A Quote and My Thoughts

Where there is sorrow, there is Holy ground. — Oscar Wilde

This quote caught me by surprise, not because of it's insightfulness, but because of who said it. But I digress.

Here are my thoughts on the quote, this quote gives to me remembrance of a certain passage found in the pages of the Bible. There once was a woman who grieved. She had lost a husband, a brother-in-law, and a father-in-law. All she had left was her mother-in-law, a sister-in-law, and the faith that had been taught to her by her mother-in-law. There was sorrow all around. Yet in her sorrow this widow loved and returned love.

There came a time when her mother-in-law wanted to go back home and told her daughters that she would be going home. After telling them they all packed up to go. While on the way the mother-in-law turned to her daughters and told them to go back to their own families, to their old gods, and maybe God would grant to them new husbands. Oh, the sorrow there in that place for all three women cried with the parting of a family that had love each other through their sorrows.

Now to be divided from the one who had taught her how to love God, to trust God, and to depend on Him was more than she could bear. In that place of sorrow she now stood on Holy ground. For you see, her response to her Mother-in-law was this:

"But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me."

Her sister-in-law went back home to her family, but not Ruth. For in the midst of her sorrow, Ruth had found Holy ground. She stood firm on that ground and would not leave the side of her dear mother-in-law. Through all of the sorrow that Ruth felt, God brought redemption. If you are interested in a story that starts off in great sorrow, but ends with God redeeming the lives of people who are suffering, and are in the midst of great sorrow, then read the story of Ruth. For you see, her sorrow became for her, Holy ground.

God Bless:

My Help is from the Lord

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
Psalm 121:1-8


Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 147:1-11

Waking Up for Church

One Sunday morning, a mother went in to wake her son and tell him it was time to get ready for church, to which he replied, "I'm not going."

"Why not?" she asked.

I'll give you two good reasons," he said. "One, they don't like me, and two, I don't like them."

His mother replied, "I'll give YOU two good reasons why you SHOULD go to church. One, you're 54 years old, and two, you're their pastor!"

GodBless:

A Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front on him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

     They agreed it was.

So then the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

     They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else up. He asked once more if the jar was full.

     The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two coffee cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

     The students laughed.

"Now", said the professor, as the laughter subsided. "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand in the jar first, he continued, "There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse to dinner. Spend time with your parents for you won't always have them in your life. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represents? The professor smiled. "I am glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there is always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

---

"This story reminds me of my favorite Philosophy Professor, Dr. Harvey Solganick. There are many times he comes to my mind, for you see, he is now my daughters professor as well."

God Bless you Dr. Solganick!

Interesting Photos

After reviewing some rather interesting photos I saw this and thought I would share it.

Interesting



Just Plain Cute



OK, I know....just smile!



God Bless:

Red's Insight on Marriage - Keeping it going

1. Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have a little beverage, good food and companionship. She goes on Tuesdays, I go on Fridays.

2. We also sleep in separate beds. Hers is in California and mine is in Texas.

3. I take my wife everywhere.....but she keeps finding her way back.

4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested the kitchen.

5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.

6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric bread maker. She said "There are too many gadgets and no place to sit down!" So I bought her an electric chair.

7. My wife told me the car wasn't running well because there was water in the carburetor. I asked where the car was; she told me "In the lake."

8. She got a mud pack and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off.

9. She ran after the garbage truck, yelling "Am I too late for the garbage?" The driver said "No, jump in!"

10. Remember: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce.

11. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.

12. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don't like to interrupt her.

13. The last fight was my fault though. My wife asked "What's on the TV?"
I said "Dust!"

Red Skelton's Comments on marriage.

God Bless: