Hello world!

Welcome to my blog. I feel sure you will find encouragement and inspiration here. Enjoy.

Prescription for Peace

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Anxiety is a tendency I have to stay on constant guard against. In fact, I sometimes wonder if I might have been a worry wart even as a baby (I sure hope not). I have to be alert to squash this tendency as soon as I detect it rearing its ugly head.

The most successful approach is to talk to the Father about what is troubling you, speaking to Him in depth, without reservation, and with thanksgiving (giving thanks in this situation and in all situations). We can respond in this way if we trust Him, and if we believe Him–that He is always working things out on our behalf, even when we don’t understand.  

When we express our needs directly to God in this way, turning them over to Him, rather than simply meditating on them in our minds, He brings peace to our minds. We get reminded that God is still ultimately in charge in all things, and nothing can slip by Him. And we get reminded of the promise He made to us long ago: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

With this in mind, I hope you all a Happy Thanksgiving with lots of peace!

With the Same Measure You Use

Give and it will be given to you…For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).

This principle comes up again and again in scripture. Give generously of the good things you desire to receive, and do not give out what you do not want. Sound easy? Well, it may not be easy exactly, because we do not naturally think in those terms. We tend to think more in terms of, “hold on tight to everything you got.” At any rate, there is no time like the present time to start doing things the right way.

Consider a few more examples of the same principle:

Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).

Judge not that you be not judged…with the judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:1-2).

Therefore, whatever you want that men do to you, do also to them (Matthew 7:12).

If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matthew 6:14).

So if we give to others out of the good things God has given to us, we can expect to be blessed in like manner, for God Himself will see to it. What a revolutionary idea!

Looking for Good Customers

We hear a lot about how to deliver good customer service, but not so much about being a good customer.

On the subject of good customer service, books have been written, classes offered, and training provided. Those businesses where we are treated well and feel appreciated are the ones we choose to patronize. Unfortunately, business owners don’t always get to choose their customers. They are pretty much stuck with whoever walks through the door, bad attitude and all.

When it comes to customer service, I like it when they know not only what I am talking about but also what they are talking about. We customers love getting something extra in appreciation, like an unexpected discount on our purchases, coupons for next time, or a small gift. When a company goes the extra mile, customers return.

But how do we measure up as customers? My Theology instructor related to our class a recent conversation he had with a local restaurant owner. The business owner admitted he dreaded Sunday afternoons because of how the afternoon church crowd behaves. You would think a restaurant owner would look forward to the increased income on Sundays. According to him though (and I have heard it before), church people are often inconsiderate and demanding, often leaving big messes behind along with their teeny-weeny tips. Church people of all people should know how to be great customers!

So as customers visiting a restaurant or any other establishment ( for simplicity sake, we will just talk about customers in a restaurant), we might consider spiffing up our attitudes, our manners, and our behavior…like so:

• Good manners dictate we speak to people in a considerate fashion. You might be having a bad day, but don’t blame the poor waitress who just lucked up and got you as a customer.
• Give your waiter a break. Remember, your server is a person with problems just like you. We all get distracted sometimes, and we all make mistakes.
• If she delivered excellent service, compliment your waitress.
• If your service was excellent, you might want to fill out one of their little surveys so as to register your satisfaction.
• Another way to praise the excellent service you received and your server is to mail a letter to the manager. This step may help your waiter land a promotion. Who knows?
• Be helpful and cooperative. It’s just plain rude to leave a big mess behind just because you can.
• Tip appropriately. It’s okay to be generous. Don’t be like the church people mentioned above who left a $3.00 tip for the server on a table of eight.

Maybe you have other ideas about how to be a good customer. Or maybe you have something to say about good customer service. Either way, your comments are welcome.