So you have one of those of the mystery-moods at your house! Sometimes he seems to have rebellion for a back-bone and moods changable as the winds. One day he (or she) is as proud as a peacock sporting two tails, and the next he looks as disheveled as if he had been drug by a bull through a thicket. He knows only two moods, hilarity and depression. Besides what's going on inside his body (and there is plenty) consider his outward circumstances.
The only legal thing he can do is go to school--it is illegal not to!
He cannot do so many things adults do, and he is disinterested in things little children do.
Cigarette sales are illegal (to him).
He (in Texas) cannot drive a car.
It is illegal for him to possess alcohol.
It is illegal for him to work (on most jobs.)
He has a fat chance of being able to marry.
He can not vote to change anything.
He cannot enlist in the armed forces.
Granted that there are some things listed here that Christians do not engage in, PARENTS, how rich would life be for you under those conditions?
Would you get sulky, moody, discontented and unhappy?
Let us remember that good deprived of adventure and excitement becomes demonic. We have given some reasons for the young feeling disconnected. It beooves us to provide moments dripping with life for them. BL
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Blessings/Curses" (8/23/1981)
The odd thing about handicaps is that they frequently propel people to height they could never have attained without them.
There used to be a doctor in Amarillo (perhaps he is still here, I never knew his name) who was reared on a farm down off the caprock east of here, who had a crippled arm from polio. Always, there was instilled in him during childhood, "John will have to be a doctor because he will be unable to farm." Sure enough, the others of the family farmed, but he is reported to have often said, "Thank God for my crippled arm." For without it he would never have been a man of healing.
Norman vincent Peale in his efforts to overcome excessive shyness wrote a bestseller, "The Power of Positive Thinking." "It came out of my own struggles to find myself." he wrote. I have often wondered what kind of a person he would have been if making friends and small talk had been easy for him.
Was it Demosthenes, who placed the rocks in his mouth to overcome speech impediment to become the great orator?
Most of us have some kind of handicap to overcome. We may be shy, or have been raised 'poor'. May be we have to compensate for a mediocre brain with extra work effort. maybe we are fearful when we would like to be a person known as brave.
Whatever our personal handicap, as long as we have a modicum of brains and energy, we can overcome tremendous obstacles. Some of the most prosperous people I know are not really extra bright. Some of the most talented speakers are not really all that deep. Some of the college profs are eggheads who kept on trying. As somebody said, "it not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog." That's right. God never gives us the spirit of fear, but rather the spirit of power. BL
There used to be a doctor in Amarillo (perhaps he is still here, I never knew his name) who was reared on a farm down off the caprock east of here, who had a crippled arm from polio. Always, there was instilled in him during childhood, "John will have to be a doctor because he will be unable to farm." Sure enough, the others of the family farmed, but he is reported to have often said, "Thank God for my crippled arm." For without it he would never have been a man of healing.
Norman vincent Peale in his efforts to overcome excessive shyness wrote a bestseller, "The Power of Positive Thinking." "It came out of my own struggles to find myself." he wrote. I have often wondered what kind of a person he would have been if making friends and small talk had been easy for him.
Was it Demosthenes, who placed the rocks in his mouth to overcome speech impediment to become the great orator?
Most of us have some kind of handicap to overcome. We may be shy, or have been raised 'poor'. May be we have to compensate for a mediocre brain with extra work effort. maybe we are fearful when we would like to be a person known as brave.
Whatever our personal handicap, as long as we have a modicum of brains and energy, we can overcome tremendous obstacles. Some of the most prosperous people I know are not really extra bright. Some of the most talented speakers are not really all that deep. Some of the college profs are eggheads who kept on trying. As somebody said, "it not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog." That's right. God never gives us the spirit of fear, but rather the spirit of power. BL
"Ministers Are Messengers Not Judges" (no date provided)
*from a published Amarillo Globe-Times 'Letters to the Editor' Baxter sent in.
DEAR EDITOR:
In your sensitive series of articles about the hospice, there was mention of one confrontational event that, as a minster, troubles me. It concerned the perception of the homosexual community toward gospel ministers. In a moment laden with emotions, the homosexuals are quoted as saying to a room full of pastors, "You are the people we fear. You are the people that condemn us." There is enough truth to that statement to make me, as a minster, uncomfortable. But there is some explaining that needs to be done.
The role of a minster is not that of a judge, as he is often perceived, rather he is a messenger -God's messenger. His duties can be compared to the man who sees the house fire; the fire should be reported if the house is to be saved. And the one doing the reporting is a friend, not an enemy. The minster's attitude, if he is true to his calling is to love the sinner and hate the sin. That's what Christ did. The crux of the minister message has to be, "we cannot break God's laws; God's laws will break us if we flaunt them." One danger to the soul of a person who rebels against God's laws is that the minster will become his conscience rather than the objective word of God.
