The Kauffman Post

Sunday Sign

2012-02-12T06:18:00.002-05:00

Today's Thought

2012-02-08T11:46:00.000-05:00

2012-02-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

Thanks to photoquoto.com

Thought for Today

2012-02-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

"Often when we lose hope and think this is the end,

God smiles from above and says, 'Relax'.

It's just a bend, not the end."

The Joyful Noiseletter, Jan/Feb 2012

Saturday Smile

2011-12-24T06:38:00.003-05:00

A father and his son were looking at a Nativity scene in a London gallery. It was Titian's world-famous painting of the scene at Bethlehem. The boy asked: "Dad, why is the baby lying in such a cruddy cradle in a pile of straw?"
"Well, son," explained the father, "they were poor and they couldn't afford anything better."
Said the boy: "Then how come they could afford to have their picture painted by such an expensive artist?"

--from the book Holy Humor: The Best of The Joyful Noiseletter by Cal and Rose Samra.

Winter is Coming

2011-12-19T14:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks to http://photoquoto.com
First day of winter is December 23

Saturday Smile

2011-12-17T11:13:00.001-05:00

"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave 
all my money to the church, would that get me into heaven?" 
I asked the children in my Sunday school class.

"NO!" the children all answered.

"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept
everything neat and tidy, would that get me into heaven?"

Again the answer was,"NO!"

"Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the 
children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?" I 
asked them again.

Once more they all answered, "NO!"

"Well," I continued, thinking they were a good bit more 
theologically sophisticated than I had given them credit for, 
"Then how can I get into heaven?"

A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOT TO BE DEAD!"

quote of the day

2011-12-14T20:22:00.000-05:00

Thanks to PhotoQuoto.com

Saturday Smile

2011-12-10T07:00:00.001-05:00

Three churches - Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian -
worked together to sponsor a community-wide revival.

After the revival had concluded, the three pastors were
discussing the results with one another.

The Methodist minister said, "The revival worked out great
for us! We gained 4 new families."

The Baptist preacher said, "We did better than that! We
gained 6 new families."

The Presbyterian pastor said, "Well, we did even better
than that! We got rid of our 10 biggest trouble makers!"

Saturday Smile

2011-12-03T06:09:00.002-05:00

A man is being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy
boulevard.  Suddenly, the light turns yellow, just in front of him.
He does the honest thing, and stops at the crosswalk, even
though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating
through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hits the roof, and the horn, screaming
in frustration as she misses her chance to get through the
intersection with him.  As she is still in mid-rant, she hears a
tap on her window and looks up into the face of a very
serious police officer.  The officer orders her to exit her car
with her hands up.  He takes her to the police station where
she is searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in
a cell.

After a couple of hours, a police officer approaches the cell
and opens the door.  She is escorted back to the booking
desk where the arresting officer is waiting with her personal
effects.

He says, "I'm very sorry for this mistake.  You see, I pulled up
behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping
the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.

I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder,
the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker,
the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the
chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk."

"Naturally, I had to assume you had stolen the car."

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T17:38:00.000-05:00

Thanks to: http://OurDailyBlossom.com

Quote for Today

2011-11-21T06:59:00.001-05:00

Nobody is perfect unless you are in love with them.
Nobody is totally imperfect, 
unless you used to be in love with them
--- Socratex

The Beauty of Autumn

2011-11-02T21:08:00.002-04:00

Sunday SignsI

2011-10-30T06:11:00.001-04:00

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the House of the Lord!

Saturday Smile

2011-10-29T06:40:00.001-04:00

Some teachers at state universities get to know their students 
fairly well. One instructor told his communications class of his 
plans to propose marriage.

A student spoke up and said that he had recently asked his 
girlfriend to marry him as well.

"What was her answer?" the instructor asked.

"I don't know," the student replied. "She hasn't e-mailed me back 
yet."

Sunday Sign

2011-10-22T17:09:00.000-04:00

Sunday Sign

2011-10-16T13:21:00.000-04:00

62 Years Ago

2011-10-15T06:22:00.002-04:00

62 years ago was my birth day.
Today is my birthday.

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun -

I expect to be back here again

next year after this year's journey.

October's Beauty

2011-10-14T06:35:00.001-04:00

Fall LeavesT

2011-10-12T06:15:00.005-04:00


Thanks to http://photoquoto.com

May we all age as beautifully as the fall leaves.

Let's All Pull TogetherI

2011-10-10T06:41:00.000-04:00


I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me.

