Food for Thought…

If you read my prior post about the puppy, you know that I did not want to have a dog.  It was a decision thrust upon me and I had to figure out what to do about it.  Do I continue to fight against it?  Do I stay mad for the rest of my life?  Do I pretend it doesn’t exist?  None of those things helped me in any way.  So, I did the only thing that I could do, and that was to change my mind. 

Things like this happen in life.  We find ourselves in situations that we don’t want to be in, and we must decide how we are going to deal with them.  Each situation is unique, so there is no ‘one-right-answer’.  We must judge each situation, weigh our options, and decide which option is the best solution.  And after we have made our decision, we must start working toward that goal.  The solution may not come easily.  We may need to be patient and conscientiously pursue the desired outcome.  This process is simple but may take time.  We may succeed or fall flat on our face.  But if we fall, we must not quit!  We must get up and try again until we achieve the success we want. 

Case in point, the puppy…

As you can see, the puppy is very cute.  That has been her saving grace on multiple occasions!  She is 10 months old now.  She is a work in progress like any other youth.  Her training is ongoing and her obedience is hitting more than it’s missing.  She is smart and affectionate, but she also has a stubborn streak.  All of that (except the stubborn streak) has helped me accept this situation.  I might even go so far as to say I enjoy the puppy most of the time! 

I imagine that a lot people might think that I’m a terrible person for not wanting a dog.  But as explained in my previous post, I just did not want to have that responsibility at this time.  I like dogs, but I would have rather not taken on the work involved in having one at this stage of my life.  Being retired, I had a million ideas of things that I wanted to do, and having a dog was not one of them.  But since I had to accept this situation, I have relied on prayer to get me through it. 

This is what I’ve learned and am learning…

1. God is able and willing to answer our prayers.
2. God cares about everything in our lives, even the small stuff.
3. God knows more than I do.
4. God knows better than I do.
5. God never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Those all are things I remind myself when I’m praying about the puppy situation.  I prayed for God to soften my heart toward her.  I prayed for His help to not resent the situation being forced on me (although I might still need to revisit that one from time to time).  I continue to pray for God’s guidance to train the puppy so she will be a positive asset to our family.  And I pray for His help with my lack of patience. 

The whole puppy experience has shown me (again) the importance of prayer and the power!  When I cast my puppy cares on God, things run smoothly.  When I don’t cast those cares, I lose my patience, and resentment rears its ugly head.

Many situations we find ourselves in are not of our own making.   But that does not mean that we cannot be successful in those situations.  God’s Word says that we are super-conquerors in every situation, which includes those that we make for ourselves and those that are thrust upon us.  (Romans 8:37)  This verse begins, “Nay, in all these things…” And if we read verses 35 and 36, we will see that not only are we more than conquerors in tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword and being led to the slaughter; but also that those things cannot separate us from the love of Christ, which is why we can be super conquerors.  So, if we can conquer these big things, it certainly stands to reason that we can conquer the little things – like a puppy! 

Now, I know that a puppy may not be a challenge to anyone else but me.  But we all face challenging situations at times.  They might be hard for us, but easy for someone else.  Or we might see may see someone struggling in a situation that looks easy to us.  However, we dare not judge one another because someone could be fighting as hard as they can to overcome a situation that is very difficult for them, no matter what it looks like to us. 

Why not look at the challenges we face as ‘victories in the making’?  Think of situations as ‘challenges to succeed’ or ‘opportunities to overcome’.  Ask for and expect God’s help and guidance.  Claim the promises that He has made unto us.  When we do these things, we elicit God’s solutions, which are exceedingly abundantly better than all of ours! 

Situations, challenges, failures and victories are all part of life.  It is in how we handle each of them that makes the difference.  We can meet our challenges head on because God always has our back.  We can be victorious because God bears His mighty arm for us.  Let’s seek God’s help, pursue His solutions and see where He takes us in every situation.  Thanks be to God for His limitless love and goodness!

Note to my readers:  Thank you for taking this journey with me!  And thanks for reading!

(I preface this post with an apology for being late.  I was traveling and even though I had my computer with me, I couldn’t get my writing done.  So here it is a little late, but not because I forgot!)

It surely seems like I forget a lot of things.  I forget names and birthdays.  I forget to take my vitamins.  I forget whether I watered the plants or not.  I forget something on my shopping list almost every time I go to the grocery.  Forgetting these things frustrates me.  I hate forgetting things. 

There is no doubt that forgetting things can be exasperating.  It impairs our ability to get things done and slows us down.  It can be embarrassing, like forgetting someone’s name.  It can be hurtful, like forgetting someone’s birthday.  It can be inconvenient like forgetting something on your grocery list.  Forgetting can be irritating, bothersome, and problematic at times.  It can interfere with our activities, our schedules, and sometimes our peace of mind.  And forgetting important matters can have serious repercussions.

As we age, we might find that forgetting is more common.  Although, I’ve always been somewhat forgetful, I do find that it is a little harder to remember things these days.  The answer to the age-old question, “Why did I come into this room?” often completely eludes me.   And questions like, “What was that actor’s name?” totally stump me.  I may have known the answer in the past, but I can’t remember it now.  Things that I learned in school, past experiences, people I’ve known, and places I’ve been are oftentimes vague memories.  I discuss events with my children only to find that my memory of them is completely different than theirs.  Have I forgotten all these things?

A good friend of mine said that as we age, our minds get so full that they push out the old or unimportant information to make room for the new stuff.  I doubt that is a scientifically based conclusion, but it kind of makes sense.  The principle of ‘use or lose’ seems to be the rule-of-thumb for our mind’s function. 