The Apostle Paul, in speaking of unnamed people of the past, said: "...God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error (Romans 1: 26-27)."
It would be wrong for me to bring to mind these scriptures except it be with the intent of informing and lovingly warning, and offering hope to the penitent. Judgment does not belong to us poor preachers, rather it is God's word that judges. I have no apology for that.
If I could be allowed to draw a conclusion about AIDS, which is part of the thrust of your series, I would like to state -warn is a better word- that it appears to me that we are seeing the beginning of a scourge that is without parallel in history. Not even the numbers in the black plague of Europe can compare with what appears to be looming ahead -unless a cure is found. This means that a cleansing of the world is about to take place; one that will claim many innocent lives along with those who have refused to practice chastity. Now, morals aside, it behooves parents to warn their children that their very lives depend upon the practice of chastity.
As a minster, I have never seen graver problems than those facing the world and neither have I ever been as optimistic about the future.
BAXTER LOE
4606 River Road
DEAR EDITOR:
In your sensitive series of articles about the hospice, there was mention of one confrontational event that, as a minster, troubles me. It concerned the perception of the homosexual community toward gospel ministers. In a moment laden with emotions, the homosexuals are quoted as saying to a room full of pastors, "You are the people we fear. You are the people that condemn us." There is enough truth to that statement to make me, as a minster, uncomfortable. But there is some explaining that needs to be done.
The role of a minster is not that of a judge, as he is often perceived, rather he is a messenger -God's messenger. His duties can be compared to the man who sees the house fire; the fire should be reported if the house is to be saved. And the one doing the reporting is a friend, not an enemy. The minster's attitude, if he is true to his calling is to love the sinner and hate the sin. That's what Christ did. The crux of the minister message has to be, "we cannot break God's laws; God's laws will break us if we flaunt them." One danger to the soul of a person who rebels against God's laws is that the minster will become his conscience rather than the objective word of God.
The Apostle Paul, in speaking of unnamed people of the past, said: "...God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error (Romans 1: 26-27)."
It would be wrong for me to bring to mind these scriptures except it be with the intent of informing and lovingly warning, and offering hope to the penitent. Judgment does not belong to us poor preachers, rather it is God's word that judges. I have no apology for that.
If I could be allowed to draw a conclusion about AIDS, which is part of the thrust of your series, I would like to state -warn is a better word- that it appears to me that we are seeing the beginning of a scourge that is without parallel in history. Not even the numbers in the black plague of Europe can compare with what appears to be looming ahead -unless a cure is found. This means that a cleansing of the world is about to take place; one that will claim many innocent lives along with those who have refused to practice chastity. Now, morals aside, it behooves parents to warn their children that their very lives depend upon the practice of chastity.
As a minster, I have never seen graver problems than those facing the world and neither have I ever been as optimistic about the future.
BAXTER LOE
4606 River Road
"A Loe Family Proclamation"
*not from a bulletin but, in fact, a blown-up, hand-made poster that seems intended to have hung in (my) great-grandmother Loe's nursing home room.
Dear Service Provider,
Please let us recount to you how the frail, wrinkled little body you labor over in this bed is worthy of your most diligent ministrations.
She is but a shadow of her former self, making her family all the more solicious of her tender and safe keeping.
Though there is a Higher reason she is worthy, we want to mention a few of the reasons.
In January 1991, she will enter her fiftieth year as a citizen of Terry County, where she has served well in making a better life for citizens of the county.
In 1942, the first crop year she and her husband farmed here -a frightening time of mobilization for war, they and their family produced enough cotton to give a change of shirts and perhaps a change of underwear for the entire then city of Lubbock, including airmen at the air bases. This is at least approximately correct, for they produced about 63,000 pounds of baled cotton. Additionally, they raised and sold grainsorgums by the carloads. There was also a full range of produce from the animals and the gardens in the fields. Then, as now, the contribution of farmers does not show up in the prices people are willing to pay.
We saw them raise and give away vegetable produce literally by pickup truck loads-with sideboards! This was for poor residents of the towns.
Additionally, she served Terry County as county welfare officer for fifteen years. In dealing with welfare cases she was a splendid mixture of velvet and steel. She had twin interests -keeping free-loaders off the rolls, and ministering to those genuinely in need. Hers was a position of not only giving away surplus commodities, but it was also one of constant search for ways of meeting special needs of hurting people. In the same week these services, provided by private citizens, could include used clothing for some, or an airline ticket to the burn hospital in Galveston. She knew every kind-hearted pocketbook in the area, and many around here can testify that she worked them.
This particular statement is a contradiction of sorts: during eight years of those fifteen years, she was a sheriff's deputy! In this capacity she served without pay. There were twin reasons why she was deputized: one, she had bought a house in a dangerous part of town -the best she could do. Second, she peddled Avon products in the most dangerous part of town! Though the sheriff was uneasy about her, she was unfazed by danger.
