Thursday, January 31, 2013

Caine's Arcade 2 - What a Door Handle Can Do!

Last year I posted a video from YouTube called Caine's Arcade. It is the amazing story of how one encounter between a thirty-seven-year-old filmmaker and a nine-year-old boy can become a worldwide movement benefiting children from forty countries. It all started back in 2011 when Nirvan Mullick stopped by a used auto parts store in Los Angeles look for a door handle for his 1996 Corolla. In case you are one of the very few people on the planet who hasn't se en it, you can see it here:
  
Recently I came across "the rest of the story" in this video. What happened to Caine in the first video was amazing and wonderful. The second video shows how the effects of Nirvan's decision to get a used door handle for his aging Corolla and a $2.00 arcade "fun pass" not only changed Caine's life, but his as well, not to mention the thousands of other lives the two of them changed! See what happened here...


The moral of the story: be aware of you own power of encouragement!!! The power of words to bring great good is still given to each individual by God to bring good to those we talk to. I love the clarity of Ephesians 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." We pick and cut up, and often fail to cease the moment to truly bless and encourage another person. Our world needs fewer complainers, and more encouraging people like Nirvan Mullick! Today, be intentional about blessing your spouse, kids, parents, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances, or anyone else you can....even a kid making something special out of cardboard!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Want a better 2013? Your choices can make it happen!

I came across this quote from Max Lucado from an online devotion:  "I CHOOSE PATIENCE . . .  I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage." 
                                                                                Max Lucado 

As God's people prepared to finally enter the Promised Land, God gave them final instructions through His spokesman, Moses: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (Deut. 30:19,20) 

So that's what you get on a given day...lots of blessings and curses, but the good news is that you get to choose which will be the focus of your day, and your life. Choose wisely, don't waste time merely "hoping" circumstances will bring you blessings, when you can choose to "BE" God's blessing to someone else. You've been given the power through Christ to be a GOOD NEWS generator! But you have to choose to be that... every day! I hope you will! 

Link  to Max Lucado devotion: