Where God ain’t

This came in a recent email. Thought you might enjoy the childlike simplicity.

He was just a little boy,
On a week’s first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
He found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
And blew out all the filler.

A bird’s nest in a tree overhead,
Wisely placed so high.
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zigzag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he’d been that day
And what was going on.

“I’ve been to Bible School,”
He said and turned a piece of sod.
And, picking up a wiggly worm,
“I’ve learned a lot about God....”

“Mmm very fine way,” the neighbor said,
“for a boy to spend his time.”
“If you’ll tell me where God is,
I’ll give you a brand new dime.”

Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
“I’ll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain’t."

Meeting God half way

One loved puppy

"Where the Red Fern Grows," is a great family movie. It's a love story between a boy and his dogs.

Billy Coleman, growing up in the Ozark mountains, at about age 10 wants a pair of redbone hunting dog pups more than anything in the world. Because his family is very poor, he asks God for these puppies.

Eventually he asks his Grampa why after all his prayers, he still has no dogs. His grampa says, “Maybe you need to meet God half way.”

Billy wants to know what this means, and Grampa wisely tells him to think about it.

Think Billy does. Then he puts his prayer into action. He begins doing chores for the neighboring farm families – cutting wood, painting fences, selling vegetables to seasonal hunters. Every nickel, dime, and quarter earned goes into a jar. At the end of two years he has saved enough to buy two fine puppies.

Another way to phrase Billy’s insight is “God helps those who help themselves.” Religious leader Mary Baker Eddy observes that if our prayers are sincere, we will live consistently with the spirit of those prayers.

Was it Ghandi who said, “Become the change you want to see”?

Billy realized he had to be a participant in achieving his prayer.

Christ Jesus taught his followers (throughout all time) to be doers. There’s a balance between prayer and doing. Taking time for prayer undergirds whatever action follows.

So I have to ask myself when I pray, how willing am I to meet God half way? How willing am I to change my thinking from that of an observer to that of a participant? These are two different attitudes.

How willing am I to drop old opinions, old habits, old ways of looking at things in exchange for fresh ideas, fresh approaches? Not change for the sake of change, but change in order to keep up with the times. How willing am I to leave old familiar routines that don’t necessarily promote progress or growth?

How willing am I to do my share to achieve my prayers?

New self-help book!

Thought you might enjoy this commentary on the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament of the Bible.

New Self-help book!

Opens with solid reasons for reading the whole book.
Has been in print for some time.
Included in the world’s best-selling book.
Human nature hasn’t changed in all recorded history – this book on human nature has stood the test of time.
Quick read - thirty pages, with about a chapter per page.
A short book with short chapters can’t be that intimidating.
Found in every hotel room where you’ll ever stay.
Some places will give it to you just for asking.
It’s pithy sayings tell how to live intelligently and wisely.
They highlight the benefits of being honest, just, and fair.
When applied, these techniques make the young resourceful, the aged wiser.

A few samples:

· A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
Gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

· The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,
so stop it before it bursts.

· A good leader motivates,
Doesn’t mislead doesn’t exploit.

· First pride, then the crash –
The bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

A must-read!