Let Us Never Forget…

The Lord knows we are forgetful people. For this reason, God, at various times, designated certain memorials so that mankind could remember what he did for us (i.e., the Lord’s Supper – Matthew 26:26-29). It’s all because we have a tendency to forget all of the good things God has done on our behalf.

We especially seem to become forgetful in times of distress. Sometimes we might even forget that the God of Heaven actually loves mankind (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8). When tragedy comes, some have a habit of blaming God, and thus attributing things to Him which he never did!

There are many reasons that things happen. Sometimes people suffer because of the sinful actions of others. Sometimes people suffer because of the “laws” of nature. Indeed, sometimes people suffer because of their own choices. Even so, sometimes it just seems like there’s no good reason for the suffering someone experiences.

None of these things are excuses to forget the goodness of God!

In a way, Psalm 107 deals with this very issue. While more directly this psalm deals with the returning exiles Babylon, the psalmist writes of various life situations still pertinent to us. But in each case, there is the reminder that God brought them out of those situations! Some were hungry and thirsty (vs. 4-6), some were staring death or imprisonment in the face (vs. 10-13), some were suffering because of their sinful choices (vs. 17-20), and some dealt with the forces of nature (vs. 23-28). They all suffered. They all lost something. Still, they were all delivered by God.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble… Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man… Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm 107:2,15, 21, 31, 43, ESV)

Let us never forget, even in times of distress, the steadfast love of God.

~Daniel Howell

Women’s Wednesday–CYTOTEC

He wore a white coat over his dress clothes. He carried a file folder full of records. He was distinguished. He was authoritative. He was the doctor!

We started discussing labor options. I was only 34 weeks and would not be under his care for much longer (I was to be released back into the care of my midwife at 35 weeks); but, I still wanted to know what he would do.

He recommended induction at 39 weeks, using a “wonderful drug” that mimics the “natural progression of labor”.

Wow. I was impressed. This “wonder drug” sounded a lot better to me than the dreaded Pitocin I was always hearing about – with its strong and unnatural contractions.

So I asked, “What’s the name of this drug? And why don’t more people use it?”

He answered, “Cytotec. And I don’t know why more doctors don’t administer it.”

I could have stopped there and accepted his authoritative answer and even requested the use of Cytotec in my own labor process. He is a doctor after all, and he made it sound wonderful!

But, I decided I had to find out more for myself. And I think I found the reason why more doctors don’t administer it…

1. Cytotec is NOT approved for use in pregnant women. There have been absolutely no clinical trials with the drug on pregnant women.

2. Because there have been no trials on pregnant women, doctors do not know the “correct dosage”. They have to guess.

3. Since it’s in a pill form, if there are adverse affects, the medicine cannot be stopped like a medication in a drip form.

4. Even the drug’s manufacturers warn medical providers to not use this drug on pregnant women and of its harms including: uterine rupture, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal distress, amniotic embolism, fetal death, and maternal death.

Wow. It seems like my authoritative in control doctor didn’t pass along some information to me, did he? Maybe he omitted this information knowingly or maybe he did not know. Either way, it’s important to note that as individuals we must stay informed and not let anyone else control our decisions concerning medication or more importantly… our spiritual life!

So, who makes the decisions in YOUR spiritual life?

1. Your Preacher: Think about it. They’re very similar to doctors – they wear snazzy clothes; when they talk you listen (or at least you SHOULD!); they are well educated in their “trade”; they have a lot of influence. Do we sometimes just “take their word for it” like we do doctors? How many times have you heard “but my preacher says…” Don’t fall into this trap! Just like my doctor may have not have known for himself the truth about Cytotec, your preacher is fallible. He may not have all the answers all the time. Examine for yourself the truth (Acts 17:11) – study the Word (2 Tim 2:15) and make your own decisions.

