I thought this story has some pretty cool spiritual insights in that we all need help along our own personal journeys and that church members and leadership can help pick us up and get us going in the right direction. Click on the link to check out this cute short story.
http://www.tweenbots.com/
Where would we all be...really...without a little help from our friends?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Timing
Time
"What is it?
Time to do well,
Time to live better,
Give up that grudge,
Answer that letter,
Speak the kind word to sweeten a sorrow,
Do that kind deed you would leave 'till tomorow." --Anonymous:What time is it?
Timing, timing, timing, Life is all about timing. God's timing is always impeccable.
I finally have had to succumb to the realization that the reason I have felt so lousy this spring is due to allergies. I had to be forced to swallow this bitter pill of reality by the doctor as I was sitting on the examination table with a lighted scope down my throat. “Sorry” she said with a little empathy thrown in, “It is definitely allergies that are causing all your symptoms.”
So yes, now at the age of 32, I am facing the fact that it is everyday run of the mill allergies to one of my favorite seasons, spring, that is causing me so much discomfort. In keeping with my stubbornness, I decide that I don't want to pick up the allergy medication the doctor has prescribed and called into my pharmacy.
Probably a full month goes by of, on and off, agony, until the other day I had to put down my book and declare, “I can't take it anymore.” I grabbed my wallet and started walking over to the pharmacy which is very close to my condo complex. Unbelievably they still had my filled prescription ready and waiting for me. Feeling mildly defeated that after so many years I am finally admitting that I have allergies and need medication, I walk out the door and back home.
As I jog home I run past a little old man trying to walk across the parking lot with the help of a wheeled walker. It is an extremely windy day and he probably weighs 85 pounds and is about 85 years old. He is getting blown around and looks a little lost. I jog back to him and ask him if he would like some help.
"I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it,
Forced upon me----can't refuse it.
But it's up to me to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it." ---Anonymous
What transpires next is much more humorous when told with his accent, speech and pantomime of how he walked. I don't think I can do it justice in writing. So I won't bother to try, I figured out from his few intelligible words that he was trying to get blood taken and clutched in his hand was the necessary paperwork. He had already been in one of the other various buildings and was now trekking around the parking lot following some one's bad directions as to where to go next. It took us quite a while to figure out where he was supposed to go and the various places and people we spoke with were rather rude to him and unhelpful in the different buildings we entered.
After I wished him a hearty, “God bless you” while patting him on his extremely bowed back, I left him at his desired destination. I wondered how on earth he had gotten there alone to begin with and would he have ever found the proper place without me? If I had not intervened he might still be blowing around in the parking lot in his little white shoes and baby blue pantsuit.
I thought, “Someone else surely would have helped him, right, Lord?” What if I had just run by him and not turned around and helped? Why were those other people so unfriendly and rude to him, didn't they realize that he was just asking for their help on where to go? And yeesh, why was it so hard to figure out even for me? There should have been some clear signage, I hate when there aren't obvious signs to help guide the way. But I guess that is life.
I was pondering all these things while walking home and I was suddenly struck with the idea that I was supposed to be there at just that time to help that man. I had been stubborn for years and years and had suffered for two months with my allergies so that on that exact day, at that exact time, I could be jogging by that sweet little man. I felt unbelievably blessed by God to be able to help that man. I felt like God had given me the honor of being of use to some random stranger and I had successfully completed my mission. It was all about the timing.
The next day another cool example of “God's timing”occurred. I have been practicing my own philosophy of telling some one whenever you think something nice about them, for so many years now that it is just second nature. It usually happens with a lot more finesse though than in this story.
I went in to Clover's Natural Foods and after picking up a few things I went to go check out. The girl had her head down as she started ringing in my things and she said, “How are you today?” She looked up at me as she said this and when I looked into her eyes I thought she was pretty and in a breathy, kinda surprised way I said, “Pretty.” I suddenly realized what I had just said and was completely embarrassed and bumbled around for a moment. In response to how was I doing, I had said pretty. Yikes!
Quickly recovering, I said, “I am sorry, I meant to say YOU are pretty. I try and tell people whenever I think something nice about them, and I usually don't just blurt it out like that.”
She said, “Wow, thank you so much for that, I really needed to hear that today. I went to an elementary school earlier and all the kids were telling me I look like a boy. Thank you so much.”
I guess it should be mentioned that she had a shaved head, which was probably why the kids were teasing her. As in the other story this is all about the timing. She needed to hear exactly that on that exact day. I think God puts us in the right place at the right time and it is up to us to do the right thing. These are both just small little things but I know that small little things can mean a lot to me when they are perfectly timed.
You are pretty, and obviously smart because you stuck through to the end of my email. I like you and probably love you and know that you are secretly brilliant in some area. Jesus loves you and wants to use you in some little way too, just ask Him and I am sure He will show you how you can be of use for something special today.
1 Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
Lord please lead us all to be a blessing to one another, please equip us to be ready and willing to be used by You for Your purposes. Help us Lord to have our hearts so overflowing with Your love that we can't help but pour it out on others. Call us to give and receive more of Your blessings, help us to see situations in which you can use us and let us hear Your call with clarity. Continue to reveal Your ultimate timing in our lives...
