Think It Through

This is so good and I wanted you to read it. I copied this post from Pastor Mark Wilson, pastor of Hayward Wesleyan Church in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Read his blog at http://revitalizeyourchurch.blogspot.com/


The quality of life is not a matter of luck - but of choice!

Some choices don't make much difference - like "What should I wear today?" (Although some people take an extraordinarily long time deciding this!)

Other choices can change the entire course of life - like "Who should I marry?" or "How does God fit into my life?"

Sometimes small choices can turn into disastrous outcomes:

"Should I cheat?"
"Should I take this drug?"
“Should I visit this website?”
"Should I protect myself and tell a lie?"
"Should I go out with this person?"

Think it through!

Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick invented the following six-point test for making excellent decisions:

1. Does the course of action you plan to follow seem logical and reasonable? Never mind what anyone else has to say. Does it make sense to you? If it does, it is probably right.

2. Does it pass the test of sportsmanship? In other words, if everyone followed this same course of action would the results be beneficial to all?

3. Where will you plan of action lead? How will it affect others? What will it do to you?

4. Will you think well of yourself when you look back on what you have done?

5. Try to separate yourself from the problem. Pretend, for one moment, it is the problem of the person you most admire. Ask yourself how that person would handle it.

6. Hold up the final decision to the glaring light of publicity. Would you want your family and friends to know what you have done? The decisions we make in the hope that no one will find out are usually wrong.

Poor choices bring negative results. On the other hand, things usually turn out better when we make the right decisions. It pays to think first and act second.

Thank God for Small Things (and my wife)

Two weeks ago last Friday I had an accident riding my motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I had taken a couple vacation days to go ride the parkway. I was having a blast! Rode all day on Thursday, May 20, rode the entire parkway in the state of Virginia. Stayed Thursday evening at a motel in Waynesboro, Va., where the parkway ends and the Skyline Drive of the Shenandoah National Forest begins. Friday I started back towards North Carolina, and about 10:30am Friday morning the bike and I went down.

I still do not know what caused the bike to go down, probably will never know for sure. A couple thoughts; one, I hit a slick spot when applying the front brake and locked the brake causing the bike to go down, two, I dozed off. I know the dozing off theory sounds weird but I was so relaxed, was by myself and there was hardly no traffic. One reason I came up with the dozing off theory is I don't remember going down. All I remember is sliding along the road after I went down.

Thankfully I was not severely injured. I did suffer a broken collar bone and some broken ribs (ouch), it still hurts two and a half weeks later.Hurt also was my pride, it took a big hit, it's a man thing, men think they can avoid stuff like this. The injury has limited what I can do. With arm in a sling, I could not dress myself, shower, lay down, drive (at least for a few days), very hard to keyboard on the computer, on and on I could list small things that one takes for granted every day I could not do. I had never broken a bone in 64 years of life before. All of a sudden I realized how thankful we need to be for the ability to do the small tasks of life everyday. It's unbelievable how difficult life is when you can't do the small everyday ordinary tasks. God surely knew what He was doing when He gave us two good hands, two good arms, two good feet, two good legs, etc. Wow they are so necessary. Be thankful for the ability to use the members of the body.

My good wife has been such a blessing. With me whining and complaining, you know how men get when they are hurt or sick, she has been a tremendous help. I am pretty much a do it for myself type of man, but I needed help with just about everything and my wife gave me all the assistance I needed.

After two and a half weeks I am getting back to doing most things for myself, still can't put on my socks very easily.........another small thing we take for granted everyday. I am slowly healing and slowly doing most things for myself again, still cannot lay down (Oh! I miss being able to lay down and stretch out), little by little, day by day, I am accomplishing (very carefully) the small things of life.

Will I ride again? I love riding my motorcycle and never want to go down again!!!!!
However as of now I am thinking, yes, I will ride when I heal.

Thank God every day if you have the ability to do the small things of life!!!! The every day small things we take for granted are really big when you can no longer do them.