Category Archives: Random Mumbling
What is after receiving?
To Whom much is given, much is required. Luke 12:48
What is our response to blessing and gifts? I believe our resources are provided for God’s glory. So, how could a Seiko watch and 3 John Wayne DVDs be used for God’s glory?
I have 3 theories for this.
1. I receive the love from the gift given. When my wife gives me a gift, it is the love that produced the giving that must be passed on and used. (not necessarily the gift itself.)
2. The gift itself must be used for God’s glory. Seiko watch helps me keep sermons short. A John Wayne DVD gives me rest from my hectic schedule. Or it could teach me how to be a rough and tough pastor.
3. The popular “regift”. Take the gift and literally pass it on to someone else. (that doesn’t apply to my situation)
This blog is obviously a blend of serious and tongue-in-cheek humor. Those who don’t know me well will have a hard time deciphering between the two. I don’t want to belittle the point. I do believe in the passage and want to give back to God all that He has given unto me.
=pastor
Thanks to the Givers in my Life
Thanks for the gifts this season, givers!
I love them all!
- Baseball Cap
- Ray Ban Sunglasses
- 3 John Wayne DVDs
- Seiko Watch
- Billy Graham Book
- Countless cards
- Ornaments
- Candy/food
- a ski trip (thanks to the best church)
To me, Christmas lasts all week. So…Merry Christmas!
=pastor
If I left your gift out, please forgive me. I am doing this without them in front of me.
Words
I have been blogging so long that I can’t remember if I have talked about this already or not. Maybe I am just getting older.
The thought of definitions keep coming to my mind. Every time I hear a word used in a new context, it makes me think, “Who created this new definition and who joined in on the movement?”
Our language is evolving, especially with each younger generation. They are constantly inventing new words and changing the definition of older words. Example: gay meant: ‘happy’ 45 years ago, now its predominant definition is ‘homosexual’. (please this blog is not about gay or being gay). Example #2: ‘Tight’ means squeezed together in a small space. To others, it also means cool, something of value.
In our minds, we have definitions filed for each word we comprehend. When someone else uses that word in a new context we are confused. Unless, the sentence has great context clues, then we can’t figure out what they are saying. The scenario gets deeper when we talk about funny and profane words.
At what point did a word become profane? At what part did another become funny? Who defines profane words? While growing up, I said “stupid”, now it seems worse. More importantly who de-profanes words? It seems the trend is that words become less profane the older they get. Growing up, I couldn’t say “butt”. Now, it doesn’t seem too bad. There are many other examples here that I could use but I am not sure what your position is on them.
Here are questions for you…
- If you say a word that is not offensive to you, but is to someone you are with, are you responsible for its fallout?
- What if someone is blasting words that are offensive to you, and they have no clue?
- Is it ok for a word to lose its “profaness”?
- At what point do you elevate a word to “we don’t say that word around here”
=pastor
A Politically Correct Holiday Greeting
A Politically Correct Holiday Greeting
Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially
responsible, low stress, gender-neutral, winter
solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of
the religious persuasion of your choice , but with respect for
the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their
own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a
religion at all; plus… A fiscally successful, personally
fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the
generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect
for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions
have helped make our society great, without regard to the race,
creed color, religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes.
Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or with-
drawal. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement
any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility
for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to
those not caught up in the holiday spirit.
=========
Instead of these above phrase, I like to say, “Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!”
How long until ‘holiday’ is bad because it is derived from the words “holy day”?
=pastor
Robin Steele 