Sometimes commercials have a lot to say about other than the product they are marketing. Here is Paul Harvey speech entitled “So God made a farmer” – with a touch of the hat by the commercial producers to Ram trucks. You might enjoy this.
I understand the talk by Paul Harvey actually ended with the following thought: “and finish a hard week’s work with a five mile drive to church.”
Well, my pie turned out well. One of my Sunday School students asked his mother to bring some home – not sure if he wanted to try it out, or to see how bad it was!!
After our meeting, around the pie, we began to talk some politics. I was reminded, as I returned home, that I had written but never published a thought on politics. So, below is that thread – hopefully it will make sense!
The purpose of temporal tranquility, which well ordered policies establish and maintain, is to give opportunities for contemplating truth. – Thomas Aquinas – Commentary on the Ethics.
I suppose over the past while I have enjoyed the arena that is often called politics.
I recognize that there is real distrust of those who create policy and seek to order institutions. Politics is found not only in the public realm, but the church also experiences this. A recent letter from the President of our denomination indicates how that distrust can creep in and disturb tranquility.
What drives me to be committed to my community – whether that is the public square or the ecclesiastical structure? I do want to see a time and place where people can, with civility, seek together the truth.
Creating that foundation is not easy. Robert’s Rules of Order is just one attempt to help us create that foundation. Peacekeeping measures that help with conflict resolution is another. And leadership that actually believes that they are “under God” seems to be another.
The seeking of truth in tranquility allows for love to flow. Where there is strife we generate hatred, distrust and slander (which is “not truth”). Let’s find ways to love one another so that we have opportunities to contemplate truth!
Our church annual meeting has a tradition of pies.
Not throwing them. Eating them!
Each year we ask people to bring a pie. In previous years I sat back and let Jill pick and choose our contribution.
This year, I was left to consider what I might do.
My choice? Use up some more of my freezer contents. There was a two-pack of pie shells. Surprisingly, they were in fairly good shape (although they had been moved and cajoled more than once in this past year). Another packet held peach pie ingredients. And a further packet had frozen raw pumpkin.
With a little help from the internet, I was able to prepare two pies. I have left them in their baked state (in other words, I haven’t tasted them yet!). Tonight I will place them before an adoring audience. And I will soon find out what ingredients were left out, or what more could have been done.
All for the sake of learning to bake!
Believe it or not, I’m loving it!
I am thankful for a day. Each day. That phrase – this is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it – rings in my ear.
Today I had friends sit in front of me and ask life questions of me. I attended a funeral of a friend’s mother. I culled files (a good archival thing to do!). I rode two hours in a car. I exercised and prayed.
And now I am reflecting on the day.
I firmly believe that God calls us to His work. That means that the tasks of a day should require power that only He can give – whether we feel we are strong enough to do the work or not.
There are many doors that are open in front of me. The more I pray, the greater the opportunities seem to grow. Somehow God is increasing my faith and with that my horizon for serving others.
Here is the new horizon – instead of praying that God would open a door, I’m praying that He would close doors.
Now the question is, which door does God want to close?