If you know me at all, you know I hate anything that divides. In this season of politics, all that I can see it doing is dividing. We all have our opinions about religion and politics, and that is okay. We all don't have to agree. Nothing good would get done if we did. It is the clash of ideas that gets things accomplished, but yesterday was the "straw that broke the proverbially back" as they say. One of my former students, a sister in Christ, and friend put on her Facebook page that she is upset over people asking for prayers for the direction of our country because she sees that as a form of racism. She went on to say how that disrespects our President. How in the world can someone be offended by anyone praying for the direction of this country and tie that to racism? I just don't get it especially when we are directed in scripture to pray for our rulers and our land. I have prayed for every President since I was an adult. I pray that this country turns back to Godly principles. I pray for a spiritual revival in this country. How is that seen as wrong or as being a racist?
What has happened to us? The very people who preach tolerance are sometimes the least tolerant. I was not raised in a prejudiced home. I was taught that God created everyone, and everyone has value and should be respected. There are too many people out there through their words and actions, on all sides, creating division and dissention. Where are the voices of reason and discernment? It then hit me. Maybe I am to be that voice. Maybe God is saying to me, "When are you going to speak boldly and in love when those around you are expousing division and dissention?" Instead of looking to someone else to stand up, maybe God is nudging me to get out of my comfort zone and maybe be a voice of reason.
So what holds us back? I so wanted to respond to her statement. Everyone that did respond did agreed with her, but surely there are others like me who were offended by her statements. Why did I not respond? Fear of what others would think, would she really listen, would she really think I was a racist because I did not agree, or do I think it's just not worth the fight? It really has given me a lot to think and pray about over the last 24 hours. If I really did only have just a few months to live, would I sit back and do nothing, or would I stand boldy? I have some real soul searching to do.
Blessings and love,
Monday, September 3, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
What Did Jesus Say?
You hear a lot of people today talking about what Jesus would say or do in certain situations. Actually, I don't think most really know what He truly has said, but it did prompt me to go through the Bible and read all the red letters through the gospels. I encourage you to do the same if you have not done that in a while.
So what does Jesus say?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.
But I tell you anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but sword.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him "unclean," but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean.
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Therefore, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
I am the vine; you are the branches.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
These are just a few of the things that jumped out at me as I read through what Jesus said. May I never forget the words of Jesus. May I live them out this year.
Blessings,
So what does Jesus say?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.
But I tell you anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but sword.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him "unclean," but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean.
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Therefore, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
I am the vine; you are the branches.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
These are just a few of the things that jumped out at me as I read through what Jesus said. May I never forget the words of Jesus. May I live them out this year.
Blessings,
Labels Belong on Things, not People
When the "political correct" culture started, I did not like it then, and I certainly do not like it now. What it did was divide. When you start putting labels on people, then you start dividing them. God's Word has a lot to say about division. In I Corinthians 1 Paul appeals to the church at Corinth that they should be perfectly united in mind and thought so that there may be no divisions among them. He even went so far as to tell them that they should all agree with each other.
Paul also warns against division in Romans 16. He tells them "to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. KEEP away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites."
Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:25 that "every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and every city or households divided against itself will not stand."
When we started putting labels on people, we started dividing them and pitting them against each other. When I was teaching, we started dividing students according to their ability. The rational for this seems good, and the intentions were good, but it did not take long for negative side to begin. In English we had five levels of English. The 100 level was special ed students; the 200 level was those who did not meet special ed requirements, but needed extra help; the 300 hundred level was the average student; the 400 level was the honor students, and the 500 level were the top students in the school. Before long we had the "smart" students versus the "dumb" students. Students in my 200 level class would tell me they were the "dummy" class. I hated that they saw themselves that way. The students in the 500 level had an overstated sense of arrogance and self-importance. We eventually did away with this system.
The labels today divide. Think how divisive the words republican, democrat, conservative and liberal are. They immediately divide. When we started hyphenating, our culture we starting dividing it: African-American, Mexican-American, Chinese-American, poor Americans, rich Americans, and the list goes on and on. What happened to the idea of just being American? Isn't that what we are? Why separate us into groups? I hate that you have to check on forms what label you fall under? Shouldn't it just say American?
So what would a united nation and church look like? Being an idealistic romantic, in my world it would look like people loving and extending grace to each other. Are we always going to agree on everything? Absolutely not, but should we not listen and be civil to each other while we are working out our differences? On issues that are not moral or salvation issues, can we not agree to disagree in love? We were so fortunate to attend a church of about 800. It is one of the most loving, grace-giving bodies that we have every had contact with. Did we always agree on all issues? No, but the one underlying thread was we loved each other, so we extended grace where it was needed. We were united in the Truth of God's Word. What the devil tried to use as division points, we turned and extended love and grace to each other.
In our secular world what would this look like? Again in my idealistic world, there would be no such things as republicans, democrats, conservative, liberal and there would certainly be no hyphenations. We would all be Americans. In my perfect world when we were electing people to office, their credentials would be listed, but no labels. A voter would research what each stands for and vote according to how that person lines up with what he/she believes. That would take away people voting because their grandparents were democrats/republicans, and their parents were, and so, therefore, I am a republican/democrat, and so on and so on. The only thing that labels have done is divide us. If you don't believe that, just turn on the TV or radio and listen. It seems all our political leaders want to do is conquer and divided, and that is on both sides of the aisle, and if God's Word is Truth, then we know if something does not happen, we are doomed.
What has political correctness done to us? It has quenched us from speaking and addressing the Truth. It was to promote tolerance, but really all it has done is promote intolerance. I have noticed lately that the people who cry for tolerance are the least tolerant, but we as Christians are never to be tolerant of sin. God still hates sin. Sin separates us from God, and if we die in our sins, we are lost. Those are hard words, that most do not want to hear today. If people are bold and speak up for God's word, they are usually castigated as being intolerant and unloving, but the unloving thing is to let people die in their sins without knowing God. We as Christians have been charged: Go into all the world, and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
I look at our world today and ask myself, "How in the world did we get where we are today?" The answer is easy. We live in a fallen world who needs Jesus. Here lately, I have really been discouraged, but my hope is not in man, but in Christ Jesus. He is the only true hope for change. As I live out this year, I pray I can be a light for Him, and that I can be a uniter, not a divider, a messenger for His Word.
Peace,
Paul also warns against division in Romans 16. He tells them "to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. KEEP away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites."
Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:25 that "every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and every city or households divided against itself will not stand."
When we started putting labels on people, we started dividing them and pitting them against each other. When I was teaching, we started dividing students according to their ability. The rational for this seems good, and the intentions were good, but it did not take long for negative side to begin. In English we had five levels of English. The 100 level was special ed students; the 200 level was those who did not meet special ed requirements, but needed extra help; the 300 hundred level was the average student; the 400 level was the honor students, and the 500 level were the top students in the school. Before long we had the "smart" students versus the "dumb" students. Students in my 200 level class would tell me they were the "dummy" class. I hated that they saw themselves that way. The students in the 500 level had an overstated sense of arrogance and self-importance. We eventually did away with this system.
The labels today divide. Think how divisive the words republican, democrat, conservative and liberal are. They immediately divide. When we started hyphenating, our culture we starting dividing it: African-American, Mexican-American, Chinese-American, poor Americans, rich Americans, and the list goes on and on. What happened to the idea of just being American? Isn't that what we are? Why separate us into groups? I hate that you have to check on forms what label you fall under? Shouldn't it just say American?
So what would a united nation and church look like? Being an idealistic romantic, in my world it would look like people loving and extending grace to each other. Are we always going to agree on everything? Absolutely not, but should we not listen and be civil to each other while we are working out our differences? On issues that are not moral or salvation issues, can we not agree to disagree in love? We were so fortunate to attend a church of about 800. It is one of the most loving, grace-giving bodies that we have every had contact with. Did we always agree on all issues? No, but the one underlying thread was we loved each other, so we extended grace where it was needed. We were united in the Truth of God's Word. What the devil tried to use as division points, we turned and extended love and grace to each other.
In our secular world what would this look like? Again in my idealistic world, there would be no such things as republicans, democrats, conservative, liberal and there would certainly be no hyphenations. We would all be Americans. In my perfect world when we were electing people to office, their credentials would be listed, but no labels. A voter would research what each stands for and vote according to how that person lines up with what he/she believes. That would take away people voting because their grandparents were democrats/republicans, and their parents were, and so, therefore, I am a republican/democrat, and so on and so on. The only thing that labels have done is divide us. If you don't believe that, just turn on the TV or radio and listen. It seems all our political leaders want to do is conquer and divided, and that is on both sides of the aisle, and if God's Word is Truth, then we know if something does not happen, we are doomed.
What has political correctness done to us? It has quenched us from speaking and addressing the Truth. It was to promote tolerance, but really all it has done is promote intolerance. I have noticed lately that the people who cry for tolerance are the least tolerant, but we as Christians are never to be tolerant of sin. God still hates sin. Sin separates us from God, and if we die in our sins, we are lost. Those are hard words, that most do not want to hear today. If people are bold and speak up for God's word, they are usually castigated as being intolerant and unloving, but the unloving thing is to let people die in their sins without knowing God. We as Christians have been charged: Go into all the world, and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
I look at our world today and ask myself, "How in the world did we get where we are today?" The answer is easy. We live in a fallen world who needs Jesus. Here lately, I have really been discouraged, but my hope is not in man, but in Christ Jesus. He is the only true hope for change. As I live out this year, I pray I can be a light for Him, and that I can be a uniter, not a divider, a messenger for His Word.
Peace,
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Where's the outrage?
Please don't get me wrong, I love animals. I have always had a pet. Growing up, we had numerous dogs, and after I married we have had two cocker spaniels, two parakeets, three rabbits, and currently we have a cat, so please do not think I do not like animals, but animals are not humans, and their lives should never be placed above a human being's. After all, humans were made in the image of God. Animals were not.
I am so weary of waking up most mornings and turning on the news and hearing about a child that has been killed either by his/her parents, has been in a horrific accident, or has been discarded like a piece of trash. Where is the outrage about these incidents?
Recently there was more outrage and outpouring over a dog that was set fire and eventually died, than over the numerous children who have died at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and take care them. We live in a sick world. I do not believe any of God's creatures should be mistreated, but when there is more outrage over an animal than a child, then we are a society that has lost its way. Have we become so desensitized that the life of a child has become so trivial? When are we as a culture going to stand up and say, "Enough is enough"?
In Jesus' sermon on the mount, in Matthew 6, he is talking about worry, but he asks, "Are you not more valuable than they" (birds of the air)? Human life should be valued and respected. In this year of OYTL, I want to make a difference in my culture and world. That may mean speaking out boldly against the atrocities of this world. After all, when Jesus confronted those using the temple as a market place, He did it with boldness and righteous indignation. Maybe it's time we who profess to follow Him, start doing the same.
Blessings,
I am so weary of waking up most mornings and turning on the news and hearing about a child that has been killed either by his/her parents, has been in a horrific accident, or has been discarded like a piece of trash. Where is the outrage about these incidents?
Recently there was more outrage and outpouring over a dog that was set fire and eventually died, than over the numerous children who have died at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and take care them. We live in a sick world. I do not believe any of God's creatures should be mistreated, but when there is more outrage over an animal than a child, then we are a society that has lost its way. Have we become so desensitized that the life of a child has become so trivial? When are we as a culture going to stand up and say, "Enough is enough"?
In Jesus' sermon on the mount, in Matthew 6, he is talking about worry, but he asks, "Are you not more valuable than they" (birds of the air)? Human life should be valued and respected. In this year of OYTL, I want to make a difference in my culture and world. That may mean speaking out boldly against the atrocities of this world. After all, when Jesus confronted those using the temple as a market place, He did it with boldness and righteous indignation. Maybe it's time we who profess to follow Him, start doing the same.
Blessings,
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Truth
"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." It seems no one wants to hear the truth these days. Our culture today does not like Truth, and people who speak the truth are usually made fun of or painted as radicals. We are told to always, "Speak the truth in love." What does it mean to speak the truth, and who defines what Truth is? True Truth is found in the word of God. If we are looking for it any other place, we are looking in the wrong place. It seems like today, though, anyone who dares speaks the truth, they are crucified and vilified for it.
I always want the truth, but sometimes I don't like hearing it. The truth sometimes can be painful, and other times it can be liberating. Sometimes, I ask my husband if something I have on looks good on me. I want him to answer me truthfully. I don't want to wear something that does not flatter me. If he says, "No," I have to be willing to hear the truth. Afterall, I asked for it. I need people in my life who will love me enough to tell me the truth. If I have done something to hurt someone, or if I have acted in a way I should not have, I need someone to tell me. How else can I correct something unless someone is willing to be honest with me? Sometimes, people in our culture ask for our opinions, and when we answer truthfully, they get angry. If they did not want to know the truth, why did they ask?
When I was teaching, I used to hear all kinds of excuses for not doing homework or turning in projects on time. I had one student whom a lot of teachers just did not care for. He definitely had a reputation, but what I appreciated about this student was he never made an excuse for not doing his work. He would walk into class and say, "Mrs. Nance, I didn't do the homework." Sometimes, he would even say, "I just did not feel like doing it." This student was actually a very bright student more than capable of doing any assignments given, but he just chose not to do them. I always appreciated his honesty. How refreshing it would be today if people in positions of leadership would just tell the truth!
There are many troubling things going on in our world today. The only way that we will be able to deal with them is with honesty and respect. We have to be willing to hear the truth no matter how painful that may be to get to the solutions. I have learned in my life denying and "sweeping things under the carpet," so to speak, will never make issues go away. It is just delaying having to deal with them. For real change to happen, we first have to be committed to truth.
Truth can sometimes be hard to handle. I have often wondered what Moses thought when God told him he would not enter the Promised Land because he had disobeyed. Was he hurt? Was he disappointed? Because David did not deal with truth and reality in his family, his family suffered greatly. How many times did the Isaerelites suffer consequences because they chose not to believe the truth? Not dealing with reality has a way of bringing a lot of pain.
I want to be a lover of truth. I pray as I live out this year that I have a love for the Truth, not man's truth, but God's. His Truths provide freedom and grace. Anything else is just a sham. The author of untruth loves when we don't demand the truth. We play right into his hands. I have said before, and I will repeat, I never want to be an instrument of him. May God always give me a heart for Truth.
Blessings,
I always want the truth, but sometimes I don't like hearing it. The truth sometimes can be painful, and other times it can be liberating. Sometimes, I ask my husband if something I have on looks good on me. I want him to answer me truthfully. I don't want to wear something that does not flatter me. If he says, "No," I have to be willing to hear the truth. Afterall, I asked for it. I need people in my life who will love me enough to tell me the truth. If I have done something to hurt someone, or if I have acted in a way I should not have, I need someone to tell me. How else can I correct something unless someone is willing to be honest with me? Sometimes, people in our culture ask for our opinions, and when we answer truthfully, they get angry. If they did not want to know the truth, why did they ask?
When I was teaching, I used to hear all kinds of excuses for not doing homework or turning in projects on time. I had one student whom a lot of teachers just did not care for. He definitely had a reputation, but what I appreciated about this student was he never made an excuse for not doing his work. He would walk into class and say, "Mrs. Nance, I didn't do the homework." Sometimes, he would even say, "I just did not feel like doing it." This student was actually a very bright student more than capable of doing any assignments given, but he just chose not to do them. I always appreciated his honesty. How refreshing it would be today if people in positions of leadership would just tell the truth!
There are many troubling things going on in our world today. The only way that we will be able to deal with them is with honesty and respect. We have to be willing to hear the truth no matter how painful that may be to get to the solutions. I have learned in my life denying and "sweeping things under the carpet," so to speak, will never make issues go away. It is just delaying having to deal with them. For real change to happen, we first have to be committed to truth.
Truth can sometimes be hard to handle. I have often wondered what Moses thought when God told him he would not enter the Promised Land because he had disobeyed. Was he hurt? Was he disappointed? Because David did not deal with truth and reality in his family, his family suffered greatly. How many times did the Isaerelites suffer consequences because they chose not to believe the truth? Not dealing with reality has a way of bringing a lot of pain.
I want to be a lover of truth. I pray as I live out this year that I have a love for the Truth, not man's truth, but God's. His Truths provide freedom and grace. Anything else is just a sham. The author of untruth loves when we don't demand the truth. We play right into his hands. I have said before, and I will repeat, I never want to be an instrument of him. May God always give me a heart for Truth.
Blessings,
Friday, March 2, 2012
A Different Perspective
One of my all time favorite books is To Kill a Mockingbird, and one of my favorite lines in the book is when Atticus, the father, is trying to get Scout, his daughter, to see things from a different perspective. He tells her, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." Perception is a person's reality. It may not be true reality, but it is their reference point, and it is harder sometime to change perception than to accept reality.
Growing up I thought that my mother showed favortism to one of my siblings. In my mind that was reality, and no matter how many times my mother told me it was not true, I did not believe it. In my perspective, it was reality. It wasn't until I was an adult with children of my own that I finally saw and understood things from my mother's point of view.
The Pharises saw Jesus as a threat to everything they had been taught. It was their perception, but it was not the true reality. They could not accept that Jesus came to bring them freedom and truth. It was reality, but their perception clouded their reality. They did not see the true Messiah that they had been promised when He stood right in front of them.
We live in a world today where it is difficult to see the reality of most things. We pass ideas, people and culture through the lenses of our perceptions, and when we do that we fail to recognize Truth--God's Truth. Our culture today wants us to believe that there are no universal truths, but that is contrary to everything that the Bible teaches. What would our world look like if we put away our perceptions and looked at situations and people honestly and realistically--if we put ourselves in others' shoes for a moment and tried to understand how they see things because how they see things is their reality for that moment. If we did that, maybe there would be more understanding and love in this world, and maybe then we would start working together instead of working against each other.
I want to make a concerted effort this year to put myself in someone else's shoes before I make a judgment about him/her. Too often, I judge before seeing things from their perspective. Hopefully, others will do the same with me before they make a judgment about me. It really goes back to the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you..
Blessings,
Growing up I thought that my mother showed favortism to one of my siblings. In my mind that was reality, and no matter how many times my mother told me it was not true, I did not believe it. In my perspective, it was reality. It wasn't until I was an adult with children of my own that I finally saw and understood things from my mother's point of view.
The Pharises saw Jesus as a threat to everything they had been taught. It was their perception, but it was not the true reality. They could not accept that Jesus came to bring them freedom and truth. It was reality, but their perception clouded their reality. They did not see the true Messiah that they had been promised when He stood right in front of them.
We live in a world today where it is difficult to see the reality of most things. We pass ideas, people and culture through the lenses of our perceptions, and when we do that we fail to recognize Truth--God's Truth. Our culture today wants us to believe that there are no universal truths, but that is contrary to everything that the Bible teaches. What would our world look like if we put away our perceptions and looked at situations and people honestly and realistically--if we put ourselves in others' shoes for a moment and tried to understand how they see things because how they see things is their reality for that moment. If we did that, maybe there would be more understanding and love in this world, and maybe then we would start working together instead of working against each other.
I want to make a concerted effort this year to put myself in someone else's shoes before I make a judgment about him/her. Too often, I judge before seeing things from their perspective. Hopefully, others will do the same with me before they make a judgment about me. It really goes back to the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you..
Blessings,
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Learning to Laugh Again
Last week some of our grand-children came to visit. They were playing and laughing together. Tatum, the oldest grand-daughter, was laughing so hard as she played on the floor with her brother. It was not a fake laugh or even half of a laugh, it was a deep belly laugh. As I watched and heard them playing, I thought to myself, "When did I lose my laughter? When was the last time, I laughed a belly laugh? When was the last time I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face?
During this One Year to Live, I want to find a way to bring laughter back into my life. I don't really know when I lost it. I just know that I don't laugh much any more. As an adult, there have been circumstances that I call "joy robbers," that I have allowed to steal my joy and laughter. Most of these circumstances were beyond my control: my mother's Alzheimer's and her death, my dad's declining health and death, the death of friends, the loss of relationships, and life changes in general.
We are called to be joyful. Phillipians 4:4 tells us "To rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." James 1:3 tells us to "Count it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." My challenge and struggle is how to find laughter in the midst of very sad and depressing events around me. The apostle Paul who suffered many hardships didn't seem to struggle with finding the joy in his life. Even in his imprisonments, beatings, and struggles, he was able to rejoice. I am determined that through prayer that I am going to find ways this year to bring laughter back in my life even through all the trials of daily living. I don't know how this is going to happen, I don't know what it is going to look like, but I am trusting that God is going to answer this prayer.
I do a girl's road trip every year with teachers that I used to teach with. I always look forward to that trip because we are silly, and we do laugh. It's the highlight of the trip, and I always come back so refreshed, but it does not take long to fall back in the rut of the "joy robbers."
Some things that I have already started doing to bring laughter back is reading funny novels, watching funny movies, and hanging out with my grandchildren and people who will make me laugh. I also am going to get out of myself and focus on serving others. Hopefully, with the focus off of me, I can, like Paul, find joy and laughter no matter what I am dealing with.
Joy,
.
During this One Year to Live, I want to find a way to bring laughter back into my life. I don't really know when I lost it. I just know that I don't laugh much any more. As an adult, there have been circumstances that I call "joy robbers," that I have allowed to steal my joy and laughter. Most of these circumstances were beyond my control: my mother's Alzheimer's and her death, my dad's declining health and death, the death of friends, the loss of relationships, and life changes in general.
We are called to be joyful. Phillipians 4:4 tells us "To rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." James 1:3 tells us to "Count it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." My challenge and struggle is how to find laughter in the midst of very sad and depressing events around me. The apostle Paul who suffered many hardships didn't seem to struggle with finding the joy in his life. Even in his imprisonments, beatings, and struggles, he was able to rejoice. I am determined that through prayer that I am going to find ways this year to bring laughter back in my life even through all the trials of daily living. I don't know how this is going to happen, I don't know what it is going to look like, but I am trusting that God is going to answer this prayer.
I do a girl's road trip every year with teachers that I used to teach with. I always look forward to that trip because we are silly, and we do laugh. It's the highlight of the trip, and I always come back so refreshed, but it does not take long to fall back in the rut of the "joy robbers."
Some things that I have already started doing to bring laughter back is reading funny novels, watching funny movies, and hanging out with my grandchildren and people who will make me laugh. I also am going to get out of myself and focus on serving others. Hopefully, with the focus off of me, I can, like Paul, find joy and laughter no matter what I am dealing with.
Joy,
.
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Dash
I love to walk through old cemeteries and read the older gravestones. Back in the day, the family put quite a bit of information on the stone. I like to imagine what that person was like from the information given. Usually, it will state a few attributes that person exhibited while they lived. Each person was special to someone, and each person touched others' lives.
There is a power point, and actually a very good one, called "The Dash." It has made the round on the internet serveral times. The "dash" signifies the time between birth and death. It is the "dash" that makes the difference, not only in our own life, but in the lives of others.
The last few months I have thought a lot about death and dying. We have lost a dear friend, dear friends have lost loved ones, and ones way too young to die have passed away. There's no one I know who has not been touched by death in some way in the last six months. If I reflect on this, it is quite depressing, but that is not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on the dash because that is where the difference is. It represents a life lived.
Our friend, who died back in November, was one of the kindest men I have known. I never heard him speak unkindly about anyone. We were having a conversation one night around my dinner table, and I was upset about some things, and he said in his very quiet way, "Well, if I am not part of the solution, then I am part of the problem." At first I was taken aback by what he said because he was approaching this conversation from an entirely perspective than I was. After they left that night, I really thought a lot about what he said, and have thought about it a lot since then when looking at situations and trying to find answers, asking myself, "Am I part of the problem or part of a solution?" This man lived his life to the fullest. He was a wondeful son, sibling, husband, father, grandfather, brother in Christ, and friend. When he died, so many expressed the influence he had on them. His "dash" was a life well lived.
This week we got news of a young man who died that grew up with our daughters. He was in the prime of life, and his death has raised many questions and brought to surface many old wounds we thought had been laid to rest. There are just some answers we are not going to have on this side of life, but even among all the questions, he lived a life that touched so many. Even though his dash is not as long, his influence and leadership will continue.
God had and has a plan for each person who has taken a breath here on earth. Because He gave us free will we can choose a life that follows Him and brings glory to Him, or we can choose to live out of His will. He has allowed others to cross our paths for lessons and experiences He has wanted them to teach us or for us to be a light for Him. We probably don't know the impact we have even had on most people. Most tend to not share until it's too late how a person has touched their lives, and usually they share it with the family at the end of their lives. There are even lessons for us to learn from people who choose their own paths away from God.
Living out the challenge of One Year to Live, I want to share with people before it's too late what they have meant to me in my life. I have taken advantage of the opportunity to let some people know how they influenced my life, but there are still so many I need to let know the impact that they have had on me.
I pray that when God calls me home and when someone looks at my "dash," that it will in small way be a symbol of a life that exhibited His love and grace. I want my "dash" to represent a life lived for others. I have been blessed with a great life. I have done more and seen more than I ever dreamed possible. It has not been a life without problems, heartaches, and disappointments, and I definitely haven't always lived up to what God has called me to be, but in every experience God has taught me lessons that have made me the person that I am today.
Grace,
There is a power point, and actually a very good one, called "The Dash." It has made the round on the internet serveral times. The "dash" signifies the time between birth and death. It is the "dash" that makes the difference, not only in our own life, but in the lives of others.
The last few months I have thought a lot about death and dying. We have lost a dear friend, dear friends have lost loved ones, and ones way too young to die have passed away. There's no one I know who has not been touched by death in some way in the last six months. If I reflect on this, it is quite depressing, but that is not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on the dash because that is where the difference is. It represents a life lived.