Mr. or Mrs. service provider: recounted here is an incident of which her family is supremely proud of her; her humanity showed all the way through.
On the day her youngest son, Rals Jr. was buried, June 7, 1962 following an automobile accident, she looked at the mountains of fancy food on her table when she arrived back at the house after the funeral. .She said, "son, this food will ruin if left here; I know a lot of hungry people in this town. let's load it up and take it to the hungry people. That day, we went into places where the people had never seen fancy salads like the ones we were delivering to them.
Then, just a few days before her disabling accident, she remembered the house located in a big sand pile where we went and where the kitchen was floored by deep sand. And she said, "Do you remember how the little children clapped their hands when they saw us drive up?" Her very presence was good news.
Then, in the early 1980's, at the urging of columnist Billie Norman, she sat down and wrote the chronicles of her life. They are a story of how, as a fifteen-year old girl, it was to move to west Texas in a covered wagon. She recounted the excitement of falling in love and establishing a family, and how hard the times were, especially in the 1930's during the Depression.
This prejudiced scribe was amazed that this woman who counted her schooling in months, could do such a good job of organizing her material. Her family were not the only ones who thought she did a good job in telling what it was like during the first half of the twentieth century in west Texas, but there is evidence others thought so, too! The Texas Tech Library sought and obtained the story, and now her account is a part of the permanent Southwest Collection at the Texas Tech Library!
She met all the good traits of a Godly woman mentioned in Proverbs 31. We are proud to call her Mom.
So, we, her family petition you for your tenderest ministrations, and we thank you for them. For your care was manifest during even the first ten minutes after her arrival.
Her Family
Dear Service Provider,
Please let us recount to you how the frail, wrinkled little body you labor over in this bed is worthy of your most diligent ministrations.
She is but a shadow of her former self, making her family all the more solicious of her tender and safe keeping.
Though there is a Higher reason she is worthy, we want to mention a few of the reasons.
In January 1991, she will enter her fiftieth year as a citizen of Terry County, where she has served well in making a better life for citizens of the county.
In 1942, the first crop year she and her husband farmed here -a frightening time of mobilization for war, they and their family produced enough cotton to give a change of shirts and perhaps a change of underwear for the entire then city of Lubbock, including airmen at the air bases. This is at least approximately correct, for they produced about 63,000 pounds of baled cotton. Additionally, they raised and sold grainsorgums by the carloads. There was also a full range of produce from the animals and the gardens in the fields. Then, as now, the contribution of farmers does not show up in the prices people are willing to pay.
We saw them raise and give away vegetable produce literally by pickup truck loads-with sideboards! This was for poor residents of the towns.
Additionally, she served Terry County as county welfare officer for fifteen years. In dealing with welfare cases she was a splendid mixture of velvet and steel. She had twin interests -keeping free-loaders off the rolls, and ministering to those genuinely in need. Hers was a position of not only giving away surplus commodities, but it was also one of constant search for ways of meeting special needs of hurting people. In the same week these services, provided by private citizens, could include used clothing for some, or an airline ticket to the burn hospital in Galveston. She knew every kind-hearted pocketbook in the area, and many around here can testify that she worked them.
This particular statement is a contradiction of sorts: during eight years of those fifteen years, she was a sheriff's deputy! In this capacity she served without pay. There were twin reasons why she was deputized: one, she had bought a house in a dangerous part of town -the best she could do. Second, she peddled Avon products in the most dangerous part of town! Though the sheriff was uneasy about her, she was unfazed by danger.
Mr. or Mrs. service provider: recounted here is an incident of which her family is supremely proud of her; her humanity showed all the way through.
On the day her youngest son, Rals Jr. was buried, June 7, 1962 following an automobile accident, she looked at the mountains of fancy food on her table when she arrived back at the house after the funeral. .She said, "son, this food will ruin if left here; I know a lot of hungry people in this town. let's load it up and take it to the hungry people. That day, we went into places where the people had never seen fancy salads like the ones we were delivering to them.
Then, just a few days before her disabling accident, she remembered the house located in a big sand pile where we went and where the kitchen was floored by deep sand. And she said, "Do you remember how the little children clapped their hands when they saw us drive up?" Her very presence was good news.
Then, in the early 1980's, at the urging of columnist Billie Norman, she sat down and wrote the chronicles of her life. They are a story of how, as a fifteen-year old girl, it was to move to west Texas in a covered wagon. She recounted the excitement of falling in love and establishing a family, and how hard the times were, especially in the 1930's during the Depression.
This prejudiced scribe was amazed that this woman who counted her schooling in months, could do such a good job of organizing her material. Her family were not the only ones who thought she did a good job in telling what it was like during the first half of the twentieth century in west Texas, but there is evidence others thought so, too! The Texas Tech Library sought and obtained the story, and now her account is a part of the permanent Southwest Collection at the Texas Tech Library!
She met all the good traits of a Godly woman mentioned in Proverbs 31. We are proud to call her Mom.
So, we, her family petition you for your tenderest ministrations, and we thank you for them. For your care was manifest during even the first ten minutes after her arrival.
Her Family
"searching for treasure" (5/31/1981)
Recently I read a story written by a woman who made her first metal-detector treasure hunt with her son and husband.
They were anxious for her to have a try at it. So, detector in hand she started a sweep of a 'new' area they were anxious to try out. But quickly the son cried out, "Mother you are going too fast! You've got to go slow or you'll miss the deeper things; the most valuable stuff is buried the deepest!"
Well, you are already ahead of this preacher, for you know the application that follows.
In all areas, of life we are admonished, "haste makes waste." Or, "slow down and live." "Slow down and smell the flowers along the way." "Fools are swift too run into trouble." On and on one could go with our aphorisms. After looking, shall we leap?
These are admonitions that may be applied to our every day lives. It is difficult not to make hasty judgments; it requires self discipline; to check the child's behavior before spanking; to see if it is a problem in his personal life that makes a neighbor, a husband or wife so grouchy. Elders in the church are required to look before leaping in their running of public church affairs or, for that matter, the workings in the church family. Every person they have contact with has a bearing on the whole.
In preaching, the minister who would feed a congregation must search as the men looking for treasure. One has to move slowly and methodically. Else he will have one scripture pitted against another. Or he will be emphasizing one facet of doctrine to the neglect of the others. He has to go through the scriptures sentence by sentence and word by word and letter by letter. Truly he is looking for buried treasure, and the slower he covers the ground, the better chance he has of finding the buried treasure.
bl
They were anxious for her to have a try at it. So, detector in hand she started a sweep of a 'new' area they were anxious to try out. But quickly the son cried out, "Mother you are going too fast! You've got to go slow or you'll miss the deeper things; the most valuable stuff is buried the deepest!"
Well, you are already ahead of this preacher, for you know the application that follows.
In all areas, of life we are admonished, "haste makes waste." Or, "slow down and live." "Slow down and smell the flowers along the way." "Fools are swift too run into trouble." On and on one could go with our aphorisms. After looking, shall we leap?
These are admonitions that may be applied to our every day lives. It is difficult not to make hasty judgments; it requires self discipline; to check the child's behavior before spanking; to see if it is a problem in his personal life that makes a neighbor, a husband or wife so grouchy. Elders in the church are required to look before leaping in their running of public church affairs or, for that matter, the workings in the church family. Every person they have contact with has a bearing on the whole.
In preaching, the minister who would feed a congregation must search as the men looking for treasure. One has to move slowly and methodically. Else he will have one scripture pitted against another. Or he will be emphasizing one facet of doctrine to the neglect of the others. He has to go through the scriptures sentence by sentence and word by word and letter by letter. Truly he is looking for buried treasure, and the slower he covers the ground, the better chance he has of finding the buried treasure.
bl
"Days of the Lord" (6/8/1980)
The day dawned hot. We had been traveling one and one half hours at daybreak. We were halfway to our destination, having made about forty miles. Frank Duckworth and I were lonesome. I had one month in India behind and two more to go. He was nearing the day to come home, and I would be a lone American. As we stopped to view and photograph the sun coming up I remembered a Psalm: "This is the Day the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad." Frank said "Amen." Needless to say, remembering that this, indeed, was the Lord's say, lifted our spirits away from concentrating on how lonely we were. I cannot remember a more exhausting day of preaching. We were out in the Indian villages, we had for food a piece or two of fruit--bananas, and little water.
The world is full of people with weighty problems. Sometimes we would cheer someone but instead of cheer we hear a rebuttal: "I'm about to lose my house," or "my car", or "my family." Others have lost their job. Someone else is seriously ill, and another is lonely. On and on go the maladies that rob people of happiness.
There is a sure-fire cure for what ails the spirit, however, and that, of course, is concentrating on the scriptures. There, we find out that God is in charge, and that he will ultimately square all things, and right all wrongs. There, in the Bible, we find those who suffered being thrown to the lions, lived in caves for fear of their lives, were put to the sword and sometimes saw their babies empaled on soldiers spears.
Then, we can say, "I don't have it so bad." One of our children had a car ruined by hail a couple of nights ago. It made us all sick for awhile, then we remembered, we have our health. WE are not in fear of a booted heel. We are not afraid of being hungry. Ah, yes, we have only to look for it, and life is good. "He who began a good work in you will perfect it." (Phil. 1:6)
The world is full of people with weighty problems. Sometimes we would cheer someone but instead of cheer we hear a rebuttal: "I'm about to lose my house," or "my car", or "my family." Others have lost their job. Someone else is seriously ill, and another is lonely. On and on go the maladies that rob people of happiness.
