“But me—who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we're doing is giving back what we've been given from your generous hand.” – 1 Chronicles 29:14 (The Message)
What has God given you? King David spoke these words do they still ring true? Who are we that we should presume to give something to God? What have you given back to God? What will you give back?
On Monday I went to visit with a family. It was a good visit. We shared family stories, we caught up, we laughed, it was nice. At one point someone broke in, “Hey Garrett, I think I really have to tell you this, I think God wants me to tell you this.”
“Alright,” I responded.
“I am going to be talking to teens about stewardship and that they can give their time if they have nothing else.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said.
“Well you know that time can mean as an acronym? It can mean Things Individuals Might Experience. When we give our time others might experience things they wouldn’t otherwise.” The man went on to tell me of a time when he was in his early 20s and went to visit his grandmother for a week. And together they made a quilt. It was something his grandmother loved to do, and it was a special time she cherished with her grandson. Many years later his grandmother has passed away, but it is something he cherishes still. A thing that he might not have experienced had he not given his time to someone he loved.
Sometimes giving something to others is giving something to God. One time I was leading a children’s sermon and asked the children what God looked like. This rambunctious little boy raised his hand up high and said, “God looks like me.” “Why do you say that?” I asked. “Because God lives in me,” he said with assurance of a sage much older than he was then or is now. He was right, God lives in him, and me, and you. When we give our time, we give things individuals might experience. And truly one such individual is always God. What will we give?
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
A Time For Everything
There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. – Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NCV)
How has this been true in your life? What does this mean to you? What kind of special seasons have you gone through? What are some of the hard seasons? What are some of the joyous seasons? Where are you now?
Recently I sat down to write a Weekly Devotional. I had about a dozen different scriptures floating through my brain, but nothing substantial seemed to be formulating and I was getting frustrated.
To make matters worse my 15-month-old boy was also bothering me. He was grabbing onto the screen of the laptop and trying to close it. I looked at him and said, “Langston not right now, daddy is trying to work.” But he seemed neither to notice, nor to care, so I just tried to ignore him.
Then he came up with a book and set it next to me, and looked up at me smiling. “Langston we will read later, I am trying to do something.” Apparently he took that as an invitation to sit in my lap, because he tried pulling himself up. There was a part of me that was about to get angry when all of the sudden I realized how wonderful it was that he wanted me to read to him. Someday he won’t want his daddy reading to him. The work would still be there when we were done reading and playing, so I closed the computer and picked him up and read to him. And wouldn’t you know it, the work got done!
My little boy is in a special season of life and I better enjoy it or he will grow up and there will be time with him I can never get back. There is a time for everything, and that moment was not the time for me to write a devotional. It was the time to spend with a child who loves me and I thank my God that I did. We must realize that there really is a time for everything, because then we may actually be able to enjoy each moment for what it is, a miracle!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
How has this been true in your life? What does this mean to you? What kind of special seasons have you gone through? What are some of the hard seasons? What are some of the joyous seasons? Where are you now?
Recently I sat down to write a Weekly Devotional. I had about a dozen different scriptures floating through my brain, but nothing substantial seemed to be formulating and I was getting frustrated.
To make matters worse my 15-month-old boy was also bothering me. He was grabbing onto the screen of the laptop and trying to close it. I looked at him and said, “Langston not right now, daddy is trying to work.” But he seemed neither to notice, nor to care, so I just tried to ignore him.
Then he came up with a book and set it next to me, and looked up at me smiling. “Langston we will read later, I am trying to do something.” Apparently he took that as an invitation to sit in my lap, because he tried pulling himself up. There was a part of me that was about to get angry when all of the sudden I realized how wonderful it was that he wanted me to read to him. Someday he won’t want his daddy reading to him. The work would still be there when we were done reading and playing, so I closed the computer and picked him up and read to him. And wouldn’t you know it, the work got done!
My little boy is in a special season of life and I better enjoy it or he will grow up and there will be time with him I can never get back. There is a time for everything, and that moment was not the time for me to write a devotional. It was the time to spend with a child who loves me and I thank my God that I did. We must realize that there really is a time for everything, because then we may actually be able to enjoy each moment for what it is, a miracle!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
A Time For Everything
There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. – Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NCV)
How has this been true in your life? What does this mean to you? What kind of special seasons have you gone through? What are some of the hard seasons? What are some of the joyous seasons? Where are you now?
