Thought for the Day

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"With all my soul, I plead with members of the church, and with people everywhere, to think more about the gospel; more about the development of the spirit within; to devote more time to the real things of life, and less time to those things which will perish." David O. McKay

Remember, a house becomes a home when you can write "I love you" on the furniture.

Don't spend so much time earning your salt that you forget your sugar!

"May we be faithful in all of our labors, having the motto indelibly stamped upon our hearts, 'The Kingdom of God or nothing'." Lorenzo Snow

200 POUNDS OF TRASH

     Fred Craddock tells the story of a missionary family in China who was forced to leave the country sometime after the communists took over.

     One day a band of soldiers knocked on the door and told this missionary, his wife, and children that they had two hours to pack up before these troops would escort them to the train station.  They would be permitted to take with them only two hundred pounds of stuff.

     Thus began two hours of family wrangling and bickering -- what should they take? What about this vase? It's a family heirloom, so we've got to take the vase. Well, maybe so, but this typewriter is brand new and we're not about to leave that behind.  What about some books?  Got to take a few of them along.  On and on it went, putting stuff on the bathroom scale and taking it off until finally they had a pile of possessions that totaled two hundred pounds on the dot.

     At the appointed hour, the soldiers returned.  "Are you ready?" they asked.  "Yes."  "Did you weigh your stuff?"  "Yes, we did."  "Two hundred pounds?"  "Yes, two hundred pounds on the dot."  "Did you weigh the kids?"  "Um, . . . no."  "Weigh the kids!"

     And in an instant the vase, the typewriter, and the books all became trash.  Trash!  None of it meant anything compared to the surpassing value of the children.

     If only it were that easy for us.  If we had to make a physical choice, the choice would be easy.  What's worth more -- your child or a computer?  If you could only take one with you, which would it be?  That's easy; it's a no-brainer.  But seldom does the choice come wrapped in such easy-to-open paper.

     Too often, it sounds more like this:  What's more important -- spending time with your family or staying at work a couple of extra hours to get caught up?  "Don't ask me to make that choice!  My family is important to me.  It's just that I really need to get this done!  After all, I'm only doing it for provide for them."  Still, there are times when the question won't go away:  Which is more important?

     And there are times when we are forced to admit that we've been gathering hundreds of pounds of "trash" while neglecting that which is of greatest importance.
     "But what things were gain to me, those I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet doubtless, andI count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as but dung, that I may win Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8)

     But God bless each one of you with the wisdom to choose that which is of greatest value.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

[bobchat1]

Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy. D&C 121:43

"Let me give so much time to the improvement of myself that I shall have no time to criticize others."        Dean Cresham

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain -- and most fools do." Dale Carnegie

Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and have his shoes.

And I Wept

I saw him in the church building for the first time on Wednesday. He was in his mid-70's, with thinning silver hair and a neat brown suit. Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several other Christian friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the good news with him.

He was a well-respected, honest man with so many characteristics a Christian should have, but he had never put on Christ, nor entered the doors of the
church.

"Have you ever been to a church service in your life?" I had asked him a few years ago.

We had just finished a pleasant day of visiting and talking.

He hesitated. Then with a bitter smile he told me of his childhood experience some fifty years ago. He was one of many children in a large impoverished family. His parents had struggled to provide food, with little left for housing and clothing. When he was about ten, some neighbors invited him to worship with them.

The Sunday School class had been very exciting! He had never heard such songs and stories before! He had never heard anyone read from the Bible!

After class was over, the teacher took him aside and said, "Son, please don't come again dressed as you are now. We want to look our best when we come into God's house."

He stood in his ragged, unpatched overalls. Then looking at his dirty bare feet, he answered softly, "No, ma'am, I won't ever."

"And I never did," he said, abruptly ending our conversation.

There must have been other factors to have hardened him so, but this experience formed a significant part of the bitterness in his heart.