I marvel at people who can readily remember things.  Whether it’s because they work at it or because they have the aptitude for it, I admire that skill.  I have another friend who remembers everyone’s birthday.  If you tell her the date of your birthday once, she will never forget it.  She admits that she forgets other things, but never a birthday.  I don’t know how she does it.

I think for many of us, forgetting is fueled by technology.  I used to remember most of the phone numbers of my family and friends and many of their addresses.  Nowadays, I only remember my cell number and my husband’s.  All the rest of the numbers are in my phone and consequently, I have forgotten them.  The convenience is nice, but it’s a double-edged sword.  If I lost my phone, I’d be in dire straits! 

But forgetting has a good side as well.

A good side, you say???

For instance, you have a fight with your best friend or your spouse and hurtful words are spoken.  How do you recover from that?  We must forget those hurtful words in order the mend the relationship.  We can’t hold those words against the other person, nor can we harbor those words against ourselves.  Forgetting those words is not only necessary to our relationship, but also beneficial to promote our affections. 

Thoughts of disturbing images, frightening situations, or heartbreaking events cannot be allowed to dwell in our minds.  God designed our minds to be able to refute those memories.  We are able to forget things that cause us pain and suffering so that we can have the peace and joy that God desires for us.

The Bible is filled with exhortations to remember God’s words and actions.  However, remembering is only part of the story.  Some people can quote a plethora of Bible verses from memory.  But do they really believe them?  Unless we make the effort to truly learn what God’s Word says, how could we believe it?  So, remembering God’s Word is more than a mental exercise.  It is an active endeavor to learn and understand what God is saying to us. We live in a world that denounces God’s Word.  Our society does its best to distract us from the Truth.  It tries to fill our minds with a million ideas that are contrary to God’s Word.  Remembering and believing what God says gives us the ammunition we need to fight against those evil thoughts.  God knows that remembering the Light will help us forget the darkness. 

So, although forgetting stuff can be annoying, we can always focus on remembering the most important things – the things of God.  And when those thoughts fill our minds, forgetting the menial things won’t be so aggravating.  And the best of all – when we concentrate on God, our confidence in Him grows.  And when our confidence in God grows, we are assured in ourselves that we can ask for His help with anything, including help to not forget things.  Like all the things of God, it’s a win-win for us!! 

One of my favorite verses…

Psalm 103:2 – Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Isn’t it marvelous that God wants us to “forget not all his benefits”?  He doesn’t tell us to remember them all!  Who could do that??  He simply says, “don’t forget them all.”

Note to my readers:  Forgetting is simply not remembering.  And remembering is simply not forgetting.  So, it stands to reason that if we work on remembering, (especially remembering God’s Word), we won’t be forgetting as much.  Maybe that’s one way to look at it. 

Thanks for reading! 

“That’s not fair!”  I must have said that a million times while I was growing up.  It wasn’t fair that my big brothers had a later bedtime than mine.  It wasn’t fair that that kid won the game because he cheated.  It wasn’t fair that my first boyfriend broke my heart.  And almost every time I would claim that something wasn’t fair, my mom would reply, “Life isn’t always fair.”  And I found that statement to be so unfair!  Isn’t life supposed to be fair?

Let’s look at Merriam Webster’s definition of ‘fair’, which is: “marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism”.

Generally, moms and dads endeavor to be good parents, which is likely how most of us were raised.  And I think based on the above definition, parents are generally fair.  Most parents try hard to be impartial and honest.  They try to be free from self-interest, prejudice and favoritism.  Most parents are just trying to raise their children the best way they know how.  They make mistakes, but most of their decisions are based on what they think is right for their family.  So, growing up in that kind of environment might be where we got the idea that life is supposed to be fair.  But even in a good home, things do not always go the way we want them to go.  And for kids, that is unfair. 

It seems to me that children must have a strong sense of fairness.  They are quick to point out that something is unfair.  However, children only know how to judge fairness by how it affects them.  For example, I thought it terribly unfair that my brothers’ bedtime was later than mine.  (They are 5 and 7 years older than me, so of course their bedtime was later!)  To my 5-year-old mind, however, it was not fair because I had to go to bed, and they didn’t.  I wanted to have a later bedtime like them even though I had not achieved the age to warrant it.  No explanation could convince me that this was not a horrible injustice, so the best my mom could say was that life isn’t always fair.

Would it have been fair to make my 12-year-old brother go to bed at the same time as I did at age 5?  That may have seemed like a fair solution to me, but what about to him?  I doubt he would have found that fair.  In this situation, what could my parents have done?  Exactly what they did.  My parents made the bedtime decision based on what they felt was best for each of us, not by favoritism or partiality.  Thus, they made a fair decision.  But I still perceived it as unfair when I was 5 because I had only one perspective – mine!  Had my parents changed their rules to accommodate my 5-year-old thinking, it would NOT have been a fair decision. 

Hurt feelings, missed opportunities, and relationship struggles can all qualify as unfair because they affect us negatively.  As human beings, we all like being happy. And when we are not, it can seem unfair, particularly when we see others who are happy.  We might think, “Why should they be happy while I am not?  That’s not fair!”  But maybe in these circumstances we should consider the situation from the other’s perspective.  There could be someone looking at us and thinking that our happiness is unfair!  So, do we want to give up our happiness because someone else perceives it as unfair?  I think not!  Well, we shouldn’t expect someone to do that for us either.  It seems like life’s fairness might depend on which side of happiness we’re on.  And since every person isn’t happy 100% of the time, I guess we could still say that life is not always fair.

