Serving and Loving it

Have you ever walked into a restaurant and waited at the podium to be seated only to not be noticed? When you finally get someone’s attention, they make you feel as if you are an inconvenience for them?   To top that off you have to flag someone down just to get a glass of water. What do you do when you encounter such poor service?

We had an experience like that not too far from where we live. It took forever to get seated. They ignored us for some time until I asked for our waitress. It seemed like we were bothering her just to give her our order. Next, after waiting for twenty-five minutes with no food, we got up, found the manager and advised her of the situation, and left.  

To this day, Lynnette and I comment about that restaurant every time we drive past. People feel more at home when in finding themselves in a strange setting have friendly service. A few years ago, we visited a church at Easter with my daughter and grand-daughters.

 First, the sign on the front of the church said the services started at 10:45 a.m. We were walking into the church about five minutes early, but heard singing in the main worship area. An usher was guarding the door and so I asked when the services had started. He noted that they had started at 10:30. I said but your sign in front says 10:45. He laughed and said,  ”I guess we need to change that someday.” The church was filled for the Easter service and so I asked the usher where we should sit. He stuck his head inside the worship area and said to us, “just anywhere you can find a place”.

We were strangers to the setting, but I pushed my way down the aisle only to get looks from people who were sitting on the outside of the aisle and would not move in for us. Finally, all six of us had to climb over several people just to get inside.

Since the worship leader was singing gospel songs that I knew, I quickly began singing along. What I did not know was in that church the leader is the only one to sing the verses and the congregation sings the chorus. Not knowing the rules and guidelines, I began to sing away. You should have seen the looks that I got from people in front of me.

That ended my worship experience for the morning.

Have you ever had similar experiences? Have you ever wondered what visitors may think when they arrive at church? Are they being served and do they feel comfortable? Think about the poor restaurant service or the seemingly unfriendly church.

In Ephesians 5, we are called to “Watch what God does and then do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents” (The Message). Christ came to serve. As the church grows we must learn to serve more. A wise pastor advised us that we need to give our lives away every day. If we are to be imitators of Christ, then we need to start at home, at work, at school, and at church.

Happiness comes in service to others because it takes the focus off our own issues and problems. If you’re looking for happiness in your church home, try giving your life away in service to the Lord and others.

Funny, but it took five years and a new electric sign for that church to change the sign for the starting time of worship. Why don’t look at your church as a first time guest and see where you personally can improve and serve.

Life's Storms

Luke 8: 22-24 “One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm all around.”

It was an early morning flight that would normally be uneventful, but today was different. As ten of us boarded the thirty seat propeller driven airplane, the flight attendant asked if we would all sit in the back portion of the plane to balance the load.

Once I settled into a seat, I tried to close my eyes as the smell of fuel and the sound from the start of the engines filtered through the compartment. I glanced at my watch and thought, “Wow, we are getting an early start.”

As we climbed up to 15,000 feet then leveled off, I tried to catch a few moments of sleep. Suddenly, the plane began to bounce and drastically move side to side. As I looked out of the window in the early twilight hours, I could see before us an approaching thunderhead cloud.

Immediately, I remembered that in my morning quiet time with the Lord I had forgotten one thing. “Lord, forgive me of the things I’ve done wrong.” The more we bounced around the more I became sincere in making sure that I had everything covered and was at peace with the Lord. What seemed like hours later (but was only minutes), the plane rose above the clouds and all became stable.

Now out my window I could see the sun rising and the soft billowy clouds below the plane. All was at peace at 17,000 feet above the earth. In our lives we often live each day and forget to talk to the Lord about either trivia or important issues that could impact our lives.

It is not until a storm in life starts to bounce us around that we remember to petition Him for help. The Lord does not always lift us out of the storm, but does give us a peace that He is in charge of all things.

As we go through life we come to expect bounces and unstable times, and we pray that we can find a way around the storm. The reality is that sometimes we must just go through the storm. We are not always protected from the storms but we can know that our relationship with the Lord can bring us peace.

When you have friends going through rough times try not to give them a pat answer like, “Just turn to God”, because they knew that answer before they talked to you. Instead, just love them where they are at that moment and pray for them to get that peace.

The reality of life is that I have peace in my soul while going through the rough weather of life, but on this plane flight it was not until the plane was taxiing into the gate that my blood pressure went back to normal.

The Lord is still working on me for total piece and understanding in all situations as I sometimes get anxious about life situation, an unfinished work of the Lord’s art.

A time for a Praise and Thank You

First I want to thank you for your prayers as the Lord did put his protection around me during the trip and the events upcoming from yesterday's blog. 

The winds were calm in the parking lot when I arrived but as soon I started loading up by display to haul into the supplier center big gusts of wind tried to take everything across the parking lot.  This continued the entire time I was taking the display and samples inside.   A nice elderly lady stopped and helped me load everything back on the cart and then she followed me into the Center.  It would have been difficult without this good Samaritan’s help to get everything inside without damage.

Just so you know that your prayers were being heard, the assistant to the buyer came to take me downstairs to the meeting area.  While we were waiting on the elevator, three unrelated buyers stopped and asked about the product.   Soon I had a crowd of five people asking questions while my buyer’s assistant was holding the elevator door and just quietly saying, “Gary, Gary,  Gary, I’m over here.”

