Category: General Writing

If your mom is anything like mine, you may have grown up hearing lots of proverbs.   Proverbs are sayings that provide timely advice or an interesting viewpoint.  They are designed to be catchy quips that help us keep life simple.   We’ve all heard many of them many times.  Some common ones are:  “A picture is worth a thousand words”, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, “Actions speak louder than words”, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, and “The grass is not always greener on the other side”.  I bet you could list several more just off the top of your head. 

A proverb is considered a figure of speech.  Grammatically, a proverb is defined as a statement that may be a truism or contain a message that forces the hearer to consider it carefully. For instance: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This is a proverb that is useful for people to consider in their relationships with others.

These familiar sayings usually offer good advice for dealing with the falderol of life.  I use them often.  They are simple ways of making valid points.  Maybe my fondness for them comes from being raised with them, but they do seem to be helpful. 

Even though these proverbs are common and relatable, their application is personal.  We all know what a book is.  We all know what a book cover is.  We’ve all read books. So when we hear the proverb, we understand that the cover of a book doesn’t reveal everything that’s inside.  And if we allow our opinion of the cover to determine the quality of the book without reading it, we may be sorely mistaken about the content.   In our personal application, we may relate this to people.  Perhaps our first impression of someone was less than favorable.  But after we got to know them, they became our good friends.  This is because we didn’t make a shallow judgement about them.  We didn’t judge a book by its cover.  This is an example of how our personal experience determines our individual application of a proverb.

How about the times that we might feel sorry for ourselves?  Often this happens when we compare ourselves with others.  We may think, “the grass is greener on their side”.  It is not.  Everyone has trials and tribulations.  We don’t know what is going on in someone’s heart; their ‘grass’ may be something that is far worse than ours, but we can’t see it.  So, the grass isn’t greener for them.  But without considering this proverb, their grass could still seem greener, and we would continue to feel sorry for ourselves. 

These are just a couple illustrations.  I could go on for pages, but I really want to talk about the proverbs in the Bible.

The book of Proverbs is a great source of wisdom for living a godly life.  God provided us these tidbits of His wisdom to help us successfully navigate through all the nonsense that is in the world today.  The book of Proverbs is not the only book in the Bible that contains proverbs, however, it is my focus for this post. 

The following is an excerpt taken from Christianity.com:

“A Biblical proverb is a short saying that expresses a universal truth for practical, godly living. The term “Proverb” comes from the Hebrew root word meaning “to be like”; hence, the book of Proverbs is full of comparisons illustrating how various simple concepts represent the fundamental truths of life.”

Now, since the book of Proverbs is full of “short sayings that express universal truths for practical, godly living”, why not utilize these Biblical proverbs as readily as we do the common ones that we grew up with? 

For example:

Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Picture yourself facing a difficult situation.  What if this proverb popped into your mind?  Wouldn’t it be timely advice?  Wouldn’t it help you navigate through the situation? 

How about Proverbs 4:23?

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Isn’t this something that we should consider carefully? 

Proverbs 17:22

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

Doesn’t this proverb offer practical counsel that we can apply in our lives?

Consider these as well…

Proverbs 16:8

“Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.”

Proverbs 16:24

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

These are just a few of the wonderful verses in Proverbs that illustrate simple concepts that represent fundamental truths that God wants us to know.

It is also interesting to note that some of the familiar proverbs that we may have heard, have their basis in the Bible as well.  A few examples are: “by the skin of my teeth” (Job 19:20); “go the extra mile” (Matthew 5:41); “a leopard cannot change his spots” (Jeremiah 13:23).  And even if a common proverb isn’t tied directly to a scripture, most of them represent positive principles.  (Maybe that’s why I like them)

The book of Proverbs offers a wealth of understanding.  Proverbs are easy to receive and easy to remember.  Isn’t it marvelous that God imparted His wisdom to us in pure, gentle, and easy to be intreated proverbs?  When we listen to what God says and put into practice what He instructs, we will indeed live a godly life.  And really, isn’t that what we sincerely want to do? 

Proverbs 8:11

“For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.”

Think about it, Almighty God gave us His Word full of all the wisdom we need to live victoriously in this present evil world.  When the storms of life hit, God’s wisdom keeps us grounded.  His wisdom calms the tempests and places us on peaceful shores.  I’d like to see a ruby do that!  

Note to my readers:  One of my favorite proverbs, which I say frequently, is in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “…there is no new thing under the sun.”    Thanks for reading! 

Merriam Webster has the following definitions for the word “confidence”:

1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances

   b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way

2:   the quality or state of being certain : CERTITUDE

I developed a severe lack of self-confidence during my early teen years, so I spent most of my young adult life with fairly low self-esteem.  Even after getting saved and learning about God’s Word, I still thought that everyone was better than I – smarter, prettier, more talented, more spiritual, etc. 

Having a low opinion of myself led me into a trap of putting myself down all the time and hoping that someone would disagree and tell me that it wasn’t true. But when that didn’t happen or happen enough, I began to believe that all those things about me must be true.  I guess you could say that I brought it upon myself.  But the mind is a funny thing.  Sometimes without much coaxing, it can be swayed in a direction contrary to way that you want it to go. 

In addition, I was afraid that if I said or even thought something good about myself, I would be a braggart.  I had heard people brag about themselves and I had heard the criticism leveled against them when they did.  I didn’t want people to criticize me, so I would never say anything that I thought could sound like bragging.

It wasn’t until my mid 30’s that I began to gain some self-confidence.  I had gone through a devasting experience and had to make up my mind whether I was going to sink or swim.  I decided to swim.

In the course of rising above my circumstances, I began to see that I was actually kind of smart.  I learned to do a new job that involved writing official documents and bookkeeping, (two things that I didn’t think I could do) and I excelled.  That was the beginning of my transition. Then as I continued to change my mind about myself, other things started to change for me too.  I began to have some self-confidence.

Feeling poorly about myself all those years didn’t change overnight.  It took a determined application of positive thoughts, which took time.  And as these things usually go, I would do well for a while, then fall back into the old thinking.  Then I’d fight to get back to the positive thinking and be okay for a while, then fall back… and so on.  Even now, I have to refute those old thoughts from time to time. 

Now, you may ask, “what changed?”  I could cite so many things – circumstances, situations, locations, relationships, age, jobs.  But even though all those things had a part in helping me change my mind; in order to make a real change of heart, one needs help from God.  As my confidence in God grew, so did my confidence in myself.

So, considering the MW definitions above, I think they actually work in reverse order:

2: the quality or state of being certain : CERTITUDE

When we are certain about God and His Word, we have all that we need.  Do you want to change?  Do you want deliverance?  Do you want healing?  Wholeness?  Abundance?  Peace?  God’s Word has the answers you need.  When you are certain that God is God; and are fully persuaded that His Word is truth; and have no doubt that God answers prayer, then God can give you the desires of your heart.  (Psalm 37:4)  This is what God wants to do, we need to learn how to let Him do it. 

I’ll be honest, I had never heard the word “certitude” before this.  I had to look it up.  Certitude means the same as certainty.  When we are certain about the truth, then we begin to see heart of our Heavenly Father.  And then our confidence grows because we see that He wants only the best for us in everything.  God gave His only begotten son for us so that we could be saved and live a more than abundant life – forever!  And being saved gives us a direct line of communication with God.  He wants us to talk to Him.  He wants to be our supplier, supporter and defender in every situation of our lives.  And that brings us to:

b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way

We know that God is righteous, He is just, and He is all powerful.  Therefore, we can be completely confident that He will do what He said He would do; that He will keep His promises; and that He will come to our aid in any situation.  Think about it, who could act in a more right, proper or effective way than God?  No one can do it better than He can!  He warrants all our confidence, trust and believing. 

Lastly, Merriam Webster says:

1a: a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances

With our unwavering faith in God, we can look at ourselves with confidence because we can believe that the things that God says about us are true.  Most notably, we can believe:

Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

This verse states that we have Christ in us.  This is either true or it’s not.  We believe it’s true!  So, when we look at ourselves, that is what we should see.   We should see ourselves as someone whom God valued enough to give His only begotten son for; someone whom God called before the foundation of the earth to be His son or daughter.  We should see ourselves the way God sees us.  He remembers that we’re frail, but He sees us as super-conquerors.

If confidence is being conscious of one’s powers, we have the power of God in Christ in us!  And if it’s a reliance on one’s circumstances, our circumstances are that we’re saved and going to heaven and all hell can’t stop us!  I’d say those are pretty good reasons to be confident. 

We all have our own natural abilities, our own strengths and weaknesses.  But if our confidence is built on those things alone; it is built on sand.  However, if our confidence is built on God’s strength, His promises, and the finished work of Jesus Christ; it will be built on solid ground.  That does not mean that we don’t utilize our own abilities and strengths, those are the things that give us our unique place in the body of Christ.  Your unique qualities enrich the family of God in a way that only you can!

Why shouldn’t we be confident in who we are?  We have the spirit of God dwelling in us.  God is our Father.  He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He meant what He said when He said that!  Our self-confidence doesn’t come from our limited abilities alone, but from God’s unlimited power and His unfailing love that are in us.  I can have self-confidence now, not because I am so great, but because God is! 

So, build your confidence on God and stand fast on the firm foundation of His Word.  Then when you go out and about, stand tall and say, “Look out world, here comes a son of God!”  Confidence in God takes nothing away from who we are as individuals, it enables us to be the best individual that we can be. 

Note to my readers:  The highest ransom ever paid was paid by God for you!  Thanks for reading! 

You may have heard Florida referred to as “The Sunshine State”.  This is an accurate designation.  In fact, it was adopted by the Florida Legislature in 1970 as Florida’s official nickname.  And I agree with their decision.  I love the morning sun streaming through the windows in the back of the house and the evening sun filling the front rooms with light.  Most days it is bright and cheery all day long in my house.  Even in the rainy season, the sun shines for some period of time during the day.  One of the first things I do each morning is open the blinds to let all that wonderful sunlight in. 

Another element of sunshine is its warmth.  The abundance of sunshine helps keep Florida warm year-round.  But I can attest to Florida being HOT in the summer.  I have felt the summer sun on my shoulders like an oven’s heat.  I marvel that folks like landscapers can work outside in that heat all day.  My husband and I often joke that when we were northerners, we stayed inside all winter; and now as southerners, we stay inside all summer. All I know is that I am very thankful for air conditioning!! 

We all enjoy the sun’s light and warmth, but like many things in life, we can get too much.  So, we may need to seek relief.  And basically that relief is shade. 

One definition that my friend Merriam Webster gives for “shade” is “shelter (as by foliage) from the heat and glare of sunlight.”  MW calling shade, “shelter” is an indication that we can get too much exposure to the sun’s rays.  Sitting under the grand old oak as our grandparents often did in the summer (before AC) is actually a great idea because God designed trees to not only shade us from the sun’s effects, but also to absorb its energy and release it back in the air as water vapor that evaporates and cools the air around the tree.  A brilliant design! 

So we see that both sunshine and shade are good things.  They are basically opposites, but they work together, and we need both.  Each performs a necessary function, and the two together provide a balance. 

This is true for many things in our lives – being awake and sleeping, working and playing, giving and receiving, being serious and being silly, to name a few.  Think about any of these things in your life.  If you are lop-sided in any of them, your life is out of kilter. 

Think about sleep – sleep deprivation can wreak havoc in our lives.  However, sleeping too much can cause things like headaches and anxiety.  There needs to be a balance.

