Timely Thought – Mandeville Weekly March 20, 2009

I believe that the economic crisis is a gift from God to those of us who never fully benefitted from the existing/old world system. I believe that from time to time God shakes the established system and opens the door for others who did not benefit from the old to benefit from the new. There are so many opportunities opening up for all of us, but sadly many of us are too stressed out, or blinded to these opportunities for one reason or another. I believe that God wants to impart creative ideas to all of us. Every time we complain about something not working, or not available, we are being shown an opportunity.  Rather than complain let us start looking at our problems as opportunities. After all many inventions/ have come through adversity.

 

One great example is the traffic light. Extract taken from the internet http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/trafficlight.htm.  “Police Officer William L. Potts of Detroit, Michigan, decided to do something about the problem caused by the ever increasing number of automobiles on the streets. What he had in mind was figuring out a way to adapt railroad signals for street use. Potts used red, amber, and green railroad lights and about thirty-seven dollars worth of wire and electrical controls to make the world’s first 4-way three color traffic light. It was installed in 1920 on the corner of Woodward and Michigan Avenues in Detroit. Within a year, Detroit had installed a total of fifteen of the new automatic lights”

 

Let us tap into our God-given intellect and creative energies to come up with ways of solving problems. Maybe we can transform our circle of influence and even benefit financially.

 

Have a creative and blessed week.

 

Jacqueline Geddes, Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Leadership – a leadership development organization, and local representative for Dr John Maxwell EQUIP program. I can be contacted at jgeddes@jageddes.co.uk to arrange leadership development training for your organization.

 

 

 

Timely Thoughts – Tribute to Del Edwards

An extract from the Mandeville weekly

 

Timely Thoughts

 

1. Redigging the wells of our “fathers”

 

August 15, 2008 was the 1^st anniversary of my Mom’s death, Mrs Deloris Edwards (Del).

 

Recently I was reflecting on a passage of scripture about Isaac re-digging the wells of his father (Genesis 26:17-22). As I thought about this, I realized that many times we neglect to redig the wells our parents dug before us. These wells may be in the form of friendships, experiences, labours of love, assets and businesses. By re-digging the wells Isaac was able to refresh not only his household and flocks but also those of others. The day after discussing the concept of re-digging wells with my brother, Mrs. Wendy Freckleton of this newspaper called to ask me if I would continue Timely Thoughts. I see this was an honour and a privilege and I pray that I will be able to provide the same reading pleasure and insight she offered.

 

Parents like mine are precious, they have left so much. Mummy’s Families for Christ, (a non-profit ministry to the less fortunate) still continues under the watch of Pastor Olando White. If you have clothing, food or monetary gifts to contribute please contact him at 3473279.

 

Jacqueline Geddes is the Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Leadership – a leadership development organization, and local representative for Dr John Maxwell EQUIP program. She can be contacted at geddesjacqueline@hotmail.com to arrange leadership development training for your organization.

Timely Thoughts – Del Edwards

My Mom wrote a series called Timely Thoughts for the Mandeville Weekly and we will include one each month in the Families for Christ Newsletter. Here is an interesting one:

 A few nights ago, before retiring, my three-year-old grand-daughter ended her prayer with, Dear Lord: Bless everybody except Brandon and me. She really meant “especially Brandon and me”, but since she couldn’t remember the bigger word, she used a smaller on “Except”. What a good thing God understands”, I found myself thinking and smiling.

Children are not the only ones who make wrong requests in prayer. Adults do too, but an all-knowing God, who is fully aware of our thoughts, say in His word, (Romans 8:26, 27), 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

By Del Edwards Published Sept 7, 1995 in the Mandeville Weekly