Jul

Hooray…we’re #2!

Fri Jul 13th 2012 @ 2:00 am

As I mentioned in the last issue, I’ve delivered hundreds of “Thoughts for the Day” on my radio shows over the years. But there is one quote that has become my all time favorite. I got it from a small, mostly rural publication that’s been around since 1862 called Grit. Somehow a copy ended up on my desk years ago. In one corner, serving as column filler, was this quote: “Remember, mediocrity is excellence to the mediocre.” Pow! I immediately recognized the raw truth in that little quote: a truth that impacts every area of our lives.

Mediocrity is defined as:

1. of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate:
2. not satisfactory; poor; inferior: Mediocre construction makes that building dangerous. Synonyms: meager, low-quality, second-rate; so-so.

Somehow, way too many folks have come to believe that mediocrity is acceptable; that it’s okay…that it’s adequate. And since that’s mostly what we see, it becomes the standard we shoot for. In our business or professional lives, this misconception about mediocrity is wide spread: managers, bureaucrats and workers strive for what they believe to be excellence but isn’t. It’s mediocrity. The two deadliest words in business are “good enough”… the minute you hear those words, you know it isn’t; and that you’ve found one of the mediocre people. And sadly, America as a nation, has become too easily satisfied with mediocrity.

Don’t misunderstand; mediocrity isn’t reserved just for business. We are reaping the harvest of decades of mediocre parenting in our justice system, our divorce courts are filled with the fruit of mediocre marriages, and our government administration is one giant mess of mediocrity…at best! And then there’s the Church.

Unfortunatly, the Church is riddled with it. The Bible speaks to mediocre Christians in Revelation 3:16

“But because you are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold — I am ready to spit you out of my mouth.”

Do we have to settle for lukewarm? For mediocrity? Of course not! We’re born with the ability to excel! It’s up to each of us to choose: do we settle for being less than God intended? Or do we aim higher? And I’m not talking about building bigger, better buildings.

Chuck Swindoll, in his book, "Living Above the Level of Mediocrity," says: “The invisible dividing line between mediocrity and excellent life is evident in many people today. Everywhere, you can find people who after several trials and failures resolve to accept the status quo and believe the voice of lies that they just can’t do it anymore.
Everywhere, I can see people who are quitters! But the word of God has a message of hope for you and there is nothing that is impossible with God. If you want to break through across the line of mediocrity! If you want to experience the freedom from the slavery of sinful life!” So how about we change that "Thought for the Day" to:

“Remember, mediocrity is excellence to the mediocre. The God we serve is NOT a mediocre God. Let's strive for excellence!”

Epilogue

Chuck Swindoll tells about a church in the Soviet Union a few years ago that was forced to meet secretly because the holding of house church services was illegal. They tried to be as inconspicuous as possible as they gathered on Sunday to worship the Lord, so they came at different times and casually walked into the house until they had all arrived. Then they would close the doors, pull the curtains, and quietly worship the Lord.

But one Lord’s Day, right in the midst of their worship service, two soldiers broke into the room, and at gunpoint lined the Christians up against the wall. One shouted, "If you wish to renounce your faith in Jesus Christ, leave now!"
Two or three quickly left, then another, and then two more. Again the soldier spoke, "This is your last chance. Either leave now and renounce your faith in Christ, or stay and suffer the consequences." Another left, and then another, almost hiding their faces in shame as they went out. But the rest stood their ground, children standing beside their parents, trembling, some even crying as their parents stood with their hands in the air, fully expecting to be gunned down or imprisoned.

After all had left who chose to flee, the other soldier closed the doors, looked back at those who stood against the wall and said, "Keep your hands up - but this time in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ. We, too, are Christians." The two soldiers explained that some time earlier they had been sent to another house church to arrest the Christians there. But in the process, they had heard the gospel and had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, too. But they explained, "We have learned that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted."

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Semi-interesting fact

You're more likely to get stung by a bee on a windy day that in any other weather.

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Joke Du Jour

At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Art, a child in the Kindergarten class, seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and asked him what was the matter.

Art cried, "My side hurts really bad - I think I'm having a wife."

Really?? Actual News

How about a banana flavor patch?

At Indonesia's Taru Jurug Zoo, a popular orangutan named Tori is being forced to butt out her addiction to cigarettes. So how exactly does a 15-year-old orangutan gain access to nicotine sticks, one might ask? From the visitors, of course. Zoo management has long tried to stamp out her love for smoking, but visitors continue to assist her by tossing lit cigarettes into her cage. Tori even puts her fingers to her lips to signal that she wants a smoke. Those who don't comply get things thrown at them. Staff at the zoo, with the help of the Center for Orangutan Protection, are finally taking concrete action. They are planning to move her to a small island in the middle of the Central Java zoo’s lake where she can kick the habit and be kept away from visitors who don't seem to realize that a smoking orangutan isn't cool.

