Really?

Sweet

Sweet, lovely, new snack, at least for me.  Ya gotta have the red pepper.

Use money to make friends. (aka Being Generous)

With most Christians that I've used this line with, they are very leery, even offended by that statement.  I admit, I phrase it this way to make them think.  To shock them, because it just sounds wrong. Kind of like buying friends and everyone “knows” that's wrong, don't we, yet Jesus said it. Not only does he say to use money to make friends, but if you do there are eternal benefits.  

“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9

When you think about it, it kind of sounds like what Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18. In that passage Jesus said,

“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22

Use wealth to gain friends → eternal dwellings.

Give everything away → treasure in heaven.

I'm beginning to think that Jesus wants his followers to be generous! It's also a little interesting in how Zacchaeus responded to Jesus. He didn't give it all away, but he gave away more than half.

“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 
 

“Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” Luke 19:8-9

I don't propose to suggest that Zacchaeus' giving away so much of his wealth earned him salvation, but I do suggest that his salvation prompted him to give away his money. Meeting Jesus made him generous.

Go forth and be generous.  Help your fellow man.

Blessings,

Byron

Running without shoes

It's been awhile since I read Born To Run. It's about barefoot running. At the time, I tried to run barefoot in my neighborhood, but the cement streets, being over 40 years old, are too rough on the old soles. A few weeks ago, I had an idea on how I could overcome the rough streets and still run barefoot or at least almost barefoot. I made my own "running shoes". I took a pair of old socks and sprayed the bottom of them with "Plasti Dip". The Plasti Dip came from Home Depot and was only $5.98 for the can.


They are working pretty well. I've used them a half dozen times for walking and running. Sunday I did 4.5 miles total (running and walking) in them. I did blister up a bit, but I think that will stop once my feet get used to going barefoot, since the blisters are the same for both feet.

PS: I hope my wrinkly old feet didn't scare you!

Drive -Thru Prayer

I'm not quite sure what to think of this, Drive-Thru Prayer. I don't recall Jesus having many "drive by" encounters. He usually spent time with the people that He helped and in some instances He even engaged in follow up.

There were lots of people manning the Drive-Thru Prayer. Look at all the big red signs. Interesting, but I don't think I'm ever going to be using their services.

Remodeling . . . again

Here's a couple of views from the "library" room, previously the formal dinning room, through the new dinning room, previously known as the formal living room, to the foyer.

We've greatly widened the opening from the library to the dinning room and made it an arch. For the opening from the foyer to the dinning room we've added french doors.

It's been a lot of work, but finally you can start to see what it's going to look like.

Still to do.
1. crown molding
2. window casement
3. door trim
4. window trim
5. paint all the crown, casement, trim, and French door
6. second coat of paint for the walls
7. new electric plugs, switches, and wall plates
8. new door for the new pocket door
9. new front door
10. put in the wood floors
11. put in the baseboards and flinch blocks
12. paint the baseboards and flinch blocks
13. clean, clean, clean!

It will be nice once it's finally done.

Sharpstown Sunday Service and Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine

It was hard, hot, long, and dirty work, but with a few friends, it was great.

Brenda and I hit the streets at around six in the morning. We were soon joined by six others. We weed eated (is that a word), edged, mowed, picked up lots of trash, shoveled, and swept up.

The list of Hornwood Heroes: Dean, Roberto, Maria, Abram, Vic, and Benny. Thank you all for helping.

We got about half of the street mowed. Maybe next weekend we will get the rest of the street done. Maybe we'll do it on Saturday.

Here's an after shot.