MY LOVE AND ME

Fear gripped my whole being as I looked at the ceiling, with questions in my head

It has been a long hard time being separated from the one I love as he serves his country

I will be thrilled when he finally arrives at the airport where I can put my arms around him

But life will be very different, I might move away from friends to a place I do not know

What if I am not the kind of wife I should be and he is disappointed?

What if the children have a hard time with us all being together?

What if we have clash, or disagree, or do things that bother each other?

What if we can't work out our problems and we scream at each other?

I want to be able to show him how much I love him and care for him

I want him to talk to me when things get tense and I am not sure what to do next

I want him to hold me and tell me how much he cares even in the hard times

 

In the distant land of Korea lays the sad lonely solider, husband, unable to close his eyes

He longs to be home with his wife and family but at the same time he has questions

Does my wife love me enough to stick out the hard times?

Do my girls even remember who I am or will they be so angry I have been gone

Will they run, hug and kiss me and tell me how much they love me or want to stay away?

What will life be like again back in the states with my new family and all the changes?

Will my wife be patient, as I try to get things back together or will we fight all the time?

Will my brother talk to me or does he really hate me as much as I fear?

Will I ever relax so I can sleep a peaceful rest and clear my head?

I long to be back home with those that love me and that I love

I want to hold my wife and play with my kids laughing with not a care in the world

 

The time has come when their eyes need to close to get what sleep they can

But first what do they do to help them get through the night

Each kisses a picture of their love holding the frame tight as if it was really them

Touching the face in the picture with tears in their eyes wishing he/she was their

As they drift off to sleep both say a good night to their love in their hearts

With a last I love you on their lips for the night and a longing for their presence

Their dreams are the troubles of their day and the happiness of their future

What do they wake to, a day closer to behold the eyes of the one they love

As they go through their day their thoughts keep going to each other

A strange smile comes across their face as they recall the fun times

Warmness fills their heart as they think of the reunion coming soon

Dreams

I sluggishly go to my bedroom

Worn out from a busy day at work

I drag myself around getting dressed

Then I lay my weary head on my pillow

The troubles of my life seem to pour in

Until that moment I was able to lay them aside

I closed my eyes they pop back open

I try my best to block life's difficulties out

It is a struggle to lay it all aside

The woes of my past seem to haunt me

The worst time is in the darkness of night

I cannot busy myself doing anything else

As I do when I am up and about

I lay as still as I can, holding my eyes closed

I drift into a restless sleep of tossing

Dreams come in full blown colors and sounds

I have struggled with them many a nights

Last night as I found myself half waking as I often do

In my head I just shouted no dreams tonight

God please take them away

As many times I found it necessary

I must say I was surprised at the result

God must have scared them right away

They did not come in all their fullness

Sleep was not plenty either but I won't complain

Those pesky dreams did not fill my head

They were not my complain when I woke

I felt thrilled not to have them in my little mind

What a great way to start another day

 

Joe to the Rescue

I would like to go to church
I hear kids at school talk about God
Sunday School is where they learn
They tell me their teacher is the best
The other day a man came by our house
He talked to my mom and he said
"Just call me Joe or pastor if you want
I drive a bus that comes this way
To pick up children every Sunday
Would you like me to come by for yours?"
He turned and winked at me
My fingers were crossed
As my mom thought for a few minutes
"Yes" she said as she looked at me
He turned to leave with a big smile
"I will see you Sunday little girl"
He spoke as he walked by me
I did go to church that Sunday
That teacher is great
I learned about Gods' love
I am glad Joe stopped by my house
Joe to the rescue I do say
Happy day, happy day

Who Was That Man?

I hurried down a busy street to meet with friends

These ladies I had not seen for a long while

I bought the most flattering dress to astonish

The shoes were even the newest of style

I did not dress like this normally but I wanted to impress

My pace was slowed when I found myself behind an old man

His cloths were tattered, his hair a mess

As I started to pass him, he looked up with a big smile

At which time I noticed teeth missing and a dirty face

I gave him a slight smile and nodded my head

He kept smiling as I went by as fast as I could

I was very careful not to brush against him

I did not want to get dirt on me, what a mess he was

I arrived at the restaurant to find my friends

They looked great as I knew they would

I was proud of how I looked as well

My mind kept returning to that poor old man

Why was he such a mess, where does he live?

Does he have anyone to help care for him?

I finally pushed his weather warn face from my mind

After spending a less then delightful time with my friends

I hurried home to change back into the real me  

The next day as I was going on my way

That man once again I saw by the side of the road

I turned and gazed the other way as I drove by

Pretending like my eyes did not catch his stare

It was kind of odd twice my eyes would fall on him

The rest of the week passed without my eyes spying that man

He did not leave my mind with that big smile of his

Getting busy with my chores of running here and there

That man pretty much had left my mind until

I saw my own dad that Sunday then it happened

In my mind popped that mans tattered, worn face

I could not escape his gaze I carried in my brain

There was something about that big smile of his

I wondered how his smile could be so enormous

It appeared he had no money for he appeared so unkept

Why didn't his family help take care of him I wondered?

Rest did not come easy since his arrival into my life

I began to pray that I would see him again, I did not know why

The next day I was walking down that same familiar street again

There he was with the giant smile on his face as he sat on the sidewalk

I took the time to stop, I did not plan on being there long

I ask about his family, but he had no one that cared for him

I had many questions running through my mind

Quickly the though jumped in my head from I don't know where

That he must be hungry sitting here on the sidewalk like this

I invited him to the restaurant down the street to have a bite with me

He objected at first but my compelling words convinced him

People pointed as we entered but his big smile never left his face

He just ordered a hamburger and fires as did I

We chatted while waiting for our food, he was very interesting

Our food arrived, he bowed his head quietly for a minute

Was he praying I wondered as I watched his lips move?

When finished he ate very slowly as if to savory very bite

 "How can you have such a huge smile on your face?" I asked

He looked up at me with very caring eyes and began

"If I share a smile with someone it might help them through their day

I never know what a hard day they might be having"

"But you" I interrupted "are living here on the street"

"Yes, I am" he said not losing his smile. "I have met some great people

Coming and going here on this street God sent you my way

God sends special people your way if we only look"

We continued talking as we ate then we went our way

I never saw this man again but have always remembered his words

"God sends special people your way if we only look"

Do you really believe?

