Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Today's Kate Pictures
The last 10 are pictures of Kate, Great Grandpa Bruce, and others at Linda's birthday party today.
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/KateEarly#
http://picasaweb.google.com/paulw.gray/KateEarly#
Monday, July 13, 2009
Calvin & Hobbes, Week of Jul 13th
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2009/07/13/
To view strips after Monday, change the date in the URL.
To view strips after Monday, change the date in the URL.
God Issues: Sonia Sotomayor and your soul
InformedFaith.com | Subscribe or change your address here
By Dr. James C. Denison
President, Center for Informed Faith, Dallas, Texas
July 13, 2009
Topic: judgment and graceSonia Sotomayor and your soul
What are your plans for the week? If you're in Texas, you're searching for air conditioning anywhere you can find it. If you're a baseball fan, you'll probably watch tonight's home run competition and tomorrow's All Star game. If you're Sonia Sotomayor, you're beginning the longest week of your life.
As you probably know, Sotomayor's Senate confirmation hearings begin today. This morning's USA Today reminds us that Sotomayor, if confirmed, would be the first Hispanic and the third woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her hearings will be nationally televised, and every word she says will be scrutinized. The sermon I need to finish today kind of pales by comparison.
But the fact is that I am in precisely the same position as Ms. Sotomayor. Hebrews 9:27 is clear: "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Paul testified that "each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). He told the Corinthians, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).
What "things"? Solomon warned us that "God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Jesus concurred: "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs" (Luke 12:2-3). Even our private words will be judged by God: "I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36-37).
In other words, God wants to be the King of every part and moment of our lives. Jesus began his ministry by announcing that "the kingdom of God is at hand" (Matthew 4:17, ESV). His kingdom comes wherever his will is done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). If God is your King, you're sitting in his chair this morning, reading this essay on his computer, typing with his fingers, breathing his air. As the King of the realm, he will require an accounting of the way we use his possessions and serve his purposes.
This is a sobering topic for a Monday morning. But there's good news on two fronts. First, serving God as your King is the wisest way to live this day. He loves you passionately, and wants only your best. His will is always for his glory and your good. Second, if Jesus is your Lord, your Judge is also your Father. He is anxious to forgive every sin you'll confess and restore you to an intimate, personal relationship with himself. If Sonia Sotomayor's parents were the only people allowed to vote on her confirmation, she'd be in your position today.
So begin your week by asking your King what you can do for him this morning. Then rejoice that he's asking you the same question. This is the grace and the promise of God.
Copyright © 2009, Center for Informed Faith. All rights reserved.
Read previous essays.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Calvin & Hobbes, Weeks of Jun 29th & Jul 06th
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2009/06/29/
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2009/07/06/
To view strips after Monday, use 'Next day.'
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2009/07/06/
To view strips after Monday, use 'Next day.'
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Crabby Old Man
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.
Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? ..What do you see?
What are you thinking . .when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, .. . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing .. .A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding .. .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . as I eat at your will..
I'm a small child of Ten . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . .with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . .. a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now .. I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide .. . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty .. . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other .. . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fi fty, once more, .. Babies play ' round my knee,
Again, we know children .. . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ...I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . ..young of their own.
And I think of the years . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . .and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass .. A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . life over again.
I think of the years . all too few . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . Look closer . .. . . see . . . . . . . . ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within .. . . . . we will all, one day, be there, too!
PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched . They must be felt by the heart .
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.
Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? ..What do you see?
What are you thinking . .when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man, .. . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing .. .A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding .. .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . as I eat at your will..
I'm a small child of Ten . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . .with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . .. a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now .. I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide .. . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty .. . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other .. . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fi fty, once more, .. Babies play ' round my knee,
Again, we know children .. . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ...I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . ..young of their own.
And I think of the years . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . .and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass .. A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . life over again.
I think of the years . all too few . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . Look closer . .. . . see . . . . . . . . ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within .. . . . . we will all, one day, be there, too!
PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched . They must be felt by the heart .
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