Our friend, who died back in November, was one of the kindest men I have known. I never heard him speak unkindly about anyone. We were having a conversation one night around my dinner table, and I was upset about some things, and he said in his very quiet way, "Well, if I am not part of the solution, then I am part of the problem." At first I was taken aback by what he said because he was approaching this conversation from an entirely perspective than I was. After they left that night, I really thought a lot about what he said, and have thought about it a lot since then when looking at situations and trying to find answers, asking myself, "Am I part of the problem or part of a solution?" This man lived his life to the fullest. He was a wondeful son, sibling, husband, father, grandfather, brother in Christ, and friend. When he died, so many expressed the influence he had on them. His "dash" was a life well lived.
This week we got news of a young man who died that grew up with our daughters. He was in the prime of life, and his death has raised many questions and brought to surface many old wounds we thought had been laid to rest. There are just some answers we are not going to have on this side of life, but even among all the questions, he lived a life that touched so many. Even though his dash is not as long, his influence and leadership will continue.
God had and has a plan for each person who has taken a breath here on earth. Because He gave us free will we can choose a life that follows Him and brings glory to Him, or we can choose to live out of His will. He has allowed others to cross our paths for lessons and experiences He has wanted them to teach us or for us to be a light for Him. We probably don't know the impact we have even had on most people. Most tend to not share until it's too late how a person has touched their lives, and usually they share it with the family at the end of their lives. There are even lessons for us to learn from people who choose their own paths away from God.
Living out the challenge of One Year to Live, I want to share with people before it's too late what they have meant to me in my life. I have taken advantage of the opportunity to let some people know how they influenced my life, but there are still so many I need to let know the impact that they have had on me.
I pray that when God calls me home and when someone looks at my "dash," that it will in small way be a symbol of a life that exhibited His love and grace. I want my "dash" to represent a life lived for others. I have been blessed with a great life. I have done more and seen more than I ever dreamed possible. It has not been a life without problems, heartaches, and disappointments, and I definitely haven't always lived up to what God has called me to be, but in every experience God has taught me lessons that have made me the person that I am today.
Grace,
Monday, January 30, 2012
Love
Love--such a little word with so many nuances! Love is used to describe how we feel about pizza, a movie, our God, and our family. I want to change how I love this year. With one year to live, I don't want to misuse that word and I want to make sure that I love as how God wants me to love. I don't want to be flip in how I use the word, . I don't want to say I love pizza or a movie or any thing. I like those things, but they are not something I am willing to lay down my life for. This word should be reserved for only the dearest and most important people in my life, but it goes much deeper than that.
The greatest commandment in the Bible is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." I can feel pretty smug about this verse until I look at the rest of the story (verse). "And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." I do love God, Jesus and the Spirit, and each day I hope to love and grow in that Love, but it is the second part of this verse that gets me. I fall short of loving my neighbor. I ask, "Who is my neighbor?" Well, it's anyone that God has allowed my path to cross. This is where I fall so short.
I have unconditional love for my immediate family. They are not perfect, and sometimes we hurt each other, but at the bottom, I would give my life for them. I choose to overlook when they hurt me because I hope they do the same for me. I want to extend to them the grace that has been given me by the blood of Jesus, but there are others in my extended family that are not as easy to love. You know the ones. They don't fit the peg I try to place them in. They don't do what I want them to do, or they don't act like I think they should, or even worse, they do very unloveable things. I can then extend this out to ones I attend church with, that I work with, and the list goes on and on.
In I John 4:20-21 states that if I say I love God, yet do not love my brother, then I am liar. For if I cannot love my brother whom I have seen, how can I love God whom I have not seen. Whoever loves God must love his brother. This is the challenge.
This year I am committed to loving the unloveable in my life. I do not have to like what they do, how they are, and I certainly do not have to hang out with them, but I am called to love them. For some people this may be easy, but for me it may mean forgiving them for hurting me, it may mean looking at them and accepting who they are--a person made in the image of God. I know that the devil will do his best to defeat me in this area because one of his biggest weapons is creating division. He loves it when we do not love. Creating hate and dissension is what he is all about.
The greatest gift of Love was given to us by God: His only begotten Son, who laid down his life for all of humanity. His love is perfect. This is what I want to remain focused on.
With one year to live, I do not want to stand before God and answer for not loving the way I should. I know that this will not be easy. I am human, afterall, but I am going to try and look at each one in my life as a soul that needs to know Jesus, and when I am feeling those feelings of anger, dislike and distrust, I am going to stop right there and pray for God to help me defeat the evil one, and to help me love this person because it will only be through HIM that I will accomplish this.
Love,
The greatest commandment in the Bible is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." I can feel pretty smug about this verse until I look at the rest of the story (verse). "And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." I do love God, Jesus and the Spirit, and each day I hope to love and grow in that Love, but it is the second part of this verse that gets me. I fall short of loving my neighbor. I ask, "Who is my neighbor?" Well, it's anyone that God has allowed my path to cross. This is where I fall so short.
I have unconditional love for my immediate family. They are not perfect, and sometimes we hurt each other, but at the bottom, I would give my life for them. I choose to overlook when they hurt me because I hope they do the same for me. I want to extend to them the grace that has been given me by the blood of Jesus, but there are others in my extended family that are not as easy to love. You know the ones. They don't fit the peg I try to place them in. They don't do what I want them to do, or they don't act like I think they should, or even worse, they do very unloveable things. I can then extend this out to ones I attend church with, that I work with, and the list goes on and on.
In I John 4:20-21 states that if I say I love God, yet do not love my brother, then I am liar. For if I cannot love my brother whom I have seen, how can I love God whom I have not seen. Whoever loves God must love his brother. This is the challenge.
This year I am committed to loving the unloveable in my life. I do not have to like what they do, how they are, and I certainly do not have to hang out with them, but I am called to love them. For some people this may be easy, but for me it may mean forgiving them for hurting me, it may mean looking at them and accepting who they are--a person made in the image of God. I know that the devil will do his best to defeat me in this area because one of his biggest weapons is creating division. He loves it when we do not love. Creating hate and dissension is what he is all about.
The greatest gift of Love was given to us by God: His only begotten Son, who laid down his life for all of humanity. His love is perfect. This is what I want to remain focused on.
With one year to live, I do not want to stand before God and answer for not loving the way I should. I know that this will not be easy. I am human, afterall, but I am going to try and look at each one in my life as a soul that needs to know Jesus, and when I am feeling those feelings of anger, dislike and distrust, I am going to stop right there and pray for God to help me defeat the evil one, and to help me love this person because it will only be through HIM that I will accomplish this.
Love,
Friday, January 27, 2012
Blogs
I do not like blogs. You may think that is hypocritical since I am writing on this blog, but let me explain. The journalist in me has always liked to know what others think. I love a good discussion, whether it is at church, at the job, with friends or family. I love to hear what other people think. I have had some very spirited conversations with my friends. We always do not see all things alike, and that is okay. It gives me the opportunity to look at things from someone else's perspective, and hopefully they feel the same. We never walk away from each other angry, and because we are friends, we know we can be open and honest, and we will be loved and accepted.
Since I like to see what others are thinking about things happening in our culture, if I am on the Dallas Morning News web site, or Fox News, or anyother site, I will often look at the comments just to see what others think. For the last six months, this has become more and more discouraging. On most blogs, people are not using their real names. The things that some of these people say are down right disgusting. They are really not contributing any useful comments or information. It's usually a tirade against a person, organization, or group. I have asked myself many times, "When did we as a people become so mean spirited? Would people say these things if they were not cloaked under anonymity?" I personally don't think they would say these denigrating remarks to someone's face. Needless to say, it has driven me away from looking at these comments.
Some people will throw the First Amendment out that they have the right to speak, but just because a person has a right, they do not have to exercise it. Words should be taken with deep regard and with wisdom and discernment.
One of the scariest verses in the Bible is Matt. 12:36. "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." I have said a lot of careless words in my life. I didn't think before I spoke. As I live this year, I want to be very careful of what comes out of my mouth. I want to think before I speak. I want to ask myself, "Is this encouraging or discouraging? Will this build someone up, or will it tear them down?"
Our words are so important, and once they are out there, you cannot bring them back. My favorite American woman poet is Emily Dickinson. She wrote a little poem: "A word is dead when said some say. I say it just begins to live that day." All of us have had things said to us that we have never forgotten. Some have been wonderful and kind things, but we all remember those terribly ugly things said too. Words have the power to slice us to our deepest part.
I cannot control the people who comment on blogs, but I can control whether I choose to read them or not. With one year to live, I am really not too interested in what strangers have to say. I just want to make sure that what comes out of my mouth only builds up and encourages.
Peace,
Since I like to see what others are thinking about things happening in our culture, if I am on the Dallas Morning News web site, or Fox News, or anyother site, I will often look at the comments just to see what others think. For the last six months, this has become more and more discouraging. On most blogs, people are not using their real names. The things that some of these people say are down right disgusting. They are really not contributing any useful comments or information. It's usually a tirade against a person, organization, or group. I have asked myself many times, "When did we as a people become so mean spirited? Would people say these things if they were not cloaked under anonymity?" I personally don't think they would say these denigrating remarks to someone's face. Needless to say, it has driven me away from looking at these comments.
Some people will throw the First Amendment out that they have the right to speak, but just because a person has a right, they do not have to exercise it. Words should be taken with deep regard and with wisdom and discernment.
One of the scariest verses in the Bible is Matt. 12:36. "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." I have said a lot of careless words in my life. I didn't think before I spoke. As I live this year, I want to be very careful of what comes out of my mouth. I want to think before I speak. I want to ask myself, "Is this encouraging or discouraging? Will this build someone up, or will it tear them down?"
Our words are so important, and once they are out there, you cannot bring them back. My favorite American woman poet is Emily Dickinson. She wrote a little poem: "A word is dead when said some say. I say it just begins to live that day." All of us have had things said to us that we have never forgotten. Some have been wonderful and kind things, but we all remember those terribly ugly things said too. Words have the power to slice us to our deepest part.
I cannot control the people who comment on blogs, but I can control whether I choose to read them or not. With one year to live, I am really not too interested in what strangers have to say. I just want to make sure that what comes out of my mouth only builds up and encourages.
Peace,
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Greed
It has been a busy week and a half. Hopefully, I will be more consistent on my entries. God is definitely showing me many lessons in this One Year To Live commitment.
Greed: such a little word, but it packs so much punch. I have thought for years this is the root of all problems. Most people if asked would probably say they don't have a problem with greed, but if we are honest, it is something we all deal with. It just presents itself in different ways, but it always has the same result: the focus is on me!
By definition, greed means wanting more than one's share, or wanting what someone else has. It goes along closely with envy and jealousy. Wars have been started, careers have been ruined, and families have been torn apart because of it. One little word, so much havoc.
There are plenty of examples in the Old and New Testaments of greed. The story of Adam and Eve in the garden has greed at the root. Eve wanted what God had. She wanted to be like God. She wasn't satisfied with the perfect world she had. She just knew she was missing out on something. It didn't work out too well for her. It brought her into the reality of a fallen world. She lost so much in her quest for wanting more. David wanted Bathsheba. She was not his to have, but that did not matter. He even killed to cover up his sin. Religious people of Jesus' day sent Him to the cross. Why? He was exposing them for what they were.
All wars are over greed. Someone wants more or wants all of what someone else has. People for centuries have fought over land, ideaolgies, religion, money, possessions, oil, and the list goes on and on.
People have killed other people over greed. If you don't believe that, just turn on the TV in the morning, and you will hear of people killed overnight because of greed. They robbed a store, they took someone's car, they wanted drugs, etc., etc.
If you really want to see greed, look at our political world. Talk about a "dog eat dog world." It's wanting power, influence, and money, and people will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want.
There has been a lot of talk during the politcal process this year about the wealthy and the rest of the country. Our political leaders have used a weak spot in people to hopefully gain votes. It's us against those rich people. They have all that money. They should share it with the rest of us. Who are they to have all that money while the rest of us have to struggle? People who claim to love this country are driving a wedge between us, and that wedge is greed. They tell us we have a right to demand our fair share.
I have to confess that there have been times in the past that I have complained that we pay athletes and entertainers more than we pay teachers, firefighters, and policemen. "It isn't fair," I would grumble. "What I do is so much more important than what they do!" I complained. "I touch the future!" On and on I would lament.
Talk about self-centered, I was it. It was all about me. I was doing a job I loved, a job I wanted, and I knew going in that I was not going make a lot of money, but that didn't stop my complaining. I wanted more than my share. I wanted what someone else had. It dawned on me one day that I was greedy. I didn't like the sound of it, but it was true. I had to take a really long look at myself, and I certainly did not like what I saw. Thankfully, I serve a loving and forgiving God, who convicted me enough to see myself for what I was: a sinner, who needs His Grace and Forgiveness.
I would like to say from that day on I haven't had any other issues with greed, but that would be a lie, but as I live out this One Year To Live, I know that in the grand scheme, all that matters is not what I have or don't have in this world, but I have what is eternal, and that is a close, personal relationship with Jesus. He is all I need in this world and the next! Praise God for His mercies!
Peace,
Greed: such a little word, but it packs so much punch. I have thought for years this is the root of all problems. Most people if asked would probably say they don't have a problem with greed, but if we are honest, it is something we all deal with. It just presents itself in different ways, but it always has the same result: the focus is on me!
By definition, greed means wanting more than one's share, or wanting what someone else has. It goes along closely with envy and jealousy. Wars have been started, careers have been ruined, and families have been torn apart because of it. One little word, so much havoc.
There are plenty of examples in the Old and New Testaments of greed. The story of Adam and Eve in the garden has greed at the root. Eve wanted what God had. She wanted to be like God. She wasn't satisfied with the perfect world she had. She just knew she was missing out on something. It didn't work out too well for her. It brought her into the reality of a fallen world. She lost so much in her quest for wanting more. David wanted Bathsheba. She was not his to have, but that did not matter. He even killed to cover up his sin. Religious people of Jesus' day sent Him to the cross. Why? He was exposing them for what they were.
All wars are over greed. Someone wants more or wants all of what someone else has. People for centuries have fought over land, ideaolgies, religion, money, possessions, oil, and the list goes on and on.
People have killed other people over greed. If you don't believe that, just turn on the TV in the morning, and you will hear of people killed overnight because of greed. They robbed a store, they took someone's car, they wanted drugs, etc., etc.
If you really want to see greed, look at our political world. Talk about a "dog eat dog world." It's wanting power, influence, and money, and people will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want.
There has been a lot of talk during the politcal process this year about the wealthy and the rest of the country. Our political leaders have used a weak spot in people to hopefully gain votes. It's us against those rich people. They have all that money. They should share it with the rest of us. Who are they to have all that money while the rest of us have to struggle? People who claim to love this country are driving a wedge between us, and that wedge is greed. They tell us we have a right to demand our fair share.
I have to confess that there have been times in the past that I have complained that we pay athletes and entertainers more than we pay teachers, firefighters, and policemen. "It isn't fair," I would grumble. "What I do is so much more important than what they do!" I complained. "I touch the future!" On and on I would lament.
Talk about self-centered, I was it. It was all about me. I was doing a job I loved, a job I wanted, and I knew going in that I was not going make a lot of money, but that didn't stop my complaining. I wanted more than my share. I wanted what someone else had. It dawned on me one day that I was greedy. I didn't like the sound of it, but it was true. I had to take a really long look at myself, and I certainly did not like what I saw. Thankfully, I serve a loving and forgiving God, who convicted me enough to see myself for what I was: a sinner, who needs His Grace and Forgiveness.
I would like to say from that day on I haven't had any other issues with greed, but that would be a lie, but as I live out this One Year To Live, I know that in the grand scheme, all that matters is not what I have or don't have in this world, but I have what is eternal, and that is a close, personal relationship with Jesus. He is all I need in this world and the next! Praise God for His mercies!
Peace,
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Up Pops the Devil
I knew starting out there would be days like this. I just did not know how I would handle them. January and August are the two most trying months in my job. I work with students of all ages and all backgrounds. I love my job, but as with any job, it has its frustrations. I was hoping to get through this registration without losing my patience. I told myself I was not going to let anything get me off focus from my goal of helping anyone who crossed my path and represent Jesus in everything. I was actually kind of proud of myself. (Oh, there's that PRIDE thing again.) I have been very calm, and even though some around me were flustered and panicking, I was staying on a pretty even keel until today!
The first few students whom I helped today were transfer students from a local college. They had done very poorly there, and they had lost their financial aid and were told to go to a community college because they would be able to receive aid. The more students I helped and heard this, the angrier I became. In my mind I am thinking, "If you weren't successful there, what makes you think you are going to be successful here? What makes you think you are going to get aid here because you have to show satisfactory progress, and there is no way you are going to meet the criteria? Are you interested in an education, or just the money you can get?" You get the idea. Not very nice thoughts, and definitely not the thoughts Jesus would have.
As I was ranting in my mind, I literally heard this voice say, "Who made you the judge and who made you the overseer of whether these students deserve to receive money or not? All I want you to do is be Jesus to them and do your job." It was a very humbling moment because it made me stop and look at myself and realize I was making judgements and being angry about something that really wasn't even any of my business.
I praise God that He disciplines and chastises me when I need it, and I am so thankful for His GRACE and FORGIVENESS when I sin. I pray that I will continue to have ears to hear Him and eyes to see His will for my life.
Blessings,
The first few students whom I helped today were transfer students from a local college. They had done very poorly there, and they had lost their financial aid and were told to go to a community college because they would be able to receive aid. The more students I helped and heard this, the angrier I became. In my mind I am thinking, "If you weren't successful there, what makes you think you are going to be successful here? What makes you think you are going to get aid here because you have to show satisfactory progress, and there is no way you are going to meet the criteria? Are you interested in an education, or just the money you can get?" You get the idea. Not very nice thoughts, and definitely not the thoughts Jesus would have.
As I was ranting in my mind, I literally heard this voice say, "Who made you the judge and who made you the overseer of whether these students deserve to receive money or not? All I want you to do is be Jesus to them and do your job." It was a very humbling moment because it made me stop and look at myself and realize I was making judgements and being angry about something that really wasn't even any of my business.
I praise God that He disciplines and chastises me when I need it, and I am so thankful for His GRACE and FORGIVENESS when I sin. I pray that I will continue to have ears to hear Him and eyes to see His will for my life.
Blessings,
Monday, January 9, 2012
Living a Life of JOY
If you come to visit in my home, you will see many items around my house that have the word JOY on them. They are reminders of how I want to live my life. Years ago at a Ladies Inspiration Day, the speaker talked about JOY. She said that if we put Jesus first, Others second, and Youself last, we will exhibit JOY to all those who cross our paths. This lesson really touched my heart. Number one, it made me look at how self-centered I really was. I gave lip service to putting Jesus first, but at that point in my life, Jesus got the leftovers. I tried to do for others, but only if it was convenient for me. Pretty much, I was mostly me centered. I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it, and would get pretty upset if things did not go my way.
I love how God has a way of slapping me with a dose of reality. I love that He does not leave me in my delusion that I am the center of my universe. Through some very painful, eye opening experiences, God showed me that it is not all about me, and that if I truly want to experience JOY , I had to put Him in the center of my life, and come to see others as He sees them, and relegate me to end of the line.
Do I still get out of focus? You bet I do. If I start fretting and feeling like I am living in chaos, it usually means I have become very self consumed. It means I have taken my eyes off of Him and off those hurting around me. I love Hebrews 12:2. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
I want this verse to be at the forefront of my one year to live. I do not want to be self consumed. I want to be Jesus consumed, and through Him be consumed with a mindfulness of the lost and hurting around me, and with His love and guidance and speaking the truth in love, show others the JOY that comes from knowing Him and having a deep, personal relationship with Him. He is the true source of JOY. May I always remember that.
Peace,
I love how God has a way of slapping me with a dose of reality. I love that He does not leave me in my delusion that I am the center of my universe. Through some very painful, eye opening experiences, God showed me that it is not all about me, and that if I truly want to experience JOY , I had to put Him in the center of my life, and come to see others as He sees them, and relegate me to end of the line.
Do I still get out of focus? You bet I do. If I start fretting and feeling like I am living in chaos, it usually means I have become very self consumed. It means I have taken my eyes off of Him and off those hurting around me. I love Hebrews 12:2. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
I want this verse to be at the forefront of my one year to live. I do not want to be self consumed. I want to be Jesus consumed, and through Him be consumed with a mindfulness of the lost and hurting around me, and with His love and guidance and speaking the truth in love, show others the JOY that comes from knowing Him and having a deep, personal relationship with Him. He is the true source of JOY. May I always remember that.
Peace,
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Who is watching?
I hope that I can be aware this year of who is watching me. I know that God is always watching me even though I don't always live like I know that. I cringe when I think about how I reacted in certain situations. I certainly did not act like I knew God was watching me. My body language, the things that came out of my mouth, my attitude certainly did not represent Christ in a positive way. I reacted to the frustration of the moment instead of stepping back and composing myself before I opened my mouth. For the ones who took the brunt of those outburst, I can only imagine what they thought of me.
This idea really came home to me yesterday. I was in a setting where I only knew the people I was with. I was in a huge crowd that was quite rowdy and honestly quite rude. I thought to myself they have no idea the impressions that they were making on those of us who were observing them. They might be fellow Christians, they might be really kind and caring people, but because of their behavior, they will be remembered as being crass, disrespectful, and rude.
It doesn't matter where we are, someone is always watching us, and we are leaving either a positive impression or a negative. You might say, "What difference does it make what someone else thinks?" But if we are to be a lights in this dark world and if we are to be ambassadors for Christ, shouldn't we be cognizant of what lasting imprint we might be leaving?
Think about your encounters with people at the grocery store. What did you think when you saw a mom who yelled at her kids, the person in front of you who was unkind to the cashier, the child that was disrespectful to his/her mother, or the dad that spanked the crying child for crying? We all have been witnesses to acts like these, and right or wrong, we formed some kind of an opinion about the people involved.
This year as I live out OYTL, I want to have a constant awareness that someone is watching me. I want that to radically impact how I act and react publically and privately because, afterall, God is constantly watching over everything I do.
Blessings,
This idea really came home to me yesterday. I was in a setting where I only knew the people I was with. I was in a huge crowd that was quite rowdy and honestly quite rude. I thought to myself they have no idea the impressions that they were making on those of us who were observing them. They might be fellow Christians, they might be really kind and caring people, but because of their behavior, they will be remembered as being crass, disrespectful, and rude.
It doesn't matter where we are, someone is always watching us, and we are leaving either a positive impression or a negative. You might say, "What difference does it make what someone else thinks?" But if we are to be a lights in this dark world and if we are to be ambassadors for Christ, shouldn't we be cognizant of what lasting imprint we might be leaving?
Think about your encounters with people at the grocery store. What did you think when you saw a mom who yelled at her kids, the person in front of you who was unkind to the cashier, the child that was disrespectful to his/her mother, or the dad that spanked the crying child for crying? We all have been witnesses to acts like these, and right or wrong, we formed some kind of an opinion about the people involved.
This year as I live out OYTL, I want to have a constant awareness that someone is watching me. I want that to radically impact how I act and react publically and privately because, afterall, God is constantly watching over everything I do.
Blessings,
Sunday, January 1, 2012
One Year to Live
The minister where I attend church has challenged us to live 2012 as if we only have one year to live, and because no one is promised a tomorrow, much less another year, I have taken on this challenge. I will be writing about what God shows me as I go through the year, and I will write about the challenges that the devil puts in my path. I have thought a lot about this over the month of December. What would it look like if I were given the diagnosis of one year to live? I actually have friends who have heard those words.
I am committed to being in God's Word everyday. I want to be as close to Him as possible, and that has to come through being in His Word. I also intend to spend a lot of time in prayer.
I want to spend time with my family and friends and make memories. They are the ones who have carried me through some of the hardest challenges of my life.
I am committed to speaking the truth in love in all circumstances. So many times, I don't say what really needs to be said because I am afraid I will hurt someone or make them angry, but not dealing with issues will never make them go away. As a matter of fact, in most cases it will only make things worse because eventually the truth will have to be spoken. Truth is the only way to deal with things. I need people in my life who will tell me the truth, even when I don't want to hear it.
In this "last year to live" I want to show Jesus to everyone who crosses my path.
I don't know what this challenge is going to look like, and I have no idea what this year holds, but I trust and know who holds it all in the palm of HIS hand. He will always be faithful even when I am not and when I falter.
So today on January 1, 2012 God has already shown me something powerful. I am a huge Dallas Mavericks fan. I get so caught up in the games. I lose sleep over a loss, and I worry and fret about whether they are going to play well or not. Tonight as I was watching the game, I realized that if I only have one year to live that this is really going to be low on my priority list. Yes, it will be a good diversion to take my mind off my limited number of days, but in the grand scheme, there is nothing eternal about it. I need to keep it in perspective.
Peace and blessings
I am committed to being in God's Word everyday. I want to be as close to Him as possible, and that has to come through being in His Word. I also intend to spend a lot of time in prayer.
I want to spend time with my family and friends and make memories. They are the ones who have carried me through some of the hardest challenges of my life.
I am committed to speaking the truth in love in all circumstances. So many times, I don't say what really needs to be said because I am afraid I will hurt someone or make them angry, but not dealing with issues will never make them go away. As a matter of fact, in most cases it will only make things worse because eventually the truth will have to be spoken. Truth is the only way to deal with things. I need people in my life who will tell me the truth, even when I don't want to hear it.
In this "last year to live" I want to show Jesus to everyone who crosses my path.
I don't know what this challenge is going to look like, and I have no idea what this year holds, but I trust and know who holds it all in the palm of HIS hand. He will always be faithful even when I am not and when I falter.
So today on January 1, 2012 God has already shown me something powerful. I am a huge Dallas Mavericks fan. I get so caught up in the games. I lose sleep over a loss, and I worry and fret about whether they are going to play well or not. Tonight as I was watching the game, I realized that if I only have one year to live that this is really going to be low on my priority list. Yes, it will be a good diversion to take my mind off my limited number of days, but in the grand scheme, there is nothing eternal about it. I need to keep it in perspective.
Peace and blessings
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