I have been reading in Matthew about Jesus healing many people of many different diseases and sicknesses. For example (Matthew 9:27-30) When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, 'Son of David, have mercy on us." And when He comes into the house, the blind men came to Him; And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then HE touched their eyes, saying, "ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH LET IT BE TO YOU." And their eyes were opened.

WOW!!! One day these men are walking around bumping into things trying to find their way to wherever they wanted to go and trusting people to help them along the way and the next day they can see because they had faith. They must have believed with all of their heart because they were healed according to their faith. If they were just saying they had faith but really didn't believe at all, I guess they would have walked away from that experience just as they went in, blind. God knows what is really in the heart. Our words might say we believe in God but do we really?

If God said to you today that he would heal you according to your faith, would you have complete healing? Would you go around only seeing cloudy objects instead of a clear picture of what things really are? There are things that shake us and trouble us, but does that mean our faith has to wavier? I don't think so. I believe it is those times that we need to draw closer to God and allow Him to have control of our lives, making our faith even stronger. In these troubled times, let's draw closer to the One that can and does heal all kinds of diseases and sickness. May God bless you today with His healing power.

Have you fallen down?

We have all fallen down in our lives. We have all at some point not measured up. Life is full of ups and downs; it is what you do with them that count. Let's think about a child for a few minutes. When they are learning to walk, what would happen if they fell the first time? They might become afraid to try again. It might be days before that child will take that step again. The parents get down on the floor with them looking into their beautiful eyes; they assure them they can do it. Then it happens, the child again tries pulling on the coffee table and gradually walks along the width of the table. The parents are so excited, they say all the right words and try to encourage them to let loose and take a step toward them. It might not happen right then, but eventually that child gets enough courage to step away from the table and off they go. Everyone is so proud of them and they begin to cheer.

There are a few lessons we can take away from children. First, when you fall down, go ahead and have a cry if you need to while you're sitting there, but do not stay down. Reach for something or someone to help pull you up. As adults when we fall many times, we seem to isolate. The problem is we don't want people to be disappointed in us and beside we can work it out ourselves. My question is, how does that really work for you? I know for myself it doesn't work real well. Stop worrying what someone is going to say and just reach out. I must say that God will lead you to the right person to reach out to. Allow them to help pull you up; even if you have to keep ahold of them for a while until you get your legs steady enough to stand again. Second, let go of them and take a step. You know they will be there for encouragement and support whenever you need it. Third, dust yourself off and keep on walking. You do not need to carry that old garbage with you on your now new journey.

Walking life's journey is not always easy, but you can do it. You need the right guide to help you with those decisions that you will need to make. The best guide that I know of is God. When we fall short of what He expects of us He doesn't throw us away. He helps us brush ourselves off to keep going. If you don't brush yourself off it makes your walk more of a stumble, because you are carrying a load that is not necessary. God takes that load by His forgiveness and love. Are you ready for a lighter load? It can be yours for the asking. Have a great day enjoying a walk instead of wallowing in the dust and mud. 

Running On Empty

Throwing the things I need to take with me in the back seat and off I head for my meeting. I hate being late but sometimes it just can't be helped.  Then as I back out of the drive way, I notice that my car is almost on empty. The question that quickly pops into my mind, can I make it or do I really need to stop and get gas? I am not a strong believer that running on fumes is a good thing. Now the lack of gas is running in my mind as well as the fact that if I stop to refill my tank, I could be late. The closer I get to the gas station, the more my focus is on the gas gauge. I slowly pull in to fill my tank.  I am sure I can spare a few minutes to fill my tank. I get right to a pump and start the process. Of course I get the slowest pump in the whole world. It must be dripping one drop at a time, then taking a break. I keep an eye on my watch about the time. I still have time to make it, but it will be awful close. As the gas drips into my car, I tell myself I shouldn't have let my car get so close to empty in the first place. Anyone that drives, know s you cannot drive when your tank is empty.

That is the same way as our lives. We need rest to replenish my body. If you do not sleep, then to be real productive the next day is, a slow start or it just might not happen at all. Rest is necessary for us to fill our body's tank with energy for the activities of the next day. Also food is another thing you need to help your body function in the way it is meant. If you starve your body, there are many things that can happen to your physical body as well as mental state of mind. To help keep your body and mind healthy, rest, eat right, and exercise. Do not allow your body to run on empty. It is not like you can pull up to a gas station and fill it up and be on your way. When you keep running on empty, it catches up with you and it can do permeant damage.

Then there is your spiritual body. You don't want it to run on empty either.  To keep your spiritual tank filled, you need to read your Bible every day. You don't have to read a whole book every day, but read some verses. Think about them and see how God can use those verses to speak to your life. Pray every day; this is just talking to God. It is not as hard as we seem to make it sometimes. You do not need fancy words. You just need to be yourself and talk to Him as if He is your good friend. Also, you need to find a church and maybe a small study group to attend. It helps you to gain strength when you fellowship with other people that are believers. You will realize other people have struggles as well. You are not in this battle alone. Sometimes when you face trials, you feel you are in them all by yourself, which is why a strong support group (church group) is important. Don't let your spiritual life run on empty, giving the devil a spot to put his finger into and tear you apart. Keep strong in the Lord. As you reach out to others, not only does it help you, it also helps them.

Do not run on empty. The fumes might give you a headache and cause you to pass out. Keep your life filled with the things that are healthy and of God, to keep your engine perking along. You might be surprised; it might even add a smile to your face. May you have a great day living with a full tank.

Ripple Affect

My husband, Steve and I were talking about ripple effect, which reminded me of college days. I have always enjoyed the rain, but this one night in particular I was standing at the back door in the dorm watching it rain. I stood there for quite a while just watching the rain hitting an already puddle of water. I became lost in thought as I watched; I am not sure how long I stood there just gazing at that puddle. It was not a heavy rain, but each time a rain drop splashed into the puddle it sent out a ripple that affected the whole puddle. Not one drop went unnoticed!! Some of the drops made a bigger splash than others, but they all plopped and rippled.

