Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 18 – No. 3816 September 17, 2016
Thought for the week: "It's true I am only one, but I am one. And the fact that I can't do everything will not prevent me from doing what I can do." – Edward Everett Hale
There was a story of a duke who boarded a galley ship and went below to talk with the criminals manning the oars. He asked several of them what their offenses were. Almost every man claimed he was innocent, blaming someone else or accusing the judge of taking a bribe. One young fellow, however, replied, "Sir, I deserve to be here. I stole some money, No one is at fault but me. I'm guilty."
Upon hearing this, the duke shouted, "You scoundrel, you! What are you doing here with all these honest men? Get out of their company at once!" The duke ordered that this prisoner be released. He was set free, while the rest were left to tug at the oars.
Sharing at the 2006 Winter Olympics, a Norwegian coach was standing beside the snowy racecourse, cheering on his nation's team in the women's cross-country relay, when Canadian skier Sara Renner broke a pole in front of him. This meant that her team was likely doomed.
But without hesitation, the Norwegian coach handed a replacement pole to the Canadian skier. Had he not done so, his team might have a won a medal. As it happened, however, Sara Renner and her teammate, Beckie Scott, skied on to win a silver medal, while the Norwegian team finished fourth.
When you work with money, they teach you how to spot a counterfeit bill, not by showing you the counterfeit, but showing you the true or real bill. If you know the truth, you can spot the phony a mile away.
You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.
It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But here it is ... the winter of my life and it caught me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my babies go? And where did my youth go?
I remember seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I couldn't fathom it or imagine what it would be like. My wife is getting gray and most of my hair is gone. Our age is now showing and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.
Each day now I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! Taking a nap is not a treat anymore. It's mandatory! 'Cause if I don't on my own free will, I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to do things.
Though the winter has come and I'm not sure how long it will last, this I do know: "When it's over." Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done and things I should have done. But indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.
So, if you're not in your winter yet, let me remind you that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly!
Life goes by quickly, so do what you can today, because you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life, so live for good today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember.
Life is a gift to you. The way you live it is your gift to those who came after. Make it a fantastic one.
"The man who ... has good judgment and common sense is happier than the man who is immensely rich! For such wisdom is far more valuable than precious jewels. Nothing else compares to it."1
When two freight trains collided, a young man by the name of George Westinghouse designed a way to avoid a repetition of the accident.
When George explained his idea, railroad executives agreed with Commodore Vanderbilt who exclaimed, "Do you mean to tell me that you expect to stop a train with wind? I have no time to waste on ... fools!"
Westinghouse was aware of the problem. If the air failed there was no way to stop the train. But what he did was change his framework of reference. He designed heavy springs to hold the train brakes on all the time and an air system to hold the brakes off. If the air failed, the brakes would automatically engage and stop the train.
By looking at the problem from a different viewpoint, Westinghouse perfected the air brake—a system that was adopted by the entire industry.
As the saying goes, "If we keep doing what we've always done, we'll keep getting what we've always got, and we'll keep feeling what we've always felt."
In other words, if we want to bring about change in our personal life, in our family, in our business, in our church, or in our nation, we need to look at things differently and be prepared to make changes—sometimes drastic changes! Because without change nothing ever changes!
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, what things in my life do I need to look at differently and what changes do I need to make today that will make my life more effective tomorrow for your glory? Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Proverbs 3:13-15 (TLB).
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Oprah Winfrey: "Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi." – Oprah Winfrey
Books:
Books by Dick Innes, Editor of Weekend Encounter You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing How to Mend a Broken Heart I Hate Witnessing—A Handbook for Effective Christian
Communications
1. Bible concordance and Bible helps 2. E-Word Today for a daily Bible reading
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4. How to find and write to your U.S. Representative
5. ASK ... Smart answers fast
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"Because the world is hungry,
go with bread.
Because the world is filled with strife,
go with peace.
Because the world is filled with deceptions and lies,
go with truth.
Because the world would die without,
go with the love of God."