Month: October 2021

In my toddler and pre-school years, I had a ‘security’ blanket.  I cannot remember exactly, but I think it was blue, maybe green.  It was small enough to carry around with me, which I did just about everywhere.  My mom used to tell stories of my sitting on the basement steps on wash day, patiently watching my blanket tumble in the dryer.  Of course, I eventually outgrew the need for that blanket, which was good since it vanished one day. (that’s a story for another day!)  I honestly can’t remember why that blanket meant so much to me, but I do remember that it comforted me when I was scared. 

Which brings me to my topic this week. 

Comfort is not exactly the same as comfortable.  For the most part, comfortable relates to our physical well-being, while comfort relates to our emotional or spiritual well-being.  However, being comfortable physically can aid in being comforted emotionally. 

Merriam Webster’s essential meaning of comfort is, “to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened, etc., to give comfort to (someone)”.  M-W also defines this verb as, “to give strength and hope to; to ease grief or trouble of”.   Of the noun form, it says, “strengthening aid; consolation in time of trouble or worry; a feeling of relief or encouragement; and contented well-being.”

What blesses me about the definitions of the verb form of comfort is that they all are about giving comfort to someone.  We as Christians live our lives in the context of giving because love is giving.  It says, in John 3:16 that “God so loved the world that He GAVE…”.  Comfort is something we can give!   And isn’t it amazing to be able to help someone by giving them comfort?  Of course, it is equally amazing to receive a generous outpouring of comfort when we need it.  But there is just something so special about being able to help others.

Comforting someone can be as simple as giving them a hug or a smile.  Letting someone know that you understand their hurt and that you want to help is comforting even if there’s nothing you can do for them at the time.  Sometimes just sitting in silence with someone will give them great comfort. 

One of our most rewarding experiences is when we say or do something that comforts someone without our even knowing it.  Don’t our hearts thrill when we find out later that we helped someone without realizing it at the time?  These incidents occur when our minds reside in giving mode.  In that mode we are not focused on ourselves, but on others.  So our awareness of other’s needs is keen, and God is able to work in us to bless them.  Any act of kindness can comfort a broken heart.  And only God can see people’s hearts. 

God is the greatest Giver – and the greatest giver of comfort.  He works mightily to take care of all His kids and He gives us comfort in times of trouble because of His great compassion for us.  His Word is filled with comfort.  The book of Psalms in particular supplies comfort to me in many situations.  I often just start reading Psalms when I feel down-hearted.  I have my favorites and read and reread those, but just about any of the Psalms supply comforting words that speak to my heart.  Of course comfort isn’t limited to Psalms.  The whole Bible is filled with comforting words about God’s love for us.  I just have to quote my favorite comfort scriptures:

2 Corinthians 1:3,4

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Now that’s a lot of comfort!!

God comforts us in our troubles.  And when God comforts us – we receive all the comfort we need!  So then we can give that comfort to someone else when they are in trouble.  Then they receive and they give that comfort to others and the cycle continues over and over.  And God is blessed! 

I pray that this is not a time that you need comfort, but if it is, I pray that you receive an abundance of it!  None of us want to be needy.  But we must be honest to admit that there are times we need comfort.  The beauty of being part of God’s family is that there are so many caring members who can comfort and help us.  And there are so many members that we can help by giving them the comfort that we have received. 

Note to my readers:  If you want a smile, look up ‘comforter’ in the Merriam Webster online dictionary.  Thanks for reading! 

Take a moment and think about what makes you happy.  There are millions of things in life that make us happy if we take the time to recognize them. 

Have you ever heard the saying, “stop and smell the roses”?  It has been a popular saying for a long time.  However, as it often happens, a saying becomes cliché because of its popularity, and then it becomes unpopular because it is cliché. 

Cliché or not, “stop and smell the roses” is actually good advice.  The gist of the statement is that we should take time to appreciate the good things in our lives.  Even something as simple as smelling a rose, can make us happy if we stop long enough to appreciate it. 