I'm sure that Sunday School teacher meant well. But did she really understand the love of Christ? Had she studied and accepted the teachings found in the second chapter of James?

What if she had put her arms around the dirty, ragged little boy and said, "Son, I am so glad you are here, and I hope you will come every chance you get to hear more about Jesus."

I reflected on the awesome responsibility a teacher or pastor or a parent has to welcome little ones in His name. How far reaching her influence was!

I prayed that I might be ever open to the tenderness of a child's heart, and that I might never fail to see beyond the appearance and behavior of a child to the eternal possibilities within.

Yes, I saw him in the church house for the first time on Wednesday. As I looked at that immaculately dressed old gentleman lying in his casket, I thought of the little boy of long ago. I could almost hear him say, "No, ma'am, I won't ever."

And I wept.

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"There is no righteous way to avoid the commandment "Honor thy father and thy mother."  H. Burke Peterson 

"The greatest heroic feats in history cannot hold a candle to the courage it takes to raise one child." - Rick Beneteau

Children are of great comfort to us in our old age, and they help us get there much more quickly than we otherwise would

Don’t Miss the Chance

A listener got me thinking about the challenge of dealing with aging parents who become more and more needy and the conflicts one is bound to feel. It motivated me to write this poem:

Don’t Miss the Chance

They said I was lucky my mom lived near,

But she was pretty old and it wasn’t so clear.
Sure, I was grateful for all she did for me,
But I was so very busy. I had no time free.

I had my job, my kids, my own life to live.
There really was nothing left for me to give.
I couldn’t visit often, but I did help out.
I gave money, did chores, and ran her about.

But truth be told, I didn’t like it that much.
The conversation was dull, and she was frail to touch.
She complained a lot and I just felt worse.
I didn’t have time to be handyman or nurse.

I could have done more – of course I could –
But she loved me and she understood.
I know she did because she told me so.
She wanted me to be happy – and I pretended not to know

That she was lonely, uncomfortable, and scared of dying.
I closed my eyes to how hard she was trying
To be brave, independent, and not needy at all.
She assured me she’d be fine even after her fall.

But now she’s gone and I miss her so,
And I’m so sorry I pretended not to know
How much a call, a card, or a hug brightened her day
Or how easy it was to chase her blues away.

I’m ashamed I felt burdened, pressured, and put out.
She deserved more than I gave her, without a doubt.
So if your mom or dad is still with you,
Don’t lose the chance – do all you can do.

Make time, not excuses. Go the extra mile.
Because your chance to do so lasts only a while.

This is Michael Josephson, reminding you that character counts.

[Robert E. Chatfield]

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matt 7:2

"It is not for us to judge those who might be confused or who have not the strength to change. What they need is our understanding and support." Hans B. Ringger

God Himself, sir, does not propose to judge a man until his life is over. Why should you and I? Samuel Johnson

"Let no man judge his fellow being, unless he knows he has the mind of Christ within him." Brigham Young

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

     All in the Family was a comedy that aired on American television from 1971-1979.  There was much not to like about the show, but there were also moments of tremendous insight into human behavior.  In one of the episodes, Edith and Archie were attending Edith's high school class reunion.  Edith encountered an old classmate by the name of Buck who, unlike his earlier days, had become excessively obese.  Edith and Buck had a delightful conversation about old times and the things that they did together, but remarkably Edith didn't seem to notice how extremely heavy Buck had become.

     Later, when Edith and Archie were talking, she said in her whiny voice, "Archie, ain't Buck a beautiful person?"  Archie looked at her with a disgusted expression and said, "You're a pip, Edith.  You know that?  You and I look at the same guy and you see a beautiful person and I see a blimp."

     Edith got a puzzled expression on her face and said, "Yeah, ain't it too bad?"