Fairness is relative and based on many factors.  What is fair to me, might not be fair to someone else. And is fair to someone else might not be fair to me.  Decisions sometimes result in situations that may not seem or even be fair.  We may be presented with circumstances beyond our control that are just plain unfair.  Good intentions and valiant efforts may not always achieve the desired results.  And wrongs may go unpunished.  All these things confirm that life is not always fair.

In the society of today, it seems like self-interests rule, which according to the definition is not fair.  Often, it seems that ideas are promulgated, and decisions are made based on one person’s or one group’s self-interests without regard for their impacts on others.  Fair decisions are seldom a “one size fits all” proposition.  They should be made with the greater good of all in mind and according to a standard or fairness.  (However, fair decisions may still meet with claims of unfairness because it is impossible to please everyone all the time.)  The decisions that are made solely for one’s self-interest by utilizing favoritism and prejudice, without regard for all concerned are not fair decisions.  And it certainly seems that unfair decisions are prevalent these days!

So, what are we to do? 

Firstly, we must recognize that there is good and evil in the world today.  I’m pretty sure we all know that.  This is why life is not always fair.  There is an ongoing battle between the just and the unjust.  And when the unjust get their way, unfairness ensues.  In addition, the unjust do their best to blur the lines between right and wrong, good and bad, fair and unfair.  This results in confusion, misunderstandings, and resentments.  All of which can result in negative situations that accomplish their unjust agenda.

The Bible teaches us that ever since he deceived Adam and Eve, the devil has had his way in this world.  He has corrupted whatever he could and has been able to blind the minds of so many people.  His success is in the secrecy of his moves.  Like any other tyrant, he tricks people with the pretense of good, and then crushes them with his real agenda.  He is the epitome of unfairness. 

BUT…

The Bible also teaches us about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He gave his life for us and then God raised him from the dead and seated him at His own right hand in the heavenlies.  By this, Jesus Christ accomplished our salvation and freedom from the tyranny of the devil.  

Colossians 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he (Jesus Christ) made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Jesus Christ didn’t just beat the devil, he triumphed over him and his host.  He exposed their evil and squashed their powers.  It is through his accomplishments that we have access to all the goodness and fairness of God. 

However, we are still in this world, which is under the devil’s influence.  So as long as we are here, there will be injustice and consequently unfairness.  But there will come a day when we will live forever in heaven and there will be no more evil.   All will be perfect, just and fair.  And when that happens, we will be able to say, “Life is always fair!”

Until that time, if life treats us unfairly, we can take comfort in knowing that God is on our side and that He wants to take care of our every need.  Circumstances beyond our control are not beyond God’s ability to fix.  Unfair situations can be remedied by God’s justice.  We can be more than conquerors in every situation, including the unfair ones!  (Romans 8:37)

Note to my readers:  Life may not always be fair, but we can act fairly, regardless.  Let’s do our best to be fair even in the face of unfairness.  Thanks for reading. 

I grew up in a time before so many electronics.  In my early years, I remember our family having one TV (black and white with an antenna and no remote), a radio (with AM signal), and a record player.  None of which received my undivided attention.

Oh, I was a typical American kid, I watched TV regularly, but not all day.  Maybe Captain Kangaroo in the morning, and then off to play.  Before I started to school, I used to help my mom around the house.  The radio may have been on while we worked and we listened to the record player frequently, but those were not our main focus.  We engaged in an old-fashioned kind of entertainment – we talked.  I could list several old TV shows that I watched as a kid, but I cannot remember any of their dialogues.  But I can tell you lots of things that my mom told me even from those earliest years.

I am saddened when I see families out to dinner and every member is spending their time looking at their “devices”, even babies in highchairs!  That family may talk a lot at home, I’m not judging.  But what they demonstrate in public is a lack of conversation.  And it is not uncommon.  The popularity of handheld electronics has overshadowed the benefits of good ol’ conversing. 

A conversation can be a discussion of ideas or opinions.  It can be relaying information or news.  It can be a lively debate about different viewpoints.  It can be a heartfelt sharing of innermost thoughts.  It can be simply getting to know someone.  Conversations are personal interactions between people who are mutually expressing themselves.  They may be enlightening, or infuriating.  They may be enjoyable or heartbreaking.  But regardless of their content, they are still our main vehicle of communicating with each other.

Why is this important?

Because, without conversation, we never really know someone.  Observing someone’s actions can be a good indicator of their character.  And those actions are usually the basis of our initial impression of them.  But we really don’t know who they are without talking to them and hearing what they have to say.  And this does not happen in one conversation.  Continuing conversations reveal much about someone, which may lead to a connection, which in turn, may lead to pursuing a relationship.

Think about the people in your life who are the closest to your heart.  They are generally the ones with whom you share the deepest conversations.   Those with whom you bare your soul.  They are privy to your innermost thoughts and desires.  They know your secrets and you know theirs.  These things are accomplished and fostered through ongoing conversations that involve trust and sincerity.

Of course, we don’t share that kind of conversation with everyone.  We all have people like friends, acquaintances, co-workers, neighbors, etc. in our lives with whom we have affable conversations.  Those conversations are lighthearted and enjoyable most of the time.  However, they are not intimate heart-sharings.  These amicable relationships are also important in our lives.  Chances are we have many more friends on this level than we do on the deeply personal level.  But both are necessary.  Both fulfill us and make us happy.  And both involve conversations. 

One of the most important things in any relationship is being able to converse.  I might go so far as to say that conversation is critical to the health of any relationship.  We don’t know what someone is thinking unless they tell us.  We can’t expect anyone to know what we are thinking unless we tell them.  How many times have arguments arisen because of a misunderstanding due to a lack of clear conversation?  How many times have we harbored hurts instead of addressing them through conversation?  How many times have relationships failed because there was no conversation to confront the issues?  All these scenarios could be avoided through honest conversation.  (A word of caution here, honest does not mean cruel.  Hurtful words should have no place in our conversations.)

