Honor

Friday, November 17, 2017

hon·or

ˈänər/

noun

1. 1. 

   high respect; esteem.

   "his portrait hangs in the place of honor"

   synonyms:

   distinction, recognition, privilege, glory, kudos, cachet, prestige, merit, credit; importance, illustriousness, notability;  respect, esteem, approbation "a mark of honor"
2. 2. 

   a privilege.

   "the great poet of whom it is my honor to speak tonight"

   synonyms:

   privilege, pleasure, pride, joy; compliment, favor, distinction "she had the honor of meeting the First Lady"

verb

1. 1. 

   regard with great respect.

   "Joyce has now learned to honor her father's memory."

   synonyms:

   esteem, respect, admire, defer to, look up to
2. 2. 

   fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).

   "make sure the franchisees honor the terms of the contract"

   synonyms:

   fulfill, observe, keep, obey, heed, follow, carry out, discharge, implement, execute, effect;  keep to, abide by, adhere to, comply with, conform to, be true to, live up to

Have you noticed recently that many families are ruled by the children? They dictate what they will eat and when. They go to bed when they feel like it — if at all. They talk badly to their parents and no one corrects them. 

I wonder when this trend started. And I wonder if it would be so prevalent if we still used the Ten Commandments as a guideline for living? 

Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Perhaps we should shift our focus toward this commandment. And while we’re at it, perhaps we should evaluate how we honor our Heavenly Father. Like gratitude, I’m pretty sure it’s hard to honor someone without action. I can say I honor Him. But unless my actions support that sentiment, they are only words. 

...Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
1 Samuel‬ ‭2:30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How can we honor the Lord? 

How can we honor our parents? 

Let’s put our words into action. 

Chivalry

Thursday, November 16, 2017

chiv·al·ry

ˈSHivəlrē/

noun

1. the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code.

   • historical

     knights, noblemen, and horsemen collectively.

     "I fought against the cream of French chivalry."
   • the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak. 

     synonyms:

     knight errantry, courtly manners, knightliness, courtliness, nobility;  bravery, courage, boldness, valor, heroism, daring, intrepidity; "the values of chivalry”

So at what point did chivalry take on the meaning. “holding the door open for ladies and elders?” 

Is chivalry dead? 

I was interested in seeing what the “urban dictionary” had to say about chivalry. Here we go:

Chivalry: Something women complain is dead even though it cannot logically exist in an equal society, which is something women say they want.

Jessie lamented about the death of chivalry while she lambasted the days when men oppressed women (which was a time when chivalry was common). 

Interesting. 

I guess I equate chivalry with courtesy.  I happen to think that you can show courtesy to people without insulting them. In fact courtesy should be just the opposite of an insult. It should show honor and respect. 

So in our world of upside down political correctness. I’m probably missing some key underlying problem with chivalry. Oh well. Guess what, if I’m going into a business along side someone in a wheelchair or a person with a stroller. I’m gonna hold the door open for them. Or if I see somebody struggling with a heavy load of some sort, I’m going to extend a helping hand. Guess I’ll just have to be upside down. 

Respect

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

re·spect

rəˈspekt/

noun

1. 1. 

   a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

   "the director had a lot of respect for Douglas as an actor"

   synonyms:

   esteem, regard, high opinion, admiration, reverence, deference, honor

Whom do you respect the most and why?

• teacher
• pastor
• family member
• someone in the military 
• someone at work
• a government official
• a neighbor

There have been some pretty special people in my life whom I have respected wholeheartedly. My daddy was one of them. He was something else. He was smart. He was kind. He had such a dry wit. He made the most incredible things with his hands and did the most beautiful calligraphy. He loved my mother more than anything and took such good care of her. And his girls were the apples of his eye. He modeled for us what unconditional love was all about and helped us see a portrait of our Heavenly Father. He was unselfish and even-keeled. As I grew up I knew I wanted to marry somebody like my daddy. 

And I did. 

The most respectable person I have ever known is, in fact, my husband. He is passionate about his calling to the ministry. He loves to preach. He loves to visit people. He knows everybody’s name and is friends with everybody. He loves his children and always makes time for them. He is the most unselfish man I have ever known. He is honest. He is dependable. He is loyal. And He is foolishly in love with me! I think I’ll keep him. 

What’s sad is that most people can’t say these things about their parents or their spouses. 

So do people have respect for you? I read an article yesterday about respect by Kevin Daun which I thought was pretty practical. Here is the link to it and a brief summary of it. 

https://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/7-things-really-respected-people-do.html

Respected people do these things:

1. They under promise and over deliver. 
2. They are comfortable in their own skin. 
3. They never leave anyone behind and find ways to include everybody. 
4. They are problem solvers — not blaming others along the way. 
5. They love to learn and to teach others what they know. 
6. They acknowledge and encourage others. 
7. They love life and make things more enjoyable for others. 

Who came to mind as you read these items? 

Maybe you and I will be more like this when we grow up. 

Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

thanks·giv·ing

ˌTHaNGksˈɡiviNG/

noun

1. 1. 

   the expression of gratitude, especially to God.

   "he offered prayers in thanksgiving for his safe arrival"
2. 2. 

   (in North America) an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal including turkey. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, and is held in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. A similar holiday is held in Canada, usually on the second Monday in October.

Thanksgiving is one way to express gratitude — to be thankful to God for His provisions. We do have a special time in the fall of the year in the United States when we celebrate this. But we can show thankfulness at any time. 

What are you thankful for and to whom do you need to express it?

• Do we thank our families enough for who they are?
• Do we show thankfulness to our co-workers for helping us with things?
• Do we say thank you to all the different people who show us small kindnesses every day?
• How do we treat those people who are supposed to be nice to us, like waitresses or people at a cash register or ministerial staff or healthcare workers? Should we thank them even though being nice or helpful is just an expectation of their jobs? 
• Do we recognize God’s blessings in our lives and do we specifically thank Him for them?

I don’t know. It seems like we are a people who just expect things to happen and don’t show a whole lot of thanksgiving in return. But we sure do fuss if things don’t go the way we plan. Immediate gratification. Selfishness. Entitlement. Call it what you want. We can sure be brats sometimes. 

But I think the same statement I used yesterday applies today. Thanksgiving isn’t thanksgiving unless you do something about it. 

So look at your life. Find the wonderful things in it. Thank God for His provisions and tell others what He has done. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭100:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Gratitude

Monday, November 13, 2017

grat·i·tude

ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/

noun

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

   
   

By definition gratitude isn’t gratitude unless you do something about it. 

Gratitude involves an element of thankfulness paired with an appropriate action. 

For what can we show gratitude?

• The service of our Veterans
• The receipt of a gift
• The gift of life from our parents
• The gift of eternal life from our Lord

If you’re particularly thankful for something this week, why not turn it into gratitude by showing appreciation for it or returning and act of kindness for it. 

Bill and I are establishing a friendship with a World War II Veteran who lives at the Veterans nursing home in Wilmore. We enjoy hearing stories from his military days but we also like to talk baseball with him. He's a Giants fan! We have expressed our thanks to him for his military service, but our act of gratitude is actually spending time with him. He has no family. And we don’t want him to be so totally alone. It’s the least we can do for him. 

How do you show gratitude? Does your family know you are grateful for them? Do your co-workers know you appreciate them? Does God know you’re thankful for His blessings? 

Memory Verse 2017 -- Week 45

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Sometimes when I’m in Bill’s office at church, I like to look around at all the different books he has on his shelves. Some are related to sports (that surprises no one), some have to do with finances, some are Bible commentaries, and some are topical books about something having to do with Christianity. One of my “favorites” is a 200-page hardback entitled, “Christianity Made Simple.”  Really? 200 pages doesn’t sound simple to me. 

In reality we are the ones who make Christianity difficult. It is, in fact, as easy as these steps indicate (this week and next week).  

I promise you that if you are reading this and you have never prayed this prayer before, if you will think about the words and earnestly pray them to the Lord, He will forgive your sins, take up residence in your heart, and change your forever. He promised. He will deliver. 

Moreover you can memorize these four steps so that you can share them with your family and friends whenever you feel lead to do so.  Then they can start a new life with the Lord, too. 

God bless you as you spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. 

(If you have any questions about these steps and how they apply to your life, feel free to comment on my blog, message me on Facebook, or call me.)

Spend the week focusing on these steps: 

• Write them in your journal. 
• Ask the Lord to show you how they apply to you. 
• Put them on a piece of paper and post it in a prominent place in your home so that you can see it often. 
• Pray that God will give you the opportunity this week to share these steps with someone. 

Our Veterans, Their Stories

Laurel County Public Library

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Andrea and I went to London, KY last night to see a movie at the Laurel County Public Library. It was a very well made documentary presenting the military experiences of five local guys. It was funny, heartbreaking, and thought provoking. 

One of the soldiers told a story about driving a tank. He said he thought he was in control when in actuality he wasn’t. He was reminded that he needed to relinquish control to the Lord — even in a tank. My battlefield is not on some foreign soil but in my own back yard. I must yield to my Master so that I can make appropriate progress for Him. 

All of the guys talked about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I can’t fathom it. I just shook my head in disbelief as I heard their painful stories. 

When they came home from Vietnam, there was no hero’s welcome. Instead there was animosity. People threw lettuce at them as they walked from their plane toward the air terminal. How painful. 

If you have the time, you should watch the movie on the Laurel County Public Library website. It’s a little over an hour long. But it will be so worth your time. These guys are incredible people. Check them out. 

laurellibrary.org