2. Your Parents: Do you attend a particular church or congregation just because “that’s where Mom and Dad went?” Do you hold a certain view on a subject because “that’s what Mom and Dad thought?” Even if Mom and Dad are/were right – we need to know why! “…and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” 1 Peter 3:15

3. Your Kids: You may not want to admit it; but do they hold power over your spiritual decisions? Do you attend a certain congregation because you want them to be able to “have fun” and not because of what is being taught? Do you skip worship services because you want your kids to be able to play in their baseball game? When these decisions affect spiritual decisions, they become authoritative!

4. Your Peers: Sometimes we think we’re safe amongst Christians; but unfortunately that’s not always the case. We can never let our guard down and follow the crowd, no matter how noble or righteous they seem! Equip yourself with the Word to avoid this dangerous pitfall! (2 Tim 3:16-17)

So many people have the potential to hold authority over our spiritual lives. Some we may not even clearly see as “authoritative figures” (like children), but they still exert great influence over the decisions we make. So take charge. Inform yourself. Make your own decisions. Because in the end it will be YOU – not preacher, momma, daddy, junior, or bubba – who will answer to God for your decisions (Romans 14:12).

~Martha Howell

(For more information on the dangers of the drug Cytotec in pregnant women, visit: http://babyhowellblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/going-to-be-induced-educate-yourself.html.)

Tech Tip Tuesday–Study from PDF’s Using Adobe Digital Editions

Here’s the link to Adobe Digital Editions’ download.

I failed to mention in the video that ADE also supports EPUB books as well.

And the link to Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

God is Not Mocked

As long as I can remember, I’ve loved food. I mean really loved food. I love to eat it. I love to cook it. I love to smell it being cooked. I love the taste of good food. Food is great.

Even when I was a small child, my appetite was more in line with what adults should be eating. I would fill my plate, and then I would do my best to clean it, making it a “happy plate.”

I can remember being at different church meals, even visiting with my grandparents, and hearing the phrase (said after seeing my plate piled high with food), “If you eat all of that, you’re going to be sick!”

I always dismissed it.

Thinking back on it, though, I often remember having a feeling after I ate. It was a feeling of being “stuffed.” I thought that’s what it meant to be full. Curiously, sometimes that feeling of being “stuffed” also felt a lot like being “sick.”

I would do my best, though, to convince myself that I wasn’t sick. I was uncomfortable, but not sick. I couldn’t let the adults be right! I couldn’t show them any weakness!

It’s only as I matured into adulthood that I started to make the connection between eating too much, weight gain, and the misery that ensued. When I ate too much, and felt sick, no matter how much I tried to reason it away, I was reaping what I had sown!

Sometimes I’m deeply saddened when I look at the lives of certain people and the problems they share with me. It’s not just because of the problems themselves, but it’s when they tell me their rationalization, I mean, story, as to how they “found” themselves in the situation they are in that really makes me sad. As they tell me of the decisions they made, I can see where they went wrong. Sadly, many times, they can’t. After all, everyone has a reason (excuse).

The mantras, “That’s life,” or, “Life happens,” are a verbal way of tossing off our responsibility for our problems. Paul stated it this way in Galatians 6:7-8:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption [emp, D.H.], but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ” (NKJV)

Sometimes we want to be like children. We want to pass off the responsibility for our problem to “fate.” But “God is not mocked.” We may want for God to be wrong about the consequences of our actions. We may even think we can outsmart Him. But in the end, we will “reap” the kind of lifestyle that we “sow”. You can count on it.

The good news is that the principle of sowing and reaping works not only to the negative, but to the positive. We can sow “to the Spirit”, and reap those things as well (see. Galatians 5:22-24). What kind of life are you sowing?

~Daniel Howell

The Most Important Person in the World

I remember well the first time I met him. I had gone to visit the campus of Alabama Christian College, which was at the time transitioning into Faulkner University. I was there considering whether or not to enroll as a student.

I was the stereotypical, hardworking “country boy” gone to the big city.  I knew why I wanted to go to college—I wanted to be a preacher. I just didn’t realize at that point the extraordinary opportunity that lay before me.

