We live in a rapid society. We have instant potatoes, instant rice, fast food, and microwaveable popcorn. We want a quick solution for everything.
This instant gratification has translated into the desire to have many things without working for them. It seems like work ethic has disappeared. And not only in our jobs. We no longer want to work on our families or marriages either.
This picture is a sign for an “express divorce.” It boasts that you will only have to wait 30 days for them to finish everything for your divorce. Seems too easy to me.
Why can’t we work at things? Why all of a sudden have we become so lazy that we will no longer fight (in a good way) for our marriages or families? What has happened?
I’m not sure, but I want to be a person who works hard to protect my family and my relationship with my wife. There are things worth fighting for. Work ethic, both in ministry and family, is something that should set us apart.
Posted via email from Life and other things…
Seth Godin wrote today about the slogan, “There’s always room for Jello.” He says…
Think about your schedule… is there room for an emergency, an SEC investigation, a server crash? If you took a day off because of the flu, is your business going to go bankrupt? Probably not.
So, if there’s time for an emergency (Jello), why isn’t there time for brilliance, generosity or learning?
In ministry, I think we ought to pose the question…”If there’s time for an emergency, why isn’t there time for intimacy with God?” The one thing that will make your ministry, family, or church better is prayer and time with God.
So let’s make time for it.
Tomorrow is Father’s Day. My friend Mark posted a link to this article yesterday (Dads are Key to Making us Human), and I thought it was worth reading. Here are some things I thought were interesting:
Some 95 percent of male mammals have little to no interaction with their children. Homo sapiens are one of the most notable exceptions, leading some scientists to think fatherhood is an important part of what makes us human.
Even today, in both traditional and industrialized communities, a father’s presence correlates with improved health and decreased child mortality, Geary said.
When children have warm relationships with their father, as well as calm home lives, they tend to sexually mature later. Their bodies intuit they are safe and time is taken perfecting social skills before entering the real world, Geary said. The extra practice gives children a competitive edge. As adults, they are more likely to form secure relationships, achieve stable social standing and become able parents. In this sense, a father who takes care of his children also gives his grandchildren a leg up.
You should read the whole article. It’s really pretty great. If you’re a dad, do your job. It’s important. Have a happy father’s day.
There has been a little change to my reading plan. I’m taking a class at Columbia Biblical Seminary called Biblical Theology of Missions, so I have a few other books I’ll be reading (and writing reports on) in the next few weeks.
I haven’t received my other books yet, so I’ve started reading “Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions
” by John Piper. I had read part of this book before, but now I have to pay even more attention so I can write a report on it.
The other two books that I’m reading for my class are: The Bible and Other Faiths: Christian Responsibility in a World of Religions
and In Step With the God of the Nations
.
I’m looking forward to the class. I think it’s going to be beneficial. I’m sure I’ll be posting some of my thoughts on the topics.
(photo by bies on flickr)
Today is the 2nd anniversary of the death of Jerry Falwell. I can’t believe it’s already been 2 years.
As a Liberty graduate, I remember listening to Dr. Falwell in chapel. I remember hearing so much about how he founded Thomas Road Baptist Church. I probably took for granted that I heard him preach and speak so much.
I know there are a lot of people who didn’t like him. I didn’t agree with everything he did, but I sure do know that he had an impact on me and many other people. I feel privileged to have been able to meet the man and have many fond memories of him.
Some of the things I remember the most are:
- Every year would start with Jerry’s “vision” sermon from Nehemiah.
- Jerry was constantly talking about “raising up young champions for Christ.”
- He was up at 5:45 every morning to study and spend time with God, and he would frequently tell us about what he had read that morning to encourage us to spend time with God daily.
- He built Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University through prayer and hard work.
- Jerry was “one of us” when he crowd surfed at basketball games.
- He would drive around in his big black suburban and ride up on the sidewalk acting like a kid.
Jonathan Falwell has a video up on his site remembering his dad. Check it out here.
(image by: taberandrew on flickr)
Never before have I thought of the Seminary as the body of Christ as today. With the recent scare in Mexico City, we have been out of classes for a week. Many of the students left the city.
As we returned to the campus yesterday and today, there are signs up all over telling us to be sure to wash dirty clothes, wash our hands, wear masks, etc. Why? Well, because we are one body.
If one of us gets sick, we will all get sick. We must all take care of each other, doing our part to be clean. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we will affect others. I can only imagine the chaos that would take place at the Seminary if one person came down with the flu. This many people living in close quarters and sharing everything would cause our own little epidemic.
It’s the same way with the body of Christ. If one of us fails, we all fail. If one of us has success, we all have success. Let’s take care of each other.
(image by: bemky on flickr)