     One of the things that stands out as you read through the gospels is that when Jesus looked at people, he saw something beautiful that no one else saw.  He didn't just see a woman who had been married five times and was living in fornication (John 4); he saw someone with a desire to learn about the Messiah.  He didn't just see tax collectors and prostitutes (Luke 15; Matthew 21); he saw people longing for a deeper relationship with God.  He didn't just see lepers and people with various physical ailments; he saw the deeper needs of the heart.

     I feel a bit like Archie Bunker.  I often find myself saying to God, "You and I both look at the same person, and you see a beautiful person on the inside while all I see are the flaws on the outside."  And I can picture God saying, "Yeah, ain't it too bad?"

     "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" (I Samuel 16:7)

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"We must not be NEARLY dependable, but ALWAYS dependable. Let us be faithful in the little things, as well as the big ones."                           N. Eldon Tanner 

Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. Warren Bennis

                        Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him and to let him know that you trust him.                                        Booker T. Washington 

A person who trusts no one can't be trusted. Jerome Blattner Cator

Trust Involves Character and Competence

Today, I want to talk about the qualities that generate trust. I’m talking about being trustworthy, not trusting others. There’s a relationship between the two concepts, but a decision to trust another is a choice, not a moral obligation. Being trustworthy, however, is an indispensable aspect of good character. Thus, we should always act so as to be worthy of trust – not because it’s wise to do so but because it’s the right way to live.

Being worthy of trust entails two qualities: character and competence.

Of course, the attribute we first associate with trustworthy behavior is integrity. This crucial aspect of good character is demonstrated through scrupulous honesty and moral courage. If we want people to trust us or our organization, they must believe we will consistently do the right thing regardless of circumstances or pressures.

Other aspects of character include accountability and fairness. People trust those who accept responsibility for their choices and don’t palm off blame to others. It’s also important to be regarded as fundamentally fair.

But in business, confidence in character is not enough to justify trust. In this case, trust also involves the conviction that the person or organization will successfully do what is expected. This competency dimension embraces faith in ability, knowledge, and judgment as well as a belief that the person or organization will be reliable and responsive. Reliability is established through diligence and follow-through while responsiveness involves respectful communication and demonstrated concern.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"Righteousness has never precluded adversity." M. Russell Ballard

Allow God to be the Lord of the good days and the bad days.

   "We must look for the opportunity in every difficulty instead of being paralyzed at the thought of the difficulty in every opportunity."

  May the trials you are going through today serve the strengthen the muscles of your spiritual life. Alan Smith

"I am grateful for all of my problems. After each one was overcome, I became stronger and more able to meet those that were still to come. I grew in all my difficulties." James Cash Penney

Making Beautiful Music

"…...but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience; and experience, hope."¹

"A piece of black ebony wood was being cut and broken by a woodmaker. The wood complained but the woodmaker desisted from bowing to the complaints. He was carving a flute. The woodmaker seemed to be saying, 'Little piece of wood. You think that I am hurting and abusing you but without these holes and cutting, you would not be able to bring others beautiful music to soothe their souls and calm their hurts and fears for a time.'"

Pain is the great motivator. It can be and often is God's wake-up call to help us change and grow. So who wants to change and grow when everything is going great? Not me. I only grow when I am uncomfortable with the way things are or the way I am. And that's the way it's meant to be. God wants to make "beautiful music" out of your life and mine. It's up to us to allow him to do so. The process at times can be painful, but the end result can be something beautiful.

1. The Apostle Paul (Romans 5:3-4.

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you."

The difference between people who pray in church and those who pray in casinos is that the ones who pray in the casinos are really serious!

"Every evening I turn my troubles over to God - He's going to be up all night anyway.

"Prayer keeps man from sin, and sin keeps man from prayer." Brigham Young

PRAYING FOR OTHERS   

 The following parable about prayer comes from an unknown author:

     A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert-like island.  The two survivors,  not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.  However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.  The first thing they prayed for was food.

     The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit.  The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

     After some days, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife.  The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island.  On the other side of the island, the second man had nothing.  Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food.  The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him.  However, the second man still had nothing.

     Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island.  In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side on the island.  The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island.  He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

     As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming:  "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

     "My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man replied.  "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."

     "You are mistaken," the voice rebuked him.  "He had only one prayer, which I answered."

     "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"

     "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

     We have many of the apostle Paul's prayers recorded in his epistles.  It is significant to me how large a percentage of those prayers involved petitions for other people (mostly for spiritual needs rather than physical, incidentally) and how few involved petitions for personal needs.

     It is easy to get so caught up in asking God to provide us what we need (or merely want) that we forget to pray for others.  May God help us to be sensitive to the needs of others around us, and may we take advantage of every opportunity to approach the throne of grace and lay their concerns at the feet of our Father.

     "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;"

[Robert E. Chatfield]

For until the law sin was not in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:13

"Sin may result from activities that begin innocently or that are perfectly legitimate in moderation, but in excess, they can cause us to veer from the straight and narrow path to our destruction." Joseph B. Wirthlin

If you do not want the fruits of sin, stay out of the devil's orchard.

"Sign on a seminary bulletin board: "Forbidden fruit can get you in a bad jam." Ron Dalby

Living With a "Time Bomb"

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."¹

According to a report in the Daily Mail (London, England), a pensioner used a  live artillery shell as a doorstop for 20 years.
For decades the seven-inch-long shell had been a family memento, polished and given pride of place on the mantle piece. The First World War relic also served as a toy and finally, for the past 20 years, as a front doorstop at the home of 68-year-old Thelma Bonnett.

At any time during all those years, however, it could have exploded. The German squat shell was live, packed with its original payload and with its firing mechanism primed, experts have said. It was only when a neighbor saw the shell outside Mrs. Bonnett's door that the danger became clear.
The police were called and they summoned Royal Navy bomb disposal experts to the house in Paignton, Devon. Several neighbors were evacuated from their homes and the device was taken to a local quarry and exploded. It had been in the family for nearly a century after her grandfather Arthur Croxall brought it home in 1918. "I had no idea it was dangerous," Mrs. Bonnett said. "Grandfather picked it up on his travels with the Merchant Navy in 1918. My father used to polish it all the time and kept it on the mantelpiece…."

A Ministry of Defense spokesman said: "The shell was packed full of explosives and it could have gone off at any time."²

It is true, as today's Scripture verse implies, sin can be pleasurable—for a short time. However, if we continue to "toy" with and live a life of sin and wrongdoing, we may not realize it, but we, too, will be sitting on a time bomb that could explode at any time—and eventually will—and destroy one's reputation, character, close relationships and/or one's physical, emotional and spiritual health. Sin always has its consequences, the end of which is eternal death which is not the cessation of our being—but being eternally separated from God, the author of all love and life.

Sin—all sin is a deadly spiritual cancer—and you either get the cancer or the cancer gets you. God has the only cure for this deadly time bomb.

1. Hebrews 11:24-25

2. Source: Daily Mail, London, England, July 2, 2007. To see a picture of the shell and Thelma Bonnett visit: http://tinyurl.com/ywtb8p.
   Cited on WITandWISDOM www.witandwisdom.org 

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

What we think about we move towards.

You are today where your thoughts have brought you, you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. James Allen

and a warning

If you keep your mind sufficiently open, people will throw a lot of rubbish into it. William A. Orton

As You Think

Golfer Arnold Palmer has won hundreds of trophies, but he never flaunts these. In his office is only one trophy on display. It is a small cup he received at his first professional win at the Canadian Open in 1955.

On his office wall is this lone framed plaque that reads: 

If you think you are beaten, you are.
  If you think you dare not, you don't.
  If you'd like to win, but think you can't,
  it's almost certain you won't.
  Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man,
  But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

Life's battles, challenges, successes and/or failures are all fought, won or lost in the mind.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence;" said Solomon, "for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23).

