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World Water Day

This morning as I walked into work, I stopped by the break room and filled up my Tervis Tumbler with ice and water. As I stood there filling it, the water would not stop. My cup literally ran over with excess. How lucky!

It’s World Water Day – a day to spend thinking about water. I know this is an issue that keeps staying on the front of my mind. I often think about how much of an overlooked blessing it is to have running water at our fingertips everywhere we go! Its something we should not take lightly, because so many don’t have it.

Today grab a pint or 6 of clean, clear, bacteria free water and be thankful that you have it. It’s an incredible delight. You may also want to check out the so many organizations out there who are helping bring water to others, like water.org, or runforwater.net, or HHI, among a few.

Then consider your spirit? Are you also counting the blessing of having life-giving spiritual water so close to you and so accessible? Seriously! It’s right there waiting for you just like the tap water . Make sure you take a moment on this day to consider taking a big thirst quenching sip of that water as well.

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14 NIV

And remember so many don’t have it.

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Seeking Good

It’s a really popular thing these days to do good.  I think 5 times this week I have been presented with efforts to deliver water to third world countries.  Really, my own post, a email newsletter, a ‘white’ mail newsletter from HHI, a TV advertisement about conferencing software and one other place – probably a web advertisement. ( maybe someone somewhere is telling me something???)

Anyway, it seems like the cool thing is to do good, and to help right social injustice.  I think it’s cool, especially becaue we have the freedom to do whatever in the world we want.

23 “I have the right to do anything,” I Cor 10:23

But, I don’t want to jump on the do good bandwagon only because it’s cool and trendy.  I want to do it because I care about other people. ( but of course, lots of times I don’t!!)  And that’s how Paul finishes up the chapter I mentioned above,

For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

He tells use don’t just do good for ourselves, but that we should use our freedoms to seek good because we care about people, and we are doing good for them!  As a matter of fact he says it twice!

24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Do good for Others today!  I don’t think that it will be a disappointment!

 

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A Story about Water

This weekend I heard of a remarkable story that I thought I would share with you.   You may have seen this on the news already, but it’s still worth considering, and it quite inspiring.

There was a nine year old girl named Rachel who for her birthday this summer, decided to forgo presents to raise money for clean water projects in developing nations.  She wanted to raise $300 and raised just a little over $200.  That’s pretty cool!

But here is the rest of the story.  A few weeks after her birthday, Rachel was traveling in her family vehicle on the interstate.  Unfortunately, there was a fourteen car pileup that her family vehicle was caught up in and she was killed.  That part really stinks.

Well, here is the real rest of the story.  The word of this little girl’s birthday wish has traveled across the country and this weekend her birthday wish has raised over $1 Million dollars for water projects!  That’s correct $1 Million!

I was watching the counter all weekend and have watched it increase $40K from Saturday morning to Monday.  It’s quite an amazing outreach from people all over the country.  It also teaches us that we don’t always understand the plans that are out there, nor what one little risky thing can do.

There are several lessons from this story I guess, I found this how situation inspiring and motivating on multiple fronts, I hope you do as well.

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8 NIV

 

Oh and be thankful for that running water that you will use today!

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Sick of Sweating!

I am not usually one to complain, but this heat is finally getting to me.  It’s not really the heat, its the humidity.  No, its not that is just that I am so tired of being covered with sweat – I mean soaking sweat, every time I walk outside.   On Saturday I was searching for a tool in my garage and when I was finished I had to change shirts.  And this was just standing and looking through some tool boxes.  ( I know that is pretty gross).  And I am usually not much of a sweater, not at all like the guy in my small group, apparently he sweats rivers.

And the thirst.  I can’t drink enough.  Its pretty amazing that my weight is actually staying close to the same, as on Saturday at my nephew’s birthday party I felt like I sweated out 10 pounds.  There was not enough sweet tea in the joint to keep me hydrated.  What a blessing it is to have such a great clean water system that makes it so easy to hydrate during the hot summer months like this.  Even when I am the most uncomfortable, I can still head inside and get a nice cold glass of water and I usually have a shirt that I can change into.  That’s so nice that it almost makes you think you can handle anything.  However, even with that blessing there is still a water that is better.  Its the water that your spirit thirsts for, and unlike the water we drink, it can really quench your thirst.  Listen to this exchange at the Jacob’s well.

Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”

13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:6-14 (New International Version)

Wow, what a great promise.  The contentment of having no thirst – mean I think means no sweating!  That’s a great peaceful promise.  A constant source of spiritual refreshment.  A well to to eternal life.  That seems the right place to be.  And then look what Jesus says later in John.

35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:35

Its by belief you can get that living water, and you can be constantly refreshed.  That’s something to consider on this extra hot August days.  Is your spirit thirsty?