To Be Absent From This Body Mr Einstein!

The Bible tells us that to be absent from these earthly bodies is to be present with the Lord.  So how fast is that? Well Mr Einstein theorized that the speed of light in a vacuum -- approximately 186,280 miles per second, or about 700 million miles per hour -- is an absolute speed limit, and used the value in his famous formula, E = mc2.  What! Paul was virtually alone in prison; only Luke was with him and yet he still took the time before he was executed to write 2 Timothy.  Paul wrote his last letter to Timothy and all Christians everywhere to pass the torch to the new generation of church leaders. To follow the teachings that Christ had used him for and to reach the Gentiles like you and I.  Paul convicted as a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, lay in a cold Roman prison, cut off from the world around A.D. 66 or 67 about 30 years after Christ was crucified.  Have you ever felt cut off from the world, lonely, cold and scared not knowing were to go or turn to?  Could you image how Timothy must have felt when he received the very last Epistle from Luke, and knowing how Paul had died. But Paul was still steadfast in his faith towards Jesus, Paul was given that final time to show how Christ had changed his heart and his priorities. Displaying the need for the sound doctrine and confident of the enduring love that our Lord Christ Jesus has for us, Paul fought the good fight. I just hope when its my time to go home, I can be as sure as Paul was from that cold dark Roman prison.

Shepherds grip
IN HIS SERVICE  

John 11:32 WOULD HE!

I still remember quite well when I first joined the United States Marine Corps on what was expected of me. I was told not to "think" but to do. Then a few years had past, I started to be promoted and well things started to change. Now I was told it was time for me to "think" and not to do, wow to do or not, to think or not what a crazy world I had landed myself in. I am sure all of us have gone this route with our parents, bosses, or someone that is close to us from one time or another. Here is the issue with me, I am not a real deep thinker by any means, I am just an action figure kind of person, have a problem let us fix it here and now! Not the best attitude to have but I find in my case, most of the people that I know, seemed to be in much deeper thought about things then I am. I do have to say there have been times when I am hit "Right" between the eyes with something that has happened during a day. Then I have a real hard time dealing with my actions, or the lack of, as was the case today. Without going too deep into what happened, I had an opportunity to help a man today by just buying him some food at the VA Hospital but after a brief conversation, he seemed to be very unstable so I just left well enough alone and walked away. Now I have questioned myself time after time again if I could have handled it much differently and I could have, but I did not. It was such an easy read for me, he was just hungry, confused and down right cold. Therefore, here is the question I keep asking myself about today, if I were Lazarus and Jesus was my friend, WOULD HE HAVE WEPT at my death? John 11:32. I know what you are thinking, I am not just talking about today, but am I really doing God's will each and everyday?  I see that I have a lot more growing to do in my daily walk with the Lord.

IN HIS SERVICE

Shepherds Grip  

STRESSED OUT! 1 SAMUEL 13:24

"Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you."

Lets just look at the last part of this verse; "for consider what great things He has done for you."  Is it just me or do you feel like your life is out of control at times?  If we could indeed put into action the exact words that Samuel tells us here in verse 24!  Have you ever noticed that we try to fit "our program" into God's plans?  What if we follow God's plans that He has for our programs?  I seem to find myself only willing to look to God after "I" have not been able to correct the plans that "I" have made for myself that day.  So when do I trust in God's plan for me from health issues to the smallest of things during my day? Only when I have failed?  Just how much do we really rob ourselves from His true love and peace that He has for us when we trust in our own plans?  I always have to keep reminding myself that we have a God that does truly love us and knows what's best for us even if "I" don't think so.  I just need to pray and put "His plan" first before I act on mine!

IN HIS SERVICE
Shepherd's Grip

TEAM HILLY 2011 REVIEW

Did you know that Team Hilly logged in over 2,500 Volunteer hours and 8,000 miles in 2011!  She worked with the Youth in the Pinal Juvenile Youth Detention Center, canvassed the Phoenix downtown area at 2:00 am to help find and locate the homeless Veterans.  She was involved in the H-3 program identifying those with at risk health issues and without homes. She worked tireless long hours during the Arizona Stand Down in February 2011.  The Arizona Stand Down provides much needed services to more than 2,400 Veterans and their families over a long, but loved filled three days. All the services that were provided at the Stand Down, work directly with the Veterans giving them hope and help to the Veteran and their children. Hilly also found time to visit the local schools in her area and showed off her talents as a "Hearing Service Partner." She helped to motivate the children that seemed to be "lost" in the "System" by using her personality and her talents. As busy as 2011 was for Miss Hilly, she never complained nor did she ever stop loving those that she spent time with. But Miss Hilly wasn't quite done yet for 2011, very determined, she spent many hours between the Mesa VA Clinic and down town Phoenix VA Hospital making friends and a name for herself among the Staff and Patients.  She always fines the time for a rewarding pet and love from the youngest to the oldest of people that she meets each and every day. Miss Hilly also gets plenty of play time in her daily schedule!  Needless to say, these paws just keep on walking, that's why her name in Hebrew is "Greatly Praised".

May all be Blessed that meet Miss Hilly!

IN HIS SERVICE

Shepherd's Grip