There is a sure-fire cure for what ails the spirit, however, and that, of course, is concentrating on the scriptures. There, we find out that God is in charge, and that he will ultimately square all things, and right all wrongs. There, in the Bible, we find those who suffered being thrown to the lions, lived in caves for fear of their lives, were put to the sword and sometimes saw their babies empaled on soldiers spears.
Then, we can say, "I don't have it so bad." One of our children had a car ruined by hail a couple of nights ago. It made us all sick for awhile, then we remembered, we have our health. WE are not in fear of a booted heel. We are not afraid of being hungry. Ah, yes, we have only to look for it, and life is good. "He who began a good work in you will perfect it." (Phil. 1:6)
"Laughter" (8/3/1980)
Laughter has a spiritual value. Men miss it when they think religion is melancholy. Abraham named his promised son "Laughter". We know him as Isaac.
Laughter has constructive power. Let one laugh heartily and well and his body pains leave. His troubles fly away while he laughs.
Laughter can be such a release of tension. How oft we have seen tenseness melt away when someone breaks the tension with hearty laughter.
Laughter binds people together in secret signals. Sometimes you can hear it 'travel around the globe' but notice--however large the circle may be, it is a closed circle.
Laughter makes men brave. I have seen men facing dire danger break out in laughter when someone was witty to make fun of our plight.
Laughter at a proper time can devastate profanity.
Laughter can return a sense of proportion to a troubled mind. For it erases self pity, self-justification, self-importance.
But, perhaps, the most wonderful thing laughter can do is to bring back the will to live.--And, when the times comes, give us the courage to go with cheer.
The Psalmist said, "Laughter doeth good like medicine."
I have seen preachers go into wards where everybody was hooked up to tubes, hoses, and tractions and blurt out "Oh! Don't get up for me." One has to see it to know what medicine that can be for a tortured body.
The power works both ways, the healthy person is sustained by the appreciation that comes back to him.
There is a kind of geniality that brings mirth and confidence. There are two kinds of people, those who have to lean on others and those who have to prop the others up. It is wonderful to be around one of those lifters. Geniality might be described as strength to spare. The power of laughter lies in its ability to lift the spirit. It cannot fly with clipped winger. BL
Laughter has constructive power. Let one laugh heartily and well and his body pains leave. His troubles fly away while he laughs.
Laughter can be such a release of tension. How oft we have seen tenseness melt away when someone breaks the tension with hearty laughter.
Laughter binds people together in secret signals. Sometimes you can hear it 'travel around the globe' but notice--however large the circle may be, it is a closed circle.
Laughter makes men brave. I have seen men facing dire danger break out in laughter when someone was witty to make fun of our plight.
Laughter at a proper time can devastate profanity.
Laughter can return a sense of proportion to a troubled mind. For it erases self pity, self-justification, self-importance.
But, perhaps, the most wonderful thing laughter can do is to bring back the will to live.--And, when the times comes, give us the courage to go with cheer.
The Psalmist said, "Laughter doeth good like medicine."
I have seen preachers go into wards where everybody was hooked up to tubes, hoses, and tractions and blurt out "Oh! Don't get up for me." One has to see it to know what medicine that can be for a tortured body.
The power works both ways, the healthy person is sustained by the appreciation that comes back to him.
There is a kind of geniality that brings mirth and confidence. There are two kinds of people, those who have to lean on others and those who have to prop the others up. It is wonderful to be around one of those lifters. Geniality might be described as strength to spare. The power of laughter lies in its ability to lift the spirit. It cannot fly with clipped winger. BL
"Acceptance of a Dream" (11/7/1982)
Two of the loveliest characters of all the Old Bible are Joseph and David. The characteristic they held in common, as noticed here, is that they had a sense of destiny. At early ages David was annointed to be future king of Israel, and Joseph had a vision of all his kinsmen bowing before him. Planted in each of their hearts was the concept that he was to be somebody. With the sense of destiny implanted in their hearts, each of them withstood aweful trials in their lives. Joseph the indignity of being sold into slavery, then prison. David--being hunted out over the hills of Judea like a partridge. Without cause. Neither of them ever cracked. Each of them held course of moderation, patience and diligence. Joseph made his master number one. Then he made the prison superintendent to be number one, and then, finally, the Pharaoh he made number one. David would never countenance any thought but that king Saul was number one in the kingdom. He would not revile him, he would not threaten! How can people be so tolerant, so diligent so pure, so Godly?
They had a lot of things going for them, but the thing noticed here is that they had a healthy self-esteem! They were somebody! They had a dream! A God implanted dream!
What do you suppose they would have amounted to if they had visioned themselves as no-bodies? What if they had gone around beating their breasts: "I must be humble! I Must not show evidence of wanting to be somebody!"
They had accepted the dream of service. They had had their egos purified by their own sacrifices. We have entered into Christianity from the wrong end--trying to abase ourselves to nothingness. Christ said, "If I make you free, you will be free indeed." BL
They had a lot of things going for them, but the thing noticed here is that they had a healthy self-esteem! They were somebody! They had a dream! A God implanted dream!
