NO. 1092 - JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME!
No. 1092
THE NEXT PASSWORD IS NECTARINE!
Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN
JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME!
Every once in a while I have someone ask me where I get all the good ideas for this column. I usually tell them that good ideas are everywhere. Of course, many of my ideas come from you readers, others from all the years I spent listening to motivational tapes, reading the Bible, good books, and just observing real-life situations.
When I write, I have a list of guidelines that I read before I begin. Here is an abbreviated list: Pray before I begin, columns should always be positive and upbeat, use humor when natural to do so, strive to bring out the best in people and always seek to do the right thing, and use only material that will bring honor to the Lord. With this aside, the most important thing is to always try to provide one or more benefits for you the reader, because your time is far too important than to waste. I don’t always succeed but I try, because that is my heart’s desire.
What inspired me to write today’s column is a speech I heard several months ago by a man by the name of Keith Jackson. Keith, originally from Little Rock, played football for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he was a two-time All-American. He later played nine years in the professional ranks with the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers. His awards are far too numerous to mention.
Today, Keith heads up an organization called P.A.R.K. which stands for Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids. His organization’s primary mission is to help inner city and low-income children succeed in life. To date they have helped more than 400 kids get a high school diploma and 300 of them to enter college. He also spends a good deal of his time making speeches and encouraging his listeners to make a difference. At the end of the talk we heard, he gave several examples of individuals who have truly made a difference. The thought that stuck in my mind was that each wanted “just a little more time … to make a difference.”
This is what Janis and I have prayed for many times since we got married. Only God knows the future, but that is our heart’s desire, and we hope it is yours as well. Based on this, I got to thinking about some people in the modern era that have truly made a difference. These people include: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln. Space will not permit me to elaborate on each one but I offer the following as a refresher and to spur your thinking:
Dr. King (1929-1968) was best known for his struggle for Civil Rights using non-violent civil disobedience, a concept based on his Christian beliefs. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mother Teresa (1910-1997) spent most of her life in India working among the poorest of the land and she founded the Missionaries of Charity.
Dr. Graham (1918-present) is a Southern Baptist pastor who became known as spiritual adviser to presidents, and 3.2 million people accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior during his Revival Crusades.
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) spent 27 years in prison fighting to end Apartheid. After his release from prison, he served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He is known as the Father of the Nation of South Africa.
And most Americans know about Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President who became known as the Great Emancipator. He is most responsible for ending slavery in our nation.
Two of these individuals were cut down by an assassin’s bullet but they are truly great people who made a difference. We all need Just a Little More Time.
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(Editor’s Note: Bookcase for Every Child – Changing Lives & Futures – ONE AT A TIME. Please visit our website: www.bookcaseforeverychild.com)
THE NEXT PASSWORD IS NECTARINE!
