I recieved the following in an e-mail from a good friend in Galveston last night. I immediatly thought of FReepers and these Prayer Threads.
Scripture: Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are."
Next fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
In a church people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone - and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are headed in the same direction as we are. When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back in the formation and another goose takes its place and flies point.
No church community should have only a few people doing all the work. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south.
Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
In a church we should continually encourage one another rather than criticize and tear down.
Finally and this is most important - when a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.
In a church we should surround the sick and wounded with love and care until they rebound and can in return do the same for others.
Prayer: Father help me to carry my share of responsibilities as a church member and always ministering and caring for those around me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
I've had my chair since two Freepathons ago when someone kindly talked about it. I didn't have any problems that called for a new chair but after I sat on it, I found that the old unrecognized problems of tired legs, tired back, and poor posture were gone. I used to lean back quite often in my old chair; now I didn't even attach the back yet and never even think of leaning back.