Monday, September 29, 2014
WE ARE ALL VISUALLY IMPAIRED
While maneuvering my way through traffic one day, I began to observe the behavior of other drivers around me. I realized at that moment, that I was in the midst of a large number of very impatient and seemingly distracted drivers!! Some people were on their phones, appearing to be fully engaged in conversation; while others seemed to be lost in a song blaring from their stereos. And of course, there was the occasional erratic driver, who weaved in and out of lanes at a far greater speed than legally acceptable, giving no thought or respect to the safety of others.
The amplified sounds of horns, motorcycles and oversized trucks was overwhelming. It was like a symphony of chaos on concrete!! As the traffic came to a stop at an electric signal, a sudden calm took over and my eyes were drawn to a woman making her way across the street with the assistance of a cane. I realized that she was blind. At first, it seemed as if she was making her way across the busy intersection with a level of confidence by the swiftness in her step,but as she approached the curb, her gait slowed dramatically, as if she had reached unfamiliar territory and she became more dependent upon the tool (the white cane) that was required to move her in the right direction. With each step, she tapped the pavement to ensure that the path was firm and clear of any obstacles that could potentially harm or cause injury and could keep her from getting to her destination.
As I observed this woman, striving to make her way to her destination unscathed, I thought about the journey that we are ALL on in this life. When it comes to reaching OUR destination in life, we are blind to some of the steps that God desires for us to take. We often weave in and out of confidence when we approach spots that are seemingly unfamiliar on the path. We each have been provided with tools to get us where we need to be. Those tools are: The Bible, prayer, fellowship, worship, praise and love. These tools as well as a host of others, will prepare us for uneven terrain, potholes, high curbs, rough pavement and the distractions that the enemy uses to keep us from living the life that God desires for us.
The Bible is our roadmap to the plan that God has for us. Prayer is our guide to keep us on track and give us strength to stay on the right path. Speaking to God through prayer is vital...developing that personal relationship with HIM and finding comfort in your prayer time with HIM. Fellowship helps us to be blessed and to be a blessing to others...we were not designed to go this journey alone...iron sharpens iron and our faith is strengthened by hearing other people's testimonies AND by sharing our own! Worship and praise are also an important part of our journey...it allows us to tell God just how much He means to us...how grateful we for all of the things He has done for us...How much we love Him! The greatest tool (gift) that God gives us is the power and ability to love...when we walk in love, it takes off the blinders of anger, hatred and the inability to forgive, that cause us to loose our footing and our direction.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." We should be like the woman who was blind, we must walk in confidence along the parts of the path that are familiar, but when we hit those spots that are unfamiliar, we must rely on the tools that God provided to get us to our destination...safe and sound! ♥
Monday, September 8, 2014
IS BEAUTY REALLY ONLY SKIN DEEP??
My husband and I were waiting for our food one morning in a restaurant that we were trying for the first time. We took our time to peruse the menu that contained a variety of interesting meal choices. When the group of patrons seated next to us began receiving their food, we took note of the array of delightful looking dishes placed on their table and wondered if WE had made the right selections.
While trying to determine if one their dishes happened to be one I had ordered, I made eye contact with one of the women in the group. I Immediately attempted to assure her that my staring was strictly due to whether I made the right choice and nothing else, so I blurted out, “This is our first visit here and I’m just noticing how good the food looks, have you been here before?" She responded with, “Oh yes and everything here is delicious, you will enjoy whatever items you selected!" I smiled and said thank you as my eyes briefly connected with everyone seated at the table. There appeared to be a mutual understanding of my inquiry about the food, based on the smiles beaming from most of their faces.
It was then that I noticed that one member of the group did not seem to share an appreciation for our short, but pleasant conversation. She was a very attractive woman, dressed in upscale attire and donned with finely detailed jewelry. Our eyes locked and she peered at me as if I had just come between her and one of her most prized possessions. Her gorgeous face was skewed by a frown and her eyes were filled with emotion that gave an impression of both resentment and mistrust!! Where could THAT be coming from? We had never met before. Why would our first encounter be so negative?
