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HOPE
GRADUATION 2001
JUST ANOTHER PENTECOST DAY
EASTER 2003
ANGELS AMONG US
ANGELS AMONG USCHRISTMAS EVE SERMON 2001
CHRISTMAS EVE SERMON 2001DEAR FRED AND MARY
DEAR FRED AND MARYINVITED TO THE WEDDING
INVITED TO THE WEDDINGMARCH 17, 2002
THROUGH DEATH TO LIFEMOUNTAINTOPS AND VALLEYS
MOUNTAINTOPS AND VALLEYSSATAN SPEAKS
SATAN SPEAKS|
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| GRADUATION 2001 |
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| ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW |
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| GRADUATION CELEBRATION…JUNE 17, 2001 CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR HARD WORK HAS PAID OFF. THIS WEEKEND, OR NEXT WEEKEND, IS THE TANGIBLE PROOF OF THE MANY HOURS SPENT IN PURSUIT OF YOUR GRADUATION MOMENT. NOW YOU REJOICE IN THE HANDSHAKES AND HUGS FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. YOU ACCEPT THEIR GIFTS WITH GRATITUDE AND THAT MYSTERIOUS MIXTURE OF LAUGHTER AND TEARS. THEIR GIFTS WILL ALWAYS BE SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE OCCASION THEY CELEBRATE. BUT TODAY, WE REJOICE WITH YOU ON OTHER GIFTS…GIFTS GIVEN TO YOU BY GOD…AND SO, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF GOD’S GIFTS AND ADVICE TO YOU, HIS CHILDREN. YOU MAY HAVE THE GIFT OF LEADERSHIP. YOU CAN USE THIS GIFT TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE OTHERS TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL…OR DISTORT IT UNTIL YOU BECOME A MANIPULATOR, A USER OF PEOPLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOU IN YOUR PRIVATE AMBITION. PERHAPS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A SPIRIT OF DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT. THIS SPIRIT CAN SUSTAIN YOU WHEN THE TASK BEFORE YOU IS DIFFICULT OR CHALLENGING…OR BE TWISTED UNTIL IT BECOMES STUBBORNNESS, TAINTED BY A TOTAL LACK OF REGARD FOR ITS EFFECT ON OTHERS. PERHAPS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE GIFT OF TENDERNESS AND COMPASSION…A SENSITIVITY THAT INSTINCTIVELY REACHES OUT TO SOOTHE SOMEONE WHO IS HURTING…BUT IF YOU ARE AFRAID TO SHARE THAT GIFT WITH OTHERS WHO HURT, YOUR GIFT WILL DWINDLE TO SIMPLE PRETENSE. PERHAPS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE, THAT PRICELESS CAPACTIY TO ABSORB KNOWLEDGE EASILY. TO YOU COMES THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONE YOUR FINE INTELLECT TO THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY…MAYBE IT WILL BE YOU TO FIND A CURE FOR CANCER…OR TO FIND THE ANSWER FOR WORLD PEACE. BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO LET YOUR GIFT LIE DORMANT OR WORSE YET, MISDIRECT IT IN A QUEST FOR PERSONAL POWER, YOU CAN BECOME A BURDEN, OR EVEN WORSE, A MENACE TO THAT SOME SOCIETY. FOR EACH GIFT, FOR EACH STRENGTH GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, BLESSED YOU WITH, THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCOMPANY IT. FOR THE BLESSINGS OF GOD ARE GIVEN FOR ONE REASON…AND ONE REASON ONLY…WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS. I REALIZE THAT YOU AND I ALREADY KNOW MOST OF WHAT IS NECESSARY TO LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE…THAT IT ISN’T ALL THAT HARD OR COMPLICATED. WE KNOW IT. YOU KNOW IT! AND HAVE KNOWN IT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. LIVING IT, WELL THAT’S ANOTHER STORY! I’LL LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET…ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW IN LIFE YOU DIDN’T LEARN IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE! AS ROBERT FULGHRUM WRITES, ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW TO LIVE AND WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO BE YOU ALREADY LEARNED IN YOUR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES. WISDOM IS NOT AT THE TOP OF THE GRADUTE SCHOOL MOUNTAIN, BUT THERE IN THE SANDBOX OF MRS. LIGHTNER OR MRS. FICKLE. THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU LEARNED…THAT YOU NOW CARRY INTO THE WORLD… 1. SHARE EVERYTHING 2. PLAY FAIR 3. DON’T HIT OTHER PEOPLE 4. PUT THINGS BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM 5. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS 6. DON’T TAKE THINGS THAT AREN’T YOURS 7. SAY YOU’RE SORRY WHEN YOU HURT SOMEBODY 8. WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU EAT 9. FLUSH 10. WARM COOKIES AND COLD MILK ARE GOOD FOR YOU 11. LIVE A BALANCED LIFE…LEARN SOME AND THINK SOME AND DRAW SOME AND PAINT SOME AND DANCE AND PLAY AND WORK EVERY DAY 12. TAKE A NAP EVERY AFTERNOON 13. WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD, WATCH OUT FOR TRAFFIC, HOLD HANDS, AND STICK TOGETHER 14. BE AWARE OF WONDER. REMEMBER THE LITTLE SEED IN THE STYROFOAM CUP…THE ROOTS GO DOWN AND THE PLANT GOES UP AND NOBODY REALLY KNOWS HOW OR WHY, BUT WE ARE ALL LIKE THAT 15. GOLDFISH AND HAMSTERS AND WHITE MICE AND EVEN THE LITTLE SEED IN THE STYROFOAM CUP…THEY ALL DIE. SO DO WE. 16. AND THEN REMEMBER THE DICK AND JANE BOOKS AND THE FIRST WORD YOU LEARNED…THE BIGGEST WORD OF ALL…LOOK! EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE AND LIFE IS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. THE GOLDEN RULE AND LOVE AND BASIC SANITATION…ECOLOGY AND POLITUCS AND EQUALITY AND SANE LIVING. TAKE ANY ONE OF THOSE ITEMS AND EXPAND IT INTO SOPHISTICATED ADULT TERMS AND APPLY IT TO YOUR FAMILY LIFE OR YOUR WORK OR YOUR GOVERNMENT OR YOUR WORLD AND IT HOLDS TRUE AND CLEAR AND FIRM. THINK ABOUT WHAT A BETTER WORLD IT WOULD BE IF WE ALL…THE WHOLE WORLD…HAD COOKIES AND MILK ABOUT 3:00 EVERY AFTERNOON AND THEN LAY DOWN WITH OUT BLANKIES FOR A NAP! OR IF ALL GOVERNMENT HAD AS A BASIC POLICY TO ALWAYS PUT THINGS BACK WHERE THEY FOUND THEM AND TO CLEAN UP THEIR OWN MESS. AND IT IS STILL TRUE, NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE…WHEN YOU GO OUT INTO THE WORLD, IT IS BEST TO HOLD HANDS AND STICK TOGETHER. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE, AND MAY YOU ALWAYS BRING GLORY TO HIS NAME BY SHARING YOUR BLESSINGS, THAT YOU LEARNED RIGHT HERE AT MOUNT OLIVE. |
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