Resolved to Dash to a Good Finish!

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears, but said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars..the house...the cash. What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash.

Faith in the Resurrection brings us freedom from the power of sin (which is death)

So think about this long and hard; are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile...remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life's actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

Moses made it to the promised land.

by Linda Ellis

Hebrews 11:23–29 NASB95

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

Hebrews 11:23–30 NASB95

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

Hebrews 11:

TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL DASH:

YOU MUST TRAIN. (V. 23)

YOU MUST SUSTAIN THE PATH. (V. 24-5)

Faith in the Death of Christ brings Pardon.

Faith in the Resurrection brings us freedom from the power of sin (which is death)

Moses made it to the promised land.

FLEE FROM DISTRACTION.

2 Timothy 2:22 NASB95

22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Timothy 2:22 NASB95

22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

When you run the race of life for God, you will by nature run from other things. They exist on opposing ends of the spectrum.

things you need to stop doing and run away from and things you need to run toward:

1. You know its easier to TALK about your problems than face your problems! I can’t many times is simply an excuse for I won’t. Grow up and face your issues like an adult!

2. Picking on others and putting other’s down rather than taking the high road. Criticism and sarcasm (Now I don’t mean you can’t jibe your friends) but I’m referring to the person who finds a cloud whenever there is a silver lining around. Instead of picking people up in the race, you put them down and just stand around. Do something positive, peaceful and loving.

3. Be confident in the race you are supposed to run.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 NASB95

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

Avoid gift envy. Well, if I had what he had. If I had been born into the right family. Grew up in that neighborhood. Had parents who encouraged me. Had better friends, more money etc.... I can go on and on. We live in a day and age where identity politics has reared it’s ugly green head. You can spend your life green with envy over what you perceive other people have that you want or you can choose to take what God has given you and your life is very short and do what you can.

Eccl 9:10

Again judging others negatively can be one of the strategies a person who is not brave enough to face life uses to feel good about himself

Solid Self confidence program i said that people who lack courage usually prejudge because this allows them to feel superior without doing any effort. Again judging others negatively can be one of the strategies a person who is not brave enough to face life uses to feel good about himself

I want you to hear the real life story of a loser who once he embraced his giftedness became a winner and blessed many people with joy and laughter.

ILLUSTRATION: THE LOSER-----------------------

For Sparky, school was all but impossible.

He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero.

Sparky also flunked Latin, Algebra, and English. He didn’t do much better in sports.

Although he did manage to make the school’s golf team, he promptly lost the only important match of the season.

There was a consolation match. He lost that one too.

Throughout his youth, Sparky was socially awkward.

He was not actually disliked by the other students; it was just that no one cared that much about him.

He was astonished if a classmate ever said hello to him outside of school hours.

There’s no way to tell how he might have done with dating.

Because Sparky never once asked a girl to go out with him while he was in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down.

Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates... everyone knew it. So he rolled with it.

Sparky had made up his mind early in life that, if things were meant to work out, they would.

Otherwise he would content himself with what appeared to be his inevitable mediocrity of just blending in with the crowd.

However, one thing was import to Sparky: drawing. He was proud of his artwork. Of course, no one else appreciated it.

In his senior year at high school, he submitted some cartoons to the editors of the yearbook. The cartoons were turned down.

Despite this particular rejection, Sparky was so convinced of his ability that he decided to become a professional artist.

After completing high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios.

He was told to send some samples of his artwork, and the subject for a cartoon was suggested.

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Sparky drew the proposed cartoon. He spent a great deal of time on it, and on all the other drawings he submitted.

Finally, the reply came from Disney Studios. He had been rejected once again. Another loss for the loser.

So Sparky decided to write his autobiography in cartoons. He described his childhood self: a little boy loser and chronic underachiever.

The cartoon character would soon become famous worldwide.

For Sparky, the boy who had such lack of success in school, and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schulz.

He created Peanuts, and the cartoon character whose kite would never fly and who never succeeded in kicking a football – was none other than that of Charlie Brown.

ii.FACE EVERY OBSTACLE.

FACE EVERY OBSTACLE.

9/20/2014 in DC by Patrick Kiger

📷This bench in Rock Creek Park commemorates French ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand, who was the only man who could keep up with Teddy Roosevelt on a hike in the park. Credit: National Park Service

In Rock Creek Park, there's a granite bench on the trail near Beach Drive, just south of Peirce Mill, that bears a curious inscription: "Jusserand: Personal tribute of esteem and effection."

It's a safe bet that most of the people who pass by the odd little 78-year-old memorial don't realize that it commemorates one of President Theodore Roosevelt's close friends, French ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand (1855-1932), who spent numerous afternoons hiking with the 26th President in Rock Creek Park. Historian Scott Einberger notes that the Gallic diplomat reportedly was one of few people in Washington who could keep up with Teddy on a hike, but as Jusserand himself admitted in his memoirs, that was no easy feat: "What the President called a walk was a run: No stop, no breathing time, no slacking of speed, but a continuous race, careless of mud, thorns and the rest."

