Quote from Forum Archives on May 10, 1998, 10:33 pm

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Standing Shoulder To Shoulder in the Trenches,
Encouraging One Another as we "Fight the Good Fight"

Dear Friend in Ministry:

What a great week provided by a great God!

And what a special time He has again provided for us to encourage each
other. I can honestly say that there is never a week when I dread having
to write my letter to you. And, there has never been, so far, a week
when I had to think something up to write. In fact, I probably have at
least two dozen ideas "cooking" or in various stages of composition.

On top of that, I keep running across great material from other people as
well. Some come as comments in responses people make; others come from
various sources.

I am indebted to a fellow business associate, Reynold Middleton, for
forwarding the following article to me. Jo Ann has suggested I pass it
on to you ---- especially since at this moment it is Mother's Day, and
she'd like to have me for more time today than the computer has.

In all seriousness, I really believe it has a lot to say to us about the
priorities we need to maintain, the proper use of our time, and the
tendency we have to allow "urgent" things which constantly clamor for our
time and attention to crowd out the really important things.

A STORY TO LIVE BY
by Ann Wells (Los Angeles Times)

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and
lifted out a tissue-wrapped package.

"This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the
tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and
trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure
on it was still attached.

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9
years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is the occasion."

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we
were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material
for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me.

"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive
is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed
when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow
an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to
California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives.

I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done.

I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they
were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm
reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the
view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more
time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not
endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every
special event ----such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped,
the first camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I
look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries
without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties;
clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function
as well as my party-going friends'.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my
vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and
hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she
known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted.

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends.
She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences
for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a
Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing ---- I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew
that my hours were limited.

Angry because I put off seeing good Friends whom I was going to get in
touch with ---- someday.

Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write
---- one of these days.

Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough
how much I truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that
would add laughter and luster to our lives.

And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is...a gift from God.

If you've received this it is because someone cares for you and it means
there is probably at least someone for whom you care. If you're too busy
to take the few minutes that it would take right now to forward this,
would it be the first time you didn't do that little thing that would
make a difference in your relationships?

I can tell you it certainly won't be the last.

I don't have to make up silly stories about people being hit by buses or
crushed by falling disco balls for not sending this letter on. You've
seen the result of this neglect in your own relationships that you have
allowed to fade, dissolve, and fall into disrepair.

Take this opportunity to set a new trend. Take a few minutes to send
this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're
thinking of them. The better you'll get in reaching out to those you
care about.

FINALLY

I'm doing just that. Many of you I know; most of you I don't.

But I still care. That's why I followed Jo Ann's recommendation ----
because I care . . . for you . . . for her.

Who should you send it to?

It would probably be a good ideal to let your spouse read it, too.

"What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?"

To put it another way, "What does it profit a minister if he gains all
his objectives and gets all his work done, and yet loses his own family
or health?"

Have a wonderful week in the Lord.

In Christ's Bond,

Bob Tolliver
Copyright May, 1998. All rights reserved. Permission is given to share
this article, with credits, to anyone you feel will be encouraged by its
content.

WHILE YOU'RE PRAYING please remember us in the following:

1. Next Sunday our son-in-law Jim Reynolds will be ordained. Pray for
Dad and for me as we bring the charge to Jim and to the church,
respectively. Pray for the entire experience, that it will, above all
else, be a time of high praise and worship.

2. In less than three weeks Jo Ann and I lead our team of SBU students
on a mission trip to Croatia. Because of some recent unbelievable
opportunities that have developed for ministry, we are in need of some
$5,900 additional funds for refugees and for children who are victims of
the Chernobyl nuclear accident ---- for food, for shoes and socks, etc.
Pray that God will miraculously provide. Also pray for us as we
participate in the commissioning of our team and eight others tomorrow
morning (Monday) at 9:30.

LIFE UNLIMITED MINISTRIES
ADDRESS: Route 1, Box 87AB, Collins, MO 64738
Ph: 417-275-4854. Fax: 417-275-4855
E-mail: [email protected]