It Doesn't Pay to Judge Too Quickly

I certainly don't mean to advertise for Ameriquest, but in terms of learning not to judge too quickly, I think these little vignettes are great. I share them for the humor, not the advertising.

Sixteen Things to get You Through Almost Any Crisis

Just a little Monday morning chuckle:

1. Indecision is the key to flexibility.


2. You cannot tell which way the train went by looking at the track.


3. There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation.


4. Happiness is merely the remission of pain.


5. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.


6. The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant.


7. Someone who thinks logically is a nice contrast to the real world.


8. Things are more like they are today than they ever have been before.


9. Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.


10. Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.


11. If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.


12. One-seventh of your life is spent on Monday.


13. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.


14. This is as bad as it can get, but don't bet on it.


15. Never wrestle a pig; you both get dirty and the pig likes it.


16. The trouble with life is, you're halfway through it before you realize it's a "do-it-yourself" thing.

-- Martha Ainsworth, St. John's in the Village

Miracles in Our Midst

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.....Little did I suspect what was about to unfold when the phone rang earlier than usual last Tuesday, April 21. The word was that our friend, Mike Hamilton, was severely ill with a heart-related disorder. Little more than that was known. The outlook was not good. An emergency flight to Deaconess hospital ensued, and a consultation with the surgeon there revealed it was an aortic dissection (a type of aneurysm), and he confirmed the outlook was not good. We were braced for the worst. According to statistics, we feared Mike was already lost.

.....But the people of Marion UMC began to pray. God stepped in with blessing and wisdom for the surgeon. God intervened in Mike's body, even before we began to pray, so that certain damages did not occur. And when the surgeon came out after surgery, he implied we had seen two miracles already ... that Mike had survived the flight, and now, the surgery. Though we felt much more hopeful, the doctor said Mike was still the sickest person in the entire hospital.

.....But God wasn't through working. The doctor thought it might take up to 5 days or so for Mike to wake up. He woke up in less than 24 hours, clear in thought and speech, and asking "What did you do to me?" And at every step, things have gone extremely well, and Mike has been far ahead of the curve, astounding the surgeon and nurses. In fact, he came home yesterday (April 28), one week to the day from this vascular event.

.....Perhaps I shouldn't have given so many details about Mike in this blog ... but we need to stop and GIVE THANKS for this miracle among us. Mike and Denise have expressed how deeply appreciative they are of your many prayers, and of God's greatness and love revealed in Mike's progress. Let US thank Him, too -- may we never be guilty of praying for something, and then failing to thank Him!

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Give thanks with a grateful heart,

Give thanks to the holy One,

Give thanks! Give thanks! Give thanks!

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Taking Her Home to Meet the Parents

Here's something just for fun:

.....A young man found the woman of his dreams and asked her to marry him. He told his mother he wanted her to meet his fiancee, but he wanted to make a bit of a game out of it. He said he would bring the girl over with two other women and see if his mother could guess which was the one he wanted to marry. His mother agreed to the game.
.....That night, he showed up at his mother's house with three beautiful young ladies. They all sat down on the couch, and everyone had a wonderful evening talking and getting to know each other. At the end of the evening, the young man asked his mother, "OK, Mom, which one is the woman I want to marry?"
.....With no hesitation whatsoever, his mother replied, "The one in the middle." Astounded, the young man said, "How in the world did you figure it out, Mom?" "Easy," she said, "I don't like her."

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Home to a Welcome Surprise!

Elizabeth Kirby was full of excitement as she completed her tour of Italy with her school group. She hit the ground running with news that she had been appointed a Governor's Scholar ... so she already has much of her summer planned with learning and growing experiences. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Royalty at Marion United Methodist Church

And who thought the monarchy was dead? We have living proof that it survives right here in Marion, with double confirmation of His Majesty Cody Dunham. The first acclamation was during the Homecoming Basketball Game last fall, and just recently, at the Senior Prom. With two such votes of confidence, how could anyone doubt the monarchy is alive and well, with Cody Dunham carrying on the grand tradition. Congratulations, Cody!

The Landmark

Once there was a little church on the coast of England ruined by a hurricane. The congregation felt that they were not going to be able to rebuild.

Then one day a representative of the British Admiralty came to the clergyman to ask if they intended to reconstruct the church. The clergyman explained why they could not do it. "Well," said the representative of the British navy, "if you do not rebuild the church, we will. That spire is on all our charts and maps. It is the landmark by which the ships of the seven seas steer their course."

How true on the deeper, spiritual plane as well -- Christ's church is the landmark by which ships and lives can steer their course ... and arrive safely on the other shore.

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