Ups and downs of life, we all have them.  I am kinda in the middle at the moment; ‘twould appear I will need another operation – but it isn’t an emergency and we will re-evaluate it in the fall.

While some parts of the world are enduring massive fires, others floods, and still others horrendous tornados, here, in our neck of the woods everything is about normal – early spring as it has been getting for several decades, but other than that, pretty much the same as other years, getting warm and windy.

We started giving away tomato plants, so it you are in the area and want some, give us a jingle.  She has plenty.  We dropped about 40 or so off at one of the doctor’s offices and Deed and Teresa are starting to take them to co-workers.

The ground is warm enough to plant them and it isn’t getting all that cold at night.  The plants are hardened off (out in the sun and wind to strengthen them for planting after being in the green house for so long.)

Kinda like we do with our kids, let them out a little at a time and then more and more so when it is time for them to chase their dreams they are as ready as we can make them.

Proverbs 27:17  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend

Earlier I wrote of the need for Christians to help build up other Christians and challenge them when they are wrong.

Another privilege we have as Christians is to depend on each other for support.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The thing we must be careful about when sharing our struggles with fellow Christians is to be selective. 

Asking for prayer during services or special times is done by most of us; and that is good.

However, we also know that if we go into much detail there are those that can’t wait to tell others of our needs, and not to ask additional prayer, but to gossip.

Most reading this are not gossipers, however, we must acknowledge that they do exist and use good judgment in what is share with whom.

We had a deputy working for us that attended a prayer circle of his church on a regular basis. 

He asked for prayer for the son, of a local Pastor, was in once again in trouble and was now in our Juvenile Detention.

Asking for prayer was one thing, telling them that the boy was incarcerated was a violation of state laws, we weren’t allowed to give out that information.

I believe the deputy’s heart was in the right place, but it caused backlash for him AND our Office.

The father came into my office incensed by the breach of law and protocols.  I will never forget the jest of his comments which included that prayer circles were one of the biggest gossip mongering people and that often things said there made it to the rest of the world – whether it was meant to or not.

We got the situation taken care of, apologized to the father and the supervisor took care of the infraction by the deputy.

But it did reinforce to me that what I say about needs must be shared with care whether it is my needs or someone else’s.

But having said this concern it is gratifying to know that we CAN share our concerns, our fears, our frustrations with fellow Christians who can pray with us, give us wise counsel and stand by us in turbulent times.

Later, Art :-)