Sunday Sign

2011-10-09T06:50:00.001-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-10-08T06:43:00.000-04:00

A new hair salon opened up for business right across the street
from the old established hair cutters' place.

They put up a big bold sign which read:
"WE GIVE SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS!"

Not to be outdone, the old Master Barber put up his own sign:
"WE FIX SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS"

Steve Jobs on "Death"

2011-10-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, died this week. In June of 2005 he gave the commencement address at Stanford University which consisted basically of three stories. The third, about death, seems appropriate at this time.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. ...

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Saturday Smile

2011-10-01T06:40:00.001-04:00

From the Dear Webby Humor site comes this story:

The pastor of our church began his sermon with this story: 
"I was on a plane last week, from Chicago to California, 
when we ran into some very severe turbulence. 

As it got worse, the passengers became more and more alarmed, 
and even the flight attendants began to look concerned. 
Finally, one of them noticed that I had 'Rev.' in front of 
my name on the passenger list, came over to me, and said, 
'Sir, this is really frightening. Do you suppose you could, 
I don't know...do something religious?'" 

"So I took up a collection."

Sunday Sign

2011-09-25T06:16:00.001-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-09-24T06:44:00.000-04:00

A church had a man in the choir who couldn't sing.  Several
people hinted to him that he could serve in other places, but
he continued to come to the choir.  The choir director became
desperate and went to the pastor.

"You've got to get that man out of the choir," he said.  "If you
don't, I'm going to resign.  The choir members are going to
quit too. Please do something."

So the pastor went to the man and suggested, "Perhaps you
should leave the choir."

"Why should I get out of the choir?" he asked.

"Well, five or six people have told me you can't sing."

That's nothing," the man snorted.  "Fifty people have told me
that you can't preach!

2011-09-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

Thanks to: http://photoquoto.com

2011-08-18T20:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks to photoqhoto.com

Saturday Smile

2011-08-13T06:43:00.001-04:00

A lady was browsing through everything at a yard sale and 

said to the hostess, "My husband is going to be so upset 

when he finds out I stopped at a yard sale."



"I'm sure he'll understand when you tell him about all the 

bargains you found," the hostess replied.



"Normally, yes," the lady said. "But he just broke his leg, 

and he's waiting for me to take him to the hospital to have 

it set."

May the peace of Christ be yours today.

2011-08-10T19:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to photoquoto.com

May God Shine on You Today

2011-08-02T15:42:00.000-04:00


The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.

Saturday Smile

2011-07-30T06:46:00.003-04:00

A woman was waiting at an airport one night,
With several long hours before her flight.
She hunted for a book in the airport shops,
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be.
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies and watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I would blacken his eye."

With each cookie she took, he took one too,
When only one was left, she wondered what he would do.
With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other,
She snatched it from him and thought...oooh, brother.
This guy has some nerve and he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show any gratitude!

She had never known when she had been so galled,
And sighed with relief when her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back at that thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat,
Then sought her book, which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned with despair,
The others were his, and he tried to share.
Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

2011-07-24T06:39:00.003-04:00

Thanks to: http://photoquoto.com

Saturday Smile

2011-07-23T07:08:00.001-04:00

As the family gathered for a big dinner together, the youngest 
son announced that he had just signed up at an army recruiter's
office.

There were audible gasps around the table, then some laughter,
as his older brothers shared their disbelief that he could handle
this new situation.

"Oh, come on, quit joking," snickered one.  "You didn't really 
do that, did you?"

"You will never get through basic training," scoffed another.

The new recruit looked to his mother for help, but she was just
staring at him.

When she finally spoke, she simply asked, 
"Do you really plan to make your own bed, EVERY morning?"

2011-07-22T10:57:00.000-04:00

Thanks to: http://ourdailyblossom.com

Sunday Sign

2011-06-19T05:42:00.002-04:00

2011-06-15T21:27:00.000-04:00

Thanks to photoquoto.com

Sunday Sign

2011-06-12T05:32:00.001-04:00

Tuesday's Prayer

2011-06-07T06:25:00.006-04:00

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right toad though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude

On this Day

2011-06-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

On this day in 1977, the Apple II computer went on sale, and the era of personal computing began. Developed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, it was the first successful mass-produced microcomputer designed for home use. It came standard with 4 kilobytes of memory, game paddles, and a demo cassette with some programs on it. Most people used their televisions as monitors.
The Apple II sold for about $1,300; today that same money will buy you an iMac, with 4 gigabytes — one million times the original amount — of memory, a sleek backlit 21-inch monitor, and a 2.7 gigahertz processor.

