New Year's Resolution: No More Fries

I have a habit of not ordering French fries. They are not good for you for numerous reasons. However, I must admit that when my husband orders them, I taste them. One or two or several. I tell him I'm testing them to make sure they are not poisonous. Just trying to take care of the guy. Anyway, we've been doing this for years, so my husband is quite understanding of this habit of mine.

In spite of his generosity, I have decided to STOP testing his fries. I made this decision last night at Hardees. Although it is not my favorite place to eat, I do sometimes cave into going because I'm just too tired to fix anything or have run out of ideas.

David ordered a big burger special. He filled his cup with pop and went to a table while I ordered a plain hamburger and a hot tea. I waited for my hot tea and David returned to the counter to visit with another customer. I decided to go to the booth and wait. I sat down and thought, "Wow, David has his order already. That was quick."

So, I made my self comfortable and, of course, started testing the fries. It's what I do. As I ate one fry after another, the individual David was visiting with at the pop machine, came up to the table and stared at me. I had no idea who he was. David arrived at about the same time and pointed to a table nearby where he had already placed his own pop and napkins--our burgers and fries, as yet, undelivered.

Whoops.

Christmas Cards.... What to do with them....

Merry Christmas from our house to yours....

Due to email, facebook,
 technology,
the Christmas card--
like so many things--
may become a thing
of the past.

However, we all get a few of them,
and I have wondered over the years
what to do with them.

Greetings!

Family pictures were taken,
envelopes carefully addressed
and then slipped into the mailbox
with me in mind.



Thinking of you on a white Christmas....



I used to quickly read each, then
stash it in a Christmas basket.
It was a nice look during the season.
When removing the holiday decorations,
I would re-read each, study the pictures...

Wishing you happiness ....

...and then tape them together in a bundle
to be pulled out the following year
as reminders as to whom to send cards to.



Eventually, after several years,
they were lovingly tossed.

Can't Wait To See You At Christmas!

 Finishing my devotions, a new idea occurred.

Why not keep the cards at bedside year around?

I could pull one from the top of the stack

and include this family in my nightly prayers.

It would then go to the bottom with a new card

on top to be prayed

for the following evening.

With a card in hand,
I can pray
that these be
persistent in  faith,
that God will provide strength
 and grace to go on, and
that they may may experience
 joy in moments of frustration
and sorrow-- because we understand
the God of the universe
is there beside and with us--
and that is enough.

Christmas Joy!



Prayers for you

 and may your

CHRISTMAS JOYS

(and cards)

last all year long.

****************

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

For those of us who make New Year's resolutions, we have already started thinking about the list. In the past, I've had resolutions like-- eat more nutritionally, exercise regularly, commit to a daily Bible study, and forgive(ness) issues.

It has been said that we can not live effectively today unless we know what to do with our yesterdays. And if past behavior is a predictor of future behavior, we are not going to live very effectively tomorrow either unless we take care of those yesterdays.

We each have a unique life story that belongs only to us.

Get out your photo albums and compare....
Or, recall some things that don't fit in photo albums..
And you will know that, yes, your story is yours alone.

I believe that everything we have been entrusted with has meaning.
The difficult part is figuring out the meaning and, then, what
to do with it.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Thinking about your past, thinking about your future, and thinking about the LORD'S plans for you--not to harm you, to give you hope and a future--I believe that New Year's Resolution you make will become a reality.

A Savior Was Born

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and
lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment that was like none other.  ...God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb. God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother. God had come near.  ...To think of Jesus in such a light is--well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it?  ...But don't do it. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him walk into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out. (as written by Max Lucado in Celebrating Christmas With Jesus)

...because Jesus came we have hope...

Merry Christmas

Martha, Who Me?

God used the story of Mary and Martha from the book of Luke to explain how we should relationship with Our Savior. You may remember that Martha was the busy-body in their household--concerned about preparations...Mary, on the other hand, sat contently at Jesus' feet. I remember hearing this story in Sunday School as a child and thinking that perhaps Mary was lazy and even irresponsible--not helping her sister, as needed.

But, of course, the story is bigger than this

because
Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Jesus tells Martha, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed...."  Luke 10:38-42 NIV

Martha? Who, me?

