Blog Archives

RESCUING THE PERISHING

2/26/2021

An article in the news caught my attention this past week. The February 21, 2021 story, written by Bradford Betz and published on www.FoxNews.com, was titled “Cleveland Coast Guard Rescues 10 People Stranded on Ice Floe near Park”.

The piece relates how the U.S. Coast Guard helped to rescue ten people – seven adults and three children – who had become stuck on ice floes that had broken away from the shore of Edgewater Park in Cleveland. A call came in around 2:30 p.m. regarding a group of people who had walked out onto the ice of Lake Erie, only to find themselves stranded once it broke off into two separate ice floes and began drifting.

The USCG affirmed later that it had rescued six individuals via an ice skiff; while four others were escorted off the ice by the City of Cleveland Fire Department.

What is surprising is that this is not an uncommon happening. It seems that over the years, many people have had to be rescued from floes that had broken off into Lake Erie.

For example… In March 2019, the Coast Guard and various other agencies rescued 46 ice fisherman from an ice floe, NBC News reported; while in 2009, 134 anglers were stranded, then saved by the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement agencies in a rescue that made national news, The Associated Press reported.

Not surprisingly, it turns out that many of these rescues are necessitated despite warnings not to venture out on the ice. Hours before this most recent rescue, the National Weather Service of Cleveland warned that… “dangerous ice conditions are developing over the next couple days. It is advised to stay off the ice on Lake Erie as areas of ice could break off from the shore”.

Thereafter, the USCG Great lakes, echoed these warnings of hazardous weather, urging residents to “avoid going on the ice” and to “take steps to protect and help yourself”. Nonetheless, despite being told “Do not walk on the ice... The lake is not frozen,” it seems that many people chose to ignore the warning and place themselves in peril.

As I read this story, I could not help but be reminded of its parallels to an even greater set of truths. The Bible affirms that God created men and women, and blessed them with a wonderful place to live. In the process, He gave them a few basic rules to follow – ones that were not burdensome or hard to follow, and that that were clearly given in their best interest.

Nonetheless, men and women chose to ignore God’s rules, and go the way of their own choosing. As a result, they soon found themselves imperiled by the consequences of their steps. Yet, in spite of this, God heard their cry, and came to their aid. He did this for Adam and Eve. And later, He did this for you and me as well, by sending His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins.

James Rowe captured the magnificence of what God has done for us with the words of his classic hymn….

1 I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me – Now safe am I.

Refrain:
Love lifted me, Love lifted me,
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me;
Love lifted me, Love lifted even me,
When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.

2 All my heart to Him I give, Ever to Him I'll cling,
In His blessed presence live, Ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true, Merits my soul's best songs;
Faithful, loving service, too, To Him belongs. [Refrain]

3 Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves;
He will lift you by His love, Out of the angry waves.
He's the Master of the sea, Billows His will obey;
He your Savior wants to be – Be saved today. [Refrain]

Of course, as Jesus Himself said, “To whom much is given, from him much will be required.” And for this reason, it behooves those of us who have been saved to help facilitate the rescue of others. This principle, as well, has been beautifully captured by a hymn writer. Moved by God, Fanny Crosby penned these immortal words…

1 Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Refrain:
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

2 Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,
waiting the penitent child to receive;
plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently,
He will forgive if they only believe. [Refrain]

3 Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
chords that are broken will vibrate once more. [Refrain]

4 Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
back to the narrow way patiently win them,
tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. [Refrain]

As one who has experienced having the dread of certain peril overshadowed by the knowledge and joy of being gloriously saved, I have now accepted the challenge to help rescue others who are also perishing. I trust the same holds true for you.

ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/cleveland-coast-guard-rescues-10-people-stranded-on-ice-flow-near-park.

NOTE:
The writer, Bradford Betz, is an editor for Fox News. He can ber followed on Twitter @bradford_betz.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://www.biblehub.com/luke/12-48.htm.

HYMN SOURCES:
https://hymnary.org/text/i_was_sinking_deep_in_sin_far_from_the; and
https://hymnary.org/text/rescue_the_perishing_care_for_the_dying.

AFTER COVID!

