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daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
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Wednesday,
January 27,
2021
Yesterday we
had lunch at the Franklin House in Schaefferstown, PA
built in 1746. It just may be the oldest restaurant we've
ever dined at!
"I'm Gonna
Sing!"
Message summary: Today we
commend you to the enjoyment of life and
specifically that joy will accompany you in your
work all the days of your life. This day do your
work wholeheartedly and let the light of Christ
shine through you and the labor of your hands! And
if you can't sing aloud, sing in your heart!
Listen
to this message on your audio player.
Listen
to this message on your audio player."I
will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him
with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30). "Let us come
before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with
music and song" (Psalm 95:2). "So I commend the
enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a
man under the sun than to eat and drink and be
glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all
the days of the life God has given him under the
sun" (Ecclesiastes 8:15).
I'm
gonna sing as long as it takes for a song
To make a sad, heavy spirit free
I'm gonna keep making music that carries the secret
That Jesus is liberty
To make a sad, heavy spirit free
I'm gonna keep making music that carries the secret
That Jesus is liberty
We
enjoy a variety of cultural settings here in
Pennsylvania including shopping. Of course we have
plenty of stores that are similar to stores anywhere
else in America or in the world for that matter. But
we also have farmer's markets, seasonal roadside
stands, and the enjoyable custom of residents
placing unwanted items out by the road for free
pick-up, which we on occasion have benefitted from
including a four burner gas grill we used for many
years.
Yesterday
we stopped by one of our favorite stores in rural
Lebanon County, an Amish-run discount grocery
surplus called BB's. Their motto boasts, "Bents,
Bumps and Bunch of Bargains" (which I suppose is the
basis of the name BB's - the sloppy grammar adding
to the folksiness).In
accordance with the Amish prohibition against piped
in electric the store is lit by sky lights and, if
needed, gas lanterns. A generator powers the cooling
equipment, including a walk-in freezer (which keeps
the shopper from dilly dallying as the freezer fogs
customer's eye glasses and sends shivers up their
spine). We typically find some bargains in the store
but the cultural experience includes the people we
see, and particularly the employees.
A
special needs man offered to carry some large boxes
to our van. He was so pleased to inform me several
times that he had his 31st birthday coming up! What
a blessing that man with disabilities could
experience the purposefulness of work.
But
the best part is the singing. All throughout the
store the girls sing as they restock the shelves.
Some of the classic hymns we heard yesterday
included "How Great Thou Art", "This Is My Father's
World" and "At Calvary". The pleasant cacophony of
several different songs being sung at once is quite
edifying as you stroll your cart down the aisles of
the store and Brooksyne couldn't resist singing a
few lines with the ladies since they were all
familiar hymns.
Most
of you can't sing out loud at work. In most
locations that would just not be acceptable! Of
course, for some of us, it's a good thing since the
quality of our singing voice might not be edifying
for others to hear.
We've
even heard one young lady sing as she checked out
customers at the cash register! The employees seemed
rather oblivious to the mostly non-Amish customers
and really don't seem to care that singing old
gospel hymns or singing out loud in public would
probably not be the latest cool, trending thing to
do these days. A young lady sung an old Gospel
favorite of ours titled, "Farther Along":
The young Amish women stocking shelves were not doing the kind of work most people aspire to. Anyone who has worked in retail knows the frustration of putting items neatly on display only to have customers move things around or worse yet, change their minds about an item and dispose of it far from its original location. Yet their joy was contagious and I smile as I reflect upon the experience.
How's your attitude toward your work today? The TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) outlook seems to permeate our society. It reflects an attitude that the work week is finally over and now the real living can begin (weekend party time).
But God's Word says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it" which would apply to every day of the week! That is a constantly present tense reality. Each day is the day that the Lord has made and we are directed each day to rejoice and be glad.
Solomon makes a point so needed today: "So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 8:15). We especially highlight that phrase, "then joy will accompany him in his work." What a great perspective to enjoy the work we do realizing that God has providentially placed us in our present work position. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). "Always" would surely include time spent at work.
Paul wrote, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" (Colossians 3:23).
Today we commend you to the enjoyment of life and specifically that joy will accompany you in your work all the days of your life. This day do your work wholeheartedly and let the light of Christ shine through you and the labor of your hands! And if you can't sing, hum or whistle aloud, let the melody and lyrics gladden your heart!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Farther
along we'll know all about it
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all by and by...
Farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We'll understand it all by and by...
The young Amish women stocking shelves were not doing the kind of work most people aspire to. Anyone who has worked in retail knows the frustration of putting items neatly on display only to have customers move things around or worse yet, change their minds about an item and dispose of it far from its original location. Yet their joy was contagious and I smile as I reflect upon the experience.
How's your attitude toward your work today? The TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) outlook seems to permeate our society. It reflects an attitude that the work week is finally over and now the real living can begin (weekend party time).
But God's Word says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it" which would apply to every day of the week! That is a constantly present tense reality. Each day is the day that the Lord has made and we are directed each day to rejoice and be glad.
Solomon makes a point so needed today: "So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 8:15). We especially highlight that phrase, "then joy will accompany him in his work." What a great perspective to enjoy the work we do realizing that God has providentially placed us in our present work position. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). "Always" would surely include time spent at work.
Paul wrote, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" (Colossians 3:23).
Today we commend you to the enjoyment of life and specifically that joy will accompany you in your work all the days of your life. This day do your work wholeheartedly and let the light of Christ shine through you and the labor of your hands! And if you can't sing, hum or whistle aloud, let the melody and lyrics gladden your heart!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, we
find pleasure and fulfillment in our work when we
work at it heartily, as for You, primarily. We thank
You for giving us the wherewithal to provide an
income for our family where our financial needs are
met. Since each workplace has its challenges, we
look to You for strength, endurance and wisdom to
deal with those challenges so that we find
thanksgiving and fulfillment in our work. May others
see heaven sent joy flow from our lives as we spread
mutual respect and a strong work ethic in the
workplace, contributing to a joyous setting. In the
name of Jesus we pray. Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"I'm Gonna Sing" Video
Gaither
Vocal Band
"Then
He Said, "Sing!" Video Ivan
Parker
"This Is the Time I Must Sing" Video Gordon Mote
"Farther
Along" Video Russ
Taff
Finally
Today: As we walked into Audrey's
yesterday morning to begin our "walk
through" visiting with the employees,
Brooksyne snapped this photo of the
animals arranged on the table. Audrey's
receives regular shipments of items that
are available for purchase, but they
have to pass the test of desirability,
quality, and affordability before they
are accepted, posted in their catalog
and then included in their stock. It's
rather fun to see the newest batch of
products and these animals are among
them, though it will take a year for
most items to be available once they've
passed through the rigorous inspection
mentioned above.
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a message to Stephen
& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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