I do not consider myself anxious or impatient. Others may disagree. However, I am typically the energy-bunny in the house whether our house is full or empty. And, I know, I need to learn to settle. I have discovered that some of my most creative moments, the times I have felt filled with praise for an awesome creation, the times I have felt connected to another soul, have come when I have been still.

So, this morning I determined to start out differently.

1) I opened the window and let the December air rush in as the stars twinkled through bare tree branches. Pulling the covers up to my chin, I breathed in fresh, winter air--and rested.

2) I used the Christmas dishes to eat my ordinary breakfast of oatmeal.

3) I decided not to watch the clock when I did my daily Bible study and finished reading Mark.

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them. . .

Mark 16: 19-20

3) Later in the morning, I went to our wellness center and stopped to talk to a friend. Stopped--and talked. More than the Hi, how are you today? in passing. Later, I swam my laps and decided not to count them. Instead, I pondered my blessings.

4) While picking up in the afternoon, I pulled out a hymnal..  I'll play the piano when my husband is playing pool with his buddies.

God wants us to be busy.

He also wants us to rest,

be content, and trust

so we do not miss out

on what He is trying to
convey to us.

I encourage you, especially during Christmas when there is so much to do and the preparations are many, to just STOP whenever you can and connect with someone with more than a Hi, how are you? STOP and enjoy the lights on your tree when everyone else is asleep. STOP and watch the snowflakes drift to the earth. STOP and clear your head of the clutter . . .

God wants your heart, your mind, your soul.

That's why he came.

Amen.

Tell Your Story

A little over 2000 years ago, a very pregnant Mary was riding a donkey on her way to Bethlehem--the city of David. Bethlehem was the place where God first's appointed earthly king was born and raised as a shepherd boy 1000 years before Mary took her journey.

Because Mary and Joseph were both of the lineage of David, they made this trip to take part in a census as was the law during the time.

We know the story: they ended up in a stable because there was no room in the inn. A stable with noisy and smelly animals. A stable where the Christ child was born. Can you imagine Mary's thoughts? Gabriel had told her she would give birth to a son, that his name would be Jesus. He would be called the Son of the Most High; his kingdom would never end. Talk about over-whelming. And, here she was under the stars pondering all this.

Listen to the song, "Mary Did You Know"... just google it. It will help you understand the magnitude of all this: Jesus' birth!

2000 years later, here we are. It's our story, too, because we are all of the family of Christ.

Some stories are told. Some stories are told through other people's stories. Some stories are left untold. Tell your story. Tell what it means to believe in Christmas.

The Wise Old Owl...

While taking out recyclables early one morning, I heard hoot-hoot. Since ancient times, the owl has been considered wise. Science, however, has discovered that compared to other bird brains, its brain is relatively small.

I'm wondering if the owl wasn't considered wise, because his eyes focused on what was ahead of him at all times, and because of his focus, he really didn't have a lot to say.

I start out morning devotions with, May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my Rock and Redeemer. Even though I say this meditation from Psalm 19:14, I often slip and even though my mind and heart say "stop!"--my mouth keeps running.

I don't really want to be a bird brain,
but it seems I could learn something from the owl:
....say less, listen more.

 

        
      
This morning, I happened upon Ecclesiastes 5:1-2... Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

When Will It Stop?...

Another report on mass shootings, this time in San Bernardino, CA. When will it all stop? Or, how much worse can it get? I recently read Ben Franklin's words in his 1787 Speech to the Convention for Forming a Constitution for the United States in Philadelphia.

I'll let you determine how it may apply.

In the beginning of the contest with Britain when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers for our Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.... And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived for a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without his concurring aid, we shall proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.

In spite of all that is going on here on Earth, we need to remember Romans 8:39--For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

....and

Unless the LORD builds a house,

its builders labor over it in vain;

unless the LORD watches over a city,

the watchman stays alert in vain.

Psalm 127:1

This Is the Way We Wash Our Clothes... Early On Monday Morning

When I was growing up, we did laundry on Mondays. Only on Mondays. After breakfast, Mom and I headed to the basement where the washing tub, ringer, and two large galvanized tubs waited for us. Unzipping the bloated hamper hanging from the basement ceiling, we pulled out blue jeans, school clothes, dirty socks and a smell that made me want to dash back up the steps. (I lived with five brothers.)

