Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.
~~~~~~~~~ Henry Ward Beecher
We've all heard the old joke about the family that had two boys. One was constantly pessimistic and downtrodden, while the other always looked on the bright side. Their parents decided to try an experiment, so one Christmas they gave the pessimist every popular toy that was on the market. He opened all the packages, then just sat there looking glum. When asked why he wasn't playing with his new toys, he replied that he was afraid he'd just break them. Ok, on to Boy #2. His entire Christmas consisted of one small box. He tore into it enthusiastically, only to find some dead grass and some animal droppings. He squealed in delight and began racing to the back door. "Where are you going?" his parents asked. "Are you kidding," he replied. "With all that hay and manure, I figure there's a pony out in the backyard!"
At various times, the apostle Paul was beaten, imprisoned, rejected, shipwrecked---you name it---because of his faith. I'd have gotten the message, and quit, but Paul is a tad slow on the uptake side, so he writes a letter to the Philippians and tells them (think Monty Python, "It's a flesh wound") that he counts all his loss as "rubbish" anyway, discarded so that he may continue to gain faith and spread the good news of Jesus. He tells them "Look, don't be anxious about anything. Take all that to God, and His Peace will guard your hearts." Phil 4:6.
Let's go find our pony; he's here somewhere.
Blessings all, on this great Friday!
NT
Phil 3: 7-11
In tribute to Allen Jones, Boy #2.
~~~~~~~~~ Henry Ward Beecher
We've all heard the old joke about the family that had two boys. One was constantly pessimistic and downtrodden, while the other always looked on the bright side. Their parents decided to try an experiment, so one Christmas they gave the pessimist every popular toy that was on the market. He opened all the packages, then just sat there looking glum. When asked why he wasn't playing with his new toys, he replied that he was afraid he'd just break them. Ok, on to Boy #2. His entire Christmas consisted of one small box. He tore into it enthusiastically, only to find some dead grass and some animal droppings. He squealed in delight and began racing to the back door. "Where are you going?" his parents asked. "Are you kidding," he replied. "With all that hay and manure, I figure there's a pony out in the backyard!"
At various times, the apostle Paul was beaten, imprisoned, rejected, shipwrecked---you name it---because of his faith. I'd have gotten the message, and quit, but Paul is a tad slow on the uptake side, so he writes a letter to the Philippians and tells them (think Monty Python, "It's a flesh wound") that he counts all his loss as "rubbish" anyway, discarded so that he may continue to gain faith and spread the good news of Jesus. He tells them "Look, don't be anxious about anything. Take all that to God, and His Peace will guard your hearts." Phil 4:6.
Let's go find our pony; he's here somewhere.
Blessings all, on this great Friday!
NT
Phil 3: 7-11
In tribute to Allen Jones, Boy #2.
