Sharp?

They have never been the sharpest knives in the drawer. No, I’m not talking about people I know. Even though . . . No. I’m actually talking about the knives we have in the drawer and the knives in the butcher block knife stand. I honestly believe the manufacturer makes and ships them without a sharp edge on purpose. That purpose could be they don’t want someone getting cut trying to take them out of those plastic packaging containers that you need a sharp knife to open. It could also be they want you to buy other tools for your home and kitchen. Things like a wet stone or one of those long pointed sharpeners we as kids used to use as pretend swords.

Be that as it may, I, like you, if you are normal, have a house full of almost useful knives. Or maybe I should be saying, almost useless knives. Let me just say, I do have one that works. Found it on sale one week at the soon to be forgotten, Zellers. This is the only knife I think I really need. It has one of those serrated edges that they advertise never needs to be sharpened. No, not the one you see on tv cutting through a block of wood or steel. This is just one of those ordinary everyday knives that worked when it was new and it still works today.

It cuts through a roast pretty quick. And a turkey, just let me say, its’ a slice. No, that would be when we have bread to cut. But it does almost every job and does it well over and over and over again. I’ve grown pretty happy with it. Never failed me yet. It has also done one other thing. It’s basically made all the other knives obsolete. Or so it would seem. We must have every imaginable kind of knife. All sizes all shapes and for all occasions. Even have one of those knives you see the boys wielding as they attack the chickens in Swiss Chalet preparation room. Never used it, but we still have one.

One day when I was over to my friend’s bakery - butcher shop, he offered to sharp all our knives. That was a few months ago. I still have not taken them over. After all I have the serrated edge one that can do everything I need. One day I will gather them together and make my way over to have a new edge put on them. Then, maybe, I will have a knife for every kitchen demand.

I think that is so true in our lives as well. There is no one in our church that can do it all. Unfortunately we think there is one size fits all in the family of God. But there isn’t. Well, there is but the only one that can do it all, Jesus, called us all to be fishers of men. God needs each and every one of us. We all have a purpose and a mission or ministry if you will. Together, the church will flourish and grow if we all chip in and do the ministry God calls each one of us to. It is part of each person doing their part and all parts working together.

One more thing and this may be the most difficult part. It is the most important part. Many of us need to be sharpened by God. And to do so, we need to take time and get into His word and be sharpened by the master sharpener. How sharp are you?

Something to think about

Rob

Follow?

It was just another ordinary day. I have them, you have them, and we all have them. But wait a minute. Isn’t there something significant in the ordinary day that has just gone by? Just something special, something of a miracle, in every day events of each and every day? It happened with the disciples you know.

I wonder what I would have done? Jesus was just walking by a group of fisherman. They were a normal bunch, engaged in the normal activities fishermen engage in. There was nothing out of the ordinary. It was probably early morning, just after dawn. Here they were, these gnarly men, working at all they had ever known; fishing, sorting fish and repairing nets.

Just ordinary men doing ordinary things on an ordinary day. They were minding their own business, not bothering anyone. Probably engaged in some sort of ordinary morning chit-chat consisting of just normal conversation at the end of a catch. Talked about size, amount and probably about the fish that got away by breaking through the net. The ordinary miracle of catching fish.

It was just a normal everyday day. Until. . . until Jesus walked by and said to them; “Come follow me”. “Come, follow me....”. I don’t know about you, but I would want to know what that means. Does it mean for the day? Does it mean going to a seminar on fishing that will make me a better fisherman? What’s it mean? What’s in it for me? And, who was asking? He had also said; “and I will make you fishers of men.” What’s that mean? Most of us would also want to know, is this a new job for me? What’s the pay? What are the hours and is there shift work? Can you give me a job description? How much training do I need to be able to do it on my own? Are there fringe benefits? What about a pension plan? Our list would go on and on.
I can only imagine there fishermen wanting a better job. But fishers of men?