The heart in the Bible refers to the total mind: the intellect, the will, and the emotions. And that's the "mind" we need to guard with all diligence, and daily commit and trust to God. 

[Robert E. Chatfield]

"Life is a school and not a reward."Elaine Cannon

It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, living close to nature. Laura Ingalls Wilder

It takes a little courage, and a little self-control.

And some grim determination, If you want to reach the goal.

It takes a deal of striving, and a firm and stern-set chin.

No matter what the battle, If you really want to win.

There's no easy path to glory, There's no road to fame.

Life, however we may view it, Is no simple parlor game;

But it's prizes call for fighting, For endurance and for grit;

For a rugged disposition and don't know when to quit.

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." Pericles

 Tips for Better Living

Be a positive realist. You will always see what you are looking for: "Two men look out the same prison bars. One sees mud, the other stars."

Carpe diem. Seize the day. "Opportunity comes to pass--not to pause."

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Come apart and rest awhile before you come apart--stress is a killer.

Control your thinking or your thinking will control you. "What the mind dwells on the body acts on."

Cry when needed. "Every unshed tear is a prism through which all of life's hurts are distorted."

Don't nurse grudges: "Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

Fear not. At least 95 percent of the things we fear never happen. Trust God for the other five percent.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

God Himself doesn't propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should we?

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

Have faith and put God first with your time, talents and tithe.

He who angers you, controls you!

If God is your Co-pilot, swap seats!

Invest your life in a worthwhile cause by having a noble purpose for which to live--one that is bigger than yourself--one that will help make your world a better place in which to live.

Laugh a lot. It's still the best medicine.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on the front door forever.

Peace starts with a smile.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

Prayer: Don't give God instructions; just report for duty!

Quit the blame-game: "It's choice, not chance, that determines destiny."

Remember, "The bumps are what we climb on."

Remember, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."

Remember these simple sentences: "I was wrong." "I am sorry." "Please forgive me." "Thank you." Say them whenever needed and say "I love you" often—whether needed or not.

Rise and pray every day

"Smooth seas never make skillful sailors."

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

The greatest abilities are availability, dependability and responsibility."

There is no greater treasure than a good friend!

"There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience."

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power [of God] behind us.

The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun" (Psalm 37:3-6). 

We don't change the message; the message changes us.

We're called to be witnesses, not lawyers or Judges.

When God is silent: "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent."

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him/her.

[Robert E. Chatfield]

Just in case getting up to 3 feet of snow pulls the electric plug around here, we'll send tomorrow's Thought out tonight.

If we have electricity we'll send out another surprise in the AM.

I think that the title of this talk is a great quote all by itself: Neal A. Maxwell, "It's Service, Not Status, That Counts."

    If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody. Chinese proverb

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. George Washington Carver

                      "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”                        Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Road to Significance

The most traditional way to measure the quality of one's life is to evaluate success by listing accolades, achievements, and acquisitions. After all, in its simplest terms, success is getting what we want and most people want wealth and status.

Yet, as much pleasure as these attributes can bring; the rich, powerful, and famous usually discover that true happiness will elude them if they do not have peace of mind, self-respect, and enduring loving relationships.

Peace of mind doesn't preclude ambition or desire for material possessions or high position, but it assumes a fundamental foundation of contentment, gratitude, and pride--a belief that whatever one has is enough and an attitude of active appreciation for the good things in one's life.

Feeling successful can generate satisfying emotions of self-worth, but feeling significant--that one's life really matters--is much more potent. Peter Drucker, the great management guru, captured this idea when he wrote of the urge many high achievers have to "move beyond success to significance."

The surprise for many is that one of the surest roads to significance is service. It doesn't have to be of the Mother Teresa missionary variety. Parents who sacrifice their own comfort and pleasure for their children are performing service, as are teachers, public-safety professionals, members of the military, and volunteers who work for the common good.

In addressing graduates, Albert Schweitzer said, "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."