As I sat on the couch the other night after our conversation, I was thinking how our lives are like that of the rain and the puddle. We are born into this world. Our birth does not go unnoticed. From that point forward we touch lives, so we ripple out. You might not think you are touching others, but the fact is everyone you come into contact with, you are touching their lives. The people that you hold the door open for at the store that doesn't even act like they notice you, might think about that later. It might only be a little ripple, hardly even noticed, but it is a ripple. Then there will be those bigger ripples like the people you come in contact with on regular basis.

The thing I think about when this comes to mind is what kind of ripple do I leave? One that is positive or negative? I want to leave an impression (ripple) that is positive. One that people will be glad I smiled as they walked by. One that when I hold the door for someone, they will remember that I smiled even if they didn't think to say thank you. I might have only been a little ripple in their life but I want it to be helpful and uplifting as it comes to their minds. As people watch our lives and see how we affect the others that we come in contact with, what will they see? Is it going to be a big splash? Or is it going to be a calm gentle ripple that spreads out to encourage others? Have a great day as you impact others, use it wisely.  

New Beginnings

Spring is right around the corner. When I think about this time of the year, I think about the freshness it brings, flowers, buds on trees, the grass turns greener and it seems like a breath of fresh air. Our lives have new beginnings as well. From the time we are children until the day we die. We might not have thought about it very much but each stage of our lives is a new beginning; we make choices of the path we are going to follow. As I have been pondering these thoughts, a Bible character came to mind and his new beginnings. That is what I want to share with you today.

This story takes place in the book of Acts, chapters 7-9 (you really need to read the full account). We are going to talk about Saul and his three new beginnings. Saul first is mentioned at the scene of Stephen a Christian is getting stoned to death (chapter 7) He was not throwing the stones, but he was in full agreement of what they were doing. (I want to share a little about Saul that you find out later in some of his writings, is that he knew the Law and was very well educated. He did not think that Jesus was the Messiah and what the Christians like Stephen was saying were not true. All of this comes more to light as you study his writings.) On the very day that Stephen was stoned to death, a great persecution started against the church at Jerusalem (8:1). They were going into homes dragging off men and women that were believers and putting them into prison. Saul's first new beginning was dragging Christians off and putting them into prison. He even went to the high priest and got a letter from him to go the synagogues in Damascus, stating that if he found any man or woman in the Way (Christians) then bind them and take them back to Jerusalem and put them in prison. A new beginning, he was on a mission to stamp out the Christians (9: 1- 3).

Second new beginning (9:3-7): While traveling those 135 miles to Damascus a light shone around him, he fell to the ground and the Lord spoke. God called him by name and asked him why are you persecuting me. Saul was trembling and asks God what do you want of me. God told him to go on into the city then you will be told. As Saul got up, his eyes were open but he was blind. The men with him had to lead him the rest of the way into the city. In those few minutes Saul went from being very important to being a blind man that was looked down upon, a very lowly person. He was blind for three days in the house, waiting, he did not eat or drink but was praying (9:11). What an interesting new beginning, one of blindness.

Third new beginning (9: 10-20): God sends Ananias to help Saul start his third new beginning. Ananias was in Damascus and God spoke to him to go to Saul. Ananias was not sure about this because he knew Saul was persecuting the Christians. But God told him to go. Saul is waiting for you. Ananias said okay and he went to the house where Saul was. He laid hands on him and said "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (9: 17). Listen to this, immediately something like scales fell from his eyes. He could see, he rose and was baptized. After he ate and got his strength back, he spent days with the disciples at Damascus. He started his great work for the Lord. He took three missionary journeys and wrote thirteen books of the New Testament. What a great new beginning this was, he was even given a new name Paul.

II Corinthians 5:17 says, "For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become FRESH and NEW."  (J. B. Phillips translation)

What kind of new beginning do you want for your life? I want mine to be like Paul's, serving God with all my heart, soul, and might. My job will not be as great as Paul's but it is the one that God has for me and I need to keep on doing it. Don'ts be discouraged if you feel your job is small. It is great in the eyes of God and He is proud of you for doing the job he has given you. Get a fresh start and start your new beginning with the fullness of God guiding and directing your every step. May God bless you in your new beginning.

What do you have growing in your garden?

In the garden my parents planted we grew many different kinds of vegetables. We, us children, helped in planting and taking care of said garden.  During the summer we would hoe and pull weeds until it was time to harvest the produce. I must say the summer did not drag on once harvest time came along. Everything we grew was important for winter months. When mom opened those canned jars of food, cooked them and placed them on the table, the work of the summer was worth it. I might not have understood that fully while I was a child, but I did understand that we never went hungry. Mom was a good cook and always had plenty for us to eat. But what would have happened if the garden was never tended? The weeds would grow so large they would overtake your plants. Then when harvest time comes, there would be nothing to harvest. Winter would come and there would be nothing to get from the cellar and we would have gone hungry.

Our lives are kind of like a garden. People are always putting information into our live. For example they tell us who they think we are, also what they think we can and cannot do. They also tell us how valuable or not valuable they think we are. We let those things grow in our lives. At some point we might find the need to weed that information. Pull out the things that are not true and throw them away. Nourish those that are true and help them to grow. Allow the sun to shine on them and the water to feed them, so those good things keep springing forth. But there are times that we need help weeding our gardens. Sometimes we don't always see those little weeds that might be choking the real us. People that speak positive true things into our life are like the sun shining and a fresh drink of rain. Those are the ones that can help you weed your garden of life. Allow them to be the voice you hear when those weeds start to grow. Do not even allow those weeds to take root.

God has made you special and He wants to help you grow to be a big and strong you. He will send those that speak the truth about who you really are, to help you along your growing process. Allow God to help you keep a good healthy garden. Have a great day growing.

