Did you know:
Women who have close friends live longer and are generally in better health. Yes, health officials have discovered that women who have close friends have happier, healthier lives. Yes, a new revelation for health officials. Even the TODAY show had a segment on this fact on Monday, September 17, 2007 professing the need for women to have and develop those lasting friendships.
This is not a new revelation. John 15:10-13 says,
10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Another recent published revelation from some health care officials is that laughter adds approximately 8 years to a man's life. I go back to John 15:11 "... and that your joy might be full."
So make close friends and laugh, a lot!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Everyone Has a Story
Over the past couple of weeks several events have happened that caused me to think that “Everyone Has A Story”. Mrs. Burns at Carestone told me one Sunday morning a few weeks ago that she didn’t know why she was still here. At the Men’s retreat in Tim Partlow’s session about “Men After God’s Own Heart”, Tim talked about men in the Bible that was referred to as being after God’s own heart. Of course you think of David, Moses, Abraham, Paul and so on. A couple of Sundays ago at the 10:30 service Mark Steele told part of his story from his dark days during the pit of his addiction.
Yesterday at Carestone I spoke about Everybody’s story. God didn’t pick men (or Women) that were without problems. Let’s look at Paul (Saul). In Acts chapter 9 Saul got orders from the High Priest to go search Damascus and find Christians and arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment, even putting them to death. He was a murder. And, David was a man after God’s own heart put his mistress’s husband at the front of the battle to be sure he would be killed. So, David was an adulterer and murder.
The point I was trying to make is that God takes people in whatever state they were in and they changed because of God. Mike Root use to say that the gospel can be summed up in one word, Love. I think that is true and that God intended us to love each other and know each other’s story and be thankful that He sent the gift of Jesus to save us from the blackness of sin.
Just like our own families that we know the good and the not good stuff and we love them because of it and in spite of it. We need those circles of people that we know them just like we know our own families, the circles of people that we can lean on in the rough times, we can celebrate with in the good times and that we can praise God with all the time. I was sitting here and just saw a T-Mobil cell phone commercial that implied this same idea, asking who was in your “fav–5”. Well, we all need those Fav-5’s we can call anytime for any reason!
Sometimes we have to tell our stories to encourage people that they can make it through their rough times. To let them know that God will take you in whatever state you’re in and can change you. Sometimes we need to tell our stories to develop that circle of people that we can trust with anything and who know us just like our own family! So, tell your story!
Yesterday at Carestone I spoke about Everybody’s story. God didn’t pick men (or Women) that were without problems. Let’s look at Paul (Saul). In Acts chapter 9 Saul got orders from the High Priest to go search Damascus and find Christians and arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment, even putting them to death. He was a murder. And, David was a man after God’s own heart put his mistress’s husband at the front of the battle to be sure he would be killed. So, David was an adulterer and murder.
The point I was trying to make is that God takes people in whatever state they were in and they changed because of God. Mike Root use to say that the gospel can be summed up in one word, Love. I think that is true and that God intended us to love each other and know each other’s story and be thankful that He sent the gift of Jesus to save us from the blackness of sin.
Just like our own families that we know the good and the not good stuff and we love them because of it and in spite of it. We need those circles of people that we know them just like we know our own families, the circles of people that we can lean on in the rough times, we can celebrate with in the good times and that we can praise God with all the time. I was sitting here and just saw a T-Mobil cell phone commercial that implied this same idea, asking who was in your “fav–5”. Well, we all need those Fav-5’s we can call anytime for any reason!
Sometimes we have to tell our stories to encourage people that they can make it through their rough times. To let them know that God will take you in whatever state you’re in and can change you. Sometimes we need to tell our stories to develop that circle of people that we can trust with anything and who know us just like our own family! So, tell your story!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Happy Birthday Sam!
We spent Labor Day weekend in Paris with Sam. Sunday, September 2nd was his birthday. I think we surprised him. Inez ordered hm a birthday cake and it was a small party, just the 3 of us, but we enjoyed it! Happy 73rd birthday Sam!
HOSPITAL TOP 10
After spending 3 days in the hospital recently and feeling really bad, here are some things to expect or not expect about hospitals.
10. Don’t try to sleep in a hospital.
9. Don’t expect to be able to rest in a hospital.
8. Don’t expect a rush to answer call lights.
7. Don’t expect bathroom calls to be easy when attached to an IV pole.
6. Don’t expect hospital food to have flavor.
5. Don’t expect hours to pass in normal time, they seem much longer.
4. Expect to be embarrassed by all the poking, prodding and bystanders during examinations.
3. Expect to find out about more body areas than you ever really wanted to know.
2. Expect to find out how many body orifices can be examined.
1. Expect to be left with the dilemma of which is worse the illness or the treatment?
10. Don’t try to sleep in a hospital.
9. Don’t expect to be able to rest in a hospital.
8. Don’t expect a rush to answer call lights.
7. Don’t expect bathroom calls to be easy when attached to an IV pole.
6. Don’t expect hospital food to have flavor.
5. Don’t expect hours to pass in normal time, they seem much longer.
4. Expect to be embarrassed by all the poking, prodding and bystanders during examinations.
3. Expect to find out about more body areas than you ever really wanted to know.
2. Expect to find out how many body orifices can be examined.
1. Expect to be left with the dilemma of which is worse the illness or the treatment?
I do need to add a disclaimer by saying that without the hospital I would not have improved and be able to be back in my normal routine. But this was only my second time as a patient in a hospital. I have been the visitor or employee all these years. It was so awkward being the patient. My other time as a patient was a single overnight stay after a quick surgery.
I hope all your hospital stays are short and that you improve quickly so that you can get back to your normal routines.
It was reinforced how much you appreciate the people who come to visit and how glad you are to get those call and cards to let you know how much people care. Each one was loved and appreciated.
And to all of our extended family in our Small Group, you just don"t know how much you mean to Inez and me. God has blessed us with all of you and we love you guys!
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