What a tremendous season for the NSW Waratahs...and an exciting Grand Final in Christchurch.
I think if we would have had another 10 minutes we might have won. The true champions were out there playing on the field when it seemed certain they would lose. I would not have been any prouder of them if they had won!
I am proud to know each of these guys personally and they are a fine group of men as well as a championship team. I will sincerely miss the men who are moving on but wish them God's richest blessing and pray for them (as I tell them frequently) that God would use their rugby career and the lessons they learn on and off the field to move them closer and closer into a relationship with the One who loves them--whether they win or lose.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Some Light from the Old Book
Enjoyed this reminder from Proverbs this AM...
"My son, pay attention to what I say;listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight,keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth;keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead,fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left;keep your foot from evil.
My son, pay attention to my wisdom,listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge." Prov 4:20-5:2 (NIV)
"My son, pay attention to what I say;listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight,keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth;keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead,fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left;keep your foot from evil.
My son, pay attention to my wisdom,listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge." Prov 4:20-5:2 (NIV)
A lesser known translation that I appreciate says...
"Keep my words deep within your heart...for they are the secret to life for those who know them. They bring health to the whole body...Keep your eyes focused on what is right. Be careful what you do...Be careful to use good sense." The Everyday Bible
Or even just what my heart says in response...
"I need to guard my heart and my eyes...and do what is right."
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Compassion Challenge
Two Sundays ago, one of our pastors asked those in the congregation to accept a Compassion Challenge and make small step efforts influencing those around us in the everyday world by being open and up front about our faith...even something as simple as praying before a meal at a restaurant. I accepted the challenge and gave him my email address as accountability.
A couple of days later I received this email from him as a reminder of my commitment...
"I really appreciate your willingness to step forward out of Sundays message. I believe that individuals need to step forward in faith and for our church to see that God will honour our faithfulness to just be obedient to His call. We must live out our faith and relationship with Him in the everyday aspects of life.Please let me know how you go with this challenge. Wether you simply say grace at a restaurant, read your Bible at work or in coffee shop or park, listen to worship music in a car with others in it whatever. I really want to hear your experiences.
Can I encourage you: with a quote from Oswald Sanders: A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution! "
*********
So...a couple of days later I sent him these stories that he had requested. (He thought they were encouraging, so I thought I would add them to the blog!)
*********
Subject: Re: Compassion Challenge
1) Read my Bible (instead of my novel) while waiting in a public place for an appointment.
2) Chose a table at a food court with someone already sitting there for a follow-up appointment with a new Christian (rugby player). The older gentleman at the table either heard the entire appointment (on "assurance of salvation")...or he was deaf!
3) Thinking perhaps it would generate more awareness if I were to actually sing a praise song out loud on the train into work (instead of just reading my Bible) but have to admit I decided against it (using the rational that I seek to make the gospel as "winsome" as possible and my off key screeching would probably be counterproductive.)
4) Got in to very brief discussion with a taxi driver about the Lord (and his criticism of "the church") ...which ended quite abruptly when we arrived in record time...but gave him a gospel booklet with a $2 tip. I told him the next time somebody said something negative about Christians I wanted him to remember that there was one time when a Christian gave him a $2 for a $6 fare so it wasn't really true that all Christians want is your money.
A couple of days later I received this email from him as a reminder of my commitment...
"I really appreciate your willingness to step forward out of Sundays message. I believe that individuals need to step forward in faith and for our church to see that God will honour our faithfulness to just be obedient to His call. We must live out our faith and relationship with Him in the everyday aspects of life.Please let me know how you go with this challenge. Wether you simply say grace at a restaurant, read your Bible at work or in coffee shop or park, listen to worship music in a car with others in it whatever. I really want to hear your experiences.
Can I encourage you: with a quote from Oswald Sanders: A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution! "
*********
So...a couple of days later I sent him these stories that he had requested. (He thought they were encouraging, so I thought I would add them to the blog!)
*********
Subject: Re: Compassion Challenge
1) Read my Bible (instead of my novel) while waiting in a public place for an appointment.
2) Chose a table at a food court with someone already sitting there for a follow-up appointment with a new Christian (rugby player). The older gentleman at the table either heard the entire appointment (on "assurance of salvation")...or he was deaf!
3) Thinking perhaps it would generate more awareness if I were to actually sing a praise song out loud on the train into work (instead of just reading my Bible) but have to admit I decided against it (using the rational that I seek to make the gospel as "winsome" as possible and my off key screeching would probably be counterproductive.)
4) Got in to very brief discussion with a taxi driver about the Lord (and his criticism of "the church") ...which ended quite abruptly when we arrived in record time...but gave him a gospel booklet with a $2 tip. I told him the next time somebody said something negative about Christians I wanted him to remember that there was one time when a Christian gave him a $2 for a $6 fare so it wasn't really true that all Christians want is your money.
Monday, May 02, 2005
High Flying Thoughts
Couple of thoughts here (from the minds of others) that must have some application for me as a life coach...
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
- Michael Althsuler
My friend asked his father-in-law, a crop-duster, how his day had gone. "It was the worst day of my life," replied the man. "This morning I was up in my plane dusting a field when I nicked a power line and damaged the wing of the plane. When I got back to the office, my boss chewed me out. Then the guy from the FAA chewed me out. On my way home, I stopped off at a bar and was handed a warm beer. So I yelled at the bartender, 'Don't you have any cold beers?' The bartender said, 'Sorry, but we've been out of electricity all day ever since some idiot crop-duster hit a power line down the road.'"
-Essie Conley
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
- Michael Althsuler
My friend asked his father-in-law, a crop-duster, how his day had gone. "It was the worst day of my life," replied the man. "This morning I was up in my plane dusting a field when I nicked a power line and damaged the wing of the plane. When I got back to the office, my boss chewed me out. Then the guy from the FAA chewed me out. On my way home, I stopped off at a bar and was handed a warm beer. So I yelled at the bartender, 'Don't you have any cold beers?' The bartender said, 'Sorry, but we've been out of electricity all day ever since some idiot crop-duster hit a power line down the road.'"
-Essie Conley
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