Sometimes, amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we forget to “smell the roses”.  Our busy schedules distract us from recognizing the good things that we have.  Chances are we are surrounded by fields of roses, but we may be walking past them without taking the time to appreciate them.  Another consequence of our busy schedules is thinking that we do not have the time to “smell the roses”.  There are so many demands on our time and energy that we can feel overwhelmed and find our thinking engulfed by those demands.  Either of these scenarios could rob us of experiencing peaceful happy moments that would actually help us cope with our busy schedules. 

When we take time to value the small things, we build a habit pattern of appreciation that can extend to other aspects of our lives.  Consider the people we love.  Family members often make us happy, but it is not uncommon to take one another for granted.  I think this happens because people confuse contentment and complacency.  Contentment leads to happiness because you are no longer searching for something you don’t have.  Complacency leads to dissatisfaction because you don’t appreciate what you do have.  When we appreciate our families, we can be content and happy.  And when we show our appreciation, our families will also be content and happy. 

We must remember that happiness requires some effort on our part.  It requires us to direct our thinking toward a positive focus.  When it comes to relationships, we must focus on each other’s positive qualities and not on the negative ones.  We encourage one another by sincerely appreciating each other’s positive qualities, and by exhorting each other to more worthy endeavors.  Dwelling on someone’s faults never helps anyone – ever!  In other aspects, it is also necessary to maintain a positive outlook.  When you see the roses, expect them to smell good.  And if you come across one that doesn’t, move on!  There will be others with remarkable fragrances. 

We can also benefit from being happy in our surroundings.  Things always take second place to people in our lives, but things can be a source of happiness if we appreciate them.  When it comes to the things with which we are surrounded, the Bible encourages us to be good stewards.  This means that we take care of our things.  Not because we ‘love’ them, but because we are not wasteful.  Our society has become a ‘disposable’ society.  It seems that the school of thought is, “If you don’t like something, throw it away and get a bigger better one”.  Not only is this wasteful, but it is also driven by covetousness.  People get trapped in the snare of thinking that they must have the newest, biggest, best, most expensive things to be happy, which of course makes them unhappy with the things they already have.  This kind of thinking produces anxiety and discontent, and it is a lie. 

Sometimes we are unhappy with ourselves.  Many of us are overly critical of ourselves.  We (especially women) can be unhappy with our appearance.  Just about all of us are critical of our own abilities and/or accomplishments.  I often find myself thinking about me in ways that I would never think about anyone else.  BUT the habit pattern of appreciation covers this category as well.  See your own value in the small things, then you’ll be able to see it in the big things too.  All of us have positive qualities and we all have something to offer.  Appreciate yourself for who you are and what you have to give. 

I saved the greatest happiness for last.  The best and most enduring source of happiness is God’s Word.  God has given us holy spirit and in Galatians chapter 5 (verse 22) it says that one fruit of that spirit is joy.  We have joy in us that the world cannot give.  Our joy supersedes any happiness that the world can deliver.  However, that doesn’t mean that God wants us to be unhappy in the world.  He’s the one that made the roses for us to smell!  He called us to His family because it pleased Him.  With His great love, He provides for us exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think!  (Ephesians 3:20)  He promised us an abundant life in all categories.  That makes me happy!  How about you? 

When we appreciate God’s handiwork in our surroundings and in the people in our lives, we can rid ourselves of the anxiety and strife that makes us unhappy.  When we are happy, we are able to make others happy, and when we do that, we are even happier!  It’s a beautiful cycle. 

Note to my readers:  Some synonyms for happy are; joyful cheerful, blissful, glad, pleased, ecstatic, delighted, and blessed!  You can be all those things!   Thanks for reading. 

