From the Inbox

[Tina]

The Potter's Wheel
This devotional was written by Leslie Snyder

So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O, house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “ Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…”
—Jeremiah 18: 3-6

I like to get my hands messy. Maybe that’s what led me into ceramics class in college. As the only one in the class who wasn’t an art major, I was well out of my comfort zone. Throughout the semester, we learned about types of clay, textures and techniques. But what I really wanted to do was use the potter’s wheel. Our instructor made it look so easy. Sit down at the wheel, roll up your sleeves, throw down your prepared clay, get it wet, start the wheel, press the clay, and create a cool-looking bowl, jar, plate or whatever you wanted! Then, it was my turn. I went to the wheel and threw the clay on it… but missed. It hit the floor. I tried again. This time I hit the wheel. Success! Now I had to shape the clay into a “hockey puck” that was completely even and centered on the wheel. Hours later, I was frazzled. My back hurt from being hunched over the wheel, my shoulder was sore from throwing the clay, my fingers were cramped from kneading the clay and my wrists seemed frozen in place from pressing hard enough to make a “hockey puck.” It took me the rest of the semester to create something – anything – worth taking home.

Creating a masterpiece takes time. It takes patience, creativity, vision and forethought. That’s how God described His role in Jeremiah’s life. God is the potter, Jeremiah (and we) are the clay. Isaiah 45:9 states, “Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’” and Isaiah 64: 8 reads, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

So often, we want to be control, telling God what we want Him to do in our lives, how we want Him to answer a specific prayer or how we want Him to work something out. But who are we to tell our Creator what to do or how to answer a prayer or how to respond to a request? Like Jeremiah, our role is to be the clay. This means we are to patiently undergo the processes of preparation, centering, shaping, and refining at the will of our Creator, and not the other way around.

[Tina]

Find Favor in God's Eyes
Today's devotional is written by Emilie Barnes

Scripture Reading Genesis 6:8-22

Key Verse: Genesis 6:8; 22.

Noah Found Favor in the eyes of the Lord..... Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

~~
Almost every day we can read newspaper articles dealing with people who are being honored by the world:

-government
-sports
-medicine
-education
-theater
-music

On and on we can go. Man finding favor with man. Have you ever thought about how much richer it would be to have God find favor with you? I stand in awe when I think of God finding favor in me, but He does. Only through His marvelous grace are we able to come to Him face-to-face.

Noah lived in a world much like today, a world full of sin. Man hasn't changed much over the centuries---we just give sin a different name. Yet through all this wickedness, Noah was a person who lived a godly life. His life was pleasing to God even during those evil days.

Noah didn't find favor because of his individual goodness but through his personal faith in God. We are also judged according to the same standard-- that of our personal faith and obedience. My daily prayer is that my family and I will be worthy of the goodness God so richly bestows upon us.

Even though Noah was upright and blameless before God, he wasn't perfect. God recognized that Noah's life reflected a genuine faith, not always a perfect faith. Do we sometimes feel all alone in our walk with God? Noah walked in greater deprivation than we, yet he still walked with God. Noah found that it wasn't the surroundings of his life that kept him in close fellowship with God, but it was the heart of Noah that qualified him to find friendship with God.

How often do we try to find favor with man only to fall on our face in rejection? Noah only wanted to please God. Have you ever asked in that still small voice of yours, "Do I find favor in the eyes of the Lord?" When we come to him and admit we are sinners, we please God. At that time we find God's grace, and we are able to move into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Then we are able to find favor with God.

As we live in this very difficult time of world history, we might ask, "Do I find favor in God's sight?" God gives us grace to live victoriously: "He gives us more grace" (James 4:6)

[Tina]

Labels
This devotional was written by Mike DeVries

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” [Jesus asked]. The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”—Luke 10:36-37

It was an early Wednesday morning as I headed over for a little reading at my "low-rent office" (also known as Starbucks). I got my coffee and settled into one of those big cushy chairs they have there, ready to study a Bible commentary and prepare for a future teaching series at our church. As I started into the first page, a voice came from the chair next to me...

"So, is that like a commentary on the book of Mark?"

“Yeah, it is,” I said.

Then came an interesting question.

"Is it a conservative commentary, or one of those... ?"

"It depends on what it's compared to, I guess." I replied.

I've been thinking lately about the way in which we label certain things. We seem to have a label for everything; people appear to have a desire to define or label just about anything. These labels are used to identify and categorize things. Labeling helps us to make sense of a confusing world. But labeling also has another, often darker, side.

