Servant/Leader/Steward

I've noticed that successful churches seemed to be blessed to have a lot of dedicated servants and leaders. It does not have as much to do with the size of the church. It has everything to do with the attitude of those who serve and lead.

So here is a thought for those who serve and lead.

Have you ever considered the fact that Christ has graciously given gifts to men and women for the purpose of leading and serving. At least, that's what I conclude when mix Matthew 25 with Ephesians 4.

In Matthew 25 We find Jesus speaking to his disciples in parables. He tells the story of how a rich master gives talents (a denomination of money) to each of 3 servants. Upon his return he asks them one by one to report what they did with the talents he had given them. Two of the servants had done wisely with what had been entrusted to them, to which the master replies, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' (Matt. 25:21)

These servants to whom Jesus referred may be more aptly called stewards. Did you know that, as believers, we too might categorize ourselves as “stewards?” Now, a steward is described as a person who has been entrusted with the management of estates or affairs not his own. Take a closer look at this passage and you will notice that Paul more than implies the idea of stewardship.

Now, add to this the thought that God has graciously given gifts to his stewards: "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Ephesians 4:7).

Ephesians chapter 4 is a great passage that expounds on this idea of being equipped to serve. A read through leads me to draw at least four conclusions: (1) Christ has given gifts according to his grace; (2) Christ has graciously given gifts for the purpose of leadership; (3) Christ has given gifts for the purpose of encouraging believers to service and, finally, (4) Christ has given gifts for the purpose of bringing the church into spiritual maturity. The bottom line is, Christ has sacrificed much in order to equip us to be responsible stewards and effective leaders/servants in the body of Christ.

With this in mind, we might say that, God, who is the giver of what is good and perfect, has given to men the means by which they can attend to his affairs. He has given us the “talents” to be used to manage His estate. And what are God’s “affairs?” What is His “estate?” I would like to suggest to you that at the top of the list is His church. God has “entrusted” those in leadership with the responsibility of caring for His church. Not the building…but the body.” God has declared us to be His servants, His stewards, so that we might serve in the body.

All too often we regard stewardship simply as a matter of our giving to God, but this aspect is secondary. Before we can give, we must possess, and before we possess we must receive. Therefore, stewardship is, in the first place, receiving God's good and bounteous gifts. Once received, these gifts are not to be used solely for our own good. They must also be used for the benefit of others and, ultimately, for the glory of God, the Giver.

“The steward needs an open hand to receive from God and then an active hand to give to God and to others.” (Murray J. Harris, Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 4.)

To state this in another and, perhaps, overly simplified way, “God gives; We get; We give.”

So, take the attitude of a servant. Open your hand and your heart to receive what God wants to give to you. And then give back to God by serving others.

Just some thoughts from the heart and mind of Victor (servant/leader/steward) Stanley

It's Not About The Man

Have you ever seen such fanfare as we have seen surrounding the inauguration of president Obama? Wow! Frankly, it would be just plan negligent to ignore the fact that history is being made right before our very eyes.

That the very mention of the name Obama can spark a plethora of emotion filled opinions is indisputable. In fact, a blog that I wrote after the election (see, “A Word About The Election” at http://www.victorstanley.blogspot.com/) sparked such a truckload passionate feedback from so many on both sides of the political fence that it left me a bit dumbfounded.

Thanks so much for your feedback. I did not expect that people would comment on my post. I was glad to see that some of you young people gave some serious thought to the political process. The right to vote is a privilege that should not be taken lightly. It has the ability to elect men and women who will leave an indelible mark on the moral fabric of our country. Please consider that during each election and choose wisely.

And now, like it or not, a new president is being inaugurated. May those of us who are believers in Jesus become more diligent in our prayers because both our country and our president will need them. Nevertheless, and though it might cause some of my readers a slight bit of discomfort, I would be dishonest if I did not admit that I am indeed moved by the historicity of the inauguration of this president. It’s not about the man. It’s about the moment.

