And you thought your day was bad...

This story was one from a number of years back, I have used it in many settings but no matter where I have told it, people all look at me, some laugh, some just squirm as each line is shared...

But at the end, the crowd gets the message...

Dear Sir: "I am writing in response to your request for additional information in Block 3 of the accident report form. I put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You asked for a fuller explanation and I trust the following details will be sufficient.

I was alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I found that I had some bricks left over which, when weighed later, were found to be slightly more than 500 lbs. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which was attached to the side of the building on the sixth floor.

Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it.Then I went down and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the bricks. You will note in Block 11 of the accident report form, that I weigh 135 lbs. Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel, which was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed. This explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken collarbone, as listed in section 3 of the accident report form.

Slowed down slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers on my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of beginning to experience a great deal of pain. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, that barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight.

As you can imagine, I began a rapid descent, down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and several lacerations of my legs and lower body.

Here my luck began to change slightly.

The encounter with the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked.

I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain unable to move, I again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope and I lay there watching the empty barrel beginning its journey back down onto me.

This explains the two broken legs I hope this answers your questions.

One of many... Will Share Some...

I really enjoy learning and telling stories when I speak or teach, they help you drive a point home with some wit or humor...

Here is one of my favorites, I heard another speaker use it and decided to look it up and have used in many of my leadership presentations since...

I hope you enjoy it, and maybe you can comment as to what the moral of the story is...

That is, when you get finished laughing...

Ants and golfer…

Once there was a golfer whose drive landed on an anthill. Rather than move the ball, he decided to hit it where it lay.

 

He gave a mighty swing.

 

Clouds of dirt and sand and ants exploded from the spot, killing thousands of ants… there sat the golf ball in the same spot. 

 

So he lined up and tried another shot. Clouds of dirt and sand and ants went flying again, killing thousands more ants...

 

The golf ball didn't even wiggle. 

 

There were two ants who survived. 

 

One dazed ant said to the other, "Whoa! What are we going to do?"

 

Wait for it... C'mon... Wait....

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

The other ant said: "If  we’re going to survive we better get on the ball."

 

Go ahead, laugh...

 

Till next time, and another story...

Snipits of grace... The letter "E"

This may be the last letter but it's the first thing that Grace is about...

Let's see...

E = Essence of God himself...

Peter, a man who understood Grace, writes... The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

 

His heart breaks to see us come home. To understand this you must look at where he shows up with Grace.

 

In the garden, it was Grace that kept Adam and Eve from eating of the tree of life, if they had, we'd live eternally in the decay of sin.

 

It was Grace that Noah found when the world was so bent against the things of God.

 

It was Grace that Moses received when he bowed his head to the ground and asked for it in spite of being part of a "stiff-necked" group of insolents.

 

It's this Grace Paul said we were saved by, He and Silas recommended it for the lives of those they taught, not just to receive it for their salvation but to pass it along to the brethren.

 

It was Grace Paul appealed to when a repentant brother came home after immoral relations with his fathers wife.

 

It was Grace, in it's truest form, that kept Jesus on task all the way to the cross, and then all the way back home to complete the job so His father could call us home.

 

It is the very fragrance of God, take a whiff, smell that aroma of praise, forgiveness and holiness, that's Grace!!

What's your response to God's Grace?

 

Examine and act accordingly.

 

Maybe you need to remove a burden your heart has carried.

 

Maybe you need it to clean a sin that has robbed you of sleep and sanity.

 

Or maybe you need it to remind you of your responsibility to pass it along when you have been a recipient.

 

Look and act accordingly.

Rambling in the wonderful richness of some old hymns... Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

 

Then there's my all time favorite, it was sung acapella by the Cathedral Quartet years ago... Wonderful Grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin; How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its praise begin? Taking away my burden, setting my spirit free; O the Wonderful Grace of Jesus reaches me!

Here is Ernie Haas' group in tribute to the Cathedrals...

 

 

 

Snipits of grace... The letter "C"

What about C that is not in the middle? 

It is in the right place in this  storyline and this journey of grace.

No horsing around here, just a purposeful work.

C = Corralling those who thought they didn't need it...

Inside a church many years ago, full of verses and laws, sat a group of men who were waiting for a man.

 

This man would not be just any man, but he would be from God. Sacred words were deeply stored in their hearts...
 