I remember my first computers - a IIe and IIc.

Sunday Sign

2011-06-05T06:17:00.000-04:00

Sunday Sign

2011-05-29T05:38:00.001-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-05-28T06:53:00.001-04:00

Recently a large seminar was held for ministers in training.
Among the guests were many well-known motivational speakers.
One such boldly approached the pulpit and, gathering the
entire crowd's attention, said, "The best years of my life
were spent in the arms of a woman that wasn't my wife!" The
crowd was shocked! He followed up by saying, "And that woman
was my mother!" The crowd burst into laughter and he gave his
speech, which went over well.

About a week later one of the ministers who had attended the
seminar decided to use that joke in his sermon. As he shyly
approached the pulpit one sunny Sunday, he tried to rehearse
the joke in his head. It seemed a bit foggy to him this
morning. 

Getting to the microphone he said loudly, "The greatest years 
of my life were spent in the arms of another woman, 
that was not my wife!" 

His congregation sat shocked.
After standing there for almost 10 seconds trying to recall
the second half of the joke, the pastor finally blurted out,
"...and I can't remember who she was!"

Quote of the Day

2011-05-26T13:02:00.000-04:00

From The Elkhart Truth advertising supplement "Celebrating the Family Owned Business" comes the following quote about a bulk food store planning to expand:

Our goal is to make everyone's shopping experience better ...

We also plan to add a bakery with a sit down area so the

men can sit down with coffee and ice cream while the

ladies do the shopping, (making it more enjoyable for both.)

Quote for Today

2011-05-25T06:56:00.000-04:00

"I have come to believe that the only true way we can serve God is to serve His children." - Richard Paul Evans (The Sunflower)

Happy Birthday!

2011-05-24T06:11:00.001-04:00

Today is the 70th Birthday of Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941).

He has written 500 songs and made 56 albums since his first album in 1962.

In 1963 he became known for his new hit, "Blowin' in the Wind," which would become an anthem for the civil rights movement. The song poses a series of questions about peace, war, and freedom; which is then answered with the refrain: "the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind."

Monday Mini-Sermon: Spiritual Modesty vs. Absolute Certainty

2011-05-23T06:27:00.001-04:00

The absence of spiritual modesty among people of faith is what caused Marilynne Robinson to remark, "There is something about certainty that makes Christianity very unchristian." When the focus is on absolute certainty in knowing the mind of God, the journey of faith quickly becomes impoverished. All that is incomprehensible and all the unanswerable questions have to be ignored or shortchanged. The wonder and glories of mysteries get shelved. God begins to be more domesticated than our favorite pet.

- Peter W. Marty, Senior Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa
From "Betting on a Generous God," Christian Century, May 17, 2011 Read more

Sunday Sign

2011-05-22T05:30:00.001-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-05-21T06:11:00.001-04:00

A man had been driving all night and by morning was still far
from his destination.  He decided to stop at the next city he
came to, and park somewhere quiet so he could get an hour
or two of sleep.

As luck would have it, the quiet place he chose happened to
be on one of the city's major jogging routes.  No sooner had
he settled back to snooze when there came a knocking on
his window.  He looked out and saw a jogger running in place.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, sir," the jogger said, "do you have the time?"

The man looked at the car clock and answered, "8:15".

The jogger said thanks and left.  The man settled back again,
and was just dozing off when there was another knock on
the window and another jogger.

"Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?"

"8:25!"

The jogger said thanks and left.  Now the man could see other
joggers passing by and he knew it was only a matter of time
before another one disturbed him.  To avoid the problem, he
got out a pen and paper and put a sign in his window saying,
"I do not know the time!"

Once again he settled back to sleep.  He was just dozing off
when there was another knock on the window.

"Sir, sir?  It's 8:30!."

The Last Post?

2011-05-20T06:50:00.000-04:00

Will this be the last blog post on this site? A group led by Family Radio network founder, Harold Camping (age 89) predicts that the Great Judgment will occur tomorrow, May 21, 2011. Camping’s initial computations led him to identify 1994 as the end time; mistakes he insists have now been corrected by cleaner math and special revelation. The Rapture will occur tomorrow, lifting Christians out of this world, leaving those who remain to endure Tribulation.

So if Mr. Camping prediction is correct, I fully expect to be leaving this world tomorrow and thus this will be the final post. On the other hand, maybe the final judgement will find me remaining with those to endure the final tribulations (can it get any worse?), in which case I may not feel much like adding anything to this blog anyway.

