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Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:26:25 PM
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mvic
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Hello and welcome to my blog.
I hope you find here something interesting, amusing or thought provoking.
God bless you and all you hold dearly in your hearts.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:29:23 PM
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mvic
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I was reading the parable of the lost coin the other day (Luke 15:8) and my thoughts wandered … what is the greatest loss one can experience in this world? Is it the loss of a worthless trinket with great emotional value to the owner; or an expensive item of jewelry or such like; or great sums of money? Is it the loss of a loved one? Or what?
I concluded that for a Christian the greatest loss is the loss of one’s Faith.
As I read entries in this, and other, Christian Forums, I am often saddened by the number of people who say they are losing their faith or belief in God. Why is that I wonder. Is it because we live in a technologically advanced age and people find it difficult to relate to a super-natural omnipotent God whose love they have never actually experienced in their lives?
Or is it perhaps a shortage of good Christian role models? People who set us a good example of how to be Christ-like.
I then realized that we are all role models for others; whether we are parents, teachers, preachers or whatever. We are all unwittingly setting an example for others to emulate.
The magnitude of that realization frightened me. Being a Christian is quite a responsibility you know!
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:31:29 PM
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mvic
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A young man I know has been mugged by a fox. Yes, a fox.
He bought a McDonald meal and sat on a park bench to enjoy it. Having finished his fries he placed the empty container on the bench. To stop it blowing away he then placed his cell phone and car keys into the container.
A fox came out of the bushes, no doubt attracted by the smell, he quickly grabbed the fries container and ran away followed by the young man.
Eventually, the man found his car keys – but not the cell phone.
So if a fox happens to phone you …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:32:55 PM
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mvic
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At times of adversity barriers are usually broken between people as they get closer together. They share their feelings, fears and worries and encourage each other.
Could it be that God allows adversity to happen to give us an opportunity to get closer to Him? To share our fears and worries, and to seek His help?
Just a thought …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:34:54 PM
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mvic
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With modern technology more and more people are now able to work from home. They use their laptops or PCs and they can easily upload or download their work and communicate with colleagues.
At work today I overheard the doorkeeper complain that he couldn’t work from home.
Come to think of it … neither can the office cleaners, the restaurant staff at work, and many others in our block of offices who have to turn up everyday.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:36:38 PM
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mvic
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When things go wrong, no matter how wrong, it is important to remember that God is still in control. For reasons best known to Himself, He has allowed something wrong to happen in our lives.
Instead of rebelling and blaming Him for what’s gone wrong; let us instead thank Him that He is in control of the situation. Let us trust Him that He will help us through it.
Just a thought …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 4:38:11 PM
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mvic
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It is said man was created in the image of God.
Man has a sense of humour. Does that mean that God too has a sense of humour?
I hope so ... otherwise I'm in real trouble.
Just a thought ...
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 6:30:51 PM
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mvic
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Remember the story about Jesus healing the ten lepers and only one came back to thank Him? (Luke 17:11). I was reading it the other day and I thought how often in our busy lives these days we too forget to thank those who have been kind to us.
Just think for a moment or two … I bet there are people around you right now who have been kind to you and you took them for granted. A spouse perhaps, a relative, friend or neighbor … You may even have done something nice for someone yourself and they forgot to thank you.
We don’t mean to be ungrateful of course. We’re just too busy … you know how it is!
Perhaps we should have a National Thank You day when we send each other cards for all those times we forgot to say thank you! Just a thought …
What have you to thank God for today?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 6:32:06 PM
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mvic
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I read in an old magazine that men will become extinct in some thousand years’ time because there is something wrong with their Y chromosome. I don’t claim to have understood the argument but the fact is men will become extinct.
This is terrible news. If men became extinct then who will catch the spiders when they fall in the bath?
Just a thought …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 6:33:34 PM
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mvic
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What exactly are angels? Are they spirits? Or the souls of good people who died before us?
Angels are often mentioned in the Bible. They were used by God to announce the birth of Christ. The angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and angels appeared to shepherds to tell them that Christ was born in Bethlehem. There are many other references to them in the Bible.
Some people believe that we all have a guardian angel, appointed by God to look after us and protect us.
If this is true – then mine must be very busy looking after me …
Spare a thought for your guardian angel and thank him/her for looking after you.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/5/2008 6:35:02 PM
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mvic
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Archaeologists make the best marriage partners. The older you get the more interested they are in you.
Just a thought …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/6/2008 6:16:29 AM
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mvic
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When God gave us the Ten Commandments He meant just that: ten rules or instructions for us to follow in our lives.
