Some time back I took a commercial flight. Since most flights in recent years have been to or from where the grandchildren reside, I will guess this flight was one of those.
People-watching is fun in just about any environment. On an airplane is just as good a setting as most, perhaps better than many. People’s behavior and language informs me about human nature. I see them at both their best and worst.
It additionally proves entertaining to make up stories about folks simply by observing their appearance. This fellow here looks like he is on a business trip. He loves his sports. That gal over there is traveling to see family. She must be single and own two cats. The gentleman over there is an avid outdoorsman. Too bad he just lost his job. You’ve played this game, haven’t you?
I was looking over someone’s shoulder or across their lap as they were perusing a sales catalogue. What caught my eye was a phrase at the top of the page they were reading. The phrase was, “The Greatest Gift.”
Now they had my curiosity elevated! I rummaged about in the seatback in front of me looking for the same magazine my fellow passenger was leafing through. Once I had it in hand, I went looking for “The Greatest Gift” page.
How can anything in a catalogue be “The Greatest Gift”? I know the Greatest Gift and He is listed in another book. Wouldn’t you agree? No way was this advertisement genuinely offering “The Most Remarkable Endowment Ever.”
I was right. The actual heading announced products related to dogs and cats. Further, “The Greatest Gift… is to help others help themselves,” was the full slogan.
After I had found the page, read the ad, and had a moment to reflect on what was being claimed, I had an additional thought: the message seems kinda’ anti-gospel. The Good News tells us that while we were in our helplessness state, The Greatest Gift came to rescue us.
Helping ourselves wasn’t an option that worked for anyone. It was only when God the Father sent His Beloved Son that our hope was restored. It sure wasn’t us helping ourselves or anyone else. The Greatest Gift was Jesus. And the greatest help was Jesus.
Hopefully my musings haven’t upset any pet lovers out there.
The greatest gift ever wasn’t laid under a tree. It was laid in a manger. Merry Christmas!
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
One Face
The passing of a saint is both a sad and happy occasion. One of my Christian brothers lost his older brother earlier this year. I attended the memorial service, as did many others, in support of those for whom the loss was most personal.
The service was well attended, a tribute to the family and to the man. There were sad moments and light hearted ones as well. It was a fitting expression of honor and respect.
As part of the celebration of a life lived for Christ and others, my friend stood to tell about the life of his brother. There were stories of childhood days and events from their young-adult years. We heard about the gentleman’s faithful service in his church and with his fellow church members, meeting the needs of both local families and a needy community on a South Dakota reservation.
At some point during the presentation of his brother’s eulogy, I heard my friend make a statement that caught my ear. He had many kind words to say and several fond remembrances to relate. But it was when he came to the subject of his brother’s integrity that he commented, “[first name] had one face and you saw it.” It was a phrase that stuck with me as I left the church house that day.
What an outstanding compliment! There was nothing deceptive in this man. He presented himself as he was and did so consistently. Perhaps this one phrase went long to explain why so many other accolades could be offered at his memorial.
Wouldn’t you like others to have that same sense as they consider your truthfulness and honesty, whatever your interactions with them may be? For myself I can say I would. “He has one face and you saw it.”
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 15, 2009
The service was well attended, a tribute to the family and to the man. There were sad moments and light hearted ones as well. It was a fitting expression of honor and respect.
As part of the celebration of a life lived for Christ and others, my friend stood to tell about the life of his brother. There were stories of childhood days and events from their young-adult years. We heard about the gentleman’s faithful service in his church and with his fellow church members, meeting the needs of both local families and a needy community on a South Dakota reservation.
At some point during the presentation of his brother’s eulogy, I heard my friend make a statement that caught my ear. He had many kind words to say and several fond remembrances to relate. But it was when he came to the subject of his brother’s integrity that he commented, “[first name] had one face and you saw it.” It was a phrase that stuck with me as I left the church house that day.
What an outstanding compliment! There was nothing deceptive in this man. He presented himself as he was and did so consistently. Perhaps this one phrase went long to explain why so many other accolades could be offered at his memorial.
