Checking the Mail Box

I just came back from checking the mail box. Normally checking the mail would be no big deal but today it's note worthy.  The walk to the mail box across the parking was 120 strides.  My stride is approximately 30 inches, so if you double those 120 strides which would be a round trip to the mail box and back you come up with 240 strides times 30 inches per stride which would equal 7,200 inches from the front door to the mail box and back.  Now take those 7,200 inches and divide them by 12 inches in a foot and you discover that the mail box is 600 feet from the front door of the "Holy Grounds Cafe'" and I probably should mention that I made the trip without a coat and the temperature here in Topeka, KS., is 11 degrees.  Please don't ask why I didn't wear my coat.  Today there was only one item in the mail box, it just happened to be from the North American Mission Board in Atlanta GA. The item in the mail box was 8 sets of 6 prayer cards of people who represent the work of thousands of other people serving throughout North America.  The people on these prayer card are:

Ben & Shauna Pilgreen
Church Planting Missionaries
San Francisco, CA.

Peter & Irene Yanes
Church Planting Missionaries
Havertown, PS

Scott & Ashley
Church Planting Missionaries
Chicago, Il

Kay Bennett
Baptist Friendship House
New Orleans, LA

Victor & Candice Thomas
Church Planters
Burnaby, BC

Lorna Bius
LoveLoud Missionary
Aurora, CO.

One of the things we at the Holy Grounds Cafe' enjoy doing is praying for peoples needs.  The trip to the mail box today was a reminder that God has people all over the world telling others about His love for them and we here in Topeka KS. are part of that group.  Want to know more about Christ and His love you "YOU"?  stop by and we'll talk.

WALKING WITH GOD

Much has been said about "Walking With God" The need is especially great as we desire to be more like him on a daily basis.  While it sounds relatively easy it is actually very difficult.  We can all walk for short distances but when it comes to daily walking with God we find that it's not so easy.  Somewhere there must be a simple plan.  Well at least I think it is a simple plan, it can be summed up in one word and that word is "Obedience".  Once we understand that daily and step by step we need to make sure we listen to God and simply do as He says we will find that our walk takes less effort. Getting into the routine of obeying our Heavenly Father every day in every activity and making sure we are spending time with Him, we will be able to say with confidence; in the heat of the day it's always great to walk in the coolness of the garden with Jesus.

2013 Just Might Be The Year

So what am I talking about? 2013 might be year of financial failure of our great nation. Or 2013 might be the year that we see Civil War again here in America. 2013 might be the year that Twinkies come back under a new name or 2013 might be the year that the Kansas City Chiefs become the best football team ever, hey don't laugh it could happen (in our dreams).  This year 2013 could be the year that Christ returns, I'm ready are you?

While all of these are possibilities and most will cause great challenges to our lives what I am really trying to call your attention to is that I am once again going to try my hand and blogging. "Holy Grounds Cafe'" is a blog sight where you can prop by each day and just chat.  I'll try my best to start the conversation and you and others can jump in anywhere, so here we go:

Question # 1 If the U.S.A. did find itself in a Civil War what would be the cause and why?
       (A). Taxes

       (B).  Illegal Aliens

       (C). Gun Control

 

The Friends of George Wagstaff

My friend and brother in Christ who I have spoken about before blogged the following:

obituaries. Perhaps a morbid topic to discuss but I have had a few ponderings. I subscribe to the Indianapolis Star. In the Metro+State section, on a daily basis, there are ~50, count 'em FIFTY obituaries to read. All are written similarly Born on date, date they expired, Civic organizations, etc etc etc. Many have a Church they were a member of, never mind the fact that they hadn't attended since D-Day, or their tithing over the course of the last Quarter Century wouldn't purchase a Happy Meal. Nothing negative is EVER written. It's as if we bury nominees for Sainthood on a daily basis. I've come to the conclusion that one's obituary is written by the living for the living; one last chance to say good-bye. I mean the deceased don't care what is written. It's as if the living write it to give their loved one a boost through Heaven's door. Never mind the fact that the deceased, when living, didn't accept what one is deemed we accept for entrance into the Kingdom of flowing milk and honey. No, we'd never read about that.