Then again, Mr. Camping has been wrong before. It may be that the world will not end and the only ones leaving the earth tomorrow will be those who die due to natural causes or unexpected tragedies (as did many today). If this is the case, we expect to be here tomorrow.

P.S. I am caused to remember that it was 1843 when Baptist preacher William Miller predicted that the world would end, yet it did not happen as Miller had predicted and the "Millerites" who had sold off their property in anticipation of the end were left disappointed. William Miller did some recalculation and corrected his prediction of the end of the world to be October 22, 1844 which led to a second major disappointment to his followers and produced new interpretations and the beginning of Adventism.

A final note to Pastors: Be sure your sermon for Sunday is finished, just in case.

On This Day in History

2011-05-19T06:51:00.001-04:00

On May 19, 1910, the Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet, the most intimate contact between the Earth and any comet in recorded history. The event was anticipated with dire predictions. Since a few years earlier, astronomers had found the poisonous gas cyanogen in a comet, it was surmised that if Earth passed through the comet's tail everyone would die. Astronomers explained that the gas molecules within the tail were so tenuous that absolutely no ill effects would be noticed. Nevertheless, ignorance bred opportunists selling "comet pills" to the panicked portion of the public to counter the effects of the cyanogen gas. On May 20, after Earth had passed through the tail, everyone was still alive - with or without taking pills!

Mark Twain had writtten in a Biography in 1909: I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: "Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together." Twain died on April 21, 1910.

Midweek Thought

2011-05-18T06:07:00.001-04:00

Thanis to http://photoquoto.com

Tuesday's Prayer

2011-05-17T07:10:00.017-04:00

Lord, you know better than I know myself that I am growing older, and will some day be old.

Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but you know, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind from the recital of endless details - give me wings to come to the point.

I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others' pains. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains -
they are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. Help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old woman is one of the crowning works of the devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

- Unknown source (attributed to a 17th C. Nun)

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-05-16T06:02:00.001-04:00

The native mountaineering guides in the Himalayas, known as sherpas, are intimately acquainted with the face of Mount Everest. However, they know it only from one side - the view from their home valley. They have been known to respond in disbelief to images of Everest taken from the other sides. Their disbelief changes to one of amazement when they realize that something with which they are so familiar can have other sides to it.

[from Jacob Bronowski's Science and Human Values, as read in Christian Century Marks, May 17, 2011 issue]

We live in a culture when many among us are intimately acquainted with only one side of whatever the issue they are discussing. They might be amazed to learn that there really are other sides to be viewed.

May we be blessed by a God so big as to be able to see that every mountain we face has many sides.

Sunday Sign

2011-05-15T06:52:00.001-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-05-14T06:44:00.000-04:00

Three friends were discussing death and one of them asked: "What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?"

The first of the friends said: I would like them to say, he was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community.

The second said: He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow," said another.

The third friend said, I would like them to say, "Look, he’s moving!!"

Midweek Thought

2011-05-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

Thanks to: http://photoquoto.com

Tuesday's Prayer

2011-05-10T06:01:00.001-04:00

A Mother's Prayer

O God, You are the Perfect Parent.

You know my children so well, so much better than I.

You know their inner needs.

You watch them growing and truly understand them.

You care deeply for them and love them unconditionally.

For these reasons, I ask your help in raising

my children ...

No, not Your help - more than that.

Lord, you bring them up.

I hand them over to You.

Just don't let me get in Your way.

Don't let me interfere with your parenting.

But, dear Lord, when you need human help, use me.

When they need to hear words of love, use my voice.

When they need comfort, use my arms.

When they need teaching, use my mind.

When they need understanding, use my heart.

And when they ask about You, use my faith.

So that they, too, will come to know You

as the Perfect Parent.

- author unknown

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

Thanks to http://ourdailyblossom.com

Saturday Smile

2011-05-07T07:03:00.001-04:00

An extremely shy fellow brings his date a bouquet of
flowers. She's so overcome she throws her arms
around him and kisses him long and hard.
After the kiss, red-faced, he turns and bolts for the door.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't," he replies. "I'm just going for more flowers."

Quote of the Day

2011-05-05T15:50:00.000-04:00

"Don't ever judge your ministry on whether or not you grow a church.
Like I say, some churches just don't grow. You judge your ministry on
whether you answered your call and kept your vows. If you have you
should think twice about quitting because there aren't a lot of you around.”