I do somewhat recognize that it is very difficult for some to understand why, in spite of their political convictions (conservative, liberal or independent), so many are moved by this historical moment. Some of this is probably due to the fact that not all persons have shared the same life experiences growing up in America. It certainly seems that, given some of this country’s history, it has caused others to arrive at this moment and recognize its’ historical precedence. These experiences have caused many proud Americas to look beyond politics and become filled with wonder to see a person, an African American person, achieve what president Obama has. It’s not about the man. It’s about the moment.

Should our faith be shaken by this historic moment in American politics? No. Are we sometimes frustrated by politics? Yes. Are we, at times, disgusted with it? Most definitely. Is my faith shaken by it? No. That’s because my faith and convictions have been formed and shaped by God's word, not by anything that politicians and presidents have said or done. However, and in spite of having to navigate the minefield of American politics, I do greatly appreciate the fact that, for whatever reason, God has blessed me to be born and to live in this wonderful country of ours. I am, unabashedly, a proud American. And, given this historic moment, what a great time to be a proud American. It’s not about the man. It’s about the moment.

Over the years there have been many who have cheered as a rocket landed on the moon, wept as Kennedys fell, mourned as towers collapsed, and marched with King. They were significant experiences that will never be forgotten. However, and in spite of everything that we have lost, man still seems to hold on to hope. I think that is partly what so many see in the inauguration of this president. It’s not about the man. It was about the moment.

I heard it said a few weeks after the election that some were under the opinion that president elect Obama was the Anti-Christ. I doubt that very seriously. Let me assure you, I am not naïve enough to not recognize that our adversary, the Devil, continues to launch a relentless attack against the religious and moral convictions of God’s people. Furthermore, I certainly don’t know what the future holds for our government, its leaders and the decisions that they will make and how it will affect our country. I can only trust in God’s ability to use and keep us in the midst of it.

So, cast your worries and cares upon Jesus and don't miss this historical moment. Celebrate it. Besides, the way I look at it is, if Obama is the Anti-Christ, then, we would do well to head Romans 13:11: “Now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” In other words, the rapture (that moment when we believers will be caught up to be with our Lord) must be right around the corner. What a moment that will be. So, excuse me while I assume an attitude of praise. I want to be worshiping while I’m going up.

It is about the man (Jesus) and the moment.

Just some historical thoughts from the heart and mind of Victor.

Don't Be A Chicken

Christmas. I've always felt that, if there is anyone who should celebrate Christmas, it should be believers in Jesus. After all, we are among those who know the "reason for the season" (as we are fond of saying). Question. What is the reason for the season? I mean, I know what the reason is but, what does that really mean for us Jesus-followers? Hopefully it means that Christ is more to us than simply a seasonal sensation that comes around once a year. There is always such a build up to Christmas and then, before you know it, it's gone.

A week later we find ourselves ringing in the New Year. And so...here we are. The holidays are past and we are now into a new year. Hopefully, it causes you to look back to review where you've been, in order to consider where you are going.

So? Where have you been? Where are you going? Do you even know who you are? Really? I know that they are hard to keep but the new year is a great time to make a resolution to discover, more fully, who you are in Christ. The bible tells us that, in Christ, we are made new.2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."

The problem is, we have inadvertently allowed ourselves to become so influenced, so conditioned by secular humanism that we have lost a true sense of the magnificence of Christmas; of who Christ truly is; of who we are in Him and what it really means to be made new. It reminds me of a story (and you know how I like to tell stories)

An American Indian tells about a brave who found an eagle's egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the changeling eagle, thinking he was a prairie chicken, did what the prairie chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that's how prairie chickens were supposed to fly. Years passed. and the changeling eagle grew very old.

One day, he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

"What a beautiful bird!" said the changeling eagle to his neighbor. "What is it?"

"That's an eagle-the chief of the birds," the neighbor clucked. "But don't give it a second thought. You could never be like him."

So the changeling eagle never gave it another thought. And it died thinking it was a prairie chicken.

So, what's the point? The point is, don't be a dumb cluck (couldn't resist saying that).

So the question is, are you a prairie chicken or are you and eagle. In Christ, you are an eagle. However, lack of faith, neglect of your spiritual man and failure to walk in the statutes and commandments prescribed in God's word may have caused you to live like a prairie chicken.