I am a fan of old movies.  In Junior High, I was so painfully shy that when all the other kids were out having fun, I was at home watching old movies.  I enjoyed the old comedians like the Keystone Kops, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Abbott and Costello, and Charlie Chaplin.   In their genre, there was often a storyline in which an attractive young actress portrayed the misfit character in a high society gathering.  Coming from the wrong side of the tracks, she would say things like, “Chawrmed, I’m shur-wa” when she met the designated dignitary.  And the group would roll their eyes or gasp in derision because she didn’t meet their social standard. 

That lengthy introduction was to say that for a long time, when I heard the word, “culture”, I often thought of those movie scenes with the snooty rich people who fancied themselves as culturally superior to the misfit character.  I thought of culture as well-educated museum goers, who love opera and symphonies, and drink tea from fine bone-china cups while extending their pinkie finger.  I thought of culture as snobbish rich people who think that they are better than the commoners.  But that isn’t what culture means at all!

There are at least ten variations in the dictionary’s definition of the noun, ‘culture’.  A brief summary is: “the characteristic features of everyday existence”; “shared attitudes, values, goals, practices, and conventions”; and “the integrated pattern of knowledge, belief and behavior”.  

Every society has its own culture.  These cultures are formed over many years from a variety of influences.  Cultures vary from society to society, and from country to country.  For example, the culture in the United States is very different from the culture in Japan.  That makes travel interesting, but it also can be a little intimidating because we tend to feel awkward if we don’t know the accepted cultural norms.  We don’t want to look foolish or be offensive.   

In addition, the specific overall culture in a country generally has geographic nuances.  For instance, in the U.S., the Midwest culture is very different from the culture in the Northeast.  The culture in the rural areas is very different from the culture in the big cities.  Culture varies from state to state and from climate to climate. However, these nuances generally adhere to the overall cultural structure.

Sub-cultures also exist in society.  These develop from special bonds among people with the same careers, hobbies, special interests, or other endeavors.  These sub-cultures influence people’s behavior, attitude, and appearance.  Skateboarders for example…  There is an identifiable sub-culture surrounding skateboarding.  We see this not only in the performance of their sport, but also in how they dress, how they talk, and how they act.  This sub-culture is so popular that even non-skateboarders imitate their appearance and behavior.  So it is with many sub-cultures.  I still wear my Harley Davidson t-shirts even though we no longer have our bike.  Most of the time these sub-cultures fit neatly under the umbrella of the overall culture.  However, there are times that sub-cultures can challenge the accepted norms.  Whether that is a good thing or bad thing depends on:  1. The motives behind the movement, and 2.  Which side of the fence you’re on. 

Cultures can be confusing and somewhat uncertain.  The first time we traveled to England, I was surprised to feel uncomfortable.  There was no language barrier, but I was not acquainted with their culture.  The only way I could explain it was that I felt like I didn’t know the rules, and consequently I didn’t know if I was breaking them.  I didn’t want to appear to be some boorish American tourist.  Even moving to a different state meant I had to learn about a new culture.  I remember being at work in New Jersey shortly after moving from Ohio and I said, “pop” referring to a carbonated beverage.  Conversation instantly ceased and all eyes were focused on me as if I had just stepped off a spaceship.  I quickly learned to say, “soda”! 

When values, attitudes, and behaviors become common practices, those practices become the established norms, and those norms become the culture.  And because life is ever changing, culture is ever changing.  As society progresses, we are supposed to change with it, but sometimes a culture’s progression isn’t toward a positive change. 

Have you ever thought that life was better, easier, or simpler when you were a kid?  Part of that is our perspective, but part also could be because of an erosion of our culture.  We may not agree with the changes happening around us because the values that we hold dear are being left behind.  And if the values change, so do the attitudes, behaviors, and practices.  It certainly seems like today’s culture is challenging many of the values that I hold dear.  Negative opinions are rampant about God, family, liberty, country, and many Christian values.  So what do we do?