- Guy Kent on the Questing Parson blog

Midweek Reflection

2011-05-04T07:02:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Http://photoquoto.com

Tuesday's Prayer

2011-05-03T06:55:00.006-04:00

In the name of Jesus Christ, who was never in a hurry,
we pray, O God, that Thou wilt slow us down,
for we know that we live too fast.

With all of eternity before us, make us take time to live -
time to get acquainted with Thee,
time to enjoy Thy blessings, and
time to know each other.

- Prayer by Peter Marshall

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-05-02T06:43:00.001-04:00

...let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith... Hebrews 12:1-2

The real secret in running this race we call life is to maintain a focus on where we are going.

The heroes and heroines of the faith who have gone before us attest to the validity of faith and to faith's great strength, and their testimony is a real encouragement to us. But the real basis for our faith and hope is Jesus Christ. He is our supreme inspiration for running the race. Jesus is the One we follow, with faith and hope. He is the One we keep our eyes focused on so that we will reach the finish line successfully.

Jesus is the One who is our great example for living. He had a goal and purpose for his life - to do the will of God, even when it led him to the cross. "O God, not my will but thine be done."

- Herman Kauffman

excerpt from the 50th Anniversary sermon

at the Columbia City Church of the Brethren

Manchester College A Capella Choir Concert

2011-05-01T18:51:00.000-04:00

The Manchester A Capella Choir will be in concert at the

Creekside Church of the Brethren on Monday, May 23, at 7:00 p.m.

This concert is part of a post-graduation tour. The forty-member choir is selected by audition and is directed by Debra Lynn, chair of the Manchester College music department. The concert will last about an hour and will include a mix of sacred and secular, classical and contemporary music. There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering will be taken to cover the choir's transportation expenses

Sunday Sign

2011-05-01T06:42:00.001-04:00

On This Day in History

2011-04-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

From The Writer's Almanac

On this day in 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, George Washington took the oath of office to become the first president of the United States. He chose to follow the oath with an inaugural address, as every president since then has done. He kept to generalities and concluded with a request for "divine blessing" on this fledgling nation.

Saturday Smile

2011-04-30T07:30:00.001-04:00

A little girl asked her mother for a dollar to give to an old
lady in the park.

Her mother was touched by the child's kindness, and gave
her the dollar.

"There you are, my dear," said the mother. "But, tell me,
isn't the lady able to work any more?"

"Oh yes," came the reply. "She sells candy."

Quote of the Day

2011-04-29T22:04:00.001-04:00

"Health is important but enjoying food is underrated. And some foods, you just gotta ignore how bad they are for you so you can have a little enjoyment. Ain't no one I know enjoyed asparagus the way they enjoy a cookie."
-from The Heart of Memory (page 166) by Alison Strobel

Today's Thought

2011-04-27T09:44:00.002-04:00

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
--- John Wooden

Tuesday's Prayer

2011-04-26T11:37:00.000-04:00

Lord, come alive within my experience, within my sorrows and disappointments and doubts, within the ordinary movements of my life. Come alive as the peace and joy and assurance that is stronger than the locked doors within, with which we try to shut out life. Come alive as the peace and joy and assurance that nothing in life or death can kill. - Rex Chapman

Remembering Ted Studebaker

2011-04-26T06:35:00.006-04:00

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the martyrdom of Ted Studebaker, an agriculturist from Ohio who during the war in Vietnam worked with the Montagnard minority in the country's central highlands. A week before he was killed on April 26, 1971, he was married to Hong Kong volunteer Ven Pak Lee, who like himself was a member of Vietnam Christian Service. Ted was about to begin a third year of service among Montagnard villagers. Ted's commitment and courage, chronicled through stories, music, film, and drama, continue to inspire generations of peacemakers.

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-04-25T09:27:00.000-04:00

Excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI Easter Message:

Easter morning brings us news that is ancient yet ever new: Christ is risen! The echo of this event, which issued forth from Jerusalem twenty centuries ago, continues to resound in the Church, deep in whose heart lives the vibrant faith of Mary, Mother of Jesus, the faith of Mary Magdalene and the other women who first discovered the empty tomb, and the faith of Peter and the other Apostles.

Right down to our own time – even in these days of advanced communications technology – the faith of Christians is based on that same news, on the testimony of those sisters and brothers who saw firstly the stone that had been rolled away from the empty tomb and then the mysterious messengers who testified that Jesus, the Crucified, was risen. And then Jesus himself, the Lord and Master, living and tangible, appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and finally to all eleven, gathered in the Upper Room (cf. Mk 16:9-14). ...