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Heaven helped me 4/4/09
God bless you,
A*
Time
"What is it?
Time to do well,
Time to live better,
Give up that grudge,
Answer that letter,
Speak the kind word to sweeten a sorrow,
Do that kind deed you would leave 'till tomorow." --Anonymous:What time is it?
Timing, timing, timing, Life is all about timing. God's timing is always impeccable.
I finally have had to succumb to the realization that the reason I have felt so lousy this spring is due to allergies. I had to be forced to swallow this bitter pill of reality by the doctor as I was sitting on the examination table with a lighted scope down my throat. “Sorry” she said with a little empathy thrown in, “It is definitely allergies that are causing all your symptoms.”
So yes, now at the age of 32, I am facing the fact that it is everyday run of the mill allergies to one of my favorite seasons, spring, that is causing me so much discomfort. In keeping with my stubbornness, I decide that I don't want to pick up the allergy medication the doctor has prescribed and called into my pharmacy.
Probably a full month goes by of, on and off, agony, until the other day I had to put down my book and declare, “I can't take it anymore.” I grabbed my wallet and started walking over to the pharmacy which is very close to my condo complex. Unbelievably they still had my filled prescription ready and waiting for me. Feeling mildly defeated that after so many years I am finally admitting that I have allergies and need medication, I walk out the door and back home.
As I jog home I run past a little old man trying to walk across the parking lot with the help of a wheeled walker. It is an extremely windy day and he probably weighs 85 pounds and is about 85 years old. He is getting blown around and looks a little lost. I jog back to him and ask him if he would like some help.
"I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it,
Forced upon me----can't refuse it.
But it's up to me to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it." ---Anonymous
What transpires next is much more humorous when told with his accent, speech and pantomime of how he walked. I don't think I can do it justice in writing. So I won't bother to try, I figured out from his few intelligible words that he was trying to get blood taken and clutched in his hand was the necessary paperwork. He had already been in one of the other various buildings and was now trekking around the parking lot following some one's bad directions as to where to go next. It took us quite a while to figure out where he was supposed to go and the various places and people we spoke with were rather rude to him and unhelpful in the different buildings we entered.
After I wished him a hearty, “God bless you” while patting him on his extremely bowed back, I left him at his desired destination. I wondered how on earth he had gotten there alone to begin with and would he have ever found the proper place without me? If I had not intervened he might still be blowing around in the parking lot in his little white shoes and baby blue pantsuit.
I thought, “Someone else surely would have helped him, right, Lord?” What if I had just run by him and not turned around and helped? Why were those other people so unfriendly and rude to him, didn't they realize that he was just asking for their help on where to go? And yeesh, why was it so hard to figure out even for me? There should have been some clear signage, I hate when there aren't obvious signs to help guide the way. But I guess that is life.
I was pondering all these things while walking home and I was suddenly struck with the idea that I was supposed to be there at just that time to help that man. I had been stubborn for years and years and had suffered for two months with my allergies so that on that exact day, at that exact time, I could be jogging by that sweet little man. I felt unbelievably blessed by God to be able to help that man. I felt like God had given me the honor of being of use to some random stranger and I had successfully completed my mission. It was all about the timing.
The next day another cool example of “God's timing”occurred. I have been practicing my own philosophy of telling some one whenever you think something nice about them, for so many years now that it is just second nature. It usually happens with a lot more finesse though than in this story.
I went in to Clover's Natural Foods and after picking up a few things I went to go check out. The girl had her head down as she started ringing in my things and she said, “How are you today?” She looked up at me as she said this and when I looked into her eyes I thought she was pretty and in a breathy, kinda surprised way I said, “Pretty.” I suddenly realized what I had just said and was completely embarrassed and bumbled around for a moment. In response to how was I doing, I had said pretty. Yikes!
Quickly recovering, I said, “I am sorry, I meant to say YOU are pretty. I try and tell people whenever I think something nice about them, and I usually don't just blurt it out like that.”
She said, “Wow, thank you so much for that, I really needed to hear that today. I went to an elementary school earlier and all the kids were telling me I look like a boy. Thank you so much.”
I guess it should be mentioned that she had a shaved head, which was probably why the kids were teasing her. As in the other story this is all about the timing. She needed to hear exactly that on that exact day. I think God puts us in the right place at the right time and it is up to us to do the right thing. These are both just small little things but I know that small little things can mean a lot to me when they are perfectly timed.
You are pretty, and obviously smart because you stuck through to the end of my email. I like you and probably love you and know that you are secretly brilliant in some area. Jesus loves you and wants to use you in some little way too, just ask Him and I am sure He will show you how you can be of use for something special today.
1 Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
Lord please lead us all to be a blessing to one another, please equip us to be ready and willing to be used by You for Your purposes. Help us Lord to have our hearts so overflowing with Your love that we can't help but pour it out on others. Call us to give and receive more of Your blessings, help us to see situations in which you can use us and let us hear Your call with clarity. Continue to reveal Your ultimate timing in our lives...
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Heaven helped me 4/4/09
God bless you,
A*
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