My Slow Takes (vol. 49)

1. Smucker’s strawberry preserves has the following nutritional value in one tablespoon serving size. Calories = 50; Total Fat - 0g; Sodium = 0mg; Total Carbohydrate = 13g; Sugars = 12g and Protein = 0g.

Skippy peanut butter has the following nutritional value in a two tablespoon serving size. Calories = 1900; Calories from fat = 140; Total Fat - 16g; Sodium = 150mg; Total Carbohydrate = 7g; Sugars = 3g; Protein = 7g; Sugars = 3g and Dietary fiber = 2g.

I put together about two tablespoons of each ingredient and add these to a multi grain sandwich round. The sandwich round has 0g of trans fat, 11g whole grains, it’s cholesterol free, and is an excellent source of fiber. I usually have at least two of these per week for my lunch. Easy to make and delicious.

2. In Sunday’s Gospel, John 15: 9-17, Jesus says to his disciples, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.” I read this, I listened to it at church and then tried to imagine a situation where I would give my life for my friends. 

This is a one time occurrence. Would I have the opportunity to select and choose who? Would I just react without hesitation? Jesus knew when He was going to do this. However, I don’t and it’s probably best that I don’t.

Then on Monday I read Steve Givens, “What We Have to Offer Each Other: Our Presence.” He relates his experience as a Hospice volunteer spending time with a 98 year old woman. How he started relating his time with her to how we spend time developing our friendships with others. He proposes that “to lay down one's life for one's friends” is something we can do on a daily basis. Please read his article.

3. Jesus said to his disciples:  “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.  He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”  (John 16:12-15)

Colleen O’Sullivan spurred me into thought about the above reading from Wednesday. She describes how sometimes we present too much information to people without realizing what we are doing.

Our minds are able to process about six items at a time. These items are like data going into a computer. We have a limited or short term memory bank. When it reaches capacity the data has to be moved to long term memory. If too much data comes in it can’t be properly processed. Jesus knew that to provide any more information to His disciples would be “data overload.” So in His wisdom He provided what was needed to prepare them for “the rest of the story.”

   

4. If we accept the sin of homosexuality do we also accept the sin of adulterers, greed, gossip and those others that Paul describes in 1 Cor: 9-10? Read this interesting article from Tuck @ Denbigh Church of Christ

5. The third annual “Honeybee Festival” is being held June 2nd at the Rockwood Nature Center, Richmond, VA. I will be attending and then provide a synopsis of the event.

6. This weekend starts our vacation. Dee and I are headed to the Outer Banks, N.C. We will be enjoying the sunshine, beach, friends, family and great food.

7. Read Jennifer Fulwiler's "7 Quick Takes Friday" She has some interesting information on learning a new language.