WBFJ Wednesday Word

If you were like me, last week you watched in amazement the events unfold one-by-one from the Extreme Home Makeover. What a blessing! However, it did make me wonder, why isn't the church doing more of this? Here's a thought on how the church could step up and take a lead role in EHM.

Community: The church body coming together (just doing life with people), serving one God with one heart; one voice. Learning to serve God first, by serving one another and the act of becoming nameless, faceless and placeless while giving Him the glory. Imagine what the church could accomplish (in His name), if no one cared who got the credit.

Mission: Making Christ known to the world and focusing on taking the message of Christ to the city; (whatever that may look like), today more than ever, people need to know there is hope. As Christ-followers we should be living a life of Godly character and looking for the opportunity to share the Good News!

Prayer: Spending time talking to God that will result in a deeper relationship with Him. Thus, allowing God to show us opportunities to serve as a part of community and mission. In my opinion, this is the most important of these three because it brings in the spiritual dynamic (to EHM) and allows God to begin the process of working through us.

Imagine how much more of a blessing the church could be if we all laid down our agendas and egos and lived out God's love in action by simply serving. That could lead to eternal dividends. And that, my friend is an extreme "soul" makeover!!

I have waited close to eight months for this special event. Early Sunday morning, I get my ‘hour’ back. You know, the ‘hour’ that is stolen (like a solid night’s sleep) every spring. Honestly, losing an ‘hour’ does indeed affect me. Is it just mental? Is it purely psychological? Please don’t judge me unfairly.

According to SleepBetter.org…

-Losing just one hour of sleep can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm, potentially

disrupting sleep patterns and affecting daily activities, due to sleep deprivation.

-This situation results in slower thinking and reaction time. Moodiness and exhaustion are also common, which can lead to fatigue and irritability.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/99444.php

Well, that explains a lot about my body (and mind) craving the loss of an hour’s sleep . Right dear?

Here are some ‘facts’ to impress your children about Daylight Saving Time:

-Contrary to popular belief, no federal rule mandates that U.S. states or territories observe daylight saving time.

-Most U.S. residents set their clocks one hour forward in spring and one hour back in fall. But people in Hawaii and most of Arizona—along with the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands—will do nothing.

According to one study, Daylight saving time, however, can bring many benefits including a decrease in the number of traffic accidents, traffic fatalities, and incidences of crime. Congress noted other advantages while updating legislation in 1986, including "more daylight outdoor playtime for the children, greater utilization of parks and recreation areas, expanded economic opportunity through extension of daylight hours to peak shopping hours.

Daylight Saving Time references:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091026-daylight-savings-time-2009-fall-back.html

So, seize the ‘hour’. No matter if you use that extra daylight later in the day to play with the kids, shop or just sleep. Just, seize the ‘hour’.

Daylight Saving Time happens this weekend.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour

before you go to bed on Saturday night.

-VERNE HILL

Thirteen (13 )  (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

-The age at which children become teenagers…

-A number associated with horror and superstition…

Teen or Teenager

-A person between 13 and 19 years of age…

What ’13’ means to me?  I’m getting older.  13 years ago, I became a daddy for the first time.  My oldest daughter (Bailey) is officially a teenager today.  Specifically, she will turn ‘13’ at 7:47pm. 

I kinda remember the teen years. Insert over 40 age joke here…

The excitement of having my life ahead of me.  The excitement of getting my driver’s licenses, having more independence and thinking that I ‘knew most everything’ by the time I was 18.  Well, little did I know (no pun intended) how ‘smart’ my parents would become when I turned 23.  Actually, I became more open to listen and ask questions, instead of knowing everything. 

The one thing that I know today is that Paula and I are now the parents of a teenager.  I am happy and sad at the same time.  Happy to see my little Bailey growing into a beautiful young woman.  But, sad to know that I will never get the past 13 years back.

What will the next 13 years have in store?  Driving.  College.  Job.  Dating? Marriage? Whew!!!  Maybe, I’ll take this growing up thing one year at a time. 

In the mean time…where’s my half gallon of Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip and a big  spoon.

-Verne Hill

"Sometimes what we think we really want we don't"

I loved this comment on FACEBOOK . I didn’t take time to ask our former Intern what she meant by it but it really got me thinking.

I remembered back as a little boy just dying to buy a little portable tape recorder. It wasn’t a month before I was tired of it and wanting a better one. And all those cereal box offers- the stuff was never as good as I thought it was going to be.

A new bike- I just couldn’t wait to get it- but it wasn’t long before the new wore off and I went back to riding my old beat-up hand-me-down bike. The same thing happened with my first car- my glow faded the first few months.

And all those “misses Right” I met before the Lord brought Judy and I together- sure glad the Lord didn’t answer all those prayers. LOL!

Bottom Line principle I have learned: Pray hard about important decisions and try to check my motive, “Why do I want this. Is it going to hinder my walk?”, and similar questions.

 I’ve found if the desire was from self or the enemy, I am always disappointed. But if the Lord makes it happens…it’s usually better than I could have ever imagined.

Remember the old saying: “God always give His best to those who leave the choice with Him”.

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