Conversations are not limited to speaking with our voice.  Written letters can be wonderful conversations, even in texts and emails.  Gestures can convey thoughts without words.  But neither of those can replace the connection that can be achieved by talking face to face.  A phone call can cross the miles between family and friends who live far away.  But how much better is a visit?  Conversations solidify family ties; strengthen lifetime bonds; and build meaningful friendships and loving marriages.  Conversations can make our day, change our minds, uplift us, and comfort us in time of need.

And of course, the most important conversation we can have, is the one we have with our Heavenly Father.  Prayer is a conversation with God.  We speak to Him and He responds.  We ask and He answers.  When we are troubled, God is ready and willing to help.  We can tell Him anything.  And we can always trust His solutions.  We can bare our souls before Him, and He will listen even though He already knows our hearts.  Our innermost secrets are no secret to Him.  His comforts delight our souls.  His peace stills our fears.  His love never fails!  God wants us to have conversations with Him, but it’s up to us to open the door.  God is waiting to hear from us.  So, let’s make sure that we take the time to talk to Him.

Here’s an idea.  Instead of putting our devices in front of our faces, why not strike up a conversation with someone?  What have we got to lose?  The worst that could happen is that someone tells us to go pound salt.  So what?  There are many more fish in the sea.  Maybe the next person we talk to will become a soulmate.  But we’ll never know unless we open our mouths.  Let’s work to keep the art of conversation alive.

Note to my readers:  This is my side of the conversation.  What’s yours?  Thanks for reading! 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘influence’ as:

1  (noun)  The power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways, to sway

2a  The act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command

3   (verb)  To affect or alter by indirect or intangible means

When I started thinking about this word, I realized how much ‘influence’ is a part of our lives.  Influence is usually subtle and may be inconspicuous.  Everyone is / has been influenced by someone or something in some way, whether they realize it or not.  And everyone influences / has influenced someone or something in some way, whether they realize it or not.  We are influenced by the things we perceive through our senses or otherwise comprehend or understand.  And we influence others by the way we exhibit ourselves by our speech or behavior. 

Think of the people who have influenced your life.  Parents and family come to mind as our earliest influences.  Then as we grow, people like friends, teachers, mentors, or spouses lend their influence on our thoughts and opinions.  We incorporate those influences into our thinking and manner of life, usually without even recognizing that we are doing so.

Because we all have been influenced in different ways by different people or experiences, we all are different.  We all have our individual opinions about life and how to live it.  We have unique preferences, tastes and attitudes. The myriad of influences we have received have worked together to help form the person we are today.  For example, my mom loved poetry.  That is likely what influenced me to love poetry. 

Sometimes those influences relate to minor points.  Like, I still fold my sheets the same way my mom did.  I see her influence in many chores that I do.  You may fold your sheets differently because of your mom’s influence.  That doesn’t make either right or wrong – just different.  And the way anyone performs life’s routine maintenance is simply a matter of choice.  And is of little consequence in the big picture.  Yet sometimes we argue about those differences like we have cornered the market of how tasks should be done.  That’s just plain silly!

The people who genuinely care for or about us, are usually a good influence on our lives.  Our parents, our families, our brothers and sisters in Christ all love us; and that is the motivation behind their influence.  They don’t want to control or stifle us; they want to see us flourish.  Their influence is usually laced with kindness and is easily entreated.  It may be even unintentional.  Teachers or mentors who truly care about their students feel a moral obligation to be a positive influence.  Others influence us in a good way because of their friendship or desire to help. 

Unfortunately, there are also bad influences in our lives.  These come from selfish or even malicious people who seek to influence others for their personal gain.  Or from people who have taken a wrong turn in life and want to influence others to join them.  Their influence is designed to snare us, intentionally or not. They use their influence to steer us into their way of thinking without real concern for whether it’s beneficial to us or not. 

We all have witnessed these kinds of influences.  And we see them around us daily.  Advertisers constantly use influence to stealthily steer us toward their product or agenda.  They use repetition and emotions to sway us without our even noticing.  Politicians are masters of the influence game.  Their votes depend on the success of their influence.  (Please note that I am not saying that all advertisers and politicians are bad – I’m simply saying that they know how to use influence.)

It is up to us to recognize whether influences are good or bad and accept or refute them based on our personal convictions.  This is where it might get a little tricky.  Sometimes people have good intentions but influence us in the wrong direction.  Sometimes the influence seems right but is not.  So, like everything in life we have to use our brains.  We must rely on our own moral standard.

Which of course brings us to the question; “On what do we base our moral standard?”

There is only one basis in all the world that is always completely reliable, and that is God’s Word.  The Bible states that God has given us ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness.  (2 Peter 1:3)  Therefore, we can use the truth of the Bible as our gauge to judge all influence.  That does not mean that the only influence we can listen to is Bible verses.  (I have never read a verse about folding sheets!)  But it does mean that whatever influence we receive must not be at cross-purposes with God’s Word.  And if it is, we must refute it. 

Overall, God’s influence through His Word is the best influence we can receive.  God’s influence is always motivated by His great love.  His influence is always beneficial to us.  His influence is always reliable.  And since there is no darkness at all in God, His influence is always GOOD.  We can allow God’s influence free reign in our thoughts and opinions because it is always right and is always profitable.  And when we are influenced by God’s Word, we know that our influence on others will be right too. 

Note to my readers:  I sincerely hope that my words have a positive influence on you.  Thanks for reading. 

