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Resurrection Anglican Church
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Other InsightsWise Counsel "Work as if you were to live a hundred
years, "It is difficult to get the news from
poems, May you steer cleanly through the Holiday intensity... The abuse and use of this annual Sabbath. Here's hoping you stay present, in the moment, embracing this precious time for slowing down, taking stock, dropping grudges, grievances, agendas, propulsions all and sundry, looking into eyes, giving all you have to give, relinquishing scorekeeping, material, emotional or divine. -Ezra the Bookfinder The
Cookie Principle The neighbors have two dogs that drive me crazy. Every day they bark at me and my family. They act as if their goal in life is to play chase with my arm. One is an Australian Shepherd and the other is a gentle mix of breeds. What can one do? The thought hit me hard Monday. I remember two Great Danes behind my grandmother's house in Denver. One was named "Severious." These dogs had a reputation of killing small animals and chasing adults back into their houses. When we asked if we could play with them, we were warned to stay away. That's when the idea of cookies hit me. I thought if Jack and I fed the dogs cookies, they would like us. (Oh the wisdom of an eight year old). Severious fell in love with us and I even have a picture of him kissing me. Did you know Severious whistled when he yawned? Back to the story of my neighbor's dogs. Monday I began to feed the dogs. I believe by the end of the week we might see a change in attitude. I wonder how many other areas in my life could use a cookie ministry. The Bible says a soft answer turns away wrath. I bet a newer translation might say - give them a cookie. Take the initiative to be nice. See if they can whistle. You might find out their bark is worse than their bite. The Power of Prayer This is an awesome story someone sent me...it will encourage you, I'm sure! The Power of Prayer "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5,6. A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan. While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival In the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time witnessed to him of the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards." At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone." At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were -he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26. This story is an incredible example of how the spirit of the Lord moves in mysterious ways. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.
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Love
God, neighbor and enemy. 