Peanut Butter Au Natural

A friend once questioned me on my peanut butter preferences. Being a peanut butter afficionado for numerous years, I informed him about my fondness for natural peanut butter -- with the oily, visually-unappealing substance at the top prior to mixing. He believed this "natural" peanut butter contained artificial flavorings and sugars of various sorts. I showed him the error of his ways.

BEHOLD, Smucker's Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, which contains "Organic Roasted Peanuts" with "1% or less of salt." And zero grams of Trans fat! Yummy in the tummy, fer sure.

And indeed, this peanut butter is somewhat healthy, even though it does have quite a bit of fat. I've heard it's the "good fat," though I haven't really researched that issue.

The only problem is that, once it's refrigerated, and once the oily substance has permeated the whole mixture, it becomes as hard as a rock. You have to basically chisel it off in layers, whereupon you place it (with care) on your peanut butter and jelly sandwich (being careful to avoid ripping and tearing your fresh wheat bread).

The peanut butter, in such a state, has a tendency to stick to the roof of your mouth as you voraciously chew your sandwich. But, if you intermix it with just the right amount of jelly, everything goes down just fine.

And that's one mighty-fine sandwich. A recipe for happiness and delight.

Chronic Dehydration

Avoiding dehydration

According to wikipedia, dehydration is best avoided by drinking plenty of water. "The greater the amount of water lost through perspiration, the more water must be consumed to replace it and avoid dehydration. Since the body cannot tolerate large deficits or excesses in total body water, consumption of water must be roughly concurrent with the loss (in other words, if one is perspiring, one should also be drinking water frequently). Drinking water beyond the needs of the body entails little risk, since the kidneys will efficiently remove any excess water through the urine with a large margin of safety.

A person's body, during an average day in a normal temperate climate loses approximately 2.5 litres of water. This can be through the lungs as water vapor, through the skin as sweat, or through the kidneys as urine. Some water (a less significant amount, in the absence of diarrhea) is also lost through the bowels. In warm or humid weather or during heavy exertion, however, the water loss can increase by an order of magnitude or more through perspiration; all of which must be promptly replaced. In extreme cases, the losses may be great enough to exceed the body's ability to absorb water from the gastrointestinal tract; in these cases, it is not possible to drink enough water to stay hydrated, and the only way to avoid dehydration is to reduce perspiration (through rest, a move to a cooler environment, etc.).

A useful rule of thumb for avoiding dehydration in hot or humid environments or during strenuous activity involves monitoring the frequency and character of urination. If one develops a full bladder at least every 3-5 hours and the urine is only lightly colored or colorless, chances are that dehydration is not occurring; if urine is deeply colored, or urination occurs only after many hours or not at all, water intake may not be adequate to maintain proper hydration."

Stay hydrated people, lest you turn dry and dusty.

The Sun is Hot

After years of research, scientists have discovered that the sun is hot. And it will burn you.

Years and years of exposure to the sun can give one an unattractive, if leathery and worn, appearance. Basic research shows that the surface of the Sun consists of hydrogen (about 74% of its mass, or 92% of its volume), helium (about 24-25% of mass,[10] 7% of volume), and trace quantities of other elements, including iron, nickel, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, magnesium, carbon, neon, calcium, and chromium. The Sun has a spectral class of G2V. G2 means that it has a surface temperature of approximately 5,780 K, giving it a white color that often, because of atmospheric scattering, appears yellow when seen from the surface of the Earth. That "K" stands for Kelvin. Not the person, but the temperature scale. I dare not look at how that translates into Farehnheit, since it would boggle the mind.

You should be aware that ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible form of radiation. They can penetrate your skin and damage your skin cells. Sunburns are a sign of skin damage. Suntans aren't healthy, either. They appear after the sun's rays have already killed some cells and damaged others. UV rays can cause skin damage during any season or at any temperature. They can also cause eye problems, wrinkles, skin spots, and skin cancer.

To protect yourself:

• Stay out of the sun when it is strongest (between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.)


• Use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher


• Wear protective clothing


• Wear wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV ray protection


• Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds


• Avoid beaches when your skin is already leathery and worn.