One of us would go to the sink, run the water until it was scorching hot, fill two buckets with water, add Tide and 1 cup of bleach to each. Dirty diapers went in one; white socks in the other. A stick was used to mash the socks and diapers up and down, much like mashing potatoes by hand. They were left to soak.

During the soaking, we finished sorting: sheets and pillow cases from six beds, towels, chore clothes, nice whites, ordinary whites, and medium colored clothes--usually our school or church clothes.

When one batch had been run through the ringer from hot wash to hot rinse to cold rinse, it ended up in a plastic-lined laundry basket, carried up the steps and out the door where it was hung on the clothes line. If there was time in between the loads, we kids played hide and seek between the sheets and towels while the wind whipped everything about and the sun penetrated every fiber.

When winter arrived, Mom strung a clothes line from one end of the basement to the other, back and forth until there were about four lines. Being in such close quarters and without a breeze and sunshine, it took several days for the laundry to dry.

Obviously, the way we do a lot of things has changed; we are much more expedient. Looking back, the good thing about the process of doing laundry when I was a child was the fact that it took time. I had time to think, time to feel the sunshine, time to have a chat with Mom and a prayer or two with God. I will never forget the smell of fresh sheets at night. It was a reminder of a job well-done and a night of rest that would be peaceful.

Sometimes, I want to go back.

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Black Friday and Solitude

A lack of  contact with people is solitude. Ooooh, think of Black-Friday?

If you intend to be a Black-Friday shopper, you may be over-due for a little solitude come Saturday.

However, one doesn't need Black Friday to be inundated with noise and activities. Entering a sports bar on a Sunday evening, we heard conversations, music, and at least fifteen different television sets with various games and sitcoms.

In our homes, we have television--some of us, 24/7-- where actors or talk-show participants interrupt each other. Movies provide action-packed shoot-outs, accidents, etc. with complementary NOISE.

Phones blurp or sing to let us know of calls and text messages; computers do likewise. Depending on your work place--noises vary from ear-plug demanding sounds to constant chatter where cubicle offices are lined up for long stretches. Games? Concerts? Does anyone think all this noise is over-done?

When is the last time you heard the gurgle of a brook, the rush of the wind through the trees? Can you hear the tick-tock of your clock? If it were quiet enough, could you hear the snow fall?

Solitude
Saturated with quiet
And comfortable in my skin
I'm down to earth
Above the clouds
And somewhere in between
I'm content.

Be still and know....                  

Extravagant? Perhaps So....

One doesn't have to be wealthy to be extravagant....

During breakfast, I flipped on TV to see "Beautiful Homes and Great Estates." I was fascinated and appalled. The master bedroom had more square feet than our entire house. Shoes, clothing, and jewelry filled room-size closets. I considered that, even though I was "fascinated," I could not live comfortably in such a house with multiple fireplaces, bathrooms, and waterfalls.
At times, I've considered myself frugal, a minimalist knowing that things do not bring me happiness. However, I looked at my breakfast and reconsidered the word extravagant.
My meal contained eight different items: coffee, grapes, carrots, salmon, multi-grain bread, almond butter, kale, and oatmeal (with wheat germ, flax, cinnamon, dried blueberries, walnuts) topped with almond milk--which brings the total to 14 different food items.

Excessive? Extravagant? Seemingly so when there are persons who eat rice three times a day. And, we're not talking "Survivor."

Still curious about my frugal life, I counted the number of items used in my getting-ready-for-the-day routine. Let's see, there was toothpaste, floss, mouth wash, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, body lotion. Okay... I'm forgetting the makeup today.

Something to consider-- Jesus tells us to care for widows, orphans, the poor. Although my food items are keeping me healthy and my getting-ready-for-the-day items are keeping me easier to look at and be with, I need to re-consider how I use my resources.

It's Thanksgiving week. Let us each be thankful for our many blessings and with joy give freely to others who are in need. .... and always, always give praise and glory to our Creator God, the first and greatest giver.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The Sky Is Falling

Henny Penny, also known as Chicken Little, is a tale about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end--all starting with an acorn falling on her head. The phrase "The sky is falling!" is often used in the story....

Well, the world is coming to an end.
I haven't had an acorn fall on my head, but I have listened to the news lately, and I don't like what I hear.


The Bible hints at when this will happen; however, Only God knows. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matt 24:36

Should we panic as Chicken Little did?
God has taken care of us so far...
Grab someone's hand with your hand. Let Jesus grab your other hand and as Ram Dass stated,
"We're all just walking each other home." God will get us there in spite of what is going on in our earthly home.

Letters From God

I find letters from God dropped in the street,
and everyone is signed by God's name,
and I leave them where they are,
for I know that others will punctually come
forever and ever.
       Walt Whitman



Discovering Whitman's beautiful poem, I was reminded of an Alpha Writer's assignment: Use the first line from an already-published poem and change the rest to be yours. So, here goes....

I find letters from God dropped at my feet,

The first dandelions of spring

A maple leaf perfectly formed

A gathering of snow flakes

Each signed with yours truly, respectfully yours, or love you forever....

And the notation RSVP.
       Kathleen Stauffer

      

How often do we not RSVP when admiring God's incredible creation?
Whitman tells us that "others" will punctually come--forever and ever--so God gives us lots of opportunities to respond.

There are things about him that people can not see. . .

But since the beginning of the world

those things have been made easy to understand

by what God has made.

Romans 1:20

It is November. A frosting on the earth is a promise of heavenly flakes to come. We prepare to be thankful for the harvest; we prepare to soon celebrate a birth that changed the world.

With new beginnings

God calls us

continually

to respond to his love

because He first loved us.

 

Taken care of that RSVP to God yet?

It's never too late....

but why wait?

 



A Forever Love

Unable to sleep, I penned a poem at 3 a.m.....Sometimes, God needs to get me up in the middle of the night to get His point across.

A Forever Love

When the Creator of the universe established the sky and sea
He knew about me.
With my name written on His hand and a little mystery
He knew who I could be.
Time passed and I came to be
Formed in His image and created to be free.
I grew wild, weary and unable to see--
     O’ Lord, my God, I have no worth without thee.
     But by Your grace and with me on bended knee   

     I'll eventually understand what You mean to me....And humbly start eternity.

 

Who Would You Call?

Who would you call if you knew your time was limited? I considered family members and pictured their reactions. This was somewhat depressing... so I considered longer...

One of my dearest friends came to mind. I can tell her anything. We laugh at things that are difficult. We dry our tears in front of each other. And although we are grown-up, we hold hands like little girls. I could spill everything on her, and she would help me manage it--somehow. Even if it was just to say, "I love you."

What more could I ask?

Part of our calling is to reflect the love of Jesus. We need to celebrate each other--no matter our circumstances...and call God, the Creator, the Great I AM and simply say, "I need you." Unlike a friend or family member, He is already there. You don't have to make a phone call, text, email, or get in your car to be with Him. Besides that, He understands your pain. And, yet, He still wants to hear from you. He created that special person who you can call when things are tough, but He still wants to hear directly from you.

Considering all things, it seems we are each living on limited time.
Call your friend today. Let her know you appreciate her.
Get down on your knees and let God know you need him, love him, and appreciate Him, your creator.

I AM --What does it mean?

I Am that I Am is the English response for God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name (Exodus 3:14). I Am means "to exist, to become, to be done, to happen."

Or, in other words, He is, He already was, He is to come. Rev. 1:8
Or, in other words, He is EVERYTHING.

Not to be disrespectful, but to make a point, I ask, "What difference does this make?"

I answer my own question with--

 It should make all the difference in everything I do and say...
and the way I feel.

 There is a desire for eternity in my heart.

 All the hidden treasures of knowledge are here in the I AM.

 Therefore, let God tend to each soul...

and fulfill our individual destinies.

Trust in the LORD forever for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock Eternal. Isaiah 26:4

Shadows

When you think of shadows, 
   what are your thoughts?


It's that time of the year. The weather turns cool. Jack-o-lanterns, scare-crows, wispy ghost figures, and frightening masks fill your neighborhood.

When I was little and alone, shadows scared me.  With the moon creeping through an upstairs window at night and tree branches scratching the outside walls of the house, goosebumps spread on my arms and legs as the shadows scattered across my bedroom floor. Shadows gave rise to thoughts of other creatures.