We went to the room the assistant helped me set up and then stayed asking questions also.  When the Buyer came down we spent the first few minutes just looking at and operating the display of the Attic Trac.  I then took one full carton into the conference room and she explored the contents of the carton.

We talked for a few minutes and she then noted that she would like to trial it in 200 stores.  I told her my goal to be in all stores and she said for me to send her a note today for what 200 stores would make the best test area.  We talked some more about advertising opportunities and she continued to be interested. 

So the bottom line is that she is willing to place it in 200 stores and we will try to see if she will place it in all stores. 

Thank you again for your support and the praise is not finished as the Lord’s grace is sufficient.

Prayer help

Most of the blogs coming out of this dreamer's mind are from things going through my head.  Today at 1:00 EST will be an important meeting with one of the largest retailer's buyer so we can have our Attic Trac product placed in over 2500 stores.

1. Please pray that the Lord will find favor with us to present ourselves in a  forthright way
2. Please pray for His guidance in our businesses
3. Pray for the buyer for her open heart and decision 
4. Please pray for success in receiving orders from retailers so the Lord can be given the credit..

We believe that there is so much power in prayer an appreciate your petition to the Lord today.

Stay tuned as we'll tell of His favor tomorrow.

Giving a Second Chance

Acts 15: 36-40  Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting along.”  Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia. There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace.

I suspect the conversation went something like this:

“Barnabas, I refuse to give Mark another chance.  When the going got rough he ran home to his mother.”

“But he was young and not aware of all the dangers.  He has matured now and I think he would help us a lot on the second journey.”

“I do not want to take the chance that when we need him the most, he runs out on us again.  My answer is a definite, NO.”

“But Paul, we wouldn’t even be here today if not for second chances.  Moses was a murderer and God gave him a second chance.  Jonah was a bigot and God used him.  David was a liar, murderer, adulterer, and had a problem with anger.  They all got second chances.  Remember what He did with them?  And, look at you.  When you were out getting Christians killed and  had the conversion with the Lord on the road to Damascus, I was the one that said you should be given a second chance because you had changed.”

“Mark may be related to you, but I can not trust him when the going gets rough.”

There are several theories how this “sharp” argument may have taken place, but I believe there is a parallel to our lives today.  Personally, I have a hard time understanding why Paul did not allow John Mark to come along with him and Barnabas.  Yet in hindsight, it was the best thing to happen for the cause of Christ.

But that is not the end of the story.

Paul speaks of Barnabas in the book of Colossians with affection and desires that Mark should come to him, having found him valuable in the ministry. Paul realized he had made a mistake and later reconciles with Mark while in prison.

What about us?

When we have a disagreement with someone, don’t we often reject the person and never speak to them again?  Don’t we sometimes build up resentment toward them and everything they stand for in life? 

Even when there is a sharp disagreement, we do not have to speak harshly about the other person.  It’s okay to agree to disagree and end the conversation.  The trouble is, I have seen people justify their verbal abuse of another person by using this very scripture.

Maybe we need to examine ourselves and see who in our lives needs to be given a second chance, because the Bible shows us that God is the God of second chances.  Giving someone a second chance begins with our own attitude of ourselves and our relationship with the Lord.

So What's the Fuss?

Luke 10: 38-42  “As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home.  She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.  But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."  The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.  One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it - it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Now that I have had a taste of spring here in Tennessee, my mind recalls the events of the past.  Anyone who knows me knows of my desire to have fun.  Growing up in the country, it was my responsibility to hoe the garden to get rid of the weeds every spring.  Hoeing crops in a ¾ acre garden was an “after school” event that I never thought could be fun.  But I would make the best of it as I headed down to the garden with my little transistor radio tuned to my favorite rock and roll station.

As I began working with the sharp hoe, it always seemed that the first row I completed was my best weeded row in the whole garden. 

Soon I would lose interest in what I was doing and would get too close to the tender shoots of corn, cutting them down with the weeds.  I’d work a while longer then take a water break.  Walking back to the house, I’d find more seed and go back down to the garden to replace the cut stalks with new kernels.  No big deal; that should take care of it.

Later, when Dad came down to the garden to inspect the work, he knew that I had not been careful and paid attention to my task.  I figured he knew exactly how many stalks there should be in each row because he was quick to inform me in no uncertain terms exactly how many were missing.

In today’s verse, it is Mary I can relate to best.  My mind would think, “OK, this Jesus is really interesting, and Martha seems to have the kitchen under control.  I’ll just stay here and listen to Him until Martha calls us to the table.”

 I figure that Martha was a dedicated servant and host.  As she was in the kitchen, she began stewing because Mary was no help in preparing the meal.  Martha continued in her detailed preparations to the point that it consumed her and she became angry at her sister for not pitching in to help.

Let’s think how Martha might have sounded as she wanted Jesus to push Mary to get to work in the kitchen.  Maybe there was a little whine in her voice as she asked Jesus the question.  Then to her surprise Jesus told her that she worries too much over things that are just not that important in the long run.

To everyone’s amazement, Jesus did not scold Mary for spending time with Him and not helping out in the kitchen but instead Jesus said it was Martha who needed to get her priorities in place.  In other words, she was missing the big picture.

I like the big picture approach but I still had to replant the corn seeds for the ones I had cut off.  But maybe if we are so into the details we will miss the blessings God has coming our way.   But worry is a hard master to overcome.  I'm still working on that one.  How about you?