First World Problems Rap

Seems appropriate for Black Friday in America...listen carefully, this is both funny & sad (cause much of it's true!).

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, the excitement level is high at the Quick house right now. The cooking has begun for our Thanksgiving feast at grandma’s house and we are discussing the imminent holiday. This year at school McKayla learned about turkeys…Bella learned about Pocahontas and Squanto…and Anna learned about why the pilgrims left England and settlement in America. Now as we cook we are talking about what we are most thankful for. As you might imagine, the answers vary widely…from being thankful for a dolly (McKayla) to being thankful for life itself (Bella). And in our conversation we came to the conclusion that we are truly blessed. That may be the understatement of the century! We live in a world where every 60 seconds a child dies from undernourishment. In our world, the average income of each person is just over $7000 per year. We have clean water, electricity, sufficient heat, a sound home, an automobile, and live in a country where some lack all of these things. We also have more freedoms than I could list in this blog. Yes, God has indeed blessed us, but the fact is, if all of these things should disappear we would still be blessed because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ! So I challenge you this Thanksgiving to contemplate your blessings…talk them over with your children and grandchildren. I think you may even discover unknown blessings…and be thankful for them.

November 22, 1963...A Day that Changed History

The past few days I have watched several documentaries on the assassination of JFK. This is the first “national event” that I remember as it unfolded. I was only 8 years old, and I am not qualified to speculate on whether or not JFK was a good or great president, but I remember the teachers at the parochial school I attended gathered the student body for a time of prayer for our then wounded president. I remember rushing home to tell my mom the president had been shot, only to find her, my dad, and two uncles in front of the television watching “live” newscasts on the unfolding tragedy of the day. And while my young mind did not yet realize it, that was a day that changed history. These past few days I have contemplated on other days I can remember that changed history. Aside from the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon and the fall of the Berlin Wall, most of the days involved the death of someone…either natural or tragic. However, the most important day I can remember was not a day of death, but of new life…the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. That is that day that truly changed my history!

It's Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas...

As I write this I am listening to “Silent Night” being plunked out on a piano, while slightly out of tune, nevertheless a catalyst for the Christmas season here at the Quick household. This is causing a conflict in my soul as I refuse to “do” anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving…in fact I was memorizing my Thanksgiving sermon when she started playing, but she has a recital to prepare for so I listened. As I listened my mind drifted to what that holy night might have actually looked like. I can hardly imagine the stillness of the night in the country as the shepherds watched their sheep. The twinkling stars, the quiet of the night, the absolute shock they felt when the angel appeared and told them not to be afraid…bet that was hard! Then, out of nowhere this heavenly chorus appears praising God. What a sight! Still that must have paled to the sight of a baby Messiah lying in a manger. Inconceivable…that God would come to us, for us, but He did…all because He loves us so. I’ve got to get past Thanksgiving first, but I must tell you, I can hardly wait for Christmas!

To the Glory of God!

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

“Paul’s exhortation to “do all to the glory of God’ is more than pious idealism. It is an integral part of the sacred revelation and is to be accepted as the very Word of Truth. It opens before us the possibility of making every act of our lives contribute to the glory of God. Lest we be too timid to include everything, Paul mentions specifically eating and drinking.”

The above sentences were taken from AW Tozer’s devotional, The Pursuit of God. Think about Paul’s words…whatever you do, do for the glory of God. I suppose many have thought it just a pious thought, but we are called to use every act, every breath for God’s glory. How’s that working out for you? I would confess that I have days that are “not so much.” Still, by God’s grace He sees fit to give me another breath to try again…and again…and again. Praise His holy name! My prayer for you (and for myself) is that we become better at doing all we do for His glory every day he gives us breath.

Advent Conspiracy

If a picture's worth a thousand words, here's your reading until Christmas.

Life is an Adventure!

Was today a full moon? It sure felt like it here at the Quick household…or perhaps it was my world and not everyone else. After I spent 1 ½ hours in the dentist chair I was starving, so I thought I would treat myself to a drive-thru taco on the way home. Have you ever tried to eat a taco (or anything for that matter) with half of your mouth still numb? Well, I got enough down to curb my hunger. On my way home I decided to wash my truck, and since I had a hospital call to make I did the automatic deal, which is a poor excuse for a carwash, but I felt better. That is until I was forced to detour down 2 miles of gravel & mud from the church because a truck was stuck in the ditch…but I was thankful I wasn’t the truck driver! So now I am back at home with a recently washed truck that has the bottom third covered with Lawrence County mud. Not to worry…it is fresh, I am home, and I can hose it off before it dries. As I am washing the mud off I notice the new end I put on my garden hose is leaking profusely down my right leg and shoe. Then I had the honor of helping with just over two hours of math homework (which Anna loathes…that is a new vocabulary word for the week). So here I sit, wondering what caused my day, which started out with a promise, to go south. Thankfully I can echo the words of Job…who by the way had a much worse day than I…and proclaim, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth.”(Job 19:25). Now, I wonder what adventure God has for me tomorrow?