One Cow

On a very cold, snowy Sunday in February, only the pastor and one farmer arrived at the village church. The pastor said, 'Well, I guess we won't have a service today.' The farmer replied: 'Pastor, even if only one cow shows up at feeding time, I feed it.'

I found the above short story on a site of amusing Christian stories. Once, not too long ago, I thought I had only one of my Sunday school students show up. I was thinking about what to do--perhaps send him to another class or what? The "problem" was solved when two more students arrived that day. But after reading the above, it really touched me that even if I have just the one on any given Lord's Day, I should do all the Lord allows to give to that one young soul all God has for him or her at that particular time. What a lesson for not only pastors, but Sunday school teachers as well.

My Life

My life shall touch a dozen lives

before this day is done,

Leave countless marks for good or ill

ere sets the evening sun,

This is the wish I always wish,

the prayer I always pray;

Lord, may my life help other lives

it touches by the way.

~Anon

Beauty Care for the Tongue

Someone was talking about this book on another blog and I ordered it several months ago, but just started reading it this week. I really am enjoying it. Very nicely written, easy to follow, with quite a bit of sensible advice. It's also very biblical, with many Scriptures sprinkled throughout. And let me say, there is probably a piece of counsel in this book for each of us. For me, Beauty Hint 2, " A Beautiful Tongue is a Silent Tongue," is a particularly needful one. Here's a little nugget from that chapter to give you an example:

"Often when we converse with another person, we don't really listen to what that person is saying. In fact, while the other person is speaking, we are thinking about what we are going to say in return. If both individuals are going through the same little ritual, we have the ludicrous situation of two people talking to themselves together! There is a sobering proverb: 'Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.' (Prov. 18:2 NLT)"

Is that ever true of you? I hate to admit, but there are times when it is of me. By the way, this book is one in a series of others on beauty care for different parts of the body, such as the hands. Order this one and see what you think. I probably will be getting a few more after this one.

Happy Mother's Day

If you've arrived here at this page during the week of May 10th, 2009, this wish is for you. If you are a mother, cherish the children and grandchildren that God has given you. If you have a mother, honor and cherish her today. If like me, your mother has gone on before you, I pray your memories will be sweet today.

If Mother's Day is difficult for you for any reason, embrace the Lord Jesus. May He fill whatever void you may have.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Psalm 73:25-26

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4:11

Lately I've been reading quite a bit about the lives of saints who suffered for their faith. Some of these sufferings were severe. Currently, I'm three quarters of the way through a book about the life of a brother in China. It's unbelievable the extent of the persecution that this man went through. And today during devotions, I read one of the short daily bio sketches in this book, The One Year Christian History. The glimpse I read today was about a believer in Bulgaria, another one who was tortured for his faith. I encourage you to get this book and read about the many lives, some by their shed blood, who are testimonies of the gospel worldwide. I promise you that you won't be sorry.

Of course, reading about people like Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham are great encouragements, but I also think its important to reflect on the lives and trials of many who are little known to us. For they certainly are not little known to the God for whom they gave their lives, some literally. Needless to say, they will and should spur us on. Many of us who have it easy don't want things to get too difficult for us. Please don't let living the Christian life cause us too much discomfort or get in the way of us having and doing the things we want. I have a great remedy which I hope will help all of us: Ponder the stripes and chains of those who've gone before. This book will help you to do that.

Following After Abraham

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed" (Heb. 11:8).

If we were to follow in the steps of Abraham, we would follow the Lord's leading even when we don't know the where. This can be especially challenging during the dark times. These thoughts from today's Streams in the Desert should be a reminder that He'll take our hand when the need is greatest:

The day had gone; alone and weak
I groped my way within a bleak
And sunless land.
The path that led into the light
I could not find! In that dark
night God took my hand.

He led me that I might not stray,
And brought me by a new, safe way
I had not known.
By waters still, through pastures green
I followed Him--the path was clean
Of briar and stone.

The heavy darkness lost its strength,
My waiting eyes beheld at length
The streaking dawn.
On, safely on, through sunrise glow
I walked, my hand in His, and lo,
The night had gone.
--Annie Porter Johnson

In the Garden

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. John 19:41-42.

I hadn't thought much about the fact that there was a garden there, until this morning's devotions. I was reading in Meditations on the Gospels by George H. Morrison [which book I highly recommend] and he wrote absolutely wonderful thoughts about it. It made me decide to mention this garden on each of my blogs. Then a commenter on Nanna's Reflections made me think of this:

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

~C. Austin Miles

Just think. In the place where He was crucified there was a garden. Think about that, friends. His sepulchre was in a garden. So when He rose from the dead, He was in a garden. For me, that's a beautiful thought.

Praying these thoughts will make your holiday just a bit more precious.

The Fool

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. . .Psalm 14:1a


"'There is no God,' the fool in secret said:
There is no God that rules or earth or sky.'
Tear off the band that binds the wretch's head,
That God may burst upon his faithless eye!
Is there no God?—The stars in myriads spread,
If he look up, the blasphemy deny;
While his own features, in the mirror read,
Reflect the image of Divinity.
Is there no God?—The streams that silver flows,
The air he breathes, the ground he treads, the trees,
The flowers, the grass, the sands, each wind that blows,
All speak of God; throughout, one voice agrees,
And, eloquent, his dread existence shows:
Blind to thyself, ah, see him, fool, in these!"

Giovanni Cotta.

The Way of Sorrows

"And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon of Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place of Golgatha, which is, being interpreted, The place of the skull." Mark 15:20-22.

Sunday our sermon was entitled "The Via Dolorosa," as we finish up an extended series from the book of Mark. In these recent weeks, we've been looking closely at the passion of our Lord, timing it all to finish up on Easter Sunday with the resurrection account from Mark's gospel. Pastor R. said the meaning of this Latin phrase is "the way of sorrows," as we reflected on that mile long journey our Lord took from the governor's palace to the place of crucifixion. He needed help carrying his cross burden; Luke's gospel tells us of women weeping by the way; Luke also tells of two criminals who went on the same journey to be put to death along with Him.

It was a sad and painful journey. But at the end was triumph. This rendition of the song seems triumphant to me. Maybe rightfully so.

(Remember to turn off the sidebar music!)

On Time

I don't know what to say, but something has happened to time. It has accelerated. It's eating up the hours, days, weeks, months, and years at a much more rapid pace. Is it just me or are you noticing it too? Have you noticed that something that you thought happened just a week ago was actually a month before? How about when you think something happened last year and it was really two, maybe even three years back? Well, I looked and saw how long it's been since I made the last post here and was flabbergasted. And just when I wanted to try to make more posts, more little brief stops. Oh well, such it is when time flies. John Milton had it right, though:


Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Whose speed is but the heavy Plummet's pace;
And glut thyself with what thy womb devours,
Which is no more than what is false and vain,
And merely mortal dross;
So little is our loss,
So little is thy gain.
For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb'd,
Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss
With an individual kiss;
And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,
When everything that is sincerely good
And perfectly divine,
With Truth, and Peace, and Love, shall ever shine
About the supreme Throne
Of him, t'whose happy-making sight alone,
When once our heav'nly-guided soul shall climb,
Then all this Earthy grossness quit,
Attir'd with Stars, we shall for ever sit,
Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee
O Time.


~ John Milton - 1633