“What to do?  What to do?”  Does that sound familiar?  I find myself saying it a lot.  It works for many situations.  For instance, when I’m shopping and I find a beautiful dress, but it’s not in my budget, “What to do?  What to do?”  Or I’m busy working around the house and I finish my chore list, “What to do?  What to do?”  Or my husband asks, “Do you want to go out to dinner or get a pizza and watch a movie at home?”  “What to do?  What to do?”

We repeat this question to ourselves when we’re in a quandary about what choice to make in any given situation.  Generally, we ponder these decisions because it’s not a choice between right or wrong, but rather between good and best. 

Like in the first example above, if I find a beautiful dress that is not in the budget, my brain starts crunching numbers.  Maybe I can find money somewhere in the budget.  Maybe I can forgo something else and use that money.  Maybe I should just buy it and figure it out later.  It’s a choice between good and best.  I do not think, maybe I can steal this dress.  That would be a choice between right and wrong. 

Deciding between right and wrong is usually a simple choice for us because we adhere to a standard that defines and separates the two.  But deciding between good and best may not be so clear-cut.  Is buying a dress going to bankrupt us?  No.  Do I need another dress?  Chances are that I really don’t.  Would I wear it?  Pretty sure.  Should I spend the money?  Maybe not, but maybe it’s worth it.  Good or best?

Furthermore, it seems that a lot of choices between good and best involve spending.  And spending deals mostly with money or time.  How do we spend our money?  How do we spend our time?  What are we going to spend our money on?  What are we going to spend our time doing?  We should aim to spend wisely in both categories. 

Day by day, we are faced with those choices.  Our spending decisions are not usually life-altering, but they could have consequences.  In this regard, there is one interesting difference between money and time.  Monetary consequences are more likely to stem from spending too much.  While time consequences often result from not spending enough.

Some people think that money is their most precious commodity.  But really in this life, time is our most precious commodity.  If we lose money, it can be replaced, but if we lose time, it cannot.  Every minute that has passed is gone forever.  We cannot retrieve it or replace it.  That’s not to say that we can’t rectify something that happened in the past, but we can only do so in the here and now.  For these reasons, time is very precious. 

Most of us are mindful to not spend money haphazardly because we don’t want to waste it.  But what about our time?   Are we careful to not waste our time?  We all probably appreciate the value of our money.  Do we recognize the value of our time?  It behooves us to make the best choices in both categories.  And it’s a personal quest.  What’s best for me might not be best for you.  What works for me may not work for you.  And vice versa. 

In addition, another aspect of spending is investment.  We are familiar with this concept when it comes to money.  We are always looking for the highest yield investments, right?  What about our time?  Are we investing our time wisely?  Are we receiving a great return on our time investment?  Are we getting the most ‘bang for our buck’ for our time?

The highest return on our time comes from investing it in God’s bank.  What better advisor could we have to take care of all our needs?   The time that we invest with God is backed by His ability to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), and many other incredible promises.  God’s bank has unlimited resources and the most generous terms in the universe.  All investors are welcomed and receive the same guaranteed return on their investment – eternal life!  Think about it… we invest our time in God’s bank now and receive unending unlimited time in return.  Sounds like a high yield investment to me!!

So, the next time you are wondering, “what to do?”, “what to do?” simply ask God.  Allow Him to direct your steps.  Allow Him to bless your efforts.  Allow Him to fulfill His promises to you. Allow Him to shower you with His infinite love, mercy and grace.  Invest your whole life in God’s care and see what He will do for you!

Note to my readers:  My apologies for my late post.  I hope it blessed you anyway.  Thanks for reading!

I have three children.  (I probably have mentioned that in previous posts.  I talk about them a lot! 😊)  I love my children with my whole heart.  I think they are greatest kids ever.  I think they are the smartest, most talented and most interesting kids on earth.  I think they are the best at all that they do.  And I think they are spectacular in every way. 

Now you may say, “Come on now, your kids can’t be all that.”  But I would disagree.  You may say, “No one is perfect.” And I would say, “But my kids come close!”  You may contend that I am delusional and not seeing reality.  And I would challenge you to explain what the reality is that you want me to see.

Do you think that I should only see my children’s shortcomings?  They have them.  Should I only look at their mistakes?  They’ve made plenty of those.  Should I remember our arguments or hurtful words spoken?  Should I focus on the times they broke my heart?  Is that the reality I’m supposed to see when I look at my kids?  I say, “NO thank you!”

The reality is that a mother’s love for her kids is a strong cord that binds them to her heart.  That love covers shortcomings and supports strengths.  That love sees more but is willing to see less.  That love rejoices in victories and weeps in adversities.  That love forgives and forgets.  A mother’s love will always fight for her children.  (By the way, the same can be said for a father’s love, but since I’m a mother, I can only speak from that perspective.)

I say all this, not because my children are so much better than any other children, but because they are MY children.  I see them through a mother’s eyes of love.  I see the best in them, and I look past their faults.  I root for them in every endeavor and I am always on their side.  I recognize that they are not perfect, that they make mistakes and sometimes make bad choices, but those things don’t linger in my mind.  I am always anticipating success for them in everything that they do.  And I am thrilled for every victory they achieve.  To be clear, I don’t turn a blind eye to any offenses, nor do I pretend that they have no misconducts.  It is understood that reproof and correction are as necessary a part of love as forgiving and forgetting. 

I do not claim to be any kind of special mom.  I am well aware of my shortcomings and if I think too much about my performance as a mother, I feel completely inadequate.  But I love my kids.  And I try to do the best I can for them.  And even though they are now grown adults with families of their own, I want to be there for them, whenever I can. 