Buddy Baker was the one who had invited me to drive to Montgomery for my visit, and so when I arrived, my first stop was the development office where he worked. At that time, the development office was in a brick house located near the current parking lot for the Harris-Parker Building which houses the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies.

After chatting with Buddy for a few minutes, he said, “Let me give Brother Winkler a call to let him know you are here.” After speaking with, I’m assuming, Sister Winkler, Buddy handed me the phone so that I could speak with Brother Winkler. I took the phone but no one was on the line. I waited, thinking he would pick up at any moment.

A few minutes passed, and a gentleman entered the development office. It was Brother Winkler. He had walked across campus on that hot, humid August day to greet me in person rather than on the phone!  Needless to say, that made me feel quite special and gave me my first impression of a great man who would profoundly influence my life.

Brother Winkler taught me a lesson that day about preaching and about people—and I hadn’t even officially enrolled as a student. What was the lesson you ask? Simply this—every person is important!  I was just a country boy who wanted to learn to preach. He was an accomplished preacher, writer, and head of a Bible Department at a university. He took some extra time out of his day and made an extra effort he did not have to make and it made me feel important and valuable.

Fellow preachers, how do you treat the people with whom you interact from day to day? Do you treat them like a bother or a brother? Do you act as though they are a pain rather than a person? Do you consider their soul rather than your schedule?  All of us understand that some folks would be just a little more likeable if they were a little more considerate. But regardless of their thoughtfulness or thoughtlessness we still can choose how we act toward them.

I’ve met fellow preachers who, to be honest, gave me the impression that they are on earth to be served rather than to serve. By their demeanor it almost appears they never read that Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). It is really no wonder that they are such moving preachers—doing so about every six months to two years!

For many years I have had a philosophy I have tried to practice. No matter who I am with, I try to esteem them, treat them, and make them feel as though they are the most important person in the world. I try to regard my time with them as the most important thing I have to do at that time.  When people sense this in your disposition, they are more likely to listen when you try to teach them, and are more apt to respond positively when you are forced to rebuke or correct them.

In reality, this is plainly a part of being Christ-like. Paul illustrated the significance that others should have in our lives with the fact that Jesus considered me (and each one of us) more important than the things He had in heaven with the Father (Philippians 2:3-8).  How remarkable is it that Jesus Christ loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20)!  We should be stricken with awe over this and be more than willing to do the same for others!

No, I will never forget the first time I met him. He taught me a lot about being a preacher that day when he made me feel like the most important person in the world. Will you try to do the same for someone today?

-Mark Howell

#4–Trust in the Lord

For an explanation of this series, click here.

For the previous installment in this series (Decisions), click here.

Jenaleigh,

We had a little scare with you a few weeks ago. You see, we thought that you were going to come a little earlier (about two months earlier) than you should. Thankfully, you didn’t, but it certainly wasn’t a fun experience.

Take it from your dad, sometimes you’ll find yourself in situations where it seems like you have absolutely no control. As you’ll see, I like control. With you being my child, you probably will like control, too. Unfortunately, you will find (as I have) that unpredictability wreaks havoc on control.

When your mom started feeling pains that I couldn’t make go away, I felt out of control. When we went to the hospital, and the doctors and nurses started to get nervous, I could tell it was because none of us had control. When I watched you (still inside mommy) fly away in a helicopter, I felt the least amount of control I had the entire time.

Some of the world would have you think that the opposite of being in control is fate. I don’t buy that. Nothing is pre-determined, except God’s plan for saving the righteous through His Son (cf. 1 Peter 1:17-21). Even that is a choice on the part of the person.

Others would have you think that you are helpless. That very feeling is why people crack under pressure, when they realize that there’s nothing they can do about a situation. Indeed, if they are trusting solely in themselves or other people, they won’t always find help.

But when I saw you and mommy fly away, I didn’t feel helpless.

