Author: terriplace89

The holiday season is upon us.  It seems that people have mixed emotions about this time of year.  Some love it, some hate it.  Some see it as a religious observance, others are into the commercial side of things.  Some even discount the whole ball of wax.  Most of us are somewhere in the middle.

So, I thought that I would share my opinion about the holidays.  Take note, however, that my opinion is simply that – my opinion.  It is not the only right way of thinking (for sure).  It is only my way of thinking.  It seems that we, as gregarious humans, are often interested in sharing our opinions and hearing the opinions of others because we like to know if our opinions agree.  And we are drawn to those with whom we share similar opinions.  But we must always remember that opinions are personal and individual.  They are formed by our experiences and the teaching that we’ve received.  Therefore, different does not necessarily mean wrong when the subject of our opinions is innocuous.  For example, in my opinion, vanilla ice cream is better than chocolate.  You may say, “That’s crazy.  Chocolate is the best.”  That difference of opinion does not affect our relationship, nor is one more right than the other. 

However, opinions can be right or wrong when the subject is of a critical nature.  It is difficult to have a relationship with someone whose opinions are completely opposite from ours regarding the important things in life because we have no common ground on which to meet.  These kinds of opinions involve truth or error.  If someone’s opinion is based on error, I cannot agree with it, nor should I.  It is the same if my opinion is based on error.  I don’t want someone to substantiate my error, I want someone to teach me the truth.  Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for these kinds of opposing opinions to battle.  Resolution can only be found when the standard of truth is agreed upon. 

After that little sidebar, here is what I think about the holidays…

Being Christian, of course the holiday season revolves around Christmas.  (I cannot speak to the other celebrations of the season.)  For me, the days preceding Christmas are spent preparing for it and the days afterward are spent recovering from it.  Preparations include decorating, shopping, wrapping, card writing and baking.  The celebration includes family, friends, traditions, eating and presents.  Recovery can extend well into January sometimes.  All of this may sound familiar to you, especially if you have young children. 

But here is where opinions diverge. 

There is debate among Biblical scholars whether December 25^th was actually the date of Jesus’ birth.  The Bible doesn’t clearly identify the date, but it does say that shepherds were abiding in the field keeping watch over their flocks on the night of Jesus’ birth.  Generally, the shepherds would not have been in the fields in Israel in December as it would have been too cold.  Also, the taxing that prompted Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem would have been counterproductive as travel could be difficult in December’s winter conditions, which might have prevented some from making the trip.  Piecing together historical data, there are indications that Jesus’ actual birth date is likely to be in early fall.  And I agree with this assessment. 

People have strong opinions regarding this information, though.  Some refute it all together and embrace the traditional teaching.   Others accept this information but feel that is hypocritical to celebrate December 25^th as Jesus’ birthday, and therefore they do not celebrate. 

My opinion is somewhere in between.  I don’t believe that Jesus was born on December 25^th.  But our society is totally geared toward that date.  I don’t think that society is going to change anytime soon, and currently it allots time for celebrating and promotes conversation about Jesus more than at other times of the year.  For that, I am thankful.  I recognize that most of the Christmas trimmings and traditions have little or nothing to do with Jesus’ birth, but they are things that make me happy – probably because of sweet memories from my childhood and from my children’s.  So, in my opinion, I recognize Jesus’ birth at this time of year, and I celebrate the holiday called ‘Christmas’ with my traditions and trimmings. 

This time of year provides us with extra opportunities to give and bless others; to enjoy the company of our family and friends; and to be thankful for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I very much enjoy gift-giving.  It thrills my heart to find the perfect gift and bless someone by giving it to them.  Many of my favorite memories are holiday celebrations with my family.  Lots of those were occasions of great laughter and much camaraderie.  And, although Jesus Christ is in my thoughts daily, it always blesses me to think about his birth and what that night must have been like for Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds.  I read and re-read the account in Luke chapter 2 frequently during the holiday season. 

Luke 2:7-20

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

No matter what your opinion is of the holiday season, I think we all can agree that the night of Jesus’ birth was a joyous occasion, worthy of much celebration.  I thank God every day that He so loved the world that He gave us His only begotten son so that we could be saved.  Could there be a better gift at any time – whether during the holiday season or not?? 

If you celebrate the holidays, enjoy!  If you choose not to celebrate, be at peace with your decision.  In either case, the Bible admonishes us to be fully persuaded in our own minds.  (Romans 14:5). Our difference of opinion in this matter need not impact our relationships as we can respect both sides as personal choices that we each are entitled to make. Whether we celebrate or not, doesn’t change the truth that Jesus Christ was born, that he lived and that he gave his life for us. On this, we can totally agree!!

Note to my readers:  Happy Holidays!  I sure love you.  Thanks for reading.

At this time of year, we are encouraged to think about family, giving, and being thankful.  Commercials on TV are filled with images of loving families happily enjoying their Thanksgiving Day meal.  Charities solicit for donations more vigorously because this is the “season of giving”.  Consequently, it might seem that people are a little kinder and more generous during this season than at other times of the year.   It’s been said that the holiday season brings out the best in people.  Perhaps.  It’s hard to say. But for most of us, we try to be giving and thankful all year-round.  Of course, this season may provide extra opportunities for families to be together, but our families are never far from our thoughts anyway.  Aren’t we always looking for chances to share of our pluralities?  Don’t we love to bless people?  Aren’t we forever thankful?  Isn’t giving a way of life for us?  We know that this kind of behavior is not limited to being Christian, but as Christians, we embrace this lifestyle. 

However, it seems that sometimes, people might need this season to remind themselves to give and be thankful.  I guess this happens because life is so busy all the time.  It’s easy to forget the important things of life when the falderal keeps rolling in.  Sometimes I think that a million little things can be just as hard to deal with as one big thing.  But whatever is going on, it is no secret that life places many demands on us, and that those demands can be overwhelming at times.  BUT, those demands do not need to rob of us the things that are truly important in life.  This is where remembrance comes in. 

My friend, Merriam Webster defines remembrance as:

1: the state of bearing in mind

2a: the ability to remember: MEMORY

b: the period over which one’s memory extends

3: an act of recalling to mind

4: a memory of a person, thing, or event

5: something that serves to keep in or bring to mind: REMINDER

From these definitions we see that remembrance is more than just remembering.  For example, we must remember what time our doctor’s appointment is, but when it’s over, we no longer need to remember that.  But what about being kind?  We can’t be kind once and then forget about it.  We need to put it in remembrance and keep recalling it in our minds.

There are things in our remembrance that we don’t even realize we are remembering.  We just do them.  Do you put on clothes every day?  Do you struggle to remember to do that?  Oh, I certainly struggle with what to wear, but so far in my life, I have never left the house naked because I forgot to get dressed!  We simply put our clothes on.  It’s something that we have the ability to readily remember.  It is a habit.  Our habits can be so deeply ingrained in our memory that they take place without conscious thought.  We can make something like thankfulness so much a part of us that it just happens.  Unfortunately, this can also apply to bad habits, but the good news for those is that habits can be changed. 

Habits are often learned.  For instance, my mom taught me to brush my teeth.  She taught me how to hold my toothbrush, how to put the toothpaste on it, how to brush up and down and side to side, and how to spit out the resultant foam.  She reminded me every day to brush my teeth until it became my habit.  But habits can be changed.  I was in the habit of brushing my teeth, then the dentist said that I needed to floss, so my habit changed to include that.  Then as a teenager, fresh breath became my priority, so I added mouthwash to my routine.  And this is the routine that I still follow.  But unlike getting dressed, I do need to think about it sometimes.  If I am particularly rushed in the morning, I might get distracted and forget to brush my teeth.  Talk about leaving a bad impression!  It’s not something that I want to forget too often!

My examples may seem silly because getting dressed and brushing our teeth are so commonplace in our lives.  But what about giving, or being thankful, or walking in love?  Do we do these things with the same effortless regularity?  Is doing them as easy for us as getting dressed in the morning?  Are they habits?  I think most of us put forth our best effort to do these things, but there can be times that we forget, or become distracted or complacent. 

Not to worry!  Even if we forget to be thankful at some point, we can change that by being thankful again.  And if we forget again, we change it again, and if we forget again, we change it again.  And each time that happens, it builds the habit a little stronger.  Forgetting doesn’t mean that we have failed.  If I forget one morning to brush my teeth, I haven’t ruined my teeth forever.  I just fix the situation when I remember.  This works for any attitude that we want to include in our code of conduct. 

The important things in life can’t be seen with our eyes, but the effects can be registered.  Being thankful is gratifying.  Giving is joyous.  Walking in love makes everything better!  Plus, we know when we are behaving in this manner, we are pleasing to God.  And as my dad used to say, “that is worth the price of admission.”  The is nothing better in life than being pleasing to our Heavenly Father!  Doing His Will sets the stage for multitudes of blessings and rewards that we can’t even fathom.  We may bless others in ways that we may never know about.  And we will receive the rewards that God has in store for us.  Reminding ourselves repeatedly of these things will help us walk the way we really want to walk – as Christ did. 

Being thankful, kind, giving, and loving are all attitudes that we can develop into habits by keeping them in remembrance.  Reminding and re-reminding ourselves of the truly important things in life will help these attitudes be our first response to any situation and the hallmark of our lifestyle.  (And a little sidelight – we know that one kind of giving is thanksgiving, but did you ever think that another kind of giving is forgiving.  Just some food for thought.)

Even though we endeavor to act in a giving, loving and thankful manner all the time, why not take advantage of this “season of giving”? We can be especially good to those we love, especially kind those we know, and especially gentle to those we meet.  Couldn’t hurt!  If nothing else, it’s good practice! 

Note to my readers:  I hold you dearly in my remembrance.   Thanks for reading.

                                                    HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I think that one of the most fulfilling things that we can do is helping others.  Think of how good you feel when you do that.  We can help friends or family with physical tasks, like moving or yard work.  We can help by offering good advice or lending a shoulder to cry on.  We can give financial or other material support.  We can help others by holding the door open for them, giving up our seat on the bus, or reaching something off the top shelf at the grocery.  We can volunteer to help organizations or causes by donating money or our time and energy.  And each time we help someone, we get blessed. 

People like to help the ‘less fortunate’.  Who doesn’t want to help a child in the hospital, or a wounded warrior, or a homeless soul?  These situations tug on our heartstrings.  Charities thrive on this feeling.  They afford an easy way for us to demonstrate our compassion and help people that we may not otherwise be able to help.  

However, some people support charities because it is an easy way to do their ‘duty’.  They write a check and go on their merry way because they have fulfilled their obligation.  But this isn’t the kind of giving that comes from the heart of someone who truly wants to help people.  Yet, whether the giving comes from the heart or simply out of obligation, there is a principle involved.   

Helping is a form of giving.  And the principle of giving and receiving works for us when we help others.  Now, I’ve been taught that if you give, you will receive. But I didn’t really understand the greatness of that for a long time.  The principle of giving is most often discussed in the context of tithing, and I understood it in that context.  But the principle is not limited to that category, nor is it limited to money.  We can give in a million ways and get blessed for all of them. 

As Christians, our hearts lean toward helping people learn God’s Word so that they can be saved.  But our help doesn’t stop there.  We can help people understand God’s Word more perfectly so they can claim the promises that God has made to them and live the life that God has intended for them.  We can help people get up after they fall.  We can help people stay put on the Truth.  We can help people grow.  And we will get blessed for doing any of those things.  But we don’t do it in order to get blessed.  No!  Our hearts are to help people.  Therefore, we are fulfilled when they succeed. 

But as noble as our motives are, we can’t even approach the heart of God when it comes to helping.  Probably the most familiar scripture of all time is John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God GAVE and what He gave is beyond our comprehension.  And why did He give?  Because He so loved the world!  We love lots of people.  Think about the person you love more than anyone.  Would you give that person for a bunch of people who didn’t care one thing about you?  Absolutely not!  I wouldn’t do it for a bunch of people who liked me!  But God so loved that He willingly gave; and what He gave, He gave to any and every person in the world.  It says whosoever.  God’s heart is to help every single person! 

We can’t come close to God’s ability to help either.  The Bible is full of examples of God helping people.  God parted the Red Sea so Moses and the Israelites could escape from the Egyptians.  Do you think that helped them??  In the time of Elisha when the Syrians besieged Samaria, God caused the Syrian army to hear the sounds of a great army of chariots and horses so that they fled for their lives.  And when the lepers came to their camp, the army was gone but had left all their belongs behind.  Do you think that helped the Samarians?  God healed Naaman by having him wash in the river Jordan 7 times.  I’d say that must have helped him!  God’s ability to help is unlimited and His willingness is unrestrained.  God is THE Giver.  In Psalm 46, it says that God is “a very present help in trouble.”  We can always, always, always count on God’s help.  He is willing and able to help us in any and every situation we face. 

God gave His only begotten son.  And Jesus Christ gave his life willingly. What examples of unselfish love!  We are to walk after the example that Jesus Christ left us.  That doesn’t mean that we have to give our lives.  It means that we are to live and give with the same unselfish heart of compassion and caring that he had.  We strive to help because we know how much we have been helped.

Never underestimate the power of a smile or kind word to help someone.  We never know who God might send across our path.  We might help them change their lives forever!

Note to my readers.  Thanks for reading!  I hope this helped you.  😊

Everyone said that we would miss the changing seasons when we moved to Florida.  But we don’t, too much.  Most northerners don’t realize that Florida (unless you live in the southern-most part) still has seasons.  They are a little different than those up north, but there are seasonal changes, nonetheless.

The seasons around here in Florida are:  summer swelter, fall reprieve, winter chill, real spring and 3 or 4 fake springs.  (Fake springs happen intermittently during real spring and feel more like summer swelter than spring.)

A lot of my friends up north say that Florida is too hot for them.  They have a valid point.  It is very hot in Florida in summer (and in fake spring).  But when the northerners a huddled around a roaring fire trying to keep warm in winter, we are wearing sweaters outdoors.  Don’t get me wrong, this part of Florida can frost on occasion, but the thermometer never comes close to the northern winter temperatures.  And if it frosts at all, it’s usually only 2 or 3 times during the whole winter season. 

I will admit that I do miss the fall foliage.  I used to marvel at the vivid colors of the changing leaves against what seemed like the bluest sky of the year.  It was definitely a sight to behold.  But in Florida, most of the trees stay green year-round, and there is something to be said for that.   

But, I really do miss spring flowers.  Flowers like tulips, daffodils, lilies of the valley, and hyacinths do not grow down here, nor do lilac bushes.  And those are some of my most favorite flowers.  But the tropical plants with their brilliant hues make suitable replacements.  There is nothing quite like birds of paradise blooming in your garden!

When I lived up north, I spent most of the winter season inside.  It was just too cold to go out.  When I would get home from work, often I would not go out again, (even for something fun!) because of the cold and dark.  Winter days are shorter in Florida too, but dark isn’t as bad when it’s not so cold.

Now in Florida, I spend a lot of the summer inside.  It is just too hot to go out.  It feels like walking into an oven when you step out your front door.  And when the humidity is high, it can feel hard to breathe.  Humidity can be high in summer up north too, but not for such a continuously long time.  So, like many things in life, seasons up north or down south are trade-offs.

But weather seasons are not the only kind of seasons.  Life has many seasons as is clearly stated in Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, verses 1 through 8.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Doesn’t that just say it all?  Sometimes I think about the seasons of my life – all the seasons that I’ve lived and all the ones that are to come.  At this point in life, more seasons have passed than there are to come, but that’s okay.  Wisdom is received from passing seasons.

From my favorite chair, my view includes four palm trees, a crepe myrtle, our rubber tree, our magnolia, and various bushes and flowers, which all stand against the backdrop of many more trees and bushes in the neighborhood.  As I watch the breeze gently rustle the greenery, I think about this season of my life. 

The late afternoon sun is casting long shadows on the ground and the trees seem to be settling in for a rest.  The magnolia stands in quiet dignity, but the crepe myrtle is spent.  The rubber tree is stately and proud, and the palms just keep growing.  The bushes offer a little privacy and the flowers, a splash of color.  It’s a pleasant scene, and quite tranquil most of the time. 

At this season of my life, the Word of God stands in all its dignity.  After many years of study, I have barely scratched the surface of all the light that The Word has to offer.  Sometimes I read verses that seem like I’m seeing them for the first time, even though I’ve read them many times before.  One of the things I love about God’s Word is that time only increases our appreciation of it.  It never gets old!

My body, on the other hand, is spent.  I have to wear glasses to see and hearing aids to hear.  My joints get stiff and I’m not as strong as I used to be.  I forget things, like closing the kitchen cabinet doors, and I’m easily distracted.  But even with all these things, this season affords me a calmness that many past seasons did not.

However, I still can stand stately and proud because I have faced many things in life and I’m still here.  There have been times that I despaired of life, but I did not quit.  I’ve been knocked down, but I have gotten back up.  I’ve had successes and failures, ups and downs, highs and lows, but all of them brought me to this season of life.  I am proud to be a Christian.  I am super-proud of my family.  And I am proud to be called, “friend” by some of the most wonderful people in the world. 

And even though my age shows on my face and my body doesn’t look or work like it used to, it seems that I just keep growing.  I’m growing older, I’m growing wiser, I’m growing more peaceful inside.  The hubbub of life doesn’t bother me like it used to.  I have much less drama now.  The ‘ups’ are more appreciated and the ‘downs’ are not as frightening.  I don’t compare myself to others anymore.  I try to do my utmost for God, by being faithful to His Word, and by endeavoring to live my life according to His Will.  I love my family and the family of God.  And I pray – a lot.    

So even though the shadows are long on the ground now, this season is a welcomed addition to the patchwork quilt that I call my life.  Every season that I’ve lived has contributed some fabric to the quilt. And when they are all sewn together, the result is a colorful life that is uniquely mine.  Every season of my life has taught me something – even if it was, don’t do that again!  And if I remember that there is “a time to every purpose under heaven,” I can view my quilt with a thankful heart. 

