Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there.
(John 5.13 NRSV)

A reporter once asked Will if he went to church. "All the time," Will replied as he wiped mud from his cowboy boots. "I find church happens all the time." The reporter wasn't sure he understood. He thought that Will misunderstood his question. So he asked, "What do you do on Sunday mornings at eleven o'clock? Do you attend a church service?" "Oh," Will responded, "You mean do I go to those steeples. I thought you wanted to know if I went to church."

Then Will invited the reporter to lunch with him. They drove for several miles until they arrived at a crossroad which featured a combination service station, convenience store, and restaurant. As they entered, the reporter noticed that the place was nearly empty, and they found a table in the middle of the restaurant. Just a few minutes later some construction workers entered and filled the tables. Now the reporter had hoped to continue their earlier conversation about church, but was unable to do so because people kept interrupting. One man thanked Will for performing his sister's wedding. Another man reminded Will to visit his mother in the hospital. A third asked Will if he would talk to his wife because they were having problems. For almost an hour people came and asked Will to perform the functions of a minister. And each time Will responded.

At one o'clock the restaurant was empty again as all the workers went back out to their jobs. Will silently finished his sandwich, "Well," he said to the reporter, "church is over for today. Let's go home."

Will might not fit many people's expectations for a minister. He would certainly not fit the job description of most congregations. He had a different kind of ministry. But then, so did Jesus.

Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to heal my wounds. Amen.

                                                                                                                                          Ron Newhouse

I AM THANKFUL
author unknown

I am thankful for the wife who says, "Hot dogs for supper!"
Because she is home with me, not someone else.

I am thankful for the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato
Because he is home with me and not out at the bars.

I am thankful for the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes
Because she is at home and not out on the streets.

I am thankful for the taxes I pay
Because it means I am employed.

I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party
Because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

I am thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug
Because it means I have enough to eat.

I am thankful for my shadow that watches me work
Because it means I am out in the sunshine.

I am thankful for a lawn to mow, windows to clean and gutters to fix
Because it means I have a home.

I am thankful for the complaining I hear about the government
Because it means we have freedom of speech.

I am thankful for the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
Because it means I am able to walk and I have been blessed with transportation.

I am thankful for my huge heating bill
Because it means I am warm.

I am thankful for the pile of laundry and ironing
Because it means I have clothes to wear.

I am thankful for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
Because it means I have been able to work.

I am thankful for the alarm that rings early in the morning hours
Because it means I am alive.

Beautiful Melody

On a cold January morning in 2007, in a Washington, DC Metro subway station, a man stopped among the throngs of morning commuters, pulled out his violin and began to play. The man played several Bach pieces, with the beautiful sounds echoing off of the subway station walls like the shell of a well-build amphitheater. During the time he played, over two thousand people went through the station, most lost in their busy thoughts, hustling their way to work. 

Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin valued at $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the price of seats averaged over $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... what else are we missing?

-As reported in the Washington Post.

.

I Believe

I Believe...
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.

I Believe ...  
That we don't have to change friends, if we understand that friends change.

I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe...
That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others; sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself...

I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

-Author Unknown

Father, forgive me for letting my difficulties ruin my attitude. I want to be a blessing to others no matter my personal circumstances. Convict me with your Spirit when I begin to focus too much on myself and my situation. Expand my heart with your grace so that I can use my inconveniences, problems, struggles, and challenges to be opportunities to share and to display your grace. In Jesus' name I pray.

                                                            --Phil Ware