressed in these areas of my life. This brings us to the past two days.....
First my desktop computer at work crashed and burned. All of my spreadsheets, emails, etc. were lost (for now) we are trying to recover them from the hard drive. So I brought my laptop from home so that I could do my work from the office. This presented a major challenge as the IT guys spent the better part of a day reconfiguring my laptop so that it would match up with our system at work. I patiently waited on these wizards to do their thing and finally it was up and running. I am still patient. Then today my desktop with a new hard drive is online again. But my entire contact list is lost so I am slowly rebuilding it. I had to go back through all of my favorites list and locate them on the web and resave them etc. So things are going ok.
Now to the test of my patience and kindness. I arrive back home with my laptop and find that my wireless service does not work. In reconfiguring my laptop at work I lost everything at home. So it is time to call the dreaded help line of my wireless provider. Of course I am put on hold for over 15 minutes and finally hang up in frustration. I call back and ask for a connection to a live person. About this time I am reminded by the Lord that Love is patient and love is kind. I finally connect with a person and of course he is not a clear speaking American person. I have no idea where he is located but he speaks with an accent that makes it difficult to understand. I patiently explain my problem and he tells me that I must go to my modem and connect a yellow cable to my laptop in order for him to diagnose and solve my problem. Sounds easy but my modem is upstairs under a bed and I explain this to him in a nice soft voice. He says it is the only way to solve my problem so I take my laptop, my phone, my pen and pad and head upstairs. I move the bed, locate the modem and I find no yellow cable. I have a blue cable and he tells me that something is wrong but we will give it a try. I connect the cable and it actually works.
I am going to a new paragraph now just to break the monotony of this post. Everything works as it is supposed to and the technician begins to lead me through the steps to solve the problem. He is very difficult to understand and I have to tell him nicely on several occasions that I cannot understand what he is saying. In spite of this we work through the problem and slowly, step-by-step we reconfigure my system and at last it works and I am now back on line. My normal reaction to this would have been to lose my cool and let the tech know what I think about his company, being on hold forever, etc...but God through His Word had whispered in my ear to be patient and kind.
I think that God does use circumstances to test our patience and see if we really heed His Word. I am so thankful for this little test and that I was able to go through this and realize that He is at work in my life. The great thing is that I feel that due to my patience and kindness that the problem was solved much quicker and with less stress and I made sure that this tech person knew how much I appreciated his knowledge and his help. The lesson in all of this is to realize that many of the issues we have to deal with in our lives are simply tests of our faith and our application of God's Word. So the next time you have a stressful situation think about the fact that God may have put you in this situation to test your faith.
First my desktop computer at work crashed and burned. All of my spreadsheets, emails, etc. were lost (for now) we are trying to recover them from the hard drive. So I brought my laptop from home so that I could do my work from the office. This presented a major challenge as the IT guys spent the better part of a day reconfiguring my laptop so that it would match up with our system at work. I patiently waited on these wizards to do their thing and finally it was up and running. I am still patient. Then today my desktop with a new hard drive is online again. But my entire contact list is lost so I am slowly rebuilding it. I had to go back through all of my favorites list and locate them on the web and resave them etc. So things are going ok.
Now to the test of my patience and kindness. I arrive back home with my laptop and find that my wireless service does not work. In reconfiguring my laptop at work I lost everything at home. So it is time to call the dreaded help line of my wireless provider. Of course I am put on hold for over 15 minutes and finally hang up in frustration. I call back and ask for a connection to a live person. About this time I am reminded by the Lord that Love is patient and love is kind. I finally connect with a person and of course he is not a clear speaking American person. I have no idea where he is located but he speaks with an accent that makes it difficult to understand. I patiently explain my problem and he tells me that I must go to my modem and connect a yellow cable to my laptop in order for him to diagnose and solve my problem. Sounds easy but my modem is upstairs under a bed and I explain this to him in a nice soft voice. He says it is the only way to solve my problem so I take my laptop, my phone, my pen and pad and head upstairs. I move the bed, locate the modem and I find no yellow cable. I have a blue cable and he tells me that something is wrong but we will give it a try. I connect the cable and it actually works.
I am going to a new paragraph now just to break the monotony of this post. Everything works as it is supposed to and the technician begins to lead me through the steps to solve the problem. He is very difficult to understand and I have to tell him nicely on several occasions that I cannot understand what he is saying. In spite of this we work through the problem and slowly, step-by-step we reconfigure my system and at last it works and I am now back on line. My normal reaction to this would have been to lose my cool and let the tech know what I think about his company, being on hold forever, etc...but God through His Word had whispered in my ear to be patient and kind.
I think that God does use circumstances to test our patience and see if we really heed His Word. I am so thankful for this little test and that I was able to go through this and realize that He is at work in my life. The great thing is that I feel that due to my patience and kindness that the problem was solved much quicker and with less stress and I made sure that this tech person knew how much I appreciated his knowledge and his help. The lesson in all of this is to realize that many of the issues we have to deal with in our lives are simply tests of our faith and our application of God's Word. So the next time you have a stressful situation think about the fact that God may have put you in this situation to test your faith.
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