A little thought from Tolkien

My whole family loves to read...and lately we've had "The Fellowship of the Ring" floating around the house and we all take turns reading it and enjoying it together. We do crazy things like walk into the room and announce trivia questions like "How did Oin die" and "How many days was it from the time Frodo was stabbed to the time he got to Rivendell" and "How did Gandalf make his signiture "G" ? Things like that...and while we enjoy the movie, we still love to read the book and discuss it! :)

I ran across a passage the other day and I wanted to share it, because it has a really good principle. (and by the by, Gandalf and Frodo share this conversation in the mines of Moria in the movie, where as it's proper place is in chapter 2, The Shadow of the Past.)

Gandalf is telling Frodo the history of the ring and as Frodo begins to see the import of the matter this comes up:

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

Using our time wisely. It's not about what happens to us, it's about how we react to the events in our lives. I find that principle to be intriguing, and challenging. At least for me it's an ever present attitude choice: how am I going to react to the situation with which I'm faced. Will it be with a Christian spirit and a graceful attitude, or will it be out of passing emotions and lashing out?

So it's just a thought. And you could do so much more with this.

How are you deciding to use your time?

A brief thought...

This evening during our ladies class one of our elders wives was saying the closing prayer and in it she said something that really caught my attention.

Paraphrased it was: "God takes imperfect people and uses them to do His will. God takes imperfect people and provides the chance for them to grasp on to the way of seeking perfection in Him."

Think of the example of Alexander the Great. He was the last and ultimate conquerer and destroyer of Tyre and Sidon. Alexander falls under the first- God takes imperfect people to carry out his will.

Then there is the example of Rahab, she was an imperfect woman who chose to change and believe in God. There is a beautiful end to the story of Rahab; she chose to follow God, she married an Israelite and was part of the linage of our saviour, Jesus Christ.

We are all imperfect people. (Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) Are we choosing to grasp the opportunity of seeking perfection in Christ? How strongly are we committed to that? What are we willing to do?

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matt. 13:45-46