 

Don't blow your cork

When I was young our family had two gardens. When the garden was booming with delicious food, my mother would start the hard work of canning for the winter. It was a long, hard process. Us kids helped, but she was the brains behind the labors. I remember when she got her first pressure cooker. Matter of fact, I think it was the only one she ever had. I was, for some reason under the impression that it would take away from a lot of hard work and it kind of did after one learns how to use it properly. She didn't use it for a while because she was just uncertain how it could really do what she was told. On top of the lid, there was what looked to me like a plug, actually it looked like a hole and they just stuck a metal cork in it. It also had a round gadget on top to release the pressure.  I think this also bothered my mom some. I remember how long she would stand and look at that pan before she put it to the side. One day her pan was on the stove and there she stood. I walked over and stood beside her. I knew I had no words of wisdom for her, so I just looked at the pan. I thought she is getting ready to take the step. All of her sudden she turned her very firm face toward me and pointed to that plug. She said, "you see that," I nodded I did, "if I don't let the pressure out of the pan before I go to take the lid off, that will pop out of there and we will have a mess." I knew what that meant. I would be helping her clean up a big mess. Her eyes had grown in size as if fear was gripping her every being and it was not about a mess, because we had plenty of those to clean up in my day. I believe the fear was what kind of pressure that would be to force that cork out. I cannot remember her ever using it for canning. As the pressure mounted in the pan the pressure valve gave off a sizzle sound, then you knew it was ready to gradually release the air. Mom would put the prong of the fork through a hole in the gadget and the air came sizzling out. When all the air was out, the noise was done, you could remove the lid. I thought that was the greatest, but also knew it was nothing to play around with, because if not treated right, the blow up could cause a great disaster. It did blow up on her one time while cooking beans.

A pressure cooker makes me think of anger. Max Lucado says in his book Cast of Characters that, "Anger has a way of increasing in volume until it's the only sound we hear! The louder it gets the more desperate we become." When I read that, it gives me the picture of a person getting ready to blow his gasket. When a person gets angry they usually store that information in their brain and emotions, another thing happens, they put it on top, as does each next thing that happens and before long the pressure value starts to sizzle. If they are not listening and gradually let the steam out, they can blow the cork to the ceiling and everyone in the room will be the participant of the disaster.  They can be left wondering, whatever did I do for that to happen. The person that allows anger to build up without dealing with it, will end up a very angry person. Anger will happen, but the best thing to do is deal with it as it happens.

How do you release that valve? Talk to someone you trust. They can help you defuse what is going on inside. They can also help you get a better view of the whole picture.  When you cool down and have the opportunity, you should talk to the person; take someone with you in case it all goes south. You do not need a screaming match. Write down why it made you made angry.  You might find out it wasn't even really what the person said or did, it might have triggered something else altogether. One good reason to keep anger defused is, it can cause health issues, maybe not today but down the line.

Don't allow your life to be hindered by built up anger. Release the steam before you blow your lid. It is easier to release steam, than to clean up a gooey mess that can destroy relationships and people. Ask God to help not to be a hot head. Allow Him to guide you in your relationship with others, that you will show his love and compassion to flow through you. Keep releasing your steam in a safe way as you go about your day.

Do you have a giant in your life?

When you were between fourteen and sixteen what were you up to? If you are not that old yet, just think about what you might be up to. Starting high school, getting ready to start your first job, looking for the perfect girlfriend/boyfriend, thinking about college or just enjoying having a great time with your friends, that is what most kids at that age are up to.

Today the young boy we will be talking about is about that age. His name is David and he was shepherd. He took care of his father's sheep while his brothers went off to war. One day Jesse, David's father, asks him to take supplies to his brothers and check on them. He found a keeper for his sheep and started his journey. When he arrived, he took the supplies to the supply keeper and went to see his brothers. Little did he know the trouble that was brewing there in the Valley of Elah. He knew they were at war but did not know the big dilemma they faced. The dilemma was a big one and I'm not kidding. The Israelites were fighting the Philistines, and every morning a giant came out to taunt them. This giant, named Goliath, was a little over nine feet tall, his armor weighted about one hundred and fifty pounds, and the head of his spear was twenty pounds. No wonder they were all afraid. His armor was probably heavier than little David. He would say if anyone can fight and kill me, we will serve you, but if I kill him, you will serve us. The Israelites were not that big and I can picture them shaking in their sandals. Can you just picture that giant going back to his camp after scaring the Israelites and laughing as he ate his supper, while the poor Israelites were too afraid to even eat, worrying all evening what they are going to do. Now this young boy David comes along and wants to know why they are so afraid. They serve God. God will help them defeat Goliath. After King Saul heard what David had said, he sent for him. David told the king he would go fight this giant. King Saul said you are just a youth and this man that has fought since his youth. Then David proceeded to tell King Saul what he had been doing already in his life. He said "while I was keeping my father's sheep and when a lion or bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went after it, struck it, took the lamb from his mouth, when it rose against me I struck it and killed it, I have killed both a lion and a bear. The Philistine will be one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. "He went on to say, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will deliver me from the hands of this Philistine." (I Samuel 17:37) What kind of resume' is that? I can promise I didn't have that great of one when I was his age. The king gave him permission to go ahead and fight this giant. He even told him he could wear his armor. David could not even walk in the armor.  He gathered his own supplies put his staff in hand, gathered five smooth stones from the brook, put them in his shepherd's bag and a sling shot in hand. He was ready. Goliath came and saw David and was greatly insulted. He said "what do you think I am a dog, you are just a youth." Listen to the words of David," I come to you in the name of the Lord of host, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you and take your head from you." The fight is on. Goliath is furious by now. Little David never backed down.  He took a smooth stone, put it in his sling shot, off it went, hit Goliath in the forehead and down he fell. Dead just like David said, then he cut off his head. (You just must read the whole story. You can find it in I Samuel 17.)

What giant do you have in your life? What are you so afraid of, like the Israelites? Is it an addiction, drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, or is it a giant of fear, a feeling of worthlessness. Be like brave little David, stand up and take note that God will give you the strength to defeat the enemy. Say with David, the Lord will deliver me, then call on His name and allow that to happen. Start keeping a journal with all the great victories that God is doing in your life. Share these with others and help them also to know that God is a God that will deliver. God will help you take down every giant and give you great victory. May you have a great day slaying your giants. 