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is

given; And the government will be upon

His shoulder. And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the

increase of His government and peace there

will be no end, Upon the throne of David

and over His kingdom, To order it and

establish it with judgment and justice From

that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."

Isaiah 9:6-7

 

Only one problem. They had gotten so wrapped up in the least important parts that when he showed up, they saw him as an enemy.

 

He tried to get them to see, but they were blinded by their own importance. When confronted about their pompous attitudes they grew angry instead of apologetic.

 

Oh they're not the only ones to miss the mark even if they felt there was no need to measure their life.

 

One young lawyer proclaimed he had kept all the commandments, only to walk away when asked to give of what he had held back so he would help the poor.

 

Another ambitious young Jewish man wanted to know who is neighbor was only to be laid bare after Jesus used a Samaritan dog to compare his compassion to.

 

There may be some of you reading this today, you have been "good". I just have one question, "how good is good enough?"

 

Grace, that's the only good enough, realize this and it will make your load much lighter.

 

Grace is the only answer to your need to bring your pride, sin, emptiness, hurt, forgiveness or ???? under control.  To corral the ungodlike behavior.

 

It's grace, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Want to be corralled? Sounds constricting, but it's freedom!

 

Till next time...

Snipits of grace... The letter "A"

Two down and three to go, and yet this one is the most AMAZING...

The letter "A"...

No, not amazing grace.

A = Accepting those who others had written off ...

That is one of the most amazing things, God truly accepts us where we are, understanding that our own attempts at good are nothing but dirty cloth.

So, who would I be referring to?

Where to start?

Could it be with the little lady caught in her featherbed by the guys who were trying to cause Jesus heartburn?

And what about that Maniac, you know the one everyone ran from until they could chain him up for his safety and theirs?

A stinky grave where others warned the deceased was rank?

How about a short guy (no jokes here please) known for having a heavy calculator, "one for you, one for me, two for you and one, two for me, three for you, and one, two, three for me" well you get the picture.

Gotta wonder who talked when they heard about his little excursion at the well, how could he choose to go through Samaria anyhow.

The tax collector and the smelly fishermen.

Shouldn't a king be a little more discerning? He was!!

When accused in public for healing the sick by forgiving their sin, when talked about by men of lesser character for his acquaintances, He calmly replied... , "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31).

He went to those who others thought were less worthy. I know this little guy who had buck teeth and slobbered on himself from time to time, boy did his friends think it was funny. He accepted him inside a little church in Pontiac Michigan one Sunday.

Do you fit this category?

Others forgot, yet He remembers.

Others say you're not all you should be and he says by Grace I'll make you like Me.

Others see no value, He sees his creation.

Written off?

No way... He said this to his followers... "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. " (John 6:37 NASB)

He wrote your story, and he wants you to trust him with the rest of it. (and now you know who really knows the rest of the story, eat your heart out Paul Harvey)

Till next time...

Snipits of Grace... The letter "R"

In our last visit we looked at grace from the point of view of giving. 

Grace is giving.  That covers the first aspect of grace, the "G" of grace.

Now let's visit the "R"...

R = Running to places no one else would ever go...

Have you seen some of the places Jesus shows up...

 

How about a wedding?

 

What about by a well?

 

What about to a church where everyone was suspect?

 

On a ship in a storm, of course he came by water (literally, he even walked on it).

 

What about Gadara that was a great stop!

 

And then there's that little stop in Bethany, boy did he get an ear full over that one.

 

One stop the deceiver tried his luck but just like all the other places Jesus went, He shined. Shined in the dark and in the light, in the rain and in the sun.

 

He was the same in church as he was sitting at the marriage table with a couple celebrating.

 

Every place, Grace.

 

Why? I like Max Lucado's take, "Because he loved people."

 

It's why he went where he went and why the next letter says so much.

 

It's why he showed up in a little church in Pontiac Michigan one day.

 

It's may seem amazing to you, he may have visited a place you were in one day, do you remember?

 

Grace, from the perspective of the "R", and in our next encounter, we'll see grace as it it most known...

 

Till next time...

Check out this song with a similar message...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3dPOKG_6fk

 

Snipits of Grace, what's in a letter... "G"

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:18

It's hard to express Grace. Some have used acronyms to suggest it's meaning, God's Riches At Christ's Expense is one of the most commonly used.
 
But what is grace?
 