I shot an arrow in the sky…no wait, it’s a bullet! Richard Smeraldo, 74, of Clearwater, Fla., had gone with his family to watch the fireworks at a Marina. But as Smeraldo craned his head upward to take in the show, he experienced

a strange sensation. Smeraldo said he was struck by a bullet that had traveled an unusual path. It went through the bill of his baseball hat, hit his nose, went through his nostril, hit his lip, and traveled through his chin. "It came straight down like someone had shot it up in the air," he said. "There are three new holes in my face I didn't have before," Smeraldo said. The bullet was on its way down to his chest, but hit a silver dog-tag medallion Smeraldo had recently started wearing around his neck instead, splitting its chain and falling to the ground. Smeraldo said the flat, dog tag-sized silver pendant was a gift to him from his daughter. He had it engraved two weeks ago with a Bible verse in memory of his mother, and put it on a stainless steel chain. The verse is from Matthew 17:20: "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Smeraldo received four stitches, then went home. "At least four people said I should buy a lotto ticket," Smeraldo said

Ring around a cheater A Vancouver-based Web site is marketing an anti-infidelity wedding ring that leaves the imprint of the words "I'm married" on the wearer's finger.

TheCheeky.com is selling

the titanium bands, which have the letters carved into the inside of the wedding band to leave an imprint on the wearer's finger, for $550 "With Arnold, Tiger and two-timing IMF guy in mind, we have created this wedding ring for people intent on cheating," the company said on its Web site. The ring received a lot of attention from Twitter users. "Who would ever buy this? Least romantic wedding ring ever," one user wrote. "I'm just saying that if either of you are considering these, then you should probably reconsider marriage, period."

Cleaning up in style If anyone buys their latest product - a $1million gold vacuum cleaner. The GoVacuum GV62711 is described as a

one-of-a-kind, commercial grade, 24k gold plated cleaning machine "that will impress with its power, lightweight, and its ability to vanquish pet hair, fur, grime, dust mites and other debris with ease". And the cleanliness-lovely super-rich will get a bargain if they act fast as the pricey dustbuster is on sale for an offer price of $900,000 - with free delivery. Maryland-based Go Vacuum explain: "If you're the type of discerning person who has a yacht in the ocean, and a rare exotic car in your garage alongside your private jet, you're the perfect customer for the one of the most exclusive products ever created."

Granny’s a cookie monster! The incident happened in Murrieta, Calif. Authorities said the grandmother, who has been diagnosed with cancer, had a doctor’s recommendation for marijuana to treat her pain and to help her sleep.

Police Sgt. Phil Gomez said the grandmother had baked THC oil -- the active ingredient in marijuana -- into a batch of cookies and tucked them away in a garage refrigerator, only to have her grandson help himself to the baked treats. The boy's family called an ambulance on Saturday morning when he didn't wake up after sleeping more than 16 hours. It wasn't until the child was at the hospital that connection between the cookies and his long nap was made. No one has been arrested and the incident is still under investigation. Family members could face child endangerment charges, although police noted that except for the pot cookies, the child seemed well cared for. “It’s unfortunate that they didn’t take better steps to keep those cookies out of reach of the child.” The grandmother claims she’s not going to make them ever again.”

Cool Music

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Are you kidding me???

Total Chapters in the Bible -- 1189

Groaner

Sign on Closed Nuclear Power Plant... "Gone Fission"

Point to Ponder

Joe Theismann enjoyed an illustrious 12-year career as quarterback of the Washington Redskins. He led the team to two Super Bowl appearances--winning in 1983 before losing the following year. When a leg injury forced him out of football in 1985, he was entrenched in the record books as Washington's all-time leading passer. Still, the tail end of Theismann's career taught him a bitter lesson: I got stagnant. I thought the team revolved around me. I should have known it was time to go when I didn't care whether a pass hit Art Monk in the 8 or the 1 on his uniform. When we went back to the Super Bowl, my approach had changed. I was griping about the weather, my shoes, practice times, everything. Today I wear my two rings--the winner's ring from Super Bowl XVII and the loser's ring from Super Bowl XVIII. The difference in those two rings lies in applying oneself and not accepting anything but the best.

Remember, Christianity is more about walking than about talking