Jump Start

Have you ever had one of these days? You get up late, you know if you are late to work one more time it could really be bad news. Or you get up on time and the rest of the household decides they do not want to cooperate. They grumble about getting up, you think you have an understanding and they are on their way out of bed, you leave the room and they return to their slumber. You wait five minutes, no noise. You return to said room to find them fast asleep. With more encouragement, you persuade them you mean business and out of bed they come all the time complaining. You are trying to cheerful but you are losing it. You return to your room to finish getting yourself ready, and trying to get your good attitude back. Finally all of your pre-leaving activities are done everyone climbs into the car or you get in, whichever is the case. You put your key in the ignition, turn it and nothing happens. You are sure this cannot be happening; you try again with the same results. After laying your head on the steering wheel, as if this really can't be happening, you give it one more try with your fingers crossed, as if that will help. It does not help. You realize it is probably your battery. You say to your now panicking children, which are concerned now they will be late for school, "Don't worry John (your neighbor) hasn't left for work, I'll see if he can jump start the car". After you calm down the children, you go to your neighbor and John quickly assists you and you are on your way. What a morning.  You would have never made it without a jump start from a friend.

Every once in a while our lives need a jump start. That's not me you assure me. Great I am glad for that, but there are some of us that need that extra charge to get us up off the couch at times. No, do not run out and get the cables that John used to start the car and hook them up to yourself.  So are you doomed to a life of sitting on the couch? Not at all, first, you need to see that just sitting on the couch and not taking care of your needs, such as physical, nutritional, and mental, are not good for you. If you stay in that state, quickly you will find yourself depressed, never wanting to move. After you realize a problem exists, turn off the television, then march yourself to the bathroom get a long warm shower, get dressed up (for me that is clean pair of blue jeans and t-shirt), fix you something good to eat and decide what you should be doing. Next, call or go visit a good friend. At first your friend might seem shocked that you came to see them, but remember you have been isolating for a while and they just didn't expect to see you at their front door. Do not take that as a sign to go back home and hide in front of your television again. If you do this, it will be like hooking up jumper cables to your body. After the first initial shock to your body, it will start running better if you keep it up. If you do not have a problem, but are helping a friend, go see them, have them get dressed up, take them out, even if it's no more to drive around for some fresh air. Remember, it is not easy for yourself or your friend when this is first tried. Be patient with yourself or your friend, but DO NOT give up. Keep pushing yourself, and encouraging your friend. You might want to write down a schedule of things to do for each day. That will help give you direction for your days. Go outside and get some fresh air, take a walk to clear your mind.  You might be surprised at how much better you feel by just going outside for a while. Keep in contact with your friends. A good visit (on the phone or in person) with them is great medicine. Even if you have no place you really want to go for the day, you still need to get up and take care of your personal needs. Do not allow your couch to consume you and eat the life right out of you. You were created for more. God has a plan for your life. It is your job to find out what it is and do it. Just ask God to help you and He will. If you ever want to talk you can email me at alters30@yahoo.com. I have been there. I know how it feels to need a jump start to my life. You are a person of great worth and I would enjoy hearing from you.

I want to encourage you to start your day my reading your Bible and asking God for direction in your life. Talk to God as you would your friend. He is always ready and willing to listen. He will help you shake off the couch potato syndrome. I would love to hear what God is doing in your life. May He help you get jump started today.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Whenever I am troubled

            and lost in deep despair

I bundle all my troubles up

            and go to God in prayer…

 

I tell Him I am heartsick

             and lost and lonely, too,

That my mind is deeply burdened

            and I don't know what to do…

 

But I know He stilled the tempest

            and calmed the angry sea

And I humbly ask if His love

            He'll do the same for me…

 

An then I just keep QUIET

            and think only  thoughts of PEACE

And if I abide in STILLNESS

            my "restless murmuring" cease.

 

                        Mary Steiner Rice

Why do you hide?

When we were kids I liked playing games, matter of fact I still do. But my favorite thing was hide-n-seek. I have not played it for a long while but it was so much fun, especially when my oldest sister and her family came. We would wait until it got very dark, in the country there were no street lights to distract from the awesomeness of the game. I would hide the best I could, but they would always find me. But my brother-in-law was an awesome hider. He would always be the last one that was found, that is if we could find him. Even when we called that everyone could come in free, he still stayed in the darkness. We never knew where he was going to hop out at you. When he finally came in, we would ask where he was and for the longest time he said he was hiding in plain sight. Then he would laugh and go into the house. One night when we said he could come in, he started laughing.  There he was sitting on the fence post in plain sight. I don't even know how he got up there. But we were all laughing, when he jumped down into the light. What a wonderful memory, my hide-n-seek hero.

Sometimes as adults we hide and it is not a fun game. We wear a mask with a broad smile and have a laugh on our face. We hide who we really are, how we hurt, and the fear of failure that seems to swallow us up. I know not everyone hides who they really are, but there are hurting people in our world today that are afraid. A great fear is, if someone really knows them, they will not like them any longer. They live in fear of  being rejected. They live in fear of not measuring up. That is an awful place to live. You see the world laughing and seeming to have a good time, so you do the same trying to fit in. Then, when you are alone, the fear creeps into every part of you and it is hard to function. What happens then? You crawl under the covers and hope no one finds out about the darkness that grips you. Do not hide any longer.  Take a chance on your friends. Allow them in to help you. Trust them when they say you are valuable and they care. Then, when the fear starts to overwhelm you, think on those things, even if you have to really force yourself to think positively of yourself. They are telling you the truth. You are valuable. Everyone stumbles and falls sometimes, but the key is not to stay there. Keep getting up. Keep pushing on. Keep smiling even when you don't want to, because eventually it will start to be how you really feel. Stay around positive people that love you. Make God the center of who you are. You will be surprised how it will change your world.

For us that know these people, there is something for us to do also. Love them, even when you don't understand them. We will not always understand how everyone feels, but we can always be there for them. We are called to treat others as God treats us and He loves us with an unconditional love, we are to do the same. We are not to judge, that is God's job. We are to be that loving friend. We never know when we will need them to be that loving friend for us. We all need each other.

