This Week’s Thought

Posted on by Horizon Professional Services
Flower

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

We’ve not had much rain this spring, so the yard hasn’t needed quite as much attention as usual.  But, even so, those little clovers, dandelions, and other such things continue to thrive and to pop up anywhere and everywhere you look – even these things in my picture.

I don’t give them a name.  That’s mainly because I don’t know their name.  They are small, white, and not ugly.  They must be a flower, right?  But they randomly pop up in the middle of the yard with no rhyme or reason.  So, they must be a weed, right?

Who knows?

A flower or a weed.  That, as Shakespeare would say, is the question.  If we take the time to dig in the dirt, fertilize the soil, and plant the seeds, will everything that comes up be a flower?  If we simply ignore the planting, allow the yard to do its own thing, and wait to see, will everything that comes up be a weed?  Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

You can pick those white clovers, purple clovers, yellow dandelions, those very tiny purple (some say blue) flowers, and even these little white things, put them all in a little container of water, and you have a beautiful bouquet.  Even the weeds look like pretty flowers when someone takes the time to group them together and share them.

I’m sure there is a scientist somewhere that could tell me exactly how to differentiate between a flower and a weed.  But I must tell you that it doesn’t really matter to me.  I know that in God’s great garden of life, I’m probably one of the toughest and ugliest weeds there is.  Oh, but when I stand next to all of you, I’m just as pretty.  My name may be “weed,” but I will claim the title of “flower.”  I may be nothing much in this old world, but in God’s eyes, I am most beautiful.  —  WE are most beautiful, especially when you get all of us weeds together.  We make a wonderful bouquet.

Weed?  or Flower?  What will you be for Jesus this week?

Just a thought.

This Week’s Thought

Posted on by Horizon Professional Services
Trail

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

You are all aware of those “warnings” on certain product packaging that are apparently meant to keep us from our own state of pitiful uselessness.  For instance, the shampoo bottle that says, “Don’t drink this!”  Wow.  Or the sign posted next to the local lunch grill counter that says, “May be hot!”  May be?  Well, I would hope so.  Sadly, the dumbing down of society has led to a rampant state of ignorance yet unparalleled in my lifetime.  

But then, there are signs like the one I’ve shared here.  There, beside the clean dirt trail through the wooded area ahead, is a sign that simply says, “Trail.”  You would think this sign, placed alongside an old trail adjacent to the Natchez Trace, would be unnecessary.  Yet, some would rely upon such a sign to make sure they are heading in the right direction.

Ah, isn’t that the purpose of the sign?  It is posted there to make like easier for some who might wander away from the trail.

The Bible, heralded as a totally useless book of unimportant little stories and fairy tales by some in our world, is there because so many of us would go wandering off the trail if we didn’t access and read it regularly.  Why should we have to be reminded to get into God’s Word before heading out into our world?  Can’t we navigate the trails and pathways on our own?  You can certainly try, if you want.  But I’d rather follow the directional signs that have been wisely placed beside the trail for me!

Don’t dismiss those little signs or nudges and reminders from God’s written Word and from those good friends He places along our path this week.  Heed the warnings.  Follow directions.  Remain on the trail.  After all, someone before you was wise enough to mark it for your protection – not to showcase your ignorance, but to make life so much easier.

See you on the trail.

Just a thought.

This Week’s Thought

Posted on by Horizon Professional Services
Crab

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

We walked along the cold wet sand enjoying the breeze.  Daughter was in search of small shells to incorporate into some jewelry she enjoys creating, so our eyes were on the sand.  We walked, carefully examining the area around our every step.  That’s when I spotted this.

An empty crab shell.  A crab had once lived in this abandoned place.  The shell had protected the animal from dangers in its life.  That shell, because of its distinct shape and size automatically told us that it had once belonged to a crab.  It was all so obvious.

Some days we aimlessly wander through life.  We are busy with daily responsibilities and so many other things that require our time and attention.  We are doing great and wonderful things.  We are witnessing for the Lord as we walk along.  But are we really involved in all that?  Or are we merely recognized by others because of our shell?

