Some Things I’ve Learned Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, February 28, 2016

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— 2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

Ang Moore

Thoughts Vulnerability: “Between us and heaven or hell there is only life, which is the frailest thing of all” (Blaise Pascal) Sadness with hints of joy Inspiration

Humility is better than pride Means you can learn to draw on others and you can learn to draw on God—you can become more than you are You don’t mind failing so long as you can grow You can work with others You can learn accurate self-assessment—this is the only way to improve

Participation with God is better than going it alone Awakening to the surprise of God’s reality and nearness can lead to major life-change Life becomes a journey filled with meaning Life becomes an adventure, full of moment- by-moment opportunities to love

Walking in the Way of Jesus is better than saying you believe in Him Jimmy Kimmel has Jesus as a guest Jesus in an earlier book, makes it pretty clear...

Matthew 21: “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.

Matthew 21: Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

Kindness is better than right belief or moral rectitude Peter Rollins: How (Not) to Speak of God Peter Fitch: Learning to Interpret toward Love, p. 39 Jesus Christ: (love God and people)— ” On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40) Saint Paul the Apostle: (nothing) “... means anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6)

Turn, Turn, Turn