SMOOTH STONES By Sally I. Kennedy

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:1

One of the earliest sunday school stories I recall hearing is the one
about David and Goliath. David, shepherd boy, who comes up against
the gigantic warrior, Goliath. And with just a slingshot and a few
little stones.

What a hero! He zaps the enemy in one fell blow, straight to the
head. Here's the story, from the Bible (17th chapter of 1st Samuel):

Then he took his (shepherd's) staff in his hand, chose five smooth
stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag
and, with his sling in his hand...David said to the Philistine(giant),
"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come
against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied. ..This day the LORD will hand you over
to me, and I'll strike you down ... All those gathered here will know
that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle
is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." ..Reaching
into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the
Philistine on the forehead. So David triumphed ...without a sword in
his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

The stones David selected were smooth. Not big, heavy boulders. Small
stones that had been continually washed by the river waters. They were
more fit for use against the enemy than rougher, larger, more rugged
stones.

David knew. He had spent a lot of time outdoors, by himself, taking
care of the flocks of sheep for his father. And he'd had plenty of
time to practice with his slingshot. He knew how to do it.

In our journeys, as we are constantly washed by the waters of life, we
too become more smooth. More fit to be used. As I was thinking of
this, I coudn't help but think that it would be good for me to quit
struggling so often, and just go with the flow. Smooth stones are
just fine, especially when they're part of God's master plan.

MID-LIFE CRISIS Melanie Schurr

It is known that sometime between our late thirties and early fifties, many men and women will undergo that much frowned upon stage in life fondly known as "mid-life crisis." Being a woman in her late thirties, I freely admit I am currently passing this time-honored threshold, hopefully,with style and grace, (My husband and children might disagree!). While the sudden flood of emotions has, most certainly,
caught me off guard, personally, I see little, if any, negativity in this private time of reassessment and reflection.

Here's what Frederic Hudson, Ph.D., president of the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara, California, and author of "The Adult Years" has to say on the matter: "A soulful search for what is truly important is worth our precious time and effort and love and attention. We should feel honored that we are allowed this mid-life checkup, that we receive this wake-up call."

How true this is! How blessed we should feel that, as thinking and feeling human beings, we are given the opportunity to use our God-given abilities to ponder, question, reevaluate, and ultimately, grow!

To me, mid-life crisis is a time to stand back and look where one's life is heading. It is a time of recognizing our own mortality and coming face to face with our past and present hopes and desires, sometimes, even dealing with disappointment.

If YOU are going through a mid-life crisis or just any difficult period of reassessment and questioning, then NOW is a good time to also reevaluate your relationship, or lack thereof, with Jesus Christ. While mortality, career, and family are certainly important topics to reflect upon, none other is as significant as our very salvation.

10 LITTLE CHRISTIANS Author Unknown

10 Little Christians standing in line
1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9
9 little Christians stayed up very late
1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8
8 little Christians on their way to Heaven
1 took the low road and then there were 7
7 little Christians chirping like chicks
1 disliked music, then there were 6
6 little Christians seemed very much alive
but one lost his interest then there was 5
5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore
but one stopped to rest, then there were 4
4 little Christians each busy as a bee
but one got his feelings hurt, then there were 3
3 little Christians knew not what to do
1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2
2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done
differed with each other, then there was 1
1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true;

but brought his friend to Bible study -- then there were 2

2 earnest Christians, each won one more
that doubled the number, then there were 4
4 sincere Christians worked early and late
Each won another then there were 8
8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before
In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1,024

In this little jingle, there is a lesson true,
You belong, either to the building-, or to the wrecking-crew!

EARTHLY TREASURES Author Unknown

Knowing he would die soon, a rich man had all his assets converted into gold bars, put them in a big bag on his bed, draped his body over the bag of gold, and breathed his last. When he woke up, he was at the gate of Heaven.

Saint Peter met him at the gate and with a concerned look on his face said, "Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! But unfortunately, you can't bring that in."

"Oh please, sir," said the man. "I must have it. It means everything to me."

"Sorry, my friend," said Saint Peter. "If you want to keep that bag, then I'm afraid you'll have to go to, you know, the other place. You don't want to go there, believe me."

"Well, I won't part with this bag."

"Have it your way," returned Peter. "But before you go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you're willing to trade eternal life for?"

"Sure," said the man. "You'll see. I could never part with this."

Saint Peter looked in the bag and with a puzzled look on his face said to the man, "You're willing to go to hell for... pavement?"

Where to take it from here...

What's coming between you and God? Your money? Your possessions? Your status? Your friends? Your fun? You may be sure that none of it can compare with what God has prepared for you (1 Corinthians 2:9). "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

THE DESIGNER by Warren Kramer

It's a late summer night on the Oregon coast on a full-moonlit night. It's so bright, it's almost like day. Huge rock formations along ashimmering beach are so beautiful I just have to stop. Walking along this beach, eyeing the rock formations, the beach, the moon, the starry sky, I'm struck with an incredible thought. This couldn't possibly have just happened!

Let me explain. All my adult life I'vebeen a professional graphic designer. Most people don't understand what that is. They say, You're a cartoonist? No, I design things for print-like this brochure. But this doesn't have any cartoons in it. Did you take these photographs? " No, a commercial photographer did. Well, did you do this lettering? No,that's type set on my computer. Well, did you print it? NO, a printer did! Well, what did you do?

I DESIGNED it! Someone has to decide what size and color it's going to be, what to use for photos or artwork, how to crop them, where to put them on the page, what type style to use and how big, how many columns to use for the body copy, how to fold it, how to make it inviting to read, what kind of paper to use, whether it will self-mail or go in an envelope and how to design the envelope! In short, someone has todecide the best way to communicate in print. It doesn't just happen! Bingo! The same thing people had been doing to me for years, I had been doing to the Great Designer.

A printed piece doesn't just happen without being designed and produced. Whether it's done haphazardly by Joe Printer or thoughtfully by a professional designer, it must be designed and produced or it doesn't exist. In the same way, this beautiful coastline couldn't have just happened without a Designer. Clearly, the universe has design.

Plants are designed to take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, animals and humans are designed to breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This is design. How could it have design without a Designer? How couldit exist without the Great Designer?