The Highest Ransom Ever Paid

A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom. She talked them down to $30,000.

The story had a happy ending: the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail. But don't you wonder what happened when the man got home and found that his wife got him back for a discount?

Calvin Trillin was the writer of this story. He imagined what the negotiations must have been like: "$100,000 for that old guy? You have got to be crazy. Just look at him! Look at that gut! You want $100,000 for that? You've got to be kidding. Give me a break here. $30,000 is my top offer."
I can sympathize with the kidnapped man because I wonder how much the people in my life think that I'm worth. But I am flattered beyond description to realize that I was worth enough to God that He was willing to pay the ultimate price for my ransom, my redemption.

As Peter put it:"You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." (I Peter 1:18-19)

Ultimately, the value of something (or someone) is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it. A piece of art that may be worth millions of dollars to someone else may be worth less than a hundred dollars to me. The worth of something is determined by how much we're willing to pay for it.

What that means is that we are of tremendous value to God. He didn't quibble about the price, but was willing to pay the full ransom amount -- the highest ransom ever paid!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
http://tftd.faithsite.com/content.asp?CID=19625

Pick Up Your Cross

Pick up your cross and follow Me
Don't saunter to your grave
There is lot's we have to do
Your company I crave
For if you want to be like Me
You have to die to self
Leave the comfort of this world
And climb down off your shelf.

For time is running out, My friend
And darkness rules this land
You are My voice upon this earth
Please give Me a hand
To reach the lonely, poor and sad
And snatch them from a fate
That leads them to the jaws of hell
Let's hope we're not too late.

by Mike Bullock

Secretary's Soapbox

This is a conversation between Eddy and me…………………....the other day he had just eaten some cheese and crackers and he said

"Nana, can I have free more crackers?"

"How many crackers?"

"Free please"

"HOW many?"

"FREE"

"Can you say THREE?"

"Yep, FREE!"

"If you can say three properly I'll go and get them."

"Nana?"

"Yes?"

"I'll have FOUR crackers please!"
--------------------------

There has been much interest in our Wurlitzer organ of late.

It started back in November when I had an email from a chap called Cled Griffin who asked whether the organ was playable and if so could he come to view it in Feb of this year.

He explained that he ran a Keyboard Experience holiday at Lyme Bay Holiday Village in Seaton twice a year and would like to see if it would be possible to use it for a concert sometime.

Then in January, I had a similar email from Michael Cull, who has retired from his profession as a performance organist. He had heard from the internet that out Wurlitzer was now unplayable and wanted to know if this was true. As he only lives in Taunton I invited him to come to a coffee morning and have a go on the 'unplayable Wurlitzer'.

On February 9th Ernest was at the church to welcome approx 50 of the Keyboard Experience holiday. I think there were at least four professional musicians and one technician who had a play on the organ. Sylvia was there to give them a cuppa and I think they all enjoyed the afternoon.

Cled has put a lovely write up on his web page, which I have added below.

Mike also came along that afternoon and took a video of Jean Martyn playing.

He came to another coffee morning the week after and videoed himself going through some of his repertoire.

The video and more can be seen on his website http://www.organshow.co.uk/ (Click "Out and About").

Visit to Britain's Oldest Wurlitzer

During the February Lyme Bay Keyboard Experience Weekend an informal visit was made to the nearby village of Beer to see and hear the oldest Wurlitzer pipe organ in the UK installed at the Beer Congregational Church.

The organ was played by Elizabeth Harrison, Chris Powell, Matthew Bason, Ian Griffin and Jean Martyn who said she was particularly pleased to play the instrument that was previously installed at the Picture House at Walsall - the town where she went to school.

The players, and guests who went along with them, were made very welcome by the Church officials who provided tea and biscuits in the
adjoining vestry.

Ian Griffin said on his website….
I felt very privileged to play the oldest Wurlitzer pipe organ in the UK during the weekend of the February Lyme Bay Keyboard Experience at Seaton, Devon.
The organ is located at the Congregational Church in the village of Beer, only two miles from Seaton The organ felt nice to play and sounded good - I am now looking forward to a return visit.
http://www.keyboardnews.com/

Hymns vs. Choruses

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

"Well," said the farmer, "it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."

"Praise choruses?" said his wife. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The farmer said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you "Martha, the cows are in the corn"' - well, that would be a hymn.

