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Cybersalt News

Sunday greetings everyone.

There was no mailing last Chicken Thursday because I was not feeling very well when it came time to put the final touches on the issue and send it out.

I have been having stomach problems on and off for the past year. At first some diet changes were helping, but in the last couple of weeks there have been a couple more painful episodes. Not all the diagnostic tests I should have are available right now (a number of our local medical labs are closed due to short-staffing because so many workers have COVID) but my doctor has begun treating me for an ulcer because that is what the symptoms oint to. To be completely open, it was probably stress that caused the recent flare ups.

The above is really more details than I would usually go into here, but stomach ulcers are one of those medical things that can come with a stigma, especially in the Christian community where worry and anxiety are viewed by some as a failure to trust or have faith in God. Many of the people who default to this view forget that when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, knowing the time for his crucifixion was close, his sweat was like drops of blood. Many believe that was hematohidrosis, a condition brought on by incredible stress. Given what Jesus knew was coming, as he willingly became the sacrifice for the sins of the world, I am one of those people who believes it was just that.

Now, I am not putting my stress on par with what Jesus faced. But my sister's passing at the end of 2021 did have my stomach in knots - and my mind in numb - for many days. That piled a load on top of other stress I have because of my business, which is growing and stretching me to grow in areas that are very new to me. I know many people wished they had that problem, but it's a problem just the same because even in good things, being outside of one's comfort zone still can take a toll.

The fact is, life happens to all of us and sometimes that means there will be valleys we pass through that impact us physically, mentally and/or emotionally. In Psalm 23, David took comfort that God was with him in those valleys. That is an encouraging reminder to me and all of us who have placed our faith in Jesus. He is with me/us too. Many of David's other Psalms (and his life story) also encourage me because there were many times when David was a hot mess because of stress! Basically, depending on what you read from David, one ends up either wanting to be more like him or less!

If I do indeed have an ulcer, I am confident God will bring me through and teach me what I need to learn about myself and the course forward from here. I'm not going to add stress to myself by pretending I don't have stress because some people want to be "judgy" to help them ignore the reality that they may not always be able to prevent the effects of stressful times in their own life.

Today's video share is stress related; in a fun way. I regularly watch the YouTube channel, "How Ridiculous." The three young lads on this channel have fun doing ridiculous things that are a ridiculous source of entertainment for me, such as popping the world's largest balloon.

Click here to watch the video.

Enjoy the rest of today's mailing!

~ Pastor Tim

LAW OF CAT INERTIA

A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some outside force, such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying mouse.

LAW OF CAT MOTION

A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good reason to change direction.

FIRST LAW OF CAT ENERGY CONSERVATION

Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will, therefore, use as little energy as possible.

LAW OF BAG/BOX OCCUPANCY

All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the earliest possible nanosecond.

LAW OF FURNITURE REPLACEMENT

A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the cost of the furniture.

LAW OF CAT COMPOSITION

A cat is composed of Matter + Anti-matter + It Doesn't Matter.

LAW OF CAT OBEDIENCE

As yet undiscovered.

Ring your doorbell on your way to bed; this will clear the dogs off of the bed just long enough for you to get comfortable.

"Be a Billionaire!"

and Help

Refugees and

Persecuted Christians

"Hypotenuse: Washroom upstairs is occupied."

- Paul Dickson

"To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't have any views that upset you. Does that belief make sense?"

- Timothy Keller

A young boy burst into the great throne chambers of a medieval king. The boy was skipping and singing as children do. He was completely oblivious to the regal sobriety of his surroundings. Suddenly, he was intercepted by an armored solider.

"Have you no respect, lad?" hissed the soldier. "Don't you know that the man on the throne is your king?"

The boy wriggled out of the soldier's grasp. Dancing away, he laughed and said, "He is your king but he is my father!"

And the boy bounced up to the throne and leaped into the king's lap.

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 . . . . 

To be honest, I don't always hear what I'm supposed to hear. I do have ears, but sometimes they are not working in such a way as to benefit me.

Often, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage will talk to me about something, and then at the end of that, she will ask me a question of which I have no idea what the answer would be. I did hear her talking; I just did not hear what she was saying.

That's why I say, "Yes, dear," to knock her off her game, thinking that I heard what she said.

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