How about work?  A good work ethic is an admirable quality.  The Bible encourages us to work “heartily as to the Lord”, which means to put your heart into it. (Colossians 3:23)  The Bible also implores us to be good stewards, a job that requires conscientious attention to detail and faithfulness.  But have you ever heard the saying, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”?  There needs to be a balance.

Have you ever been around a super-serious person?  They seldom seem happy, and they rarely laugh.  On the other hand, the lackadaisical person may laugh a lot but accomplishes little.  There needs to be a balance.

Now, considering givers… A genuine giver is to be admired.  Giving generously and thoughtfully is considered a mark of character.  However, if a person never receives, eventually he will have nothing to give.  There needs to be balance. 

These are just a few examples to show how important it is to maintain balance in our lives.  Often our lives seem to swing like a pendulum from one extreme to the other.  I heard someone say this a long time ago and I think of it often; “Yes, I see balance in my life – I see it as I swing by it on my way from one extreme to other.”  That describes my life many times.  Super-busy or nothing to do.  Very happy or really sad.  Excited or bored.  Tired or can’t sleep. 

But then there are the times that everything levels out.  The pendulum rests in the middle and my life is in balance.  There is a happy medium.  There is even keel.  It is a perfect blend of sunshine and shade.  I am busy but rested.  I’m excited but prepared.  I’m happy and thankful.  We live for these times.  And these times make the out-of-balance times tolerable. 

Don’t get me wrong, a happy medium is not boring, nor is even keel mediocre.  Balance is the blending of all of life’s circumstances into a glorious yet comfortable symphony of thoughts and actions.  Balance brings peace of mind.  Balance brings contentment and thankfulness.  Balance keeps us going in the midst of all the craziness around us.   We may not be able to stop the craziness, but we can put it in balance in our lives. 

The most effective way I know to achieve balance in life is to align our thinking with God’s Word.  The Word gives us the wisdom we need to figure things out.  It gives us the strength we need to carry on.  And it gives us the confidence we need to know that we can do it.  And all of this comes from God’s assurance and reassurance that He will take care of us, that He will provide for us, and that He will fight for us.   When our thoughts are harmonious with the thoughts of God’s Word, our lives will be in balance. 

So, enjoy the benefits of the sunshine and the shelter of the shade.  Remind yourself as you swing on life’s pendulum that eventually it will pause in the middle.  And when it does, you can enjoy the balance!

Note to my readers:  Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  Thanks for reading! 

A few days ago, on July 4, we celebrated our country’s 246^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  So, like most of us, I have been thinking about freedom.  Our founding fathers declared our nation’s freedom from the rulership of England’s king by a formal statement, which asserted that the people of this country had the right to choose their own government. 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  I’m sure that you recognize this quote from the Declaration of Independence.  It is a terrific statement. 

First of all, it talks about truth.  As Christians, we are well acquainted with truth – God’s Word is truth. 

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Isn’t it remarkable that our founding fathers aligned their thinking with truth?  And that they used truth as the basic concept of our nation’s government?  Our country was founded on Biblical principles.  No wonder it is so great!

The Declaration of Independence also mentions our Creator.  There is only one Creator, and that is God.  (None of man’s “creations” could come to pass without utilizing something that God had already created.)  It further states that our Creator endowed us with certain unalienable rights.  Merriam Webster defines “unalienable” as “impossible to take away or give up”.  God-given rights are ours because Jesus Christ paid the necessary price to secure them for us on completely legal grounds.  In other words, the rights that God gave us are guaranteed because our redemption is so legally binding that it cannot be challenged.  God is a just God.

John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Our nation’s founding documents are noble proclamations inspired by the Biblical understanding of the writers.  These were men who prayed and asked God to direct their efforts.  Therefore, the content of the documents reflects Biblical principles.  These ideas paved the way for our country to be a uniquely free nation and for that I am thankful. 

Living in a free country allows us the privilege to freely worship.  This is one of our most precious freedoms.  In fact, many of the early settlers came to this country to escape religious persecution.  So we dare not take-for-granted our opportunities to freely share God’s Word.  We need to boldly proclaim and stand for the truth like our founding fathers did.  And we do this, not as a political statement, but because we are fully persuaded that the Word of God is indeed the truth. 

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

It is apparent from these scriptures that we, as Christians are free people.  Jesus Christ paid the price to provide that freedom to us.  We are free from sin, free from fear, and free from the wiles of the devil.  Of course that doesn’t mean that we never sin, or that we are never afraid, or that we are never attacked by the adversary.  But it DOES mean that no matter what happens in this life, we have everything we need to be able to deal with it.  If we get knocked down or fail, we can get up and try again.  And should our life end, we know that we will be raised from the dead when that trumpet sounds.  So what is there to fear?  NOTHING with God Almighty on our side! 

Hebrews 13:5b, 6

… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

As Christians, we see that our individual freedom is ultimately God-given, therefore no man can take it away.  Whether we live in a free country or under tyrannical rule, we are still free.  BUT how much better life is living in a free nation without religious or other persecution! The freedoms that our nation provides are definitely worth fighting for.  A country built on Godly principles deserves our appreciation, our respect, and our support. 

I am thankful for our country and the freedoms we have.  God had His hand in establishing and maintaining this nation so that His Word could have free course to be spoken and believed.  And whether you are Christian or not, you are free in this country because of the principles on which it was founded.  So rejoice in your liberty and in the country that promotes it.  Stand fast on the truth and be not moved from it.  Enjoy your life as a free American.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

According to “Lyrics On Demand”, these are the original lyrics for “God Bless America”, written by Irving Berlin in 1918.

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home
God bless America, My home sweet home.

source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/patrioticsongslyrics/godblessamericalyrics.html

Note to my readers:  God bless the USA!  Thanks for reading!

At certain times of the year, the morning sun is at just the right angle to reflect the rippling water of our pool into our kitchen and breakfast area.  It’s one of my favorite things. I often sit with my coffee and watch the show.  The light and shadows of the water’s reflection dance delightfully across the walls and ceiling mimicking the water’s activity.  Something about those fluid waves of light just comforts me.   

