Friday Favorites:

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.

Plato

Fingerprints

Last weekend, while at my parents house in Delaware, my mom showed me this poinsettia.  It's about 5 years old, and was almost thrown in the garbage a few years back.  But it is still alive.  She said to me, "Charles (my mom calls me Charles), you should blog about this."  She's right, there are many moral inferences derivable from this ill-fated, seasonal centerpiece.  I trust that all of you can immediately begin to develop the story lines: the rescue from impending doom, or of seeming hopelessness which bursts into a blossom of life.  Run with it; there is a great deal found in this 9" pot. 

Several days later, while sitting around the dinning room table with a few of my daughter-in-laws discussing blogging (two of my DILs blog) one made a statement to this effect, "You could see a rock on the ground and find some application!"  That conversation came back to me this morning while I was reading Psalm 104 which reminds us of God's hands-on involvement in creation.  Since God was involved in everything in this world you and I should be able to find His fingerprints everywhere we look.  Each detail, small and great should bear the mark of the creator.  Every animal or plant or element should be a testimony of the One who's breath spoke ALL into existence. 

"O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches."
Psalm 104:24


Chuck

"Thy Word" Wednesday

“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;"

Psalm 103:17

Chuck

Little Chef

This is grand baby #6 (aka: GB6) with her new chef's hat.  Mom-mom-mom (aka: Mom-mom Joan or M3) made chef's hats for all her great-grand kids this year for Christmas, and they all loved them.  Now GB6 is more into eating than cooking but she will be given plenty of opportunities to fall in love with the kitchen.

When you teach a child to cook you are instilling them with some basic concepts.  First, you teach them that a meal just doesn't happen, it is made.  Second, they don't have to just eat what comes out of a box.  And third, following a recipe (a set of instruction) produces a desired result.  Learning to follow instructions is an important life lesson which will benefit them in many areas of their lives.  So let's cook up some fun and a future in the kitchen.

Chuck

Scoring the Game

On September 26, 1997 Philadelphia Phillies star, right-handed pitcher, Curt Schilling, broke the single season strikeout record for the Phillies (314) in the first inning against the Florida Marlins' center-fielder Devon White.  The reason I know this is not because I have a tremendous memory but because I wrote it down on my score card that night.  I have scored nearly every game that attended as an adult.  I must admit that I slacked off this past year because my file cabinets are full and I really have no place to put them any more.  But this post is not about my messy office but about why I score baseball games.

I have a hard time paying attention during baseball games.  The truth is out.  I love baseball, and especially the Phillies, but when I'm at a game I can get easily distracted by everything going on around me.  There are folks to talk to, thousands of people to watch (I'm a people watcher because people do weird things) and then there's that Phanatic running all over the place.  If I'm not careful I could miss some spectacular plays, which I paid good money to see, so by scoring  the game I make myself focus on every pitch and every play.

This same principle works in many other applications, like taking notes during preaching.  I have drawers full of notebooks with sermon outlines because when I have the opportunity to hear the Word of God preached I don't want to miss anything.  And you all know that there are many distractions during preaching services, so I force myself to focus.  It works for me.

By the way, there were 18,007 in attendance that night in Philly, left-fielder Billy McMillon made a spectacular diving catch against Florida's Moises Alou to end the 7th inning, and Curt Schilling was ejected from the game in the top of the 8th for hitting catcher, Charles Johnson, with a pitch.  Now think about the score cards that I've accumulated in eight years from sitting under the preaching of Pastor Leon Gray at Berean Baptist Church.  I'm glad I paid attention.


Chuck

Show Off

On the home from Delaware last night, Joyce and I stopped to do a little grocery shopping.  I had to take a picture of this on.  There were plenty of parking spots left, so that was not the reason for this.  It certainly was well lit, so he didn't just run into it.  No he (had to have been a guy), HE did this on purpose.  The question is why.  To prove to someone that he could, to show off, or simply because he could! 

I suppose if I had a vehicle that could I might do that too.  "Give me this mountain" was the cry of 80 year old Caleb when he finally returned to the land that he had spied out.  The mountain was not just a challenge but an opportunity to experience the blessings, the power and the victories that only God could bring. 

Warning! - Let your wife out at the curb before you put the car in the snow bank.  That will be a blessing to her.  But remember there are many mountain in the land that we occupy as the Children of God and so many opportunities to see God at work.  "I want that mountain ..."


Chuck (220)

Tabula Rasa

Although I'm not a fan of John Locke's epistemological theory of Tabula Rasa, I am firm believer in the "Blank Slate" in action.  Today I start with a new Bible Reading Note Book, not a single word has been written and it is waiting for me to fill its pages with observations and applications from my New Bible Reading Schedule.  I have a brand new Phone Conversation Note Book, yes I keep one at my desk, so that I have a record of calls in & out and jot down information while in a conversation with people throughout this year.  Oh, yes I started the year off with a fresh BIC ReAction Gel Pen.  There is a New "Chick-fil-a" Calendar to hang on the wall which provides me a Tabula Rasa every month. 

My Slate is also Blank with my Lord.  I have not quenched or grieved His Spirit so far this year.  I have sought His face in the Word & in Prayer everyday so far this year.  "I have walked in mine integrity" without exception so far this year.  "I have Kept the Faith" so far, and so have you. Let's offer this year's Blank Slate as a sacrifice of praise unto the LORD, filling each new day with love and service to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 


Chuck