Labor Day

11He has made everything appropriate in its time He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; – Ecclesiastes 3:11-12

I am sooooo excited!!!! I am exciting because it is Labor Day. That means three things: one my anniversary is coming up (yeah me), two I get a three day weekend because the schools will be closed on Monday (being that it is a federal holiday and all and , three the National football League has returned (I was becoming sooo tired of baseball). I also loved that the temperature changes and I can were sweaters and I do not have to use the heat or air condition to keep my house cool (laugh all you want but that saves me a lot of money. I decided to look up Labor day and I found out some information.

• 
  Labor Day is celebrated all over the world. It came from the diligent work of the labor union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers.
• The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day, while some celebrate on the first Monday of September.
• Labour Day got its start in the theory of the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. There were no Labor Laws at the time, so it was very easy for people to be taken advantage of.
• The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City.

Not that is amazing, that Labor Day was set up so that people could have balance between home and work. It was also created to celebrate the work that is done by workers that typically go unappreciated. Now, if we really think about it, how many us follow the path of Eight-hour day movement, (eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest). I know that I do not. I know that I typically work a ten to twelve hour day, maybe 6 six for miscellaneous and 6 hours for sleep if I am lucky. I have discovered that I spend some much time in work. I do not know if you are like this too. Let me clarify…when I say work I am not just talking about my primary 9 to 5 job.

Below is a text written by Solomon. He was one of the wisest men in the entire world. He states that there is a time and a season for everything (Time to laugh, time to cry, time to work time to sleep and so on). God wants us to be a people of balance (8, 8, 8) not me (12, 6, 6). Of course, there will always be seasons where we will be more or less busy however, we should always return to balance. So let me ask you, how balanced is your life? What things take up the most time in your life? Remember Labor Day was create to remind us about balance, so when you are home on Monday doing what you do, think about how balanced your life truly is?


Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 1There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-- 2A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. 5A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. 9What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. 11He has made everything appropriate in its time He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one's lifetime; 13moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor--it is the gift of God.


Questions: On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 low and 10 high), how balanced is your life, explain? How does one maintain balance between home, work, and social? Why do you think it is so vital to have a balanced life?

Breake Lights

5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

–Genesis 15:5-6

Since the birth of LJ (Little Jason) my driving has changed a little bit. I do not drive as fast as I use to and I am less likely to turn on yellow lights, and I have become a stickler for going no more than 10 miles over the posted speed limit. With all those changes I still have a bad habit when driving. It is Brake lights. I see brake lights from the car in front of me and usually I always wait to the last minute to put the brakes on my car. Needless to say, this causes some intense moments of fellowship between the wife and I. Her thoughts are don’t ya see all the 4 or 5 cars in front of you putting on their brakes. This is a sign that maybe you should put on your brakes. My response is….”I have plenty of time. Can you please let me drive”.
Here are some facts about rear or brake lights:
Ø They must be red…you know how some cars front lights are different colors (yellow, white, neon, green, etc…) They are this color because red is an uniform color for stop in whatever country you are in.
Ø The intensity of the brake lights is the same in every car. So, when someone steps on their brakes whether you are driving an escalade or a pinto, the brightness of the light is the same. This also helps alarm the driver behind you.

As I think about Brake Lights…. I must admit that my wife is correct. I do need to take heed to the brake lights of the 5 or 6 cars in front of me that have put on their brakes and not just react to the car in front of me putting on their brakes and becoming upset (like I usually do BUT maybe that is just me). I think we do not recognize the other 5 or 6 cars putting on their brake lights because at times we may be a little too engrossed in our world and fail to see what is going on around us.

Below is the story of Cain and Abel (most of us know this story and have heard it many of times). Something to think about…God came to him personally and gave him a warning (brakes lights so to speak). Cain did not take heed and ended up killing his brother on purpose. I want you to think about your life, is there anything where you see brake lights (warnings) coming up for. No one wants to get in an accident; neither does God want you to get into any accidents…. Are you slowing down appropriately for the brake lights or are you being like me and slamming on the brakes at the last minute hoping to avoid an accident?

Genesis 4:1-9

1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Questions: Do you remember a time when you had to slam on your brakes or turn off the side of the road due to the person in front of you, what happen? How did you feel when you about that incident, was it their fault of your fault? Do you think that there are areas of your life where you see brake lights and may need to change, explain?

The Lost Remote

8"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9"When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!'
–Luke 15:1-9

On Sunday, I had some good friends of mine to come over. We had not talked in a while, so we decided to have dinner together and to watch a movie. Being the cheap miser that I am, I looked for a free on demand movie on cable (I have Verizon FIOS). I found a movie….it was Not Easily Broken. It is an okay movie but not the point of this devo. To watch an On Demand movie, you have to use your remote to find it. I could not find my remote….I did not remember where I placed it. I started to look all over the house for this remote. I even requested assistance from my friends. I was reminded that I had an extra remote upstairs….so I went and got that remote and used it for the time being. While watching the movie I kept wondering where the remote is and periodically I would walk and look in various places for this remote. My efforts were in vain.

After the movie, my wife and her girlfriend went out to the store…I continued to look for the remote. I moved furniture this time and even started to look for my flashlight. Still I was unable to find the remote. I thought if I stop thinking about the remote then I could find it BUT I could not even stop thinking about it. I know this is slightly obsessive compulsive.

After a couple of hours, I needed to get ready for work on Monday. I went upstairs to unload our laundry and place my clothes up and iron my outfits for the week. At the bottom of the laundry basket was…..you guessed it my remote. I was soooo excited I showed my wife. I called my friend. I swelled up with pride as if I just won the lottery. I felt good about that for hours. I slept sooo well and felt sooo accomplished.

This adventure of mine made me think about the parable of the women and the lost coin. Here is a woman with 10 coins and she lost one. She lights a lamp, spending a lot of oil so that she can have a better chance to find the coin. In addition, she cleans the house to see if the coin could be covered by dirt or in some little corner. Don’t ya think the time and the effort that she is putting into this is worth more than the coin. She ultimately finds the coin and throws a huge party so to speak celebrating its discovery. Do you think that maybe she was wasting her time?

God views each of us as that lost coin. Something very valuable…worth finding at all costs. He died of the cross for you. He does not think it is a waste of time to do whatever it takes to find us. The next time you are scrambling over your house looking for that one misplaced thing, tearing up your house and not thinking straight, think about how God loves and what he did to find you.


Luke 15:1-10 1Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." 3So He told them this parable, saying, 4"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9"When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' 10"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."


Questions: Do you remember a time when you lost something and search all over for, what was the item? How did you feel when you found the item, was it worth all the time and effort to find it? Do you think that God will ever give up on trying to find you, explain?