I guess I’ve been reading my Bible too much, and I’ve seen how God cares for His own (Proverbs 30:5). I guess that I’ve seen God’s providential care (well, maybe, can never be sure – Philemon 15-16) throughout my life. I guess that changes things. I know it changes things. I knew that God would take care of everything.

It’s strange, but wonderful, the peace that comes from relying on God. When we know there’s nothing else we can do, there’s a comfort that comes from realizing that someone else really has the power to do what needs to be done.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:6–7, NKJV)

I can’t imagine what it must be like for people who have no God to trust in. Anxiety must eat them alive. While they may dive to the philosophy of Stoicism (see also Colossians 2:8), or even “self medicate” through drugs or alcohol, there is no real comfort found in these things. There is no peace.

But for those who trust in God, who cast their cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7, and leave them cast on Him!), there is a peace that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s a peace that defies description. But you have to trust Him.

“Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. ” (Psalm 28:6–7, NKJV)

Women’s Wednesday–“At Least it’s a One-Piece…?”

My birthday is in the summer – July 17 to be exact. As a “summer baby” you miss out on a few things that other kiddos get to have or do. I remember in primary school a child would get a cupcake on his/her birthday at lunch. No cupcake for me … And as I got older, other kids were getting their permits and licenses during the school year and could finally drive themselves (free of mom or pops) to school! Not me, I had to wait until the summer…

But, there is one thing that many “summer babies” do enjoy … POOL PARTIES.

In fact, my parents had (and still have) a lovely pool in their backyard; so, we hosted our fair share of celebratory swimming soirées. With boys and girls. Swimming together. As teenagers. Yep, mixed swimming. At the time, I didn’t see any problem with it. Afterall, I always considered myself the modest one of the bunch -- my swimsuit was a one piece – not like those other girls wearing revealing bikinis!

Imagine this purely hypothetical situation with me. Your doorbell rings. You peek out the curtains to see who is there and to your shock and amazement, it’s Jesus. You look down at your duds and realize that you’ve just changed into your one piece swimsuit for a pool party. What do you do? Do you open the door to the Lord wearing what the world may tell you is a “modest” one piece bathing suit –even though it reveals all of your legs, all of your arms, part of your back, and part of your chest? Or do you hang your head low and quickly dash to your closet to put on a sari or dress to cover up the parts you are ashamed to be exposing in front of Him? Or does it even bother you (Jeremiah 6:15)?

You see, while that situation is PURELY imaginative, the point is that if a particular article of clothing would be shameful to wear in front of his physical presence, then you’d better be ashamed to wear the same in front of others right now. At this very moment. Because, the Lord sees all.

Besides imagining the above scenario to back up this point, let me guide you to two main reasons why a one-piece (however modest it may “seem” in comparison to a bikini) is still not a good idea in front of others:

1) You (and I) are told to dress with modesty and propriety [1 Timothy 2:9, 10] and to be chaste and discreet [Titus 2:3-5]. What does it mean to be modest or to dress with propriety? In the Greek, these two phrases together would mean to dress orderly, of good behavior, [with a sense of] bashfulness [towards men] and in awe or reverence towards God. Does your one piece fit the bill here?

2) To avoid being a stumbling block. I’m sure you’ve heard (and maybe dismissed) this reason a jillion times. But, just because we as women may have become “numb” to one piece bathing suits does NOT mean that males are.

In a recent survey¹, a quarter of males disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “one piece swimsuits are modest” – that means they think they’re immodest! Sure it’s only 25%, but it’s means that men are still affected by them!

One 17 year old had this to say about one piece swimsuits: “Part of the issue is modest versus it still attracts my attention. In contrast with bikinis … yes it is “modest”, but it doesn’t mean I don’t stumble on occasion.”

Another 17 year old added “It is better than a lot of what’s out there, but it still shows a lot of leg.”