You will do good to abide by these simple, commonsensical guidelines. Plus, onlookers will appreciate your consideration.

America's Top 20 Worst Foods!

20: Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal - Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with cream ranch sauce. 830 Calories, 55 grams fat (4.5 trans fat), 48 carbs. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.

19: Worst drink - Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz). 900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 carbs, 166 g sugar. Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie, MSNBC calls it a milk shake. The beverage contains as much sugar as 8 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.

18: Worst supermarket meal - Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie). 1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carbs. Label may say this pie serves two, but, whoever divided a small potpie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.

17: Worst 'healthy' burger - Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger. 1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carbs.

16: Worst Mexican entree - Chipotle Mexican Grill Chicken Burrito. 1,179 calories, 47 g fat, 125 g carbs, 2,656 mg sodium.

15: Worst kids' meal - Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese. 1,210 calories, 62 g fat, 3,450 mg sodium. It's like feeding your kid 1-1/2 boxes of Kraft mac'n'cheese.

14: Worst sandwich - Quiznos Classic Italian (large). 1,528 calories, 92 g fat, 4,604 mg sodium, 110 g carbs. A large homemade sandwich would more likely provided about 500 calories.

13: Worst salad - On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef. 1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carbs, 2,410 mg sodium. This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1, 100 calories each.

12: Worst burger - Carl's Jr. (Hardee's on East Coast) Double Six Dollar Burger. 1,520 calories! , 111g fat. Carl's Jr. brags it's home to this enormous sandwich, but the restaurant chain also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site -- so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.

11: Worst steak - Lonestar 20 oz T-bone. 1,540 calories, 124g fat. Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700 calorie blowout.

10: Worst breakfast - Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes. 1,540 calories, 77 g fat (9 g trans fat), 198 g carbs, 109 g sugar. Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as this stack of sugar-stuffed flapjacks, which is truly a heavy breakfast, weighing in at a hefty pound and a half.

9: Worst dessert - Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs. Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.

8: Worst Chinese entree - P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein. 1,820 calories, 127 g fat,! 95 g carbs. The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbs it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?

7: Worst chicken entree - Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce. 2,040 calories, 99 g fat, 240 g carbs. 'Crispers' refers to an extra thick layer of break crumbs that soak up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.

6: Worst fish entree - On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans. 2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs, 4,700 mg sodium. Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America : A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.

5: Worst pizza - Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza. 2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs, 4,470 mg sodium. Downing this 'personal' pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.

4: Worst pasta - Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce. 2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs, 5,290 mg sodium. This meal satisfied your calorie requirements for an entire day.

3: Worst nachos - On the Border Stacked Border Nachos. 2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs, 5,280 sodium.

2: Worst starter - Chili's Awesome Blossom. 2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs, 6,360 mg sodium.

1: The worst food in America - Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing. 2,900 calories, 182g fat, 240g carbs. Even if you split these 'starters' with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before you entree arrives.

You can't watch just once!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zBWfOn0Kbd4&feature=related

Discovering God's Will "Kingdom Decisions"

Understanding God’s Will
“Kingdom Decisions”
7-6-08

Self Assessment and Discussion Questions:

Who do you love to work w/ the most?

What are some Church interests or concerns that excite or concern you?

Current Vocation?

Other jobs or skills you have experience in?

I have taught a class or seminar on?

My most valued personal asset is?

My story of how I came to know Christ and what that means to me?

Times you felt close to God?

Painful experiences you’ve been through and can share with others?

Educational experience to include favorite subjects and where you went to school?

Seminars or meaningful trainings you’ve attended?

Why’s you’ve served in Churches?

At the Gathering do you feel under utilized, over utilized, or just right? Why?

What else can we do to bring honor to God and his Kingdom?


(Questions were asked as an icebreaker and lead in to the discussion of the Kingdom topic)


In the past we have talked about God as a Teacher, Parent, Father, and now we will look at him as our King.

