August 31, 2009

Lessons Are All Around Us

There are lessons to be learned everywhere. Look for them.

A couple of weeks ago we went to see the Gwinnett Braves play. If you are a baseball fan, you will enjoy this Triple A team. The stadium, located near The Mall of Georgia, is beautiful and all of the 10,000 or so seats give you a good close up view of the game. The tickets are reasonably priced and the parking is only $3.

No I don’t work for the G-Braves or the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce. I just enjoy baseball and like to share a good thing when I find it. But back to lessons to be learned.

Minor league baseball at this level is very high quality and everyone of the team members have their sights set on the major leagues. The dream is to move up to the “Bigs.” Some of them will reach their goal. A few on the roster have already had an opportunity to play for the parent Atlanta Braves for a brief time. Some of them are as high as they will ever go. But for now these young players were giving their best to the effort that night.

Isn’t that what is expected of all of us? To give our best to the task that is ours at this moment. To be faithful where we are. If that leads to bigger opportunities and greater responsibilities, fine but do the best you can with what you have where you are now. In the end we will be measured by the effort we expended and the attitude we demonstrated rather than the level of our accomplishments when compared with others. I think that is what Jesus was teaching us in the Parable of the Talents.

On another day recently as I drove to work I saw three women walking down the road onto the grounds of the Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center where my office is located. Simpsonwood is another good thing to share with you. Check it out at www.simpsonwood.org. But--I get so easily distracted--back to the lessons to be learned.

A lot of neighborhood folks enjoy the quiet beauty of the Simpsonwood grounds and take advantage of the opportunity to walk the trails through the woods and along the Chattahoochee River. These three women are among the regulars that I see frequently. Two of them appear to be in their 30’s and the other one looks to be at least twice their age, maybe older.

They were walking side by side so I slowed down. As they heard my car approaching from the rear, the older woman picked up the pace and stepped in front of the two younger women allowing me room to pass. It didn’t appear that she even thought about it. She just accelerated and moved in front. Although the other two were younger and seemed more fit, she did not wait for one of them. She just kicked it up a notch.

I liked what I saw. It is so easy to “let someone else do it” or to look for excuses why we can’t. Or should not be asked. Whatever our age or circumstances, God calls us to “make the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:16).

Look around. What opportunity is God giving you (and your church) today? Take it on. You and God can handle it.

Jamie Jenkins
jjenkins@ngumc.org

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Wesley Walk for Others

The annual Wesley Walk for Others will be held Saturday, October 24, as Wesley Community Centers continues “giving feet to the faith of the church!” The walk starts at 7:30 a.m. at Stone Mountain First UMC. All funds raised will support Wesley Community Centers' ministries: Camp Wesley program for children and youth, Bethlehem Senior Center and Project Extend. For more information, please contact Sue Raymond at sueraymond@bellsouth.net or Joy Magnus at joy@wesleycenters.org or call 404.872.0086. Visit www.wesleycenters.org to register and download Walk packets and the flyer.
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Upcoming Events

Hispanic Church Development 9/1/2009
UMM Executive Committee Meeting 9/1/2009
dCOM Training Event 9/1/2009
ATHN District Committee on Superintendency 9/2/2009
Mission/Global Ministries Team Meeting 9/2/2009

Entire Conference Calendar

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Links of Interest

E-mail Jamie Jenkins
Manage e-newsletter preferences
Employment listings
North Georgia Advocate
Read the Bible in a year

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Lectionary Scriptures

Sunday, September 6

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
Psalm 125 or Psalm 124
James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17
Mark 7:24-37

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