We know the rest of the story. The disciples probably knew of Jesus and his preaching in the area. They might have even thought it was a call to listen further to another new sermon that captivated many lives there in Capernaum. Now, we know what the call entails. What it meant to them and what it will indeed mean to us. Two Thousand years after this itinerant preacher walked by a group of fishermen and asked them this simple question, we all know the answer. To them it was just an ordinary miracle that day.

He is still asking the same question today. Each and every day He calls someone on an ordinary day to follow Him. But He calls for more than that. He calls us out of life circumstance to look beyond ourselves and our ordinary lives to be engaged in helping others find in an ordinary day the exceptional ordinary miracle of hearing His voice call them. Do you hear His call on you to, to follow Him and become a fisher of men?

By the way, His pension plan is out of this world.

Something to think about.

Rob

Good Enough?

Do you have a philosophy of life? I know, they change. Things happen in life, times change, we change and life just goes where it wants to go. At those time we sometimes see the need for or just move on and that causes us to have a change in our philosophy of life.
Take for instance our philosophy at say, sixteen. Many young vim and vinegar boys, yes boys, had the attitude, "I know, just ask me." Quite a statement. Then they found out they didn't and things changed. On entering university it could have changed to, "I'm mouldable". Still later it may have moved to "Learning is Lifetime."
Now that we are old-er things have changed again. Part of life change could have brought you to succumbing or degenerated to a philosophy of, "It's just good to be alive." Or this one; "Enough is Enough". Personally I will hold my verdict on those two. You see, I don't care how old I get. As long as I'm mobile and active, I believe I want to attack each and every day with as much vigor and determination that I can muster to make this day the best day of my life at this time of life. Do you get that?
Again, let's go back to Moses. Being a shepherd was not the most glamorous occupation. But it was good for the time and he could keep warm with the wool and eat all the mutton he wanted. Then God's plan for his life everything. He didn't change, but I would guess his philosophy changed. After all he may have thought, "not much different leading sheep as leading people." Not easy on both accounts. But he moved on, moved forward. His philosophy could have changed to: here it is sports fans: "I can do all things. . . . . . . through Christ who strengthens me."
What we really have to decide is which side of the line we want to live on. The side of self- preservation, or the side of God. The same things in life come at us no matter what side we are on. The difference is, we have someone to walk with on the one side while on the other, life can be too heavy to bear alone. I have also discovered over my too many years of life, the attitude we have changes when we walk on God's side. He gives us everything we need to make decisions, accept challenges, and make it through. I also believe He puts within us a wonderful positive frame of mind when we walk hand in hand with Him.
A long time ago, while making steps in life that included God, a philosophy presented itself to me. It came in the philosophy of a big band leader. His name was Artie Shaw. Shaw said it and I still try to live it today because I believe that it fits into my ideal of who we are in God's sight and how we approach life and what God has called us to. I believe if you do the same, if you can carry this forward each and every day for the rest of our life, we will glorify God in everything you say and do. Artie said, “Good Enough Is Not Good Enough!” Good enough at knitting, or doing Sudoku or whatever. It's taking it into you occupation, into your home, your personal life, your church life. And it's biblical. It tells me and you, “Whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God." I Cor 10:31