2/22/2021

It’s been almost a whole year now since most of us first heard of something called Covid-19. Many of us are now wondering when this nightmare will finally end. As one person I know recently put it: “I am so over Covid!”

Many of us are also wondering what life will be like when this terrible pandemic finally does come to an end. We know that things will be different. We just don’t know exactly how they will be different.

One thing is for certain - hardly any of us have emerged unscathed from a year of dealing with Covid. In my case, I have lost more than one hero, more than one really good friend, and more than one family member. No doubt, many of you can relate; for when this pandemic finally ends, few if any of us will have been left unaffected.

It has also been almost a year since a gifted Minnesotan named Laura Kelly Fanucci, author of a half dozen books as well as a syndicated column titled “Faith at Home”, penned an insightful poem that has since gone viral on social media. Her poem, titled “When This Is Over”, speaks volumes about what may well be the single greatest impact that this ordeal has left upon us all.

For perspective, I am posting her poem below. As you read it, notice that she never once mentions “coronavirus”, “virus”, or “pandemic”. Yet, anyone who reads it will also immediately recognize what she is referencing when she uses the term “this” in the phrase “when this is over”.

At the same time, notice how she manages to summarize every significant thing we may never take for granted again once we're past all of “this”.

“When This Is Over” by Laura Kelly Fanucci

"When this is over, may we never again take for granted

A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors
A crowded theater
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine checkup
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.

When this ends may we find that we have become

more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way --
better for each other
because of the worst."

All I can say is “Amen”! And again I say, “Amen”!

POEM SOURCE: Available widely on the internet. See, for instance: https://mymemorymatters.org/when-this-is-over-by-laura-kelly-fanucci/.

SEE ALSO: https://www.caller.com/story/news/2020/03/18/coronavirus-poem-inspirational-viral-message-covid-19-pandemic/2866087001/; and
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/04/10/podcast-meet-catholic-author-behind-coronavirus-poem-went-viral.

THE AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: https://laurakellyfanucci.com/.

HOMEWARD BOUND!

2/19/2021

According to the news this past week, despite the pandemic, housing has remained the single best performing sector of the American economy.

A perusal of recent headlines seems to bear this out. For instance, each of the following stories has appeared in the national news within the last seven days…

Luxury Real Estate Skyrocketing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Kate Gosselin's Home, Where TLC's 'Kate Plus 8' Was Filmed, Sells for Almost $1.1 Million

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Sells Florida Mansion for $3 Million

Marlon Brando's Former Mansion Listed for Nearly $4.3 Million

John Travolta Selling Maine Home for $5M

Lindsey Vonn, Ex P.K. Subban Are Selling Their $7M Beverly Hills Home

Warhol Muse Jane Holzer Sells Palm Beach Home for $7.55M

Casey Kasem's LA Home with a Heart-Shaped Pool Lists for $37.9M

Silicon Valley Compound of Former JetBlue chairman Joel Peterson Lands on the Market for $49 Million

After $100M Malibu Purchase, Whatsapp Co-Founder Jan Koum Pays $87M for the Home Next Door

Other forms of real estate are about to change owners as well. Additional headlines attest to second homes, apartments, and even a private island up for sale…

Tony Hsieh's family Plans to Sell Zappos Co-founder's Nearly 100 Properties Following Tragic Fire Death

Buyer of 'Silence of the Lambs' House Is Turning Buffalo Bill's Home into 'Boutique Accommodation': Will Welcome Guests for Overnight Stays, Tours, Weddings and More

University of Southern California Looking to Sell $24.5M ‘President’s Estate’

Frank Sinatra's Desert Escape Villa Maggio Back on the Market

Kamala Harris Is Selling Her San Francisco Apartment

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Private Island in the Bahamas on the Market for $35 Million

Still other homes have changed hands without ever being sold, as this last headline attests…

The $50M Florida House Rush Limbaugh Left Behind for His Wife

For most of us, the acquisition of a home is the single largest purchase of our lives. It normally requires an extensive loan, paid back over a period of one and a half to three full decades. For my wife and me, this was certainly the case. I do not know if the same rules apply to others, especially those able to afford homes at the sort of prices listed above.

What makes a home so expensive? What makes its pricetag so big compared to other of life’s personal assets? I suppose there are many answers to that question, not the least of which is that real estate is one of the few assets in life that tends to appreciate with value over the years. Most other items – those having to do with transportation, clothing, leisure activities, etc. - all tend to depreciate over time.

But the value of the real estate items listed above may arguably be influenced by one additional factor. The exorbitant prices they reflect may well have to do with their association to certain persons. Simply put: these homes and/or properties seem to be able to command millions of dollars in part, at least, because they were once owned by celebrities.

Maybe that’s’ why no home I could ever afford to buy or sell will ever command millions of dollars. But that’s okay. Because when all will have been said and done, none of the homes I will have ever lived in will really matter anyway. As will be the case for all earthly homes, they will eventually be destroyed. If not through the ravages of time, then one day in the future, when this world and all that is in it will be destroyed and remade.

Of course, when that day comes, I will no longer care about any earthly home I once inhabited; because I will then be dwelling in a whole new home – one that will not have been built by the hands of men! What is more, my future home will have enormous value, beyond anything this world has ever had to offer. And just what will give that home its value? Precisely the fact of Who it is associated with!

You see, my new home will be provided for me by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Himself! It will be a house that has many rooms! And it will sit along a street paved with solid gold in a city with walls of jasper and gates of pearl!

But its real value will have to do with the fact that it is in a place inhabited by God Himself! His very presence there will be the one thing that sets that dwelling place apart and imbues it with an ultimate and definitive eternal value!

Do you have such a home awaiting you? If not, my friend, you can. The same God Who has provided an eternal home for me for me also desires to provide one for you. If you desire to have such a home, then consider again the words of His One and Only son, Jesus Christ, Who once said:

1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The way to this new home, prepared just for you, and designed as a dwelling place in the presence of the One True Heavenly Father for all eternity, is through a personal relationship with His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

Yes, my friend, the way of the cross leads home! I have chosen to go this way; and one day, the path I am now on will surely lead me home.   I am bound for the Promised Land! Oh, who among you will come and go with me?!

STORY SOURCE(S): https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/housing-market-best-performing-segment-economy-overregulation-downturn-nahb-ceo-builder-buyers-home-real-estate-coronavirus.

Each of the additional above referenced articles appeared on either www.foxnews.com or www.foxbusiness.com within the past week. The search bar at either site will lead you to the respective article.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/kjv/john/14.htm.

SEE ALSO: https://genius.com/Alfred-g-karnes-i-am-bound-for-the-promised-land-lyrics.

IN AND OUT!

2/15/2021

A minor crisis has now been averted in our family. As anyone who has ever helped to raise kids or grandkids knows, sooner or later, the chances are that one of them is going to swallow a coin. Well, our time came yesterday, as one of our grandsons, aged two, managed to do just that!

His mother and father heard him choking, and by the time they ran over to him, it was too late. His four year old brother confirmed that he had just put a dime in his mouth. At this point, one parent called the doctor while the other set about googling what to do next. The consensus of all relevant authorities was simply to wait and see.

Apparently, this is fairly common event. It seems that small children are prone to explore much of the world around them with their sense of taste. Moreover, 90% of the time when this happens, the coin eventually makes its way through the body and exits completely intact, leaving its host no worse off for the experience.

Reassured, we all stilled ourselves and settled in for an anxious period of waiting until the matter was concluded. Inevitably, perhaps, in an attempt to relieve stress related to our situation, a round of witty banter soon began to unfold via group texts...

I actually began it with these words: “I always knew one of my grandsons would amount to something one day. But a measly 10 cents? For crying out loud!” I got one or two smiley face emojis in return. In short order, though, everyone else picked up the gauntlet, and began chiming in themselves…

A “Show me the money!” meme popped up. Then, a “Mister, can you spare a dime?” gif appeared. This was followed almost immediately by a whole succession of witty quips…

“I wouldn’t start worrying unless it came out as two nickels.”

“Of course, if he did snag himself a nickel, he could always open a five and ten cent store!”

“Who needs an ATM when you have a kid dispensing dimes?”

“Not to mention that no one can ever tell him he isn’t worth a dime!”