Before you get your "religious" answer out and say God's unmerited (or some use unearned) favor, rest your Sunday School lessons and give your tired brain a break.
 
No acronym or one sentence phrase can truly describe it.
 
As a matter of fact, when I felt led to write about it, it's because of my experience of Grace, not my education.

I am a recipient of Grace.
 
I am blessed to not only know of the Grace of God from the Savior, but from those who I love and whom love me. It's great to have that. I have fallen short a few times (a few more than I am willing to share openly with all, but take my word for it, some know)
 
My question do you know Grace?
 
Since I have been given Grace by God and those who understand it's power as believers, It is my prayer, that in some limited way, you will understand Grace.

That you would comprehend GRACE in a little more depth through these next five posts

Let me share, using as many an acrostic, my thoughts on Grace.

They may not be complete, but then I don't think I will understand what complete Grace is until I experience the life after this one in the presence of life's greatest Grace giver.

Let's look at G R A C E...

Today let's start with the letter G

 

G = Giving more than anyone else ever thought of giving...

When you think of how much was given to us as humans, you will see that God's grace is a giving grace.

 

When I got up this morning, I was able to see, grace. when I got up this morning I was able to breath. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner today, most of us did. but those are small graces, some of which not all can enjoy.

 

But the largest of graces, God's Son. He was at the right hand side of the Father and he chose, yes chose (see Philippians 2:3-8) to leave it for you and I.

Add skin and he was stuck in the human condition so he could face the things we face and understand them on our level (Hebrews 4:14-16)

 

Then as if it was not enough, he allowed, yes allowed others to accuse, beat, batter, gossip, spit, pluck hair from his body and then allowed himself to be crucified as a common criminal.

 

Life, totally sacrificed.

 

And for only one reason.

For God so loved the world that he.... GAVE...

Grace is giving, and you may wonder who he GAVE for...

 

Look in the mirror and you'll know.

 

Rambling on about G R A C E...

 

Till next time...

 

The Little Liar...

Here is a story, maybe real, maybe not, I got from a friend a number of years back, I hope you enjoy it...

An older lady gets pulled over for speeding...

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.

Older Woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.

Officer: Don't have one?

Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see...Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.

Older Woman: I can't do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older Woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his half drawn gun.

Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older Woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?

Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers. The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license.

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a clutch purse and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too. : )

I've Stared At That Before...

I've never crossed over the boards of that wonderful, fearful bridge.

The crossing before me often, yet for reasons I will discuss, my feet have never trod the planks of the bridge which leads over the cool water that flows below it.

But...

I have seen many travelers who have.

Just recently I was privileged to walk the path towards the edge of this intrigue.  My sojourner was a young man who had lived life doing what he loved.  Now who he loved would find life harder while the one who loved him sent his traveling papers.

His days were full and his bags were packed, he was headed out and each day, each breath lead him closer to the one trip he prepared for all his days.

Then, as if by magic and yet by pain, his voyage came to it's destination.  Now, as if again by design, the dreamlike destination became real.  And he was home.

Home.  He left home to go home.  Not double talk but instead hope filled, faith filled, eternity filled reality. 

Don knew his destination, his traveling plans and the one who made this glorious transition possible.  And so he crossed.  He stepped to the edge of the bridge and with courage that many lack, he stepped forward and joined his savior.  His family has hope.  Broken hearts, but hope.  Empty days filled with emotion, but nonetheless, hope.

I have stared at that transition many times.  Sometimes in person, but more often in the eyes of the hearts left behind.  There is something mystical, something very natural and uncomfortable about it, but no one escapes it.

We all have stared at this before.  Some of us often, some of us less.  Yet all have gazed and been amazed, or unsettled.  It all depends on your perspective.

Yet, when I've stared, death has never stared back. 

It has called to and brought to itself many I've walked alongside.  Many who were dear to me, family members who I miss terribly at times and would love to hear their voice just one more time.  It has called to even more whose friendship I cherished.  Oh that I could heal my heart or the hearts of my family and friends. 

And yet, an incomplete heart feels as if it will never be whole.  Well, it will, maybe here, but for sure by my own assurance from the same savior Don knew in a land over that bridge.

My last few lines I wish to measure well. 

You and I will always stare at death, it's the natural end to the days. 

A time when the blood flowing through our veins will pulse no more. 

One day death will stare back. 

I hope I face that bridge, that crossing, with the courage and faith Don did. 

I hope you do to.