What do you suppose they would have amounted to if they had visioned themselves as no-bodies? What if they had gone around beating their breasts: "I must be humble! I Must not show evidence of wanting to be somebody!"
They had accepted the dream of service. They had had their egos purified by their own sacrifices. We have entered into Christianity from the wrong end--trying to abase ourselves to nothingness. Christ said, "If I make you free, you will be free indeed." BL
"It Might as Well Be Me" (12/15/1974)
The adoptive parents waited with glee for the phone call that would tell them to come and get their newborn baby. The phone call did come, but with an apologetic tone: "We are sorry to inform your prospective baby has been born with deformities: a cleft palate, a twisted arm and leg, and a hare-lip." With little hesitation, they exclaimed, "We'll take it."
A series of operations reformed limbs and repaired facial and other deformities, till at last the little girl had a healthy and pretty body. Needless to say, the process was a trial of ordeal and expense.
One day, came a casual question from a friend, "Why on earth did you put yourself through such an ordeal when you could have had a healthy baby by waiting a while?"
The proud mother replied, "Well, somebody had to love her, and I decided it might as well be me."
Here at Forest Hill we still have some 'deformities' that need mending. We are not reaching the local lost as we should. More effort would help. More money would help. Perhaps some of the blame could be traced to the leadership not finding enough meaningful work for us to do, but we have an acute deformity of having much of the BODY missing from our assemblies. (Last Sunday was a good and notable exception; may it be an inspiration to us). The rest of the body that attend worship misses you, and senses a very real emptiness when you are away. Some parts of the body are carrying a disproportionate part of the load because of those 'bent legs' who do not carry their own part.
The only ones we have to look to, as we face a new year, are ourselves and God. Somebody has to care enough. Somebody has to be the one. We should ask a question: "Would it might as well be me?" It might as well be me!
A series of operations reformed limbs and repaired facial and other deformities, till at last the little girl had a healthy and pretty body. Needless to say, the process was a trial of ordeal and expense.
One day, came a casual question from a friend, "Why on earth did you put yourself through such an ordeal when you could have had a healthy baby by waiting a while?"
The proud mother replied, "Well, somebody had to love her, and I decided it might as well be me."
Here at Forest Hill we still have some 'deformities' that need mending. We are not reaching the local lost as we should. More effort would help. More money would help. Perhaps some of the blame could be traced to the leadership not finding enough meaningful work for us to do, but we have an acute deformity of having much of the BODY missing from our assemblies. (Last Sunday was a good and notable exception; may it be an inspiration to us). The rest of the body that attend worship misses you, and senses a very real emptiness when you are away. Some parts of the body are carrying a disproportionate part of the load because of those 'bent legs' who do not carry their own part.
The only ones we have to look to, as we face a new year, are ourselves and God. Somebody has to care enough. Somebody has to be the one. We should ask a question: "Would it might as well be me?" It might as well be me!
"False Start and Dead End" (1/31/1983)
So you have come up against a dead end. All efforts seem to have come to zero. What now?
First of all, it almost seems to be a rule of life that one come up against the insurmountable if he is to ever amount to much! There seems to be time in life for most successful people that they have had to do the impossible before the possible.
You are in good company. Laban tried to cheat Jacob out of his labor, then Jacob has to face an angry, powerful Esau when he went back to Palestine. But he made it.
Joseph, unlike his father, never knowingly did anything to deserve being sold into slavery, nor did he deserve being thrown in prison, but, ultimately he triumphed as the prime minster.
Moses at age forty goofed it big and was chased as he fled the palace of Egypt to live on the back side of Sinai herding sheep as his wife's husband. But, it was also moses who returned and led God's people out of bondage of Egypt.
David was annointed to be king over Israel while still a boy. But, instead of becoming king, he was chased by Saul out over the Judean hills like a wild partridge for 20 years. He almost despaired of life, let alone becoming king. But, in God's good time he was literally placed on the throne without so much as lifting a finger!
Peter. Ah, Peter! he was so far down he could only look up after denying Jesus. Then how about Naomi and Ruth? Ruth, the little pagan took the quiet meek role to eternal fame. Cheer up! Any direction is up when you are on your back! BL
First of all, it almost seems to be a rule of life that one come up against the insurmountable if he is to ever amount to much! There seems to be time in life for most successful people that they have had to do the impossible before the possible.
You are in good company. Laban tried to cheat Jacob out of his labor, then Jacob has to face an angry, powerful Esau when he went back to Palestine. But he made it.
Joseph, unlike his father, never knowingly did anything to deserve being sold into slavery, nor did he deserve being thrown in prison, but, ultimately he triumphed as the prime minster.
Moses at age forty goofed it big and was chased as he fled the palace of Egypt to live on the back side of Sinai herding sheep as his wife's husband. But, it was also moses who returned and led God's people out of bondage of Egypt.