That got me thinking about life being fluid.   One definition that Merriam Webster gives to “fluid” is “subject to change or movement”, another is “capable of flowing”.  Those are fairly accurate descriptions of our lives, don’t you think?  Just growing up changes us.  I’m very different from the way I was when I was 5 years old, or 25, or even 45.  Of course that is apparent in my body, but it’s also true of my mind.  I certainly don’t think the same way that I did when I was 5 or 45 for that matter.  Every day I’m learning something and forming new opinions.  My mind is full of new ideas.  If our lives were not fluid, we could not grow.  Nor could we change.  How sad would that be?

As we age, we may look back on our lives with fond memories or maybe with regrets.  One of my go-to sayings is, “If only I knew then what I know now…”.  The implication being that I would have made better choices then because I am smarter now.  But if we are honest, we realize that we wouldn’t be as smart as we are now if we had not done foolish things in the past.  Mistakes are often our best teachers! (So our regrets can be few.)  I often think that I would like to have my 21 year old body again, but NOT my 21 year old mind.  It would be way too hard to go through all that learning again! 

Time is involved in the fluidity of our lives.  The changes in our bodies and our minds take place over time.  And time only flows in one direction – forward.  We cannot go back and change any event or circumstance or decision that occurred in the past.  Our pasts, however, are part of who we are today.  We can’t change our past – it is not fluid.  But we can learn from it.  And we can grow in our understanding of what we have learned.  How often have you changed your mind after your initial reaction to a particular situation?  Perhaps, initially you were mad, but in time you calmed down and thought differently.  Maybe you even reached the point that you could laugh about the situation.  This all happens because of the flow of time and the ability to change.  And since time only flows forward, our future is full of opportunity and promise.  We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that it offers change and movement.  It is fluid. 

Think about movement.  Our physical bodies are fluid, they move – sometimes a lot, sometimes a little.   Time plays a role in our physical activity as well because time brings aging.  For instance, infants have no trouble putting their toes in their mouths.  Their bodies are very flexible.  But I doubt we’ve ever seen a grandmother do that – her body is not as flexible.  (And she has learned that her toes do not belong in her mouth – yuck!)  But the point is that aging brings changes and changes are fluid, even if the changes mean less of something.  When I think of fluid movements, I remember being on vacation with my husband and walking on an exercise path by the ocean.  While we were strolling and enjoying the view, a young lady ran past us.  Her gait was the most beautifully fluid motion that I’ve ever seen.  She must have been a dancer because she actually appeared to float.  It was the epitome of fluid movement and impressive to see.  I will never be that fluid, but I can still move and change! 

In addition to moving our bodies, we may move our location.  I’ve moved several times in my life to new places including entirely new states.  Moving, even down the street is fluid.  It brings many changes – new surroundings, new routines, maybe even a new lifestyle.  All of which bring new experiences and new learning, which add up to fluidity.  I often say that moving out is hard but moving in is fun!  Moving out means packing and sorting and disposing of unnecessary accumulation.  But moving in is unpacking treasures, rearranging, and renewing excitement that may have been mundane previously.  This does not mean that we have to move to be happy, some people may live in one place their whole life, and that is okay.  There are still changes in their lives, just not in location.  But they must take care in that situation to not grow complacent, thus limiting fluidity.  For those of us who have moved multiple times, we must learn to flow with the changes.

Being fluid is necessary in our minds.  People who never change in their mindsets become very rigid (which is the opposite of fluid).  They refute new ideas, and change might even scare them.  Their exposure is limited, and their views are narrow.  This would be like living in the same house for your whole life and never going outside.  So much of what life has to offer would be missed.  But being fluid in our minds brings excitement to our lives.  We look forward to learning new things because we look forward to new experiences and adventures.  We appreciate that we have grown and can continue to grow in our understanding.  Change is welcomed and anticipated.  We would be miserable if we could not change.  What if we could not learn from our mistakes?  What if we could not correct wrong thinking?  What if we never learned anything new?  We would be lost and defeated.  Being fluid gives us choices. 

Now, all of that being said, we must remember one important factor.  Obviously, water is fluid, right?  Water is subject to change or movement, and it flows.  It meets the criteria for being fluid.  BUT, even with all its changing, moving and flowing, water is still water.   It does not change its fundamental properties.   This is also true of us.  Our bodies are fluid. They age, they get bigger, they get smaller, they grow stronger, they grow weaker, but they are still us.  No matter how many times you change your appearance, your body is still you.  So, when you look in the mirror, don’t wish that you could see somebody else.  See and appreciate who you are.  No one else can be you.  You – with all your flaws and shortcomings are the only you there is.  We all know that we are not perfect, but we cannot focus on our flaws and shortcomings.  If there are things that we need to do to take care of ourselves, we need to do them.  If there are positive changes that we want to make, we need to make them.  But we can’t be someone that we are not. 

Who we are is not only our physical vessel, but it is also the convictions that we hold in our hearts.  Those deep-seated beliefs make us who we are on the inside.  And truly, that is far more important than who we are on the outside.  We must cling to our beliefs and never allow ourselves to be talked out of them.  We each have a fundamental concept of right and wrong; truth and error; good and bad.  These concepts not only identify us, but also distinguish us.  As Christians, our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word determine those concepts and set us apart from this world.  We live above the worldly standard and are not subject to its schemes.  Our hearts are steadfastly set on the truth of God’s Word.  We are fluid in our growth of learning and understanding; but the truth of The Word does not change; it is not fluid. Therefore, it is a firm foundation on which we stand.  Growing is a marvelous opportunity that God provided to us because He made life fluid.  We can grow, move, change, and flow and be the person we really want to be.  With God on our side, what’s to stop us? 

