Monthly Archives: September 2009

Monday is the first Monday in September and in America that is the holiday we call Labor Day. It is the practical end of summer since the vast majority of schools will be in session the day after. We remember it by having an extra day off for some folks. There is some uncertainty about it origin (want to know more? click here) but that which is certain is that our country (as well as others) has benefited from the hard work of laborers of all kinds, both blue collar and white.

Labor is important. It is essential to the development of the well being of a people and culture. In following Jesus, there is labor involved, but the thing we remember is that this labor is in response to a free gift, Grace. We did not earn it. We did not receive the reward because we were owed it for that which we have done like a laborer gets his wage. We received Peace with God through the free Grace God gives, but there is labor involved. For we are told to “work out our salvation” by Paul (Phil. 2.12), and Paul worked very, very hard and was an amazing example to us to live hard for God.

So, on this Labor Day as some of get an extra day off, let us remember to work hard in response to the Grace we have received.

If you don’t read anything else thoughtful today, read the first couple of paragraphs of this article.

Petra Sophia Nemeth was born this morning!!!! link to pix when von Lazo gets to it… Fri update… Von Lazo has posted pix… click Lazo Von Blogger under daily reading.

In one of the “signposts” (The Smell of Bread) we have 2 Cor 2:14-17.  In it Paul speaks about our ‘sincerity’. In context, he compares sincerity to ‘peddlers of God’s word’. I think it is the sincere heart that pleases God. The heart that sincerely wishes to become more and more deeply connected to God, to hear Him speak through His word. This heart sets aside time each day to do as Jesus said and ‘dwell’ with God. We make mistakes. But the sincere heart can be soothed by God and God will come to the rescue. The sincere heart is not trying to manipulate, either other people, God, or themselves… the sincere heart seeks to love and glorify God… from this loving and dwelling and glorifying we can then serve God… not to build a kingdom of our own, but to build His. Let the Christian leader and layman alike examine our heart for sincerity. For when we have this will have the ‘fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.’

The other day, I got a call from a friend asking for a book recommendation for someone. After he described the need, I immediately said The Call by Os Guinness. Yesterday, I was trying to bring some order to my office after finishing a ton of correspondence and I found a cassette of Guinness discussing Calling. I was reminded of the very purpose of life.

“How pretentious,” you might say, “to think you know the purpose of life.” Okay, I hear you and if its your perspective that the purpose of life is illusive then I’m guilty. It is my belief that I really do know the purpose of life.

It is simple. Click here.

Now if you read this blog very often then you are not surprised. Want to know more? Click here.

I’m trying to do this.

Are you?

Really?

—-

(btw: not to make a big deal about it, but this is post 901)

I saw this for a sec on the Today Show Sat or Sunday… and put up a Tweet… I have posted about similar troubling statistics before… Do I really need to express a comment? Do not the stats speak for themselves??

From the APPA website:

“The following spending statistics are gathered by APPA from various market research sources and are not included in the organization’s bi-annual National Pet Owners Survey.

“Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures

“Year Billion
2009 $45.4 Est.
2008 $43.2
2007 $41.2
2006 $38.5
2005 $36.3
2004 $34.4
2003 $32.4
2002 $29.5
2001 $28.5
1998 $23
1996 $21
1994 $17