Jusserand's initial hike with Roosevelt was a particularly arduous one. As Roosevelt biographer H.W. Brands details, the diplomat showed up at the White House that day in an afternoon coat and silk hat, imagining that Roosevelt's idea of a walk might be something like taking a stroll in the Tuileries. Instead, TR appeared in knickerbockers, heavy boots, and a battered felt hat. With a few other hikers, the pair then embarked on a march out of the city and into the woods. Roosevelt hated to stay on trails, and preferred point-to-point hiking that required carving out his own route. Pretty soon, Jusserand's elegant attire was splattered with mud, but he neverthess managed to keep up.

According to various accounts, at one point, the hikers arrived at Rock Creek or another stream, and Roosevelt startled the Frenchman by stripping off his clothes, explaining that he wanted them to be dry when he got to the other side of the stream. The ambassador reluctantly followed Roosevelt's lead. "I too, for the honor of France, removed my apparel, everything except from my lavender kid gloves," he later recalled.

Roosevelt apparently was charmed by Jusserand's sense of humor, as well as by his toughness. The two men embarked upon what became a close friendship, both personally and professionally. As historians Hans Krabbendam and John M. Thompson note, the French ambassador became the most important member of Roosevelt's "tennis cabinet" of informal advisors and confidantes: "Roosevelt made a point of consulting Jusserand as if he were an honorary cabinet officer, and told a bewildered Congressman, 'He has taken the oath as Secretary of State.'"

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, a film by Ken Burns,

James 1:2–4 NASB95

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

c. YOU MUST AIM FOR THE FINISH LINE.

1 Corinthians 9:24 NASB95

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Cor. 9

I will Pass the baton to: ________________________.

Who can you help grow as a Believer? Who can you encourage to take the next step of faith?

I will Carry the baton in: ________________________.

What ministry are you involved in? Where do you need to run for Jesus?

_________________________________________________________________________

I will attend the next sermon series: Bod4God.

I want to join a group to encourage me to live for God.

I want to attend the Group session with Pastor Steve Reynolds, Sunday Oct. 7th at 6:30 pm upstairs in the youth room.

9/20/2014 in DC by Patrick Kiger

📷This bench in Rock Creek Park commemorates French ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand, who was the only man who could keep up with Teddy Roosevelt on a hike in the park. Credit: National Park Service

In Rock Creek Park, there's a granite bench on the trail near Beach Drive, just south of Peirce Mill, that bears a curious inscription: "Jusserand: Personal tribute of esteem and effection."

It's a safe bet that most of the people who pass by the odd little 78-year-old memorial don't realize that it commemorates one of President Theodore Roosevelt's close friends, French ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand (1855-1932), who spent numerous afternoons hiking with the 26th President in Rock Creek Park. Historian Scott Einberger notes that the Gallic diplomat reportedly was one of few people in Washington who could keep up with Teddy on a hike, but as Jusserand himself admitted in his memoirs, that was no easy feat: "What the President called a walk was a run: No stop, no breathing time, no slacking of speed, but a continuous race, careless of mud, thorns and the rest."

Jusserand's initial hike with Roosevelt was a particularly arduous one. As Roosevelt biographer H.W. Brands details, the diplomat showed up at the White House that day in an afternoon coat and silk hat, imagining that Roosevelt's idea of a walk might be something like taking a stroll in the Tuileries. Instead, TR appeared in knickerbockers, heavy boots, and a battered felt hat. With a few other hikers, the pair then embarked on a march out of the city and into the woods. Roosevelt hated to stay on trails, and preferred point-to-point hiking that required carving out his own route. Pretty soon, Jusserand's elegant attire was splattered with mud, but he neverthess managed to keep up. As a boy, he'd spent summers traipsing about in the forests on the slopes of the Monts de la Madeleine, and he was still in pretty good condition.

📷Jean Jules Jusserand, the French ambassador, bonded with Teddy Roosevelt through hiking. Credit: Library of Congress

According to various accounts, at one point, the hikers arrived at Rock Creek or another stream, and Roosevelt startled the Frenchman by stripping off his clothes, explaining that he wanted them to be dry when he got to the other side of the stream. The ambassador reluctantly followed Roosevelt's lead. "I too, for the honor of France, removed my apparel, everything except from my lavender kid gloves," he later recalled. He explained to a puzzled Roosevelt that the gloves would help him stave off embarrassment "if we should meet ladies" before they had a chance to put their clothes back on.

Roosevelt apparently was charmed by Jusserand's sense of humor, as well as by his toughness. The two men embarked upon what became a close friendship, both personally and professionally. As historians Hans Krabbendam and John M. Thompson note, the French ambassador became the most important member of Roosevelt's "tennis cabinet" of informal advisors and confidantes: "Roosevelt made a point of consulting Jusserand as if he were an honorary cabinet officer, and told a bewildered Congressman, 'He has taken the oath as Secretary of State.'"

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, a film by Ken Burns, chronicles the the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics. It airs September 14-20.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell

Listen baby, ain't no mountain high Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby If you need me call me no matter where you are No matter how far don't worry baby Just call my name I'll be there in a hurry You don't have to worry 'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough Ain't no valley low enough Ain't no river wide enough To keep me from getting to you babe Remember the day I set you free I told you you could always count on me darling From that day on, I made a vow I'll be there when you want me Some way, some how 'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough Ain't no valley low enough Ain't no river wide enough To keep me from getting to you babe Oh no darling No wind, no rain Or winters cold can stop me baby, na na baby 'Cause you…