If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Martha, Martha, Martha,

Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,

the cows, the big cows, the brown cows,

the black cowsthe white cows,

the black and white cows,

the COWS, COWS, COWS

are in the corn,are in the corn,

are in the corn, are in the corn,

the CORN, CORN, CORN.

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus."

The next weekend, his nephew, a young, new Christian from the city came to visit and attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was.

"Well," said the young man, "it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."

"Hymns?" asked his mother. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his mother.

The young man said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you 'Martha, the cows are in the corn' - well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry

Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth

Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by

To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain

There in their heads is no shadow of sense

Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain

Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight

Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed

Then goaded by minions of darkness and night

They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by

Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn

Where no vicious animals make my soul cry

And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.'

Then if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn!

Secretary’s Soapbox

I’d just been helping Eddy on with his socks, and I jokingly asked him if I was getting a prize for it. “Yes,” he said, “you are getting a new scooter and a million pounds.”

“Wow!” I said ,“that’s a good prize for just putting on a pair of socks.”
“What about me?” said his Mum as she came through the door, “Don’t I get a prize too?”

Eddy thought for a minute and then said, “Yes, you are getting a cat toilet!”
The reason for this rather strange idea that his mother would like a cat toilet is that the day before I had been surfing around on the internet and saw that you can get such a thing as a self –cleaning cat litter tray. “you could do with one of those. “ I said, “they only cost $599!”

Eddy must have heard the conversation and decided that is what his mum really wanted, more apparently than a million pounds! You have to be really careful what you say because even if you don’t think he’s paying any attention, Eddy is listening to every word.

Some people think that they can keep things from God, too. But He knows what you’re going you say even before you open your mouth. More than that He knows what’s in your heart, all the time, not just when you’re thinking about Him. That’s why we have no hope of hiding our sins from Him, and remember, God doesn’t grade sin into white lies and mass murder type of groups. We sin the moment our minds think of something that is nasty or wrong, even if we have not the slightest idea of carrying it out.
—————————

Alan’s last day as our Pastor was a very happy time. It started with our morning service when Mary presented Alan with our gift to him of an engraved carriage clock, then at the end of the service, our Sunday Pilots came in with a cake and a card they had made.

Then in the afternoon about seventy people came to share tea with us, I’m glad to say that Alan did turn up, I was afraid that he would just send a cardboard cut-out of himself, as he kept threatening to do. But his new Grandson, Archie, was there and everyone wanted to talk about him, so that helped Alan to enjoy the afternoon. Then we had a fabulous time of worship, lots of laughs, tributes and hymns. My thanks to Noel Parry who managed to link everything together.

We had a magnificent response to our news that Alan was retiring and many folk wanted to make a donation to his retirement present, we were able to present Alan with a cheque for £1,000, which turned out to be something of a miracle. I was given the cheque by the Treasurer in the morning and had it in my bag as I went home. We parked the car outside our gate and I saw someone just coming out of our garden. I am not giving his name as I don’t want to embarrass him. We exchanged hellos’ and I went into the house, there was an envelope on the floor that had obviously just been posted there. Imagine my surprise when I found inside a cheque for £1,000 and a letter to say that it was a gift from one of our church members who had recently died.

Our God had given us back, not only the money that we had used from church funds but had increased it to cover all the donations as well!
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. Matt.25:29a

Cyn

P.S. The other day Eddy paid me the greatest compliment when he said “Nanny, I love you more than gravy!”

Wordless Chicken Tuesday

New Year’s Reflection

Do you know what I love about life?

Time.

It’s pretty brilliant actually, I mean the sun comes up and then it goes down and every morning when that happens what do you get? You get a new day.

You get a new one!

It’s kinda like when you look at something, when you set your eyes on it, and take in the images and every time you do that, before you can blink, the images change!

These images have life, they’re always changing, always new, every second we capture is fresh. The second that I exist in, blows past me, like the wind, then another second passes, then another, …...then another,………. then another.

I look at my reflection and understand I’m not the same man I was ten seconds ago.

Always growing, always taking in, always renewing.

And every second is this beautiful new chance for a new life. A new original moment of life that’s filled with potential. Potential to love, potential to affect change in myself and in others, potential to grow.

And this year may God grant me the ability to seize the day.

To seize every second and unravel His purpose, His potential for me and that’s it,……... ….that’s what I love about life...…...Time!

http://faithvisuals.com/52338