JUST DON’T ANSWER

Cell phones!!! They can be great. You can call people in other states and not be charged long distant fees. You can text a simple message or even send a picture to a loved one.

I just want to remind you it’s ok if you don’t answer every time it rings. Most people on the calling end would much prefer to get a nice greeting when they call someone. Unless you are somehow gifted in the art of all knowing, callers don’t know if it is a good time to call or not. I would assume if it is not, the receiver just won’t answer.

Do people answer just to let you know you are calling at a bad time?  And you can hear it in their voice,”yessss,” or “hellooooo”  I am in the middle of……..?  So why did you answer. Also, they do have off buttons so the ring won’t even bother you.

Just remember that the person that loves you or cares about you enough to call you may just want to hear your voice or may want to see how you are doing? I think it is a good practice to talk to people like it’s the last time you will ever speak to them. You never know it may be. So just don’t answer the phone until you can answer it with a proper greeting.

FARMER

A couple of years ago I read a book that contained a story in it about a farmer. I can’t remember what book it was but this particular story has stuck with me.

This farmer a had several hundred acres to tend to. One day while in the pasture working away he felt tired and weary. He said I just can’t do this anymore. I mean, all these pastures require so much work. All of the cows are so much work, and the fences seem to always need mending. He thought, I am going to sell this place and rid myself of all this hard work.

The farmer called the newspaper and asked them to come up with an add to put in the classifides for him. He asked that before they ran it in the paper, he wanted them to call him so he could make sure it sounded good enough.

The next day a woman called him from the paper and said it is done and this is what will be in the paper. “Beautiful ranch with rolling pastures and cows that graze in the wonderful hay meadows. It is fully fenced and cross fenced already. Each pond is stocked with fish for those days you just want to relax. It has a garden made for kings that grow some of the best tomatoes. If you are looking for a little piece of heaven here it is.”

After she had finished reading it to him he was silent for a second. Then he said, don’t run that add. I have been looking for a place like that my whole life.

Isn’t that a great story? It has really helped me over the past couple of years. Lately, our preacher “Dusty” has made me think of this story in his sermons. This last Sunday he said, “If you embrace the presence of Christ, you will find peace in what life has dealt us.” I have found that to be so true in my life. I don’t have a farm, but I do have a job, family, and friends. I believe we could all find negative in just about any situation. The JOY we can have in embracing the presence of Christ is the obvious choice.

May we see the beauty and all that is good in our life today and ask God to give us strength when we start to weaken.