THE BLOG
Inspirational Blog
Take a moment to be encouraged, challenged and inspired.
Pay Whatever You Have to Pay
I have backpacked, but by no means am I a backpacker. Therefore, recently when I was wondering what would be needed to successfully backpack the 2190+ mile Appalachian Trail winding its way through the scenic Appalachian Mountain range from Georgia to Maine, I asked a friend who is a seasoned backpacker. Wanting to narrow down the scope of my question, I asked him, “What are the top six essentials you would need to backpack the Appalachian Trail successfully?” Some of his responses did not surprise me…high protein food, shelter, water, and a map of the Appalachian Trail. What surprised me were his first and second items…
You Can’t Get Patience Right Now
Now that New Year’s Day has passed, so has any real thought that on December 31 when the clock struck midnight, the very next click of the clock ushered in an opportunity for us to wipe the slate clean from 2023 and to start afresh. By January 2, life reminded us that those difficult things we brought to the New Year’s Eve celebration—such as our financial challenges, soured relationships, and health issues—are still very much a part of life. Though the arrival of 2024 has not given us an opportunity to start afresh, it has provided us an opportunity to identify specific areas in our lives which could benefit from a minor tweak all the way to a major overhaul. The possibilities are endless—habits, character traits, priorities, physical conditioning, relationships—just to name a few. Let me prime the pump by suggesting something many of us may need to work on—a lack of patience.
Depends on Your Point of View
She was a fourth-grade little girl named Annie. Her appearance spoke of her poverty: unkempt, clothes, tennis shoes donated by the school counselor, school-provided breakfast and lunches, poor hygiene. But on the inside, she was priceless. On the last day of school before Christmas break, Annie stood watching her teacher, Mrs. Ray, open gifts from the twenty students who were excitedly gathered around her. Unnoticed by anyone, Annie retrieved some discarded wrapping paper from the trash can, and then returned to her desk to wrap a small box. Later as the class enjoyed cupcakes, Annie went to Mrs. Ray, and while extending to her the box she had wrapped, quietly said, “Don’t let anybody else see.”
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Author & Pastor Jerry Long
Jerry Long is a semi-retired minister living in metro Greenville, SC. He holds degrees from Clemson University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Purchase Ponderings of a Pastor, a collection of these inspirational thoughts, from Amazon.
Jerry may be reached at [email protected].