Let's not hide so well that people stop looking for us or give up on us. Let's keep jumping into the light where we can be seen. Let's really laugh and have a great time loving each other. May God bless you and fill you with His braveness to jump into the light and be seen.

Does the light ever burn out?

Someone asked me the other night what if your light burns out. It would be wonderful if a lightbulb never burned out, but that is not the case. After long use there will come a day when you flip the switch, there might be a flash and all will go dark. The bulb burned out. Off to the store you go to replace the bulb. Now you might say my last article was wrong, we are not like that. Stay with me and follow my thought.

Say you had a full time job, but the finances were tight and you needed another job. You find a job that you could work at night, because you were already working all day, sometimes ten hours. You take the job feeling assured you can handle it. You start the journey of a workaholic.  By the way that is not your whole schedule. You don't want to forget about your family. You also need to carve out time for church. A couple of weeks have passed and you're feeling good about yourself, you have everything under control. After a few more weeks it starts to creep up on you. The tiredness starts to slither into your soul. Time for church and family suffer. You are getting robbed of your sleep, because you worry about the example you are giving your family, because you find every excuse possible not to go to church so you can rest. Finally, you stop the excuses and just say I'm not going. .and that is that. You are burned out. Your lightbulb has burned out.

Some of you might be smiling saying that won't happen to me because I'm not married. Well consider this. You live in a different town then your family. You have found a good job and a great church that keeps you busy. The mindset of some people are; you are single you should do everything and go to everything. Everything goes along fine until. Will you do this, will you do that and before too long you have every night full and every day full. It is like working two full time jobs. Then you go see your family whenever you can fit it in. A member of your family becomes ill and the struggle begins. Every moment is taken your stress level has increased and again sleep is slithering away. What do you do? I can assure you that no matter what you do some people won't understand.

Therefore, in both situations you must take a deep breath and see what God wants you to do. When Jesus walked on this earth he took time away from everyone, even his disciples that he was training to call on God for guidance. He had to have time to rest even in the midst of a storm. (Matthew 8: 23-25) He was in the boat sound asleep when the storm came. The disciples became afraid. They woke him and said "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" He calmed the storm and the disciples. During Jesus' ministry he healed many people and performed many miracles. But he withdrew to be alone from time to time. He needed to refresh himself so he could talk to his Father, but I also think, he could better minister to the people. He was like us and I believe he needed rest for his body, soul and mind. I'm not sure if he could have suffered from burn out but since he was fully human, it sure is possible.

I know that God expects us to work for Him, reaching everyone we can, because time is short, but He also expects us to take care of ourselves. If you feel your light dimming, maybe you should take some time to refresh yourself, draw away for a short recoup, take a deep breath and allow God to help you figure out your next steps. Whatever you do, don't let your light totally go out. Keep on, keeping on. May God help you to keep your light burning bright.

You are like a lightbulb.

I heard the statement, you are like a lightbulb, probably in a sermon at our church. I never wrote down anything else but those five words. I guess at the time that was all that I found important. I don't know about you but when something like that hits me, I try to hurry, find a pen and write it down. Those words are what I like to call nuggets, because they are chunks of information that says a lot with few words. You might be sitting there scratching your head thinking I have lost my mind and you are not like a lightbulb. Stay with me for just a few minutes and let's see how you feel when I am done.

First of all, let's consider the lightbulb. It puts out a bright light that can fill the whole room. It only works when you flip the switch which causes the electrical current through a thin wire called a filament. Eventually the filament gets so hot that it glows, producing light. The whole key is you have to have the bulb in the socket when you flip the switch. If the bulb is lying on the table and you start flipping the switch it will not work because there is nothing on the table to make the electrical connection. Try it out for yourself. Put your lightbulb on the table in a dark room , flip the switch and see how bright it gets. You will not be surprised because you know it will not work. The lightbulb has to be connected to the source of the electricity that causes the filament to get hot to cause the glow.  

Second, we will consider ourselves. There are days we might mope around; you can say it is just a bad day, we just have no get up and go. Darkness seems to follow you everywhere you go. Then other days you are chipper and smiling, your whole day is brighter. Deep inside you have a happiness that flows to the outside, you have a glow about yourself. When you walk into a room you seem to bring brightness to that room. You light it up.  People enjoy the positive vibes that flow forward. You have connected to your inner electricity. Sounds like a lightbulb to me putting off a glow. No, we do not have to be put in a socket to get that juice flowing through our veins. We can do things for ourselves ,like stay positive, hang out with positive people, and keep healthy (yes keeping healthy will also help your outlook on life). But I really believe that putting God first in your life is like the electricity that flows to the lightbulb. We plug into Him every day by reading the Bible and praying, He will help us shine the rest of the day. People will notice a glow about you that you did not have before. You will light up a room with your smile. People might not say anything about it but they notice. Just leave your Bible on the table and never pray and see if people notice the difference. They will, and you will feel the light go out in our life. In Matthew 5: 16, Jesus says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

We have a different connection than the lightbulb to make us shine but none the less, we need to be shining. Now do you think you are like a lightbulb? I hope you let God be your power to shine. May you have a great day, shining.

What's at your door?

I consider myself a pretty brave person until I went to visit my friend that lives way out in the country.  As it got darker there was a noise outside I certainly thought I could go outside and see what was going on. Then my friend said her husband would go out and check to see what it was. He was busy and I told her I could step out onto the porch and see what was going on, at this point I was not afraid. Then she began to tell me about the wild animals they had in the area and they would even come up on the porch. I quickly felt glued to my chair and did not offer to go out again. Anyone that knows me well knows I have a fear of dogs let alone wild animals. I am sure if I opened the door and a wild animal was sitting there ready to pounce on me I would faint then the beast could just have the house. I know that is what my friend was afraid of. Even at my house where there are no wild animals and I walk outside and see something squatting at my door I want it taken care of. I do not mind asking someone much braver than myself, Steve, to take care of it for me.