So, no matter what season you are living in currently, find the good and refute the bad.  You have purpose because there is only one you in the whole world, and without you there would be a void.  Every day affords us the opportunity to shine.  Seize that opportunity and shine as brightly as you can.  Make the most of every minute. Delight in the seasons you’ve lived and look forward to the ones that lay ahead.  Remember, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Note to my readers:  At the risk of sounding very cliché, life is good.  Enjoy it!  And don’t forget that if you’re experiencing a tough time right now, “this too shall pass”.  Thanks for reading!

What do you think of when you hear the word perspective?  Artists, architects, and photographers may think of “the technique or process of representing on a plane or curved surface the spatial relation of objects as they might appear to the eye.” (Merriam Webster)

Perhaps if you are a teacher, lecturer, or politician, you may think of perspective as, “a mental view or prospect”, or “the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance”, or simply “point of view”.  (Also Merriam Webster)

In any case, perspective is a big part of our lives.  We utilize physical perspective on a daily basis.  We need perspective to navigate when we walk or drive.  Our spatial awareness is critical to keep us from bumping into things.  (And we really don’t want to bump into things in our cars!)  We’ve learned however, that our perception is affected by factors such as distance, and because of that, we adjust our thinking accordingly.  For example, an airplane in the sky is tiny.  An airplane at the airport is giant.  The airplane did not change its size, but our perspective changed.  When you were a kid, did you run down the railroad tracks to see the point where they came together?  I did.  And when I got there, the tracks were as far apart as they were where I started.  Thus we recognize that perspective influences our viewpoint.

Light and dark also affect our perspective.  Driving during the day is exponentially easier than driving at night for me.  Darkness limits my field of vision and changes my perspective.  And for someone who navigates by landmarks, this greatly limits my driving capacity.  How about walking through your house in the dark?  As familiar as those surroundings are to you, you can still bump into something because you can’t see it.  Darkness can intimidate our perspective. 

We understand physical perspective.  Things are not always exactly as they appear.  But what about our point of view mentally?  So much, if not all, of our thought processes are based on our perspective.  Consider where you grew up, how you were raised, your education, your career, any and all of these things have played a role in your mental perspective.  They have been factors in your decision making process over the years.  The people who have been a part of our lives, situations that we’ve faced, our experiences and the things we were taught have all influenced our mental perspective.  Consequently, everyone’s perspective is a little different.  And this is okay because we are and should be individuals.  Bottom line, our mental perspective is a summation of all the experiences we’ve had in our lives, what we’ve been taught, and the corresponding decisions we’ve made.

Another thing about our mental perspective is that it can change.  We probably all have experienced this in our lives.  Let’s say you were raised in the country on a farm.  Your perspective on life is based on farm living.  But you grow up and move to the city.  City life is very different, and you must adjust your lifestyle.  You now have two environments influencing your perspective, so it has to expand and change.  Take it even further, you get married, you start a family, you move to the suburbs.  All these things actively impact your perspective and bring many changes to it.

Now in the course of all this living, we form opinions and hold on to beliefs, which are directly related to our perspectives.  For example, I grew up in suburbia.  And from my perspective, it was a great place to grow up.  So, when I had children, I wanted to raise them in a suburban environment.  That opinion was formed because of my perspective.  Unfortunately, negative opinions can be formed from perspectives as well.  I have a friend who came from a very strict religious background.  As a young adult, she wanted nothing to do with religion because from her perspective, it was too hard to follow all those nonsensical rules.  She got burned out.  So for many years, she held on to her opinion about religion until one day she heard the Word of God that set her free.  She is now completely committed to the truth of God’s Word.  Her perspective has totally changed. 

Have you ever known anyone who always thought that the world was out to get them?  That opinion was likely formed after a series of adverse events colored that person’s perspective.  We cannot control every event around us, but we can control our thoughts and opinions.  And when those thoughts and opinions are based on the positive truths of God’s Word, our perspective will correspond to that.  And we will find that the positive truths of God’s Word will deliver us so that we no longer need to be bound in those negative perspectives.

Things in the world are constantly challenging our point of view.   Our minds are constantly being flooded with information designed to influence our perspectives.  Therefore, people can find themselves like the waves of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed to and fro.  There is only one unmovable truth and that is the Word of God.  When our perspective is based on that, we can be steadfast and secure.  We will be able to see things in their proper perspective and keep ourselves grounded. 

There was a little story circulating online about a father using perspective in seeing an airplane in the sky and then up close at an airport, to show his son that things are bigger the closer you are to them.  The father further explained to his son that God is like that.  He is bigger when you are closer to Him.  This little story blessed me because God is so BIG to all of us who know Him.  Here’s a great verse:

Psalm 145:18

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Nigh means near, near in place, near in time and near in relationship.  I’ve heard it said that God is closer than your very breath to those who are born again.  When we keep our perspective aligned with that knowledge, we need never be shaken by anything that the world throws at us.

Proper perspective, balance and harmony are found in God’s Word.  When our thoughts are bonded with God’s thoughts, we will see those qualities evidenced in our lives.  We can withstand the onslaught of worldly confusion being hurled at us daily and we can enjoy the peace of mind that only God’s truth can provide. 

Note to my readers:  Thanks for reading!  You have no idea how thankful I am for your efforts to read my blog!  I am approaching two years of this adventure and the journey has been amazing to me.  However, as life happens, other things are vying for my time.  So, I will be posting every two weeks from now on.  I hope that you will continue to follow my writings and that they will continue to bless you.  I am pursuing some other opportunities that I hope I will be able to share with you as well.  In the meantime, thank you again for reading.  God bless you.  I love you.  You are the best! 

After the hurricane, a dear friend stayed a couple of nights with us because she had no power / electricity at her home.  No power is a big deal!  So many things in our lifestyle rely on electricity.  In fact, after a storm like we had, the first thing you ask someone is if they are ok; then, if they had damage to their property; then, if they have power.  Power ranks pretty high on the list of concerns! 

Whether it was storm related or from some other cause, we probably all have experienced a loss of power in our homes at one time or another.  And at those times we see how much we depend on power.  Electricity keeps our food cold in the fridge and provides hot coffee for us in the morning.  It gives us entertainment, comfort, and a sense of security.  We can feel robbed of those things when the power goes out. 

Of course there are more forms of power than just electricity.  But electricity gives me a good illustration to use.  Electricity must have a source, a destination, and a connection between the two, in order to be usable (these are my layman’s terms).  Most of the time when we lose power in our homes, it is somewhere in the connection between the source and the destination. 

In addition, another element in the source-connection-destination circuit is that we can voluntarily break the connection.  We are very familiar with this ability when it comes to electricity.  We don’t think twice about flipping a switch to turn off the lights.  That is breaking the connection.  And of course, flipping the switch to turn the lights on is restoring the connection. The breakers in the box in your garage or basement are called breakers because they break the electrical connection when they are tripped.  The electricity is still present, it just cannot complete the circuit to be usable.

So, as my manner is, I thought about this in comparison to the power of God in our lives.  Like electricity, in order to have the power of God in our lives, we must have the source, the destination and the connection between the two. 

First – obviously, the source of this power is God.  The difference between a physical power source and God being a power source is that God NEVER gets damaged, broken, or unable to work.  God is omnipotent and indestructible.  He is ALL POWERFUL!  He is ultimately the source of all power because He is the Creator.  He is El Shaddai, the almighty God in resources to support, to defend and supply every need.  His power never fails!  God’s power never goes out no matter how severe the storm is!

Secondly, the destination of that power is us.  We are the intended recipients of God’s power.  Just like the appliances in our homes are built to operate on the power of electricity, we were designed to receive and utilize God’s power in our lives.  God’s plan for mankind from the beginning was to have us be His family.  God’s power in us is the gift of holy spirit that we received when we got born again into that family.  Therefore, it only makes sense that God’s original design for us would be conducive to receiving and operating His power. 

Now let’s consider the connection.  There must be a connection between the source and the destination for power to be manifested.  Electricity is flowing all around us, but we can’t see it.  We see the power lines, but not the electricity.  It must connect to something to be evidenced.  The same is true of God’s power.  It is spiritual and invisible. When it connects to a destination (us), it can be manifested.  That connection gets formed when we get born again.  Now, there is one particular difference between God’s power in us and the power in the coffee pot for example.  When the connection is completed and electricity reaches the coffee pot, its function is evidenced automatically.  We can be born again and have received the power of the holy spirit inside, but the manifestation of that power is not automatic even though the connection is complete.  We must make the choice to put that power into evidence in our lives.  Without our choosing to utilize God’s power, it remains latent within us.  It can remain dormant by not knowing or by not believing that power.  But that connection with God can never be broken, even if we allow the power of that connection to remain idle within us for years.  God gave us the power, and He will NEVER take it away.  So think about this – if God won’t take it away, who can take it away?  That’s right!  The answer is NO ONE!   Also, God never forces us to use that power.  He give us the privilege to make that determination ourselves by our free will decision. 

God entrusted us with power from on high – a gift of unspeakable value.  He gave it to us.  And He gave instructions on how to use it.  But He left the decision up to us whether we utilize it or not.  And even if we don’t choose to manifest His power, He still loves us.  What a testimony to the goodness of a loving God!

So, when we got born again, we received holy spirit, and that spirit is a direct connection to God.  It cannot be broken and will never go away.  But it is up to us to manifest that power.  We by our free will can either flip the switch to “on” and believe to manifest that power, or we can flip the switch to “unbelief” and ignore that power.  (can’t lose it but can ignore it).  I think of it like this…  The electricity in your house is working perfectly, but you choose to not turn on the lights.  The electricity is still there, your decision doesn’t change the power of it, you are simply not using it.  Take it a step further; it gets dark outside, and you still choose to not turn on the lights.  Maybe you were reading a book and now you can’t see to read.  The power to turn the lights on is available but you’re not taking advantage of it.  You would find it silly to not turn on the lights, right?  Well, we live in a pretty ‘dark’ world.  Why not take advantage of the connection we have with God and manifest the power we have from Him?

The storms of life can knock us down sometimes, but they cannot separate us from our heavenly Father.  Our connection to Him cannot be severed no matter what our senses tell us.  God is bigger than any and every situation we may face, and He is able to handle whatever we toss His way.  Utilize your connection with God by flipping your believing switch to “full steam ahead”!  You have the power of God in you and a connection that will never fail!

Note to my readers:  Oh, to fully comprehend the power we have!  What a glorious (life-long) endeavor to undertake!  Thanks for reading.    

A hurricane came to Florida this week.  So, I thought I would share my first hurricane experience with you. 

Monday:  First of all, for me (and this is definitely a personal choice NOT a recommendation), I cannot listen to too much of the news.  The way the newscasters sensationalized the storm, I had to fight my mind to not get scared.  I know that they have their reasons for reporting the news the way they do, but it doesn’t work for me.  On the other hand, ignoring the news isn’t good either.  When a hurricane is on the horizon, I can’t pretend that it’s not there and refuse to hear anything about it.  So, I try to get the facts without the hype, which is usually secondhand from my husband.  This day was bright and sunny.  Hot as usual.  The hurricane seemed too far away to worry about.  I didn’t do too much in the way of preparations. 

However, we had a prayer meeting that evening.  The leader said, “There is a lot of material published about what people are supposed to do to prepare for a hurricane, but none of it includes praying.”  This spoke loudly to me because I had not been doing much preparation or a lot of praying.  I guess I was kind of thinking that if I did not acknowledge the hurricane, it would go away.  Generally speaking, that never works!  I began to pray more fervently after our meeting and immediately felt a calmness about the situation. 

Tuesday:  I wrestled with the idea of how much preparation I should undertake.  Afterall, I had been praying a lot.  Would my prayers direct the hurricane away from Florida and it become a non-event?  In that case, I’d feel silly doing all this work.  On the other hand, if I did no prep work, and it turned out to be a significant event, I would be sorry.  I got quiet and decided we should do what was necessary to be prepared.  My bathrooms are now full of potted plants and the garage is full of outdoor furniture and gear.  Now, this was more of an undertaking than I anticipated because there was more stuff to move than I realized, and it all had to be precisely arranged to fit in the space available.  At the end of the day, my husband and I were exhausted, but felt like we were as ready as we could be for whatever was coming our way. 

Wednesday:  I spent most of the morning with one eye on the weather outside.  Being fairly new to Florida, this is my first exposure to what could be potentially life-threatening weather.  My husband said that when you know a storm is coming, the waiting is sometimes the hardest part.  After the preparation is done, there is nothing to do but wait for the storm to start and then wait for it to be over. 

It was definitely overcast in the morning and when the rain started, it was fairly steady.  The wind began to gust at a level that seemed forceful to me (Little did I know!).  Still, for most of the day, it wasn’t too bad.  As evening approached, conditions began to escalate.  The rain became more copious, and the wind began to howl.  Our house is very solid, there was no shaking or rattling, but I could still sense how strongly the wind was blowing.  We watched the news about the storm.  It had made landfall around Naples and Fort Myers.  This time watching the news was not scaring me, it was a call for more prayer.   With nothing more to do, we went to bed.

Thursday:  We were awakened around 2 a.m.  By this time, the storm was upon us.  The wind has intensified and sounded like a freight train rolling down the tracks. It came in waves or bands of varying length and volume.  My thoughts were surprisingly tranquil as I listened to the sounds.  I think I wanted to experience the event a little bit.  Soon though, I decided to spend my time praying for our safety and protection, and that of our loved ones, friends, and neighbors.  It was quite a while that I prayed before drifting off to sleep again. 

The morning light brought the opportunity to witness the aftermath of the storm.  The sky was still quite overcast, and it was still raining with periodic large gusts of wind.  But compared to the sounds of the night, this was very tame.  There was little damage.  From our yard, we could see about a dozen of our neighbors.  All the yards were littered with leaves and twigs and an occasional branch, but no trees were down and there was no apparent damage to homes.  All I could think was, “Thank you, God.”  I was humbled to know that God had provided for us in such a marvelous way. 

I spent most of the day on my phone checking on friends and loved ones and responding to those who were checking on me.  Everyone was breathing a sigh of relief and being thankful that the storm had passed.  There was great comradery having weathered the storm together.  There was great appreciation for the way God had answered our prayers.  We were knit together because we all had come through what could have been a very devastating circumstance, and we were all okay.  There was no end of praise to God for His mighty arm that He bared for us.    

The day also brought more news of the hardest hit areas of the state and the destruction that lay in the wake of the storm.  In addition, the storm was still impacting the east coast.  Of course our hearts hurt for those folks and made our rejoicing a little bittersweet.  But as it says in the delightful poem by Alice P. Moss, “God’s bank ain’t busted yet!”  We Floridians are a hardy bunch, we will rebuild.

Friday:  Today is beautifully sunny and clear.  The temperature is much cooler than the sweltering heat of summer and the storm seems like a distant memory.  We went out around town today for the first time.  There are varying amounts of damage and some power outages, but people were getting on with their lives.  It was actually gratifying to see the resilience and determination that people have.  I am in awe too of the stamina of the greenery in Florida.  Palm trees that were blown for hours to an almost 90 degree angle, are straight and unscathed today.  The two ‘birds’ on my bird of paradise are unharmed.  Of course, many trees were lost, and landscaping was damaged, but for any tree etc. to have survived the storm seems amazing. I have renewed appreciation for the sunny days of Florida that were gone for four days.  And I praise God for His excellent greatness.    

My first hurricane taught me that I don’t need to be afraid.  It taught me that we are stronger together than we are alone.  That there is nothing is too hard for God.  And that we cannot underestimate the power of prayer. I am very thankful – period!

Note to my readers:  Please continue to pray for the folks on the southwest and northeast coasts of Florida.  Sure do love you!  Thanks for reading. 

I am very thankful to be retired and able to pursue things that I have always wanted to do – like this blog.  There is less pressure for me now because my schedule is more flexible.  Life is a little gentler and more enjoyable.  Retirement is a great part of getting older!  Nevertheless there are challenges, and one of those is summed up in the question, “What am I going to do today?”

Retirement allows us more freedom to set our own schedule each day.  Although we may still have the same life-responsibilities that we had before, our obligation for that 8-10 hour period of our day is up-for-grabs.  We can choose how we are going to fill that time.

I know that lots of people are more disciplined than I, and they can fill all those hours with lots of activities.  But I notice that I can lose time fairly effortlessly.  Even when I’m busy all day, it seems like I don’t accomplish as much as I used to.  In addition, I can find myself spinning my wheels.  Without a definite plan for the day, I can wander around trying to figure out what I should be doing, then all of a sudden, it’s time for dinner.  In either case, I seem to have misplaced some hours of my day.  And I have no idea what happened to them!

I’m a firm believer that time is a precious commodity and I really hate wasting it, but it seems like hours can escape from me.  They seem to disappear without a trace!  And the same is true of days, weeks, months, and years.  Have you ever talked to a faraway friend on the phone, and agreed to talk again soon?  Then the next thing you know, months have passed, and you haven’t talked.  You haven’t forgotten, you’ve been thinking about them, but time just seemed to get away from you.  Have you ever noticed that you celebrate New Year’s Day and before you know it’s time to prepare for Christmas?  Years can fly by in the blink of an eye!

Speaking of Christmas, it comes at the same time every year.  We know this.  And since the stores are full of Christmas decorations before Halloween, Christmas is vividly brought to our attention in more than enough time to prepare for it.  But what happens every year?  Preparing in October is much too early.  Beginning in November is reasonable, but Thanksgiving is the priority.  So that leaves us with December- 24 days to prepare.  And what happens?  Christmas day arrives and we are not ready!  Happens to me every year! 

Our use of time is divided into two categories, what we need to do, and what we want to do.  Think about it, those are basically the only choices we make regarding our time.  Demands are placed on us, and those are the things that we need to do.  However, we can choose to shirk those responsibilities because we want to do something else.  We must make the choice of doing what we need to do or what want to do.  Maybe we have plans to do something that we want to do, and something that we need to do comes up.  Again, we must choose.  Bottom line is, there are only two choices – doing what we need to do or doing what we want to do.    

Now, there are ways to make those choices less onerous.  The first key is learning to WANT to do what we need to do.  For instance, jobs are necessary in order to have income.  Income is necessary to function in the world.  So, jobs are things that we NEED to do.  But can we learn to want to work?  Absolutely!  Jobs can provide much more than just income.  They can teach us skills, they can provide satisfying challenges, they can be a source of social gratification.  If this is our attitude toward our jobs, we will want to do them. 

Chores are another thing that we need to do.  Taking care of our family, cleaning our house, maintaining our surroundings all are things that we need to do.  Do we want to do them?  Well, we love our family, we take pride in our homes and our surroundings.  So yes, we can want to do these things.  We want the best for our families and that includes doing what we need to do to provide for them. 

The next key is to have the desire and willingness to do what we need to do when it’s necessary before we do the things that we want to do.  Of course, we understand that jobs fit into this category, but there are many more things that we could consider.  Maybe we want a garden.  Are we willing to do all the work required to tend it?  How about a pet?  Lots of parents can relate to that one!  How about losing weight?  Are we willing to make the changes required?  I think if we are honest, we will find that many of the things that we WANT to do require that the needful things be done first.  And when we recognize that, we can accept that the things we need to do are a means to a desired end, and that encourages us to want to do them.

The third key is reminding ourselves of what we REALLY want in our lives.  I know lots of people who never stop moving.  They are ambitious and industrious.  I admire them.  But I must admit that I am not one of them.  I tend to be lazy.  I fight it, but the tendency is there.  I have to push myself to do the things that I need to do, and sometimes even the things that I want to do.  When this happens, I remind myself of the kind of person that I truly WANT to be.  I want to be a good example of being a Christian.  I want to be successful.  I want to do the right things.  I want to help people.  I want to go to bed at night with a sense of a day well spent. 

We will have none of those things without doing the things that we need to do and being able to enjoy the things that we want to do.  Sometimes we may need to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones to do things that must be done, and we may have to work our minds to find joy doing those things that are demanded of us.  We may need to change our minds!  But when we do that, we will find that the things we need to do can bless and fulfill us and thus become an enjoyable part of our lives. 

The conclusion of the matter is this.  When we ask ourselves, “What am I going to today?”, the answer is, “My best.”  In doing that, we can be satisfied and successful.  We can be content and assured that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.  We can do the things that we need to do and the things that we want to do, and have plenty of time for both. 

In everything you do today, you can glorify God.  The Bible says so. What could be better than that?

Note to my readers:  Enjoy doing all the things that you want and need to do today!  Thanks for reading. 

I heard a Bible teaching the other day, which inspired the above idea in my mind, and started me thinking about being blessed.

First of all, people say, “God bless you” all the time, especially in the south.  While this is an acceptable practice and I love hearing it; is it cliché?  Are these merely nice sounding words to speak?  Perhaps for some.  But we as Christians should always consider what it means when we say, “God bless you”.  We cannot allow those words to become a simple pleasantry. 

It is interesting to look up the word “bless” in the Bible.  The first time it’s used is in Genesis 1:22.  After God created the whales and creatures of the sea and birds of the air, He blessed them and said, “be fruitful and multiply”.  This shows us the basic essence of God’s blessings. 

God told Abraham that He would bless him.  This blessing from God to Abraham (and by association also to us) involved prosperity, health, success, protection, vitality, comfort, peace, progeny, and longevity.  These are just some of the categories in which God blesses us so that we can be fruitful and multiply – literally and figuratively. 

I don’t think that anyone questions God’s ability to bless people, but some may doubt His willingness.  This may stem from people’s misconception that God demands a level of achievement from us before He will bless us.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The Bible declares that God remembers that we are dust. This figure of speech refers to the lowliness and fragileness of human beings.  God remembers those things about us and meets us where we are.  We are weak.  We cannot raise ourselves up to God!  But God is strong.  He can reach down and pick us up – and pluck us out of any trap.

People might argue that they have to follow God’s law in order for God to bless them.  Okay, if you want to be under God’s law, what exactly is His law? 

Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

God’s law is to love Him and love each other.  How do you act toward someone that you genuinely love?  When the love of God is the motivation for your actions, you will be obeying God’s law.  (You can also look at Romans 13:9) 

So, I think we can agree that God is able and willing to bless us; and that the Bible is full of proclamations of God’s blessings.  For instance, it says that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there won’t be room enough to receive (Mal 3:10); that He gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Tim 6:17); and that He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3).  But life is more than just receiving blessings from God.  Granted we absolutely need God’s blessings, but in order for our lives to be truly blessed we need to give blessings as well.

Many of us love reading Psalms.  The Psalms talk about MANY blessings from God to us. But we may also notice that the Psalms direct us to bless God too.  A number of times in Psalms, it says “bless the Lord…”.  When you really think about that, isn’t it incredible that we human beings with all our frailties can bless God?  Yet, we can!  There are exhortations for us to bless God throughout the Bible.

Our blessing God isn’t giving Him prosperity or longevity or any of the things that He blesses us with. (He doesn’t need any of those things!)  Our blessing God is in praise and worship and thankfulness. The root of the Hebrew word used for ‘bless’ means ‘kneel’.  That doesn’t mean that we must physically kneel down, (you can if you want to) but we must show the humbleness and recognition that kneeling before God implies. We bless the gracious God, who blesses us so much, by praising Him with a thankful heart. 

In addition, we can bless each other.  When we are blessed, we have what we need to be able to give.  And when we give, we open the windows of heaven to receive more blessings.  It is a delightful lifestyle that God laid out for us to enjoy.  God, The Blesser, blesses us and then we, the bless-ees, are blessed with all that we need so that we can become blessers ourselves.  It is a remarkable way to live! 

I just have to share one of my favorite verses here:

Proverbs 27:14

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

God has blessed us with His sense of humor!  😊  Even He knows that nobody likes a loud voice early in the morning!

But seriously,

Psalm 34:8

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

We are blessed when we put our trust in God.  We are blessed because God has already blessed us in Christ.  We are blessed because God is The Blesser.  And with all these blessings, so many that there isn’t room for them all, we have a lot to be thankful for and A LOT to give!  We truly have blessed and happy lives! 

Note to my readers:  God bless you!  Thanks for reading. 

Recently, we took our family to a theme park.  From the highway approaching the park, we could see the huge hills of the roller coasters rising high above the trees.  The steep incline and even steeper descent of the tracks snaked across the skyline like a mountain range.  Walking into the park, we could hear the familiar sounds of the roller coaster cars climbing the metal tracks to their apex, and then the sudden roar of the cars amid the screams of the riders as they plunged down the other side; only to be swept away into another rapid descent or an upside-down loop.

Now, many people consider this fun.  I get it. I used to when I was younger.  But nowadays, my tired bones and my motion sickness shout a resounding “NO” when it comes to roller coasters.  Watching them is enough excitement for me!  But our son rode as many as he could that day and enjoyed every moment.  At dinner, I asked him why he liked roller coasters so much. He used words like anticipation, thrill, excitement, adventure, and exhilaration.  And that made me think about life.

Life is full of ups and downs, so it may seem like a roller coaster ride sometimes.  Now to be sure, that isn’t always a bad thing.  There are good rides, even fun rides in our lives.  And if you are one of those folks who thrives on adventure, most rides are a welcomed challenge.

Good rides would be like the anticipation of family visiting from afar.  First there is the climb of the roller coaster to its peak.  It is a particular kind of anticipation that builds to an expected crescendo.  Then the family arrives, and you enjoy the exhilaration of being together.  It is a fun and thrilling ride with surprises along the way. It is satisfying and electrifying.  But eventually it does come to an end.  And you have the sweet memories of the adventure.   There are many occasions like this in life – a birth, a graduation, a wedding, a vacation, a new job – to name a few.  All of these events have anticipation, excitement, and memories.

Think about having a baby.  There are nine months of anticipation, like a roller coaster climbs slowly and steadily to the peak.  And when you arrive at the top, there is a moment of teetering as you hold your newborn for the first time; then suddenly the ride begins.  You are plunged into twists and turns and rapid changes.  The ride goes up and down, in and out, over and under, and everything else you can imagine until one day, your child is grown.  Then the ride slows down and levels out, and you become an observer of your child’s ride.  Your tired bones don’t want to take that ride again, but you absolutely can enjoy watching your child’s adventure!

However, not all roller coaster rides are good rides.  Sometimes the ride can hurt you or make you sick.  Sometimes it’s just too scary and overwhelming.  These rides are not fun, nor enjoyable.  The best part of them is that they END.  I’ve been on amusement park rides that the only way I survived was by repeatedly reminding myself that it would end. 

We can apply this survival technique to life’s roller coaster rides as well.  Sometimes, we may find ourselves on one of life’s roller coasters without warning.  All of a sudden, we are rocketing toward an unknown outcome, maybe even feeling like we’re out of control.  We must hang on for dear life and remind ourselves that it will end.  How do we do this?  The best way is by utilizing prayer.  When we pray for God’s help, He hears us.  Deliverance is a promise that God made to us and that His only begotten son, Jesus Christ accomplished for us.  We may see the ride slow and level out immediately, or it might take a while.  Either way, it ends.  Miracles do happen.  But I think we may miss them sometimes because we lack the patience to wait for them.  Just as we can’t jump out of a moving roller coaster car, we cannot quit during one of life’s roller coaster rides.

Roller coasters are designed to give people an adrenaline rush, therefore they keep getting taller and faster and more intense to satisfy people’s thrill cravings.  This requires the riders to have more strength and stamina.  When we are faced with an intense roller coaster ride in life, we must be strong and determined as well.  It seems to me that people do rally in the most difficult situations, not because of cravings, but because of courage and conviction.  I often say when I am faced with a particularly negative situation, that my stubborn side really comes out.  I am just too stubborn to give in.  I may not always win, but I am determined that I won’t go down without a fight.

When it comes to roller coasters, there are gentler ones for kids.  The hills are not so high, and the curves are not so sharp.  I bring this up because sometimes in life, we may feel like we are stuck on a “kiddy coaster”.  This happens when we face ongoing annoyances like hearing bad news several times in a row or minor problems, one after another.  They may not be serious, but they are frustrating.  The ups and downs are not extreme but wear us out, nonetheless. 

Sometimes in these situations we might forget to pray.  We may think since it is not serious that we can handle it by ourselves.  That may be true, but why not pray?  I can cook dinner by myself, but how much better it is when someone helps me! 

Another thing that I hear people say is that they don’t want to bother God with trivial things.  To those folks I say, think of someone that you dearly love.  If that person talked to you about trivial things, would you be bothered?  Of course not.  Well, God dearly loves His children with a love greater than we can fathom.  His ear is always open to our prayers, and He cares about every detail of our lives from the trivial to the traumatic. 

So, if you find yourself on one of life’s “mega-coasters” that is throwing you for a loop; or on a “kiddy coaster” that is distracting your attention, don’t hesitate to pray for your situation and remember “this too shall pass”.  God wants to help us in everything we face – big or small.  If you’re on a good ride, enjoy it and thank God for His blessings. 

No matter what ride we may find ourselves on in life – a roller coaster, bumper cars, a carousel or a Ferris wheel, God’s eyes are upon us, and His ears are open to our prayers.  When we are happy, God is happy.  When we hurt, His heart hurts for us.  I think this verse speaks volumes about prayer:

Psalm 116:2

Because he (God) hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

God is ALWAYS there for us.  And whether our prayers are pleas for help or praise to a loving Father, God hears and acknowledges them.

Note to my readers:  I pray that all your ‘rides’ are good ones.  Thanks for reading.