Let me see if I can get
Tuesday off to a better start on this
July 26, 2011. I will try and not rant and rave so much today but some things are as obvious to me as the nose on my face. I know what some of you are thinking.
Why didn't I say as obvious as the ears on my head? Okay. Since you want to play it that way, I read an article the other day that said people with larger ears are on average more intelligent than the general population. What's that you say?
What happened to me? This is a really tough audience this morning but I even remember a great Disney story about an elephant who had huge ears.
Aren't elephants supposed to have big ears and as I recall, that particular elephant could fly using his ears, are you able to do the same? Tough crowd and to think, I was going to try and stay on the high road today. But, just how in the world are you doing anyway? I do know here in these parts it is hot, hot, and then some more hot. That old manual meter used to sing a fairly long opera a few times a year but that electronic dude just sits there quietly, all the while changing those numbers faster than a speeding bullet. At least the power company understands. They sent out last month's bill along with a sympathy card. No. They didn't. Just joking. You got me a little off my game with those comments about my ears but I'll take that little report about being more intelligent and try to figure out who to send a thank you card to, it's most likely a group of big eared scientists.
I read the other day where someone used the phrase 'too big for your britches'. I grew up hearing that one. It has to do with thinking yourself to be bigger than you really are especially as it relates to knowledge or perhaps conceit. It's actually easy for this to happen to any of us. In fact, we can be sure it will happen if we do not guard against it. I think I remember getting a dose of Castor Oil way back when. It was a very horrid tasting medicine that many older folks thought was a cure for most things that ailed people. When we get all swelled up in our appreciation for ourselves beyond that which is appropriate, a big dose of humility is what we need to get us back on solid footing. When taken, the taste of humility is somewhat akin to the Castor Oil but it will accomplish its purpose when we take it and allow it to work.The Apostle Paul was by all accounts one of the most brilliant individuals who ever breathed air on the planet. This is validated even by his critics. In addition to his great intelligence and significant education, he was given direct access to profound truths from the very throne room of God. It would have been easy for Paul to have become lifted up in his elevated status and position. Too easy. Paul didn't want that to happen and God didn't either. Here's Paul's testimony as to how God dealt with this in his life: "
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) Us staying humble must be a big deal. It obviously is to God. Therefore, maybe it's time for a huge spoonful of humility. Something for us all to think about including yours truly.
Amen.
As you can tell by the illustrations I use, I do like comic characters as a way of getting my point across. I've mentioned before that part of my morning routine is to read the Dinette Set Comic Strip as a way of getting a chuckle bright and early. The comic satirizes middle-class culture; its main characters are 50-ish sisters Verla Darwin and Joy Penny. The single panel comic gently pokes fun at middle-class perceptions (and miss perceptions) of common, everyday issues. The husband of Joy, Burl, is my favorite character because he reflects a little of the goofiness that we all exhibit from time to time. You can find this one along with dozens of others out on the web. Laughter as medicine. Believe me, it goes down a lot better than that humility stuff. I am really thinking about ways to reduce the length of my daily episodes. My best advisor, my wife, continues to encourage me by telling me how good they are each day, but she often adds that they might be a tad long. I am working on a plan to address this issue and I promise not to write three extremely long paragraphs to explain how I might go about this change. Being too wordy is a long term affliction of mine and while it does reflect who I am, I also do want to provide something that at least passes the smell test as being consistently pleasant and readable. I think I have said enough about that, at least for now. Maybe I write the amount I write to help make the pictures fit. I'll get back to you on that one. Until next time, may God bless each one.
Amen. .....More later.
I read the other day where someone used the phrase 'too big for your britches'. I grew up hearing that one. It has to do with thinking yourself to be bigger than you really are especially as it relates to knowledge or perhaps conceit. It's actually easy for this to happen to any of us. In fact, we can be sure it will happen if we do not guard against it. I think I remember getting a dose of Castor Oil way back when. It was a very horrid tasting medicine that many older folks thought was a cure for most things that ailed people. When we get all swelled up in our appreciation for ourselves beyond that which is appropriate, a big dose of humility is what we need to get us back on solid footing. When taken, the taste of humility is somewhat akin to the Castor Oil but it will accomplish its purpose when we take it and allow it to work.The Apostle Paul was by all accounts one of the most brilliant individuals who ever breathed air on the planet. This is validated even by his critics. In addition to his great intelligence and significant education, he was given direct access to profound truths from the very throne room of God. It would have been easy for Paul to have become lifted up in his elevated status and position. Too easy. Paul didn't want that to happen and God didn't either. Here's Paul's testimony as to how God dealt with this in his life: "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) Us staying humble must be a big deal. It obviously is to God. Therefore, maybe it's time for a huge spoonful of humility. Something for us all to think about including yours truly. Amen. 
As you can tell by the illustrations I use, I do like comic characters as a way of getting my point across. I've mentioned before that part of my morning routine is to read the Dinette Set Comic Strip as a way of getting a chuckle bright and early. The comic satirizes middle-class culture; its main characters are 50-ish sisters Verla Darwin and Joy Penny. The single panel comic gently pokes fun at middle-class perceptions (and miss perceptions) of common, everyday issues. The husband of Joy, Burl, is my favorite character because he reflects a little of the goofiness that we all exhibit from time to time. You can find this one along with dozens of others out on the web. Laughter as medicine. Believe me, it goes down a lot better than that humility stuff. I am really thinking about ways to reduce the length of my daily episodes. My best advisor, my wife, continues to encourage me by telling me how good they are each day, but she often adds that they might be a tad long. I am working on a plan to address this issue and I promise not to write three extremely long paragraphs to explain how I might go about this change. Being too wordy is a long term affliction of mine and while it does reflect who I am, I also do want to provide something that at least passes the smell test as being consistently pleasant and readable. I think I have said enough about that, at least for now. Maybe I write the amount I write to help make the pictures fit. I'll get back to you on that one. Until next time, may God bless each one. Amen. .....More later.
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