Monday, March 29, 2010

Called to be cheerful!

Good Monday morning where I feel a little Disney coming forth on this March 29, 2010. It's that song from the 1937 animated blockbuster, 'Snow White', "Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's off to work we go!" This was the happy song put forth by the seven dwarfs as they headed off for another day of digging. You take this tune along with the "Whistle while you work!", sung by Snow White as she did housework, and you have a pretty good idea of the kind of attitude that works well as we engage ourselves in the labor God has provided to us. Our Bibles tell us that God loves a cheerful giver and while that verse is connected to our willingness to share our financial resources, that spirit of cheerfulness is certainly a winner wherever we go. I do thank God for the desire He has given to me to get up each day and go and do what I do with a hearty and willing spirit. I do not take this for granted and I do not take this lightly. Why? Because we are surrounded with folks who dread even the thought of another day at work. They need five clocks just to urge them to think about a new day. I don't, and I have come to realize it is a blessing from God, therefore, I give Him the glory, because left to my own devices I might still be under my pillow instead of clacking away on my keyboard even on this very day!

I am not attacking those who have trouble waking up. I've been around long enough to know that we are all wired differently. One of the lessons I had to learn as a young manager is not to try and turn night people into morning people. I dictated some early morning meetings and it did not take me long to notice how I was ruining the productivity of some of my brightest staff. On the other hand, there is balance, and perhaps that biggest of all as mentioned above, is found in one's attitude. In fact, there are websites that say they can help night owls become more morning oriented people. One said to jump up when the clock goes off and turn on every light in the house. My wife is one of those hard to get up in the morning people and I dare say that trying this technique out on her would probably only happen once. After that I would be bang zoom to the moon or some other location off the planet. These websites are attempting to put forth some ideas about making adjustments and trying to meet requirements in the best way possible. My thought is we all are called to be cheerful whether we are a night owl or an early bird. My wife tells me it is hard for someone who never has this trouble to really identify with those who do, and that's why I give God the glory for His provisions while turning on all the lights for the others! Ha!

We were able to witness the baptism of our granddaughter Amanda Faith yesterday and we thank God for her salvation through Jesus Christ. Her baptism was a response of obedience to show forth the truth of what had already taken place in her inner most being, her heart. It is symbolic in a public declaration of identity with Jesus, the Christ, as she was buried in the water in the likeness of His death, and then raised up even as He was raised up, He to be seated at the right hand of the Father, and she to her new life in Christ. As I march on in this life I have a continuing burden to see all of those who are a part of our earthly family to become a part of our heavenly or eternal family. The Apostle John spoke about his children in the faith and how that nothing was of greater blessing than to see them walk faithfully before the Lord. This is how MiMi and Poppy feels about our children and grandchildren and if we live, we hope to see the same in our great grandchildren. That's part of our calling to hand down the faith that was handed down to us. Sure, they, like Amanda Faith, have to respond to God's calling, and not everyone will, but we will, with God's help, do all we can to influence our entire clan to see them saved and on their way to heaven, and to see them fulfill the life God has called them to! Have a blessed week as you sing and whistle your way through it! Amen. .......More later.

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