The point is, many of you do not even realize that you are an eagle. God knows your capabilities, possibilities, gifts and talents. You need to make a Resolution. Will you resolve to remain a Prairie Chicken? Or, will you resolve to have a fixed purpose; to be determined; constant; steady; bold and unflinching?

The sky is the limit. So, resolve to be that Great Golden Eagle, soaring high upon the powerful wind currents of God's Spirit. Resolve to be fully persuaded in your Heart, Mind and Body that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life. Then...live like it.

Now. Go ahead. Soar.

Just a few thoughts from the heart and mind of Victor.

Moved By Grace

Will it never end?

I'm talking about the endless struggle to be “conformed to the image of Christ.” I mean, we are told to be like Christ. This, I think, is a call for us to allow the teachings of the Savior to permeate every fiber of our being. That's a tall order but as believers we are supposed to be striving to achieve it. And yet, the longer I live the more I come to the realization that it is only through the grace of God that I’ll even come remotely close to it.

Undeniably, and I think some of you would agree, it is hard work.

Even so, it's not the trying that gets me,...it's the times that I fail that gets to me. Daily, I am faced with the reality that I fall terribly short of conforming to his image. It's because, whenever I try to do “Good,” there is that ever persistent “Bad” working against me. When the battle gets unbearable, I find myself crying out, like Paul did in Romans 7, "Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" That's when the resounding answer comes, "Jesus! Jesus can deliver me!"

At this stage of my life, I have come to believe that it is good to periodically stop whatever it is I am doing, sit down for a moment and take a brief review of my life. What that does is allows for a moment to see where I’ve been. Because there just may be some truth to the old adage that, if we take the time to review where we’ve been, we can better get a bearing on where it is we want to go. You should try it sometime. However, be forewarned that looking back does not always yield all pleasant memories.

As I have reviewed my life I have found that, at times, I have failed miserably. I have found that, in spite of all the time that God has invested in me, at times, I take my eyes off of Jesus and still get caught up in the mundane cares of this world. I have found that I am still susceptible to temptations and that, if I’m not careful, sin can overtake me. In fact, if I’m not careful, the guilt and the shame of past failure will eat away at me like a cancer, leaving me weak and useless.

There have been times that I’ve thought that I was super strong. That’s when 1 Corinthians 10:12 came screaming at me, "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall!" And, boy! Have I had some great falls in my life.

Remember how, in one of the earlier versions of the Superman series (with Christopher Reeves playing the “Man of Steel”), Lois Lane’s car is swallowed by a crack in the earth? Superman is busy saving the rest of the world. By the time he gets to Lois he has to pull her sunken, soil-filled, car out of the crevice. She is deceased. His heart is broken. He is beside himself with grief. He suddenly thrusts himself up into the atmosphere and begins to fly around the earth at lightning speed in an attempt to reverse its rotation. As he gradually succeeds, time itself begins to be reversed. Lois Lane’s car pops back out of the fissure; the crack in the earth recedes; Lois is alive again! Yay! Superman then returns the earth back to its natural rotation. Time resumes, and then he flies back down to earth and gets to Lois before the tragedy takes place. She’s saved! The end.

Have you ever wished you could do that? I have. Because if I could, I could reverse time back to every time I made a mistake, every time I failed miserably, every time I said something stupid or make a bad choice. I could reverse time and then make a different choice. Man! I would have it made. I would be perfect! Well,…not really. I would still be flawed. It’s just that you wouldn’t know it. My mistakes would be hidden behind an endless string of reversals that leave folks with the impression that I am perfect, only, it would be a false impression of perfection. The truth of the matter is, I have found that I am not perfect. I am still striving to be more Christ-like. I have found that I am still a disciple in training. Were it not for God’s grace, I don’t know where I’d be right now. One thing I do know, I’d most certainly be lost.

What about you? Have you had any struggles? Have you had any failures or weaknesses? If you have, you need to be reminded that God is really good at forgiving the past. If you have ever fallen down let me encourage you to now stand on His promises because God does not lie. If he says he will forgive, then, he really will forgive. Just ask Him. After this, if you ever fall again, may you fall on God’s Grace because it makes for a very soft landing.