What I hear these guys saying is that the world has gone so far on the side of immodest that a one-piece is “modest” in comparison to a string bikini, but not TRULY discreet and chaste. The first commenter even admitted that a one piece can still be occasion for stumbling. This means by dressing immodestly, you could be a catalyst for a brother in Christ (or anyone else, for that matter ) to commit sin. [Matt 5:28] Sure, the sinner has a responsibility in this. But how would you feel knowing that your stubborn insistence on wearing what you want to wear was an aide in possibly preventing a brother from reaching Heaven?

(Curious about what guys thought about bikinis? In the same survey, 84.3% agreed or strongly agreed that bikinis are IMMODEST.)

It may be a process for you to change your thinking. It was for me. You may be screaming inside right now, fighting the logic, saying, “But, I don’t want to give up swimming!” I would suggest that you don’t have to. Find a secluded beach and go there dressed modestly! We recently visited Jekyll Island and had yards and yards and yards of beachfront completely to ourselves, so we did not have to view the indecent dress of others. I wore long shorts or capris and a breezy sleeved top. Did I have any less fun because I wasn’t exposing myself? Absolutely not! I still had my fun, but I didn’t have to worry about leading anyone astray. I hope that you will consider the same when the water calls for you this summer!

~Martha Howell

¹ Modesty Survey. http://www.therebelution.com/modestysurvey/browse_27.

Tech Tip Tuesday–Organizing Your Feeds in Google Reader

In the video below, I’ll show you how to organize all of those RSS feeds you’ve subscribed to into folders. Why bother? Well, reading is more enjoyable when you’re organized. Enjoy!

“Oh Be Careful Little Hands What You Sow…” (Part 1)

"Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little mouth what you say. Be careful little hands what you sow..."

     I know that I changed the words to the song a little, but it's for a reason. When is the last time that you thought of your actions as being a part of a sequence of events, instead of simply being the events themselves. In other words, how often do you really stop and think about the domino effect that your actions are going to have?

     I recently finished reading an excellent book written by Aubrey Johnson, called The Seed Principle. The premise of the book can be summed up in the opening statement:

"The Seed Principle is a down-to-earth guide for getting control of your life."

     As the book continues, Johnson takes a long look at the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8). While we often use this parable to explain things from an evangelistic standpoint, Johnson goes on to explain how the principle of "sowing and reaping" is not isolated to evangelism. Sowing and reaping is a part of life, and likewise, part of the way we live our lives.

     Understand that this principle is not a new one, nor is the revelation in thought completely original to Brother Johnson. Instead, this is a guiding principle that God has used, even from the beginning of time. Genesis opens with the creation account, and on the third day, when God creates vegetation, God spoke into existence the law of Bio-Genesis - that each will come forth after its own kind (Genesis 1:11-12; see also verses 21, 24-25).

     This principle of sowing and reaping, and things coming "after their own kind" is not exclusive to biology. Every word we say, every action we take, plants a seed for our future. So what will your future look like? Rather, what are you making your future look like?

~Daniel Howell

*Over the next few weeks we'll explore this principle of sowing and reaping from the perspective of different groups of people - Teens, Young Adults, the Middle Agers, and the Golden Agers. Hope you'll check back each week for more practical discussion of these principles!

A Return to Blogging...

I know that in the past few weeks, new posts have been sparse. Sorry! Now that Martha is home from the hospital, I plan on getting the blog "back on track" in the next week. Hope you'll check back starting Monday for a "fresh crop" of posts. See you then!
-Daniel

Sixteen Hours

Sixteen hours. 960 minutes. 57,600 seconds.

It describes the amount of time that I’ve spent on the road each week for the past couple weeks driving between Hardin and Louisville, KY during Martha’s hospital stay.

I’m a person who tries to do the best that I can with the time that I’m given (Ephesians 5:15-16). As a preacher, every day I juggle time limits and deadlines. Since Sunday comes around at the start of every week (at least until the Lord comes) there are constraints on the amount of time that I have to prepare to teach. I value every minute I have in a regular work week. When the equivalent of two work days is “taken” away, it hurts!

Or at least it could hurt me, if I wasn’t proactive.

I remarked to a preacher friend a few days ago about how much I could get done in sixteen hours if I was able to be in my office instead of driving. But it’s not as though I’ve been wasting that driving time.

When I was growing up I spent great amounts of time on a lawnmower during the summer. While driving around in circles could be maddening for some, I found it to be a great time to contemplate. To this day, mowing the grass results in some of my clearest thinking.

A little food for your thoughts about what to do with your “down time” in the car:

• I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts. The Equip Network has some great ones! I’ve managed to catch up, and feed my mind with some excellent information and ideas.


• I’ve also listened to a few magnificent Gospel sermons along the way. I recommend the sermon audio feeds from the Bear Valley Church of Christ in Denver, the Mount Juliet Church of Christ in Mount Juliet, TN, and the Spring Meadows Church of Christ in Spring Hill, TN, just to name a few. Each of these are updated regularly, and cover a wide variety of topics. By the way, you can offer suggestions in the comment section of this page if you’d like.


• More listening: I went to the Recharge Me seminar’s website, signed up for their newsletter, and downloaded their seminars. They’re great. I’ve also been going through my collection of Polishing the Pulpit cd’s.


• I haven’t just been listening to audio to “entertain” me. I’ve also spent some time thinking. I have the Evernote app for Android which let’s me save audio notes to myself. I’ve thought of about 6 different sermon series’ on my travels, and even have the skeleton of the lessons for  a couple of them. I’ve also taken the time to try to develop some ideas for projects that I’ve been thinking about for a while.


• At times I will also rehearse my sermons. I’ve been working diligently to free myself entirely from using notes (a personal goal) and I make use of this driving time to test myself on the knowledge I have of the lessons I’m going to deliver the following Sunday.


• When my brain get’s “tired” from those things, sometimes I’ll just take time to meditate (obviously not too deeply since I’m driving) on God’s love for us, and the blessings that have come from the situation that my wife and I are in now.

It’s tempting sometimes to think that driving time is the time for trying to find a way to entertain yourself, or keep the kids entertained. I can remember, though, having many great learning experiences with my parents during trips in the car, whether they were long or short. There are lots of great discussions that can happen as a family when you are all “trapped” in the car on a trip.

Don’t waste that valuable time with an iPod or a mobile DVD/Gaming system. Spending it sharing, learning, and growing. Redeem the time!

~Daniel Howell

Hospital Bed Evangelism

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:15]

For me -- still on partial bed rest in the hospital -- “all the world” has taken on a slightly different meaning. Many times when we say “go out into the world”, we’re talking about physically going out into the community, teaching those who are lost. But what about those who literally cannot GO? What about the homebound, the hospital bound, the nursing home bound? Does this mean that they’re out of luck when it comes to trying to fulfill this command? Absolutely not. Here are some ideas for personal evangelism that are completely doable from a hospital bed...

1.       Use the power of the Internet. Many scoff at the efficacy of "Internet Evangelism" and claim that it’s no substitute for face-to-face evangelism. And while I generally agree, what about when it’s one of your only options? It’s an excellent tool!

o   Write blog articles with religious applications.

o   Write encouraging e-mails to people (erring members, non-Christians, even faithful Christians can use encouragement!)

o   Start an online Bible study with someone. (You may think that no one will want to do this. But you’d be surprised at how many will say “yes” if you’ll only take the time to ask.)

o   Keep your status updates on Facebook positive in order to let your light shine. (Think of those people who are constantly whining, complaining, and bemoaning something on FB. Are they people you want to emulate? Probably not. Don’t fall into that category yourself. Just as we ourselves should try to be Christ-like, we should make others want to imitate Him as well.)

