Smile - And Serve Pasta

Growing up we hated television commercials – those horrible interruptions to our glued-to-the-device intake of entertainment. I still feel that way, especially when some of these creations seem to be strobe-lights-of-images flashing so quickly that your mind (mine anyway) cannot grasp what might be happening. 

However, several times I have pointed to television commercials that have moved me, made me think about principles, or even generated an emotion or two. The irritation of the general term can easily be ignored when a beautiful song is incorporated into a reason-for-life lesson along with the commercialization of a product. 

I Am Thirsty

Fortunes change as did mine.  I am just getting over that which I had avoided for many years, a head cold.  But I recalled the one thing that in those lost years, had helped tremendously.

“The nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine”

Nyquil. My Dear Friend.

But Friday night it seemed that my go-to guardian had abandoned me. 

At 2 AM, I woke. There was little of the phlegm that I’ve become used to (sorry so gross) but I’m not sure that I have ever experienced a dry mouth quite like this.

It’s possible that all these articles are having some impact on me as my first thought was, "I am thirsty” as Jesus died on the cross.  

Rounding

"Rounding" might seem like a strange title. But, if you remember, this blog is supposed to be promoting the concept of living in Christ which includes awareness and action.  God is all around us and I am trying to keep this front and center. That means that sometimes, weird things jump out and say, "Hey!  Look at me!" 

There was a customer order that popped up this week. We could not ship to this account as there was an outstanding balance. The amount was substantial and was quite old.  This was clearly a policy violation, so the results were firmly on our side.

Of course, sales responded in short order. 

Headquarters said, "Open invoice." Sales proclaimed, "Paid months ago!"

And the deep dive began. 

Nobel-worthy Trees

I listened to two men discuss their 33-year-old kinship this morning.  A deep, committed, and personal relationship exists between them, and in every sense of the word, they are friends.

• They write books together.
• They teach together.
• They work together.
• They play together.
• They dive deep into the personal problems of the other.
• They celebrate with each other.
• They lift each other up.

And you should know that this all started with two strangers and a lengthy argument in a school parking lot.

Sharing Your Flame

Wracking my brain, I just cannot remember where I came across this video!  Maybe it will reveal itself before I finish.  

Today, I ask that you consider starting with the video link.  If you want to follow along, the lyrics are published below.

Go Light Your World (SDA) - YouTube 5 Minutes.

Deliberate Choice

When watching television, I tend to like programming when it touches our humanity. It can happen with any type of show but lately, I’ve been intrigued with Bluff City Law.  They seem to capture today’s interesting topics forcing me to consider my feelings about some of the characters and dialogue written for them - especially in light of our culture today.

This past week, I watched the Episode called “Need to Know” (Season 1, Number 8). This particular installment reminded me that in the midst of any conflict, we are to love others as Jesus loves us.  We are to make that choice no matter the emotion.

The text below is from Springfield! Springfield!  The unfortunate aspect of using something like this discounts the emotion provided by these two spectacular actors.  Before the last 4 words of this scene, Della is considering her response.  It takes a moment or two and there is a long pause before the very last word.  I hope I can pause when it's required.  I hope I can pull this choice from my heart as well.

The Scene