David was annointed to be king over Israel while still a boy. But, instead of becoming king, he was chased by Saul out over the Judean hills like a wild partridge for 20 years. He almost despaired of life, let alone becoming king. But, in God's good time he was literally placed on the throne without so much as lifting a finger!
Peter. Ah, Peter! he was so far down he could only look up after denying Jesus. Then how about Naomi and Ruth? Ruth, the little pagan took the quiet meek role to eternal fame. Cheer up! Any direction is up when you are on your back! BL
"Through the Window of a Soul" (3/2/1975)
While I preached in Brownwood, the city built a huge new domed stadium whose beautiful concrete dome, weighing millions of pounds, was poured entirely on the ground and jacked up into place. Sidewalk superintendents clucked their tongues, "They'll never get 'er up." When the dome was up into place, the observations changed, "She'll never stay there!" That's the stance a disturbing, if somewhat small, number of brethren over the country have taken about the missionary work in India. Some not only do not support it, but for some cock-eyed reason feel they should find fault with it to others. Because we have a lot of good supporters outside this local congregation, most of what is said here is for outside consumption.
I had a part in setting the Lockney Church, Box 343, Lockney, Tx., 79241, involved in the attempt to evangelize part of India. Therefore I feel responsible to them to help them in any way I can in their efforts. For months now they and I have been talking about the possibility of my return to India to try and help out in the preachers school they are founding. Last Thursday, Feb. 20, 1975, they called me telling me that once again Rolland McLean had run into visa problems, even on a tourist basis. That meant that, as a standby I was to get ready as soon as possible. I had prayed numerous and fervent prayers that Rolland would get to go. He did not.
I had a part in setting the Lockney Church, Box 343, Lockney, Tx., 79241, involved in the attempt to evangelize part of India. Therefore I feel responsible to them to help them in any way I can in their efforts. For months now they and I have been talking about the possibility of my return to India to try and help out in the preachers school they are founding. Last Thursday, Feb. 20, 1975, they called me telling me that once again Rolland McLean had run into visa problems, even on a tourist basis. That meant that, as a standby I was to get ready as soon as possible. I had prayed numerous and fervent prayers that Rolland would get to go. He did not.
LIKE A FICKLE LOVER
Now, loving the Hill much as I do, and desiring to take advantage of new evangelism opportunities that have lately arisen here, I reluctantly announce that I am booked for passage to India on March 10. I feel fickle, even guilty for hinting that the Hill could come second to anything, but, you see, as far back as the late 1950's I was praying for a place in the ministry, which finally did materialize in late 1961. Most men, I thought, receive overwhelming opportunities that demand their taking. But not me. I had only real good qualification--I desired to preach--more than anything in the world. I prayed, "Lord, just use me. I will go anywhere you tell me, any time you tell me, for any reason you tell me." And I have not been able to find a way to get out of that vow! So, you can see, my commitment is unto God, and not to any man or group of men, and never shall it be. You are seeing deeper into my soul than I like for people to see. But, I feel a need to let you know some of the compulsions that drive me.
I wish I could stand before you boldly and confidently declaring, "This is God's doing, and because it is, he will attend our efforts with glorious success." "This is going to be the start of an evangelism explosion." But I cannot. Does that sound weak? If it does sound weak, it is because I know that such characters as Abrahm went out "Not knowing where he was going." Or Paul would later be saying that he did not know what lay before, except that there was trial and hardship. But the fact is, though we believe this has to be God's will, and will act as though we know it is, it is still by faith we walk, and not sight. I have no way of knowing that this entire effort will not fly back in my face like spittle in the wind, then the skeptics can add, "I tried to tell you" to their forecasts of gloom. They enjoy it devilishly. So, since I cannot forecast this will be a successful mission, I simply ask your prayers and those of your praying friends. God, thankfully, does not hold us responsible for results, he only holds us responsible for the trying.
To make this as painless as possible for Forest Hill, we ask only one material consideration. We would like the use of your home for those three months. We will pay you for its use. If it is the concensus of the congregation that you have had too much of this, and you want another, we will understand. In the event you want us to have another go at it, we will thankfully begin again--with renewed zeal. We just now have all the things we need for for revival. We do have several new prospects now.
I wish to say kindly, but without equivocation that I will not argue the merits of the mission in India with anyone. For Jesus himeslf went to those who were desolate and hopeless. That's India today. I have to honestly say that I will insult the integrity of any supposedly mature Christian who denies we have a responsibility to the unsaved. I believe those who refuse to look upon the WHITE fields of harvest have, for all practical purpose, denied the faith. And nothing this side of eternity can change that frame of mind. To those who proclaim, "I have a responsibility to the man across the street first," I answer with a hearty, "Amen". What are you doing about it.