Something to think about

Life In General

We are still relatively close to the beginning of another year. Have you planned out your year? Me too, I’m still at the thinking stage. There was a time while I was in my final year at high school, I felt the need to begin the planning of my whole adult life. I had plans, BIG PLANS. Great, wonderful, amazing, stupendous plans. And nothing was going to get in my way, and reaching my full potential.
It didn’t take me long to realize there was some truth about the plans of mice and men. But I had a plan. It started off with excelling in drafting at school. Loved it and planned to make a career of it. That was until I came close to graduation and realized it didn’t pay enough to live in the style I wanted to become accustom to. That plan quickly disappear along with the girlfriend I had at the time. Two plans, gone, just like that. But I wasn’t discouraged. There were more opportunities. So, I applied for five different occupations. Now a new dilemma came to call. All five companies wanted me.
I did the honourable thing. I took the one that paid the most. Success! Well, until I found out I would have to get greasy and dirty. But I had another plan, No real problem with the dirt is I work well, work carefully and toke my time. And it worked. I was on my way. Or so I thought.
I believed the plan was working. What really happened then was I came upon a detour that couldn’t be moved. What was the detour? God shows up and got in the way.
Moses had the same problem. He had his life all set. He was going to ride the wave of prosperity and privilege. Until, until God had other plans. Then as a shepherd, Moses thought he was set for life again. Not the greatest occupation but a great living. Then God showed up. Finally Moses was called by God from a burning bush to lead the exodus. At eighty years old he took on this new role. I’m not eighty yet but . . . I’m wondering if my plan is actually my plan.
I had plans. I was working as a millwright apprentice and making good money, headed up the corporate ladder. Lots of money and wanting for nothing. Until. Until God got in the way.
He asked me to give up my job, the money, the house and the new car, and go back to school for another 11 years. Hey, wait a minute. I don't want to do that. I like what I'm doing, where I live, the house, brand new beige 1969 AMC Rebel, the wife and the 2 1/2 kids. What more could I want? What more did I need?
After complaining, talking to Him, and just finally let His will be done, I worked His plan and have never looked back. As always, He is never wrong, unlike me.
Take a moment right now and just reflect on your life. Find those wonderful places where you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was changing your plan to His. It is at those moments, and there will be more in the future, where your plans and God’s plans are one and the same. Together, let’s listen to God, He has a greater plan then we could ever imagine. Okay, I have a better idea, let's just start with Him and all things will fall into place.
Something to think about.
RB

What is Behind- Impacts Our Future

Unlike other years, I’m not, at the threshold of a new year, going to talk about all the opportunities that are ahead of us. After all, you already know that. Instead I’m going to talk about what is now behind us and the bricks of life we continue to build on and with.

We are leaving behind all those special moments we shared. Moments balanced on a scale that tips one way or another in time and emotions. It has been a year filled with every emotion imaginable. They run the scale between, laughter and tears. Melancholy moments sprinkled with inward warmth at something you or I never dreamed we would ever see happening. But it did.
It never takes much to recognize behind us the moments of sorrow. We all had them and there will be more in front of us. We also had moments of challenge. Sometimes it was a challenge in believing in ourselves, while other times we were dumbfounded to realize we had accomplished something even when we doubted.
Over these last twelve months, we have also had to make decisions. Some that were thrust upon us and others that just happened as part of life. And in those moments we relished in the thought of not only the accomplishments but also recognizing we are ready to do it again.
Then there were the chances we took. A chance to take hold of a dream and soar. Many times we took hold of what we perceived as the shooting star only to discover it was and we were headed beyond our wildest dreams. And just like every coin ever minted, we sometimes hesitated and the opportunity was gone. What a ride 2011 has been. What a ride!
But faint not. As one year has ended, a turbulent year at times, we have been calmed by the unmistakable realization of being guided by God. He has been here and He is present at this very moment. He is here in my life and in yours. He was the one who carried us when we couldn’t stand on our own. He also smiled at those moments when we danced and sang and did silly things just because. He said in His word, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” What a promise. What a life!
As we now move into another year filled with unknowns, we look back and realize we made it one brick at a time. And believe it or not, there were times we even triumphed. Do you actually remember back to January 2011? We really did set for ourselves goals, ambitions, visions and missions for our life. We did it alongside other individuals who walked through life with us. They with us, us with them, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder. I would like to thank everyone who is and has been part of what we now call our past. Thank you for being there. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life. Let me say, the best part of all is, WE MADE IT!!
Even better - Let’s do it again, let’s do it again.
Something to be thankful for.
Rob