While prepareing a cup of tea the other day, I noticed that the tag on my tea bag said, "To be great, feel great and act great". This made me laugh out loud! :) I guess it's that easy in the world's system. :) In God's kingdom, good works turn into great works when we glorify God and draw people to Him. Putting our trust in Him, to do His work through us, produces great works! And the focus isn't on our own greatness but on His. No feeling or acting involved - just rest in His Greatness! :)
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Change
The other day, we were taking down the Christmas tree and all the decorations which led to a full blown house cleaning project. As I was cleaning the glass patio door, I decided to reinstall the wooden grid inserts that came with the doors. We had taken them off one day while cleaning and had decided then that we liked the view better with the grids out of the windows. Well they have been out for years, so I figured it was time to put them in again.
After I finished cleaning the windows and installing the grids, the kids all commented on how nice the doors looked. As I looked at the doors, I thought to myself, "I like change!" I always have. My relatives used to tease me because I was constantly moving the furniture around. Unfortunately, due to the size of our house, most of our furniture is now in fixed positions, but every once in a while I will get creative and come up with a new arrangement. :)
As I continued on with my cleaning that day, I was thinking about how life IS change, and how we should embrace change. While God never changes, all that He created does change. Going through life hating the idea of things being different from the way they are right now will definitely make one miserable, because nothing ever stays the same.
Our spiritual live should not stay the same either. We would think it a horror if a baby never changed! Growth equal health! Just like children, our spiritual lives should be growing stronger and healthier by the day!
At church yesterday, one of our elders was talking about the changes we need to make as Christians. When we hear God speaking to us, we need to respond to Him in fear and honor, willing to do whatever He is asking us to do, no questions asked. He read us Psalm 55:19.
During testimony time, one of the dads exhorted us to think about the voices that cause us to change. Sometimes worldly influences can motivate us in an effort to be accepted. What is changing in our lives and why? Who are we listening to? Are we drawing closer to the Lord or drifting away from Him? It's one or the other! Let's trust the One who never changes, to bring about necessary changes in our lives...and CHANGE!
After I finished cleaning the windows and installing the grids, the kids all commented on how nice the doors looked. As I looked at the doors, I thought to myself, "I like change!" I always have. My relatives used to tease me because I was constantly moving the furniture around. Unfortunately, due to the size of our house, most of our furniture is now in fixed positions, but every once in a while I will get creative and come up with a new arrangement. :)
As I continued on with my cleaning that day, I was thinking about how life IS change, and how we should embrace change. While God never changes, all that He created does change. Going through life hating the idea of things being different from the way they are right now will definitely make one miserable, because nothing ever stays the same.
Our spiritual live should not stay the same either. We would think it a horror if a baby never changed! Growth equal health! Just like children, our spiritual lives should be growing stronger and healthier by the day!
At church yesterday, one of our elders was talking about the changes we need to make as Christians. When we hear God speaking to us, we need to respond to Him in fear and honor, willing to do whatever He is asking us to do, no questions asked. He read us Psalm 55:19.
God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.Do we fear God? If so, we will be willing to change!
During testimony time, one of the dads exhorted us to think about the voices that cause us to change. Sometimes worldly influences can motivate us in an effort to be accepted. What is changing in our lives and why? Who are we listening to? Are we drawing closer to the Lord or drifting away from Him? It's one or the other! Let's trust the One who never changes, to bring about necessary changes in our lives...and CHANGE!
Monday, January 2, 2012
The Best Test
Happy New Year! It is that time of year when everyone starts talking about New Years resolutions. Well here is a simple resolution that can be applied to every area of your life:
The poem goes like this:
Make the best choice in all that you do! :)
...the good, better, best test!
The poem goes like this:
Good, better, best,
never let it rest,
until your good is better,
and your better, best!
The test is simple, when you are about to make a decision about something you are going to do, ask yourself what would be best. Say you have some time to sit down and read a book. Reading a magazine would be good, but after a little more thought you decide a self-help book would be better. Then one more thought brings to mind the Bible - the BEST choice!
Make the best choice in all that you do! :)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Need Direction?
What does the Bible say about marriage, divorce, friendships, raising children, or abortion? How should we respond to circumstances in our lives, or how should we conduct ourselves? Do we know? The answers are there! The Bible says that if we seek Him, we will find Him. When questions in life come up, go to the Bible... read, search, seek!
Proverbs 3:6 says,
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
When we feel confused about life, stop and pray - acknowledge God. Consult with Him, and then He will direct your paths.
But be prepared, God's way isn't always the easy way. It usually goes against our nature...like asking forgiveness and other things that are hard to do.
2 Timothy 2:3 says,
"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
Any direction we need, can be found in Him! :)
Proverbs 3:6 says,
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
When we feel confused about life, stop and pray - acknowledge God. Consult with Him, and then He will direct your paths.
But be prepared, God's way isn't always the easy way. It usually goes against our nature...like asking forgiveness and other things that are hard to do.
