Well if I hadn't experienced this I probably would have thought the same, but the missing ingredient in a New England milk shake is, wait for it; drum roll; yes its ice cream. Yes, they are made with chilled milk, however, not having ice cream in the shake results in a thinner consistency, as well as, a much warmer temperature. In my book; it falls flat. The taste is still there, but it just feels off, but that is how they're made there. Its funny that no one guessed the absence of ice cream, I guess thats because like me, I couldn't imagine it either.
I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday yesterday, being Labor Day and all. I risked going to the grocery store and it was a mad house, mostly people getting those special luxury items you enjoy on holidays.
Tuesday 9/5
Eccl. 4:5 "Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin."
Yesterday we talked about the harm of being motivated by jealousy & coveteousness, now today the writer speaks of the person who isn't movated at all. This disregard for caring for his own needs leads to ruin, loss, and aimlessness.
When I was a young boy we would take our vacation in South Bend, Indiana, where my mothers parents and six brothers lived. My grandparents lived in a large two story house beside the train track. The train tracks were high above the house on a mountainside, while behind the house was a holler (valley) which wasn't owned by my grandparents.
It had a creek running through it where in the summer many hobo's (what we used to call homeless then) would camp out. They would catch the empty train cars to travel to the next town. I would explore this valley & sometimes would mistakenly run into some of these men. They were friendly and in the early evening would be cooking supper and talk to one another of their plans, experiences, etc.
I would listen to their storys before dark, but the conversation always seemed to wisp away to friends & family and times they had enjoyed. I would never ask them about these conversation as to not hurt their feelings, but I could tell they missed those close family ties that I enjoyed when vacationing here in South Bend.
I think that phrase "leading them to ruin" was referring to those who shirked their duties, regarding friends & family. Then the result was the loss of close family connections. They never spoke of the sadness that they felt directly, just referred to the wondering thoughts that they had.
During the 60's Timothy Leary also convinced the young college aged people in Haight-Ashburry a district in San Francisco to "Tune in, turn on, drop out". In other words to drop their school aspirations and move into a commune (an old condemned house) and just share together drugs, and everything else, etc. etc. This fad coasted along, as long as they had collective money together, but as they ran out of money for food & drugs, or OD'd. Then they would come to their senses and slink back onto their real world and continue to look for real meaning there.
The movie The Jesus Revelution was a depictment of this time in history when young people in desperation reached out to God & He stepped into their lives for true life meaning. They in many ways turned their lives toward His ways & He changed their lives forever.
The same thing is true today, when we or others reach out to Him He is there ready to help recover ours & their lives. THE naked material world is empty without our Savior, there is no real long term meaning for life without Him. Everything is like the milk shake without ice cream, it is lacking in texture.
Our feeding ministry is attempting to meet the physical needs of those in need, in order to bring them to recognize Jesus & His love for them. Many of those who work, donate & serve the people who arrive at that ministry door, are seeking to be that hand of God for them. A number of these folks have come to the reality of Christ and His love for them. Now they, in turn are ministering to others on that road of desperation with the loving heart that reaches those who Jesus is woeing to Himself.
Solomon was in this verse today referring to this life of ruin that many are on today. We must never forget where these people are destined to end up, "lives of ruin". I trust you are praying for these men & women who are reaching out for answers. They are college age, middle age and even elderly who are in need of folks who care for their souls.
So Go With God for He cares for our souls, regardless of what we have to offer physically, we have the God who cares for their soul. Be careful not to ignore those who come across your path who desperately need someone to care for their soul. Be that caring person in their lives.