Our lives can be like the beautiful reflection of the water’s movement – ever flowing and always changing.  We can grow strong and tall because our lives are fluid, and the future is as bright as the promises of God! 

Note to my readers:  Let your life flow in the abundance of God’s grace and mercy.  Thanks for reading! 

Last week, we rested.  This week, we are going for it! 

We all have probably heard the saying, “Go for it”.  It usually means “take a chance” or “seize an opportunity”.

In my family when we play games, we encourage one another to “go for it” – take a chance.  It is usually in the context of some kind of risk.  For instance, going ‘all in’ in poker, or taking a critical peg out of the Jenga tower.  I will admit that there may be ulterior motives involved in this prompting depending on which team you’re on, but it’s all in good fun.  However, this is not the usage I really want to talk about. 

I often need to encourage myself to “go for it”.  When I face a situation that intimidates or scares me, I need encouragement to seize the opportunity.  New experiences like a job interview, or speaking in front of a group, or even meeting someone for the first time could cause us to feel intimidated or afraid.  So, what should we do?  We should “go for it”!

It’s not uncommon for many of us to be apprehensive about new situations or new environments. The first time for anything can be intimidating because without previous experience to compare it to, we don’t know what to expect.  But we don’t need to be intimidated because we always, always, always have God on our side!  And He is always, always, always ready, willing, and able to help us in any and every situation!  I hope that was stated emphatically enough.  God is constantly seeking to take care of us.  His help is not reserved just for our dire straits, although He really comes through at those times.  He is an ever-present reality in EVERY situation – big or small.

I talked about God’s help first because quite frankly, I don’t know how to face challenges without it.  The unknown that may be daunting to us, is known to God.  The challenges that may seem overwhelming to us, are well within God’s abilities.  Counting on His constant care certainly lifts the weight off our shoulders!  However, we know that we are not marionettes to God.  He is not pulling our strings to make us do things.  It is up to us to take the necessary action and “go for it”.  Then God is able to guide our steps and alleviate our fears according to our believing in Him.  When challenges arise, we can always rely on God to have our backs. 

This then emboldens us to “go for it”.  We can seize the opportunities with which we are presented because the confidence we need is not limited to our abilities alone.  That is not to say that we don’t have abilities, we all have wonderful strengths.  But no matter how strong or smart or capable we are, God is more.  God told King Jehoshaphat that the battle was not his, but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15).  Don’t you think that God feels the same way about our battles?  And if you read the account of Jehoshaphat’s battle, the Israelites didn’t even have to fight, the enemies destroyed themselves.  That’s how big God can deliver! 

To “go for it” isn’t limited to just new challenges, we may have to encourage ourselves in the face of ongoing hardships, or day to day stresses.  Somedays, it may take us “going for it” just to get out of bed.  We almost always have to “go for it” when we are trying to change bad habits or improve our lifestyle.  But God helps in these trials as well.  He cares about the smallest details of our lives just as much as He cares about the biggest ones.  He desires that His children prosper and be in health (3 John 2).  God wants us to succeed in all of our endeavors.  So what is there that we can’t “go for it” to do? 

We may not win every time we “go for it”.  For example, you didn’t get the job you interviewed for. You still succeeded in not being intimidated by the interview process. That’s a victory in itself.  And maybe that was not the best job for you anyway.  In this kind of situation, we must still trust that God is working for us.  He sees the BIG picture that we cannot. So, if we didn’t win in a particular situation, why not think that God must have something better in store for us?  Sometimes a situation like this might discourage us. But if that happens, we can regroup and “go for it” again.  If we don’t quit, we won’t lose.

Every success builds confidence – and confidence enables us to “go for it”.  When that confidence is fully infused with trusting God to supply, we can be unstoppable!  Remembering that you and God make a majority in any situation is a surefire boost to our confidence!  And whether we win when we “go for it” or it doesn’t turn out the way we wanted, God still never leaves us nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5).  So, no matter what you’re facing, why not “go for it” and see what God will do for you!  

Note to my readers:  Philippians 4:13 – “Go for it”!  Thanks for reading! 

We all need rest.  In fact, God knew that rest would be essential for our wellbeing, so He built a sleep cycle into our body’s functions.  During sleep, our bodies recharge, and our minds quiet down. Doctors and scientists have many different opinions about how long we should sleep, when we should sleep, or how we should sleep.  But they all agree that sleep is a necessary part of living. 

Sleep plays a significant role in our lives.  If you have a baby, sleep is the principal concern – for everyone!  Small children fight sleep and get cranky.  Teenage children can sleep all day.  In our 20’s, who cared if we ever slept?  In our 30’s we prioritized nightlife over sleeping.  Then as life settled down a bit, sleep began to be more commonplace, however, if we missed sleep we could still recover quickly.  But now as we get older, it seems that sleep eludes us.  There are nights that either falling asleep or staying asleep is problematic.  And missing too much sleep can ruin our days.  I find that sleep is a regular topic of conversation, especially among people my age.  Have you ever awakened and counted the hours that you slept and allowed that number to determine how you feel?  Maybe we are too focused on sleep?  I think the question should be, “how much rest did we get?”  It’s possible that a few hours of sleep provide all the rest we need.  Or maybe we do need 9 or 10 hours of sleep to be fully rested.  In any case, what’s important is the rest we receive, not the hours we sleep.  This kind of rest provides rejuvenation. 

My friend Merriam-Webster says the following about rest:
1: REPOSE, SLEEP; specifically, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
2: freedom from activity or labor
3: peace of mind or spirit

We can see from these definitions that sleep is only one kind of rest.  It’s probably our most familiar or sought-after form of rest, but it’s not the only kind of rest we need. 

Have you ever worked in the yard for hours?  Or cleaned the house from morning to night? Or worked at a demanding job all day?  At the end of those efforts, you are ready to rest!  Your body is tired, and your energy is spent.  You need the “freedom from activity or labor” kind of rest.  This rest involves relaxation. You may need a nap or a hot shower or just sitting for a while.  And although, sleep is always a welcomed friend after a hard day’s work; simply relaxing for a while can provide the desired respite before taking on other activities.   This kind of rest provides recuperation. 

