Marching Forth!

It's funny the things we can take for granted.  We can tend to group people together and imagine they are similar--when they are completely different.  I remember when it hit home I wrongly had the assumption all medical doctors must be averse to practices that are known to be unhealthy, and it was eye-opening to realise doctors are still regular people who do what they want.  Anyone who has hired a contractor knows all licensed plumbers, electritians, concreters and tilers are not the same.  Years back I hired a plumbing outfit to install a drain for a coffee machine, and after trips to the supplier and many hours of labour the drain was not properly installed or functioning.  Later that night another plumber from the same company came, installed the drain--and removed and installed a water heater--in a fraction of the time. This illustration can be extended to include nearly everything:  dogs of the same breed, trees of the same kind, and fruit of a sin...

Today I was led to consider the reputation Daniel garnered after years serving king Nebuchadnezzar.  The excellent and virtuous qualities observed in Daniel's character was not due to his natural goodness but the greatness of his God he trusted and worshipped.  Knowledge of God, His word and belief in Him guided Daniel to excel both as a student and a ruler throughout his entire career.  Like Joseph who was raised to be second to Pharoah in Egypt, he was successful at everything he did because God was with him. After Belshazzar (Nebuchadnezzar's son) assumed the throne, during a feast he had a shocking and sobering experience when the fingers of a man appeared and inscribed words on the plaster wall:  " MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN ."  The king commanded his astrologers and diviners to interpret the message on the wall, but they were unable to do so.  When the queen mother heard of the uproar, she said in  Daniel 5:11-12 :  " There is a man in you...

Years back when I worked in a trade, I installed a tool box on my truck with a commercial steel lock  for security .  The locks that came standard on the aluminium diamond-plate box could easily be pried open, so adding a hardened hasp and a robust lock was a necessity to deter thieves.  It would have been far easier to use a Sawzall on the lid than to go to work on the lock.  Since I had the key in my possession as the owner, opening the lock and storing my tools was easy. Recently at church the key to an exterior toilet our church maintains was misplaced, and having the key is required to open the door.  The fitted tamper-proof handle means even when the door is unlocked, it is impossible to enter.  Trying to use a hammer, crowbar or Sawzall would only lead to damage and great expense.  Thankfully in our case, there is a relatively simple solution:  contact our strata management company and request a replacement key.  While navigating the a...

David faced many difficult and stressful situations in his life, and some of these were the direct result of decisions he made without seeking the LORD.  When he fled from his house to save his life, he went the the priests at Nob and obtained the sword of Goliath--and then went to Achish, king of Gath!  Gath was the hometown of Goliath, and it wasn't until David was in the city and being brought before the king he realised the serious trouble he was in!  On another occasion David, weary of avoiding king Saul's relentless pursuits to kill him, feigned allegience to king Achish and was given permission to live in Ziklag.  David and his men had left Ziklag to go to battle, yet when they returned they found the town burnt with fire and all their wives and children taken captive.  A band of Amalekites had swept through and plundered the region, and David and his men had lost everything. 1 Samuel 30:4-6 reads, " Then David and the people who were with him lifted up...

A few nights back my wife Laura was alerted to sounds in the attic.  It is not uncommon to hear birds or critters of some kind scamper over roof tiles in the morning, but this was different.  After night fell, sounds of scratching, gnawing and squeaking could be easily heard just beyond the ceiling.  This was a most unpleasant intrusion and discovery for me.  Spring is mating season for rats and mice that forage for food and seek out nesting areas, and my attic is not a place I want them to be.  So I called an exterminator to inspect the attic and property, begin treatment, and see if there were any concerns or red flags I ought to address.  Everything looked in order, so it appears there isn't an infestation or serious problem. Over the days between hearing the noise of unknown rodent(s) and the pest control guy inspecting the property, I had time to think and pray about the situation.  I realise the way houses and roofing are constructed in Sydney it...

Years ago I worked for a company that had a softball team I played on.  After a big win, we had dinner afterward and reflected on the twists and turns of the game.  One infielder voiced the opinion his defence had been particularly stellar, and as he did so we all looked at one another with amazement:  was this guy serious?  Indeed, his defence had been such a liability it was a factor why the game was close at all!  It turned out he seriously thought his play should have been highlighted on ESPN SportsCenter--so great were his delusions.  He overlooked all the errors he made on the field (as if they had not happened) and viewed his routine plays as requiring the utmost athleticism and skill. While some people may be overly critical of themselves for making errors, my teammate illustrated how self-delusion can blind us from seeing ourselves in truth.  Had my teammate kept his thoughts to himself, he would have remained comfortable in his very positive ...