Dr. Dan's Monday Morning Manna

Mother Love

Dr. Dan — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:41 +0000

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. It reminded me that mothers love things that no one else loves. My grandson, Price, told his mother he wanted to rent, “The Muppet Movie.” When she asked why, he explained that Miss Piggy and his mother were a lot alike. Other than admitting she had indeed kissed a few toad frogs in her life, she was speechless. Only love kept her from having a violent reaction. Only a mother could love being compared to Miss Piggy. I remember a night, many, many years ago, when my best friend was staying at my house and we were running wildly through the house shooting our plastic guns at each other. My mother was no doubt irritated by the noise, but rather than yell at us to be quiet, she simply found another plastic gun, hid behind a chair in the living room, and waited. On our next trip through the living room, she jumped out and yelled, “Pow! Pow! Pow!” I thought my friend had suffered an early cardiac arrest and I was in no shape to assist him. Only a loving mother could love two loud boys that way. The Bible is filled with stories of mother love, from Eve, the original mother, to Sarah, the mother of Isaac, to Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob, to Jochebed, the mother of Moses, to Mary the mother of Jesus. In every case, and to this day, it is said of loving mothers, “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Proverbs 31:28). I am indebted to my mother’s love and I miss her greatly, especially on days like yesterday.

Join me this week in praying for the following global concerns:
• Pray for three couples who are in the process of raising funds to start churches on Vancouver Island, home to 750,000 people; the 2nd leading center of occult in the world.
• Pray for those who serve in the former East Germany, according to a recent report, now considered one of the least religious places in the world.
• Pray for those who serve in Mali as they await things settling down before re-entering into their country.

Good, Better, Best

Dr. Dan — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:44 +0000

The quote was on the back of a T-shirt, three rows in front of me at a baseball game. “Good, better, best…never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is your best” but it was attributed to Tim Duncan, a professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan was not born until 1976. So what’s the problem, you ask? The problem I was having with Duncan was related to the fact that on my first school day at Miss Baker’s Little Kindergarten in Paris, Texas, my mother saw me out of the front door by reminding me of that quote, and that was a long time before 1976. A little research informed me that Tim Duncan said the quote came from his mother who made him memorize it and say it every night before his bedtime. A little more research informed me that the actual quote, “Good better, best, never let it rest until the good is better, and the better is best” came from St. Jerome, a Catholic priest, born in 347 A.D. and best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), as well as his extensive writings. Not sure where Jerome got the idea for the quote, unless it was from the author of Hebrews who wrote, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection” (Hebrews 6:1). Wherever it started, it is a worthy goal. So this week, let’s work on making our good, better and our better, best.

Join with me also this week in interceding for the following global concerns:
• Wednesday, May 9th, is Victory Day across much of the former Soviet Union. Check this map, http://g.co/maps/geqjw for prayer requests.
• Thank God for major answers to long-time prayers for new church starts in White Rock, BC, Canada and Victoria, on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
• Thanks God for an open door into the schools of Olsberg, Germany and pray for Wendell as he enters those doors.
• Pray for the New Day Church and Orphanage in Zambia.