Rest from labor can be as simple as a change of pace.  There are times that we work hard to finish a task so that we can participate in another activity.  That change of pace provides rest to us.  A good example is cleaning the house for a party.  We can scramble all day preparing for a party, even to the point of exhaustion.  But when the festivities begin, we have freedom from all that labor – hence rest and restoration of energy.

I will add, that just like people need different amounts of sleep, people need different amounts of rest from activity or labor.  I know people who are on the go all day with no appearance of fatigue.  And I know others whose stamina is limited.  Rest is an individual requisite.

How about the end of a stressful situation?  Or recovering from an illness?  The conclusion of a worrisome circumstance definitely produces rest.  However, this rest is more of the “peace of mind or spirit” kind of rest.  This rest is usually received by deliberate decisions in our minds.  We engage our thoughts of patience and perseverance and determine that we won’t give up.  We remain steadfast in our convictions and claim our deliverance from unfavorable situations.  When we do that, we receive the calming rest that comes from successfully weathering the storm.  The things we learn from standing fast in adversity are lessons that we can carry with us throughout our lives.  This rest is not only peace of mind, but also rejoicing in our victory. 

This reminds me of the custom behind the Biblical parable of the woman who lost one of her ten pieces of silver.  The ten pieces of silver were small silver coins that were hooked in a wife’s hair and worn only on the most special occasions.  They were the most precious gift she received from her husband because they were a family heirloom of great significance.  Their value was more sentimental than monetary, but a wife losing one would bring her great shame.  So, if a wife did lose one, she would not stop searching until she found it.  She had rest only after she found the lost piece of silver.  Her neighbors rejoiced with her because they all knew the consequences of losing one of those silver coins.  When her task was finished, she rested with a profound sense of relief and much celebration. 

There is an element of reward in this kind of rest.  Think of it in your own life.  Isn’t it fulfilling to work hard and finish a task?  It is so satisfying to rest with that sense of accomplishment.  That rest is our reward for a job well done.  And looking forward to that rest motivates us to complete our task.  It’s a gratifying cycle.  I should note, however, that rest is not the end of the cycle.  It is the regrouping, refreshing, re-energizing part that not only rewards us, but also prepares us to tackle the next challenge. 

There is one more definition of rest that wasn’t covered by my friend Merriam-Webster, and that is the Biblical usage of the word, which indicates completion.  This is used in Genesis 2:2 where it says that God rested on the 7^th day from all His work of creation.  He didn’t rest because He was tired or because His energy was spent, but because the work was finished.  God resting on the 7^th day signified that His creation was complete.  Nothing was missing and nothing needed to be or could be added.  God rested to demonstrate that work of creation was done.    

It also says in Matthew 16:19 that Jesus Christ was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.  The word “sat” in this verse carries the same indication of the work being finished.  Jesus Christ completed all the work necessary for our salvation and then he sat, he rested, and his sitting denotes that the work is done. 

Life in this world can burden us with situations and circumstances that place great demands on our time, energy, and convictions.  It can weigh us down with hardships and heartaches.  Life can be cruel.  But Jesus Christ said that if we come to him, he will give us rest.  His finished work enables us to face the heavy burdens of the world because he provides the rest we need for recuperation and rejuvenation.  We can have rest because God’s constant support helps us conquer the world’s demands.  We can have peace of mind in the midst of the world’s insanity because we can fill our minds with the sound thoughts of God’s Word.  And because we can have no fear, our sleep can be sweet.  (Proverbs 3:24)

Matthew 11:28

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

That is a promise!

Note to my readers:  Enjoy your rest!  Thanks for reading! 

Recently, my husband got a new job.  He had been unhappy at his old job, so we prayed.  And almost out of nowhere, this new job fell in his lap.  He is very happy in his new position and one of the benefits of the job includes opportunities for us to visit family because of its various locations. 

Not too long ago, our granddaughter asked us to pray for good tips at her weekend job because she needed extra money for college.  We set a dollar amount in our minds and prayed.  She received more than the amount we prayed for.   

Also, in recent months, a friend was in the hospital being kept under deep sedation due to the severity of her condition.  Lots of people prayed for her.  She is home now and doing well.

These are just three examples of answered prayer.  I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the outcomes of all three situations.  Each solution was beyond my expectations.  Each answer was considerably more than I imagined it would be. 

In all three of these situations, there was a need.  I don’t think anyone would disagree with that.  But in those circumstances, people may have different opinions about how that need should be handled.  Even when we pray, we might have an idea in mind of what the solution could or should be.  That indeed was the case for me in these examples.  I limited God in my expectations, but He was not stifled by my ideas.  He promised to supply all our need (Philippians 4:19), and He did so in a wonderful way! 

In the case of my husband’s job, I knew that he needed a new job, but I never dreamt that he would get another job without the job search and formal interview process.  But he talked to his new boss on the phone, they agreed on the terms and the job was my husband’s on a “hand-shake”.  God answered our prayers – beyond my expectations! 

In our granddaughter’s case, she asked for prayer while my friend was visiting us.  I asked my friend to pray with me.  She proposed the dollar amount in her prayer.  Inside, I thought, “that might be too high”, but I thanked God for blessing our granddaughter.  God answered our prayers beyond the amount that I initially thought was too high. He supplied our granddaughter’s need super-abundantly!

In the case of our friend in the hospital, I prayed earnestly but I was concerned that the condition was too serious for her to recover from.  I worked to fight those thoughts in my mind and continued to pray.  God answered all of the prayers and she got better.  Despite my reservations, God healed her.

