Thursday, March 24, 2011
Quote of the Day
"Worry is the biggest waste of emotion. It doesn't fix the past; it doesn't change the future; it just helps ruin today." - Unknown
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
99 Balloons
A Child Of Mine (To All Parents)
Edgar Guest
I will lend you, for a little time,
A child of mine, He said.
For you to love the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty-two or three.
But will you, till I call him back,
Take care of him for Me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you,
And should his stay be brief.
You'll have his lovely memories,
As solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there,
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over,
In search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain.
Nor hate me when I come
To take him home again?
I fancied that I heard them say,
'Dear Lord, Thy will be done!'
For all the joys Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him,
Much sooner than we've planned.
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.
I post this in memory of Silas Boaz Blackburn, who I learned more from than any 2-year old in the world. When life seems at it's worse, he lends his smile to my memory to remind me how good God is. Thanks for all you taught us, Silas...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
A Man's Word
I told him I would. And I didn't.
It wasn't a big deal. It was something small. So I shouldn't worry about it, right? I shouldn't let it bother me?
But it does. It bothers me a lot. I said I would, and I didn't.
He says it doesn't matter, and that I shouldn't worry about it anymore. But when he says that, he focuses on the thing that I didn't do that can be taken care of anyway, rather than what I'm focused on, which is the greater issue that my word should mean a little more, regardless of the promise.
Whether he realizes it or not, this incident will cause him to doubt, however slightly, next time I give him "my word."
What is your word, and what can be said for it? If you don't have your word, then what do you have?
My Dad used to tell us that if we couldn't keep our word, then we weren't ready to be a man. Yet today, so many "men" have no interest in making sure that they keep their word, and they really can't be trusted to follow through with anything.
What kind of promises have you made? "I will never" do this or that. "I will always" be this way. Does it matter to you if you don't follow through with those promises? Those statements are made with the understanding that we are all human, you say? Are they? Or were those statements understood to mean that no matter what, you can overcome your humanity in times of weakness to be a man of your word?
"Preacher, I'll be here for you. When the fire is on, I'll be right by your side."
I start to yawn when I hear that these days. And I almost even feel like it's an indicator that they surely will not follow through.
Peter said, "I will die with you." And he denied the Lord in his darkest hour.
Somehow, in society today, a person's word doesn't mean as much as it used to. Think about when the Bible demeans "trucebreakers," which is someone who doesn't stick to an agreement that they made. In olden times, I could have shaken a man's hand, and bought his piece of land from him with that handshake. Now, we need multiple notarizations, bank papers, 14 signatures, etc.
You get the drift...
People do not mean what they say.
Here's a popular one: "Till death do us part." Wow! What about the third time you say it? Do you mean it that time, too? When I went to Technical School, I heard a guy tell his girlfriend, "I'll always be with you." That was about 4 months before they "broke up," as they say, and that was about 2 years ago now.
Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. People don't want to hear what you say, they want to see what you do. The preacher wants you to be there for him, not talk about it in times of ease. Your husband or wife wants you to always be with them, not just tell them that because it's what they want to hear.
I am determined to be a man of my word.
He told me not to worry about it, so I have chosen not to beat myself up over it. But what I will do: let him know that I'd like a chance to make it right, and show him that I am not one who says, and doesn't do. People who do that aren't men.
I have been, and am determined to remain, a man of my word.
It wasn't a big deal. It was something small. So I shouldn't worry about it, right? I shouldn't let it bother me?
But it does. It bothers me a lot. I said I would, and I didn't.
He says it doesn't matter, and that I shouldn't worry about it anymore. But when he says that, he focuses on the thing that I didn't do that can be taken care of anyway, rather than what I'm focused on, which is the greater issue that my word should mean a little more, regardless of the promise.
Whether he realizes it or not, this incident will cause him to doubt, however slightly, next time I give him "my word."
What is your word, and what can be said for it? If you don't have your word, then what do you have?
My Dad used to tell us that if we couldn't keep our word, then we weren't ready to be a man. Yet today, so many "men" have no interest in making sure that they keep their word, and they really can't be trusted to follow through with anything.
What kind of promises have you made? "I will never" do this or that. "I will always" be this way. Does it matter to you if you don't follow through with those promises? Those statements are made with the understanding that we are all human, you say? Are they? Or were those statements understood to mean that no matter what, you can overcome your humanity in times of weakness to be a man of your word?
"Preacher, I'll be here for you. When the fire is on, I'll be right by your side."
I start to yawn when I hear that these days. And I almost even feel like it's an indicator that they surely will not follow through.
Peter said, "I will die with you." And he denied the Lord in his darkest hour.
Somehow, in society today, a person's word doesn't mean as much as it used to. Think about when the Bible demeans "trucebreakers," which is someone who doesn't stick to an agreement that they made. In olden times, I could have shaken a man's hand, and bought his piece of land from him with that handshake. Now, we need multiple notarizations, bank papers, 14 signatures, etc.
You get the drift...
People do not mean what they say.
Here's a popular one: "Till death do us part." Wow! What about the third time you say it? Do you mean it that time, too? When I went to Technical School, I heard a guy tell his girlfriend, "I'll always be with you." That was about 4 months before they "broke up," as they say, and that was about 2 years ago now.
Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. People don't want to hear what you say, they want to see what you do. The preacher wants you to be there for him, not talk about it in times of ease. Your husband or wife wants you to always be with them, not just tell them that because it's what they want to hear.
I am determined to be a man of my word.
He told me not to worry about it, so I have chosen not to beat myself up over it. But what I will do: let him know that I'd like a chance to make it right, and show him that I am not one who says, and doesn't do. People who do that aren't men.
I have been, and am determined to remain, a man of my word.
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