He did not mean ten suggestions for us to debate and alter to suit our modern lifestyles.
Why do we humans succeed in ruining everything?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/6/2008 6:18:33 AM
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mvic
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When Jesus taught us to pray – forgiveness is the only request to God to which He attached a condition.
He said: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us.
I hope He finds me forgiving when the time comes for me to meet Him.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/7/2008 5:59:38 PM
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mvic
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Today I took the car for its annual maintenance service. As it was a beautiful, warm sunny day, I decided to leave the car at the service garage and walk the couple of miles or so home. They’d phone me later when the car is ready for collection.
As I walked slowly down the hill I took time to gaze at the many houses in the street on my way home. Some were big and modern, others more compact and a few years older. I stopped every so often and looked pensively at the gardens and mentally gave each garden points on how it was maintained and looked after. There was garden full of lavender which attracted several bees – it smelled wonderful. In another garden I saw a bird with a small twig in its beak – no doubt building a nest somewhere. I really enjoyed myself on my way back home.
I realized that although I had driven up and down this hill for years I never noticed the beautiful houses and their gardens. You miss so much when you’re in a hurry and concentrating on something else.
Just like life really. We’re so busy these days just to keep up with living that perhaps we forget to live. There’s so much that God has placed on this earth for us to enjoy and we just ignore them in pursuit of our individual lifestyles.
Just a thought …
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/9/2008 6:38:16 PM
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mvic
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Today was another beautiful, warm and sunny day. I spent sometime in the garden pruning the bushes.
Half an hour later a friend came to visit. I must explain that I’ve left a corner of the garden to grow freely. My friend looked at it and said: “these are all weeds … they must come out …”
I pointed at the little yellow and blue flowers and said they looked pretty; and they attracted butterflies and other insects.
My friend said: “They’re weeds. You’ve dandelions there, and nettles and …” naming a variety of plants I hadn’t even heard of.
What is a weed I thought, isn’t it a plant that you don’t want? There are people who make nettle tea – you can buy it at the health shop. I suppose to them a nettle is not a weed but a livelihood. I also read somewhere that dandelions are used in medicine.
Then I thought … I hope God is more selective when He comes to choose whom from His creations are worthy to enter Heaven. Will He say disparagingly: “You’re a weed” – or will He welcome us in His kingdom?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/10/2008 8:19:20 AM
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mvic
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Nothing teaches us patience like waiting.
Remember when you were young and lacked patience? In those days a week was like a year. Especially if you’d been promised something by your parents and you had to wait and wait …
I suspect the same applies to us when we relate to God. We pray for something and wait … but God does not work to our timescales. He has His own plans and maybe what we’re asking for is not good for us … just yet.
Which reminds me of another story which I remember very distinctly from my youth.
The reading in church was from 2 Peter 3:8 where he says: “There is no difference in the Lord’s sight between one day and a thousand years; to Him the two are the same”.
I remember thinking as a child: it must be difficult to have an appointment with God. Imagine God saying to Moses to go to Mount Sinai “tomorrow”; and Moses asking “Is that in 24 hours or in a thousand years time? Because I’d be dead by then!”
I hope God forgave the impertinent mind of young child.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/12/2008 4:30:31 PM
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mvic
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There is nothing more frustrating than when you finish a jigsaw puzzle and you find a piece missing. Today I finally finished a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle – and guess what. There’s a piece extra in the box.
So if any of you out there have a jigsaw piece missing from your puzzle, maybe it’s the one I’ve got!
Which reminds of something I read somewhere … life can be a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. Full of doubts, fears, frustrations and confusions … as well as good times too. If we were to put God right in the middle of our life our jigsaw puzzle would be complete. And what a wonderful picture it would make!
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/13/2008 5:22:16 AM
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mvic
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I suppose it is easy being a Christian when all is well. Life is wonderful, good job, happy family and great health.
But what happens when health starts to fail? I had the misfortune to visit a hospital the other day and saw many people in various states of bad health. I’ll leave the vivid descriptions to your imagination …
I then recalled the many people I see in church on Sunday who are obviously very unwell. People in wheelchairs, blind people, the old and infirm … there’s even a man who has to carry with him a small machine to help him breathe (I think)!
How can these people who are obviously in failing health still turn up to church and pray? What inner strength do they possess to keep and maintain their Faith in God?
I don’t think I’ll ever know the answer. But let me at least pray to God to give them the courage to continue to be an example to others, and also to make their lives more comfortable.
Please join me in praying for all who are sick right now.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/13/2008 5:24:18 AM
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mvic
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This man kept praying to God to make him win the lottery. Every day he prayed and prayed but never won a dime.