I learned a lot from each one of these scenarios.  First, I was reminded that God is much bigger than any of my expectations.  So often in life, we limit God in by restricting Him to our finite natural understanding.  We may have a hard time expecting to receive things that we can’t picture in our minds.  But God sees way beyond the confines of our thoughts.  His vision is exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), and that is the way He is able to answer our prayers. 

Secondly, I was reminded that God is love and full of grace.  God does not expect us to be perfect.  In fact, He never forgets that we are frail.  He is tender and kind, just like we are for a newborn baby.  Our tenderest care is evoked by a newborn because we know that they are helpless on their own.  God remembers that are dust (Psalm 103:14) and He provides graciously and mercifully for our every need. 

Thirdly, I was reminded that it is NOT all about me.  Sometimes when I pray, I think that the answer to that prayer is dependent only on my believing.  Oh, I know that believing is necessary, but there is a fine line between relying on my own believing and relying on God’s abilities.  I know that God honors our believing, but so much of God’s care is simply grace.  I heard it said in a Bible teaching that God knows exactly who we are and what we can do.  In this world, our bodies and souls are imperfect.  So why do we think that we (in our imperfect bodies and imperfect minds) can have perfect believing?  Can’t be done!  So, it has to be by God’s love and grace.

These three outcomes to our prayers were remarkable examples of the goodness of God and His ability to bless His children.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), so He is able to surprise us at any time by his marvelous works.  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son for us all.  If He was willing to do that; what wouldn’t He do for us who have accepted His son as our Savior? 

When we receive miraculous answers to prayer, REJOICE!  We can always be pleasantly surprised by God going beyond our expectations and blessing us more than we anticipated.  That is His way of demonstrating His love for us.  Have you ever wished that you could really help someone, but you lacked the means?  God yearns to take care of His children and He has the means to provide for everything we need and then some! 

God is a loving Father, who wants the best for His children.  He is not keeping a tally of the things we do wrong and the things we do right and measuring us against that.  He looks at us as His beloved children and showers us with His grace and mercy.  He LOVES to take care of us.  So, the next time you pray, don’t be afraid to ask for the miraculous and allow God to surprise you by what He can do!  “Let go and let God!”

Psalm 86:10

For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

Note to my readers:  Let’s pray for great things for each other and see what God will do.  Thanks for reading!

Our lives are made up of moments.  When we reminisce, we often remember notable moments.  For example, thinking back to my earliest memories, I remember being at home with my mom while my brothers were in school.  During that time, we did many things together.  But a memory that stands out in my mind is the day that my brothers’ pet lizard escaped from their bedroom and ended up in the kitchen.  My mom and I were at the dining room table where we would often spend time so I could color, practice my alphabet, or such like things while she drank her tea.  There was a swinging door between the dining room and kitchen.  This particular morning, my mom pushed the door open to go into the kitchen but froze in her tracks because she saw the lizard in the middle of the kitchen floor.  She gasped loudly and let the door swing shut.  She thought for a minute then got a box and a book.  She went into the kitchen, put the box upside down over the lizard and the book on top of the box.  And that was where the lizard stayed until my brothers got home from school.  I can’t tell you everything that my mom and I did back then, but that moment is a vivid memory.  I bet if I could ask my mom, she would tell a different story about that moment because of her perspective.  And that’s okay.

Our moments are uniquely our own just like our memories.  You have probably observed times when someone else’s memory of a shared experience is different than yours.  That is because moments are personally perceived and therefore uniquely remembered.  Our past moments become our memories; and our perceptions are flavored by a concoction of our memories.  Special occasions are moments that highlight our memories.  Extraordinary or overwhelming events are moments that stand out in our minds.  Life-changing moments are usually deeply etched in our memories.  And all of these make us unique. 

Think about the moment that you got saved.  Salvation is not only a distinctive moment for each of us; it also brings unique deliverance because no two lives are exactly the same. I can’t specify the moment that I got saved, but I can tell you about the moment that I knew beyond any doubt that I was born again.  One evening while reading my Bible, I felt an oppressive presence around me.  I didn’t know many scriptures at the time, but I had read the verse that says, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10).  So, I commanded that the presence leave in the name of Jesus Christ, and it disappeared immediately.  That moment changed my life because I knew that I had the power of God inside me.  It changed the way I thought about my life and the way that I wanted to live it.  It opened the door to a new life, a very different life from the one that I had been heading toward. 

That moment also changed the way I thought about other moments in my life.  It began to show me that I could cherish good memories and refute bad ones.  That moment allowed me to appreciate my past but not be constrained by it.  It showed me that my past was in the past, and that I could live today in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. (Galatians 5:1) 

Of course, that moment didn’t automatically change my life.  I had to continue working to learn God’s Word and believe It.  And that is an ongoing daily process.  But isn’t it marvelous to have the freedom to choose what thoughts we keep in our minds and what ones we put away from us?  Not everybody knows that they can renew their minds.  They are haunted by their past and uncertain of their future.  We who know the Good News can surely help them by taking a moment to speak God’s Word to them.

All the moments of our lives contribute to who we are.  Being born again brings momentous change to our lives, but we may still be saddled with moments from the past that try to tear us down.  We need not be in bondage to any of them.  We can live without regrets.  We can succeed today where we failed before.  We can determine to not let the hurtful things of the past drag us into reliving their pain.  We can view our past as merely a steppingstone to get us where we are today.  And we can be thankful for what we’ve learned on our journey.  If we aren’t happy where we are at this moment, we can continue to learn, grow, and change so we can make tomorrow better.  Being a Christian is truly a wonderful life. 

And if all of that isn’t enough, we still have a moment to look forward to.  A moment that will change life as we know it forever.  A moment that will make every past moment inconsequential.  That moment is described in the first letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:52

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

This will be the moment when the Lord comes back to gather us together unto him.  It will be the moment that all born again Christians will meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).  I often picture this moment and the celebration that will follow.  What rejoicing there will be!!  What a glorious family reunion!!  Talk about a moment, this will be a MOMENT!!  This moment is a guaranteed victory for each and every one of us. Whether our lives are messy or neat, all will be made perfect at this moment!  None of the trappings of this life will matter after this moment.  And this moment could occur at any time. 