2.       Limited or no internet connection? Write some old fashioned letters (which is a good idea even if you do have the internet) to those in need. Consider taking the time to write down your nurses' and nurses aides' names every day and write each one a personalized 'thank you' note at the end of your stay (be sure to include a spiritual message or a link to your blog, a spiritual website, a congregation's website, etc.).

3.       Have the right (cheerful, thankful, etc.) attitude! If you’re around nurses, doctors, or other caregivers, focus on being a grateful patient. Let them see that you’re different, even if you’re in pain, sick, or not wanting to be on bed rest! It was difficult at first for me to keep my attitude positive. After all, I just wanted to go home. But, the day that I stopped feeling sorry for myself, my doctor immediately commented on my cheery disposition. My goal is to be uplifting to everyone, everyday so that they can see Christ through me! [Matthew 5:16]

4.       Pray often. [1 Thessalonians 5:17] Remember that prayer IS an evangelism tool! Praying for the lost and those who are coming in contact with them (including yourself) is profitable.

5.    Study. [2 Tim 2:15] The more you know the more you can SHARE! Don’t let idle time get the best of you. It may be tempting to watch TV all day or read romance novels until midnight. But think about all the personal study that you could be getting in! (No, I’m not saying to avoid TV, puzzles, games, or books – but don’t forsake your Christian responsibilities for those pleasurable time fillers!)

Go on now -- shine your light! And if you're not confined to a hospital bed/room, you've got even more options to chose from!

~Martha Howell

“I thought a picket was part of a fence…”

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. – 1st Amendment, United States Constitution

Since I graduated from college with a degree in communications, I have a great appreciation for free speech. It is indeed the right of any person in this country to say what they would like, up to a certain point, that point being when the speech infringes upon the rights of others.

With that being said, I have to question the motives of a group of picketers which has set up outside my wife’s hospital room.

The second day we were in the hospital (read more about that here) we moved to a corner room with a window which opens toward the main entrance to the hospital. Keep in mind that our previous night’s sleep amounted to two hours between us. We were tired, yet happy to be moving to a more comfortable room. Until we heard the chants of the picketers.

The sing-song chanting completely destroyed any chance of sleeping. As I stared out the window, eyes glazed over because of sleep deprivation, I felt the burning of resentment starting to creep into my mind. Who are these people? What are they talking about? What do they want? Why are they here?

Honestly, the timing certainly wasn’t endearing me to their cause. I was able to determine from the grammatically incorrect signs what company was being protested. Ironically, the company is a drywall hanging company. Evidently they aren’t paying “fair” wages. Why protest this group in front of a hospital? I know that they likely have other buildings they are working in! “Go bother them,” I thought!

The protesting didn’t end that day. They have continued to come out every Tuesday and Thursday since we’ve been in the hospital, only to continue their same marching and chanting. I can’t help but wonder why they don’t realize that they could be solving their problem by seeking other employment. Yet, the sense of entitlement prevails.

You see, what these people are protesting is the lack of fruit for their labor. They want more fruit! But my humble understanding of gardening and farming leads me to understand that the solution to a lack of fruit is not found in letting the garden grow to weeds, but being more diligent to tend it (Galatians 6:7-9)!

This brings me to a thought: We have a tendency to look at the laws in our country as “God given rights,” but what does God think of such a display? Did God bless us with a country which allows us to speak freely so that people could wander about in circles complaining about an employer? After all, what fruit will such protesting really bear?

A very simple principle is presented by the wise man:

“In all labor there is profit,
But mere talk leads only to poverty.”
(Proverbs 14:23, NASB)

When we work, there will be some kind of profit. Fruit will come of our labor. When our time which should be spent working is instead spent engaged in idle talk or complaining about the lack of profit, that itself is profitless. Oh what a great deception many fall prey to.

Here’s the point: When things aren’t going your way, or you want things to change, whether it’s with your job, family, or something at church, don’t just complain; This is profitless and deceptive. Instead, get up and go to work!

~Daniel Howell