All the references I have made to culture so far in this post have been about the physical culture of the world.  We as Christians are affected by that culture because we live here, but we also have a spiritual culture.  You probably have heard the statement, “we are in the world, but we are not of the world.”  We have the culture that God has called us to live.  We have the culture that God’s Word proclaims as our way of life.  We can live that spiritual culture and live above this world.  The worldly culture may consider that the culture of living as God’s family is a sub-culture.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  God’s Word reigns supreme in this world whether people recognize it or not.  And no amount of contradicting God’s Word changes its truth or power.  When we are committed to live the culture of God’s Word, we disrupt the negative influences of the world, just like they did in the Book of Acts.  When we walk as sons of God with power, the negative influences are paralyzed. 

We can show the love of God to people, so they too can live above the world and be delivered from the crippling forces that oppose God and everything He is.  And the more that the spiritual culture prevails, the less that the negative worldly culture can manipulate people’s lives. 

Let’s show forth the goodness and kindness of God by living the spiritual lifestyle of God’s Word.  Let’s invite people to see how great God’s love is.  And let’s disrupt the devil’s schemes by proclaiming the Word of God so that everyone has a chance to hear it.  Let’s live ‘the integrated pattern of knowledge, belief and behavior’ of God’s Word; and enjoy the benefits of God’s spiritual culture.

Note to my readers:  Never underestimate your value as a son of God and member of the body of Christ.  Thanks for reading!

I thought it might be time for another poem.  I think all authors, even would-be ones, have a work that is special to them.  This is one of my favorites.  It is called, “The Mighty Oak”. *

Outside my window
The grand old oak
Stood fast against the storm

His branches stretched 
His muscles flexed
Declared, “I will fear no harm”

The howling gales
And relentless rain
Pounded the oak all night

But the dawning day
Had much to say
About the brave oak’s fight

Oh, some leaves were lost
And twigs were snapped
And a branch lay on the ground

But the faithful oak
Remained unmoved
Still standing strong and sound

You see, his roots 
Were sturdy
They made his anchor sure

They spread wide
And very deep
And kept the oak secure

We must be like the mighty oak
With our roots
Spread deep and wide

Unmovable from  
The truth we know
God’s Word, which is our guide

For storms will come
And storms will go
But our strength is from the Lord 

And when we trust 
In Him alone
Our anchor shall be sure

So boldly stand
Like the mighty oak
Fearing not what comes your way

For God’s Word
Is a firm support
To strengthen you every day* 

“Learning is an exciting adventure”.  I’ve heard this quote many times, and I have experienced it.  Learning something new is thrilling.  It gives us a sense of accomplishment.  It opens doors for even more exciting adventures.  It satisfies our hunger.   

So, given that I have this opinion about the excitement of learning, imagine my surprise when I looked up “adventure” in the dictionary.  The first entry is, “an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks”.  And all the other definitions, except one, include risk, danger, or difficulty in some manner. 

I understand these definitions with reference to sky-divers, whitewater rafters, or mountain climbers.  Those are certainly perilous adventures that I’m sure are extremely exciting.  Those kinds of pursuits with their inherent dangers have become the standard for adventure for lots of people.  But what about the rest of us who are not so inclined to do those kinds of exploits?  Are we destined to an adventure-less life with no excitement? 

Absolutely not!

Learning is an exciting adventure! 

Consider all the things we’ve learned in our lives.  From infancy, our lives have been a constant cascade of learning new things.  As children, we were barraged with so much information that we really didn’t recognize it as learning.  It was just life.  But think of how thankful you are now that you learned all those things in childhood.  Do you remember when you learned to tie your shoes?  Weren’t you excited and proud of yourself?  It was an adventure!  Aren’t you still excited that you learned to read?  How many adventures would you have missed if you had not? 

Then came the teenage / young adult years when we were sure that we already knew all that we needed to know.  Even then we were learning, although we may not have admitted it to ourselves.  We were learning to formulate our opinions about life.  We had blossomed beyond the innocence of childhood, and we were preparing ourselves for adulthood.  Actually, if we recall those years, they were loaded with exciting adventures!  We learned that we could do things for ourselves when there was no one there to help us.  We got our first real taste of independence.  It was definitely an exciting adventure! 

