Realizing the Value of Time and Relationships

Friends sent me this writing recently. It will touch you somewhere in your heart:

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

 

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

 

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

 

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

 

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

 

Time waits for no one.

 

Treasure every moment you have.

 

You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

 

To realize the value of a friend or family member:

 

LOSE ONE.

 

(The origin of this letter is unknown)

Grateful

Memories... Are...

Today, we received some heart-warming Christmas cards in our mailbox. The most meaningful line was handwritten on the inside of one:

"Memories of the past...

are treasures of the heart."

This line was beautifully written in a card that I received from Mrs. Ruth, the dear mom of my two childhood friends, Craig and Jeffrey Kent Paylor. I wrote about them in Volume 6 of my December 2013 blog series titled "What I Miss Most About Christmases Past."

Humbled and...

Grateful

God's Own Special Treasure

God takes more pleasure in you than you will ever find in Him.
-- Dennis Kinlaw

(4) You know how I brought you to Myself and carried you on eagle’s wings. (5) Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure... -- Exodus 19:4-5 (NLT)

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

Is American Retirement a Kingdom Tragedy?

The American definition of retirement is losing its appeal to me. I'm talking about the whole idea of reaching a certain age so I can focus the sunset years of my life -- yes the lion's share of my remaining time, abilities, and money -- mainly on my own leisure and earthly pleasure rather than on God's mission and eternal treasure.

Is it possible that the American definition of retirement is in fact a Kingdom Tragedy? If you're brave enough to think about it, here's a link that will assist you. It might mess up your future plans?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60_TmQdxkcI&feature=related

So I pray, Lord, help me to trace and embrace Your plans for my entire existence on planet earth. Yes, I want my whole life, to the very end, to be ordered by You alone. Remind me that my life does not belong to me, but to You, totally. I am so humbled and grateful that You died to save me from my sinful actions and from my self-centered attitude, too. Please Lord, don't let the traditional American definition of retirement rock me asleep spiritually. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

...their own complacency will destroy them. -- Proverbs 1:32 (NLT)

You are not your own... -- 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

(24) Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. (25) If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. (26) And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?" -- Matthew 16:24-26 (NLT)

For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
-- Hebrews 3:14 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Be Thou My Vision

This ancient hymn expresses my present desires.

Pray these deep words in unity with me to our Lord:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

ALL JOY! AMEN!
Grateful

Note: Words of this ancient hymn are at­trib­ut­ed to Dal­lan For­gaill, 8th Cen­tu­ry; trans­lat­ed from an­cient Ir­ish to Eng­lish by bio Ma­ry E. Byrne,1905, and versed by bio El­ea­nor H. Hull, 1912.