In today’s world, and I believe, especially in America it can be hard to come to terms w/ what defines a King or Kingdom. Usually when we think of Kings today we only think of tyrants of the past or impotent figure heads honored for the sake of tradition. Kings of the past had full authority and the Kingdom was in fact identified w/ the King. Today we believe or would argue we have certain unalienable rights, but in the time of Kingdoms you didn’t have rights, except for those allowed to you by the will of the King, and they were subject to change in accordance w/ the King’s motives and decisions. In a Kingdom all service in the kingdom is in fact done for the King and you are only entrusted w/ being a steward of all you possessed. Everything you did was for the advancement of the Kingdom or done on the King’s behalf and your life would revolve around the king. A King is the highest authority of the land, basically a summation of our three branches of government rolled up into one individual who may or may not care what the people thought of his politics.

Our God is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and at the end of times every knee will bow before him. (Rev 19:16). There are other references to God as a King and His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God/Heaven is at Hand, Repent…was said by Christ on many occasions. The Lord’s prayer in (Matt 6:9-13) Jesus says…”your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...” and later in the chapter (v.33) he says what is important is to “seek first his kingdom and righteousness.” Like the kings mentioned above our King has full authority over us whether we wish it were so or not. What we take comfort in is that he is the perfect King. His will and promises are never changing, and he truly cares about his people. But we are even more than just his people when we accept his Son, we become co-heirs of Christ and members of the royal family.

As our King God has granted us lots of freedom and some boundaries we need to honor, but he expects a lot in return. We have the freedom to make mistakes and choose to follow other kings in our lives if we want (during our time here on earth), but if we choose to follow the Lord we submit our allegiance to him and to him alone, and we must honor the boundaries he sets up. Even though God gives us boundaries he offers us lots of freedom within those boundaries. For instance, Adam in the Garden of Eden…out of the whole garden there was just one tree he was forbidden to partake of. I think this applies to jobs, relationships, and some lifestyle situations in our life as well. God doesn’t always tell us to take a particular job, date and marry a particular person, join this particular church, organization, gym, political party, but he does set some guide lines on issues.

When God says do something he means for you to do it, (Jonah tried to run from what God had him to do and it didn’t go so well). God isn’t in the advice business! When God speaks we are expected to listen and obey, (Noah lived in a land before the world knew rain and worked on building an Ark others mocked him about). There is a huge importance for us to pray and search the scriptures for what those boundaries are in our lives, but we can take comfort in the fact our King knows what is coming. The quote from Chasing Daylight: “Where there is freedom, we must initiate, and where there are boundaries we must honor them.”

What else makes our king different from the Kings of this earth? A friend said: “We serve Christ because He served us! We do so gladly because we know (partially) of His suffering, and we know of His willing decision to obey God's will. We are not enslaved by the law, but, by His sacrifice, have been made truly "free." We are never more free than when we willingly choose to obey God's commands and teachings. That is true freedom.”

What does honoring boundaries look like? If you are asking God to bless you in your job to be the best bartender in the world, to make a difference in people’s lives by stripping, or in selling junk bonds you know have no value or return on investment; how is He suppose to bless those things that are opposite of His nature? If you ask God to bless a relationship that lacks purity, or is with someone that isn’t a believer; how is He suppose to bless that relationship when it goes against his will? If you pray to God to make you a vessel to bring others to Christ but you are living in a homosexual relationship, sleeping with someone out of wedlock, or you’re pursuing a lust for money at all cost; by not turning over your life to God you limit his effectiveness in your life. In James we discussed the “double-minded” man. Meaning the man that knows what God expects of him, and yet questions it, and basically asks God, “Are you sure?”
There is a difference between being obedient and honorable. You can be obedient and physically pure in a relationship, but the whole time have thoughts that are not honorable to the person you are dating. You can be working well enough to get the job done, but not bring honor to your employer by doing the bare minimum and by allowing others to see you shabby work. You can be obedient to the command of not forsaking the assembly, but never make the effort to become involved in the Body.

Some Definitions of Honor:
honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor.
a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one's family.
high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor.
such respect manifested: a memorial in honor of the dead.
to worship (the Supreme Being).


