Dr. Shane Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 A New York banker was disgusted to find a bum lying on his favorite lunchtime bench in Central Park. "Why don't you get yourself a job?" demanded the banker; and the bum replied, "Why would I want to do that?" "If you get a job," said the banker, "you can start to improve yourself, get some education, and get promoted in the company." And the bum replied, "Why would I want to do that?" "If you get promoted," said the banker, warming to his theme, "you'll rise through the ranks and end up running the company." And the bum replied, "Why would I want to do that?" "If you run your own company," said the banker patiently, "you'll make so much money you can leave and start your own company." And the bum replied, "Why would I want to do that?" "Well," said the banker, "if you start your own company and do well, eventually you'll be able to make your pile, retire, and do nothing." The bum replied: "I'm doing nothing already." Meditators are -- in a way -- incipient bums. Quiet time shows us that there really isn't very much point to all the rushing around that seems a necessary part of our work lives. The attractive part of meditation is to see the futility of much of our work environment. The danger, of course, is that we may start to believe what we see. At that point, we may begin to question some very fundamental parts of our way of life .... See you on the bench! [i received this in an email] Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity
Ted Oplinger Posted February 6, 2013 Posted February 6, 2013 Heard the same style story featuring a Wall Streeter and a Mexican fisherman - same ending punchline. The take home lesson - be content with what we have, where we have it, enjoy what you are now doing, and enjoy what you are planning to do later. Blessings, Quote "As iron sharpens iron, so also does one man sharpen another" - Proverbs 27:17 "The offense of the cross is that the cross is a confession of human frailty and sin and of inability to do any good thing. To take the cross of Christ means to depend solely on Him for everything, and this is the abasement of all human pride. Men love to fancy themselves independent. But let the cross be preached, let it be made known that in man dwells no good thing and that all must be received as a gift, and straightway someone is offended." Ellet J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings "Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne "The person who pays an ounce of principle for a pound of popularity gets badly cheated" - Ronald Reagan
Dr. Shane Posted February 7, 2013 Author Posted February 7, 2013 That hour of prayer that Ellen White talks about is also known as meditation. It doesn't have to be an hour we spend on our knees but rather some quiet time to stop and reflect. Read a passage of the Bible and than reflect on it. Think it through. Repeat each word and focus on the message God is trying to tell us. Sometimes I like to just clear my mind for 15 minutes before doing a Bible reading. I shut off the lights, and thing of the ocean tide coming in and out. After 15 minutes I read a little Scripture. This type of quiet time is what puts the rest of the world in perspective. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity
M. T. Cross Posted February 7, 2013 Posted February 7, 2013 That hour of prayer that Ellen White talks about is also known as meditation. It doesn't have to be an hour we spend on our knees but rather some quiet time to stop and reflect. Read a passage of the Bible and than reflect on it. Think it through. Repeat each word and focus on the message God is trying to tell us. Sometimes I like to just clear my mind for 15 minutes before doing a Bible reading. I shut off the lights, and thing of the ocean tide coming in and out. After 15 minutes I read a little Scripture. This type of quiet time is what puts the rest of the world in perspective. Isn't that the spiritual formation that everyone is so terrified of? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.