When he died and went to Heaven he asked God: Why did you not let me win the lottery? Just the once … I prayed to you daily, but you never listened.
God replied with a smile: At least give me half a chance … you never actually played the lottery did you?
I suppose that’s the same with us. We pray to God and ask all sorts of favors … good job, promotion, more money and so on. But do we actually do enough for ourselves instead of relying on Him and blaming Him when it all goes wrong?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/15/2008 5:35:59 PM
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mvic
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Today I learnt a salutary lesson.
I visited an old lady of 80 years of age. She has been very ill recently and age has had its toll … she walks very slowly with the aid of a stick. She can hardly move because of the pain … and just getting out of a chair is a Herculean task for her.
As she was shuffling from one room to another slowly I offered to help. She declined gently and said defiantly: I will not be trapped in my own body.
Those words are still ringing in my ears. Her brain is as sharp as ever but she is hindered by her body.
I remember reading somewhere that scientists can’t find a good reason why we age – i.e. why not just shut down and die. What is the purpose of a continuous and painful aging process?
I suppose God allows aging so that the rest of us can help those less able than ourselves. What do you think?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/18/2008 10:01:13 AM
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mvic
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Someone asked the other day – I have forgiven but cannot forget the pain and hurt caused to me. Does that mean I’ve not really forgiven?
Let’s examine un-forgiveness. Un-forgiveness is when we harbor thoughts of revenge, retribution and punishment … when we are angry, and full of hate, ill-will, hostility and ill-feelings towards those who hurt us.
If none of these feelings are within us – then we have truly forgiven.
The mind forgets but the heart forgives.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/18/2008 10:05:10 AM
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mvic
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I visited some friends the other day. It was a warm evening so we sat in the garden chatting. Moments later they both went into the house to prepare some refreshments and left me in the garden alone.
I sat admiring the view when suddenly out of the bushes came a fox. He moved around for a few seconds then hid again.
When my friend came out I told him about the fox. “Can’t be a fox” he said, “we live too far into town for a fox to come here …”
I said nothing and continued our conversation. Minutes later out came the fox again for a short while.
My friend shouted to his wife still in the house “We’ve got a fox in the back garden!”
Her exact reply was “Can’t be a fox, we live too far into town for a fox to come here!”
He called her a doubting Thomas and laughed it off.
Later that evening I thought about Thomas the disciple. What a service he did for Christianity without realizing it. By doubting Christ’s resurrection Jesus appeared again, and this time Thomas saw Him. The whole event was witnessed by the other disciples and recorded for us to read years later.
Had Thomas not doubted, we would have lost a valuable piece of evidence of Christ’s resurrection.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/25/2008 8:28:02 PM
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mvic
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The sermon in church today was all about attending church. We were asked why do we go to church. Is it out of habit?
We were asked why we chose that particular church. Was it because we like the singing? Was it because the time is convenient with our busy lifestyles? Or was it because we like to meet the other people afterwards and have a chat and a cup of coffee?
I could see some of the congregation getting uncomfortable and wondering where all this was leading to.
The preacher made his point by saying that when we come to church to pray and thank God, we should also have another aim in mind. We should come to change … to make ourselves better people!
I thought I’d share this with you.
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/26/2008 9:01:17 PM
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mvic
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At a Christian seminar the lecturer was talking about our contributions to this world and he asked his audience: “Imagine you are lying dead in your open coffin and your friends and relatives are passing by to pay their respects. What do you want them to say about you?”
The first volunteer said: “I hope they say I was a good family man and that I helped people less well off than myself.”
A second participant said: “I hope they say I used my skills as a doctor to help others.”
The third man said: “I hope they say - I’ve just seen him move !!! ”
What will they say when you’re gone?
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RE: Just a thought ... - 5/28/2008 9:48:56 PM
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mvic
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Although Heaven is mentioned often in the Bible there’s only one instance where we have a glimpse of a description. In John 14:2 Jesus says: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
I suppose Jesus used this description because He wanted an example that his listeners could relate to. They were used to seeing palaces and mansions so He described Heaven as a building.
Some time ago, I came across another description of Heaven. This priest said in a sermon that when we die and meet God, He will sit us on his lap like a little child and He will show us our life all over again. Just like a movie. There, we will see all the good and the bad we have done, all the opportunities we missed when we could have helped others less fortunate than ourselves, all the hurt we have caused by what we have done or said, whether intentionally or not. And there, on His lap, will be our own Heaven or Hell.
Now imagine it is really so … Imagine seeing your whole life as a movie … Imagine you are now a Film Director … what an opportunity you have to make sure your movie will have a happy ending !!!
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