What does Honor mean to me in practical terms? When I was in the Marines the importance of how we carried ourselves in our uniforms was a huge deal. In bootcamp you spend hours upon hours training us on the history of the Corps and were constantly being tested on our “knowledge,” so we would have an appreciation for the men that gave their lives in the uniform we hoped to one day wear, (you don’t get to wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, or have the U.S. Marine patch, or even the title of Marine until the day of graduation…until that point you are a recruit only). When I donned on the uniform I made sure every crease was sharp, pin was in place, and all ranks and insignias were in the correct position. Not just because I took pride in my appearance, but because I was representing something much bigger than myself, and that is one of the reasons there are constant inspections. Are you paying the proper respect and giving honor to the uniform and what it represents? I think there are people that have forgotten their Christian heritage. The sacrifices that have been made so that you can have the relationship with the King you have today. If you are a Christian there should be a sense of honor about you that others see, and possibly want to learn more about. Often we go about our lives wearing the same grimy selves we had before we knew Christ and the people around us don’t recognize there is something different about us. We are representing the King! Something much bigger than we ourselves and it should be noticed. We are princes and co-heirs with Christ, and when you are royalty there are matters of etiquette and principle you do and don’t do because of you position, (boundaries). We have the opportunity to advance the Kingdom for the King!

When you report to a King his will is the mission, and sometimes his will is in conflict with our will, or with our “safety.” King’s were originally set up in power to protect the people and property under their rule. Sometimes they would send people to fight battles the people may or may not have had an interest in fighting. The King is very similar to Marine Corps leadership. In the Corps there are two purposes behind leadership, Mission Accomplishment and Troop Welfare. Which do you think is more important? The answer is by far mission accomplishment! Say you are tasked with taking a hill where the enemy is dug in, and you are ordered to charge the hill. You’re charging up the hill into the on-coming fire of the enemy and your best friend in the world goes down at your side…what do you do? You keep charging! Your primary goal is to take the hill, and after that is completed you can go back and check on your wounded and dead, but not before. If you stop before the objective is accomplished you risk sacrificing others as well, so in essence the mission is still about troop welfare, and your actions may prevent the fall of others. You don’t always know the strategic value of the hill or why you had to charge it, but you trust the command has its reasons. Often I believe we are told by God to charge a “hill” in our lives, and sometimes we stop to say, “God, what about me and my interest, my welfare?” I don’t believe God has us charge hills in vain, but that he tells us to do it for the advancement of the Kingdom. I think we often say to God, “I want to do this mission, but I need the comfort and security first,” when God says, “do this and I’ll take care of you.” (Seek first His Kingdom and Righteousness, and these things will be added to you). We need to get into a mission accomplishment mindset. Troop Welfare is important, and I think it is very important to God, so much so that he sent his only begotten son to die for us. The comfort we have is God always takes the hills when he sends us on a mission. It might not look like what we expected, but we have the assurance he’ll win despite what happens to us.

In the Marines when you are given an order you are expected to reply with “instant and willing obedience to orders” (with the exception of unlawful orders or personal servitude). We discussed earlier the King is the law, so the unlawful order doesn’t apply in service to the King, and neither does the argument of personal servitude. Here is where our faith comes into play. If we truly believe God is good, and we understand he is God and we are not, that he is our Father and loves us, then in moments when God says to do something we can respond immediately. Discipline in the military or Faith in Christianity comes into play when there seems to be an absence of orders. “Discipline is the instant and willing obedience to all orders and in the absence of orders, to do what you believe the order would have been.” It all comes down to doing what we know we should do, and abstaining from what we know we shouldn’t do, (Boundaries).

Sometimes I believe Christians are looking around for the leader they want to follow when God has put them in the position to lead. No one is born a General…You don’t start off commanding an army, but as your aptitude for leadership grows God will use you for larger and larger roles. My challenge to you would be let’s be the body of believers that don’t have the issue with taking the initiative.

Some kings may have sent their armies into battle without training or armament, but they probably wouldn’t have been kings for long. Our King doesn’t do this, in fact, he knows us better than we know ourselves. I liked the statement from the service “that our strengths, weakness, skills, and talents are God’s gift to us. What we do with them is our gift back to God.” He has given us these gifts so that we may glorify Him, and He doesn’t set us up for failure. He didn’t send a shepherd boy to take on Goliath in the hopes that he would win, or send Moses in the attempt to free his people. He knows the outcomes already and sends the people to places where they can use their talents to bring him glory. The battle is already won!

