Ecclesiastes 12:10

  It was always a gag among my friends when you told a joke that bombed or said something that got no response, to say crickets. It was a call back to the old Loony Toons bit when the performer finishes his big show and all you hear from the audience is the sound of crickets chirping.   Is there anything worse than giving it your all and there is no applause, only crickets?  Sometimes life feels that way for those seeking to do good. Our efforts are strong. Our dedication is strong. Our commitment is strong. But the response is weak. It can make us feel like the work isn’t worth it.   However, consider the words of Hebrews 6:10-11,  “ For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end ,”. Here we are told that though we might no...

    Over the years I become very concerned with making sure the church doors are locked.  You might think church buildings are crime free and undisturbed but this just isn’t the case.  At every work I been at (with the exception of Hope) I had my office at the church building robbed without someone “breaking in”.  Even when the situation didn’t involve theft, I had many other strange encounters that involved someone being in the building when they shouldn’t have been.  It has made me well aware of checking to make sure things are secure after we use the facilities.  I know at one place it was almost a grantee if I didn’t check the doors after a funeral or event, I would be dealing with someone coming in unawares.  It wasn’t that we didn’t want people at the building; we just wanted to know who was there and why they were there.  The insecurity of the unlocked door came from the folks who were only there for nefarious purposes. ...

There have been numerous great inventions and discoveries over the years, but this one takes the cake.  It is Spanish inventor Pep Torres idea for the “Y our Turn ” washing machine, which he developed to encourage sharing of housework. Users, such as a husband and wife, initially register their fingerprints, and Your Turn will not subsequently operate by the same person's print twice in a row.  I know it would be welcome in our house by both sides, each thinking they would get the better of the deal. I think it is human nature to think we are doing more than the other person. We know all we do, but rarely see all the things others do. It makes us a bias judge. Isn’t it wonderful that we serve a God that knows all we do. A Father who “ sees what is done in secret will reward you .”(Matthew 6:40) Even when we will feel we don’t get credit for our work, God knows and will reward.