[Victoria Delsoul]

Evening friends, good to see you all.

JUMP ROPE

We found a rope my two friends and I.
Long enough to reach the sky.
From end to end two held it firm
And flipped it up and made it squirm.

The two on ends with grips of steel
Gave the rope a twirl, then a reel.
They flipped it up, then round and round
'Til bees were asking, "What's that sound?"

It looked amazing to see it twirl
My friends dared me, "Give it a whirl!"
So as it turned, I leapt inside
The whirling rope. Took it in stride!

The faster it spun, the faster it went.
The quicker it turned, the quicker it sent
The jumping, the skipping, the turning, the spinning
All merging in one 'til I started grinning.

Then giggles and laughter,
And silliness, thereafter,
Caused me to tumble,
Feet and rope in a-jumble.

We rolled on the ground. We rolled all around.
The joy that we had with the rope that we found
Was simple and fun, as fun as could be
With a rope that we found, my two friends and me.

-- Gerard J. Surprenant

[Alberta's Child]

Evening, Victoria. Good to see you tonight!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

That is soooo cute! I enjoyed jumping rope as a child. I bought a rope a few years ago to lose weight, but we won't talk about that. Jumping rope is supposed to be great for losing weight.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Thursday !

Have a cup while you Freep !

[The Mayor]

June 17, 2004

What Motivates Us?

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:3-9

Even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. —1 Thessalonians 2:4

Bible In One Year: Nehemiah 7-9; Acts 3

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My wife and I received a notice that we had won a prize of either $1,000 dollars in cash or $250 in vouchers. When we arrived at the collection site, we were told that to be eligible, we would have to sit through a 90-minute presentation.

As we listened, we learned that we could receive vacation accommodations for 25 years at today's prices, which would amount to about $15,000 in savings. But to enjoy this privilege, we had to pay a membership fee of $5,200. We declined the offer but were given some discount vouchers, which we realized we'd probably never use.

Reflecting on that experience, my wife and I wondered why we had endured what had become a 3-hour presentation. What had motivated us? We wanted to be polite, but we also had to admit we were partly motivated by greed.

Wrong motives can even slip into our service for the Lord. Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica: "You remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you" (1 Thessalonians 2:9). He had the right to receive financial help from them, but he didn't want to be accused of unworthy motives.

What motivates us? Let's learn from Paul's example, remembering that God tests our hearts. —Albert Lee

You know me, O Lord, for who I am,
My motives are open to You;
Oh, help me to live as Jesus did—
With motives both noble and true. —Sper

The world sees what we do-God sees why we do it.

[The Mayor]

Even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. —1 Thessalonians 2:4

The world sees what we do-God sees why we do it.