It’s hard work but God wants us to be “conformed to the image of His Son,” (Romans 8:29). He wants us to be His disciples. He wants us to be Jesus followers. Nevertheless, God does not want us to be motivated by fear but moved by His grace...

...And, personally, God's Grace is a never ending and comforting refrain in the heart and mind of Victor.

A Word About the Election

Unfortunately, I have need to speak to the recent contest to elect a Commander-in-Chief for the United States of America.

My intent was to say nothing. However, it is coming to my attention that many are upset, bewildered, distraught, angry and depressed over the outcome of the recent election. Let me say at the outset that I do not understand this. I mean, I understand that many had hoped for a different outcome. What I don’t understand is why they can’t simply accept the fact that the contest did not go their way? Get over it and move on. I do not understand why they would doubt that God is still in control.

I would not even bring this up but I am hearing that there are people whose displeasure with the outcome of the election is causing them to expect me to respond in a way that affirms their attitude towards the whole thing. Some are sending me correspondence, wanting me to speak to it on Sunday morning. Frankly, I think that a lot of the attitudes are not godly attitudes at all. These types of attitudes lack faith in God’s sovereignty. They lack the ability to decipher the things of God from the things of man. They lack the spiritual discernment to consider that God raises up kings and kingdoms for his use. They fail to consider that God can turn the hearts of kings (and presidents) and use them for his purposes. They lack the common Christian sense to know or accept that God is not now, nor has he ever been, affiliated with any political party.

Here is my stance: I will not use the pulpit/platform to influence, urge, persuade or sway people to vote for one political party or the other. God has not called me to preach politics. He has called me to preach the gospel. He called me to encourage us to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to give a warm coat to a child and to go and make disciples. A person is free to vote in any way their convictions lead them to vote. And, let me be clear, I will not make Republicanism synonymous with Christianity, nor will I be narrow minded enough to think that there is no such thing as a Christian Democrat. Additionally, I will not doubt a person’s patriotism because of their party affiliation. I will not be sucked into the vortex of political debate by disgruntled voters who want me to condemn all things non-Republican. If someone wants to vote moral issues, go ahead. If someone else wants to vote social issues, fine. If another person wants to vote ethical issues, be my guest. Just remember, Jesus was concerned about all three.

I am telling you this because you need to know what my response will be to folks who are so passionate and upset about the issue that they are expecting me to speak negatively about the perceived “tragedy that has befallen America.” You need to know that I will not publicly endorse an attitude of negativism and berating of our next president. The man has been elected. Whether we like it or not, he will be the president of the most powerful nation on the face the planet. My job is to pray for him, long, hard and continuously,… just like I did for the last president.

Let me be frank, I realize that, because I am an African American, people here are very curious as to where I stand. Some are even a bit nervous about it. I can let you know this: they may find themselves very frustrated to find that where I stand is with Jesus; what I will preach is Christ crucified and risen; and what I am interested in doing is everything within my ability to win lost souls to Christ. I will do this regardless of who is in the White House.

In closing, and at the risk of making some of you nervous, I must say to you: my grandparents and my parents knew what it was to experience hatred and discrimination beyond human comprehension. Due to my age, I am old enough to look back and am able to tell you vivid stories of discrimination, name calling, and hatred due to the color of my skin. This led me to come to the conclusion that it would be light years before America would elect a Black man into the highest office of the most powerful country on the face of the earth. My grandfather thought this day was a dream that would never be realized, before the return of Christ. The last time I was home, my father suggested, if a black man was elected, he will have seen everything and can’t imagine what else there would be to top that.

It is so sad to see that so many allow their blinding passion for party affiliation and some of it under the insincere guise of moral convictions (not all of it but some of it), that they missed the image of all those people in Grant Park, in Chicago. All those people, Black, White, Asian, Latino, with their arms around one another, some of them weeping, united in one place. Sure, I know that they were rooting for a Liberal. Nevertheless, and say what you will, it was a defining moment in American History.