So when I was reading in Genesis 4 about Abel and Cain it stirred these feelings inside me. If you have not read the story for a while I would encourage you to do so. I will sum it up very briefly. Abel and Cain were brothers. They had different professions Abel was a keeper of the flock and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time they brought offerings to God, Cain brought fruit of the ground and Abel brought the firstlings of his flock.  My study Bible says that "Evidently they had both been told of the necessity for a blood sacrifice as an expression of true faith." Therefore, God was not pleased with Cain's offering. Cain did not like this and he became angry with his brother. God quizzed Cain about his anger (verses 6-7) Why are you angry? Why has your countenance fallen? If you are doing well your countenance will show it.  "If you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Cain did not heed God's words. He did take care of the sin that crouched at his door. He allowed the sin of jealousy, and anger to grow. It grew until it was such a festering mess that he killed his brother. Then when God asked him where his brother was and he lied to God and said I don't know. He had to suffer the consequences of his sin, it was not pleasant for him. His life took a drastic change from then on.

I want you think about this question do you have sin crouching at your door? The devil doesn't care if you get it taken care of. He is pleased if it festers and gets ugly. He isn't even concerned if you do something as awful as Cain did. As long as you are not doing what pleases God he is smiling. Do not allow sin to crouch at your door and take control, get rid of it right away. Wipe that smile right off the devils face and put a big smile on the face of God by doing the right thing. It will also change your countenance. You will have a smile. May you have great days defeating the sin that crouches at the door. 

Who will you listen to?

Have you ever known anyone and thought they just have it made, they was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I might be showing my age because I'm not sure if that is even a saying in today's world. But what is meant everything is given to them from the time they were born they never had to work for anything. They have all the advantages you never had because your parents were not rich. Things were not given to you and your life has been a struggle. Myself and the people I know can relate to you. If you check into the lives of those more fortunate than you, you might discovery something shocking. They could be going down a road of self-destruction. There sorrow could be worse than you ever dream. I would like to share with you such a story today.

I do not know this couple personally but I have read their story over a number of times. A couple that had everything.  They had it made in the shade. No cares, no worries and no sorrows, they were heading down a beautiful path. Their names are Adam and Eve. If you have not read their story please do (Genesis). God had created a beautiful garden for them, he gave them dominion over everything. Adam got to even name all the creatures. The coolest of all things is God walked and talked with them. All God asked them not to do was to not touch or eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden (Genesis 3). Sound simple enough to me. He also told them the consequences if they did, they would die. That in itself would make me think twice before I even thought of going near that tree. One day while Adam and Eve were out a serpent approached Eve and spoke to her. The scripture does not say she was afraid of him. I can tell you I would either be passed out because it spoke to me or I would be stirring up dust from running so fast to get away. This was not the case with Eve. She had a conversation with him. He talked to her about the forbidden tree. He planted a question in her mind about the consequences and encouraged her to eat the fruit. "Eat the fruit it will make you wise like God" he said. That is when her life began to take a turn in the wrong direction. "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave to her husband with her, and he ate." (Genesis 3: 6)

She and Adam had everything and they gave it all up to have the one thing God said they could not have.  God gave them everything they would have ever needed. They blew it. God knew what they had done. When God asked what happened why they were hiding the blame game began Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, but the truth is each of them was to blame for their own part in the whole situation. Because of their disobedience everything went south.

God did not give up on them but they had a very different life after that. Sin (disobedience to God) separated them from God's perfect will for their lives.

There is a lesson here for us to learn. Sin has been a problem from that day until now. Their decision has impacted each of our lives. Our decisions impact the lives of those that follow in our footsteps as well. God has asked us to follow him and do his will. He has a path for our lives. We need to stop the blame game and take responsibility for the wrongs we do and ask God to forgive us and give us the strength and determination to do his will. If you have not read the story of Adam and Eve and how things all got started I would encourage you to do so. When you do keep your mind and heart opened so that God can speak to you. Let him shine his light on the words and message. Allow him to come into your heart and give you everything that you would ever need or want. May God richly bless you as you seek him.

Compassion and love

As I was getting ready to leave church a couple of Sundays ago, I stopped to talk to a dear man (we'll call Harry). Harrys wife (we'll call her Ellen) is sick an unable to attend church. I know she has dementia and asked how she was doing. Harry said she has her good and bad days. A little about dementia before we go any further with this story it attacks the brain and causes loss of memory. As it progresses the person does not remember the here and now the brain only recalls the past. As it gets worse that will also go and they do not remember anything. Some people can linger in that state for a number of years. It is a very sad state for them and the family. The love one you did know and love is no longer able to share many cherished memories that make the life you have lives together so very special and precious.  Continuing on with the story.

Harry said "I tell her I'm going to the kitchen to fix supper then as soon as I get in there she calls out and wants to know where he is." A smile came across his face as I waited to see what else would follow. He said "Ellen said the other day as soon as she found out who I am she is going to marry me." As he recalled this I could see the love in his eyes for his dear wife of over fifty years. All I could think of at the moment was WOW! I did tell him we wanted to go see her that week if he was okay with that. He said it would be fine come anytime.  As that Sunday went on I couldn't get Harrys smile out of my mind. The fact that even in a mind that is not well Ellen still found a deep love for Harry.

The next day my husband and I stopped and picked up her favorite cupcakes and headed to her house. She did not know who we was but welcomed us anyway. We found a pleasant lady that told us her husband was working and she was not sure when he would be back. You could see the love in her eyes for him as she talked. Then she talked about a time in her life that was from the far past. We were not too sure what time period she was in but that is how her life is now. We listened and entered into the conversation when we could. We gave hugs as time arrived for us to leave. I asked her if we could pray with her. Of course you can she said with a big smile on her face. I prayed for her and her family then we left. I left there thankful that I was able to have that time with one of God's children.