This life is short. Forget the painful past and reach forth to the fabulous future that God has prepared for us.  Remember always, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” might happen today! 

Note to my readers:  I pray for you to have many beautiful moments in your life now and I look forward to seeing you at our great family reunion!  Thanks for reading! 

When I was a little girl, we had ONE television (TV) in our house, and its picture was in black and white.  It was a big square box full of wires and glass tubes of varying sizes.  I remember my dad having to open the back of the box routinely to replace those tubes. Television stations stopped broadcasting every night around midnight, and there was no TV remote.  We used to joke that the youngest kid was the TV remote because they were usually the ones who had to get up, go to the TV and turn the channel dial.  (I know this because it was my job for a while!)  Another job that the ’TV remote’ often had was adjusting the rabbit ears.  In those days, there was neither cable nor satellite dish. Instead, there was a two-pronged antenna that sat on top of the TV like a rabbit’s ears.  From time to time it would need to be adjusted so it could better receive the broadcast signal.  The adjustor would have to stand on the side of the TV and move the prongs around while others would observe the picture quality and direct the adjustment.  And if that didn’t work well enough, aluminum foil would be scrunched onto the tips of the ears for better reception.

Another interesting phenomenon of having only ONE television was that there could be only one show on at any given time.  Granted, there was a limited selection of shows back then, but it still required family cooperation.  In our house it was simple.  Dad watched what he wanted to watch in the evenings.  And at other times, we kids watched what we wanted to watch as long as it met with Mom’s approval.  The family watched TV together in the evenings even though the shows were Dad’s choice.  We didn’t mind for the most part because the programming was family-friendly anyway.  And for me, it was always a treat because I could stay up past my bedtime. 

All of this may sound archaic to my younger readers, but it was an uncomplicated lifestyle.  It was all we knew, and we were satisfied with it.  There were plenty of other activities to pursue so our entertainment was not limited to what was on TV.  We read books, played games, built puzzles, did crafts, and played OUTSIDE!  We did many activities as a family. 

I say all this because TV is a good example of how things have changed in my lifetime alone. I often heard from my parents how different life was when they were young, but I really didn’t pay attention.  However, comparing my youth with the youth of today, I see many changes, and not all of them seem to be for the better.  I understand now what my parents were trying to tell me. 

Of course, not embracing change labels me as “old fashioned”, but that designation doesn’t bother me because I am rather old fashioned.  I like antiques and old photos.  I appreciate the wisdom of age.  I respect my elders.  And I admire the ingenuity, workmanship, and accomplishments of the past.  However, I do embrace some change.  I love that I can type on a computer that automatically corrects my spelling.  I love that I can post this online for people from many different places to read.  I love that I can video chat with my children and grandchildren who live far away.  But this kind of progress can also have negative side effects. 

For instance, I have all my family’s and friends’ contact information on my phone.  For the convenience of pushing a single button to call people, I have forgotten everyone’s phone numbers.  I used to know many of them by heart, but I lost that skill because I chose convenience.  I recently wrote my family’s and friends’ phone numbers in my journal so I wouldn’t be totally lost if something happened to my phone.  But the only number that I can recite without looking at my list is my husband’s. 

Our Friday night routine is going out to dinner, often at the same restaurant.  As we relax with a drink and a meal, I see families out to dinner also, who all are individually looking at their phones – even the babies in highchairs!   I don’t see those families having lively conversation or cheerful interactions. Sometimes they barely acknowledge the server.  This does not seem like positive progress to me.

With respect to TV, what was a periodic source of entertainment when I was a kid, has become the hub of our agendas.  Most homes now have multiple TVs, and they are often turned on more than they are off.  In addition, many have other devices as sources of entertainment as well, (gaming consoles, tablets, laptops etc.).  Don’t get me wrong, I like watching TV as much as the next person – I could sit all day and watch movies and I’m a sucker for online solitaire!  But I see a loss of family interaction and the introduction of too much unsavory information as being side effects of this electronic invasion.

 Of course, not all TV shows are bad, nor are all video games or internet sources of information.  But we must be cautious.  We must always consider the origin of the information, the validity of the information and the impact of the information on our minds.  Do we really need to know about deadly acts?  Do we need to see sexual exploits?  Almost all of us would scream “NO” to this kind of information, but it’s out there and accessible.  Not that these things are new, (there is nothing new under the sun), but this information is readily available for anyone to observe – even our children and grandchildren.  Remember also that even the innocuous information we receive from the world may have ulterior motives behind it. 

Now, I am not calling for some kind of government restriction or censorship.  And I’m not saying we should get rid of all our electronic devices.  I’m simply encouraging all of us to guard our own minds and protect our children from driving too fast down the information highway.  Everything that we receive into our minds has an effect on us.  If the majority of what we receive comes from worldly sources, our thoughts will be worldly.  And those are the thoughts that can tear us down.  But if our thoughts are centered on God’s Word, we will have positive Godly thoughts that build us up and set us free from the burdens of this world.  We can decide what information we keep and what we throw out.  God’s Word is the standard for that determination.  But if the influx of worldly information is too weighty, that task becomes more difficult. 

We as Christian parents and grandparents try our best to keep our families tight and our surroundings positive.  We fight for the Word of God in our own minds and in our family’s lives as well. We know that this is a daily battle, and we know that God is always on our side to support us, to defend us and to supply all of need.  We know that God says we are more than conquerors and that we can put on His armor. 

(Romans 8:37 and Ephesians 6:11)

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a TV show, surfing the internet, or playing video games.  But beware of possible side effects and forget not all the benefits of God. 

Note to my readers:  Family time is some of the best time you can have!  Thanks for reading!