This experience made me think about how careful we need to be with the image that we present to others. Here was a beautiful woman who possessed great potential in her ability to connect and relate to others... after all, being easy on the eyes is half the battle, right?? Our outward appearance can give an illusion of what our attitude and spirit should convey to those we meet. God created many beautiful things on this earth. His creations stem from the oceans and mountains to the sunrises and sunsets.
We are one of God’s greatest creations, because he designed us to be a living example of Him and to draw others closer to Him.
We must sync our outward beauty with our internal beauty that was woven into us through God’s inspiration and creation. We were fearfully and wonderfully made and our attitude and actions towards others, give praise and honor to God.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalms 139:14 KJV)
When we prepare ourselves to leave the house and we take a look in the mirror, we must make sure that our inner beauty compliments our outer appearance and that both attributes illuminate us with the light in which God desires. ♥
My husband and I were waiting for our food one morning in a restaurant that we were trying for the first time. We took our time to peruse the menu that contained a variety of interesting meal choices. When the group of patrons seated next to us began receiving their food, we took note of the array of delightful looking dishes placed on their table and wondered if WE had made the right selections.
While trying to determine if one their dishes happened to be one I had ordered, I made eye contact with one of the women in the group. I Immediately attempted to assure her that my staring was strictly due to whether I made the right choice and nothing else, so I blurted out, “This is our first visit here and I’m just noticing how good the food looks, have you been here before?" She responded with, “Oh yes and everything here is delicious, you will enjoy whatever items you selected!" I smiled and said thank you as my eyes briefly connected with everyone seated at the table. There appeared to be a mutual understanding of my inquiry about the food, based on the smiles beaming from most of their faces.
It was then that I noticed that one member of the group did not seem to share an appreciation for our short, but pleasant conversation. She was a very attractive woman, dressed in upscale attire and donned with finely detailed jewelry. Our eyes locked and she peered at me as if I had just come between her and one of her most prized possessions. Her gorgeous face was skewed by a frown and her eyes were filled with emotion that gave an impression of both resentment and mistrust!! Where could THAT be coming from? We had never met before. Why would our first encounter be so negative?
This experience made me think about how careful we need to be with the image that we present to others. Here was a beautiful woman who possessed great potential in her ability to connect and relate to others... after all, being easy on the eyes is half the battle, right?? Our outward appearance can give an illusion of what our attitude and spirit should convey to those we meet. God created many beautiful things on this earth. His creations stem from the oceans and mountains to the sunrises and sunsets.
We are one of God’s greatest creations, because he designed us to be a living example of Him and to draw others closer to Him.
We must sync our outward beauty with our internal beauty that was woven into us through God’s inspiration and creation. We were fearfully and wonderfully made and our attitude and actions towards others, give praise and honor to God.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalms 139:14 KJV)
When we prepare ourselves to leave the house and we take a look in the mirror, we must make sure that our inner beauty compliments our outer appearance and that both attributes illuminate us with the light in which God desires. ♥
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
THE GIFT OF TIME
TIME is a gift from God...but it isn't always seen as a gift. We take it for granted...we waste it... we carry on as if TIME stands still when we need it to and that we are given unlimited opportunities to complete tasks when and if we are so inclined...but TIME waits for no one!...It is fleeting! We forget that we can NEVER relive those precious minutes previously encountered. How many TIMES have you put off seeing a friend or a family member because something else took priority over your schedule and that visit just didn’t seem to be as important as the items on your to-do list? It happens all of the TIME!
Our lives are filled with so many obligations and events that it's easy to get caught up and often overextend ourselves. That's how we miss out on the truly important things! There are several reasons why we should view the TIME that we have been given as a gift from God. One of the most important reasons is that God wants for us to make TIME for Him. He wants us to sit at His feet and to connect with Him. He wants us to know that He loves us and that He will give us the desires of our heart if we trust and believe in Him. He also wants to know that we love Him. That we are grateful for His presence in our lives and that we are thankful for all that He has done. Developing this kind of personal relationship requires our TIME.
