God Honors His Servants

"[Personal] exaltation is not grabbed. It is given by the Father, in His time and in His way."

Shepherding, p. 141

A Great Leadership Quote .. or Two

I tried to do something productive tonight as the Paris kids rotted their minds on more TV (at least it was a "wholesome" show -- Sue Thomas FBI). So I picked up Joe Stowell's book, Shepherding the Church. Actually I have/had already started it, but I needed to pick it up again. There are some amazing quotes that really related to the messages that I have been preaching lately from Ecclesiastes 1-2, 12.

"We are built for significance. ... A satisfying significance can never be gained in and of ourselves. It i sonly realized in our relationship to the One who is fully and suprememly significant, our Father in heaven. Our sense of significance is not a search, but something that is secured in our relationship to Him."

Shepherding, p.140

"...it is liberating to remember that all of this significance is not based on my performance but on the completed performance of Jesus Christ on the cross. I am not called to perform in order to gain significance; but rather, since my significance has been secured, I am called to gratefully serve the One who has made me fully significant in Him. "

Shepherding, p.142

Liberated! Free to be who God made me to be, free to live for Him everyday, free to say "no" to sin, free to ask forgiveness when I blow it! If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!

Your freed friend,
Mike

Did I Forget to Mention It?

Hey thanks for waiting so patiently. Did I forget to hang up the BRB sign on the door? Did I move the little hands on the clock to give you a hint when I might arrive back here? Ooops, sorry! :)

The quick rundown is that we have had a vacation to OH, PA and back again. I have spoken at two places on Saturdays (Henrietta Regular and Cornerstone). I have "worked" every Wednesday and Saturday in between, even during vacation weeks. I strung three "11:30 pm to beds" together last week, including a deacons meeting interrupted by Pastor Evans leaving for the hospital with chest pains.

Mrs. P and I worked on yard work during our vacation (mowing, mulching, weeding), tried to patch the ceiling (not quite 100% yet), tried to fix the towel bar, cleaned the garage and messed it up again.

So dr., why do I feel so tired all of the time? Glad to be back to posting, glad to see that you all have been busy too. Just generally glad! :)

Hoping to post something more meaningful later,
Mike

Quotable Golf

Hey! Ever wonder what to get the golfer who won't get any better even if you bought him everything he ever wanted for his birthday? My sister-in-law found it. It is a book called, The Quotable Golfer. It contains a number of humorous quotes including this one by Mark Twain,

"Golf is a good walk spoiled."

Apparently nobody listened to Mr. Clemens' wisdom either -- they built him a golf course!
I am enjoying the book (a birthday present) and looking forward to a first round of golf (maybe next week??).