Through labeling, we assign value. Once we have labeled something, we feel comfortable again having categorized it (rightly or wrongly) and assigned it a place within our worldview. Once we’ve labeled it, no more discussion is needed. It is what it is.

Labels, however, can shortcut the needed work of wrestling with the issues of our time. And, they can be especially destructive when used within issues of faith, because we can easily become convinced that “our labels” also carry with them the sanction of God. We are on shaky ground when we casually or arbitrarily label ideas, questions, or even people as "liberal,” “conservative,” "bad,” “good,” "dangerous,” “biblical,” “un-biblical,” “in” or "out".

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see He lived in a day that was filled with labels. Religious leaders had clearly defined labels about people. There were those who were "in" and those who were "out." The gospels are filled with moments where people assigned labels to Jesus. Yet, He somehow stood outside them, above them. He lived a life that transcended labels. Jesus came to explode the kind of thinking that imprisons people in a world of labels and categories. He came to live in a way that offered inherent dignity to all - a life of love and compassion and generosity.

For Jesus, apparently labels never had the final word on the value of a person. He did.

In all things, our goal should be to pursue following Jesus and stand for what is true, right and good (as defined by Him!). We are to stand for justice and peace in this world. Today, let’s be careful in what and whom we label. We are not the ones to have the last word, Jesus is. And with Him, all things are possible.

[Tina]

No Matter What We Feel
This devotional was written by Robin Dugall

I'm the man who has seen trouble, trouble coming from the lash of God's anger. He took me by the hand and walked me into pitch-black darkness. Yes, he's given me the back of his hand over and over and over again. He turned me into a scarecrow of skin and bones then broke the bones. He hemmed me in, ganged up on me, poured on the trouble and hard times. He locked me up in deep darkness, like a corpse nailed inside a coffin.—Lamentations 3:1-6 (MSG)

In today’s Scripture passage, we read that Jeremiah (the author of Lamentations) feels broken and destroyed by God’s angry hand. To us, though we have all probably felt the same way at one time or another, it likely feels a little wrong -- even sinful -- to actually blame God. Still, in this instance, Jeremiah is unashamed to come before God and tell Him exactly how he feels:

Abandoned. Rejected. Alone. Grief. Loss. Abused. Angry. Frustrated. Bitter. Apathetic. Hopeless. Dirty. Depressed. Betrayed. Vengeful. Let down. Heartbroken. Enslaved. Pained. Ugly. Judged. Lost. Afraid.

Perhaps you are experiencing one of these emotions right now. Jeremiah provides us an important reminder that God isn’t intimidated or surprised when we come to Him with our hurting hearts. As followers of Jesus, we get used to putting on a happy face and skipping the natural processes of coping and dealing with our hurts. Remembering that God made our emotions and has experienced each one Himself can help us get through difficult situations. Knowing that our Creator can relate to our experiences reassures us that we are not alone. Further, Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we are going though sadness or mourning:

You’re blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. Matthew 5:3 (MSG)

God can fearlessly handle the tears, the screaming, and the groaning from our hearts. He’s big enough, He loves us, and He doesn’t let us go. The times when we are distressed, He comes the closest. He uses our difficult circumstances to grow and change our hearts and lives. In tough times, God gives us opportunities to see how big He really is. If we look closely in the midst of troubles, we can see that God is not finished writing our story. He’s not done with us yet. He’s using our circumstances to recreate our lives to make us stronger, deeper and more reliant upon Him.

[tamor]

A pastor concluded that his church was getting into very serious financial troubles. While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several cartons of new bibles that had never been opened and distributed.

So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for $10 each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.

Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task.

The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and w ere likely capable of selling some bibles. But he had serious doubts about Louie who was a local farmer, who had always kept to himself because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. Poor Louis stuttered badly. But, NOT WANTING TO discourage Louis, the minister decided to let him try anyway.

He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.

Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our bibles last week?"

Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, "Using my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church."

"Fine job, Jack!" The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. "You are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you."

Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many bibles did you sell for the Church last week?"

Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, "I am a professional salesman. I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and here's $280 I collected."

The minister responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You are truly a professional salesman and the church is indebted to you."

Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And Louie, did you manage to sell any bibles last week?" Louie silently offered the minister a large envelope.

The minister opened it and counted the contents. "What is this?" the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here! Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles for the church, door to door, in just one week?"

Louie just nodded. That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul said in unison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times a s many bibles as we could."