“In your resurrection, O Christ, let heaven and earth rejoice.” To this summons to praise, which arises today from the heart of the Church, the “heavens” respond fully: the hosts of angels, saints and blessed souls join with one voice in our exultant song. In heaven all is peace and gladness. But alas, it is not so on earth! Here, in this world of ours, the Easter alleluia still contrasts with the cries and laments that arise from so many painful situations: deprivation, hunger, disease, war, violence. Yet it was for this that Christ died and rose again! He died on account of sin, including ours today, he rose for the redemption of history, including our own. ...

May the Land which was the first to be flooded by the light of the Risen One rejoice. May the splendour of Christ reach the peoples of the Middle East, so that the light of peace and of human dignity may overcome the darkness of division, hate and violence. In the current conflict in Libya, may diplomacy and dialogue take the place of arms and may those who suffer as a result of the conflict be given access to humanitarian aid. ...

... May Japan find consolation and hope as it faces the dramatic consequences of the recent earthquake, along with other countries that in recent months have been tested by natural disasters which have sown pain and anguish. ...

Dear brothers and sisters! The risen Christ is journeying ahead of us towards the new heavens and the new earth (cf. Rev 21:1), in which we shall all finally live as one family, as sons of the same Father. He is with us until the end of time. Let us walk behind him, in this wounded world, singing Alleluia. In our hearts there is joy and sorrow, on our faces there are smiles and tears. Such is our earthly reality. But Christ is risen, he is alive and he walks with us. For this reason we sing and we walk, faithfully carrying out our task in this world with our gaze fixed on heaven.

Link to the entire message

Sunday Sign

2011-04-24T05:15:00.002-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-04-23T06:05:00.001-04:00

At an Easter Sunday service, the pastor asked the children,
"What is different in the church today?"

A 5-year-old child looked up at the cross and answered:
"Someone left a towel on the cross."

Sunday Sign

2011-04-17T06:12:00.002-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-04-16T13:28:00.002-04:00

It was Palm Sunday and, because of a sore throat,
five-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a
sitter.

When the family returned home, they were carrying
several palm branches. The boy asked what they were
for. "People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by,"
his older brother explained.

"Wouldn't you know it," the boy fumed. "The one Sunday
I don't go, He shows up!"

See you in church tomorrow!

Today's Thought

2011-04-13T12:46:00.000-04:00

Thanks to http://photoquoto.com

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-04-11T06:26:00.001-04:00

The 23rd Psalm is the one passage of scripture that almost everyone here can recite. It’s a song of comfort, of pleasing images, it’s the passage we read at funerals for our loved ones. That portrayal of Jesus as the shepherd who watches over us and cares for us in those times of loss, when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, is an affirmation that in the time of despair Jesus is with us.

Listen, listen, listen! This is important, listen. He is not the God of the dead; he is the God of the living!

It is so sad that we associate this Psalm with funerals because it’s not a song of dying; it is a song of living. By incorporating this Psalm into our Christian liturgy we are affirming that Jesus is the shepherd who walks through life with us, blessing us, empowering us, enriching us, and sharing with us. He is with us, with us in the NOW.

-excerpt from a sermon by Guy Kent

Sunday Sign

2011-04-10T06:07:00.002-04:00

Affirmation of Faith

2011-04-05T06:22:00.001-04:00

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-04-04T09:15:00.000-04:00

Soren Kierkegaard once said that we tend to think of church as a kind of theater where we sit in the audience watching the actors onstage. If sufficiently entertained, we show our gratitude with applause. Church, though, should be the opposite of the theater. God is the audience for our worship.

What matters most takes place within the hearts of the congregation - not onstage. We should leave a worship service asking ourselves not "What did I get out of it?" but rather "Was God pleased with what happened?"

Sunday Sign

2011-04-03T06:03:00.003-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-04-02T05:22:00.001-04:00

The fourth-grade teacher had to leave the room for a few
minutes. When she returned, she found the children in
perfect order. Everybody was sitting absolutely quiet.

She was shocked and stunned and said, "I've never seen
anything like it before. This is wonderful. But, please tell me,
what came over all of you? Why are you so well behaved
and quiet?"

Finally, after much urging, little Sally spoke up and said,
"Well, one time you said that if you ever came back and
found us quiet, you would drop dead."

