Reveration Blog
11/24/2007 0 Comments IngratitudeHe walked into work and people were crying—not a good sign. The warehouse manger, not his boss, called him into his office and read him a form letter announcing that he would be let go. “Dan, your job has been eliminated.” Dan put his hand on the manager’s hand and said, “Dave, don’t make this any harder on yourself than you need to. You’re my friend.” Dave started crying. “Somebody’s going to have to escort you out of the building.”
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9/21/2007 0 Comments HeartmissingPart of me is lost and I don’t like it. If I could skip this day in time or have never lived it I know I would be the worse for it but at least I would not sense this absence that came too fast and . . . heartrending and heartbreaking are too strong in meaning for what I’m feeling. Perhaps in this poignant period a more apt description is heartmissing. The good news is she is only three and a half hours away. The bad news is there are 206 miles between us.
6/14/2007 0 Comments AvailableKathy’s birthday was last Sunday. I’m sure she resigned herself to a lonely day, after all, her husband was in Minnesota and none of her children live close. Cissy, Charlie, Brian, Chad, Roger, Sharil and Paula bought a cake, wrote her a poem, gave her a plaque and took time to come to her apartment and spring a wonderful surprise. She cried so hard they cried!
John and Denise had to leave their home and find a place to store their stuff until they could get into another rental. Charlie and Cis, Will, John, Kevin and Kendy sacrificed their time to help make the move happen. 11/12/2004 Enlightened--Veterans DayVeteran’s Day is an American holiday that commemorates those brave men and women who have served and defended their nation in the Armed Forces. Currently there are 25 million vets in the United States. According to the most recent census taken in 2000, the United States’ population was 281,421,906. This means that only about 8.8% of our population experienced the patriotic dictums of duty, honor and country through the sacrificial and often thankless task of defending liberty.
7/11/2003 FundamentalsMajor General T.K. Moffett walked back and forth in front of the assembled soldiers. The new boss from Mississippi had just finished his first day commanding the 104th Division and he elected to share with his soldiers his leadership philosophy:
#1. Do the right thing #2. Treat others the way you would like to be treated #3. Do your best. 12/6/2002 0 Comments The DentistDriving down the road on the back of a motorcycle in India is an experience any thrill-seeker would love. Picture weaving through vehicles and pedestrians on narrow, worn roads where there is almost no margin for driver error. Fortunately, I was seated behind Dr. Kester Frederick, the only driver among hundreds with a helmet on.
8/13/2002 0 Comments HospitalityBenjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “Fish and visitors smell in three days.” He must have had some trying guests underfoot! Erwin W. Lutzer wrote:
"Hospitality is a test for godliness because those who are selfish do not like strangers (especially needy ones) to intrude upon their private lives. They prefer their own friends who share their life-style. Only the humble have the necessary resources to give of themselves to those who could never give of themselves in return." 12/7/2001 StandardsOn Oct. 9, 2001, Old Guard 1st Sergeant Robert Watson stood rigidly at attention ready to receive a freshly folded American flag from the casket of a soldier killed by the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. But as a member of the prestigious detail moved to hand Old Glory to Watson, he refused to receive it. A small sliver of white was visible in the triangular fold. Only the blue and white stars should have shown. With his hand he could have covered the mistake and few if any would have noticed the flaw. But while the family waited and a number of VIPs, to include the Chief of Staff of the Army watched, 1st Sgt. Watson stood unmoving.
11/16/2001 PastorsMeditation
Acts 20:28--Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. 4/19/2001 0 Comments CommissionedJenny and Joe are back. Don’t talk to them about ministry or what happened after six months in Kuala Lumpur. They’re hurting right now and it will take some time for them to settle. They left with a banquet and profound expectations they returned bankrupt their confidence dashed.
2/1/2001 0 Comments ConscientiousWhile Kathleen was talking to me in my office, Stephen came running in and said a man at the door wanted to see one of us. We hadn’t heard the doorbell and to keep him from waiting long I hurried. It was a deliveryman from UPS. He asked me to sign for a large box and then went back to his truck to pick up an even larger one. As he returned to his vehicle, I said to my wife, “I think I will put these in the garage.” Almost to his truck, the deliveryman turned around and asked if he could carry them for me.
3/29/2000 0 Comments ServantI love Alan. Every Sunday morning he is the first one to drive to Fowler Middle School unload his car full of sound equipment and set everything up for the worship team. When church ends, he is the last to leave, loading the gear back up to take back home. He serves with the heart of a lion and the strength of an elephant. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like, or how hard a week he had at Precision Cast he comes to worship! He plays his guitar with the same enthusiastic zeal. And that ol’ six-string friend was getting pretty worn.
1/17/2000 0 Comments AttentionHave you ever assembled a piece of furniture? I recently purchased a home entertainment center knowing my limited construction skills would be challenged. I’m not very skilled when it comes to building things. I’d be a natural guest for Home Improvement in what not to do! But I figured as long as I followed the excellent by-the-numbers directions and had help from my good friend Dan, I’d be fine. I worked late into the night and was quite pleased with the emerging work of art.
11/8/1999 0 Comments AbandonmentOccasionally that day will come when she does not feel well. Yet instead of focusing on herself, she labors to provide for her family. She homeschools three growing kids without complaining, faithfully manages a household whose routine is weekly interrupted by the unknown flow of people that come with the territory called ministry. Her efficiency is absolutely amazing. Her refusal to complain is inspiring.
7/8/1999 ServiceI was talking with a man who was a good friend of my father. Somewhere in the course of conversation he shared a story about Dad I had never heard before. The two of them were on a long trip when they came to a gas station. After stretching, this gentleman decided to use the bathroom. Typical of many service stations, the men’s room stank and was quite filthy. Yet to his astonishment, there was my father on his knees with a scrub brush cleaning. When he had finished tackling the room he got up and returned to the car. The entire episode took place unbeknownst to the attendant or manager.
3/16/1999 0 Comments ZealMeditation
Romans 10:2--I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3/10/1999 0 Comments MinisteringMeditation
John 13:12-15-- When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. 3/4/1999 0 Comments OrganizationMeditation
Malachi 2:1-2—“Therefore, this decree is for you priests: If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart to honor My name,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.” 10/19/1998 0 Comments SuccessBruce Thielemann tells the story in Christus Imperator of a king long ago who organized a great race within his kingdom. All the young men in the land participated. A bag of gold was to be given to the winner, and the finish line was within the courtyard of the king's palace. During the race the runners were surprised to find in the middle of the road leading to the king's palace a great pile of rocks and stones. But they managed to scramble over it or to run around it and eventually to come to the courtyard.
10/1/1998 0 Comments IdentificationMeditation
Romans 13:14--But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. |
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Photo from Rachel Maxey Miles