There is no other nation on the face of this planet that is so culturally, racially and ethnically diverse, and yet, we are able to work and live together (at the very least) with a significant measure of civility towards one another. That is amazing. Absolutely amazing. We witnessed history in the making unfold right before our eyes. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to witness it.

Now, having done so, I return to my work, to my studying, to my preaching, to my praying, to my counseling and dealing with people’s problems and to my making ministry plans. I do so with the passion that my citizenship in heaven will supersede my citizenship as an American. I do so with the conviction that my ethnicity as a Saint of the Savior supplants my ethnicity as an African American. I do so knowing that, as great as this history making moment was, it cannot hold a candle to that moment when I will witness our Lord—when he cracks open the sky and comes for His Saints. He will not come only for Black men. He will not come only for White men. He will not come only for Latino men. He will not come only for Democrats and he will certainly not come only for Republicans. He will come for all men. And when he comes, I want Him to find me busy working the works of Him who has called me, while it is day.

With an attitude of grace, and in Sincere Awe of my Savior,

Blogging To Be Known

This Blogging thing is new to me but it's not really new. Frankly, blogging is simply journaling, online. At least that's the way I look at it. I've been journaling for a long time now and, actually, it can be therapeutic. The difference is, with blogging, you're putting your thoughts out there for the world to see. That can be very risky, yet hundreds of thousands of people do it every day. But why?

How are we to understand this desire people have to reveal their innermost thoughts? Perhaps it's because we want to be known, yet accepted. Acceptance is a big deal. It's such a big deal, in fact, that people pretend to be something they are not just so they'll be accepted. Let's park on this idea for a minute.

Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves. The scary thing is, even though we know ourselves we still sometimes become confused about who we are—why we make some of the decisions we make; why we say some of the things we say. Learning how to get a handle on who we are is a daily challenge. God knew it would be a challenge and warned us in his word. Think about it. This is why we're told we need to control our tongue; we're told to crucify the flesh; we're told to put to death the old man and put on the new man, daily. Why? I think it's because it is in our nature to not be totally honest with ourselves. We like to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. More than this, we want others to think more highly of us than perhaps they ought to. Even the most humble person, known for being a real sweet person, if they are honest with themselves, would have to admit that it feels real good to hear others say how sweet and humble they are. Everybody likes a little praise. We have to attribute this to our sinful nature. None of us are immune to it.

Anyway, as I started to say at the beginning of this train of thought, I am struck by the idea that we want to be known, yet accepted. This is to say, we long to have someone who will accept us, in spite of knowing us (our personality flaws, our struggles, our imperfections, our short comings, our hidden sins) and love us anyway. Think about it. Isn't this one of the true acts of love, for someone to know us but accept and love us anyway? We experience this on a micro scale through loving relationships with our best friends, our spouse, our parents, our children. Admit it. It feels good to be accepted. The direct opposite of this is rejection. And I'm sure you'd agree that rejection doesn't feel so good. In fact, rejection has driven a number of people away from other human beings, home, and family. They retreat into seclusion, depression or even self destruction and this is a bad thing.

So the bottom line is, we all desire acceptance. Even the folks who say they can care less about it, if they confront themselves honestly, will have to admit that being accepted is, at the very least, a real good feeling.

This brings me to the crux of the matter. No one knows us better than God. And, in spite of knowing us, he accepts us. More than this, in spite of knowing our messed up, mixed up ways, he loves us. The desire to be known, I think, is innate and longs to be satisfied. Ultimately, God is the only one who can satisfy this longing. The climax of being known (to the extent the longing to be known will be completely satisfied) will occur when we are one with him, in heaven.

Perhaps this idea of being known can be, in some measure, related to 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." Won't it be wonderful when your honest, raw, innermost secrets are revealed and laid bare and yet still be accepted? I mean, I know that God knows all that stuff about us now and that down here we still wrestle with the guilt of it. However, in heaven, it won't even cross our minds.

