Cool walk this morning but no rain, anyway. After work I raked leaves again. That seems to be my M.O. these days. But the trees are almost bare so yea! I actually stopped and bought the appropriate paper leaf bags so I feel better about trashing my leaves now. I just checked the mail – for 3 days in a row it was empty, but today I had mail! It was my water and sewage bill, but at least it was mail. After months and months of my new best political friends who obviously couldn’t continue through life without contacting me, I felt strangely bereft by the empty mailbox. Funny how they just dumped me since they don’t need me any more. Sad…
In addition to Ron being in Florida, my friend April and her family are there on vacation, and one of my Pinnacle bosses (Joe & wife) are leaving for there Saturday. I know there are winds and rain and some scattered power outages (so far Ron hasn’t lost power), and in some places hurricane warnings. But, as Snoopy would assure you, good friends can sooth over the storms.
Today I listened to Rod at Martin’s Ferry while I was raking leaves. His message was on the Dynamic Spirit. 1) Praise. When Solomon had finished building the temple, he called on hundreds of instruments and voices of praise and song to celebrate. They raised the roof! (sort of…). Jehoshaphat was being attacked by the enemy and was greatly outnumbered. He called for prayer and fasting, then… organized a choir! The people praised and sang to the Lord, and the enemies destroyed each other and his armies were safe. When Paul and Silas were flogged and Jailed unjustly, they … sang hymns and praised God! We need to learn to praise God fully and wholly. We’d be surprised what God could do with our sincere praise. 2) Participation. Not just the preacher should preach, or the teacher, teach, or the choirs sing. Everyone is called to do all! WE are the church. The result would be that we see great things. 3) Encouragement – brings joy to others and ourselves. God uses us as we are!
And a side note that Rod added. When people walk into a church service, they do not go up on the stage and sit beside the preacher. They sit beside US! WE are the ones who need to reach out and share.
On this day in 1880 the novel BEN HUR was published (when I was in grade school I wrote a play for the neighborhood kids to perform for their parents in our back yard – Ben HIM!!! It was way silly!) In 1966 Buzz Aldrin took the first ‘space selfie’ of himself performing activity in space. Grace Kelly (Princess of Monaco) was born in Philadelphia in 1929, Charles Manson in 1934, Neil Young of Crosby Stills Nash and Young in 1945, and Ashley Williams (popular Hallmark actress) in 1978.
TOMORROW November 13 is:
Of course, be Kind! ALWAYS be kind. It costs nothing and reaps a fortune of blessings. Have a great day… (I don’t really know about the pudding – seems like too much work to me!) God bless.
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