Jay Walking: Embarassing How American’s Don’t Know Their History…
I love Jay-Walking…this one was eye opening though 🙂
Monty
Page 14 of 15
Shattered Dreams: Larry Crabb
I am just finishing a book by Larry Crabb called Shattered Dreams…It is the kind of the book that goes deep rather quickly, loosening the ties that often keep us anchored to a "lesser life." Larry is right when he notes in the book that some cherished dreams we have in life will crumble. Maybe it's the dream that the cancer will not take a loved one, or the dream of a successful new business venture that never had lift-off, or perhaps even the dream that a marriage would be restored. Many dreams crumble, and then the real journey begins.
Because most of our dreams are centered on ourselves, and are generally lesser dreams in terms of a dynamic, God-saturated life, we find that we are often able to attain those "lesser" goals or dreams. Larry notes that when we continually live off a diet of lesser dreams we never develop an appetite for the truly deeper dreams…the dreams that come from God…the dreams that are borne out of pain and brokenness.
The following paragraph caused me to pause:
"It comes down to this: God's best is available only to those who sacrifice, or are willing to sacrifice, the merely good. If we are satisfied with good health, responsible children, enjoyable marriages, close friendships, interesting jobs, and successful ministries, we will never hunger for God's best. We will never worship. I've come to believe that only broken people truly worship. Unbroken people-happy folks who enjoy their blessings more than the blesser-say thanks to God the way a shopper thanks a clerk."
In a culture of "relieve the pain at any cost" have we traded away our opportunity to truly know God…to meet with Him in the pain instead of merely ask Him to remove the pain?
May we not become satisfied with anything less than God…
Dei Gratia,
Monty
You Can Help The Disaster in Haiti
I'm sure you have been watching and praying over the recent devastation in Haiti. They are expecting well over 100,000 deaths, that is absolutely numbing to think about. I have heard some pundits claim that we have already given to Haiti so don't give anymore, and I have heard another notable personality claim it's their own fault for making a pact with the Devil…sigh…both those people need to retire. I will withhold my other thoughts about those remarks for now 🙂
Whatever the reasons may be, the reality is that there are humans who desperately need help, love, support, and prayer. Instead of picking the tragedy apart and assigning blame, we should actually do the Jesus thing and demonstrate compassion.
Compassion is at the heart of what it means to follow the Rabbi (Jesus). Condemnation was not His game, rather rescue was His mission. And as I read what He taught, His mission is my mission if I truly follow Him.
If you would like to send some financial support to get on the ground in Haiti, you can donate online here:
Click on the Haiti update and it will take you to a donation page. We are working with CAMA Services who and they are on the ground and running. They work with multiple organizations to get the most critical needs met!
We will also be looking at ways that we can help tangibly as this disaster is going to have long term effects.
Keep praying,
Monty
Positive News
This is too cool! In my last Blog post "Fear and Life" I mentioned that it would be nice to have a news show that gave us some good positive news instead of the stuff they dish up. Right after that post went up I received a link to a web site that posts nothing but positive news!
Check it out at : www.happynews.com
While it's not finding a prime time slot, it's a start. So I portal-ed over to the site and began perusing different reports under the "World" category, and stumbled upon this one that just caught my eye. Take a look, it's good to know that a kiss from your Prince Charming still has the power of life and death:
MC
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Husband's Kiss Wakes Up Sleeping Beauty Wife In Coma
JANUARY 26, 2009
34-year-old
Emma Ray suffered a heart attack just ten days after giving birth to
her son. Andrew, her husband, had to give her mouth-to-mouth after she
collapsed while they were out shopping. She was taken to a hospital
where doctors were able to restart her heart but warned she could
remain in a coma indefinitely. Andrew said a doctor told him: "She
could wake up the following day, she could wake up in a month, or you
may be left with a sleeping beauty."
In order to wake her Andrew had tried playing recordings of
their baby son Alexander and toddler Ella. He said: 'I would play Emma
the sounds of Alexander crying and gurgling, Ella singing and shouting
"Wake up Mummy!"
In addition he played her recordings of the songs they had
danced to during their wedding. "I would speak softly to her, clasp her
hand, pinch her fingers, all the time telling her I loved her or
begging her to wake up.
Finally, in desperation, he leaned over her hospital bed and pleaded: 'Emma, if you can hear me, please just give me a kiss."
"What happened next was beyond my wildest
dreams," he said. "She turned her head towards mine, puckered up her
lips and gave me a little kiss.
"I couldn't believe it. My heart felt like it was going to
leap from my chest – it suddenly felt like a huge weight had been
lifted."
The kiss was witnessed by doctors who were astonished by the 34-year-old's sudden response.
Mrs Ray was transferred from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to a
specialist brain injury rehabilitation unit at the Hayward Hospital in
Stoke-on-Trent. She was eventually allowed home but now – almost two
years later – the former IT consultant still needs ongoing
rehabilitation.
Mr. Ray said he was just grateful his wife has survived. He
said: "She can walk quite well holding hands now, and at least our kids
still have a mother and I still have a wife."
For more on this story, including photos of the bride and groom, check out this link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1127393/Husbands-kiss-woke-sleeping-beauty-wife-coma-heart-attack.html#