"It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" ~ Henry David Thoreau Enough

Hello again and welcome, on this Thursday, the 15th day of August, 2013. What's your busy quotient these days? I'm not sure mine is as much on overdrive as I think it is, but, I also know that we can become captive to our thinking, thus, it's important to operate on the facts, at least as we know them. I have been on the run of late but that pretty much comes with the territory. For me. For you. For everyone. We all have a lot of irons in the fire, so to speak. When I thought of irons in the fire I immediately had a picture of branding irons but that's not even close to where that saying comes from. It has to do with the work of a blacksmith. Blacksmiths produced implements, tools, and weapons that required the shaping of iron. The iron had to be heated in order for it to be worked with. The challenge was to keep enough irons in the fire to maintain an efficient work flow. Too many irons in the fire created a backlog and may have damaged some of the potential products. Not branding irons. Blacksmith irons. Got it? Inquiring minds in this case most likely didn't want to know, but, you got it anyway. Maybe they will call you on the phone and ask a question about irons in the fire. It might be worth a whole lot of money. Now you will be able to answer it. Or, maybe not.

Now that we have that little detour taken care of, let me get back to the subject of being busy. My mom is 89 years young but her and dad have been boxing up everything in most of their house getting ready for new carpet. They have been working from can to can't each day. Sure. They are tired but they get up the next day and go at it again. That makes it hard for me to complain about meeting myself coming back. I think about Bro. Ernesto Gallegos, 81, coming off a very serious heart surgery and extended recovery, but, having now established the 9th Church during his work as a missionary, he's now all fired up and ready to go knock some doors and get a new mission point established. That makes it hard for me to complain about meeting myself coming back. Earlier my wife went with mostly teens to help in a Gospel outreach near Indianapolis. She was involved in the door knocking ministry for many hours each day. It was hot. They all were tired. She came home exhausted. One outreach group responded to a lady who needed her roof repaired. They went and did the work for her. This week we heard from the pastor of the local Church there. He said that lady has not missed a service since that work was done. And, her daughter lost a one month old baby and they were able to minister to the family, and, at the funeral he was able to share the Gospel. That makes it hard for me to complain about meeting myself coming back. Know what I mean?

I said it makes it hard. I didn't say that it would keep me from doing it. We all complain now and then, then and now, forth and back, and back and forth. It's part of our condition, the human one. Knowing that we have this potential helps us to do what we can to overcome it, with God's help, of course. That subject must have been floating around my subconscious mind, that is, if I have one of those. I think we all do but I'm not sure I can prove it. I do know I heard the threat about the "I have half a mind to..." all my life. When my mom acted upon that sentiment it typically came across as being with a full mind along with a full hand of a plum tree switch. Those babies could get you coming and going. While I remember them, I can assure everyone that I certainly didn't get one every time I should have. I'm not sure it was mercy, grace, or maybe she was too tired, you know, from meeting herself coming back. Or something like that. You have yourself a good day and may God bless each one is my prayer. Amen.    ....More later.