And all of this got me thinking…

We became God’s children when we got born again.  That makes God our Father.  The Bible is explicit about this being our relationship with Him.  Time and time again, God tells us that He loves us.  And if I, being a finite human mom with all my frailties, can love my children as much as I do; how much BIGGER is our Heavenly Father’s love for us??  Our Father, God who is perfect, eternal and omnipotent loves us with an everlasting unfathomable love.  As strong as my love is for my kids (and grandkids), it a grain of sand on the whole coast of Florida compared to God’s love for us. 

It is interesting to note, that it is because of God’s great love for me that I can love my family the way that I do.  It is because He loved me so much, that I can walk in love.  It is how God treats me that teaches me how to treat others.  It is the way He looks at me that shows me the way I should look at others.  And it is the way He cares for me that enables me to care for others.  Recognizing God’s great love for us is key to helping us love others.

The Bible instructs us to be followers of God as dear children.  (Ephesians 5:1)  The Greek word for ‘followers’ means ‘imitators’.  We are to imitate God.  And one of the most important things that we can imitate is His love.  The instruction to be an imitator of God is not given to only mothers and fathers.  All of God’s children are to be imitators of their Heavenly Father.  And all of us can imitate His love by loving our physical family as well as our spiritual family.

Now to bring this full circle…

When I look at my children (and grandchildren) and my heart swells with love for them, I am reminded that God must look at me in the same way – only much bigger!  When I look past my children’s shortcomings, I remember that God looks past mine.  When I see my children hurting and my heart aches to help them, I think how much God’s heart aches to help me.  In other words, the love that I feel helps me recognize and appreciate God’s love for me.  It helps me to understand and accept how much and why God loves me. 

The greatest act of love that we can do for anyone is to give them God’s Word.  Think about it…  God’s Word gives people the information they need in order to get born again.  And getting born again gives them ETERNAL LIFE.  What could be more loving than offering someone eternal life? God’s Word also gives us instructions for living a more abundant life and helps us develop a true vital relationship with Him NOW. With God’s love we have everything to gain and nothing to lose!

So, the next time you look at your loved ones and feel all that love you have for them, remind yourself that as strong as that love feels, it is no match for the unlimited love that God has for you (and them).  God’s love is a living reality.  And when you think about how GREAT God’s love is, remember that you can be an imitator that love.  And the circle will be complete. 

Note to my readers:  We can’t go wrong when we are imitating God!  Thanks for reading!!  ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Life can be hectic.  Merriam Webster defines hectic as, “characterized by activity, excitement or confusion.”  The dictionary further lists agitated, frenzied, overactive and overwrought as some of its synonyms.

It seems like those synonyms describe my life at times.  I say things like, “I have too much on my plate right now”, or “I don’t have enough time to get everything done.”  Sound familiar?  It can be frustrating because most of us like peace and quiet!  But it certainly seems that there are times when life can move too fast for us to be able to stop.  If you are like me, you might feel like you are just too busy to even slow down.

When I get overwhelmed, I may yearn for the “good old days”.  But what are the good old days, really?  We might find that the “good” in those old days is simply a matter of perspective.  Are we yearning to be a kid again?  Of course, life was simpler when we were children; we didn’t have as much responsibility.  But who wants to go through growing up all over again?  Are we yearning to go back in time?  We might find those by-gone days were hectic in their own way, contrary to our romantic notions. 

My parent’s and grandparent’s lives were very different than mine.  They were affected by not only the great depression, but also WWI and WWII.  My grandfather lost his home in the depression when my mom was a little girl.  My great uncle was killed in the war.  I’m sure that those situations weren’t easy.  Those times must have been extremely hectic, and very difficult. 

How many times have we heard our parents say that things were very different (implying better) when they were young?   How many times have we said (and meant) the same thing?  Our parent’s lives may have been simpler, but they weren’t necessarily easier.  They did much more manual labor because they had fewer modern conveniences.  They worked hard for what they had, and they took great care of their belongings because replacing them could be problematic – they had no credit cards!  Even in their simplicity, those years could be hectic.  But just like any other time period, there were good times too.  My mom often told stories of taking her nickel and going to the movies on Saturday.  There were lots of family outings, and a love for the out-of-doors and life’s simple pleasures.

My generation saw many changes to my parent’s lifestyle.  We were inundated with modern conveniences, we didn’t always need to work hard for our money, things became disposable, and debt became acceptable.  With those changes, one could imagine that life would be less hectic, but it is not.  Yet our lifestyle is also conducive for entertainment and recreation. 

I see the upcoming generation as working even less, spending even more, and caring little for traditional values.  I see that generation being even more hectic because they are losing an appreciation for the simple things of life and demanding constant stimuli.  I wonder what simple pleasures they will enjoy.  Will it all be electronic??

Our minds are designed to blot out bad memories and hold on to good ones.  Perhaps, that’s why each generation remembers their time as better than that of the current generation.  I know that my parents and grandparents worried much about my generation – the advent of rock music was very distressing to them.  They were concerned that the changes our generation was experiencing would be our undoing.  But we thought their concerns were totally unfounded!  We loved our music and the modernization of our culture.  We fancied ourselves as pioneers and forerunners.  We thought we could fix all the wrongs of the world. 

But I bet every generation throughout history thought the same thing.  Considering that, for my grandparent’s generation, the Civil War was recent history, they must have felt an urgent need to make the world a better place.  My parent’s generation saw the beginning of radio, movies, phones and TVs. I’m sure they felt that they were changing the world in every way. 

My generation has seen radio broadcasts become online streaming.  Our TVs went from outlandish boxes with a small black and white picture to giant flat-screens with 4-K resolution that is clearer and brighter than our eyes’ own sight.  I can remember my grandmother’s party-line phone plugged into the wall as I walk around doing a FaceTime video on my cell.  How far will we go?