My personal favorite was this one: “At least having survived the Great Depression and the Second World War, Mr. Roosevelt won’t really be bothered by another day or two in the dark!”

The good news is that all’s well that ends well! I am happy to report that everything “came out” just fine “in the end”! My daughter reported today that the human piggy bank was now empty! More to the point, he was entirely oblivious to the whole affair!

A flood of relief washed over all concerned as we realized the danger had indeed passed. No doubt the whole episode will soon be forgotten. But it does raise a question or two.

You see, little children are not the only ones whose appetites can get them into trouble. The Apostle Paul warns us to be leery of those for whom “their god is their belly.” So, then, what’s in your mouth?! What’s on its way to your belly?! What is it that you either already have, or else are about to sample, and then swallow, that could do irreparable damage to you once ingested?

My little grandson isn’t the only one to be mistaken in thinking that sampling and swallowing a bright, shiny object was okay simply because it looked good! Trust me… a lot of adults have done the same thing in life!

Seeking satisfaction and fulfillment, people swallow not only material substances, but an entire assortment of other things as well… Fame, fortune, possessions, position, accomplishment, experience, authority, recognition, pleasure – the list is endless! So, be careful with such things. They may look appealing to the eye; but a belly full of them can have serious consequences!

A two year old can be given the benefit of the doubt for sampling and swallowing an inappropriate thing. After all, he does not know any better. But an adult is judged by a different standard. For this reason, if for no other, surely it behooves you and I to practice prudence, and to rise above a life lived merely in pursuit of the slaking of our appetites.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-19.htm.

NOTE: Billy Graham once told the story of Suzie, the prized ostrich at the Detroit Zoo. She died suddenly; and so an autopsy was performed to determine the cause. To everyone's amazement, over three and a half dollars in small change was found inside her stomach. Graham's concluding admonition was: "Money killed Suzie! Does money kill you?!" Source: James W. Cox, The Twentieth Century Pulpit (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981).

STICKY SITUATIONS!

2/12/2021

The news this week has been inundated with stories about a very sticky situation. It seems that a young lady used spray on Gorilla Glue to set her hair in place for a special occasion, only to discover later that she could not remove it from her scalp.

Fortunately, although it took undergoing a medical procedure to get it removed, the sticky substance has finally been removed from her hair and head. Unfortunately, that procedure cost over $12,000. As a result, she is apparently now considering legal action against the makers of the product.

Given that such action is pending, it is perhaps best not to comment further on the matter. I simply point it out because I had a similar experience this past week, albeit on an exponentially smaller scale.

It all happened this way. I inadvertently knocked a little doodad off my desktop. Not surprisingly, it broke into two pieces. Remembering that we too had a tube of Gorilla glue, I retrieved it and promptly glued the piece back together. The good news is that the product delivered exactly as promised. My decoration has been fully repaired; and, apart from a crack where it was pieced back together, all is well.

The bad news is that, despite my best efforts not to do so, I still managed to get some of the glue on my fingers. I’m sure you know the procedure at this point. I first had to unstick my fingers. I then went to the sink and attempted to scrub them clean. Unfortunately, some of the residue stubbornly remained in place. It’s no big deal. It isn’t much; and experience has taught me that it will likely wear off over time.

The problem is what happens in the meantime. Again, I’m sure you are familiar with my situation. Until we go through such an experience, we fail to realize just how much information we take in through our fingertips, through the sense of touch. But once our fingers become overlain with some barrier, no matter how thin, we lose that sense of touch.

Simply put: because of the introduction of a foreign substance, our fingertips largely become numb, and we lose our sensitivity!

As I have reflected on this, I have been reminded that the residue of glue on our fingertips is not the only thing that can desensitize us. If we are not careful, other things – certain behaviors, actions, words, thoughts, etc… - that we get involved in can also desensitize us to the world around us.

And just as it behooves us to avoid contaminating our fingers with glue residue, so does it behoove us to avoid contaminating our lives with anything that hampers our ability to interact with and relate to the world around us.

