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WITandWISDOM(tm) - November 17, 2000 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live. - Norman Cousins Source: http://www2.bc.edu/~boweran/quotes.html Submitted by Jay W. Cook ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: The throw from shortstop was over my head. When I jumped to catch the ball at first base, I felt something snap in my lower right leg. My teammates surrounded me, while someone in the stands called 911. The doctor informed me that I had ruptured my Achilles tendon. Four days later the doctor surgically repaired it, and I spent the next 12 weeks on crutches, followed by three months of physical therapy. Before my injury my life was chaos. I was involved in too many activities. I needed a break in my schedule, but I didn't know how to get it. One night, shortly before I got hurt, I sat down at my computer to write in my journal. I poured out my heart to God in a prayer seeking His guidance. I made a list of all the activities on my schedule, and I asked God to show me which activities He wanted me to continue. Now that my injury had emptied my schedule, I finally took time to listen to God. One morning, during my devotions, I read the verse: 'Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." l Corinthians 10:31, NKJV A question in my devotional that morning read, "What parts of my life do I do for 'my name,' 'my glory' and 'for me?" In that moment the Holy Spirit began to work in me. I decided to reevaluate my schedule based on the Bible verse and devotional question and to discontinue any activity that did not bring glory to God. First on my list was teaching Sunday school. I don't have the spiritual gift of teaching, and in light of the Scripture that I read in my devotions, I realized that I was teaching not for God's glory but for mine, so that people in my church wouldn't look down on me. The second activity on my list was writing. Just after my injury I had received an offer to write a column for Christian singles. One of my greatest desires is to encourage people and to glorify God through writing. The Scripture made my decision easy: I decided to devote more time to becoming a better writer. Third on my list was publishing and editing a Christian newsletter. I was publishing it because people expected me to, and I didn't want to disappoint them. I also enjoyed the praise that I received for putting it together. I wasn't publishing the newsletter for God's glory. It was time for me to stop publishing it. The fourth item on my list was a singles' leadership committee that I served on at church. I considered my motivation based on Scripture, and I again realized that I was acting out of fear of letting my church down rather than being led by God. I asked to be released from the committee. The fifth item on my list was my grandmother's name. Three years before I ruptured my Achilles tendon, I had at God's leading moved into an apartment in the basement of my grandmother's house. She had been living alone and was beginning to need help around the house. As I read her name on my list, I was confident that God intended for me to stay with her. The activities that I discontinued made room in my schedule to do the things that I know God wants me to do. I now go in His strength, to do things that bring Him glory. By Lee Warren LeeWJunior@home.com http://www.leewarrenjr.com Source: Decision, February 2000, Copyright (c) Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, http://www.decisionmag.org/ >~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: PIGEONHOLING MUTTS Collie + Lhasa Apso = Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport Spitz + Chow = Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot Pointer + Setter = Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet Great Pyrenees + Dachshund = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso = Peekasso, an abstract dog Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel = Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever = Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of dogs for research scientists Newfoundland + Basset Hound = Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors Terrier + Bulldog = Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly Malamute + Pointer = Moot Point, owned by... oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway Collie + Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work Deerhound + Terrier = Derriere, a dog that's true to the end Kerry Blue Terrier + Skye Terrier = Blue Skye, a dog for visionaries Submitted by Kimberley Broyles :o) >~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Steve Jobs has now designated himself as the "iCEO" of Apple, saying that it shows the importance of the Internet. If we assume that this makes him the Executive Internet Officer, and if we further assume that Apple is going to continue the terminally cute practice of putting an "i" in front of everything, and if we assume that, like every other high tech company interested in online commerce, they are going to stick an "e" in front, then, does that make him the "eiEIO?" Source: Clean Hewmor, clean-hewmor-subscribe@welovegod.org ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Did G.I. Joe really win a medal? Yes, there really was a "G.I. Joe" and he did win a medal for saving a thousand British soldiers from a bombing raid in Italy during World War II. He was a pigeon, one of thirty-one to receive Britain's "Animal Victoria Cross," the Dickins Medal. Source: ArcaMax Trivia, http://www.arcamax.com |