Hi Phil,
Thanks for sharing this. It sounds like an excellent book. I'm going to
request that the loving BookShare gets it.
I love to think, and I do a lot of thinking and praying.
Thanks.
Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson
At 10:36 PM 10/12/2005, you wrote:
>Here is a short one worth reading at least twice.
>
>
> The Lost Art of Thinking
>
>For wisdom is protection just as money is protection. But the
>advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its
>possessors. Ecclesiastes 7:12
>
> Since wisdom requires thinking, it's an endangered species in
>this culture. It's too hard. It's much easier to just go along with
>the herd. Even King Solomon sought happiness in mere knowledge,
>hobbies, possessions and status before concluding that wisdom is of
>greater value than them all.
>
> In a word, Solomon stopped pursuing and started thinking.
>Eventually he saw the value of thinking seriously about life, and
>viewing it through God's eyes.
>
> When we become too fuzzy in our thinking to ask any profound
>questions, we search for happiness and significance in all the wrong
>places. But, as someone has said, we can live for a few minutes
>without air, for a few days without water, for a couple of months
>without food-but for a lifetime without an original thought.
>
> I'm starting to relearn the lost art of thinking right about
>life. I've decided to deliberately reflect on questions like these:
>
>What do I really believe?
>Why am I doing what I'm doing?
>What really has brought satisfaction to my life?
>What creates pressure for me?
>And what does God want me to do about it?
>How does my schedule reflect my ultimate values?
>How will my present lifestyle affect my family in 20 years?
>What does God want me to do with my life, my family and my
>possessions?
>
> I'm learning that thinking can be gritty, lonesome work. God is
>still in the business of creating new original
>thoughts...life-changing ideas...innovations that will redirect our
>families and shape the destiny of our homes. I'm learning that real
>thinking is a pioneering work.
>
> I'd like to encourage you to become an original thinker. Turn off
>the TV, the car radio, put down this book or your newspaper, and
>ponder your life. If you're like me, you'll find it's hard work. But
>like a lot of hard work, thinking and seeking wisdom has its rewards.
>
> Discuss: How does the pace of your life allow time for reflection
>and thinking? What answers would you give to some of the questions
>above?
>
> Pray: That God will inspire you to think His thoughts and reflect
>on His ways, daring to approach life with creativity and original
>thinking.
>
>Excerpted from "Moments Together for Couples" by Dennis and Barbara
>Rainey. Used with permission. Copyright 1995 by Dennis and Barbara
>Rainey. All rights reserved. To purchase the book,
>visit:
>http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=1170
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