Wouldn’t you like others to have that same sense as they consider your truthfulness and honesty, whatever your interactions with them may be? For myself I can say I would. “He has one face and you saw it.”
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Piggy #4, I Think
Toe Nails. Now we have a topic almost nobody gets excited over. However, for today the topic of toe nails will assist us in seeing a truth. Surely the excitement over toe toppers has already begun to climb!
Did you hear about the fellow whose toe was hurting? It was his ring finger toe. Okay, I don’t know what to call it, but it has to have some designation.
How about the “little piggy that had none” toe? You recall the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, “This Little Piggy”? I found it in exactly this format on two separate internet websites, so with the confidence that comes from extensive research I give you the piggy poem…
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went...
"Wee wee wee" all the way home...
Paragraph 5 -- Counting, moving, etc are participles used as adjectives and should be placed next to the word that they modify.
We are talking about the fourth toe over, counting from the big toe, moving from the largest toe on the foot toward the smallest toe, and counting the toes on one foot and not on two feet, moving from the center of the person toward the other edge, the edge closest to the large toe, not the front edge but the side edge, counting all toes, expecting that for most folks five is the standard number of toes on each foot, not allowing for deviation from this standard for birth defects or loss of toe (or toes) due to accident or injury, not allowing for partial loss of any toe, …
The ring finger toe.
So this fella’ was experiencing pain in his toe. After a couple of days, it didn’t dissipate or completely vanish so he decides to check out his toes. The guy takes a closer look and discovers what is causing his pain. His toe nails have grown and are in need of a trimming. So he trims his nails, all ten of them. And goes his merry way.
The only problem is that his pain continues. He assumes that with a small injury like his that a couple of days will be necessary for healing, so he allows for this time lapse only to discover that he still has the pain he originally took note of. Hmmm. What is going on?
He again inspects his pinkies. The one little piece of nail on the ring finger side of his pinkiest pinky toe is still too long. The result is that the one piece that was first rubbing him the wrong way is still doing so.
All that effort and the single action necessary to bring relief has been left undone. Whoops.
The point of this piggy parable? It is simply this: we can generate a lot of thought and activity intended to improve our situations, but if we are not careful, never do what is needed.
I see myself do this in my personal life. I see this done in our shared church life. I/We do it a lot. And it doesn’t seem to bug us or instruct us to do better the next time.
We hurt, we suffer, we struggle. We react, we study, we take action. And we haven’t changed what wasn’t working for us to begin with. Activity does not equal solution.
We could get into an exploration of multiple layers of complex answers to the straight forward question, “Why?” but I think we will just leave it at “Let’s watch for this one and trim the toe nail that needs trimming.” ‘Nough said.
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 8, 2009
Did you hear about the fellow whose toe was hurting? It was his ring finger toe. Okay, I don’t know what to call it, but it has to have some designation.
How about the “little piggy that had none” toe? You recall the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, “This Little Piggy”? I found it in exactly this format on two separate internet websites, so with the confidence that comes from extensive research I give you the piggy poem…
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went...
"Wee wee wee" all the way home...
Paragraph 5 -- Counting, moving, etc are participles used as adjectives and should be placed next to the word that they modify.
We are talking about the fourth toe over, counting from the big toe, moving from the largest toe on the foot toward the smallest toe, and counting the toes on one foot and not on two feet, moving from the center of the person toward the other edge, the edge closest to the large toe, not the front edge but the side edge, counting all toes, expecting that for most folks five is the standard number of toes on each foot, not allowing for deviation from this standard for birth defects or loss of toe (or toes) due to accident or injury, not allowing for partial loss of any toe, …
The ring finger toe.
So this fella’ was experiencing pain in his toe. After a couple of days, it didn’t dissipate or completely vanish so he decides to check out his toes. The guy takes a closer look and discovers what is causing his pain. His toe nails have grown and are in need of a trimming. So he trims his nails, all ten of them. And goes his merry way.
The only problem is that his pain continues. He assumes that with a small injury like his that a couple of days will be necessary for healing, so he allows for this time lapse only to discover that he still has the pain he originally took note of. Hmmm. What is going on?
