Value Life

Ever heard the story of the Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups Of Coffee? If not, read on and enjoy!

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle and when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began he wordlessly 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.

The professor next picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas around the gold balls. He then asked the students if it was full and they said “yes”.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He again asked if it was full and the students again responded with a yes.

He then produced two 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 recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – your family – your children – your health – your friends and your favourite passions – and if everything else failed and they remained your life would still be full. The sand is everything else – the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your life and energy on the small stuff you will never have time for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

One of the students raised her hands and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show that no mater how full your life may seem, there’s always time for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Value life. Value others. Value God. Value eternity.

Ezekiel 18:9 (MSG) ~ "This person who lives upright and well shall live a full and true life. Decree of God, the Master."

TODAY'S PRAYER FOCUS
Majors Drew and Leanne Ruthven ~ ministering in Papua New Guinea

Intentional Investments

Ecclesiastes 11:1 (MSG) advises "Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns."

Now when it comes to investments, I'm no skilled financialist. However, years of ministry experiences has taught me this ~ it definitely pays to invest in the lives of God's people. Rewarding ministry is about sharing the spiritual journey with people from all walks of life, and when we intentionally invest our time and talents into their lives, God gives the increase all the time.

Are you investing into the lives of others that God might give the spiritual increase?

TODAY'S PRAYER FOCUS
Major Winsome Mason ~ serving God in the United Kingdom

Happy New Year

2008...new year... new opportunities...new blog layout!

While bringing in the New Year with close friends, discussion arose about New Year's resolutions. Now I'm not an 'agenda and action plan'-type person, however, I did awake this morning with a new year's resolution on my heart and mind.

So here it is...

Less of me and more of Christ

A new me ~ spiritually and physically ~ I'm going to pursue it whole-heartedly!

TODAY'S PRAYER FOCUS

Lieutenant Kevin Meredith and Captain Sugunama ~ serving in Myanmar

God's Blessing

At our New Year's Eve BBQ and Praise Service following, we gave honour and glory to God for the many blessings experienced during 2007 and, in a spirit of anticipated thanksgiving, entrusted the yet unexplored opportunities and untapped possibilities of the New Year into God's hands.

In 2007, God provided ~ so we can be certain that throughout 2008 we will be well guided. As you 'open the gate on 2008', consider this biblical principle of God's personal blessing.

Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG) ~ This is God's Word on the subject:
"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out ~ plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

May our Lord bless you more richly still!

Silent Witness

While waiting to meet friends at Forest Hill Chase this afternoon, Dabak and I sat around a table still dresssed in our uniforms from the morning's worship service. It goes without saying, that we were less than conspicuous.

Should we, then, have been surprised at the number of people who stopped and offered a word of appreciation to the Salvos? Or amazed at the many nearby who engaged us in a friendly chat? Certainly not!

The high regard with which the Army is held by the public of Australia is so evident.
Is this because they know we care?
Is this because they trust us to be "people of action"?
Is this because they value the work we do?

Perhaps it is! But I hope and pray that it is more a reflection of the fact that we demonstrate the love of God in action as we serve suffering humanity offering Christian understanding and hope.

Consider this ~ Uniform itself isn't the witness, it is always the one who wears it!

2 Corinthians 3:2 (MSG) ~ "Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it ~ not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives ~ and we publish it."

Prayer Plea For Pakistan

Majors Geoff and Kalie Webb ~ Australian officers serving in Pakistan with their daughter, Khelsi ~ raise several urgent prayer points for our attention.

• Please pray for Pakistan. Some newspaper analysts in the country are predicting civil war; pray for calm in the country.
• Please pray for the many people mourning Benazir’s death.
• Please pray for leadership within the country – of all political parties – to show statesman-like behaviour and call for calm and a measure of unity.
• Please pray for our Salvationists, who have had to deal with the death of our Army leader Bo Brekke on 27th September, and now with the death of one of our political leaders Benazir Bhutto on 27th December.
• Please also pray for our Chief Secretary, Lieut-Colonel Yousaf Ghulam, and his wife, Lieut-Colonel Rebecca Yousaf, who – as well as trying to lead our territory until our new territorial leaders arrive – are also faced with a major illness of their adult daughter Shahzia – married only in the last twelve months and now very ill in hospital.

Your faithfulness in prayer on behalf of the Webbs and the people of Pakistan is greatly valued.

"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of" Lord Alfred Tennyson

The Day After

Boxing Day is a traditional celebration, dating back to the middle ages, and consisted of the practice of giving out gifts to employees, the poor, or to people in a lower social class.

With this practice no longer practiced, perhaps it would be best to rename the day after Christmas.

Personally, it's been a 'boxing day' of sorts for me. For I've been returning to my boxed Christmas gifts time and again this morning to consult (and reconsult) the reference guide and service instructions for my newest [and most helpful] 'guy gadget'. Thanks to my darling wife, TimTim now owns his own TomTom. Another male reason not to have to ask for directions!