You can follow his blog at The Sunday News at http://sundaynews2.blogspot.com/ check out his ponderings every Sunday.

BUT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT SOME PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY WROTE A GREAT OBITUARY BUT WHO ALSO STOOD BEHIND WHAT THEY WROTE.

I officiated a graveside service last week for an 88 year old man who had served in the United States Marine Corp from 1942-1946 and was a member of the "China Marines" ( if you don't recognize that term google it be amazed). Anyway the man raised Angus cattle, had been married for 62 years, worked a huge garden and was loved by a lot of people. I know he was loved because the graveside service was held in the pouring down rain, one of the worst rains I have ever been in. There were about 15 Marines present and another thirty friends and family all stood in the down pour as we had this "short" service.

All those present were thinking about this man's "Dash" or his life between the time he was born and the day he died.

I look around me through the rain, oh and it also hailed on us during our time there, and I noticed no one acted as though they wanted to leave, they were just proud to stand with others and honor their friends. I was honored to be a part of it.

To the friends and family of George Wagstaff I can only say "Semper Fi"

45 Uses for WD-40

I came across this and just had to let others know about it:

Here are some great ways to use WD - 40

1. Protects silver from tarnishing.

2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.

3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.

5. Keeps flies off cows.

6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.

7. Removes lipstick stains.

8. Loosens stubborn zippers.

9. Untangles jewelry chains.

10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.

15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.

17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.

18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.

19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.

21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.

22. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.

23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.

24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.

25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.

26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.

28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

31. Removes splattered grease on stove .

32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.

33.. Lubricates prosthetic limbs. 34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

35. Removes all traces of duct tape.

36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

37. Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'

38. The favorite use in the state of New York, WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.

40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!

43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

44. Removes pricing labels adhesive, and tape adhesives. 45. Removes the adhesive from a bumper or window after taking off the bumper sticker.

6 Reasons Everyone Should Have A Blog

We have a peach tree in our back yard and it has it's own special, unique story. My wife ordered in through the mail. I had never heard of a "mail order tree". When it arrived it looked like a stick, I mean just a stick there is no other way to describe it, it was just a stick. So we stuck it in the ground and for several years it was just what we ordered, a stick and nothing more. Then one year it produced some green leaves and the next year it began to grow, finally it got to be nearly ten feet tall. Then an awful thing happened, wind caused it to split right down the middle, all the way to the ground. That same day my son in-law and I tied it together with a nylon rope and I screwed a bolt through it in hopes that it might live and live it did. It lived to produce peaches. Albeit the squirrels ate them or the bugs got them but nevertheless we had peaches.

So what does that have to do with blogging?

When you start out writing your blog and entering post day after day it kinda feels like that stick looked. It's just a note or letter you write to yourself and it appears that no one knows or cares. But keep after it, in the long run it'll be worth the time.

I have determined that there are at least 6 reasons everyone should create and maintain a blog.

1. It's a great way to communicate to people without them responding the minute you say what's on your mind. You don't have to eat yours words so quickly.

2. If you have a message that needs to get out, you could have the largest audience possible. I means we're talking www, you know the World Wide Web.

3. It's great therapy. Too many people hold in or stuff what they ought to be telling someone. So it's pretty cheap counseling.

4. It's a great way to practice your writing skills. If you fancy yourself a story teller, this is the place to do it.

5. It's like your very own diary, public diary that is. It becomes a window into your mind and soul. People get to see you for who you really are (if you're honest that is).

6. It's cheaper than real mail. Setting up a blog is free.

There a ton of other reasons for creating your own blog and I highly recommend blogging to everyone. You probably won't get famous and you probably won't make a lot of money, but you'll have the time of your life. But who knows someone might see your writing and want to hire you to write for them.

Just like that little stick we put in the ground that grew into a pretty good looking peach tree so might your daily rambling on become a thing of lasting value.

Everyone should try it.