He again inspects his pinkies. The one little piece of nail on the ring finger side of his pinkiest pinky toe is still too long. The result is that the one piece that was first rubbing him the wrong way is still doing so.
All that effort and the single action necessary to bring relief has been left undone. Whoops.
The point of this piggy parable? It is simply this: we can generate a lot of thought and activity intended to improve our situations, but if we are not careful, never do what is needed.
I see myself do this in my personal life. I see this done in our shared church life. I/We do it a lot. And it doesn’t seem to bug us or instruct us to do better the next time.
We hurt, we suffer, we struggle. We react, we study, we take action. And we haven’t changed what wasn’t working for us to begin with. Activity does not equal solution.
We could get into an exploration of multiple layers of complex answers to the straight forward question, “Why?” but I think we will just leave it at “Let’s watch for this one and trim the toe nail that needs trimming.” ‘Nough said.
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 8, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Caught
In a previous church setting I knew my time was short and so did everyone else. I was the volunteer Sunday School director, and I was taking a paid position out of state. It was time to line up a successor, at least to attempt it.
As I looked the church over, I spotted a talented, educated, youthful and energetic, stable adult. Her career lent itself to skills useful in education ministry. She was not yet over committed in additional Christian service roles.
We talked. I laid out the challenge and the reward. “Please, think and pray about it and do as God leads,” I said. Nothing happened. This staffing solution looked good to me, but it didn’t fit. I don’t know why; it just didn’t.
The post sat empty for a while. Then someone stepped up to serve. He knew me and he knew my wife. His family and my family had shared time together in each other’s homes. We were among the first to welcome them into that church family. We responded to the needs in their household. We supported them in new endeavors. We served in front of them at church. When we loaded the moving truck, he was there eager to do all he could to assist.
Why did he take on the service role of Sunday School director? He had seen another’s life invested in the lives of those around him. He had witnessed the ministry of hospitality and compassion. He had observed a responsiveness to opportunities for expanding the life and breadth of the church. He had caught what it takes to make a difference. And he stepped up.
There was no difference in the capacities of either candidate. There was a significant difference in the exposure of one over the other to a model in ministry. It was all the difference in the world when it came to who chose service. I hadn’t even mentioned the opening to him. I didn’t need to. He saw it lived out and chose it for himself.
So what does all this mean? Leaders, count on this reality: when you touch lives through ministry, you open the door for others to minister. The result of other believers seeing your calling fulfilled is that they are moved forever forward in fulfilling their own God-given passions for service.
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 1, 2009
As I looked the church over, I spotted a talented, educated, youthful and energetic, stable adult. Her career lent itself to skills useful in education ministry. She was not yet over committed in additional Christian service roles.
We talked. I laid out the challenge and the reward. “Please, think and pray about it and do as God leads,” I said. Nothing happened. This staffing solution looked good to me, but it didn’t fit. I don’t know why; it just didn’t.
The post sat empty for a while. Then someone stepped up to serve. He knew me and he knew my wife. His family and my family had shared time together in each other’s homes. We were among the first to welcome them into that church family. We responded to the needs in their household. We supported them in new endeavors. We served in front of them at church. When we loaded the moving truck, he was there eager to do all he could to assist.
Why did he take on the service role of Sunday School director? He had seen another’s life invested in the lives of those around him. He had witnessed the ministry of hospitality and compassion. He had observed a responsiveness to opportunities for expanding the life and breadth of the church. He had caught what it takes to make a difference. And he stepped up.
There was no difference in the capacities of either candidate. There was a significant difference in the exposure of one over the other to a model in ministry. It was all the difference in the world when it came to who chose service. I hadn’t even mentioned the opening to him. I didn’t need to. He saw it lived out and chose it for himself.
So what does all this mean? Leaders, count on this reality: when you touch lives through ministry, you open the door for others to minister. The result of other believers seeing your calling fulfilled is that they are moved forever forward in fulfilling their own God-given passions for service.
Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
South Haven Baptist Church
December 1, 2009
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