Quote from Forum Archives on October 3, 2001, 10:42 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

The time of the week that some of you have been waiting for is
upon us. We are "over the hump" - Wednesday, and now we can hear
"The Rest of the Story", as told by Larry Davies. You may recall
that Larry has been helping us to sift through the grief,
disbelief, anger, and loss that we have experienced as a result
of the airplane hijackings and intentional terrorist crashing of
planes, killing all who were in flight, and thousands of people
who were in the buildings that were attacked by our own
commercial aircraft. This week, Larry brings some closing
thoughts, scriptures, and suggestions for prayer to us as he
continues his discussion. I encourage you to read it carefully
and prayerfully.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

Reply-to: "Sowing Seeds of Faith..."<sowseeds@nesbeonline.com>
Subject: 🙂 Demotivators: A Key to Success?

Sowing Seeds of Faith

:- ( Demotivators: A Key to Success! Larry Davies

I love motivational products! One of my favorite pictures shows a
lighthouse brightly shining in the midst of a fierce storm. The
caption reads: 'Possibilities: The only way to discover the
limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.'
Isn't that great? But sometimes too much of a good thing is well-
too much. After all, how many soaring eagles and lighthouses can
one person own?

Several years ago, I received a calendar from Despair, Inc. On
the cover was a picture of the infamous Leaning Tower of
Pisa. The caption read: 'Mediocrity - It takes a lot less time
and most people won't notice the difference until it's too late.'
Can you believe that? Another page on the calendar showed a snow
skier in mid-flight heading for a big fall. Underneath were the
words: 'Ineptitude - If you can't learn to do something well,
learn to enjoy doing it poorly.'

E.L. Kersten, designed this publication titled: 'Monthly
Inspirations for Underachievers, Pessimists and the Chronically
Unsuccessful.' In the introduction he writes: 'For over a decade,
motivational products have promoted 'Success,' 'Quality' and the
importance of 'Determination.' As wonderful as these notions
sound, the sad fact is that not everyone wins, cares or even
tries. That's why our Demotivators champion the often-overlooked
merits of 'Mediocrity,' 'Pessimism' and even outright
'Failure.''

How about this one: A photo of a teenage baseball player sitting
alone on the team bench. The shadows of the sinking sun highlight
his lowered head and slumping body. Obviously, the game is over
for him. The caption: 'Losing - If at first you don't succeed,
failure may be your style.' Crash! Do you ever get tired of
hearing, 'No Pain - No Gain'? Here is Demotivators version: A
boxer being hit so hard that his face is contorted in - 'Agony -
Not all pain is gain.' Ouch!

Let's face some hard facts. The events of September 11, 2001 are
a permanent reminder that life can be incredibly difficult and
unfair at times. Hard work does not always lead to success. Some
people are more gifted than others. Lightning strikes good
people and bad. For every winner there are dozens of losers. The
list goes on and on- Becoming more motivated is no guarantee of
happiness. So the real question becomes, 'If life is so unfair
with no promises of success, where do we go for help'?

The author of Ecclesiastes wrote in despair that life is
meaningless. But he ultimately found meaning. How? By obeying and
following God's will. 'People who do this rarely look with sorrow
on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy.'
(Ecclesiastes 5:20) Here are God's promises:

1. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until
late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives
rest to his loved ones. (Psalm 127:2)

2. I look up to the mountains, does my help come from there? My
help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth! He
will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you
will not sleep- The LORD himself watches over you! - The LORD
keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
(Psalm 121)

3. So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life - whether you
have enough food, drink and clothes. Can all your worries add a
single moment to your life? Of course not. (Matthew 6:25,27)

4. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about
everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has
done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is
far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.
(Philippians 4: 6-7)

Put these four scriptures together and what do you get?

1. Hard work and motivation alone will never ultimately
satisfy. Trust in God to give you rest.

2. Look to the mountains- your help comes from a God who will
watch over and protect you.

3. Worries about everyday necessities interfere with your faith
and add nothing to your life.

4. Replace worry with prayer and you will begin to experience
God's peace to guard your heart.

Maybe in today's environment, this is the motivation we really
need. 'People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past,
for God has given them reasons for joy.' I feel better
already. Do you? Now if I could just find a way to put this on a
poster. First, I need a lighthouse. (Larry, please spare me.)

For a catalog of Demotivators products, visit their website at
www.despair.com.

Sowing Seeds of Faith... Weekly devotions with ATTITUDE, humor,
great stories and a down-to-earth Bible study.

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www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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