God also wants us to take the TIME to show love and kindness to others...our family members, friends and even those whom we may have just laid eyes on for the very first TIME!! We are to set aside TIME is to pray, to study the word of God and to be Disciples of Christ. We are to share the "Good News"of Jesus Christ, whenever possible. Many of us try to accelerate through TIME, in an attempt to forget about past hurts and trials that left us in pain and anguish. We want to push past all the bad stuff and get to a better place...in a hurry! We have to realize that in God’s perfect plan, (which is very different from our own) TIME is to be used for healing and for making the necessary personal changes needed for strength and growth. Take the TIME tell that family member whom you haven’t seen or spoken to for years, that they are important to you. Take the TIME to share a kind word with the neighbor whom you haven’t made eye contact with because life has just gotten too busy. Take the TIME to ask your friend for forgiveness when harsh words may have been exchanged.
We often take for granted how precious life really is. Sometimes we act as if we were designed to be on earth forever and that TIME has no real value. When we take TIME to explore all of the opportunities and see all of the wonder and beauty that God created for us to enjoy, we will value the TIME that God has given us and we will begin to use every moment to love, praise, honor, and glorify Him in all that we do. Cherish the TIME you were given and live life to the fullest!! ♥
TIME is a gift from God...but it isn't always seen as a gift. We take it for granted...we waste it... we carry on as if TIME stands still when we need it to and that we are given unlimited opportunities to complete tasks when and if we are so inclined...but TIME waits for no one!...It is fleeting! We forget that we can NEVER relive those precious minutes previously encountered. How many TIMES have you put off seeing a friend or a family member because something else took priority over your schedule and that visit just didn’t seem to be as important as the items on your to-do list? It happens all of the TIME!
Our lives are filled with so many obligations and events that it's easy to get caught up and often overextend ourselves. That's how we miss out on the truly important things! There are several reasons why we should view the TIME that we have been given as a gift from God. One of the most important reasons is that God wants for us to make TIME for Him. He wants us to sit at His feet and to connect with Him. He wants us to know that He loves us and that He will give us the desires of our heart if we trust and believe in Him. He also wants to know that we love Him. That we are grateful for His presence in our lives and that we are thankful for all that He has done. Developing this kind of personal relationship requires our TIME.
God also wants us to take the TIME to show love and kindness to others...our family members, friends and even those whom we may have just laid eyes on for the very first TIME!! We are to set aside TIME is to pray, to study the word of God and to be Disciples of Christ. We are to share the "Good News"of Jesus Christ, whenever possible. Many of us try to accelerate through TIME, in an attempt to forget about past hurts and trials that left us in pain and anguish. We want to push past all the bad stuff and get to a better place...in a hurry! We have to realize that in God’s perfect plan, (which is very different from our own) TIME is to be used for healing and for making the necessary personal changes needed for strength and growth. Take the TIME tell that family member whom you haven’t seen or spoken to for years, that they are important to you. Take the TIME to share a kind word with the neighbor whom you haven’t made eye contact with because life has just gotten too busy. Take the TIME to ask your friend for forgiveness when harsh words may have been exchanged.
We often take for granted how precious life really is. Sometimes we act as if we were designed to be on earth forever and that TIME has no real value. When we take TIME to explore all of the opportunities and see all of the wonder and beauty that God created for us to enjoy, we will value the TIME that God has given us and we will begin to use every moment to love, praise, honor, and glorify Him in all that we do. Cherish the TIME you were given and live life to the fullest!! ♥
Thursday, July 17, 2014
YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
You know the old adage, "You can't judge a book by its cover"? I recently heard the expression again and gave a lot of thought to what it meant. It means that we should never base our opinions about others solely by their outward appearance, we must steer clear of judging others without really knowing what really lies on the inside. At that moment I realized how much we REALLY ARE like books!
A book is bound in either a hardcover or paper and like a book, some of us appear to have hard coverings or shells that may give the impression of not caring or wanting to be bothered which pushes people away. Others display a more delicate covering, which makes them seem to be more sensitive to the needs of others and they are often viewed as easier to read and open to letting people in.
The spine of the book, which symbolizes the human backbone, serves as the foundation of the book and supports the pages, which helps the pages remain in tact. The backbone is our foundation and reveals how well "put together" we are.