There is no question that life is different for each generation, but that doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse – just different.  Our parents worried about us with all the changes they saw, and we are concerned for our kids and grandkids with all the changes we see coming.  But we must remember that there is no new thing under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).  Each generation has or had its good points and bad.  It is up to us to learn from the past generations and incorporate as much as possible of their good into our present generation, then relay as much of that as we can to the next generation. 

I think it is safe to say, that generally life is and always has been hectic.  Since we cannot change the time in which we live, we need not yearn for the past, nor worry for the future.  We can have peace when we are born again because God gave it to us.  It is the goodness of God that led us to repentance, and it is His grace that keeps us going.  When our lives are particularly hectic, and we feel like we can’t slow down, God can still help and guide us.  He can help us put on the brakes and provide us with serenity.  And even though it might seem counterintuitive at the moment, when we stop and take time to pray, hectic becomes manageable.  No matter how hectic our lives may get, we can always take a minute pray.  And that minute might surprise us by how marvelous the things are that God will do for us!

Note to my readers:  Many thanks for taking time out of your hectic schedule to read my blog.  It blesses more than you can know.  Love you!

A while ago I wrote about my stuff.  I have a lot of stuff!  I like my stuff.  I enjoy having my stuff.  Much of my stuff has sentimental value.  Some of my stuff is very important to me (like my pictures).  And the rest of my stuff just helps me function in my daily life. 

We all have stuff, and that stuff is unique to each one of us.  It reflects our personalities, our tastes and our lifestyles.  I know a couple in NJ who have been all over the world and have stuff from all their travels.  I like looking at their stuff and hearing the stories behind it.   Also, I have a friend in Ohio who is a very talented artist.  Her stuff exhibits that talent.  She considers her house a place to display the stuff that she collects, and her displays are museum-quality arrangements.  Seeing her stuff is an absolute pleasure, and a beautiful showcase of her talent.

Over my lifetime, I have had a plethora of stuff.  If I had kept ALL the stuff that I’ve had throughout my life, I would need a warehouse.  But fortunately, stuff  comes and goes from our lives.  One reason for that is that stuff is relative to our stage of life.   For instance, I don’t have the time or inclination nowadays to play with the toys I loved as a child.  And I couldn’t have cared less as a child about flow blue dishes.  So that’s why I don’t have a lot of toys now, and that’s why my grandmother didn’t give me her flow blue dishes until I was grown. 

Stuff also cycles through our lives.  When we lived on the farm, my stuff was indicative of country living.  I had gingham tablecloths and enameled tin canisters.  I had canning pots and a Hoosier cabinet.  Now that we live in Florida, I no longer have any of those things. 

Moving is one of the best activities for stuff management.  Not only does moving force us to give serious thought to what stuff we need and what stuff we don’t; but also new environments invite us to leave the old stuff behind and get new stuff.  And almost everybody likes to get new stuff! 

However, it is necessary to manage our stuff whether we move or stay put.  There is nothing wrong with staying put, there are lots of benefits of doing that.  But it is easy to amass too much stuff if we are in the same place for a long time.  Without the impetus of moving, stuff can over-accumulate.  Managing stuff involves organizing it, which helps us see our stuff in a better perspective.  If we have too much, we must determine what stuff stays and what goes.  We must decide what is profitable and what is not.  Only we can make those determinations for ourselves.  I dare not judge how you take care of your stuff, and you should not judge my choices – (unless we solicit that advice, which I often do). 

Another effect of having too much stuff is clutter.  Clutter happens when stuff becomes unmanageable.  The most common reason for that is volume.  The old adage, “a place for everything and everything in its place” is a good rule of thumb for stuff management.  However, even that rule is subject to personal application. 

You may be wondering why I’m talking about all this stuff.  Well, it occurred to me that stuff is more than just the objects we have.  Memories, feelings, opinions, worries, fears, and beliefs are also stuff we have in our lives. 

As our lives have unfolded, thoughts were generated from the experiences we encountered.  And those thoughts produced all the stuff listed above.  The thoughts we obtain from our experiences can affect us either positively or negatively; and we must determine what stuff we retain from those thoughts.  Will we cling to the positives or give in to the negatives?  Will the positives make us arrogant?  Will the negatives make us sour?  It’s up to each of us to make those decisions.

Just like the objects in our lives, we must manage the stuff in our minds.  Do we like the stuff that is in our minds?  Do we enjoy having it?  Does the stuff in our minds help us?  Or are we hanging on to stuff that we should have let go of a long time ago?  Are we collecting too much stuff in our minds?  We can apply the management practices that we utilize for our physical stuff on our mental stuff as well. 

Are we holding on to everything that our minds have collected over our lifetime?  Is your mind a giant warehouse?  Maybe a quaint little shop would be easier to manage.  Although we may have wonderful precious memories, there are some memories that we should not keep.  God designed us to be able to forget the bad stuff. 

Are we still playing with childhood toys as grown-ups?  Maybe we should consider our stage of life and put stage-appropriate stuff in our minds.  Are we allowing the stuff in our minds to cycle through?  Are we replacing the old stuff with exciting new stuff?  Is there clutter in our minds?  It might be time to clean house! 

If we are not enjoying our physical stuff, generally we change it.  We can do the same with the stuff in our minds.  If we have too much stuff or stuff we don’t want in our minds, dump it!  I am not making light of that task, but it is that simple (I didn’t say easy).  Just throw it out like the trash! 

