Don't Put It Off...Do It Now!

                     
From the pages of the 
Enterprise Newspaper
Columnist: Loretta T.



  I had to laugh at my visual this week because it really says a lot about this week’s column.
Like me, I am sure we all have at one time or another, made personal resolves to do something then, put it off…and, keep pushing it back repeatedly. Soon, the entire day is gone and that task to be done is still waiting for us, right?

  Oh dear, I am so guilty…sad to say! I am sitting here at my desk typing this and thinking about several things I have push to the side since the weekend. I dislike the word…”eventually” because this is how it all gets started. My resolves of…I’ll get to it eventually, I’ll do it late or, tomorrow, or just simply not get it done at all really reflects a laziness about myself that I hate to admit. 

 The phone will ring when I’ve started a task and I sit and talk especially to Mom, and when she’s done someone else calls. Then, yeah, you guessed it…I’ve allowed other things to cause me to put it off!

  Unless we promptly carry out the task at hand while the desire is burning brightly in our hearts, we may find that we will continually put it off! Sometimes, when this happens with me, it leads to my forgetting about it or, I’ll give up on the whole idea. To avoid falling in this regard, we need to recognize that the complexities of modern-day living make us forget our good intentions. Matters do come up unexpectedly, some of which demand our immediate attention.

  However, by not letting small matters dictate our course of action, we will more likely fulfill our good intentions much to the joy of our family. Procrastination or, the putting off of matters for another time is nourished by the tendency to take thing for granted. How is this? Example: husbands and wives need to guard against the complacent feeling of taking each other for granted. 

  They should take advantage of the numerous opportunities to do thoughtful little things for each other. Do not get into the habit of delaying doing good things for the other because none of us knows what the next day will bring, let along the next week! 
  

  You don’t need to wait to make an elaborate gesture to express how you feel about your spouse, then postpone giving to him/her. Today there are many persons who are plagued in this world with remorse and regrets. Among them are those who never appreciated what they had until they've lost it. 

                                   

   Then, there are others who kept putting off what they wanted to do until it as too late…the spouse either died or they divorced. That left this one haunted by memories of what could have been but was not. 

               

I hope, like me, you realize why putting thing off is such a serious matter. We need to overcome the tendency to put off doing things, especially that which is beneficial and good.

Be resolved …Don’t put it off; do it now!

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Equal Work Deserves Equal Pay

 Taken from the pages of...
The Mansfield Enterprise
Columnist Loretta Thomas

        Are Worker Worthy of Their Wages...

   You see them dirty muddy blacken with dust; some bent laboring in broiling heat, then, trying to straighten their backs. From sun up to sun down six and seven days a week they toil in factories, mines, quarries, driving trucks and equipment…working hard to finish the task assigned to them. Many do so because they have concluded, “I’ll probably be doing this my whole life…what else am I going to do; we are already at the bottom of the barrel!” To add insult to injury their wages are at poverty level according to American Standards!

  

  If you look at what type of jobs these worker have you will see…they are the ones who help to bring food to our tables, build our roads and bridges, bring electricity gas and oil to us…all the necessary daily needs that we depend on, and they do so in most cases for meager wages with no raise, bonus…and are among the ones living in poverty! Residents in Mansfield with income below 50% of the poverty level is 10.6% whereas, the whole State is 7.2%! This, people, is significant percentages of residents living in poverty!
  
  In some form or the other in all businesses here you will see “EQUALITY”… It has to be especially if there are employees. By law, equal work does deserve equal pay according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 23 where it states: “Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family as existence worthy of human dignity.” Sadly, It is evident that most of these Articles remain unfulfilled promises considering how some of the lofty rights mentioned in the declaration works out in everyday life!
  

  Is it fair for me to ask, “Are you aware of the things I’ve mentioned above? Do you know that when we come into work each and everyday, perform and carry out all duties assigned, and when we leave there, we are returning to our families who are hungry cold and living in substandard homes…are you aware we don’t have food for our children to eat?” You see, I know this because…I have seen it…faced it…and yes, lived it! 
  
  Mortgages or rent, insurances, utilities and doctor bills will rip through a paycheck with little left for anything else. That is why we are called…The Working Poor! That is why our children are poor…it is like a vicious cycle from generation to generation…
  

  Cost of living is rising…folks feel as if they’re doing the same job for less pay each year. Is it possible that you as employees can adjust your pay according to the cost of living? Or offer fair incentives, bonuses? Thinking through your compensation strategy will help to retain and motivate good workers cut down on turnovers absenteeism, negative morale, and workers will take pride in their accomplishments!

  In that same Declaration, Article 25 states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing housing and medical care.”
  

  We work hard, but still…we can’t make it…we have sore backs but empty purses! Please, consider making adjustments for your loyal faithful and hard workers who have stuck by you through it all…we need you just as you’ve needed us! Don’t you think we are worthy?

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The Devil More Than Just Superstition

Taken from the pages of The Enterprise...
 By Columnist: Loretta Thomas                                            



  Do you watch television or go to movies, especially when a new movie premieres? If you answered yes, then, I’d like to ask, “Have you noticed the subject matter of new movies now, not to mention some old and new television shows? Think a bit before you answer. My point is: now, all attention is drawn to vampires, werewolves, witches, devil, e.g. devil babies; worshipers, etc.; bloody killings, guns, drugs and other gory things…if these are your recollections then, you are so right! 

  I realize we are living in a constant changing world…in different times but, why are all the above debasing things we see so prevalent, yes, common in the world today? Do you have any ideas or justifications as to why? Let’s reason on this for a moment. 
  
For centuries old superstitions always depicted the devil as half human and half beast. They thought of him as a horned cloven-hoofed creature clad in red and using a pitchfork to cast wicked into hell. Well, the Bible does not support these ideas. Undoubtedly, such misconceptions have cause millions to question the existence of the Devil or to think that the term only applies to a principle of evil.

  Let’s put this to rest now! If the devil didn’t exist, why did Jesus believe he was real? Our Lord believed it because He saw the devil in the spirit realm! Too, it was a real being that attacks Him and tried to tempt Him with his kingdom and who is called the “ruler of this world”! Read Scriptural prove at: John 14:30; Matthew 4: 1-11 NKJV.

 Further, Jesus knew there were other creatures supporting Satan in his wicked schemes. Didn’t He when on earth cure “demon possessed” people?” In His ministry Jesus spoke of the devil and his demons…we can learn a lot about them when considering His words to the religious leaders in John 8:44 NKJV.
  
Don’t for one instance underestimate the devil! He is a formidable foe (enemy) 1 Peter 5:6-9 NIV tells us in part: “Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” He is no vague principle of evil residing in our imperfect flesh. We have a daily struggle against our own sinful inclinations, Romans 7:18-20 NKJV. But the real struggle is “against the world ruler of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV.)

  How widespread is the devil’s influence? His influence encompasses the whole world. (1Jonh 5:19) We don’t want to become obsessed with the devil or allow superstitious fear of him to paralyze us. However, we are wise to stay alert to his efforts to blind us to the truth and to break our integrity to God. The devil does not always use brutal means to attack those who want to serve God. Too, we don’t want to play into his hands by dabbling into anything connected to his schemes. We want to be like Jesus and repeatedly refer to God’s word for guidance. We want to pray incessantly!
Our Lord Jesus said, “He, the devil, has no hold on me.” (John 14:30 NWT) May satan the devil never get a hold on us!   

Please feel free to leave a comment. We wish you a Happy Weekend... May God Bless!
Loretta