2011-03-30T06:57:00.001-04:00

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-03-28T06:29:00.008-04:00

What does it cost to follow Jesus?
Luke 14 focuses on a disciple’s need for singleness of purpose. Early in the chapter (verses 1-24), Jesus is teaching mostly during meals, a common setting for exploring the nature of his mission. In a parable about a banquet, Jesus showed the risks of competing allegiances. Now Jesus turns his attention toward his followers, stressing the cost of discipleship. Jesus offers an invitation to everyone, but each person must consider what it takes to be a follower. What does discipleship require? Being a follower of Jesus means giving all, getting past competing demands of family approval (14:26), the ties to possessions (14:33), and even risking life itself.

Would-be disciples may feel torn because of other concerns. Jesus is advising followers to consider carefully or they may end up never completing what they started. The cost may be too high. The examples show the need to think ahead to avoid the humiliation of making big decisions on impulse.

Disciples who can’t follow through are like salt that has lost its taste; it ends up being worthless (verses 34-35). In the first century, the sodium might leach out of impure forms of salt, making it flat or stale, thus useless as a seasoning. Uncommitted disciples have lost their essence. Jesus’ conclusion reemphasizes the demanding nature of what it means to be his follower. “Let anyone with ears to hear, listen!”

- Michael McKeever, Excerpted from a Gather 'Round Bible insight for teachers

Sunday Sign

2011-03-27T06:46:00.002-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-03-26T06:19:00.001-04:00

Doctor:  "I see you're over a month late for your appointment.
Don't you know that nervous disorders require prompt and
regular attention?  What's your excuse?"

Patient:  "I was just following your orders, Doc."

Doctor:  "Following my orders?  What are you talking about?  I
gave you no such order."

Patient:  "You told me to avoid people who irritate me."

Thought for Today

2011-03-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to http://photoquoto.com

Quote for Today

2011-03-24T06:24:00.001-04:00

The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you never know
if they are genuine.
--- Abraham Lincoln

Midweek Thought

2011-03-23T06:53:00.003-04:00

Thanks to http://photoquoto.com

A Spring Prayer

2011-03-22T07:35:00.001-04:00

Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,
the spiritual blindness that prevents us
from appreciating the wonder that is this world,
the endless cycle of nature,
of life and death and rebirth.
Forgive us for taking without giving
reaping without sowing.
Open our eyes to see
our lips to praise
our hands to share
and may our feet tread lightly on the road.

Read more at: http://www.faithandworship.com/Prayers_Spring.htm#ixzz1Gu300Aks
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Monday Mini-Sermon

2011-03-21T07:42:00.003-04:00

Spring is here, a time of waiting, of expectation...

Spring is here, a time of…
preparing new ground
planting new plants
nurturing new seedlings
tending new shoots
protecting new buds

A time of…
clearing out the old
throwing away the tarnished
discarding the wasted
emptying out the junk
chucking out the crap

A time of…
dreaming new dreams
thinking new thoughts
making new plans
growing new goals
welcoming new hope

A time of…
holding tight the fragile
embracing the vulnerable
nurturing the young
becoming aware of the potential
longing for summer

Time to recommit, to begin again the
work… the rest of winter is over…
the glory of summer is just beginning.

Spring!

2011-03-20T19:00:00.001-04:00

Spring begins with the vernal equinox on March 20 at exactly 7:21 P.M. EDT.

The vernal, or spring, equinox is the point at which the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator from south to north, signaling the beginning of nature’s renewal in the Northern Hemisphere. The word “equinox” is derived from the Latin for “equal night” and is used now because the days and nights are of (nearly) equal length. Enjoy the longer days!

Sunday Sign

2011-03-20T06:32:00.002-04:00

Saturday Smile

2011-03-19T07:29:00.002-04:00

From "Dear Webby's Humor Letter":

"I presume, Mrs Murphy, you carry a memento of some
sort in that locket of yours?"

"Indeed I do, sir, it's a lock of my Dan's hair."

"But your husband is still alive."

"That he is," said she "but his hair is long gone!"

Debating Hell

2011-03-18T07:34:00.001-04:00

The issue currently being debated in the blogosphere is whether an eternal heaven and hell exist. What is viscerally real is that in our very midst – in the wake of tsunamis and earthquakes, meltdowns and trash heaps, we've got a whole lot of hell on our hands already.

When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, it often sounded like the in-breaking of a whole new world – "heaven come to earth," as so many poets and songwriters have said.

Could it be that we hold the potential of heaven within ourselves – and that through our efforts, we might charge in and make a heaven of hell? Is it possible to pray, to campaign, to fight for those who walk through hell simply because of their social location? Is it possible for the love of God to so transform a heart that it can ransom that which it once capriciously exploited?