Recently I sat down to write a Weekly Devotional. I had about a dozen different scriptures floating through my brain, but nothing substantial seemed to be formulating and I was getting frustrated.
To make matters worse my 15-month-old boy was also bothering me. He was grabbing onto the screen of the laptop and trying to close it. I looked at him and said, “Langston not right now, daddy is trying to work.” But he seemed neither to notice, nor to care, so I just tried to ignore him.
Then he came up with a book and set it next to me, and looked up at me smiling. “Langston we will read later, I am trying to do something.” Apparently he took that as an invitation to sit in my lap, because he tried pulling himself up. There was a part of me that was about to get angry when all of the sudden I realized how wonderful it was that he wanted me to read to him. Someday he won’t want his daddy reading to him. The work would still be there when we were done reading and playing, so I closed the computer and picked him up and read to him. And wouldn’t you know it, the work got done!
My little boy is in a special season of life and I better enjoy it or he will grow up and there will be time with him I can never get back. There is a time for everything, and that moment was not the time for me to write a devotional. It was the time to spend with a child who loves me and I thank my God that I did. We must realize that there really is a time for everything, because then we may actually be able to enjoy each moment for what it is, a miracle!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
How has this been true in your life? What does this mean to you? What kind of special seasons have you gone through? What are some of the hard seasons? What are some of the joyous seasons? Where are you now?
Recently I sat down to write a Weekly Devotional. I had about a dozen different scriptures floating through my brain, but nothing substantial seemed to be formulating and I was getting frustrated.
To make matters worse my 15-month-old boy was also bothering me. He was grabbing onto the screen of the laptop and trying to close it. I looked at him and said, “Langston not right now, daddy is trying to work.” But he seemed neither to notice, nor to care, so I just tried to ignore him.
Then he came up with a book and set it next to me, and looked up at me smiling. “Langston we will read later, I am trying to do something.” Apparently he took that as an invitation to sit in my lap, because he tried pulling himself up. There was a part of me that was about to get angry when all of the sudden I realized how wonderful it was that he wanted me to read to him. Someday he won’t want his daddy reading to him. The work would still be there when we were done reading and playing, so I closed the computer and picked him up and read to him. And wouldn’t you know it, the work got done!
My little boy is in a special season of life and I better enjoy it or he will grow up and there will be time with him I can never get back. There is a time for everything, and that moment was not the time for me to write a devotional. It was the time to spend with a child who loves me and I thank my God that I did. We must realize that there really is a time for everything, because then we may actually be able to enjoy each moment for what it is, a miracle!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Monday, May 4, 2009
Living for What Matters
Again I saw something here on earth that was useless: I saw a man who had no family, no son or brother. He always worked hard but was never satisfied with what he had. He never asked himself, "For whom am I working so hard? Why don't I let myself enjoy life?" This also is very sad and useless. – Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 (NCV)
What do you think this passage says about life? What is sad and useless about a life without satisfaction? How does one live a satisfied life? Are you satisfied with your life? How does one who is happy with life live?
The following story is found at: http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/makeadifference/sharetime.shtml
A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?
"That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.
"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"
The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare him ask such questions only to get some money.
After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep son?" he asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.
"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"
There is much more to life than work! Family, friends, fellowship and community are what make life worth the living. Make sure time is well spent so that life does not become sad and useless. Find satisfaction in life and there joy will be too!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What do you think this passage says about life? What is sad and useless about a life without satisfaction? How does one live a satisfied life? Are you satisfied with your life? How does one who is happy with life live?
The following story is found at: http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/makeadifference/sharetime.shtml
A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?
"That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.
"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"
The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare him ask such questions only to get some money.
After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep son?" he asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.
"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"
There is much more to life than work! Family, friends, fellowship and community are what make life worth the living. Make sure time is well spent so that life does not become sad and useless. Find satisfaction in life and there joy will be too!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)