Update:
I spent most of Saturday trying to familiarize myself with Windows 8.1
on my new office laptop. Some things I
really like about it—especially the touch screen. Other things I am still struggling with—like how
to find the programs that I’ve loaded, etc.
I’m glad that I’ve got some great tech support right at the church. Corey (and Dean as backup) always takes good
care of me.
I rode my new bicycle over to Brian and Sharon’s and found that they
sold most of my things at their garage sale.
I’m so thankful for their assistance.
Unfortunately, the treadmill didn’t sell, so Brian loaded it up and
brought it back to me. I then rode my
bike over to Karen’s office and then out to the church so I could pick up a few
things. By the time I got home, my legs
got a good workout. I am so thankful
that I can ride the bike. It really is
an emotional pick-me-up. I spent the
rest of Saturday setting up the computer and loading programs while working on
my message for Sunday morning.
The adjustment to my prosthesis that I got last Friday really was a
substantial improvement. I still have
limits but by rationing my time spent on my leg, I have much more consistent
freedom from pain. With that said, I
have had pain in a new area in the back of my knee—so there is always something
else to work on.
Monday is my day off so in the morning, I am hoping the weather will
cooperate so I can go for a motorcycle ride.
In the afternoon I’ve got an appointment with the prosthetist. We’ll see what improvements we can continue
to make.
Thought for the Day:
Everyone faces discouragement from time to time. Life drags us down and we feel like we cannot
stand up again. In the book, “How to
Turn Failure into Success” (1958), Harold Sherman gives a “Code of Persistence”
that each of us should strive to follow:
- 1 I will never give up so long as I know that I am right.
- 2 I will believe that all things will work out for me if I hang on until the end.
- 3 I will be courageous and undismayed in the face of odds.
- 4 I will not permit anyone to intimidate me or deter me from my goals.
- 5 I will fight to overcome all physical handicaps and setbacks.
- 6 I will try again and again and yet again to accomplish what I desire.
- 7 I will take new faith and resolution from the knowledge that all successful men and women have had to fight defeat and adversity.
- 8 I will never surrender to discouragement or despair no matter what seeming obstacles my confront me.
When the people of God were
confronted with insurmountable odds, God consistently tells them not to allow
fear or discouragement to deter them from their goal of taking the Promised Land
or any enemy that they face.
Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged.”
Here are some other scripture passages with the very same message:
Deuteronomy 1:21
Joshua 1:9; 8:1; 10:25
1 Chronicles 22:13; 28:20
2 Chronicles 20:15; 20:17; 32:7
Why did God repeat this same message “Do not be afraid; Do not be
discouraged” over and over to His people?
Because they continually faced difficult times and need to be frequently
reminded not to allow discouragement and fear to sap them of their strength and
their will to fight against the odds.
Failure isn’t final until you give up and stop trying. Many of history’s most successful people
faced difficult and trying times which often resulted in failure. But we know about them because they refused
to give up and tried over and over again until they were successful.
Obviously I will never grow a new foot or become a legend in the NFL
because I kept thinking positively and never gave up. There are limits to what we can do and what
can be accomplished; but let’s not give up too soon or give in too early. Let’s push the limits and see what we can
accomplish.
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