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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Failure! and How to Enjoy It!
So, you have decided to fail, but you don’t want to feel guilty about it. Well, for all of you out there in the same boat, the following is my way of helping you to fail – and to like it.
First, you must be sure you really want to fail, and if you are, make up your mind to fail regardless of any consequences. If you are determined to fail – made up your mind to do so – chances are you will…uh, succeed.
Second, you must not listen to anyone who tries to encourage you. No one really cares about you. All they want is to run your business. You don’t need any help in life, and those Bible–thumpers will just make it worse. You don’t need any help to fail – you can do it all on your own.
Third, the next step is to elevate your opinion of yourself. Tell yourself the world owes you a living, and that you are going to get it no matter who you have to knock down or step on. Who better knows how to do this than you do? You’ve got the whole thing mapped out, and failure is not for the faint of heart. Don’t give up!
Fourth, get rid of all your old friends. They remind you of times when you looked forward to the future. Why do you need them? Let them find their own way to fail. Besides, they seem to want to succeed, not fail.
Fifth, you will never succeed in failure if you constantly do things you don’t need to do. Why help those poor folk who can’t help you back? Give nothing away – doing that makes no sense at all. Everyone has to take care of himself, and they should never expect help from you.
Sixth, say good-bye to people who respect and admire you. That may take a while, and your self-esteem will suffer, but you can do without the praise of your peers. It may not be much fun, but who needs that? Fail on your own and pay the price. It will be worth it.
Seventh, don’t let people take advantage of you. Don’t allow others to make demands on your time. You don’t owe them anything, and besides, if you are going to fail you won’t be seeing many of them anyway. Learn how to live and die to yourself. Yes, I know there are some sad things that go with failure, but you have to forget that and do what is best for yourself. You! Not your neighbor or friends (if you still have any). Put yourself both first and last, and failure is already in your grasp.
Eighth, quit making plans for your failure. Failure needs no plans. In fact, the more you plan the more likely you are to succeed. That’s not what you want, even though when you think about it, success seems to have a lot of things going for it. If you don’t think about that, it will go away and you can revel in failure!
Ninth, quit trying to listen to both sides of an issue. Don’t let a bunch of facts clutter up your brain, but keep it free from information that might keep you from failure. If you listen to both sides of a question, it won’t be long before you are being logical and rational. That is the complete opposite of failure. Make up your mind before you enter a discussion, and then listen only to facts that harmonize with the viewpoint you already hold. Failure is sure to follow.
Tenth, remember how much easier it is to fail than it is to succeed. Think of all the effort success requires and all the people you must be nice to.
Think of all the places you must go in order to find success, and then consider how much better it is to live and face the issues of life without a lot of people around. “By yourself”.… that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? No ties, no obligations, no friends, no one to share with. How much better that is…now don’t quit on me yet. If you want to fail, you must learn to do without some things.
Eleventh, when things don’t go your way, a failure will always be good at putting the blame on someone else. (By the way, I meant to have just ten suggestions, but now I have failed, too. Who can I blame?) Yes, you may have to do some “creative” thinking. Making excuses is hard work, but you must never take the blame for failure. Put it on someone else, whatever you do.
There, you have it – a formula for failure. Hope it doesn’t work.
Carl B. Garner
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“The only people who never fail are those who never try.”
“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”
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Immodesty
[Editor’s Note: Moms and Dads, sons and daughters, please read and consider the serious nature of the following thoughts. As we approach the Summer months, our culture is telling our youth to wear less and less and reveal more and more. Please think on these words and determine to act, speak and dress as a Christian should. CBG]
There is a serious problem threatening us today. It is a problem that exists, not just with our own home congregation, but with many other congregations today. I know this to be true because this writer has talked with members elsewhere who are distressed over this problem and ask, “What can we do?” The problem: many church members seem to have divided hearts; that is, they seem to want to be Christians, but they are also worldly. This disturbing problem is especially seen in the area of immodest dress. We are seeing it with more and more young people. It is greatly disturbing when we meet a “Christian” somewhere and there is more skin showing than clothing. We would expect such from a worldly person, but not a child of God! It is equally disturbing, if not more so, when we see members (young or older) come to worship wearing tight clothes, short dresses, or blouses so short that part of their mid-section is showing. Such is a shame!
We desperately need to teach our members (from the pulpit and in classes) what God’s Word has to say about modesty. Modesty is a good work. Paul wrote that dressing modestly is included in the good deeds that women professing godliness must practice (1 Tim. 2:9). The implied opposite must also be true. Immodesty is a sinful work. Please think seriously and soberly on the following:
Immodesty mars reputations. Paul tied the issue of immodesty to the inward person. Even many in the world understand this. When a worldly man is desiring to commit fornication, does he seek a modest or immodestly-dressed woman? When a woman or young girl dresses immodestly, she is establishing or has already established a reputation of being loose morally, whether she actually is or not! Think about it. One of the ways we show our love and reverential respect for God is in the way we dress…and the way we dress does have an effect upon others. We have our influence to think about. If you see one professing to be a Christian dressed immodestly (whether at worship or elsewhere), you are not able to think of that individual in the same way. Why? Because they have marred their reputation.
Immodesty is an advertisement that one’s body has not been purchased by Christ. Christ purchased our bodies (1 Cor. 6:18-20). Christians were bought by the most costly price ever – the blood of Christ, but by dressing immodestly you have sided with the world (James 4:4). Immodesty is a mark of worldliness and John writes, “Love not the world” (I John 2:15). One cannot be worldly and at the same time be a faithful child of God. It is either…or… .
Please keep these three things in mind: (1) Recognize that you must be modest and sensible in your dress to have the favor of God. As one’s dress is a mirror of her heart, show that you have a pure heart by modest attire. (2) “Abstain from every form of evil”, even in your attire (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Do not be conformed to the world. (3) Realize that your life is to exalt Christ. Dress to the glory of God (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).
Parents, be concerned with your child’s attire and act accordingly. Those who dress immodestly (whether at worship or elsewhere) are showing that they are of the world and they disgrace themselves, their families, and bring reproach upon the church and Christ whose name they wear.
Sin will cause the soul to be lost, including the sin of immodesty. Those guilty must repent just as with any other sin. May God help His people to exhibit His holiness through modest dress.
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