Todays advice from the old farmer:* First off, I need to congratulate the Boyle County Rebels for a great game over a formidable opponent. Stay the course and remember, one game at a time. Pour it on Rebs... Now I need to get serious about something that has been on my mind for a few weeks and was brought to a head to day here in northern Florida. A grandfather shot and killed his daughter and six of her children and young as 3 months old, then took his own life. A couple of years ago I heard a song on the radio that said; “we are all only one phone call away from our knees.” When I heard these words it made me think how fragile our world is and how fragile each of our lives are. It is easy to go through life, day after day, ignoring the fact that at any given moment things could drastically change. Perhaps because of my age and being the father of one in the ministry and being a deacon to many families over several years, I am a bit more aware of this because of the things that I am confronted with as I ministered to people. People normally don’t come to their deacon or pastor to say how good things are going; they typically come to share their struggles, their sorrows and their pain, and I understand and accept that this is a part of serving and ministering. It’s no different for doctors. People usually dont set an appointment with their doctor to tell them how healthy they feel. I also realize that most people dont contemplate the potential tragedies that could happen to them, nor do most individuals sit around thinking about their own mortality. I am not necessarily advocating this, although the church deacons, elders, pastors, and priest do see a benefit in calling to mind one’s inevitable departure from this life. What I am advocating is that we all ought to recognize that our life is fragile, and we are one phone call away from having to face unpleasant news. I will take it one step further and say that we should not only recognize this fact, but we should allow this reality to deepen our appreciation for life as a whole, and to propel us to seek deeper and more meaningful relationships with our God as well as others. I have noticed that people who have had to endure tragedies and “real scares” in their life with threatening illnesses and other very difficult situations generally have greater sensitivity and deeper appreciation for their own life and the lives of others. They seem to be more “real” and are not afraid to discuss otherwise considered “taboo” topics. They have been through a war, endured the fire of a particular situation and they have come out more refined, more attuned in to the reality of life. We know from Holy Scripture that the world we live in is passing away, and that there will be much suffering and tribulation in this life. If this were the end of the message, we would all be in a very despairing position, but this is not the end of the message. Our Lord has said that He has overcome this world. He reminds us that the sufferings of this world cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed in those who are His. We have a God who is not indifferent to our suffering but one Who came in the flesh and suffered in every imaginable way for our sake. We have a God who knows what we go through each and every day, and thus we are never alone! Moreover, He has gone before us to prepare a place for us in His Kingdom, a place where there is neither pain, nor sorrow nor suffering. The world we live in is indeed fragile, and we see this every day with the fires, the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the floods, the famines the world and all manner of disease. Our lives are likewise very fragile, and we see this also through illnesses, hunger, and ultimately death. It would be good for us to never lose sight of this fact, because I believe that if we are mindful that at any given moment in life things could change dramatically, we would value and appreciate the life that God has given us and the people around us more. As we approach our day devoted to worship, a time devoted to deepening our relationship with Him, let us not forget that our time here on this earth is very short and we would do well to get your relationships in order. That being with God, with man, with family, and with yourself. Now, live every moment of every day as fully as possible. When we begin to slow down our thoughts and pay attention to the details in our relationships, we will begin to see how precious life truly is. I love you dear friends and just prayed for each and every one of you... A chocolate thought for today; My souls had enough chicken soup...Now it wants chocolate - preferably dark chocolate.. Check out the comments now for a few laughs and if the big football win for the Rebels didnt put a smile on your face, you will surely find one here...
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 04:05:17 +0000
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