In “Gates of Fire” (the most Awesome book I’ve ever read…outside the Bilbe)…there is a description of a King given from the point of view of a slave to the King Xerces. A friend of mine pointed out how this description of a king is basically a representation of the example Christ set for us, and I thought it was awesome how it relates to the King discussion: (disregard the names and try to follow the point being made)

“I will tell his Majesty what a king is. A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men's loyalty through fear nor purchase it with gold; he earns their love by the sweat of his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him. ... That is a king, Your Majesty. A king does not expend his substance to enslave men, but by his conduct and example makes them free. His Majesty may ask, as Rooster did, and the lady Arete, why one such as I whose station could most grandly be called service and most meanly slavery, why one of such condition would die for those not of his kin and country. The answer is, they were my kin and country. I set down my life with gladness, and would do it again a hundred times, for Leonidas, for Dienekes and Alexandros and Polynikes, for Rooster and Suicide, for Arete and Diomache, Bruxieus and my own mother and father, my wife and children. I and every man there were never more free than when we gave freely obedience to those harsh laws which take life and give it back again.”

If those words don’t send chills up and down your spine you may have something wrong with you. I would like to leave on this note…Our station could most grandly be called service and most meanly slavery to our King, but he has made preparations to make us royalty. You are my kin and my country and I hope you feel the same about me, and we are never more free than when we make sacrifices for one another. Our goal is to advance the Kingdom, and our King is leading from the front. All we have to do is follow him and the Kingdom will advance.


Any Questions or Comments you have on the Study are appreciated.
Thanks,
JPH

Destination Distraction

Discovering God’s Will
Destination Distraction
6-22-08

The basis of the sermon is that we often become so distracted by the next destination in our lives that we often fail to notice the opportunities happening right in front of us. (Examples: The next great car, job, house, or relationship). “If only I had this, or I can’t wait until that, or I’ll be happy when” … such destination distractions tend to draw our focus until they become the very point of our existence. In fact, it has been the “mantra for our generation: ‘are we there yet?”

Finding Joy in Present Circumstances

Often, we become so preoccupied with the future that we have a hard time finding joy in our present circumstances. The thing is, if you can’t live and find happiness where you are NOW, then chances are you won’t be able to live and find happiness where you’re going. Happiness and contentment are not situation or circumstance dependent. Our happiness comes from the Lord! Don’t forget that Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and is often more of a state of mind, than a question of circumstance. God is our glory and joy! (1 Thes 2:20). Paul also states in 1 Cor 7:4 “I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” (Emphasis mine).

We have something to be excited about, so don’t look for the gratifications of the “next great thing” in your life, because once you achieve it, what’s next? The next great adventure (no relief or contentment)? You never take the time to enjoy the journey God put before you. We often imagine the future as better than now; in fact, the saying goes, “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.” In truth, the grass is sometimes greener because it’s right above a septic tank!

The other thing that can happen when we live in a destination distraction is we start living life in a pause mode. Sometimes we ask God: “Is this it?” We become so distracted by life’s “what ifs” that we lose the very moments God has placed in our grasps! The moment you are in is a good moment. Let’s enjoy the season of life where we are and not be in a hurry to change things for the sake of change.

The message also focused on the story in Jeremiah (Jer 29:4-14), when the people were sent into exile to Babylon, and they were being told by prophets what they wanted to hear: that they would be set free shortly and would be returning to their home land any day now. And so, they were living as such. Any day, they will be heading out; don’t get too settled in. Jeremiah comes along and tells the people God is the one that turned them over into the situation and He will restore them, but not for 70 years, so settle down and make a life out of where you are now. What a lesson for us.

I think a lot of people view their attendance and participation in church in this manner. “I’m not sure this is the Church for me, so I’m just going to come, but I don’t want to get too involved, because that would mean I would be here to stay, but surely God has bigger plans than me serving here in this Church,” or “I can’t see myself going here very long.” I think God would tell some people it wasn’t coincidence they walked into this Church, and He’s been waiting for them to make a move. Do something!

The Journey is the Destination

It was said in the lesson that God’s chief will for our lives is the journey in which we are transformed so that we are made ready for the next season in our life. The process is the purpose itself! So, the Journey is the Destination, and if we live in the present the future will never be lacking. Don’t rush the process! Too often we are so focused on the end goal that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are, or we make short cuts in our lives. I really appreciated Brad sharing the story of his engagement to Christina, and how they wanted an additional year before getting married. They understood they would never be in that moment again, and instead of focusing on the “next great thing,” they were content to enjoy the now. Waiting is not easy … especially for something you really long for, but often the wait is well worth it.

Krista's qoute read during small group from "The Vision and the Vow:

"I was giving a friend a lift in my car, and we got to talking about life. “I don’t know what God’s calling me to do,” he confessed, and asked me to pray about what it might be. “Why?” I asked. “I already know what Jesus wants you to do!” “You do?” he gasped with excitement. “So, what is it? What’s my call?”I paused, enjoying the suspense. Drums rolled. String quartets tuned up. My friend held his breath…“Your call,” I said slowly, “is to be a worship leader…” He looked pleased, really pleased, so I continued: “… but not necessarily w/ a guitar in your and.”“Okayyy,” he murmured.“Your call is to befriend that funny little lady at the end of your street…”He seemed less pleased w/ this prospect.“Your call is to feed the hungry and to spend yourself on behalf of the poor…”By now he was looking distinctly troubled. “…and to offer hospitality to strangers who just turn up in town needing a place to crash.”Consternation.“And it’s to fast.” He was starting to look furious.“And it’s to pray so long and hard that you run out of words and tears.” There was no going back.“Your call,” I continued, “is to preach the good news of Jesus to every person who will listen and a few who won’t. Your call is to go somewhere, anywhere, wherever, whenever, for Jesus, and never stop. Your call is to love people no one else loves and to forgive them when they treat you like dirt-or worse. Do your job to the very best of your ability without grumbling about your boss or whining about your colleagues. Your call is to pray for the sick, and when they are healed to dance all night. And when they aren’t, to weep with them and love them even more.” I glanced across at him and was relieved to see that his expression was beginning to mellow.“Your call is to honor your parents, pray for your leaders, study the Scriptures, and attend plenty of parties. Be a peacemaker in every situation: when the fight breaks out on the bus home late at night and when the gossip starts to circulate at church. Your call is to pick up litter in the street when no one else is looking, to wipe the toilet seat, to pull the gum off from under the desk. It’s to get to meetings early to put out the chairs.”By now he was smiling.“Your call is to make disciples and to teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded. And don’t forget to minister grace to them when they sin. Which they will. Your mission is to baptize and to cast out evil spirits. Your call is to bind up broken hearts whenever you find them, and you will find them wherever you look. It’s to visit prisons. And hospitals. And to…”“Yeah, yeah,” he interrupted good naturedly, trying to shut me up, but I was on a roll-and I knew he couldn’t leave, because I was driving the car.“Your call,” I continued resolutely, “is to listen more that you talk and to listen with your eyes as well as your ears.”He was shaking his head in mock despair. I carried on: “It’s to do the chores again and again without grumbling. It’s to buy ethical coffee and to recycle your bottles. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to leave anonymous gifts on people’s doorsteps.”By now we were both laughing, and I was finally running out of steam: “And when you’ve done all that,” I grinned, jabbing him in the ribs at each syllable, “come back and see me, and we can spend a little time praying about Phase Two!” The problem for most of us is not that we don’t know what God wants of us. It’s that we know exactly what He wants of us, and it’s not what we want to do!”

Isn’t a gift a little more special when it is received in the proper time? Imagine someone saying, “I know your birthday isn’t for 2 months but I thought I would give you your gift today.” Timing can make a huge difference. For instance, I believe God’s timing for sex in a relationship is somewhat like a 401k. You can cash out your plan early; having that extra cash would be good, but cashing out early will have consequences and it certainly won’t be as great as if you had just waited a bit longer. There are other examples as well … (What is the difference between a good meal and a great meal? About an Hour!)

I also have an example of when I didn’t wait for something in my life that I thought would bring me happiness: In May 1996 I had just gotten back to the mainland after spending a year in Japan. I wanted a car desperately and I decided a 96 Eclipse would do the trick … would make me happy, that is. I, of course, hadn’t saved up any money, and couldn’t afford both the car AND insurance. So, a month or two in, I dropped the insurance and continued driving the car. In Feb 97, I was driving from UCLA after visiting a friend and going back to 29 palms, CA (about 3 ½ hour drive time ea way). I was going way too fast for conditions and, on the 12 lane hwy in the middle of a rain storm, a truck threw up a wall of water and completely blinded me. I pushed the brakes and slid into the truck, bounced off into a car, bounced back into the semi, and then hit a barrier, and finally came to rest in the middle of the street. The car was in really bad shape and had a flat front tire. I changed the tire and got back on the road when the hood flew up and smashed the windshield. I sank into the seat and managed to drive a hundred yards or so with my only vision coming out of a 2 inch gap between the hood and dashboard. After securing the hood and changing the tire 4 more times in the pouring rain I continued back towards base … only this time the trip took 5 ½ hours! I had to park the car off base because of its condition and continued paying out the lease. I then had to rent a u-haul and trailer to haul the car back to Washington when I got out of the military. I had a 27 ft truck to tow the trailer w/ a chest and seabag in the back of it. I finished paying out the term of the lease and then paid an additional 6 month extension before Mitsubishi demanded I either pay the car off in the amount of $6900, or turn it back in. Well, I didn’t have the money, so I turned the car back in and expected to have to pay what the car was worth … $6900 right? They came back and hit me up for damages on the car in the amount of $21,900 … ouch! I ended up paying on it until it was finally taken care of in 2004. The instant gratification of owning a car cost me roughly $41K after it was all said and done. There went the money I would have used for college, and my short term happiness turned into long term despair. I now always have insurance!

Why is it we become so preoccupied with the future? I think it basically comes down to either our want of control, or we are filled with worry. I have wondered what it would be like if we were able to know the future. We would probably try to change things about our future before it happened. The thing is, how do we know the very thing we are trying to stop or change isn’t the means by which our future will be accomplished?

I like the story line in the movie “Kung Fu Panda.” There is a vision that a bad guy is going to escape from prison; so, to make sure that doesn’t happen, the master sends a delegate to make sure everything is in place, only the actions of the delegate on the visit put into motion the means by which the convict escapes. The story of Jesus is the same way. The plans of men tried to kill him to protect their way of life, and yet their very actions led to Him being the Way!

We often think we know what would be best for our lives. I like the analogy Adam gave during the small group. People often will to listen to their ipod or a cd because they know what they like, and what they would want to hear, but sometimes, if you were to just turn the radio on, a song might come on that you don’t have in your collection -- a song that you normally wouldn’t have heard, but a song that is perfect for your particular situation, because it reminds you of a special time, or because it just perfectly fits the moment you are in. The point is to relinquish control of the remote in your life and let God dial in your radio. He knows what you need to listen to, do, and where you need to be.

The opposite of course is worry. Sometimes we suck the joy out of our lives by worrying about things we have no control over, and sometimes over things we do have a sense of control over. We are given instructions on why not to worry (Matt 6:25-34). We know that God is over all things and that should provide us with great comfort.

So, why doesn’t God let us know all things about the future? I like what the book has to say on pg 105. “The Apostle Paul alluded to this fact when saying, ‘For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known’ (1 Cor 13:12, NRSV, emphasis the authors). In fact, what if certainty has never been part of God’s desire for our lives? Because 100 percent certainty with anything in life -- finances, job, security, illness, the future -- would create the illusion that we don’t really need God after all.” If we knew everything we wouldn’t need faith, and faith in God is something he asks of us.

The Moment You Are In Is A Good Moment.

Therefore, let us take comfort in the fact God is in control, let us find joy in the moment we are in, leave the worrying to God, and make the best of the situations we are in. The only thing we can control is our worrying. Let’s not live life in a pause mode or be in a hurry, but let God use us in whatever place we find ourselves.

JPH