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character in crisis

There is a great passage in Nehemiah 5, where the prophet Nehemiah is angry with the Jewish people because they are engaged in charging interest against loans given to their own people.  He asked them to stop immediately, and these words totally jumped out at me today:  "Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? The Jews who charged interest were essentially putting their brothers and sisters back into slavery.  There were doing this so that they could pay their own taxes and possibly their debt to the king.  It was a time of harsh economic downturn; a famine of unprecedented proportions.  And these Jews were resorting to unusual and unsavory practices to cover their own butts.  They violated their own personal values and dishonored God in the process.

But the issue isn't money, or the lack thereof.  The issue is character; faithfulness to God in desperate times.  We don't have a clue about a famine, but these, by modern standards, are severe economic times.  I know that I've done things in my past that have not honored God during times of stress and crisis.  So how do we act and respond today?  Do we crack and make our problems others or do we stand resolute, steadfast, honorable to God and his Word?  In 2009, which by many experts predictions will be tougher than 2008, I'm asking God to give me the courage and character to stand strong!

" it's my pleasure "

I LOVE Chick-fil-a!  If they were traded in the market, I would be the first in line to buy stock.  In recent years CFA has replaced "Your welcome" with "It's my pleasure."  It was a nice change and I'm sure was in some ways was implemented as part of their corporate culture because "Your welcome" has become trite and cliche'.

However, I have become increasingly aware that "It's my pleasure" can become just as wrote and trite!  Today, after ordering a #1 Value meal LARGE size (I'm waiting to diet until January 5th) I told the guy taking my order, "Have a nice day" and he responded with "It's my pleasure."  I laughed and he didn't even catch it.  In that instance, I could have said "The world is coming to an end" or "I drive a pink minivan with red velvet interior" and I would have gotten, "It's my pleasure."

OK, it's just a funny observation and will in no way taint my impression of CFA.  I'm sure that before the week is out I'll be visiting CFA again, if the budget allows.  And just to clear things up I drive a gray Ford F-150 with manly interior!

"It's my pleasure"....ur...uh...I mean "Have a nice day...."

cleaning up

I had minor surgery earlier this week and used today to recover and also do some clean up work on my pc, specifically the "My Documents" portion of my pc.  I haven't done this in well over 5 years.  Not only did it feel good to get my pc all cleaned up but I found important documents that I had been looking for for years. 

However, the more important result of this little, pain in the butt, exercise was that it caused me to pause and reflect on all that God has done in our lives this past half decade. Georgia, New York, South Carolina; the birth of a girl, the birth of a boy; three different churches; four residences; hundred's of friend and perhaps thousands of lives changed! 

Although I've had my days over the last 5 years today trying to figure out what God was doing, today I was thankful for the crazy life that God has give us these past years.  I wouldn't want it any other way.  I've had my moments of doubt, but today I was reminded about the promise that Paul gives to Philippians and to all of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus: Philippians 1:6 "6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."