TIME

Monday, March 12, 2007

The following statement is thought-provoking: “If you are 35, you have 500 days to live.” Immediately you think, “That’s not right.” But when you subtract the time spent sleeping, working, tending to personal matters, hygiene, odd chores, medical matters, eating, traveling, and miscellaneous time-stealers, in the next thirty-six years you will have roughly the equivalent of only five hundred days left to spend as you wish. Well, of course, you wanted to eat, sleep, travel, etc. but when you think strictly of the things you want to do but don’t have to do—there is not a lot of time left for that.

All of us are given exactly the same amount of time each day. In God’s eyes, none of us are more important than another.

I’m going outside now and clean up the yard. I really do want to do it. I really do!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

SOUTHERN LIVING

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Southern Living magazine is one of my favorites. In fact, it is one of the few magazines I still subscribe to. Up until my retirement three years ago I subscribed to several publications. But I decided I no longer needed or could afford so many. So I dropped them. But my daughter knew how much I liked Southern Living so she gave me a subscription and I am glad she did.

Yes, I like the way of life in the south, especially the food!

Here are some of the recipes I am looking at: Orange rolls. “…these top-rated orange rolls will have you quickly reaching for a sticky, gooey extra helping.” Mediterranean salmon with white beans. Chocolate-Chocolate cupcakes with white frosting. Sweet potato cinnamon rolls. Blueberry dumpling cobbler. Classic barbecue ribs.

Wow! It all looks good to me. There is only one problem—I am diabetic! Oh well, there is one healthy looking thing there—salmon.

"AMAZING GRACE"

Saturday, March 10, 2007

The following information about the movie, “Amazing Grace” was written by Darryl Tippens a professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Darryl is a faithful Christian and a splendid teacher and writer. One of my favorite books of his, is “Pilgrim Heart, The Way Of Jesus In Everyday Life.” I saw“Amazing Grace” last week and I thought it was very good. I recommend it highly.
“Amazing Grace” is the story of William Wilberforce, the British Member of Parliament who succeeded in leading England to abolish slavery in the British Empire, long before the American Civil War. Wilberforce was a man of deep faith, a wonderful example of how the Gospel changes lives and improves society. In a time when we promote diversity, it’s important to remember it was Christian abolitionists like Wilberforce who brought slavery to an end. A particularly interesting detail of the film concerns the link between the familiar: a hymn “Amazing Grace,” written by John Newton, and the life and work of Wilberforce.
I hope you will share the news of this film with your friends, family, and students, and I hope you will see the film yourself. Incidentally, the producer of the film is Ken Wales, a good friend to many of us at Pepperdine. If you believe in positive, uplifting movies, this is one you will want to support.
At the following web address you can watch a trailer for the film, find theatre locations, and even download study materials appropriate for classes.
http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/

KNOWLEDGE

Friday, March 09, 2007

"I am still learning. That is an important mark of a good leader...to know you don't know it all and never will."
--Anne Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO, Xerox

CARING FOR PEOPLE

Thursday, March 08, 2007

The shepherds (elders) of the Lord’s Church must care for people. This must be number one on their agenda—caring for people. They are not there to run the business of the church, make wise decisions concerning staff and a hundred and one other things that have nothing to do with saving souls.

“The only thing worse than a coach or CEO who doesn’t care about his people is one who pretends to care. People can spot a phony every time. They know he doesn’t care about them, and worse, his act insults their intelligence.” Jimmy Johnson, former coach,
for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Dead in the desert! A few weeks ago it looked hopeless. Almost all of our trees, bushes, and plants looked dead. “Dead as a door nail.” Brown, ugly, wrinkled, drooping—they looked a lot like me.

It’s still a few days until spring but I’m seeing a few green buds and green sprigs sticking up here and there in with all the brown. THERE’S HOPE!

The “garden guy” said “wait until the middle of the month to start pruning.” What does he know? It will be 81 today and it’s not dropping below 50 at night—so I pruned today.
I took my trusty old pruning shears and saw and went to work. I only worked on one small section of the yard, but it looks 100% better. Make that 90%.

Life is kind of like those plants and trees. There are times when everything looks hopeless but just like the budding trees of spring; we begin to “bloom” again. HOPE—WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT!