Posts

Showing posts with the label matter

Outlive your Life by Max Lucado

Image
With another call out of complacent Christianity, Max Lucado brings to every person, especially the most ordinary of us, the nature of God's call and purpose for life.  He reveals both sides of the coin that all people matter to God:  Every person is called and equipped to make a difference in the world, and every person is worthy of God's touch through the service of His people.  As always, he threads the lives of heroes from the Bible, history and present day to encourage and inspire Christians to reach their potential as Jesus' ambassadors. More than once, this book moved me to tears and prayer.  It had me question my attitude toward the people I meet every day and the ones I only glimpse on the evening news.  It had me question everyday encounters.  As Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Don’t read this book unless you are re...

Acknowledgement

Okay, acknowledgement is not really a value.  It's more of an action, but it has everything to do with the way you view the world and your relationship with other people.  My pastor used an illustration in his sermon today... you wouldn't walk into a dinner at the White House (assuming you were invited) and not acknowledge the President.  He would be the reason you were at the White House, and the person who happens to live there.  Even though the people we come into contact on a daily basis may not have as much clout as the President of the United States, they still matter.  I work in a nursing home.  I am deeply aware that just taking the time to nod or smile or say hello to residents I pass in the hallway is vitally important.  Many of these people already feel discarded by their families, hopeless about their health, and live day to day going from medications to therapy to meals, and not much else.  If you want to make a difference in ...

My Dad

In honor of Father’s day, I’m going to tell you about my dad. Tomorrow, I’ll let him speak for himself. My dad survived three girls growing up in his house. We always joked that he was badly outnumbered; even the dog was female. He has never indicated that he was dissatisfied raising three girls rather than any sons. His passion for sports was passed down, however. I started playing baseball when I was six, soccer when I was eight, and basketball when I was nine. I also ran my first 10K when I was nine, and started volleyball when I was ten. I believe there was also a gymnastics class, tennis lessons, and a never-ending golf game in there as well. As far as I can remember, Dad never missed a single game or meet. Sometimes he’d show up still dressed in his 3-piece suit, and find his place on the bleachers. He has a deep, strong voice, and I could always hear him cheering me on. He would often kick me off the couch at home and get me out tossing a softball, shooting some hoops,...