The Praying Place

Holy Grounds Cafe is a place with a reputation, or at least one person thinks so.
I'm not sure who that one person is but they did us a great favor the other day. Let me tell you what happened:

Holy grounds had what I like to call two couples of "Frequent Flyer's" enjoying their morning coffee and usual fellowship. Today they brought a friend. Things seemed to be normal. Well except for the editor of the state denomination paper who came in to interview me which was way beyond normal but very exciting.

Anyway, then it happened:

In came a black lady in her early fifties and point blank asked, "Is this the praying place?"

Stupid me, I responded, "Excuse me?"

"I have a friend" she said, "who told me there is a place in the mall where they'll pray for you, so am I early?" "Do you have a group that meets and prays over people?"

"No, it's just me", I said.

"Well, I need prayer" she said as we sat down and she began to unload all the baggage from her troubled soul. Her problems where many and very complicated. As she rattled off a series of problems and difficulities, I almost got lost in just setting there realizing that God had directed this lady to me, so I could pray for her. I tried to introduce her to the Master in a personal way, telling her of God's love. But that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted me to "pray for her".

I prayed, she cried, she left, asking "May I come back again for more prayer?"

Of-course you know how I answered don't you?

Simply being available to do God's will has got to be the most exciting thing I have ever done, but then again it seems like something happens every day that tops what happened the day before.

I totally agree with the song that says, "everyday with jesus is sweeter than the day before."

Some Things Are "Free"

I grew up in an time when the favorite statement of many people was, "There's nothing free". I actually thought that was the truth for a long time..... Then I came across the concept of "Love". Love is difficult to understand if you're an adult and lived long enough to really experience it, but for a kid love can really be confusing. Kids don't understand what love is and throw in there the idea of "tough love" and you can really mess up a kids thinking.

I wonder why it's so much easier to understand hate?

Anyway back to the nothing is free idea. Love, real love is free. Real love is unconditional and comes our way even when we are unlovely.

At the Holy Grounds Cafe we don't charge for our coffee, pop, bottled water, pastries and so on. People have walked away from our door because they just couldn't believe that things were "free" they are always waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop and to find out what the catch will be.

There is a scripture that tells about Christ standing at the "Door" of our heart knocking. So many people just walk away never answering the door afraid of what it will cost them if they respond. How sad.

I've learned a lot since those early days. There really are some things that are free.

Target Practice

There really is a place called "Holy Grounds Cafe" located in Topeka KS. It's a great place for target practice. Monday through Friday 8:30am - 1:30pm people walk by, getting their daily exercise. Little do they know they are also targets.

I have started setting my sights on them. For most of them I have less than 6 to 7 seconds to get off a shot. Some are slower and some even stop and are caught in my proverbial cross hairs. I have even tried setting up some interesting little distractions made to look like cartoon drawings that some unsuspecting walkers actually stop, read and allow me to spend time focusing on them in a more specific way.

Now don't go calling 911 and reporting some nut out at the mall.

You see what I'm doing is praying for people. I don't know their names, where they come from, what they do with the rest of their life or if they even have a life outside of walking in the mall.

I'm not sure who's getting the most benefit out of this practice of "Prayer Target Practice" me of the ones my prayers are aimed at. But I know one thing for sure, my prayers never miss their target and I never run out of ammo.

Do you have a creative way that you pray for people? Click on "comments" below and tell me about it.

LEARNING TO REST IN THE LORD

You can't imagine how many years I have waited to "Rest In The Lord". I have done all kinds of things attempting to ease my nerves but only one thing works for me. Simply reading Gods Word.

Lately I've taken the time to just sit down and read from the Bible. Sometimes it's in regard to preparation for an upcoming sermon, sometimes it's trying to study while looking for some great answer from God, but most of the time it's just a way of saying "hello to God".

The more I read at one setting the more peaceful I get. It's like crawling up in the lap of God himself. I love it.

When I find myself facing troubles that I just can't seem to get control of, I go to the book, not just any book, but "THE book" the Bible. The greatest resource ever provided for mankind. I have spent a ton of money on lots of books but it's only the Bible that really provides help.

If you want to spend some money wisely? But a bible.