Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 15 â€" No. 5013 December 14, 2013
Thought for the week: "We are what we repeatedly do." â€" Aristotle
When I was about 13 and my brother 10, our father promised to take us to the circus. But then at lunchtime there was a phone callâ€"some urgent business that required his attention downtownâ€"and we braced ourselves for disappointment. But then we heard him say, "No, I won't be able to come down. It's going to have to wait."
He came back to the table and mother smiled, "The circus keeps coming back, you know."
"I know," he said, "but childhood doesn't."
After all these years I remember that moment. And I knew from the sudden glow of warmth that no kindness is ever really wasted or completely lost. Because the only thing you take with you to heaven is your family.
*******
Today's Thought: "There is more to life than increasing its speed."
I wrote your name on a piece of paper, but by accident I threw it away. I wrote your name on my hand, but it washed away. I wrote your name in the sand, but the waves whispered it away. I wrote your name in my heart, and forever it will stay.
When my daughter Samara was four she pointed to a delicate glass vase and asked, “What’s that?”
“It’s very special,” I answered. “It was my mother’s. I would really feel bad if it ever got broken, so please be careful to never, never touch it.”
Without a moment’s hesitation she said, “Then you should never, never put it where I can reach it.”
Her remark reminded me of an Oscar Wilde quote: “I can resist anything but temptation.” Samara understood the power of the temptation and shifted the responsibility to me. If I wanted the vase safe, keep it out of her path. And, of course, she was right. We would both be happier if I didn’t tempt her.
After all, it is easier to avoid than resist temptations. Even people of character can succumb to temptations at weak moments. If you’re on a diet, don’t let them bring out the dessert tray. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t even window shop for things you can’t afford. And if you’re committed to celibacy or fidelity, don’t get near situations where your resolve could be tested.
The 19th century English novelist Margaret Oliphant said, “As a general rule, temptations come when they are sought.” If we’re honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that many of the morally precarious situations we’ve found ourselves in were not entirely unwelcome. It’s reckless to invite temptation to sit beside us and believe that we will have the strength to say no at the right time.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD."1
Many ask the question, does God choose our life partner or is it up to us to make our own choice? My answer is "yes" and "no" in that God will give us wisdom and guidance if we seek it, but we are responsible for choosing the one we marryâ€"at least this is so in Western culture.
There are a few country and western songs that I really like, one of which is by Tracy Byrd. It's "The Keeper of the Stars." Tracy (in my mind at least) is referring to God even if his theological terminology doesn't come out of a seminary course.
In his song Tracy says:
It was no accident me finding you;
Someone had a hand in it
Long before we ever knew.
Now I just can't believe you're in my life;
Heaven's smilin' down on me
As I look at you tonight.
I tip my hat to the Keeper of the stars
He sure knew what he was doin'
When he joined these two hearts.
I hold everything
When I hold you in my arms
I've got all I'll ever need
Thanks to the Keeper of the stars.
It was no accident me finding you
Someone had a hand in it
Long before we ever knew.2
The someone Tracy is referring to, in his words, is the "Keeper of the stars."
This is how I feel towards Joy, my wifeâ€"who has indeed helped make my life Joy-full. I also feel like "heaven's smilin' down on me."
Some would argue that finding a wife or husband for them has not been a good experience. In fact, it's been the opposite. What few fail to realize, however, is that no matter what kind of person we married, there were reasons in us why we were attracted to that person in the first place. And if we will take a long, hard, honest look at what we contributed to the failure of our marriage, God will use this to help us grow and become a much healthier person. And that's a good thing. The fact is that only emotionally healthy happy people find healthy happy partners, and have healthy happy marriages.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you want me to become whole in every area of life so that I can enjoy and appreciate the abundant life of love, joy and peace (you promised your followers), and to find loving relationships. Please help me so to grow and become whole. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
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