Monday, March 17, 2008

Know Your Objectives

Top O" the Mornin' to Ye, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the St. Patrick's day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We are having cooler weather after yesterday's very warm sun and humidity, but since Easter is coming we may have more cool air to rejoice in!

Some observations over the weekend... A great white heron in a retention pond flipping a frog up and around, trying to get the very floppy frog in just the right position for the heron to swallow. Peacocks folding their tails, after the parade. Tiny wrens flitting about the bushes and lots of people out enjoying the beautiful weather. God is Marvelous!

From Quiet Moments with God:

"The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor."
1 Corinthians 3:8

In the book Work and Contemplation, Douglas Steere tells a story from the Great Depression era when work was scarce, but people took great pride in whatever job they did. Instead of receiving welfare checks, able-bodied people were given what sometimes amounted to busywork in order to earn their pay. The program was created to add a measure of dignity to "being on the dole." Folks who did not have to take advantage of the program openly welcomed it, while the workers who did join join the program were often embarrassed they had to do so.

Christians are frequently admonished to value one another's work and to work in a spirit of cooperation. This is easier when every member of the team clearly understands the objective. When the objective is finally attained, each is able to share in the satisfaction of seeing his or her contribution to the overall success.

Focus on the objectives you are working toward, and make certain the whole team has a clear understanding of the goals that have been set.

More men fail through lack of purpose than through lack of talent.
Billy Sunday

An Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His Hand.

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis