I Strongly Recommend....

...that you find the time during the holidays to see the movie Blind Side. Here's the trailer.

And God Wept...

It's important for us to pay attention to how we treat each other...how we think about each other...how we interact with each other. I've heard it said that "people will forget what you say...and even forget what you do...but they will never, ever forget how you make them feel."

There were two men who owned neighboring farms. Each of them had to scratch and struggle to merely survive. They helped each other when they could. They mostly struggled alongside each other. While toiling under a relentless sun, one of the farmers found himself staring into the face of a complete stranger. "Who are you?" the farmer asked, "And what do you want with me?" The stranger said, "It doesn't matter who I am. What does matter is that I've come to grant you three wishes." The stranger went on to say, "Not only will I grant you what you wish...but I will give your neighbor twice as much as you ask for yourself."

The farmer said, "I need more land. I wish for 1000 acres." Immediately the farmer was given 1000 acres and...true to the deal...his neighbor was given 2000. The farmer was excited about his new acreage...but he didn't really think his neighbor deserved double. For his next wish, the farmer said, "I need more cattle. I wish for 100 head." Immediately the farmer was given 100 cows and...true to the deal...his neighbor was given 200. The farmer began to complain. "Hey...what's the deal? I don't think it is really fair for my neighbor to be rewarded so greatly. After all, these are MY wishes." In this disgruntled state the farmer had an idea. He said, "For my final wish...I wish to be blind in one eye." Immediately the farmer lost sight in one eye and...true to the deal...his neighbor was struck blind.

And God wept...

There is a Jewish parable about a father and two sons. The father was an ideal mentor. He took his boys to the field as soon as they were big enough to walk and taught them all he knew about farming. When he died, instead of dividing their inheritance, the brothers continued to work together in partnership...each one contributing his very best...and they divided every harvest down the middle. One of the brothers married and had eight children. The other remained a bachelor.

One night...during a particularly bountiful harvest...the bachelor brother thought to himself, "My brother has ten mouths to feed and I have only one. He really needs more of this harvest than I do. However, I know him. He is much too fair to renegotiate our agreement." "I know what I will do. I'll take some of my harvest and slip it over to his barn at night so he can have more for his family."

At the very same time the married brother was thinking to himself, "God has blessed me with this fine family. My children will take care of us when I am old. My brother is not as fortunate. He really needs more of this harvest to provide for his old age. However...I know him. He is much to fair to renegotiate our agreement." "I know what I will do. I'll take some of my harvest and slip it over to his barn at night to build up a nest egg for the future."

As you might expect, one night...when the moon was full...these brothers met each other face to face...each on a mission of love and generosity and devotion.

And God wept...

When the time comes for us to meet God face to face...God may be weeping. The question will be..."why?"

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Stories from the late Dr. John Claypool.

A Veteran's Day Thought

It's about sacrifice.

I can imagine that each of them...at one time or another...may have been tired, or lonely, or homesick, or scared. Perhaps they've been all those things. I can imagine...at one time or another...many of them longed to return to the life they knew before.

But...they made a choice or answered a call and literally put their personal lives on hold for a greater good. They gave unsparingly of themselves...giving all that they had to give. They put their lives on the line.

Sacrifice.

They are our grandfathers and grandmothers. They are our aunts and uncles. They are our cousins, our fathers and mothers and our brothers and sisters. They are our neighbors and friends. They've joined together...over the course of time...risking everything. Sacrificing everything.

Because of it, we are free to say anything we like. I am free to write this blog post without fear. We are free to pursue our dreams. We are free to lie down in bed each night and not be afraid. We are free to worship.

Today...we are humbled by your sacrifice. Today...we applaud your courage.

Today...we thank you.

By the way, I'd like to point out that you're in pretty good company. I can imagine that there were times that He, too, was tired or lonely or homesick or afraid. I can imagine that He, too, may have longed to be somewhere else. But, He answered a call. He gave of himself unsparingly. He put everything on the line. He not only risked His life...He gave it.

Sacrifice. Because of it...we are truly free.

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