I was reading an extremely interesting book, and since we were visiting relatives in central Oklahoma, I decided to go find a place outdoors where I could find some much needed relaxation and do some reading. I found it on a park bench high on a hill overlooking beautiful Lake Eufaula. I would read a while, and then I would put my book down and just gaze out over the horizon at the beautiful countryside that surrounded me. It makes me want to read that book again, if for no other reason, just to bring back the pleasant memories of the two hours I spent up there with my book and my gorgeous surroundings. If you've never been to Lake Eufaula, you should plan a trip up there soon. If you like to fish, there's great fishing...if you like water sports, there's no better place...or if you just like sit back and relax like I did, this is the place for you. I can't wait 'til my next trip up there.
Now, let me tell you about another body of water, but I'm not recommending a trip to this one. I've never actually seen it, but I've read about it, and to be honest with you, there are so many beautiful places in the world that I've never seen, that I would not want to waste my time going to this place, which, according to what I've read, is anything but beautiful. It's found in Israel and Jordan, and it's called The Dead Sea. It is the saltiest body of water on earth, several times more salty than the oceans. It contains no fish, and you'll never see birds flying over. I even read where it emits a very unpleasant odor. It's just not the kind of place I want to visit. Even its name is depressing.
So, if we compare The Dead Sea to Lake Eufaula, why is it that one of them is such a pleasant place while the other is so detestable? I had never even thought to compare the two until I heard a statement from my friend, Jimmy Douglas, but now that I think about it, what he had to say makes a lot of sense. Lake Eufaula is fed by the Canadian River and then, below the dam, the river is fed by the lake. The lake takes the water that it needs and sends the rest on down stream to benefit other communities along its path. Yes, the lake receives, but it also gives back. As for The Dead Sea, there are several streams that flow into it, primarily the Jordan River, but nothing flows out. The statement that my friend made was: "The Dead Sea is such an unpleasant place because it doesn't give...it only receives." Wow! That's it. That's the difference between the two bodies of water. One is a receiver and a giver, while the other is only a receiver, and no one wants to be around the one that is a receiver only.
One thing I've learned is that the same principle that governs those bodies of water also holds true with people. Angie and I were talking just a couple days ago about some friends that we just love to be around, and the one thing that stood out about them is how they are so gracious to those around them. This is the time of year that we celebrate Thanksgiving, and I'm so thankful for my family and friends who fit the description of the ones that I just told you about, but while I'm giving thanks, I also want to add a prayer that I can become that same kind of friend. Lord, don't let me be the kind of person who accepts everything that others have to offer and then moves on to pursue my own interests. Lord, don't allow me to become so full from receiving that I become detestable to those around me. Lord, help me make my decisions based on what's best for society as a whole, and not just my own selfish desires.
As we move out of the Thanksgiving season, we move directly into the season of giving and receiving. This is where my determination to be a giver is tested. How will I do? Will I be like The Dead Sea or Lake Eufaula? We shall see.
Preston
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