The pages of a book hold the content of the story; each delicate page is filled with words, pictures and/ or facts that give the reader an understanding of the story. OUR pages hold the content of our character and tells those we come in contact with a lot about what we hold inside.
Some of us are like mystery novels, which can be difficult to understand and figure out. Some of our lives are filled with tragic stories that almost read like a best-selling horror tale; the trials and
struggles imprinted on each page leave many wondering how it's even possible to survive. Some are open books; very transparent about their journey and provide the world with a detailed image of what life is like for them. Their stories stand to be helpful to others who may share a similar story and may need a little support. Like a good book, it is important that we take good care for our covering, whether it be a hard cover or paperback, over time our foundation will show wear and tear and our contents may start to pull away from its binding; this sets us up to possibly lose our perspective and forget that the pages all fit together with purpose to create lessons filled with love,faith, hope,
triumph and victory.
Our stories are passed down through our friends and family when we head to our eternal home and many of them will be repeated and shared for years to come. Our stories are bound together to represent a life well-lived and hold great possibilities to change and impact the lives of future generations. NO MATTER WHAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN INTO YOUR STORY....LIVE IT WELL AND LET IT SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT EACH CHAPTER OF LIFE YOU WERE GIVEN! ♥
You know the old adage, "You can't judge a book by its cover"? I recently heard the expression again and gave a lot of thought to what it meant. It means that we should never base our opinions about others solely by their outward appearance, we must steer clear of judging others without really knowing what really lies on the inside. At that moment I realized how much we REALLY ARE like books!
A book is bound in either a hardcover or paper and like a book, some of us appear to have hard coverings or shells that may give the impression of not caring or wanting to be bothered which pushes people away. Others display a more delicate covering, which makes them seem to be more sensitive to the needs of others and they are often viewed as easier to read and open to letting people in.
The spine of the book, which symbolizes the human backbone, serves as the foundation of the book and supports the pages, which helps the pages remain in tact. The backbone is our foundation and reveals how well "put together" we are.
The pages of a book hold the content of the story; each delicate page is filled with words, pictures and/ or facts that give the reader an understanding of the story. OUR pages hold the content of our character and tells those we come in contact with a lot about what we hold inside.
Some of us are like mystery novels, which can be difficult to understand and figure out. Some of our lives are filled with tragic stories that almost read like a best-selling horror tale; the trials and
struggles imprinted on each page leave many wondering how it's even possible to survive. Some are open books; very transparent about their journey and provide the world with a detailed image of what life is like for them. Their stories stand to be helpful to others who may share a similar story and may need a little support. Like a good book, it is important that we take good care for our covering, whether it be a hard cover or paperback, over time our foundation will show wear and tear and our contents may start to pull away from its binding; this sets us up to possibly lose our perspective and forget that the pages all fit together with purpose to create lessons filled with love,faith, hope,
triumph and victory.
