Daily Times Paperrrrrrr!

My sister Cyndy and I were reminiscing the other day about J.L. Hudson's downtown Detroit. It was a different era, and a different way of doing things. When my dad was going to college in Iowa to become a Chiropractor, there was a store called Peterson Harned Von Maur. You might know it now by the name "von Maur". It was a fancy store with several floors. The clerks would follow you around when you walked in. (I guess so you didn't steal anything). That was a time when you were waited on and when you purchased an item it was put in a nice white box and tied with string.

Well, that memory led me to when I was about 11 or 12 on my first job. I went to work for the Times-Democrat, a local newspaper in Davenport, Iowa. My job was to pick up newspapers after school, take them and then go and stand on the corner and sell them. The papers cost 5 cents and my pay was 2-1/2 cents! Every day I'd go downtown, pick up the papers at the printing office. Boy, there's a certain smell of printers ink that permeated the place. It still brings back memories when I get the Sunday paper and get a whiff of it.

Anyway, I digress. I'd stand in front of the drug store downtown and yell at the top of my lungs "Daily Times Paperrrrr!" and try to sell newspapers. Some days went by quickly as I sold newspapers, and some days just dragged along. We could sell the newspapers wherever we wanted so I'd move around town trying to find a better place. Davenport, Iowa is right on the Mississippi River directly across from Rock Island, Illinois. Once in a while I'd take a ferry for 25 cents and go across the river and try selling in Rock Island. Never did any good, but it was a fun adventure anyway!

That summer was spent with the smell of newspapers, standing on the corner, spending my newly earned money on candy, and going home wondering why I was in that business. It was a fun time.

A Glimpse of His Glory

Ever since I've been attending Community Baptist Church, I've been trying to put into words what it's like to be part of this dynamic ministry. Our church members have heard me say often that "I feel like I've re-found my first love" and so on. There's something special about coming here, it's a joy that is hard to express, but you just want everyone to have the same joy that you do.

There is so much disappointment in life - sure there's a lot of joy - but it's tempered with discouragement too.

Last night I was reading an article on "The Glory of the Church" by Bruce Miller, and he was talking about the body of Christ (a subject I just taught on a few weeks ago) and he said "...we are to be a preview of the kingdom to come....The Church is to be the preview of God's coming attraction.."! And it hit me! Yes, that's how I feel. Being a part of this church, it's love and joy for being alive and being a Christian is a little taste of what it will be to be with God one day! And even though life doesn't always turn out the way we want it, the good part, the part I look forward to being part of this church is a glimpse of the Glory God has in store for us and we NEED to let others know of it and we need to live the life that would honor Him just to show others that life is worth it, and God has a plan for us and He cares for us.

When I think of how little I do to show His love for me, yet want to do more, but then I know that He loves me for who I am because I love His son Jesus Christ.

If you're reading this and don't know Jesus personally and you want a glimpse of His glory then read this...and obey....