However, shadows of a different nature pursued me as I journeyed life...worry, doubt, disappointment, sickness, loneliness, resentment, rejection... you get the picture.
 

We live in a fear-based world, a world where bad news travels at light speed. . . . These are troubled times, times when we have legitimate fears for the future, our nation, our world, and our families.... (Day 165, 365 Daily Devotions for Women)




Tribulation

without trust in an almighty God

separates us

from Him.

.. as Christians we have every reason to live courageously.

It is easy to become so wrapped up in our shadows that we fail to seek God's guidance and therefore miss out on the peace that comes only from God.

I have set before you

life and death,

blessing and curse.

Choose life . . .

and remain faithful

to Him.

Deut. 30:19

Say goodbye to your shadows, 
whatever they may be.

Decide to trust.

Let go and let God.

Dear God,

May I reflect your image.  May I be your inseparable companion and follower. May I never let the shadows in my life separate me from your grace and eternal promise.  

The Beat Goes On....

Remember Sonny and Cher's song...

 

Drums keep poundin' a rhythm to the brain. Laigadadeee laigadadaa. Charles was once a rage aha.

History has banned that stage aha. The mini skirts' the current thing aha.... And the beat goes on. And the beat goes on....

Yes, the beat goes on. Anne Lamont in her book, Stitches, wrote, "We mostly do everything over and over." Laigadadeee laigadadaa ...

I have a birthday this week and I'm a little concerned about mostly doing everything over and over as the beat goes on. To be honest, I like routine in my life. It gives me security. I keep a daily list. Things like ___laundry, ___pay bills, ___ get groceries are neatly printed on a note pad. but I'm also yearning for something else. Perhaps that is the reason baby-boomers have "bucket lists." We desire more than Laigadadeee laigadadaa.

After attending a presentation last week on writing letters, I have something new on my list: write to someone each week for whatever reason. I'm sending a note to Megan, a cross country runner, who was named Runner of the Year at the first Top of Iowa Cross Country Conference Meet. I know how hard she worked. I admire her determination.

 

God does not equal bored. Although there is routine in his creation-- the sun rises and sets every day, seasons change, there is something bigger going on. When I get outside myself, I become part of something bigger. It doesn't need to be of "bucket list" proportions. Okay, I'm not going to Africa; however, I'm going to try to tie one quilt a month that may end up in Africa. I'm not going to run a marathon or compete in any kind of physical competition, but I' m going to show my admiration for someone who did by simply indicating, "I noticed you! Great job!"

It's going to be a great year as the beat goes on.

 

 

Life Like Etch-a-Sketch

I remember when Etch A Sketch first came into my life. It was a Christmas decades ago when my youngest brother received it as a gift. A mechanical drawing toy with a thick, flat gray screen in a red plastic frame, it is not much to look at. However, if you are extremely creative and adept at using two knobs at the same time, you can create a pretty picture with the aluminum powder encased behind the screen.

However, with a shake of the screen, that exquisite creation is destroyed, messed up, no longer pretty.

Life is a little (or a lot) like etch-a-sketch. We get jobs, start families, buy homes and cars, and at gatherings we take beautiful family and friend pictures where everyone shows their pearly whites.

And then, someone or something, comes along and shakes it up. It's no longer pretty; it's not even nice. It's messy, distorted, and hurts. And, quite quickly, you feel like a polar bear floating out to sea on a scrap of ice.

There's two things you may want to remember:

 1) You're not the only polar bear out there.

 2) God IS with you.

 

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15



ancestry.God

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. Ephesians 3:14-17

It seems to be a rage right now: finding out who our ancestors are, what they did, where they lived, etc.  Is it the mystery of it--taking a journey into the past to solve a puzzle of sorts, gaining perspective as to who one really is, determining what we have in common with those who came before us, or simply wanting to establish a connection with one's roots for whatever reason.

A childhood friend tells her grandchildren that they have gifts that came from their grandparents, great grandparents, and great-greats. And, it was not just their looks and personalities. It was all a part of their DNA: persistence, a determination to survive and make things work. "When things get tough, remember that you already have this. It's what you are made of. It's a part of you." She tells them.


 

No matter what our background, who our ancestors are, we are each evolving into the family of God from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name...rooted and grounded in love....
It's how the Creator made us.
You already have it.
It's a part of you.
What better ancestry is this?

