Where Life and Faith Meet
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4Ü #290

Travelling alone together

16 August 2007

WASSUP - A Psalm of Life

If you were to write your life's charter what would it be?

Have a look at these words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A Psalm for Life

Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.

Go on make the most of this day!
You'll never have these moments again.

Make a difference.

Andrew

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INSIGHT OUT - Do gooders harm

But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

Luke 10:33-35

This was no random act of compassion; there's something more going on here.

Take a look at how the story ends. The Samaritan offers to pay any further expenses until this poor guy, who was beaten and left for dead, is well enough to stand on his own two feet. Now that's commitment! Compassion that does not have the goal of wellness or wholeness leaves the victim in double jeopardy. Short term do gooders do more harm than good. What's needed is compassion and commitment, the kind that costs! If it cost you nothing I'd question if you really gave anything.

Does your compassion take you the extra mile?

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OUTSIGHT IN - Travelling alone together

I recently joined up with a couple of guys and went for a motor bike ride
I experienced an interesting phrase.
"Travelling alone together"
That's what you do - alone together

Alone

You talk to yourself inside your helmet
Alone you feel the rhythm of roads bend
Man, machine and elements at-one

You ride till your bum is numb
or until you come across a view that has to be shared by others
and then you stop

Together

Together you share the wonders of creation and machine - Harley, BMW & Triumph
Together talk about matters important and irrelevant
Together you eat the special of the day
then return home

Travelling alone together - that's life!

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SEE YA SUNDAY - Love your neighbour - A strange Hero

Love, the kind of love that heals and makes whole always costs. Sometimes that help comes from the most unusual and unexpected places. Sometimes we can be that unexpected help.

8.30 & 10.30

Canvas - this Sunday evening @ 6.30pm with Matt Chapman

Can't wait ... see ya Sunday

Thanks for this time to chat.

Andrew
St Columba
Where Life and Faith Meet
andrew.norton@stcolumba.org.nz

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It's free but don't steal

If this is of help to others, you are welcome to forward it. This e-mail letter is 97% original - 3% cut and paste & 100% fat free. 4U is copyright to Andrew Norton. That means you can't cut and paste it and call it your own (that's stealing). I'm happy for it to be used but please refer to the author.

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LAST WORD - Hidden words

Hateful to me as are the gates of hell,
Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart,
Utters another.

Homer - Iliad


© 2008, St Columba Presbyterian Church, Auckland