The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,200 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.
Ran across this great illustration submitted by Tony Fox. Since we are teaching on BEING PLANTED in the local church, I thought I’d share it.
Dear Pastor:
You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following reasons and the number of times indicated.
Christmas Holidays (the Sunday before & after) 2
New Years (the party lasted too long) 1
Easter (get away for the holidays) 2
July 4th (national holidays) 1
Labor Day (need to get away) 2
Memorial Day (visit hometown folk) 1
School closing (kids need a break) 1
School reopens (one last fling) 1
Family reunions (mine & wife’s) 3
Sleep late (stayed up too long Saturday night) 9
Deaths in family 2
Anniversary (second honeymoon) 1
Sickness (one per family member) 5
Business trip (a must) 1
Vacation (three to four weeks) 6
Bad weather (ice, snow, rain, clouds) 2
Ball games 2
Races 2
Unexpected company (can’t walk out) 2
Time changes (spring & fall) 2
Special on TV (superbowl, etc) 3
Pastor, that leaves two Sundays per year. So, you can count on us to be in church on the 4th Sunday in February and the 3rd Sunday in August unless we are providentially hindered.
Sincerely,
A Faithful Member
So, because we’re brothers in the Lord, do something for me. Give me some comfort because of Christ. Philemon 1:20 (GW)
Here is Paul. He has a great friend, Onesimus. And he misses him greatly.
Have you ever had or needed a friend so close that you could actually be yourself? One that KNOWS YOU. One that CARES much about what you are going through. And you care about them, too, right?
2008. No matter what you are going through right now, no matter what you will find yourself in the future — you should never neglect a close friend. We tend to withdraw and to become this “automatic-garage-door” society. We drive in and shut the door. Then we become an island.
But, we are ripping ourselves off when we do that. God created us to be a blessing to Him AND to others. Just like we need a close friend, they need us.
In the coming year, I plan on facilitating more relationships. I want closer friends. And like Paul, I know they can comfort me, refresh me, and keep me all the more alive.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us that we actually sharpen other by our interaction.
RevTim Thinks 