And perhaps more than all of that – beyond the words and debates of a million well-intentioned people – could the in-breaking of God be happening, and we missed the chance to help put out the fire?

Trey Lyon is associate pastor for faith development at Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Ga.

St Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T09:18:00.001-04:00

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. It marks the day Patrick died in Ireland in 460 AD. Today we join our Irish brothers and sisters in the traditional "wearing of the green." But more importantly, the intended meaning of this day is a day for spiritual renewal and the offering of prayers for missionaries worldwide.

As we recall the life of Patrick who was kidnapped as a sixteen-year-old and began to speak with God while watching sheep on the side of the mountain, who responded to the call to go to Ireland with the good news of Jesus Christ; may we also remember today those who serve as missionaries to God's people in other lands.

This prayer is often attributed to Saint Patrick:

May the Strength of God guide us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.
May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.
May the Angels of God guard us
against the snares of the evil one.

May Christ be with us.
May Christ be before us.
May Christ be in us, Christ be over all.

May Thy Grace, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and forevermore. Amen.

Reducing the Budget Deficits

2011-03-16T07:25:00.002-04:00

An NBC/WSJ poll asks Americans to make choices about how to fill the hole in our budget:

The most popular: placing a surtax on federal income taxes for those who make more than $1 million per year (81 percent said that was acceptable), eliminating spending on earmarks (78 percent), eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says aren’t necessary (76 percent) and eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries (74 percent).

The least popular: cutting funding for Medicaid, the federal government health-care program for the poor (32 percent said that was acceptable); cutting funding for Medicare, the federal government health-care program for seniors (23 percent); cutting funding for K-12 education (22 percent); and cutting funding for Social Security (22 percent).

And how do you think that millionaire politicians who propose the earmarks and whose campaigns are funded by weapons manufacturers and the oil and gas industry will respond to the voice of the people? I'm guessing they will cut funding for Medicaid, health-care for seniors, Social Security, and public education. Am I cynical or what?

The Kauffman Post

Sunday Sign

Today's Thought

Thought for Today

Saturday Smile

Winter is Coming

Saturday Smile

quote of the day

Saturday Smile

Saturday Smile

Thanksgiving Day

Quote for Today

Nobody is perfect unless you are in love with them.Nobody is totally imperfect, unless you used to be in love with them--- Socratex

The Beauty of Autumn

Sunday SignsI

Saturday Smile

Sunday Sign

Sunday Sign

62 Years Ago

October's Beauty

Fall LeavesT

Let's All Pull TogetherI

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Steve Jobs on "Death"

Saturday Smile

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Saturday Smile

May the peace of Christ be yours today.

May God Shine on You Today

Saturday Smile

Saturday Smile

Sunday Sign

Sunday Sign

Tuesday's Prayer

On this Day

Sunday Sign

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Quote of the Day

Quote for Today

"I have come to believe that the only true way we can serve God is to serve His children." - Richard Paul Evans (The Sunflower)

Happy Birthday!

Monday Mini-Sermon: Spiritual Modesty vs. Absolute Certainty

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

The Last Post?

On This Day in History

Midweek Thought

Tuesday's Prayer

Monday Mini-Sermon

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Midweek Thought

Tuesday's Prayer

Mother's Day

Saturday Smile

Quote of the Day

Midweek Reflection

Tuesday's Prayer

Monday Mini-Sermon

Manchester College A Capella Choir Concert

Sunday Sign

On This Day in History

Saturday Smile

A little girl asked her mother for a dollar to give to an oldlady in the park.Her mother was touched by the child's kindness, and gaveher the dollar."There you are, my dear," said the mother. "But, tell me,isn't the lady able to work any more?""Oh yes," came the reply. "She sells candy."

Quote of the Day

Today's Thought

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.--- John Wooden

Tuesday's Prayer

Remembering Ted Studebaker

Monday Mini-Sermon

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Sunday Sign

Saturday Smile

Today's Thought

Monday Mini-Sermon

Sunday Sign

Nobody is perfect unless you are in love with them.
Nobody is totally imperfect,
unless you used to be in love with them
--- Socratex

A little girl asked her mother for a dollar to give to an old
lady in the park.

Her mother was touched by the child's kindness, and gave
her the dollar.

"There you are, my dear," said the mother. "But, tell me,
isn't the lady able to work any more?"

"Oh yes," came the reply. "She sells candy."

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
--- John Wooden