I cannot seem to get them out of my mind. Harry is truly a man that shows great compassion and love for his dear wife even when she doesn't remember who he is. I believe that true compassion comes from a heart that is full of love. If you do not really love someone it is hard to show the compassion needed in tough times rather it be a sickness or something else. God is like that. He is not only with us during the good times he is there is there in the bad as well. He never leaves us. When Jesus walked on this earth he showed compassion to people, matter of fact he was moved with compassion. Take time to read in the Gospels about Jesus and the compassion he showed people. He was showing us God in the flesh. Read with an open heart and allow God to really speak his love to you. God loves us so much he sent his son to die for us in spite of the bad we have done. All he is asking us is to love him back and serve him. Is that so hard? He might ask you to give up something you like doing, but stop and evaluate if that thing is good for you, does it help you be a better person? If you are struggling ready to give up give God a try and allow him to change your life. He will never forget your name and always be there for you. May God enrich you with some great Christian people that will help you see and know what his great love is all about.

Hobby, Talent, Gift

Is there a difference between hobby, talent, and gifts? I believe there is. They are very similar so I thought I would include what Webster's dictionary has to say. Hobby is a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in for relaxation. Talent is a special often creative or artistic aptitude. Gift is something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation (payment). You might wonder how gifts are even close to the other two but hang in there and let's see if we can figure this out.

I mentioned that sewing is a hobby for me. When I was a child my mom taught me to sew by hand and using a machine as well as embroidering. I am very thankful now that she took the patience to teach me. As a child I certainly was not happy about the whole thing. I was always making mistakes and spent most of my time ripping out seams. It was a great chore. But my younger sister begged for mom to teach her. Quietly inside I was also begging mom to teach her how to sew and give me a break. I wanted to be outside playing basketball. My mom also insisted that I take home economics in high school. You are right I was not happy about that either but I took it none the less. I learned the basics and did what I had to, to get through the class. But now many years later as I have retired I am thankful that my mom took the time and insisted that I learn. It has become a hobby for me. I am still not gifted like my sister but I enjoy seeing a piece of fabric turn into something beautiful that can be very useful. I can also say I have some talent because I am able to make some very interesting things. A hobby is something you do for fun.

You are born with a talent. It is something that you like doing that comes very natural to you. For example a child sets downs and draws with little effort. Before long with more practice they become very good. My brother use to be able to look at a picture and draw it with little effort. He had a talent. Not everyone can do that. I know because I can look at the same picture and when I was done you would wonder what I was looking at. I have no talent in that area. I have tried many times over the years but I even wonder what it is when I am done and I know what I am drawing. That is called lack of all talent in the area of drawing.

One thing I knew was, I could tell stories. As a younger child in a large family when the older ones came home for a visit I was the one that took the little ones outside to entertain them. I would tell them stories as well as play games. I thought everyone could tell stories but I have since found out not everyone can do that. A few years ago my younger sister says she can remember me telling her stories. While in college I took teaching classes and fell in love with teaching. A number of years after college I was given the chance to take a writing class and I jumped at the opportunity. Along with her expectations for the class she gave a list of the start of a sentence which I thought was strange. At the beginning of  she told us to pick  out one of those sentences and write a paper then gave us  a half hour. I chose one and began to write. I had a very short story by the end of the time allowed. We did this a number of times. She seemed amazed at the little effort it took me, she said I had a gift. I never even considered writing as a gift. After that there have been a number of people that have told me the same.

 The talent that you are born with is a gift from God. A gift is something that is freely given to us from God. He gave us these to help edify the church. We need to use them to build up each other, teaching and instructing others in the true way of God. Finding the best way to use your gift should be a great matter of prayer. In so doing God will guide and direct you in what to do and how to use what He gave you from the beginning. God has a purpose for all of us. Now we need to step up and do what He is asking of us. May God help you as you seek out His plan for you. Dear God may you lead us in the best way to use the gift given to us for your purpose. 

Resolutions or Not

At the end of a year you can hear many people talk about New Year's resolutions.  I have never been one that really makes a list of what I want to accomplish maybe that is why these past two years I have not accomplished much.  What I tend to do right after Christmas is start thinking how I want my next year to be different. I evaluate where I am in life and what really needs to change and what I want to give more attention to. As I did that this year I began to think about my God given gifts. I believe we all have some, the key is what are you going to do with them. One of mine is writing, I must admit that in my reflections I really began to think what am I doing with my gift. For the past two and half years I have done very little writing. It is not because I haven't had anything to say. The first part of that time I helped a friend of mine write her story, and get her book published. Then I just felt like I didn't have anything of importance to say. I have thought about that long and hard this past month. So have I gained a lot more wisdom during this time and that's why I am starting to write again. That could be a yes and no answer. I know you would like an explanation.  I will attempt to explain what I am talking about.

It is sad to say that there are times in my life that I have given up on me. I was sick for a number of months and then the pandemic hit "stay at home" was all you heard. That didn't help my feel sorry for me state that I found myself in. I am not sharing this so you will feel sorry for me, I am just being real with you. I am sure that others have experienced this same feeling at some point in their life. Well that is where I found myself. I really wanted someone to shake me back into my senses. I had been doing some sewing but that is a hobby not my gift. Writing is my gift. I would not allow myself to put my thoughts into words.

Then it began to happen!! People started asking me why I wasn't writing and when I was going to publish another book. My response was I'm working on it, I had some articles I was putting together to publish but the truth is I just had no desire to get it finished. Then out of nowhere my granddaughters started asking me when I was going to publish another book. I started to hear God through these words that were spoken to me. I did send my articles to a proof reader so that is coming along, a book will follow soon. But what I had to do was give myself a good shaking and talking to. NO ONE could do it for me. I had to give God control again.

I felt God telling me to write but I was making up excuses all the time as to why I wasn't writing. So during my year end evaluation I again was stirred to get back out there with my words. Is it a New Year's resolution or just me saying ok God I will do what you want me to? I believe it is me saying God here I am use me. I want to do whatever He want me to, I want to speak (or write) His words and do His will. A resolution is something many people make and break every year then joke around about it. This is more serious. It is what God wants of me not what I want of myself. It is no joke.

Is there something God is asking of you as you have started this New Year? Are you still dragging your feet saying later? Why don't you join me? Shake yourself into the New Year saying yes to whatever God is calling you to do. Celebrate the joy of your gift and share it with others. May God bless you this another year with great possibilities.