We have a million excuses for keeping physical stuff we don’t need.  My most common excuse is that I might need it someday.  I never do!  What about the stuff in our minds?  If we are hanging on to thoughts that we don’t need; what excuses are we using?  “I might need this fear someday”?  “That resentment might come in handy in the future”?  I think we all would agree that those are NOT valid arguments for keeping those feelings. 

I want my physical stuff to be a blessing.  I want it to evoke pleasant feelings.  If I have something that doesn’t do that, I don’t keep it around, and I usually try to replace it with something that is pleasant.  I can’t guarantee that my stuff blesses anyone else like it does me, but I try to keep the overall atmosphere in our home positive and uplifting for everyone who visits.  What about our minds?  Do the thoughts in our minds evoke pleasant feelings for us?  If they don’t, why not replace them?  Why not keep the overall atmosphere in our minds positive and uplifting?  Then when we express our ideas, they will evoke pleasant feelings to those who hear us.

Of course, the most positive and uplifting thoughts are God’s thoughts.  God has communicated His thoughts to us through His words, which are written in the Bible.  When those words fill our thoughts, the stuff we have in our minds will be the best stuff.  It will be easily entreated.  It will be uplifting, positive and powerful.  And best of all it will be right! 

Even if you aren’t where you want to be in your surroundings or in your mind; there is always something positive to hold onto.  If you can think of nothing else, remind yourself that God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten son for you.  If your surroundings are unsatisfactory or your thoughts are a mess, remembering how much God loves you is the first step in changing that. 

If you are in a place in your life where you are blessed, be thankful.  Although our physical stuff can make us happy, it isn’t the stuff that brings us peace and joy.  That comes from the stuff we hold in our minds.  And true peace and joy come from having God’s Word in our minds. 

Note to my readers:  I will be away for the next 2 weeks, so I will post again in 3 weeks.  You’re the best!  Thanks for reading! 

Here it is, May again.  May flowers are blooming after April’s showers.  May begins summer-like weather.  May closes out the school year.  And May celebrates mothers.  All in all, May is a pretty good month! 😊

Being a mother myself, I know how hard mothers work, how thankless their job can be, and how many sleepless nights they may endure.  But I also know that from the first moment a mother holds her newborn child, something happens in her heart that changes her life.    

There is a scripture that asks, “could a woman forget her nursing child?” (Isaiah 49:15)  God uses a mother’s love, care and concern for her children as a tangible example of His love, care and concern for us.  It is almost unfathomable for most of us to imagine a mother ever forgetting her child.  However, this verse says that it is possible, but that God NEVER forgets us.  As strong as a mother’s bond may be, it can be broken.  But God’s bond with us is unbreakable because His love is infinite. 

I will readily admit that I wasn’t the greatest mother in the world.  As much as I loved my kids, I had the patience of gnat; and most of the time, I was guessing at whatever I was doing.  It is by the grace of God that my children grew up to be the wonderful adults they are today. 

But I took my job seriously and I tried to do it well because I wanted the best for my kids.  From the time they were born, I wanted them to learn about God.  I wanted them to have a strong relationship with Him, because I knew how much that meant to me, and how good it would be for them.  When they were little, I read Bible verses and sang Bible songs to them.  I prayed for them and taught them to pray.  I took them to Bible fellowships.  I tried to make the Bible as much a part of their lives as it was of mine.  And it was a good life for them.  They had a network of friends at fellowship, they learned a lot about the Bible, and they were surrounded by good Christian examples. 

Throughout their school years, Bible fellowships were still a big part of my children’s lives.  They had good friends who were part of the group, and they were exposed to a lot of Bible teachings.  A good foundation was laid.  But later in the high school and young adult years, time for fellowships and Bible teachings seemed to become secondary to all their age-related activities.  The Bible wasn’t lost to them, just kind of put on the back burner. 

At that time, this scripture became my go-to verse:

Proverbs 22:6  

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

This is a promise in God’s Word.  God promised that He would NEVER leave us nor forsake us, right? (Hebrews 13:5)  Will He ever leave or forsake our children?  NO!  If our children are not as enthused about God as we are, do we stop loving them?  No.  Do you think God stops loving them?  Absolutely not!  God is patient with us and patient with our kids.  It is the goodness of God that will lead them to Him (or back to Him).

In reminiscing about raising my children, I could think of all the times that I fell short or missed the mark.  I could compare myself to the ‘super-moms’ and feel very second-rate.  But I don’t do that.  I see the journey as my kids and I learning and growing together.  I used to say, “If only I knew then what I know now, I would have been a better mom.”  But – I would not know now what I do without going through the experiences that taught me.  So, I guess that’s not a valid argument.  The best that I can say is that I love my kids and always have.

We moms just love our kids and are thankful for them, no matter what age they are.  If you are a new mom, savor those sweet years of innocence.  They go by so fast, and it may be the only time that you have them all to yourself.    

If you are a mom of a teenager or 20-something, remember the promise (Proverbs 22:6).  Remind yourself of all the dumb stuff you did at that age.  And always remember,  “this too shall pass.”    

If your children are grown, relish your relationship with them now.  It is so fun to enjoy their company as adults.  And even more fun to watch them with their children.  You can sit back and slyly quip, “Been there. Done that.”   

If you are a grandmother (or great-grandmother), your cup runneth over!  Grandchildren are your reward for a job well done.  All the hard work you put into raising your children has paid off and now you get to have fun with your grandchildren while someone else does all the hard work! 

May celebrates mothers because mothers are an essential part of life. None of us would be here without one!  If you love your mom or your relatives who are moms, or if you know a mom that you admire, take a minute this Mother’s Day to express your thanks for their lives.  If you are a mom, enjoy your day!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

Note to my readers:  Thanks for reading!