A Home Of One's Own

A Home Of One's Own

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer, a building contractor, of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

His employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but it was easy to see that his heart was no longer in his work. He had lost his enthusiasm and had resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect the new house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built for ourselves. If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your present attitudes and choices.

I love you by J.E. Deegan

(To the One that will capture my heart)

I love you with a permanence,
That endures the passing years.,
I love you with a joyfulness,
That subdues all doubts and fears.,
I love you with an honesty,
That was born within my heart.,
I love you with the calm belief,
That we will never part.,
I love you with a confidence,
No earthly force can sever.,
I love you with the certainty,
That I’ll cherish you forever.,
I love you with the humbleness,
Of one who has been blessed.,
I love you with the reverence,
Of all that word suggests.,
I love you with a fervor,
That time cannot reverse.,
I love you with the truest love,
That poets put to verse.

By : J.E. Deegan

Husband Learns Love Is More Than Words

Husband Learns Love Is More Than Words

For the first 15 years of my marriage, I was a terrible husband. Diane held down a full-time job, became my secretary, mothered our daughters, and waited on me hand and foot without ever demanding that I lift a finger to help. I loved my wife very much, but I hadn't yet learned how to show my love. I had a lesson to learn, and God used a vacuum cleaner to teach it.

I learned many things about vacuuming one day. First, I learned that our cat was terrified of vacuum cleaners. That kept me entertained for about an hour.

As I vacuumed in one direction, a stripe would appear. Going the opposite direction would create a stripe of a different shade. Entranced, I striped the whole room. Then I went crossways, creating a checkerboard pattern. I got so carried away that I dusted the furniture and straightened the entire house.

I was once again embedded in the easy chair, working on my crossword puzzle, when Diane came home. She struggled through the door with a bag of groceries under each arm, kicked the door shut with one foot, and then took in the house with an expert glance. Her mouth dropped open. Slowly the bags slipped from her grasp and dropped to the floor. "Who did this?" she asked.

"I did," I said. Without warning, she attacked. Diving on me before I could get out of the chair, she smothered me with kisses and hugs, showering gratitude on me for helping her. The kisses grew more passionate. We broke the chair. It was wonderful!

The vacuum cleaner taught me an important lesson that day. Love is expressed with more than just words.

—Ken Davis, Lighten Up! Great Stories from One of America's Favorite Storytellers (Zondervan, 2000), pp. 123-124


Painting from Leonid Afremov
When I look at this picture, the sentence that comes to my mind is "Is she the one?"
I would like to be on this painting next to her. I really do love the colors.
Syber Sam

The Choice

The Choice

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot.
The sky is still black. The world is still asleep.
The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive.
It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun.
The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day.
The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race.
The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands.
It is now that I must make a choice.
Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose.
And so I choose.

I choose love ..
No occasion justifies hatred;
No injustice warrants bitterness.
I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy ...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker.
I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problems anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace ...
I will live forgiven.
I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience ...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.
Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray.
Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness ...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.
And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness ..
I will go without before I take dishonest gain.
I will be overlooked before I will boast.
I will confess before I will accuse.
I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness ..
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust.
My associates will not question my word.
My wife will not question my love.
And my children will never fear that father will not come home.

I choose gentleness ..
Nothing is won by force.
I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control ... I am a spiritual being.
After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I choose self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek His grace.
And then, when this day is done,
I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

Max Lucado


Let this be my prayer for the New Year.
Sam

Merry Christmas!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

------------------------------------------

Praise: You are Holy by Michael W Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCuaQCr0hws

This worship song has been my song of the Year, the most played on my computer on every Sunday morning. I will welcome any suggestion as far as the worship song for next year is concerned!

------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

How are you? How have you been?

Yes, it is that time of the year where we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I feel like this past year has been really short. Anyway, I am writing to let you know what has been happening with me.

Relationship wise: Yes, I am still single –not married yet. I have not found the lady that captured my eyes and my heart. Yet I am faithful and confident that if God wants me to get married He will provide for that special one. I am content being single and I think that’s what matter most.

Friendship wise: I did lose some friends such as Anna and Hector. However, I am going to see them in Barcelona in February of next year. I also made new French speaking friends like Sebastien, Roland, Jerome and Tim. It is been a blessing to know other French speakers in Manhattan.

Financially: In November of this year, I purchased my first apartment. It is a simple brand new one bedroom located in Astoria, no bigger than 650 sq feet, very close to Astoria Park –but 13 minutes walk away from the subway. I am really thankful that God allowed me to get my first residence. I think the timing was perfect. I really got a good mortgage loan rate.