The shell – the outer appearance.  That’s what conveys to the world that we are who we claim to be.  We look like a Christian, speak like a Christian, act like a Christian, therefore we must be a Christian.  Right?  Not necessarily!

Yes, the crab’s shell once belonged to a crab.  That is undeniable.  But when the day comes that our journey on life’s sea is done, our shell has washed up on the shore, and others walk by and observe the place where we lay, will they be able to say without a doubt that we were once a Christian?

May our shell speak for itself.  What do others see?

Just a thought.

This Week’s Thought

Posted on by Horizon Professional Services

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

You know from my previous “thoughts” from time to time that as I travel, I tend to photograph unusual flowers, plants, rocks, trees, etc.  You’ll see one of those trees in this picture.  You may not think it’s that unusual.  It looks like any normal tree might.  But the reason I took this picture was because of what I had just read and found out about the tree and a few others very similar nearby.

This is an olive tree.  That’s unusual in itself to me, since most of the trees that grow where we live are pine or oak.  This olive tree was one of several planted in what is now a downtown area of historic Scottsdale, Arizona.  They were planted to stand as a break from the desert winds before most of those buildings were there.  And these olive trees are now well over 125 years old, having all been planted in 1896.  

They are unusual.  They stand out.  And they were planted with a purpose.  These things ought to describe us as Christians.

We certainly were planted with a purpose.  God intends for us to love, serve, and worship Him, and He intends for us to be a bright light in a dark world.  As such, we are automatically unusual, and we should stand out from all the rest.  

I don’t know that I want a sign posted near me to say how old I am and why I was put here.  On the other hand, by living as a Child of the Father, I am basically wearing a sign just like that.  I call myself by His name, and I represent Him wherever I go — even in odd downtown desert places where I might not be expected to survive.

Planted with a purpose.  Growing with His help.  Representing Him to all who pass by.  Those are wonderful things on which to focus in this brand new year.

Just a thought.

This Week’s Thought

Posted on by Horizon Professional Services

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

A couple of weeks ago, I glanced out the back window as I walked through the den, and I saw something unusual in the pond.  I watched for a few seconds and decided it was a beaver.  I knew if this was the case, then we would soon have serious issues.  So, about the time I thought of calling my next door neighbor (He actually owns the pond.) to tell him we needed to tackle that situation, I realized it wasn’t a beaver after all.

A very playful and energetic otter had somehow made its way from the nearby river up a creek or two and was now having a ball playing and splashing around.  Otters have been spotted in other areas of the state, but to my knowledge not around here.  At least I couldn’t find any written proof of such.  And this led me to believe, because the lone otter seemed to be the only one of its species anywhere around, that he shouldn’t “otter” be here!

The holidays, as much as they are grand and wonderful for so many people, are equally difficult and a struggle for others.  Christmas, the beginning of a New Year, and the festivities or family and church events surrounding each can be quite overwhelming.  We are forced to look back at the past year, which quite honestly for some of us has been a year we pray never to repeat.  And we can’t help but wonder are we the lone creature making our way up river in unknown waters to fend for ourselves?

Maybe we look back and think that it just shouldn’t “otter” be this way.  And we’re right.  It shouldn’t.  But because we live in a sinful, fallen world, there will always be the difficulties of life until the Lord chooses to take us out of here.

That little otter hasn’t been seen again since the one morning I snapped some photos and got a quick video.  It must have continued its trek elsewhere.  —  We will too.

Tomorrow, or maybe the next day or the one after that, we will realize that it really doesn’t have to be this way.  Life is what we make of it, by the grace of God.  This is the day that the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.  Every day — every day — is a blessing.  No, maybe it shouldn’t “otter” be this way.  But because we as Christians have the blessed hope for tomorrow, it won’t always!

Blessings on you and yours throughout these glorious holidays and into the New Year.

Just a thought.