A few more years passed, and we began to realize that we didn’t know everything like we thought we did, and there was MUCH to learn.  We can now spend our lives learning and enjoying that adventure.

The one remaining definition of adventure is, “an exciting or remarkable experience.”  Now, that’s what I call adventure – no danger involved!  Learning something new is exciting and rewarding.  Think of the times that you repeatedly struggled to perform an arduous task.  Then someone taught you a simple way to accomplish it.  Wasn’t that exciting?  How about some information that you couldn’t quite grasp, then one day, something ‘clicked’, and you understood it?  Wasn’t that satisfying?  When we recognize these kinds of victories in our lives, we appreciate the excitement of learning and the adventure we had on our way to success. 

Learning is not limited to just receiving information.  Experience is usually our best teacher.  And naturally, not all of our experiences are going to be positive.  Much of our learning is accomplished by trial and error.  I often say that I learn more from making mistakes than I do from getting things right.  And a glaring error almost always assures that I won’t do that again!  It’s like telling our children that the stove is hot.  We say it over and over, but inevitably one of them touches the stove and gets burned.  Their experience taught them more than all our words.  Learning from our mistakes contributes to our adventure.  You may feel like I do… I hate when I screw up, but I love the learning that comes from it.

Change is often a marvelous teacher.  Change may be scary at first because it involves the unknown.  It seems that we think of change in light of the definition of adventure involving danger and risks.  But why should we expect the unknown to be dangerous?   Of course there are risks with any new endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be scary.  Risks are just opportunities to rise up to the challenge.  Change can be a remarkable experience for us, and an adventure of success!

Moving is a good example of change.  I have moved several times in my life, mostly because of job requirements, sometimes due to life alterations.  But I can honestly say that each time I moved was an exciting adventure.  Why?  Because I learned something.  I may not have wanted to move, and I may not have liked where we were going, but I sought to make the best of the situation.  I tried to look for the positives of my new environment, and I was always excited to find them.  I enjoyed the challenge of making my family feel at home in our new locale.  Learning about a new area; finding new places to shop, eating at new restaurants, and especially meeting new people are all exciting adventures. 

Now, I know that not every change in our lives will be a positive one.  Sometimes things change for the worse.  But at those times, we can still learn.  We can learn to overcome adversity.  We can learn to find the silver lining.  We can learn to be brave regardless of the pressure.  Any one of those is a great victory, and that victory is exciting.  Even if the only thing we learn is to be patient, we have learned something very valuable. 

Sometimes experiences are thrust upon us.  I often joke, “I was walking along minding my own business and this (whatever the circumstance) fell on me”.  Isn’t that the way things seem to work sometimes?  These times, although difficult or painful, can offer us a great deal of learning.  We learn that we can be strong, often stronger than we thought we could be.  We learn that we are surrounded by people who love and care for us, maybe more than we realized they did.  And we learn that our God is faithful, always beyond what we could have imagined.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not some great adventurer.  The times that I have been successful in my life are due to the power of PRAYER – my own prayers and all the others made on my behalf.  God has answered so many prayers for me that I can’t begin to count them all.  But I am thankful, very thankful.  And allowing God to help me, to guide me, to support me, and to deliver me is definitely a remarkable experience and an exciting adventure! 

Along those lines, perhaps our greatest adventure is learning God’s Word.  What else in life is perfect?  God’s Word is a surety in our lives, an unchanging constant.  It is always reliable.  It never fails.  It answers all our questions.  Think about your life from the first scripture that opened your eyes through all the verses you’ve learned since then. Isn’t that the very definition of a remarkable experience?  It is the epitome of an exciting adventure. 

Wherever your adventures take you, enjoy the journey.  We are never too old to learn new things.  We are never so smart that there isn’t something to learn.  Life is an exciting adventure! 

Note to my readers:  This blog has been an exciting adventure for me.  I rejoice every time that I hear it has blessed someone.  As always, thanks for reading.