Having glue on my fingertips is bad enough. I’m thankful that I’ve never gotten it stuck on my head. And I do feel for the young lady and what she has been through. I can think of few worse situations. But there is one thing I know of that is arguably worse than losing sensitivity in ones’ fingers and/or in one’s head; and that is to lose sensitivity to the surrounding world in one’s heart!

My prayer is that I never allow anything to so coat my heart that it becomes insensitive to the needs of other individuals around me in this world! In so doing, I pray that I may faithfully fulfill the Biblical admonition given by the apostle Paul to us as Christians (in Romans, chapter 12, verse16) when he said: “Be sensitive to the needs of others…”

After all, learning to live this way will very likely help me to avoid any number of sticky situations I might otherwise have to experience. Not to mention any number of messes I might then have to clean up!

SOURCES:

NEWS STORIES:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/gorilla-glue-girl-tessica-brown-gets-her-hair-unstuck-after-surgery;

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/woman-styled-hair-gorilla-glue-considering-lawsuit.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/doctor-risks-gorilla-glue-adhesives-hair-skin.

SCRIPTURE:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/romans/passage/?q=romans+12:15-21.

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE!

2/8/2021

As I have shared many times before, I grew up on a farm down in Georgia. After school, however, my career largely took me away from rural life. Having now semi-retired and moved back out into the country, I will tell you that I never realized just how much I missed this world and life.

As I was reflecting on these things earlier today while out walking, the Lord brought to my remembrance a story once told by Paul W. Powell. It seems that two brothers from New York got tired of the fast lane of city life; so they bought a 50-acre farm in Texas. After a few weeks they decided they needed a mule to plow with so they got in their flatbed truck and drove down to a neighbor’s farm to see if he had a mule to sell.

The neighbor told them people in Texas didn’t use mules for plowing anymore; but he could not resist the opportunity to have a little fun with the city slickers. He pointed to a watermelon patch and said, “I don’t have a mule, but I do have some mule eggs. Maybe you’d like to buy a couple and hatch your own. They said, “We don’t need that mule till the spring so we’ll do that. We’ll take two.”

They bought the melons, placed them on the back of their truck and headed down the bumpy road toward home. They were almost there when they hit a huge bump and one of the watermelons bounced off the back of the truck, hit the road, and burst open. Seeing what happened, the driver stopped the truck and turned around to retrieve the “mule egg.”

Meanwhile, a big ol’ Texas jack rabbit came hopping by, saw the melon, and began to enjoy it. When the brothers saw the long ears and the furry back, they shouted, “Look, that egg has hatched. Let’s get that mule.”

Well, of course, the jack rabbit took off at lightning speed, as the New Yorkers hotly pursued. They gave the chase everything they had, but to no avail. After about thirty minutes chase, they sat down exhausted; and one of the brothers said, “I give up. We’re never going to catch that mule.”

To which the other brother replied, “Me too, but I think it’s just as well, I’m not sure I wanted to plow that hard and fast anyway!”

For my part, moving to the country has been very good. Among other things, perhaps the most important thing it has done for me is to remind me of the importance of slowing down a little.

A few years ago, the Grammy award winning Country Music Group, “Alabama”, had a hit song that comprised of these words…

“I'm in a hurry to get things done;
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun.
All I really gotta do is live and die;
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why.

Don't know why I have to drive so fast;
My car has nothing to prove.
It's not new;
But it'll do zero to sixty in five point two.

Can't be late, I leave in plenty of time;
Shakin' hands with the clock.
I can't stop;
I'm on a roll and I'm ready to rock.

Oh, I hear a voice,
That says I'm running behind,
Better pick up my pace;
It's a race; and there ain't no room for someone in second place.

I'm in a hurry to get things done;
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun.
All I really gotta do is live and die;
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why.”

Can you relate to these words? I know I can. And my suspicion is that I am not alone. Even in the Bible, we find people who were so rushed, so busy, that they all but missed the more important things of life. One such example is found in Luke 10:38-42, where we read…

38Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Like Martha, I spent a good portion of my professional life busily attending to details. I suppose I was reasonably good at it. I rarely failed to cross the appropriate “t” or dot the appropriate “i”. After all, any responsible pastor who is “worth his salt” will do much the same, will he not?

