Category: General Writing

Having lived my whole life (until recently) up north, I am well acquainted with cabin fever.  For those of you who grew up in the south, cabin fever is the state of mind caused by perpetually being cooped up during the cold and icy weather of winter.  It is a yearning for springtime. 

Remembering cabin fever made me think of why we yearn for spring.  Obviously, we want the return of warmer weather so we can go outside without being cold down to our bones.  And we want to not worry about icy streets and sidewalks.  But more than that, we delight in the rebirth that spring offers.  Barren fields, leafless trees and empty gardens suddenly abound with new life.  The dominant grey shades of winter become a lively green.  Flowers blossom before our eyes with their colorful beauty; and their fragrance fills the air that has finally thawed from winter’s freeze.  The creatures that winter silenced awaken to fill our ears with song and voice.  And the days get longer to satisfy our hearts with glorious sunshine.  All of this new life arouses our nurturing souls.

The Bible often refers to youth and new growth as tender.  And really, isn’t that how we view the burgeoning spring?  Those tender leaves that push their way through the soil to become lovely tulips and the tender buds that appear on the trees elicit our care, concern, and appreciation.  And after the solitude of winter, we are anxious to provide those things.  Think about baby birds in their nest or a litter of puppies, pretty much anything (maybe not snakes or bugs) in a newly born state evokes our tender compassions.  So, I guess we could conclude that tender things not only require tender care, but also encourage it. 

Of course, this also applies to people.  Although, the arrival of our babies is not limited to springtime, newborns require very tender care.  And it is not a difficult decision for us to provide that.  But somewhere along the line, youth matures.  What then?  Is our tenderness no longer needed?  Do we stop tending our gardens when they are fully grown?  No.  Being tender toward adults may not seem necessary because we don’t perceive them as being tender like youth, but often the adults that don’t appear to need our tenderness, require it the most.  

Think of all the people who are trapped in the endless cold-hearted winter of the world.  The tenderness you show might be the only kindness they see.  How about the people who are hopelessly lost?  Your tenderness could give them direction.  What if a friend or family member is irritable because they are having a bad day?  Responding to them with tenderness could change everything (and maybe prevent a fight).

Being tender means that we are considerate, gentle, kind, and compassionate.  It also carries the connotation of being adoring, affectionate and devoted.  It is the particular relationship that determines the level of these.  Obviously, we are more devoted to our families than to strangers, however we can be kind to anyone.  We are affectionate to those in our inner circles, but we can have compassion on a broad scale. 

The Bible, in the book of Ephesians, instructs us to be tenderhearted.  We are to have compassion one toward another and be kind.  This is necessary to combat the hardheartedness of the world.  Too often the world spits out criticism instead of compassion.  Failures are mocked, while successes go unnoticed.  The modus operandi of society generally is to tear people down rather than build them up.  We can step in with compassion for those people who are hurting.  We can show them kindness, gentleness, and tenderness.  Think of what that would do for their hearts! 

Also tied up in being tenderhearted is forgiveness.  I think that this is a critical element in our families (both physical and spiritual) and with our friends.  People are not perfect, so it’s bound to happen that someone hurts us in some manner at some point.  Harboring resentment instead of forgiveness will not only cause the hurt to fester, but also cause separation between us. Both are painful.  But forgiveness covers and mends.  Isn’t that a better way to live?  The standard for forgiveness according to Ephesians is “as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”  Remembering all the things that God forgave us for, will help us to forgive others.  And recognizing our own imperfection will help us to not demand that from others. 

I think we all would agree that the quality of being tenderhearted is a good thing.  The world might say we’re weak, but we know that the strongest man that ever lived, Jesus Christ, was tenderhearted.  The world might say that it’s an outdated concept.  But we know that the things of God are eternal.  The world might say that we’re crazy.  But seriously, has that ever stopped us?  Moving ahead with compassion, being ready to help, serve and bless everyone will open the doors for God’s blessings on us.  Giving equals receiving.  Try it and see for yourself what the benefits are of being tenderhearted. 

And even though springtime only comes once a year, we can have our own spring-like rejuvenation every day.  When we look at our surroundings with nurturing eyes, we will be awakened to provide tender care, kindness, and compassion.  We will see spring-like flourishing, and the cessation of cold-hearted winter for others and for ourselves. 

Note to my readers:  You touch my heart! 

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”.  This is an adage my mom used regularly.  It is from a poem by the famous Scottish author, Robert Burns.  I later shortened it to simply, “The best laid plans…”, which I still say today.  In the poem and in general usage, the statement means that your plans don’t always work out the way you want them to.

