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Happy Birthday Daily Buffet

Wow, with today’s post the Daily Buffet is one year old.  I hope that all you readers out there have been challenged to grow spiritually, have been directed toward the Christ and have been entertained throughout the year.  I know personally this little bit of literary fun has help me tremendously. I have even been asked recently to pull out a few fan favorites from the year and use them as conversation starters in a Wednesday night  men’s study in December. Just imagine that, an class on the Daily Buffet. What’s next a book? LOL! 🙂 So if you have favorites, let me know!

I expect that I will keep doing this into next year – until I run out of thoughts or I bore myself to death( or you!), or I finally actually give my complete self over to Christ.    Keep renewing yourself everyday, and continue to buffet your body ( both spiritually, mentally and physically) each day!

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your encouragement throughout the year!

And so here is the theme verse for this blog again.  Firsteth in oldeth Englisheth with lots of eth and thy’s and thou’s and things you don’t understandeth .  But this the version I remember from my youth.

23 And I do all things for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, American Standard Version)

and then from something that may make more sense

19-23Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

24-25You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

26-27I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (1 Corinthians 9:23-27, The Message)

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Daily Post

The Return of Captain Zoom

Do you know that chances are if you know someone, that person is born in September.  That’s right, more birthdays in September then any other month!  And since you know me, you know someone else with a September birthday!

When I was a little guy, I guess lower elementary school age, my big sister bought me a flexible record with a personalized birthday message from Captain Zoom.  It went something like this “Hey Jason, it’s your birthday…” etc.  I played that think every birthday until I think I left for college, or until I got rid of my record player (last year… no not really!)

When I was in high school, two teachers in the school shared my birthday.  During my freshman year, just a few weeks in to the school year, these two teacher came bursting into one of my classes, with a large cake in hand, singing and dancing.  And right then and there, we had a birthday party.  Little shy freshman Jason, was a little bit unsure of how to handle that situation.  This continued each of my 4 years of high school, some time during the day in one of my classes the door would burst open and well, party time!  I think this is one of those simple little events that help move me from little shy Jason to someone with some confidence – odd I know.

This may seem like a narcissistic post, or just a way to get some attention, but actually there is a point here.  These birthdays gone by have taught me several things about birthdays.  First, it showed me that I really really liked the attention on my birthday 🙂 – even though it goes against some of my basic principles.  But more than that,(and here is the real point of all of this mess) I think it has taught me that people, no matter who they are, like to be made to feel special and loved – no matter if it is their birthday or not.

So, today is my birthday, thankfully, my Facebook wall is going nuts, I have found the birthday song as an MP3, and I am taking the day off from the mill.  This morning, in a birthday text message exchange with my sister-n-law, after I told her I was trying to figure out how to spend the day, she replied “WWJD”.    Instantly, I replied “Go to the synagogues and teach, or retreat to the mountains and pray”.   And there you have it.  What would Jesus do on his birthday.  He would spend the day reaching out to others, or spend the day drawing closer to his heavenly father.

And that sort of my message today.  Birthdays are great, and with this day I am reminded how important it is to reach out to others, to lift others up, and to encourage people, if it’s there birthday or not.  And mostly I am reminded “to do unto others as I would have them do to me” (Luke 6:31)- birthday or not.

Eat some cake!

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:3-4 (New International Version)

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Daily Post

What a Great Day

What a great day.  Today is my best friend’s birthday, and well that make me happy. So, I will pull out a sappy verse today to express my love for her, which I can’t explain in words:

18 There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
19 how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman. Proverbs 30:18-19 (New Living Translation)

(Does that even make sense?  )

Anyway, I will be rejoicing today, thankful for the gift of a great companion.  But with all the great gifts with which we have been blessed, I am certain you can find a reason to make this a great day as well.  If not, here is one:

Ps 106:1 Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!

Enjoy the day, and now you have a reason to eat cake!