"English Spoken Here" (no date given)
"...let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God." (I John 4:7)
There are parts of the world that one can go where one seldom finds anybody who speaks English. If it is on the well beaten tourist path there will be an occasional shop that has a sign in front, "English Spoken here." (When I was hunting elastic socks for Ruby Nell when she had nearly broken both ankles in Rome, one would have been handy.)
But it is said that there is a church in South Carolina with a new twist on the phraseology, with a sign in the front yard, "LOVE SPOKEN HERE". Ah, what an oasis! A place where a kind word and a pat on the shoulder might be expected. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if there was one of those signs on every block of the city?
We have one, but it is hidden behind the bricks. One has to hunt for it. That sign speaks to the deepest need of the human heart. The child, the farmer, the doctor, the educator, the blacksmith, the mother, the father, the candlestick-maker. We all wither and die without it. Sometimes, if we can only find someone who will love us as we are, warts, freckles, calluses and all, it helps make the difference of faltering and carrying on.
We do not grow up full grown into loving persons over night. Even a tomato has to have time to grow. To be sure, being a loving person starts with a desire to be that kind, and with special grace of God. But the development comes with day by day by day work.
BL
There are parts of the world that one can go where one seldom finds anybody who speaks English. If it is on the well beaten tourist path there will be an occasional shop that has a sign in front, "English Spoken here." (When I was hunting elastic socks for Ruby Nell when she had nearly broken both ankles in Rome, one would have been handy.)
But it is said that there is a church in South Carolina with a new twist on the phraseology, with a sign in the front yard, "LOVE SPOKEN HERE". Ah, what an oasis! A place where a kind word and a pat on the shoulder might be expected. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if there was one of those signs on every block of the city?
We have one, but it is hidden behind the bricks. One has to hunt for it. That sign speaks to the deepest need of the human heart. The child, the farmer, the doctor, the educator, the blacksmith, the mother, the father, the candlestick-maker. We all wither and die without it. Sometimes, if we can only find someone who will love us as we are, warts, freckles, calluses and all, it helps make the difference of faltering and carrying on.
We do not grow up full grown into loving persons over night. Even a tomato has to have time to grow. To be sure, being a loving person starts with a desire to be that kind, and with special grace of God. But the development comes with day by day by day work.
BL
" ----one life to give." (11/2/1980)
The blood of Nathan Hale hallows the ground upon which the United Nations buildings set. How it would have thrilled that noble soul to have know that one day his blood would be vindicated by the establishing of that symbol of the quest for peace among men. That man who regretted that "I have but one life to give for my country" has been vindicated. His name reverbrated throughout every history class further than the eye could see, and his kind dictated that such a development, however feeble, must come about.
When you go to vote, you are doing more than voting for a man. You are doing more than voting for a party! You are ratifying history! You are saying, "Thanks" to every last one of those heroes who laid down his or her life in the name and on the altar of freedom. "Thank you for caring enough to give the very best--your life."
Freedom is such a fragile thing. All it takes for it to irretrievably die is for good men and women to do nothing. All we have to do is take it for granted and it will go away--be snatched from us.
In the lifetime of this writer we have been called upon to offer everything upon the altar of freedom. He and his compatriots were the first Americans to be called to such distant lands that we could oft times not spell the names of the places we were. One out of every four of those boys that I played with in school spilled his blood and lost his life on foreign soil. Others were permanently maimed in body and mind. Our freedom was so direly threatened that each of us thought the risk was worth it. We came near not preserving it.
Now, the question that is raised here is, if these were willing to make that supreme sacrifice that they handed to you to enjoy in these ensuing thirty-five years, is that freedom so common--is it so little valued that you feel no compulsion to get out and show your thanks to God and to them? You can register your thank you by exercising your privilege at that hallowed hall--your voting place. Please.
B. Loe
When you go to vote, you are doing more than voting for a man. You are doing more than voting for a party! You are ratifying history! You are saying, "Thanks" to every last one of those heroes who laid down his or her life in the name and on the altar of freedom. "Thank you for caring enough to give the very best--your life."
Freedom is such a fragile thing. All it takes for it to irretrievably die is for good men and women to do nothing. All we have to do is take it for granted and it will go away--be snatched from us.
In the lifetime of this writer we have been called upon to offer everything upon the altar of freedom. He and his compatriots were the first Americans to be called to such distant lands that we could oft times not spell the names of the places we were. One out of every four of those boys that I played with in school spilled his blood and lost his life on foreign soil. Others were permanently maimed in body and mind. Our freedom was so direly threatened that each of us thought the risk was worth it. We came near not preserving it.
Now, the question that is raised here is, if these were willing to make that supreme sacrifice that they handed to you to enjoy in these ensuing thirty-five years, is that freedom so common--is it so little valued that you feel no compulsion to get out and show your thanks to God and to them? You can register your thank you by exercising your privilege at that hallowed hall--your voting place. Please.
B. Loe
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