But I now see that, more often that I care to admit, the consequence of what Jesus called “worrying and bothering about so many things” was that I may have been moving so fast and so busily from one detail to another that I failed to focus on the “good part”.

These days, I have chosen to heed the admonition of Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” I’m glad I now have; for clearly, “life in the slow lane” has its advantages. Trust me, I am learning this great truth daily!

SOURCES:

Joke: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=146507, p.39.

Lyrics: https://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/alabama/im-in-a-hurry-and-dont-know-why-4186.html.

Scriptures:

https://biblehub.com/context/luke/10-38.htm;
https://biblehub.com/psalms/46-10.htm.

NOTE:

Alas! God’s timing is impeccable! As I was preparing to post this blog, “Class Reunion”, Season 3, Episode 20, of “The Andy Griffith Show” was being aired. In this particular episode, Andy and Barney stumble upon their old yearbook, and decide to organize their twentieth High School reunion. Aa a result, Andy's old flame, Sharon DeSpain, comes back into town; whereupon she and Andy pick up right where they left off, in the garden outside.

Both wonder whatever happened to their earlier relationship until it finally occurs to them that what separated them in high school is what still separates them. Sharon wants the bright lights and big city; while Andy is perfectly happy to stay right where he is in the little town of Mayberry. The truth being conveyed is that there is much to be said for living out one’s life out in a simple time and place and simple manner.

IMAGE BEARER

2/5/2021

A recent New York Post article titled ‘Cookie Monster’ Gemstone Found in Brazil Shocks has now gone viral. It seems that a man named Mike Bowers has now received multiple offers of $10,000 or more for his rare find.

That find is an agate gemstone unearthed in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, which bears a striking resemblance to Cookie Monster of “Sesame Street” fame.

As the picture indicates, once the volcanic rock had been sawn apart, the interior blue quartz crystals and accompanying smile-like void was found to look just like the famous little monster with the great big sweet tooth!

Little wonder that, playing off of the famous character, the article humorously begins with the words “C is for crazy.” What are the chances of such a thing?!

For his part, Bowers says he did not realize that Cookie Monster was so well known outside the United States. However, the Cookie Monster appears to be a part of the world cultural heritage, as the image was quickly recognized by most everyone who saw it, even in Brazil.

Bowers went on to tell Live Science that it is somewhat uncommon to find a face shape in agates, adding that the gemstone is even rarer because the face is a mirror image on both sides of the sliced stone.

The article further explains that agates, which are a type of quartz, are formed within cavities of volcanic rocks. Their variations in colors are determined by the chemical impurities in silicon dioxide and how the crystals are spaced.

Bowers did not technically discover the gemstone himself. He is a collector who acquired it from a Brazilian gemologist, Lucas Fassari in November of 2020, who had earlier picked it up in Soledade, apparently a hotspot for precious stones.

Despite the enticing offers, Bowers said he plans to hang on to the remarkable rock for now. When asked if he plans to sell, he responded by saying, “It is totally unique and awesome to see everyone loving this stone as much as we do.”

One last note: The picture of the gemstone went viral when Jacqueline Antonovich, a professor and historian at Muhlenberg College, posted a photo of it to Twitter over the weekend. Since then, it has garnered over half a million likes. Perhaps it was inevitable, then, that very soon thereafter, even the blue beast himself would chime in. “Me no geologist, but me think dat rock look a lot like me...” Cookie Monster admitted.

As I read this article, I was amazed at how much the image within the rock does indeed look like the Cookie Monster. I was also reminded that all of us are image bearers. The Bible tells us that we are each created in the image of Almighty God.

According to Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” It seems to me, therefore, that part of what we were each created to do is to glorify God by reflecting His image.

Of course, that raises a question or two, does it not? Just how good of a job do you and I each do in reflecting our Heavenly Father?