Cuckoo, Love, and Hope.

Have you ever felt like a cuckoo clock with rusty gears? You're 50, 60, 70+ ... your hair doesn't respond the way it used to, you don't always remember what day it's supposed to be, your feet and knees really hurt at the end of the day... and you realize you never became the person you thought you were born to be.

There's good news: there is still time!
....You're still here.
The sun came up today, there is 24 hours in the day, there are people out there, and, then, there is little o' YOU.

Emily Dickensen wrote, "... hope inspires the good to reveal itself."

Mother Teresa said, "None of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."

Need HOPE?
Need LOVE?
They pretty much go hand-in-hand.
Hope allows us to love.
Love allows us to hope.
Gather them both and get out there and become that person God created you to be....

 

Love God

Love your fellow man

... and, yes, it's okay to love yourself.

After all, He created you out of love and hope.

Want A Good Deal?

Sears has a sign in their window: 40% off everything in the store. I check out the grocery coupons-- Payless has 5 Betty Crocker cake mixes for $4; Bananas (with the coupon) are 39 cents a pound. I start my grocery list.... At a recent Treasure Fest shopping venture in our small town, I bargained with the seller of a birdhouse to get a better deal.

All of this is okay or perhaps good.
However, when it comes to God, we should never think-- How little can I give to get the most?

Although, "By grace are you saved through faith and not by works..." God wants us to live beyond the ordinary. He wants nothing less than 100%, because it's possible that the closer we get to God, the more He gives-- 

Let us not be caught saying, "At least I'm saved."

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Want a good deal?

Give Him everything.

Expect everything in return.

Difficult People

Difficult people in your life? Amazon.com sells books which may be helpful: How to Work With Just About Anyone, Coping With Your Difficult Older Parent, A Teenaged Rebellion... 

Perhaps, we have even asked God to remove these difficult people from our lives... or change them into someone more tolerable?

Is there another way to think about this? Perhaps they are supposed to be in our lives. Perhaps having them in our life is to allow us to change into the person of character God created us to be.


Moses complained to God about the people in his life-- the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land. Noah was in the midst of difficult people. Elijah disappeared into a cave to get away from his mess (difficult people). And, surely you remember Joseph whose brothers stuffed him in a well. Talk about difficult people. We are not Moses, or Noah, or Elijah...however, we each have difficult people in our lives. This person may live in our house, across the street, or show up at our work place every day.

We each have a ministry within the boundaries of our lives. Let God set the setting; the work is ours. Work? One can not do ministry without people, especially the difficult ones. Part of your calling is all wrapped up in the relationships/connections we have. Love God. Love your fellow man.

My friend forwarded this to me...

To live daily with people, that on occasion are extremely different requires great effort. It requires diplomacy and tolerance, to adapt and accept (give in or let go), knowing when to speak and when to be quiet, what to say and what not to say.

It appears to be a lot of work, however, these are the forces that transform us into spiritual beings, polished and refined. In this way we learn to truly love.

Impossible? Nothing is with God!

Give us, O Lord,
a steadfast heart,
which no unworthy affection
may drag downwards...
   Thomas Aquinas  

Chat it up...

Chat rooms are online spaces where users communicate with one another through text-based messages. It's like a virtual cocktail party, where people gather, argue about politics and sports, ask for advice, talk about shared hobbies and interests, or simply hang out. Chat rooms play an important role in the evolution of interpersonal communication over computer networks. {from google question: what are chat rooms?}

If you want to improve your interpersonal communication skills with God: why not try chatting. You don't need a computer or a smart phone. In fact, you don't need any thing. He's already there; you're already there.

In Psalm 38:9, David, the psalmist, writes.. All my longings lie before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. So, let him know how you feel. He knows you very well.

The fewer the words the better prayer. Martin Luther..A lot of fancy words are not necessary.

Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. God's voice in response to mine is its most essential part. ~ Andrew Murray...Listen. Be Still. He wants to talk back.

 

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. ~ Corrie Ten Boom ...Pray when you feel like it. Pray when you don't feel like it. In fact, pray without ceasing. 1Thessalonians 5:17

 

Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness.  ~ William Carey

 Get personal with God. A nice chat might be just what you need. He really loves you.