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Cybersalt News

Sunday greetings everyone!

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble today - but if I do, I think this is a good bubble to burst. And please note, this time I am going against Grandma Cybersalt's advice and writing this.

I am part of a refugee sponsorship group in our community. We are currently having a silent auction to raise money in anticipation of caring for a refugee family who are cleared to come to Canada as soon as they move up on the travel list. Some of the items being auctioned are the same worthless 1, 5, and 10 billion dollar Zimbabwean bills that you can get through the Be A Billionaire fund raiser here on Cybersalt.

Yesterday, I called one of the successful bidders to let them know they had had won a bill and to make arrangement to drop it off. They were quite excited and said, "I'm a big believer in the 'law of attraction' so this will be good to stare at and maybe attract much more money for sponsoring refugees."

Now, the Law of Attraction is not what many of us observed in our high school days: attractive girls get asked out on more dates. 

No, the Law of Attraction is a New Thought philosophical belief that we have "the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on." I would try to explain it in more detail but my mind is still a bit fried from trying to wrap it around Qanon. (That's the part when Susan said "Oh, I don't know, honey.") But, basically, the Law of Attraction says you can have what you want if you try hard enough to picture having it."

Now, back to the lady on the phone; I want you to know that I know she was being sweet and kind in her excitement about winning the prize. I get that. I don't think she is a terrible person.

That is why I very kindly pointed out that staring a devaluated currency that could not even buy a loaf of bread before it was decommissioned and abandoned altogether, was not going to attract any real money. I also pointed out that if the Law of Attraction worked, all those starving people focused on food would actually have food by now and would not be hungry.

When you think about it, the idea that simply being hyper-focused on something will bring it to you is a cruel philosophy that makes us each our own god. It gives us a false sense that we are all we need in order to have everything what we want. It also leads to a self-righteous attitude toward others in tough situations, blaming them for the bad things they have in life - or the lack of good things as the case may be. Logically and empirically, it simply cannot be a law or else the poor would be rich, the sick would be healthy, and all high school students would be asked out by their crushes! 

Today's video share is one that our good list friend, Walter Mc. shared with me a few weeks ago. He teaches Spanish to English people (and maybe vice versa) and he said he likes to share this with his students.

Click here to watch the video.

Enjoy the rest of today's mailing!

~ Pastor Tim

A man scolded his son for being so unruly and the child rebelled. He got some of his clothes, his teddy bear and his piggy bank and proudly announced, "I'm running away from home!"

The father calmly decided to look at the matter logically. "What if you get hungry?" he said.

"Then I'll come home and eat!" bravely declared the child.

"And what if you run out of money?"

"I will come home and get some!" readily replied the child.

The man made a final attempt, "What if your clothes get dirty?"

"Then I'll come home and let mommy wash them," was the reply.

The man shook his head and exclaimed, "This kid is not running away from home; he's going off to college."

Pick a winner; anyone can pick a loser.

"Be a Billionaire!"

and Help

Refugees and

Persecuted Christians

Biblical newspaper headline:

Job outlook dismal.

"A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart."

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranging from 2 to 5 pounds.

The lecturer replied, "The precise weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

He continued, "If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight. But the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.

"And that's the way it is with stress management.

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.

As with the glass of water, you have to put it down."

*******

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Featured Illustrations are items well suited for illustrating or inspiring a point in a sermon, speech, or devotional. Funny, moving, or perhaps even graphic, the point of them is the point you make with them.

Rev. James Snyder, God's Penman, writes . . . . 

If there's anybody that can be conned, it's Yours Truly. It's not so much that I'm stupid; I'm just naïve. I believe when somebody says something, they mean exactly what they say.

So, if you can't swindle me, you might as well hang it up and get a real job. I must confess I often know a certain person is trying to take advantage of me. But, that's another story.

One problem I see is that people are always blaming someone else for their problems. I must confess I do that on occasion, probably more so than I will acknowledge.

The Cybersalt Digest is a ministry of Pastor Tim and Cybersalt.