Spiritually: I feel like I have grown much more than last year. I am constantly blessed by my church Redeemer and its teaching. My church challenges me to be a better steward of all of what God has provided to me –that is proclaiming the Kingdom here and serving the marginalized of our city. I am glad and rejoice at the fact that the potter is molding me into a better person ready for the New Heaven and New Earth. This past year I was trained as a lay leader in a curriculum called “Gospel In Life” created by Tim Keller and Redeemer City to City. I also found a Mini Well group (where we mainly pray for our unsaved friends salvation) and a small group meeting on Friday night. A friend nominated me for deacon again. This time as opposed to last year, I submitted my paperwork to be in this process. However, I was told that I had the gift of mercy, but maybe the timing was not right for me to move forward with the training required at Redeemer. The deek who interviewed me asked me to reconsider reapplying next year. As such, I have decided that I should just read the required readings for deacons on my own as I don’t think I will have time to go through the training next year. Overall, I can be more than happy. I see God’s touch in my spiritual life here and there.

Intellectually: I have not done much on this matter and I am ashamed to say that. My goal is to get back to study for an MPA or Master in International Relations starting in Fall of next year. That’s a reason why I won’t seek to apply to pursue deaconship next year.

New Year’s resolution: I was able to almost keep a resolution I made at the beginning of last year. I am drinking less Diet Coke! I took a resolution I knew I would not keep - that is losing weight. I failed on this matter.

The resolution I am taking for next year is as follow:

1- Start cooking on the weekends especially pasta dishes. I have no reason why I can’t cook now that I have a regular kitchen.

2- Read at least 12 books for the year with the goal of reading one book a month. I spent too much time on the internet, Twitter and Facebook. I feel like it is now appropriate to balance things out. I am throwing this in because I was inspired by Martha Steward, our GSA administrator ( reading one book a week) and our regional commissioner

3- Eating healthy –avoiding red meats to lower my cholesterol level.

I am blessed to have you as friends. Please share with me what is going on in your life such as praises or prayer requests. May God continually help you to grow more into his likeness next year. May He bless you with a good health. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel and Feliz Cumpleano!

In Him,

Sam

Prayer:

We come together humbly to the Lord of Glory and the Prince of Peace.

Lord Jesus Christ, Creator, Author, and Redeemer, we pray that our few concentrated minutes consciously in your presence would please you and humble us.

We acknowledge you as Creator, who precedes and sustains everything

- as Visitor in Bethlehem who is truly adorable

- as Author not of fairy tales but of reality

- as Redeemer who dies to make us whole

So, convince us that this Christmas news is the best news ever

- that though you are high yet you are lowly

- that though you are defined by eternity yet you are couched in humanity

- that though you are cramped in obscurity yet your glory is for all who have eyes to see

Convince us

- that our freedom is born in a stable and secured at the Cross

- that all other supposed solutions are false avenues in the light of your beauty and grace

- that our very life depends on you

Refresh our hearts in wonder and loose our tongues in songs of joy

We worship you afresh

Lord of Glory and Prince of Peace

Our living God is not remote, uncaring or idle

but who is engaging, outgoing and active

We, His people are called to be like Him

Let’s pray that we may reflect Him more accurately

Lead us your people to shine in the mess of the world

Lead us in humble service

Lead us in courageous abandonment of life and reputation

Strengthen our mission partners all over the world

We pray for all in danger or hardship that they may be renewed in courage, faith and hope.

And we pray for the multifaceted nature of our church here in London,

that we might be filled with His energy, His love and His humility.

So make the stable our context and the real world our activity centre.

Lord of Glory, Prince of Peace

Hear our prayers

Prayed in All Soul's Church in London England

Youtube:

Silent Monks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU

I found this funny :o)

CHILDREN'S LETTERS TO GOD

Dear GOD, I read the Bible. What does begat mean? Nobody will tell me. Love, Alison

Dear GOD, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? -Norma

Dear GOD, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't You just keep the ones You have now? -Jane

Dear GOD, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? -Neil

Dear GOD, Did you really mean "do unto others as they do unto you"? Because if you did, then I'm going to fix my brother. -Darla

Dear GOD, Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. -Joyce

Dear GOD, It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He said some things about You that people are not supposed to say, but I hope You will not hurt him anyway. Your friend (But I am not going to tell you who I am)

Dear GOD, Why is Sunday school on Sunday? I thought it was supposed to be our day of rest. -Tom L.

Dear GOD, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before, You can look it up. -Bruce

Dear GOD, If You give me a genie lamp like Aladdin, I will give you anything you want, except my money or my chess set. -Raphael

Dear GOD, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. -Larry

Dear GOD, You don't have to worry about me. I always look both ways. -Dean

Dear GOD, I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions. -Ruth M.

Dear GOD, Of all the people who work for You I like Noah and David the best. -Rob

Dear GOD, My brother told me about being born but it doesn't sound right. They're just kidding, aren't they? -Marsha

Dear GOD, I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the Bible. Love, Chris

Dear GOD, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in school they said You did it. So I bet he stoled your idea. Sincerely, Donna