Consider this

  The Bible did not come with chapters and verses. They were added later to help people find specific sections more quickly. One unintended consequence, though, is that sometimes those chapters and verses break up portions of scripture that were meant to be taken together. The end of Mark 6 and the start of Mark 7 is a good example.   First, we get a description of Jesus at the height of his popularity. “Wherever he went – into the villages, towns, or country – they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed” (Mark 6:56).   Next, because the religious leaders, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, wanted to investigate what Jesus was doing, they too went to the marketplace. However, their reaction to being with the common people was very different than Jesus’. “The Pharisees… do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing… When they come from the marketplac...

 We honour mothers on Mother’s Day, not because they are perfect, but because they do this over and over.  https://youtu.be/UBKWh02y8fI  

  “A major cheat code in life: Master the pause. Before responding to that text. Before saying that nasty reply. The pause is where the wisdom lives. Most mistakes happen when we rush. Most regrets come from quick decisions. Remember, response time does not equal response quality” (Paraphrasing a quote by Scott Clary)   I have been thinking about this quote a lot lately. The worst purchases I have made have been the ones when I bought something on impulse. Rather than thinking it through and weighing the pros and cons, I just stormed ahead and regretted it later.   The worst arguments I have been in over the years have come from reacting rather than waiting. Someone says something that I perceive as mean or unfair, and I fire back in an attempt to hurt them in return. Then it takes hours and hours to undo the mess. Had I just paused, taken a breath and thought about it, I likely would not have said what I said.   One time, a buddy of mine sent an email ab...

 Jesus and the Pharisees approached people in very different ways. As with all things, we'd better follow Jesus' example.  https://youtu.be/wN5XDuEBmcQ