The Pointe

From the official Handbook of the United States Peace Corps. What it says that a Peace Corp volunteer has to do if he is attacked by an anaconda snake. The anaconda is the largest snake in the world. You might think it was the boa constrictor. The anaconda is in the family with the boa constrictor, but it is larger than that. The anaconda snake grows to be 35 feet long and can weigh about 400 pounds. For the volunteers that are assigned to the Amazon Jungle, there is a section in the Peace Corp Handbook on what to do if you are attacked by an anaconda snake. There are 10 steps here that you are supposed to follow:
1. If you are attacked by an anaconda, do not run. The snake is faster than you are.
2. Lie flat on the ground. Put your arms tight against your sides, your legs tight together.
3. Tuck in your chin.
4. The snake will come and begin to nudge and begin to climb over your body.
5. Do not panic.
6. After the snake has examined you, it will begin to swallow you from the feet in, always from the feet in. Permit the snake to swallow your feet and ankles. Do not panic.
7. The snake will now begin to suck your legs into its body. You must lie perfectly still. This will take a long time.
8. When the snake reaches your knees, slowly and with as little movement as possible, reach down and take out your knife and very gently slide it between the edge of the snakes mouth and your leg. Then suddenly rip upwards severing the snake’s head.
9. Be sure to have your knife with you.
10. Be sure your knife is sharp.
Okay, now let’s contemplate what we have just read.  WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!  First of all, who could get past step #1?  Let’s face it.  There are a lot of scary things in this world, but we have a Father who cares about everything that we care about.  From the small things to the big things, He said he would never leave you or abandon you.  I just hope this post helped you feel better about what you may be facing right now.  At least we are not having to allow an anaconda swallow us up to our knees before we slit his throat so that we can back to volunteering in some remote jungle.  Care to share?  

A pastor was talking to a group of young people about the high cost of dying. “People today waste thousands of
dollars on coffins and monuments,” he went on to say, ”Jesus was so unconcerned by His death that He had to use a
borrowed tomb.”  Leave it to our youth to get to the bottom line and put things in perspective.  A teen-ager raised her
hand and said, “But Jesus only needed it for three days.”  We are about to embark upon the most horrific yet
exciting day in history (His story) that effects everything we are and ever will become - but what’s the pointe?  Care to
share your story?    

Little Philip, born with Down’s syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully.

The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought Leggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table.

Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh. Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed, “That’s stupid. That’s not fair. Somebody didn’t do their assignment.” Philip spoke up, “That’s mine.” “Philip, you don’t ever do things right!” the student retorted. “There’s nothing there!” I did so do it,” Philip insisted. “I did do it. It’s empty. the tomb was empty!” Silence followed. From then on Philip became a full member of the class. 

He died not long afterward from an infection most normal children would have shrugged off. At the funeral this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg.

Easter is just around the corner.  A day that represents the greatest event in history.  Come and be a part of NorthPointe’s Easter Celebration, march 23rd at 10am and get an inside look at behind the scene christianity and what it’s all about!

Stress Management!!
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his students on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, “How heavy do you think this glass of water is?”
The students’ answers ranged from 20g to 500g.
“It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.
If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.
It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
“If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier.”
“What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again.”
We have to put down the burdens periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on.
So, before you return home from work tonight, put the burdens of work down. Don’t carry them back home. You can pick them up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. Pick it up again later when you have rested…
Life is short, enjoy it!!  If you really want encouragement, paste the below link to your browser and check out this short video.