"Yes, this does seem unlikely," the minister ! agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."

Louie shrugged. "I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.

Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell us what you said to them when they answered the door!"

"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied, "W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this b-b-b-b-bible f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks ---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-he re and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??"

[tamor]

No one believes seniors . . . everyone thinks they are senile.

An Elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had moved back to their old neighborhood after they retired.

Holding hands they walked back to their old school. It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they'd shared, where Andy had carved 'I love you, Sally.'

On their way back home, a bag of money fell out of an armored car, practically landing at their feet Sally quickly picked it up, but not sure what to do with it, they took it home. There, she counted the money--fifty-thousand dollars.

Andy said, 'We've got to give it back.'

Sally said , 'Finders keepers.' She put the money back in the bag and hid it in their attic.

The next day, two FBI men were canvassing the neighborhood looking for the money, and knocked on the door.

'Pardon me, but did either of you f ind a bag that fell out of an armored car yesterday?'

Sally said, 'No.'

Andy said, 'She's lying. She hid it up in the attic.'

Sally said, 'Don't believe him, he's getting senile.'

The agents turn to Andy and began to question him.

One says: 'Tell us the story from the beginning'

Andy said, 'Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday . . '

The first FBI guy turns to his partner and says, 'We're outta here.'

[Tina]

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment.

Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed.

Extensive courier duties also required.



RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life.

Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.

Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not some one just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.

Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.

Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.

Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.

Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.

Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.



POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &PROMOTION:

Virtually none.

Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.



PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.


WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.


BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the Mom's and Dad's you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, and let them know they are appreciated.

[Tina]

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.


What ingredients are mothers made of ?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the
world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use
string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?

1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on
beer? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof
ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.


What's the difference between moms & dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dad s are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause
that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of
plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of
that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it
and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of
her head.

[Tina]

The Sandpiper
by Robert Peterson

She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live.
I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world
begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something
and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.


"Hello," she said.


I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child


"I'm building," she said.


"I see that. What is it?" I asked, not really caring.


"Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand."


That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes.


A sandpiper glided by.


"That's a joy," the child said.


"It's a what?"


"It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy."


The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself,
hello pain, and turned to walk on I was depressed, my life seemed
completely out of balance.


"What's your name?" She wouldn't give up.


"Robert," I answered. "I'm Robert Peterson."


"Mine's Wendy... I'm six."


"Hi, Wendy."


She giggled. "You're funny," she said.


In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on.
Her musical giggle followed me.


"Come again, Mr. P," she called. "We'll have another happy day."


The next few days consisted of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings,
and an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out
of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.


The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was
chilly but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.


"Hello, Mr. P," she said. "Do you want to play?"


"What did you have in mind?" I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.


"I don't know. You say."


"How about charades?" I asked sarcastically.


The tinkling laughter burst forth again. "I don't know what that is."


"Then let's just walk."


Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face.
"Where do you live?" I asked.


"Over there." She pointed toward a row of summer cottages.


Strange, I thought, in winter.


"Where do you go to school?"


"I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation"


She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was
on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.
Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.


Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no
mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt
like demanding she keep her child at home.


"Look, if you don't mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I'd
rather be alone today." She seemed unusually pale and out of breath.


"Why?" she asked.


I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought,
My God, why was I saying this to a little child?


"Oh," she said quietly, "then this is a bad day."


"Yes," I said, "and yesterday and the day before and -- oh, go away!"


"Did it hurt?" she inquired.


"Did what hurt?" I was exasperated with her, with myself.


"When she died?"


"Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding,
wrapped up in myself. I strode off.


A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there.
Feeling guilty, ashamed, and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up
to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking
young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.


"Hello," I said, "I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today
and wondered where she was."


"Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much.
I'm afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance,
please, accept my apologies."


"Not at all --! she's a delightful child." I said, suddenly realizing
that I meant what I had just said.


"Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia
Maybe she didn't tell you."


Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.


"She loved this beach, so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no.
She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days.
But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly..." Her voice faltered, "She left
something for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?"


I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young
woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with "MR. P" printed in bold
childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues -- a yellow beach,
a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed:


A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.


Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love
opened wide. I took Wendy's mother in my arms. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,
I'm so sorry," I uttered over and over, and we wept together. The precious little
picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words -- one for each year
of her life -- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and undemanding love.


A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand
-- who taught me the gift of love.

[Tina]

Timekilling game

Can you save at least 50%?

http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g2/applegame.htm