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Hunger drives people to force their argument revealing the ugly side of selfishness. The Savior graciously overlooks human pitifulness and offers the greatest gift of all, eternal life. Amazing. Jn6
There is a critical time to choose to believe or to reject Jesus. Jesus is not an option in life nor is he a convenience that can be ignored or relegated to the lives of others. Jesus must be a watershed moment for every human. Each of us is lost in sin. If we view Jesus as one of many options we are in effect rejecting him. That is a decision to our own peril.
The issue of critical importance is sin. All of us have sin in our lives. It is the reason that we can never be in God’s holy presence. That sin needs to be purified from our lives. This purification needs a cleansing which is done by a “washing” by Jesus. The penalty for sin is death. Either we die in our sin or we can accept the gift of Jesus dying in our place as our substitute. What a gift! Jn3
We were out for some fun and running errands. From location to location we steadily kept up our pace and systematically checked off all of the items on our Texas check list. The setting sun gave us the signal that the day was coming to an end.
Our low growling stomachs reminded us that we had been depleting our energy reserves. It was past time for dinner and we had not planned anything for the evening meal. We looked up at the new strip mall where we were finishing up our day of errands and saw an interesting looking restaurant.
Adventure and hunger are two fascinating appetites of life to partner up for a new moment of exploration. This was a Japanese food eatery. “Let’s give it a try.”
The ambiance of the restaurant was splendid. Lighting was subdued but inviting. The decor was ethnic specific and well apportioned.
Friendly smiles welcomed us and the receptionist led us to a comfortable table. The menus were fresh, sprinkled with pictures and the prices were acceptable. From a familiar list of options we placed our order.
Pleasant conversation had us reviewing our day. We shared our reactions to specific events as we talked over this feature and that episode. Reliving what we had just lived that day is a part of what fun marriages do.
The waiter showed up and presented my bride with her order. It was not just amazing. Instead, it was spectacular.
We both pulled out our phones and began snapping pictures. Carefully, we turned the bowl at the best possible angle. Then, we checked the pictures and began moving glasses of water, napkins, salt shakers and other distracting items out of the shot.
All through the process we shared our results with each other. Together we marvelled at the presentation. It made the event fun.
Presentation, fun and taste were now combined for a wonderful meal. A new restaurant was being added to our favorites list. What an enjoyable day this turned out to be.
Life is like that. At least it should be. When God the giver of life graciously gave us the gift of life through Jesus Christ, He had every intention that it should be a splendid. Like any gift we would give, we look forward to the beneficiary to use the gift and thoroughly enjoy it.
Are you loving life? God wants us to. That is why He gave us Jesus.
photo credit: brucefong photography
The grocery store is a neutral kind of place for me. I surely don’t have aversions for going there. At the same time it is not a destination that I choose because I enjoy walking in and taking in the place. Simply it is neutral or benign.
Since I have no expectations once I arrive, then I am open to being entertained. Readily I will laugh, smile, chuckle or pause to admire something totally unexpected. It is like a free surprise without a birthday, anniversary or holiday involved.
I rounded a few end displays. My shopping cart driving was as good as ever. That’s when a vision captured my attention.
At first I was surprised. It could not be what I thought I was seeing. Quickly I changed the course of my shopping cart exploration and headed to this vision of attraction.
Our local grocery store has a very nice floral section. Arrangements, potted plants, balloons and gifts line the shelves. For any occasion there are options for any shopper.
This addition was a sight for hungry eyes. There were not flowers in these arrangements. Yet, they were very colorful.
An aroma was bountiful with these creative gift pots. I could inhale this kind of fragrance with a genuine smile. In fact I could read the individual decorations with fond memories.
These could very well be an option for celebrating someone’s special day. I have already made a mental note of this as an option. In my line of work remembering special days for special people is a constant.
Perishable is part of the delicacy of such offerings. While this gift option would not last forever, it had a shelf life that surpassed most flower arrangements. A potted plant would beat it out though.
Personally, I liked the peanut butter cup option. Straight chocolate would not be a turn off. Certainly, a collection of nut bars was a winner in my book.
It was a fun option. If a gift is supposed to make someone smile, then, this selection certainly filled the bill. Buy someone a candy bar bouquet. It will certainly make them laugh and grin and thank you profusely for your thoughtful yummy gesture.
photo credit: brucefong cellphone photography
No one told me to do it. It wasn’t even in my job description. But, there is something about investing in people who are innate in what my calling is in life.
I seek out men who are going to “show up” when they are supposed to. They are kind of guys who are dependable. Their word is their bond.
Responsibility, priorities and obligations are a part of their identity. Convenience isn’t their motto. Loyalty and faithfulness are.
Men who take seriously the role of just “showing up” are the kind of men that are on my list. Title or office are not the same as showing up. Rather, influence and example are.
Service is another feature that stands in the lives of men that I seek out. These men give to others. Often you find men who are looking for a perk for themselves. Overly concerned about losing something or feeling obligated or fearful of getting stuck in something tha they don’t want, those are not the guys on my radar.
Instead, these men are spending time with others in need. They are investing in helping those who need help. There is an intuition about these men that gather others around them and render aid.
These guys are the down and dirty. They don’t count hours, worrying about expenses or regret giving up something of themselves. People look up to them from every strata of life.
Men like this are servants. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that they have the absence of ability. They are amazingly talented, gifted and successful men. Simply put, they lead not to gain anything for themselves; rather they give generously of themselves driven by a gift that they have already received to give back to others.
Men on my search list are sincere. They want to grow no matter where they are in life. Humility keeps them hungry to learn, develop and become more effective.
Men like this are teachable. They have an appetite to learn from someone else. There are no better students in the world than men like this.
I left a group of seven like this back in San Francisco. They are fabulous guys. Spending time with them was a personal highlight of my time in the Bay Area.
Now, I’m in Texas. I’m hunting for more men like those I left behind in Cali. They’re here, I just have to find them.
photo credit: brucefong cellphone photography
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