A change of plans is a common occurrence in our lives.  Sometimes it’s minor, dinner at 8 instead of 7.  Sometimes it’s disappointing, we don’t get that job we wanted.  And sometimes it’s catastrophic and changes everything.  I’ve learned over the years that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  That disappointments can lead to better things.  And at the times when life deals us a low blow, we can still steer ourselves toward a positive outcome, even though it’s not exactly what we had planned.  There is no doubt that life can throw us some serious curve balls or knock-out punches.  But even if we are down for the count, we can get up to fight another day. 

When you were a kid, did people ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Think back to your youthful aspirations.  What did you want to be?  I wanted to be a ballerina.  I wanted to wear a tutu and glide across the stage like a butterfly.  However, I did not become a ballerina.  Mostly because I really didn’t have the aptitude to be a dancer, but also because my mom wanted me to learn to play the organ.  I did not want to play the organ, so consequently I’m not a musician either.  All of this to say that both of these best laid plans went awry.  Did that ruin my life?  No.  Do I have regrets?  No. I might have thought, “what if…” from time to time, but I don’t regret not doing those things because I know that I really didn’t have the talent to be a ballerina.  And since I didn’t want to be an organist, I didn’t put forth the effort to become one.  We cannot regret not having something that we were not willing to work hard enough to obtain.  Childhood plans often do not come to pass, and usually we accept that, or even expect it.  If you are living your childhood aspiration, more power to you!  But for the rest of us, most likely, we have moved on.

Later in high school, I wanted to be a research scientist. This was something for which I was well-suited and something that I was more than willing to work for.  I was all set to go to college to pursue that plan, but circumstances hindered me.  These were not bad circumstances, but they changed my trajectory.   Here again the best laid plans didn’t happen, but the results were good, just not what I had intended.  At these times, we usually find ourselves immersed in the new path that our life is taking, and the old plans tend to fade away.  Regrets?  No.  “What if…”?  Maybe some.

Fast forward a decade or so and my life’s course was set.  I was in the place that I assumed I would always be, and I was content.  Then an unforeseen event changed everything.  This was a painful and devasting event that destroyed my plans.  These situations require us to regroup and make new plans. We cannot afford to wallow in the loss of the old ones.  We must be determined to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward the best that we can.  It’s not an easy thing to do, and often we have to start with baby steps, but as our resolve keeps us moving, we may find that our latter end can be better than our beginning.

Fast forward a few more decades and here I am.  My life has been full of plans that didn’t work out the way I wanted them to, for one reason or another.  There have been devastating experiences and big disappointments.   But what I have learned from the sad or difficult times has made me a better person and has taught me to appreciate all the good times that my life has offered.  I am thankful for all the twists and turns and changes of plans that my life has taken to bring me to where I am today because I am blessed. 

I think of it like this…

Our lives are a compilation of all the good and all the bad that we’ve experienced.  We use what we have learned to weave all those experiences into a colorful tapestry that is uniquely ours (it’s an ongoing process).  All the successes and all the failures, all the joy and all the heartache, all the laughter and all the tears, all the plans that worked and all that didn’t are intricately woven together and contribute to the design of our tapestry.  Things like regrets, bitterness and resentments tear holes in our tapestry and cause it to fray.  We need to avoid those things to preserve the fabric’s strength.   And things like faith, hope and love enhance the quality of our tapestry.  They can also repair any damage done.  So why not enjoy making your tapestry?  It’s the only one you’re going to have in this lifetime.  Why not weave all your experiences into a beautiful work of art that you can be proud of?  With the help of the master-weaver, God, our tapestry can be a glorious reflection of His goodness and kindness. 

That’s a worthy goal, right?

Another reason that my life is so blessed is because of the people that have been and now are in it.  When I consider all the directions that my life has taken, whether planned or unplanned, I am thankful for the paths that I’ve crossed of wonderful people who have helped me, taught me, enriched me, and loved me.  People who showed great strength in the face of cruel adversity helped me learn to be brave.  People who went the extra-mile to help someone in need encouraged me to be caring.  People who found positives in a negative world taught me to be optimistic.  And the list goes on.  Even the people who were hurtful benefited me because they convinced me to be kind.  I sometimes feel like I’m the most blessed person in the world today because I’m surrounded by a wonderful family and terrific friends.  Their love and support have taught me so many things.  My life would be empty without them.

So throughout our lives, plans may go awry, but that doesn’t mean we should stop making plans.  Life would be pretty chaotic without any plans!  So let’s make our plans, start moving toward our goals and if life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Learn to roll with the punches, and if you get knocked down, get back up and keep on trucking.  And enjoy making the beautiful tapestry that is your life.

And one last thing, the best outcomes happen with God’s help, and His plans NEVER go awry. 

Note to my readers:  You’re the best!  Thank you for being a part of my life. 

We live in a society that has forgotten the importance of the individual.  Consequently, we may feel like just another face in the crowd, a number on a list, or even irrelevant.  We may think that we can’t make a difference.  But we can! 

I picture society like a king-size bedspread.  If a thread were removed, it wouldn’t be noticeable when viewing the whole bedspread from a distance.  But if you took a magnifying glass to the spot where the thread was missing, it would become more apparent.  And if you looked at it with a microscope, there would be a gaping hole.  So it is with our lives.  From a distance looking at the whole scene of society, we may not realize our importance.  But closer examination reveals the necessity of our presence.  And the closest scrutiny shows what our absence would really mean.  

We don’t live our lives according to some vague script written by a thoughtless society.  The story of our lives is uniquely scripted for us as individuals.  The characters in our life’s story are real people with real-life situations, just like us.  All of us live our lives on a personal level with our own experiences and our own contributions.  It is in this personal environment that we have the opportunities to utilize our distinct talents, to make our special contributions, and to demonstrate our importance.  We are not merely actors on a stage for the audience of society.

We start life in the embrace of our family.  It is in this particular environment that we learn the basics of how to live life.  It is where we build the foundation of our character and begin to recognize our worth.  It is our family who first influences our decisions and our behavior.  Family ties make us important.    

As we grow up, we reach out to include others in our lives.  For instance, we make friends.  These “outsiders” provide companionship and support when we’re away from the comfort of our family environment.  Friends offer new perspectives and additional experiences that further influence our decisions and behavior.  It is in this environment that we encounter new dimensions in our relationships.  It is where we find more people to care for and who care for us.  Our importance expands. 

And somewhere in the midst of living our lives, we might get saved.  If we do, we become part of a greater, yet still individual story.  We become part of a bigger family – the family of God.  And it is the truth of God’s Word that begins to govern our decisions and behavior.  It is in this environment that the greatest love is shared, and the most forgiveness is felt.  It is where friends become family and family becomes closer.  In this environment, our importance expands exponentially. 

You see, what society thinks doesn’t really matter, because our importance is derived from those who think we’re important.  I will explain.  In the natural family bond for example, children are important to their parents and parents are important to their children.  It’s axiomatic and reciprocal.  How important is your child to you?   By answering that question, you have not only determined your child’s importance, but have also defined your own.  And, as a child knowing that you are so important to your parents, how do you feel about yourself?  Important, right?   Think about friendships, are your friends important to you?  By making your friends important to you, you have also made yourself important to them.   And as children in God’s family, we are infinitely important to God.  Consider what that says about our own importance…

Living in these personal environments of our lives, doesn’t need to limit our sphere of influence.  As individuals, we can effect change on a broad scale when we are fully committed to our cause.  We as individuals can touch someone’s life – we can teach them, help them, bless them, love them.  Then that individual does the same for someone else, who does the same for another, and so on.  Then before we know it, change happens. 

Never underestimate how important you are and how much your life means to your family, to your friends and to God.  I think this poem says it best.  YOU make a difference!

One Man Awake

One man awake awakens another,
The second awakens his next door neighbor,
And three awake can rouse the town,
And turn the whole place upside down.
And many awake can raise such a fuss,
That it finally awakens the rest of us.
One man up with dawn in his eyes – multiplies.

By Helen Kromer

Note to my readers:  You are important to me!  I am thankful for each and every one of you and I pray for you.  I hope this journey is as enjoyable for you as it is for me.  I have decided not to go “public” with my blog.  I don’t want my page to become cluttered with a million ads (not much fresh air in that!) and I want to continue to write on a personal level, which may not appeal to the masses anyway.  So, if you know someone that you think would like to visit with me each week, please spread the word. ( terrileewritings.com )

Many thanks! 

When I was a young girl, I took my first trip on an airplane.  In those days, there were no TSA security lines.  Airports had observation decks outside where you could watch the airplanes come and go even if you weren’t traveling.  And (believe it or not) being on an airplane was such a special occasion that people got dressed up for it.  All in all, flying was an enjoyable part of one’s trip. 

For all those reasons, my first flight was an exciting adventure.  But it was what I saw from my airplane window that left an indelible mark on my memory.  It was a dark and cloudy day when we started our journey.  I remember that only because when our plane ascended above the clouds, the sun was shining brightly!  I was young enough that I had no idea that was going to happen.  It made such an impression that I can still picture it clearly in my mind after all these years.  Not only was the sunlight beautiful, but the clouds stretched out like snow covered hills beneath me.  It looked like I could walk on them, and I pictured myself doing just that.  It was the greatest panorama that I had ever seen.  As I grew up and learned about the weather, I understood what I saw, but that never dampened the excitement of that experience.  

When dark clouds overshadow the skies, and all we’ve ever done was live on the ground below them, we may not know that the sun is shining brightly above them.  We may think that those storm clouds are all that’s there.  But when we are able to soar above them, we can see the brilliant light that was shining all along.  The clouds may have obscured it from our view, but they didn’t diminish it in any way.  From the ground, storm clouds are dark, grey, and foreboding.   But from the sky, they are dazzling white and inviting. 

Over the years that view from my plane window has helped me through many difficult situations.  Why?  Because it was a real-life reminder that no matter how dark and thick the clouds are, the light is still shining. 

Sometimes the clouds of doubt and fear hang drearily over our lives.  If all we know is life below those clouds, our eyes might get so acclimatized to the shadows that we accept them as ‘just the way things are’.  We might not be aware that the glorious light of God’s deliverance is shining just beyond them.  But when (like the pilot who flew me above the clouds) someone shows us God’s light, we begin to learn that we don’t need to be limited by the shadows anymore.  We can rise above those clouds of doubt and fear into the wonderful light of God’s liberty. 

My mind picture helps me, not only because I saw the brightness of the sun, but also the beauty of the clouds.  When we rise above the clouds of doubt and fear into God’s beautiful light, it changes our perspective.  We see that the storm clouds of life are not so threatening, that they are no match for God’s light.  Those clouds no longer need to overshadow our lives.  They can be like hills we cross on our life’s journey – maybe a little hard to climb sometimes, but the view from the top is always spectacular.

God’s light is always shining no matter how dark and dense the clouds are.  No matter how ominous the impending storm looks, God’s light is greater.  So much of life is conditioned by our viewpoint.  Why not set our sights high above the clouds of doubt and fear?  Why not allow the glorious light of God to illuminate our souls?  Why not expect to soar on the beautiful side of the clouds instead of cowering below them?  

With God, all things are possible. 

Note to my readers:  Enjoy your flight!  Thanks for reading. 

Note to my readers:

This week I wanted to do something a little different.  I wrote this story a few years ago for my sons.  I think this slightly modified version will bless you whether you are a father or not because the point of the story is something we all need to hear. 

A father held his newborn son, thanking God with every breath. Through tears of joy, he explored every feature of the tiny face, committing each perfect inch to memory.  He touched the little hands and marveled at the intricate detail of each miniature finger.  He assessed each toe, each leg, each arm, and ear.  And when he was satisfied that all was in order, he kissed the baby tenderly on the cheek.  “I’ve been waiting for you”, he whispered, “It seemed like it took forever, but now you’re here.”  From that moment, the father’s heart would never be the same.  He could scarcely contain the love he felt spilling out from every pore.  He would nurture and protect this fragile package with every ounce of his being.  Never had that father seen anything so wonderfully made.  He could hardly believe that this precious bundle belonged to him.  Over the next few hours, he watched each movement the baby made, ready to respond to the slightest need.  An unconditional bond was formed, and their souls were connected in an inseparable union. 

The father took his responsibility seriously.  He gently attended to each duty with eager anticipation, trying to make sure that his beloved son wanted for nothing.  Although he knew it was unavoidable, he hated to hear his baby cry.  “If I could, little one, I’d make it so you would never have to shed a tear,” he would often say as he walked the floor with his sleepless son. 

Each passing day, the loving father watched his child grow.  He thanked God for each new accomplishment and bragged to anyone who would listen.  Never had he seen a more perfect child.  He was the smartest infant ever!   As days turned into months, the father rejoiced at the changes he saw in his son: first that he could roll over, then that he could sit up, and all too soon, that he was walking.  Each achievement was met with hardy encouragement from the caring father, and being ever mindful of the learning process, he responded to each failure with comforting reassurance.

Words began a new chapter in both their lives.  For the precocious little boy, a brand new world of learning electrified his young mind.  For the father, it was not only an exercise in patience, but also a constant reminder of the importance of his role as a teacher.   He wanted his son to be smart and wise.  He would teach him to avoid the same mistakes that he had made.  He would instruct his son how to be just and true, to have virtue and praise, to be honest and respected, and to make good decisions.  He would show him the right way of believing and acting. 

Months became years that passed all too quickly.  And each year brought some sort of change to the father and son’s relationship.  Some changes were good, and some were not.  Sometimes it was a battle of wills, and sometimes it was sweet fellowship – and oh how the father loved those times!  He celebrated with his son in all his victories and stood with him through all his losses.  His help was never more than a phone call away.  However, through it all, the kind and loving father never forgot that moment when he first held his newborn son and how all his prayers were answered that day.  Oh, and that bond that was formed?  It could not be broken.

The point of the story is…  GOD IS OUR FATHER.    

Because a newborn baby evokes such a caring response in a parent (in anyone really), I often think that God sees us like one.  He sees us through a Father’s loving eyes, with tender compassion and a yearning desire to provide for us and protect us.  He sees us as innocent, pure, and completely in need of His nurturing love and extraordinary kindness.  And we can be like newborns before Him – depending on Him to fully provide for us and watch over us as we grow.  God is a Father who only wants the best for His sons and daughters.  He showers us with His grace and goodness, and He patiently guides our steps.  He is never more than a prayer away.  God’s love for us never fails and nothing can separate us from it. 

When times are tough, or even when they’re not, we need to remind ourselves how much we are loved by God, our Father.  It is an unconditional constant that we can rely on through any and every situation we face.  God’s love is unchanging, unstoppable, and unending. 

And God loves you!

End Note:  Here’s a challenge for you…  For the next 7 days, every time you look in the mirror, say to yourself, “God loves me.”  Forget about whether you think you deserve it or not, (we don’t, but God loves us anyway), just remind yourself that God loves you.  See what happens to your heart in a week. You may find that you want to continue this practice. 

Love to all.  Thanks for reading!   

It seems that one of life’s favorite games to play with us is ‘hide and seek’.  Life wants to play this game with us often, in different ways with varying degrees of difficulty. 

“Where are my keys?” is one of the most frequent versions of the game that life plays.  Glasses, wallets, pens, or TV remotes are also used in this version.  Life distracts us at just the right moment so that something ends up not in its usual spot and consequently we can’t find it.  Apparently, life thinks it’s funny to hide these things and watch us search high and low for them.  This version is usually played with us at home, work or sometimes in the car and usually has a successful outcome for us – after a modicum of frustration.    

A more complicated version is played with file cabinets, ‘safe’ hiding places, or computer storage.  We put that important document (paper or electronic) in the most logical place in the file, but when we want to retrieve it, it’s not there.  So, the hunt begins.  The degree of difficulty in this version depends on the length of time since life has hidden the document and the size of the area where it could be found.  We typically do find it eventually, but seldom without repeated rifling through many papers or computer files.  And how often does life hide something that we put in a special place for safe keeping? It’s almost like life is trying to keep it safe even from us!  In this version of the game, life seems to be mocking us. 

Then periodically life goes beyond misplacing things to actually losing them.  An earring falls off or a jacket gets left behind.  These scenarios involve seeking, but not always finding.  This version of the game is also played when you move.  Something inevitably gets lost during the process and may never be found.  In this version, life shows a little of its meaner side because of the length and futility of the searching we do.  Although this version of the game may be annoying, it can be winnable. Miracles do happen and things that are lost do get found on occasion. 

Life shows its meanest side by hiding the most important things from us.  Indispensable things like love, peace, companionship, deliverance, or other essential elements may elude us at times.  And our seeking for them can result in much disappointment.  We can’t always prevent life from hiding these things from us, but there are steps we can take to help us find them.

In just about everything we do, there are basic steps which can be mastered and applied to complex situations.  Let’s use the misplaced keys for an example.  Anger clouds our judgement and impatience overshadows our logic.  These two things actually hinder our search.  Either of these attitudes can cause us to ransack our house and affect disorder, which does not help us find our keys.  We must keep them under control.

Furthermore, complacency interferes with our seeking.  The attitude that the keys will find themselves with no effort from us, is an unrealistic expectation.  This may be apparent to us in this illustration, but maybe not so clear with regard to weightier matters.  We cannot just sit and wait for success to come to us.  We must act.

Another thing that never works is quitting.  This might seem obvious but think of the times discouragement has thwarted our progress.  When this happens, we have two options; give up or push through.  The decision made at this point makes all the difference.  When we push through, we have a chance of succeeding.  When we give up, we have no chance.  And if we quit, who knows if our next step would have revealed the location of the missing keys?

So, those are some things that don’t work, but what does?

First of all, whenever we are in seeking mode, we must maintain a positive expectation of finding.  This may not be too hard when looking for our keys because we know that they have to be there somewhere.  But what about seeking love?  Since love is not something we can see with our eyes, we might not be so confident that it is there.  But it is!  The Bible says that God is love.  So, where God is, love is.  Wherever we are seeking, love is there because God is everywhere.  Thus, we can allay that doubt.  The same is true for peace or joy or whatever quality we need in our lives.  The promises of God are true, and we can depend on them and remain steadfast in our quest.

We must also remember to seek patiently.  Life is very skilled at the game of hiding things.  I would go so far as to say that life is an expert hider.  So, if we don’t find what we’re looking for right away, we simply remind ourselves that we are up against a shrewd expert and keep seeking with the expectation of successfully finding our needed answer.  Life may be an expert at hiding things, but with God’s help we can be superlative finders! 

Some other steps to help us in our pursuit of life’s hidden treasures are having an organized strategy, using the right tools for the job, and maintaining relentless determination.  God will help us with all of these.  God guides our steps; prayer the BEST tool for any job; and “if God be for us, who can be against us?”

Whether life has hidden your TV remote or a much needed job, practicing these steps in your search will help you win life’s game of ‘hide and seek’.  Life may be a formidable opponent, but it is no match for you with God on your side!  We can beat life at its own game!! 

Note to my readers:  It’s mid-January 2021 already!  Time flies!  And time also has a way of healing our wounds.  Let’s believe together for a wonderful year ahead.  Thanks for being here! 

Have you ever watched a sporting event?  Better yet, participated in one?  There are life lessons that we can learn from athletic competitions.  Athletes are good examples of discipline and perseverance.   Successful athletes have developed the ability to push the limits of their potential and recover quickly from setbacks.  Any athlete will tell you that it’s all about practice, practice, practice!  And that physical training is intrinsically linked to mental training. 

You don’t have to be an athlete to adopt an athletic attitude in your life.  In all of our lives, we face daily competitions in our minds.  It is a competition between positive thoughts and negative ones.  Our competitions aren’t on a stage for all to see, they are within us – in our minds – against our own thoughts.  But when we tackle these challenges like an athlete and the positive thoughts win, that victory is as important to us as any gold medal. 

Athletes repeatedly practice their skills, which takes mental and physical discipline.  We can train our minds to hold on to the positive thoughts and let go of the negative rhetoric by repeatedly choosing to do so.  We discipline ourselves to control our thoughts, so that we can think positively and not allow the negatives of life to overcome us.  With practice and perseverance, we can develop a habit of regularly confessing positives.  Just like athletes, we won’t win every time, but with practice we will learn to handle situations productively by our convictions. 

Our bodies are supposed to obey our minds.  When we discipline our minds, we take control of our bodies.  Bad habits are formed by our bodies not following that plan.  For example, I have a giant sweet tooth.  If my tastebuds had their way, I would have donuts for breakfast, cookies for lunch, cake and ice cream for dinner, and a candy snack in between.  I know that it’s unhealthy to eat that way, so my mind must overrule my sweet tooth’s demands and I must discipline my sweet tooth to listen to reason.  As long I keep the mental and physical in proper order, I can control those cravings.  This takes a deliberate decision, practice, and thinking like an athlete. 

Mental discipline also governs our moods and emotions. Some people think that controlling their emotions means having none.  If you are anything like me, that is not possible.  But there is a fine line between controlling our emotions and our emotions controlling us.  I think this is easy to understand if we think about anger.  We all recognize that anger needs to be contained.  And this is done by utilizing our disciplined thinking to keep that emotion under control.  Other emotions / moods can be handled in this manner as well.  There will be times that we are sad, but we can’t stay sad.  When we are ready, we must decide to put that sadness behind us.  On the other end of the spectrum, we want to be happy.  Happy is not a bad thing.  But we can’t allow happy* to be the deciding factor.  Again, looking at my sweet tooth.  Eating sweets makes me happy.  But the repercussions of allowing that happiness to be in charge are obvious.  When we govern our emotions, we can be happy without happy being in control.  (*point of clarity – “happy” used here is in the context of it being derived from external sources, which can actually drive people to obsession if left unchecked.  This happy is not the same as contentment, joy, or satisfaction that comes from inside us)

Athletic competitions give us good mind pictures to help us in our contests.  For example, I often picture a hurdler when I think about life.  As we are running the race of life there will be hurdles.  But if we maintain our stride, we can get over them.  What about the team who is losing at half-time, but rallies in the second half to win the game?  Isn’t that victory even more victorious?  We also can rally in a situation that seems to be beating us, and win in the end.  And those are such rewarding victories!   Think about ice skaters who fall during their performances.  We admire them because they get up and continue skating.  We can have that same kind of determination to not quit when we fall.  Like those skaters, if we get knocked down, we can and must get ourselves up and try again. 

Think about sports movies.  Several of those are on my favorites list.  Why?  Not because I’m such a great sports fan, but because they depict the underdog succeeding.  The person or team that looks like they don’t stand a chance, WINS against the opposing bully!  And when that happens, we cheer and rejoice.  I’ve been in theaters when the whole audience actually applauded and shouted out loud.  We rejoice at those movies because we identify with those characters.  We know that there are times in life when we are the underdogs.  When it doesn’t look like we have a chance of succeeding against that one particular bully who is opposing us at every turn.  But we can win by our positive conviction, our dedication to prayer, and God’s help!  Then when we get our victory, everyone celebrates just like in the movies. Defeating the bully is a universally satisfying win. 

Like an athlete, through practice, we must discipline our minds and bodies so we can successfully meet the challenges of life.  Athletes compete against other athletes or against assigned obstacles or both.  We compete against negative influences in our minds so we can maintain a positive lifestyle.  Athletes receive trophies, medals, or monetary rewards for their success.  We receive a life well lived.  Sometimes the whole world celebrates an athlete’s victory.  Many times, we are the only ones who know about ours.  However, even though our victories may not bring us recognition or fame, they make a difference in our lives, which can be far reaching.

Any one of us can be a great athlete in the competition in our minds.  Through practice, we can train our minds to expand our possibilities and overcome our adversities.  Whatever our challenge is, we can be champions when we have determination, prayer, and God’s help.  We can think like an athlete with discipline and perseverance, and we can stand in the winner’s circle on the podium of our positive conviction. 

Note to my readers:  I don’t want to sound like a broken record, (I wonder if young people will get that reference??) but again I thank you for continuing to read my writings.  I certainly hope that they are blessing you, uplifting you, and giving you a fresh perspective.  You are the best!! 

As far back as I can remember, New Year’s Day has been celebrated as a new start.  The new year would hold promise that everything would be better.  The new year would open vistas of new possibilities to explore and new opportunities for change.  In this current climate, we certainly hope all that is true for 2021.  But we also know that there is no fairy-tale remedy that occurs just because we turn a page on the calendar. 

The nature of the human body is to heal itself.  Any doctor would attest to that.  It is the way we were designed.  Medical practices are basically intended to work with that fact.  So also, is the nature of life.  It is designed to recover from calamities.  Think of how trees grow again after a forest fire.  Even without man’s help, nature’s determination is to restore itself.  All kinds of hurts in life can get better with proper care and time – a broken heart, a financial wound, a crippling blow.  We can recover from many conditions by working with this innate principle of healing and having the right treatment plan. 

There is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment regimen that will cure all that ails us.  But there are keys we can utilize to facilitate a successful outcome of whatever our ailment is.  Believing and patience are two of those keys.

Believing is not wishing.  We cannot sit on our laurels and do nothing and expect results.  For example, if we want to lose weight or get in shape, we can’t sit on the couch all day and wish for it to happen.  We all know that won’t work.  And we all know what it takes to make that goal happen.   What about other conditions?  Do we wish for a solution or do we believe?  The primary difference between the two is action.  Wishing is thinking that a solution will somehow magically come and fix things; believing is pursuing the solution until you get it.      

To believe is a verb.  A verb denotes action.  Believing action produces results.  If I said to you, “make a peace sign with your fingers”, and you did it, that is a result of believing. You believed the words I said, and you believed that you could do it, so you did it.  It’s that simple.  Notice that I said, ‘simple’.  It is always simple, but it’s not always easy.  The difficulty in believing comes from the opposing evidence we receive or perceive.  If your arm were paralyzed, that evidence would make it much harder to believe to make a peace sign, however, not impossible.  Or if you were told all your life that you couldn’t make a peace sign, that perception would interfere with your believing results as well.

Believing is a principle that works.  But we must understand that believing can be either positive or negative, (negative believing is fear).  Both produce their respective results, so we must be careful to keep our believing positive and not allow fear to have a place in our lives.  Maintaining a positive believing attitude will bring positive solutions to our problems.  But those solutions may not be instantaneous.  What then?  This is when patience is needed. 

Patience is basically not giving up on our believing.  When faced with an obstacle, often initially we are confident that we can overcome it.  But when our attempts start to fail, our confidence wanes.  Patience enables us to keep trying.  Patience tells us not to quit.  Patience tells us that we can succeed.  Patience allows us to have peace in the midst of adversity.

So, if you are hoping that the new year will bring great change and deliverance in your life, go for it!  Not just because it’s a new year, but because you have positive believing that you will succeed.  You understand that the nature of life is to restore itself.  And you can patiently carry on until you receive your victory.  Life is full of new beginnings, grab yours now.

Oh, and one more thing… don’t forget to say thanks for your success.

Note to my readers:  Here’s to a prosperous and blessed 2021!  Thank you for continuing with me on my journey. 

Holidays are designated days for special celebration and reflection.  They provide the opportunity to recognize notable people, events, or accomplishments, which always should be considered along with the celebration.  Some holidays are more widely observed and full of traditions than others, and the December ones definitely fit that category.  For the most part, these holidays are spent with family and friends and are happy times.  However, many of us are dealing with circumstances this year that may be overshadowing our holiday festivities.  At these times, we may not feel like celebrating, but we can still reflect on the reason for the holiday.  Remembering the meaning behind the holiday can bring us peace, comfort, and joy that no worldly circumstances can take away.  And for that, we can be thankful.  In addition, memories of our past holidays can bring a smile to our face.

I have a fond place in my heart for Christmas because of our family traditions and my memories.  Although these traditions have changed through the years (of necessity, circumstances change – traditions change), I still look forward to the decorations, the gift giving, and the time with family and friends that Christmastime offers. 

One of my favorite childhood family traditions was our Christmas stockings.  Our stockings were not decorated socks hung on the mantel.  They were nylon stockings stuffed full of presents that were hung on our bedroom doorknobs while we slept on Christmas Eve.  They were filled with 15 to 20 little packages that we were allowed to unwrap and play with as soon as we woke up.  It was an exciting prelude to the day’s activities!   And thinking back, it was a rather brilliant plan that allowed my parents a little extra time to sleep on Christmas morning.

Family traditions build family ties and are sources of lovely memories.  My memories of Christmas as a child are special to me and give me great appreciation for my parents.  My memories of Christmas as a mother and grandmother are equally special.  This post would be many pages long if I tried to write about all of those.

When I became a parent, I wanted to share my family traditions with my kids and hopefully give them good memories too.  We did the stockings (although, it became gift bags because nylon stockings were hard to come by), and Christmas poppers, among other things.  And we developed our own traditions like our Christmas Eve appetizer feast and opening one present that night.  Now I get to see the traditions that my kids are building with their families.  And the best part of all – is that through the whole progression, I get more and more wonderful memories that bless my heart. 

I sincerely pray that this holiday season is a blessed time for you and your family and friends (whether together or apart).  I pray that you have heartwarming memories of your own holiday traditions and that you continue to enjoy sharing those traditions and building new ones.  I pray that taking time to remember the reason for the holiday brings you peace.  There is much to be thankful for. 

Note to my readers:  Thank you again for spending some time with me.  Much love to you and your families.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about being thankful and blessed.  These two words are popularly used (often together) in polite conversation, or for wall décor or greeting cards.  However, they should have a much deeper reality in our lives than just being pleasant words.  The attitude of being thankful and the condition of being blessed are our daily bread.  They go hand in hand because when we get blessed, we are thankful; and when we are thankful, we get blessed.  It’s a wonderful cycle that helps to keep us going day after day.

Here are ten things for which I am thankful:

1. That I woke up this morning (in other words, I’m still alive)
2. That I am saved (with all that it entails, like going to heaven!)
3. That I have a Bible (so I can know the truth)
4. That I am married (my husband puts up with my shenanigans)
5. That I have a terrific family (I don’t mean to brag, but they are outstanding!)
6. That I have wonderful friends (they are the best!)
7. That I live in the United States of America (a country founded on freedom)
8. That I have food, clothing, and shelter (my needs are met)
9. That I can pray (I don’t know what I’d do without this one)
10. That I can love and be loved (which is the greatest of them all)

These are some of the things that I have been blessed with and am thankful for.  This of course, is not my complete list and my items may be different from yours.  But it may give you some ideas for your list if you don’t already have one. 

Every day that we wake up is an opportunity for success.  We cannot change the past and we don’t know what the future holds, so we only have today.  What if your life is a mess?  Today, that all could change.  What if you’re happy as a clam?  Today is another chance to enjoy it. 

Overall, our lives are governed by our convictions.  Determining that we will be thankful each day will open the doors for great blessings, which in turn will give us many reasons to be thankful.   And then continuing to be thankful every day will put us in the position to receive more blessings.  Isn’t that an amazing way to live? 

Our lives aren’t always happy because situations occur that take our happiness away.  But even in those difficult times, we can find something to be thankful for, even if it’s only for running water.  Holding on to our conviction to be thankful through the hard times allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel and paves the way for us to get to it. 

Genuine thankfulness prevents a multitude of negative thoughts, like selfishness, greed, and jealousy.  And it fosters a multitude of positive thoughts, like caring, giving and selflessness.  And really, isn’t that the kind of life we want to have?  A life of being selfless rather than selfish, of being a giver rather than a taker?  I know that I strive to emulate the qualities that I admire in others – generosity is a good example.  Thankfulness is a step in the right direction toward being that person we sincerely want to be.

It’s the giving we do in life that provides us with real purpose.  Thankfulness takes the focus off ourselves so that we can focus on the truly meaningful things in life, like helping others.  My greatest joy comes from being a blessing – not just from receiving one (although I’m thankful for the ones that I receive!).  If I can touch someone’s heart, if I can help and support someone in need, I am fulfilled.  I can also rejoice in others’ good fortune whether I had anything to do with it or not because I’m thankful for their blessings and I realize that it is “not all about me”.  And you know what the most unbelievable thing is about being selfless?  That when we seek to bless others and look beyond ourselves, we get abundantly blessed, which leads to an even more thank-filled life.  It’s a fantastic win-win lifestyle! 

So, let’s maintain an attitude of gratitude, and forget not to count our blessings.  Let’s take time to appreciate what we’ve been given and look for ways to share our blessings with others. For doing these things will give us true satisfaction in our lives and help us become the people we genuinely want to be.  We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by being thankful and blessed. 

Note to my readers:   I am thankful and blessed by you.  I sincerely appreciate you giving your time to read my writings.  And as always, I hope they bless you. 

Next week’s post will be on Thursday.  Happy Holidays!