Jesus, Who better reflected the Father than anyone else, calls those of us who are His followers to be intentional about doing this very thing. In Matthew 5:16, He tells us to “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

In like manner, in 1 Corinthians 15:49, the Apostle Paul tells us that we once bore the image of the earthly, but now, we “bear the image of the heavenly.” To this, in Colossians 3:10, he adds the reminder that those of us who follow Christ have taken off our “old self with its practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

And again, in Ephesians 4:24, he further states that we are to “put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

The fact that we are so often admonished in the New Testament to reflect the image of our Heavenly Father obviously means that we are capable of doing so to either a lesser of greater degree. When we fall under scrutiny by the world, therefore, may we be found to bear a reasonable likeness of God up above.

For most assuredly, if someone discovers such a likeness in us, it will mean far more to them in the long run than if they merely stumbled upon some earthly gemstone looking like a fictional entertainment character, no matter how much value the world ascribes to it!

SOURCE:

https://nypost.com/2021/01/24/rock-that-looks-like-cookie-monster-could-be-worth-more-than-10k/.

SEE ALSO:

https://www.livescience.com/colletor-finds-rare-cookie-monster-rock.html;
https://www.foxnews.com/science/cookie-monster-gemstone-brazil-shocks-viral;
and https://twitter.com/MeCookieMonster/status/1353820681667010560.

SCRIPTURES SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/genesis/1-27.htm;
https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/15-49.htm;
and https://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-24.htm.

COMING CLEAN!

2/1/2021

Ever been skunked? I’m not talking about in a game of volleyball, a round of pool, or a hand of cards? I’m talking about in real life. If not, count yourself blessed. For if you ever are, I assure you that you will never forget it. Let me explain…

Earlier this morning, my daughter-in-law let her pet Weimaraner dog out to do his regular morning business, only to discover when she allowed him back into the house that he had obviously been “skunked”. Literally!

When she readmitted him to the house, he went straight to the pantry, where he greedily consumed his morning breakfast. In the five to ten minutes it took for him to do so, she began to notice that he had a peculiar odor about him. Suddenly, she recognized the smell. It was what we shall call “Ode de’ Skunk!” Obviously, Fido had just had a memorable encounter with “Pepé Le Pew”!

To her credit, as distasteful as it the next hour or so was, my daughter-in-law “manned” up, and immediately took charge of the situation. She opened the windows, loaded the offended party (her dog) into her SUV, and set out for the “doggy day care” in route to work. Upon arrival, she deposited “Fido” with explicit instructions that he was to receive a thorough disinfecting, shampooing, and conditioning. I am proud to announce that he received all three!

Tonight, he sleeps peacefully in his doggy bed, welcomed home to a fumigated and disinfected house without reservation by his owners, and with nary a residue from his unfortunate experience left upon him. I can only hope that, if dogs have any sense of propriety, my son’s dog has a sense of obligation to his owners.

After all, it was he alone who courted disaster by choosing to engage an entity who could taint him so powerfully. Had he not toyed with the skunk, he would never have come off smelling so terribly! In the end, he simply reaped exactly what he had sewed!

The good news for “Fido”, of course, is that even though he found himself so terribly tainted, he was still loved. So much so that he was rescued, cleansed, and restored to his place in their household. And in this little episode we have a clear illustration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

For we, too, like my daughter-in-law’s dog, were drawn into an encounter with an entity who tainted us. His name was Satan; and the consequence we bear form that encounter is the stain of sin, with all its terrible stench and disgust.

Yet, even in our foul condition, our Lord did not give up on us. Rather, He sought us out, brought us home into His care, and then took upon Himself the burden and the cost of cleansing our souls! What is more, having redeemed us from our iniquity, He now makes provision for us as members of his household, showering us with nurture and affection.

After his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, Israel’s King David realized just how terrible the stain of his own sin had become. Psalm 51:7 records how, in brokenness, he cried out to God, saying, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

God heard his cry and answered his prayer. As a result, David found cleansing for his soul and was properly restored to a proper relationship with his Heavenly Father, once again enjoying all of the rights and privileges of just such a state.

What God did for David of old is what God has also done for you and me. I hope you realize this. And I hope as well that you have received the gracious offer of God’s forgiveness and found cleansing from your sin and welcoming into God’s household.

If not, then why not consider your present condition and ask yourself whether this is really how you desire to live your life? If your answer is no, then know that God awaits your decision to turn to Him this very moment. Whosoever will, let him come!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/nlt/psalms/51.htm.