"Prepared In Advance"

There are many ways to serve.

Gonda Building Interior, Mayo Clinic

Some read to children while others teach adults to read for themselves.

Some serve meals at shelters for the homeless while others deliver meals-on-wheels to shut-ins.

Some lead from a pulpit while others serve by work-place example.

Some serve on the front lines and others with donations.

We sometimes elevate some forms of service over others. The service of Church leaders might seem to be more important than spending time answering phones at a local nonprofit. However, I'm thinking that our human value hierarchy does not match-up with God's.

I Am . . .

I am too old.

I am too young.

I am too fat.

I am too skinny.

I am ugly.

I am not famous.

I am not a public speaker.

I am not educated.

I am invisible.

I am broke.

I am not someone people listen to.

I am too tired.

I am not lovable.

Greetings!

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians

When writing, Paul used elaborate greetings.  Paragraphs, actually!

Today, there are rules, suggestions and matters of etiquette when writing letters of any sort.  There are rules, suggestions and matters of etiquette when meeting others in person.

However, it seems there are no rules, suggestions or matters of etiquette when sending email.  And, if you haven't noticed, email seems to be our primary method of correspondence in our technology-driven society.

Short Bursts of Coolness

I'm a news watcher.

Normally, I start with the national news.  A dose of micro-local as well as expanded local programming follows.  It doesn't take that long because I fast-forward through commercials and duplicate news stories.

And, nearly every day, I ask myself, "why"?

If you're news-current, I won't need to explain.  If you're not so up to date, let's just say that with the exception of Steve Hartman's On the Road Again, watching the news can be depressing.