2 Timothy 2:3 says,
"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
Any direction we need, can be found in Him! :)
Friday, December 23, 2011
Christmas Letter Blues?
This is an exciting time of year to get the mail! Our family always looks forward to hearing from old friends and family and seeing all the pictures of kids that are growing way too fast. :) But have you ever had those days where you get a letter from an old friend and with excitement you grab a cup of coffee and curl up on the couch to hear all about their past year, and as you approach the end of the letter you are feeling like crawling into a hole because it seems as though everyone else has a perfect life, yet you continue to have struggles? I know I have had those days! But consider this...you get a letter from an old friend and it reads:
Dear unfaithful friends and very distant family members,
Our family (which doesn't feel like a family at all, but strangers passing in the night, as each goes his own way and does his own thing) has survived another dreadful year. My husband was fired for the 17th time and continues to gain weight as he sits lazily in front of the TV eating foods high in hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Our unhappy children bicker and fight daily, which is undoubtedly the cause of my migraine headaches. The new baby has an uncontrollable diaper rash and spits up constantly, usually projecting it all over the room. The UPS man ran over our dog last summer. Our neighbor has cancer. My mother-in-law hates me. I have been constipated for three weeks straight and my antidepressant perscription just ran out!
Our lives are full of heartache and misery, and we are very ungrateful! Hopefully we all survive another year, so we can keep in touch.
See ya-
The Sad Family
While we do need to share each others burdens, receiving a letter like that would be most discouraging! The purpose for Christmas letters is to share with others how the Lord has blessed our lives. We need to take the time at least once a year to write down all the things that we have to be thankful for. There is a time and place for talking about our troubles, but most people would like to hear your testimony - how the Lord worked in the midst of your troubles!
When we get Christmas letters, we don't have to wonder if others are struggling too; nobody has a perfect life! We should be happy for them, knowing that we all have things to be grateful for! The Lord blesses the just and the unjust...everyone has good news that is worthy of a Christmas letter. Let's remember to rejoice with those who rejoice, and when the time is appropriate, weep with those who weep. We are all in this game of life together, nobody is exempt from the battle! But only those who follow the Lord will have victory in this life and the reward of being with the Lord for eternity!
One year I included a "P.S." at the end of our Christmas letter and said, "Just so you know, we are only telling you the good stuff.", because I wanted to remind people that our life is far from perfect. So when you read your letters this year, remember that they all have a "P.S." at the end, even if you can't see it. :)
Dear unfaithful friends and very distant family members,
Our family (which doesn't feel like a family at all, but strangers passing in the night, as each goes his own way and does his own thing) has survived another dreadful year. My husband was fired for the 17th time and continues to gain weight as he sits lazily in front of the TV eating foods high in hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Our unhappy children bicker and fight daily, which is undoubtedly the cause of my migraine headaches. The new baby has an uncontrollable diaper rash and spits up constantly, usually projecting it all over the room. The UPS man ran over our dog last summer. Our neighbor has cancer. My mother-in-law hates me. I have been constipated for three weeks straight and my antidepressant perscription just ran out!
Our lives are full of heartache and misery, and we are very ungrateful! Hopefully we all survive another year, so we can keep in touch.
See ya-
The Sad Family
While we do need to share each others burdens, receiving a letter like that would be most discouraging! The purpose for Christmas letters is to share with others how the Lord has blessed our lives. We need to take the time at least once a year to write down all the things that we have to be thankful for. There is a time and place for talking about our troubles, but most people would like to hear your testimony - how the Lord worked in the midst of your troubles!
When we get Christmas letters, we don't have to wonder if others are struggling too; nobody has a perfect life! We should be happy for them, knowing that we all have things to be grateful for! The Lord blesses the just and the unjust...everyone has good news that is worthy of a Christmas letter. Let's remember to rejoice with those who rejoice, and when the time is appropriate, weep with those who weep. We are all in this game of life together, nobody is exempt from the battle! But only those who follow the Lord will have victory in this life and the reward of being with the Lord for eternity!
One year I included a "P.S." at the end of our Christmas letter and said, "Just so you know, we are only telling you the good stuff.", because I wanted to remind people that our life is far from perfect. So when you read your letters this year, remember that they all have a "P.S." at the end, even if you can't see it. :)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Fastened to the Rock
There has been a song rolling around in my mind all day that has been feeding my spirit. It's called "We Have an Anchor". The first line reads:
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, When the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain?
The chorus:
We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love.
What keeps us from being swallowed up and swept away by the storms of life? What keeps us from drowning in hopelessness? How can we stay afloat when the storms of life are so fierce and unrelenting? What give us peace and joy when we are surrounded by fear?
...having our anchor fastened to the Rock that cannot move! What are you fastened to?
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, When the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain?
The chorus:
We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love.
What keeps us from being swallowed up and swept away by the storms of life? What keeps us from drowning in hopelessness? How can we stay afloat when the storms of life are so fierce and unrelenting? What give us peace and joy when we are surrounded by fear?
...having our anchor fastened to the Rock that cannot move! What are you fastened to?
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