In the meantime, I guess people, in their effort to be known, will continue to put their thoughts out there on a blog. How much will they reveal? I guess it depends upon what kind of blogging they do. I'm still fleshing out exactly what type of blog I want to do. I think I've decided I want to put my honest, raw thoughts out there. The reason for this is because I believe that there are other Jesus Followers who can identify with the honest and raw. There are too many believers who hide behind masks and make themselves look a whole lot better than they really are. As a healthy alternative, it can be refreshing to experience the honest, transparent and raw.

I just thought of something. Sometimes one way we can come to know ourselves better, is through someone else revealing themselves. It certainly is true: just like iron sharpens iron, one human being interacting with (or coming to know) another human being results in a sharpening of one another. As believers in Jesus and members of the family of God, that sharpening is for the better.

At least this is how the whole thing is being processed in the heart and mind of Victor.

Finding God In Wal-Mart

I wonder if people really think about their purpose in life.

I suppose that people list all kinds of reasons for their purpose in life. I was sitting in Wal-Mart on the bench near the pharmacy. Cynthia was pushing the cart around being sure to get all those essentials we must have been lacking or had depleted (like toothpaste). I was feeling a bit melancholy…quite a bit melancholy. Don’t know why I was feeling that way. I just was. I suppose we all get that way at times (melancholy, I mean). As I sat there, a kid rolled by on those sneakers with the wheels built into the soles. A woman happened by with an expression that revealed she was on a desperate quest for some essential item that would bring completeness to her life (probably toothpaste). A handsome guy who looked like he was from a magazine add strolled past, followed by a woman who was a shoe-in for the add on the next page. A mother walks by with a look of disgust on her face. Not far behind is her little boy whirling and twirling, making sound effects (Bang! Pow! Whap! Bap!). He was obviously playing out his fantasy of being a super hero or crime fighter. Heck! Who knows? In this day and age he could have been pretending to be the villain.

As I scanned the scene passing before my eyes it was if the camera of my mind suddenly panned back to reveal that there were literally dozens upon dozens of folks in the store. I know that they were there for a purpose. They had come to purchase some need or want. However, the thought crossed my mind, how many people here ever think about their purpose in life. Do they think about the fact that life is more than food or drink (or toothpaste)? How many of them have given thought concerning the condition of their soul? How many had come to the realization that, apart from Christ, life is meaningless. Suddenly, I was also reminded of just how meaningless my life would be without Christ.

I thought back about how passionate I became to live for Him; to the extent that I felt I had to leave the path I was pursuing (literally, leave my job and put my family on a tight budget) and go to bible college in order to be trained for ministry. I would be lying if I said there were not times that I second guessed that decision over the years. Thankfully, now, those moments are little more than passing thoughts. Still, when one becomes melancholy and entrenched in deep contemplation, even moments of passing thoughts can seem like hours.

My mother has told me for years that God had a purpose for my life. When I was young He revealed that purpose. I was to serve in the church as a volunteer. When I was dating Cynthia, he revealed that purpose was to take this godly woman to be my wife and for us serve him as one. When we had our first child, I realized that God was telling me my purpose was to be a godly father. When I got older and was on the road to success he revealed that purpose was to change my focus to full-time ministry. In these middle years of my life it seems God’s purpose is for me to pastor a church. The real truth of the matter is, I have come to realize that all the events of my life have been stepping stones to take me to the next level, the next phase, to one step closer to fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.

Honestly, do we ever really know? Can we ever really get our arms around God’s plan and how we fit into it? I think not. It is too lofty for us to comprehend. We must satisfy ourselves with the knowledge that we are, indeed, a part of it. By "it" I mean to say His plan. If, by the grace of God, I finish well and find myself sitting looking out of a window, full of years and eyes growing dim, I will be acknowledging that God’s purpose for my life, at that moment, is to be a wise old man, imparting words of wisdom to some young lad who is wrestling with finding his purpose in life.

There are a lot of Wal-Marts and an awfully lot of people in them. There are a lot of people wandering the isles looking for needs and wants. I pray that the overwhelming majority of them find that they desperately need Jesus and will then allow him to move their lives through the steps that will transform them, ever transform them. Just like he is ever transforming you and me. Until, one day, we shall all be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John. 3:3).

As I sat in Wal-Mart, these were the thoughts that were in my heart and on my mind.