Our stories are passed down through our friends and family when we head to our eternal home and many of them will be repeated and shared for years to come. Our stories are bound together to represent a life well-lived and hold great possibilities to change and impact the lives of future generations. NO MATTER WHAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN INTO YOUR STORY....LIVE IT WELL AND LET IT SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT EACH CHAPTER OF LIFE YOU WERE GIVEN! ♥
Monday, July 7, 2014
GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR
I was asked by an uncle some time ago, if I believed that God has a sense of humor. He questioned the significance of comedy used in the on-stage and million dollar box office performances of a well- known movie director and producer. There are others who struggle to grab hold of the so called “silly antics” in movies and on t.v. that are used to draw Christians in. I answered my uncle with a resounding YES, because I DO believe that God has a sense of Humor. Here’s what backs up my conclusion: I can recall a number of times when I attempted to avoid challenging situations and went to great lengths to steer clear of trying outcomes...sometimes it may have been to avoid a difficult person, but after all of the energy and effort that I used to side-step the situation, God would place me RIGHT SMACK-DAB IN ITS PATH!! I could only smile as I imagined hearing God say, “Not so fast...you have some work to do here!" I realized that the Lord brought me back to the situation to learn from it and to deal with the negative emotions stirred up by the experience or the person. Now...getting back to my original discussion regarding that talented individual who appears to have chosen to commit his career to making people, from very diverse backgrounds,forget about their immediate cares and woes, to take a break from the everyday stresses of life....AND JUST LAUGH!! Remember, laughter IS good for the soul! Now while I’m focusing on the topic of humor and laughter, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the love of my life...my husband David. For those who know him well,I believe they would agree that he may have actually missed his calling in the comedic arena. I have known him since I was a teenager and he has always managed to make me laugh. During a very critical time in my life when my grandmother who raised me became ill and passed away, David was there to offer support, encouragement, friendship and most importantly, he helped keep me from falling apart by somehow managing to make me smile. That was about 30 years ago and he STILL makes me smile! We have been through a lot together; the loss of both of his parents, my father’s passing and a number of health related scares for me. But through it ALL, David’s unbelievably positive attitude and the ability to keep me laughing continues to keep my heart, mind and soul strong. I truly believe that his humor has been a form of medicine for me. You see, I believe that David’s sense of humor is a gift that God gave him and he uses his gift to bring laughter and joy to the lives of anyone he comes in contact with. I really don’t believe that God would give a gift to anyone that He Himself does not possess. So to answer your question uncle...
YES... I DO believe that God has a sense of humor!!!
I was asked by an uncle some time ago, if I believed that God has a sense of humor. He questioned the significance of comedy used in the on-stage and million dollar box office performances of a well- known movie director and producer. There are others who struggle to grab hold of the so called “silly antics” in movies and on t.v. that are used to draw Christians in. I answered my uncle with a resounding YES, because I DO believe that God has a sense of Humor. Here’s what backs up my conclusion: I can recall a number of times when I attempted to avoid challenging situations and went to great lengths to steer clear of trying outcomes...sometimes it may have been to avoid a difficult person, but after all of the energy and effort that I used to side-step the situation, God would place me RIGHT SMACK-DAB IN ITS PATH!! I could only smile as I imagined hearing God say, “Not so fast...you have some work to do here!" I realized that the Lord brought me back to the situation to learn from it and to deal with the negative emotions stirred up by the experience or the person. Now...getting back to my original discussion regarding that talented individual who appears to have chosen to commit his career to making people, from very diverse backgrounds,forget about their immediate cares and woes, to take a break from the everyday stresses of life....AND JUST LAUGH!! Remember, laughter IS good for the soul! Now while I’m focusing on the topic of humor and laughter, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the love of my life...my husband David. For those who know him well,I believe they would agree that he may have actually missed his calling in the comedic arena. I have known him since I was a teenager and he has always managed to make me laugh. During a very critical time in my life when my grandmother who raised me became ill and passed away, David was there to offer support, encouragement, friendship and most importantly, he helped keep me from falling apart by somehow managing to make me smile. That was about 30 years ago and he STILL makes me smile! We have been through a lot together; the loss of both of his parents, my father’s passing and a number of health related scares for me. But through it ALL, David’s unbelievably positive attitude and the ability to keep me laughing continues to keep my heart, mind and soul strong. I truly believe that his humor has been a form of medicine for me. You see, I believe that David’s sense of humor is a gift that God gave him and he uses his gift to bring laughter and joy to the lives of anyone he comes in contact with. I really don’t believe that God would give a gift to anyone that He Himself does not possess. So to answer your question uncle...
YES... I DO believe that God has a sense of humor!!!
Friday, June 20, 2014
THE ART OF ACCEPTING OUR IMPERFECTIONS
We are always striving to be the very best that we can be. On that quest, we try to successfully maneuver our way through trials and temptations, hoping to be seen in a positive light, by others. At times we find it difficult to accept the shortcomings of our family, friends and peers, while also struggling with the imperfections that we see within ourselves. Human nature drives us to seek perfection in our situations and circumstances; even though we know that there are no perfect individuals walking among us on earth. God did not design us to be perfect, but He did create us to live our lives by the example of His Son, Jesus Christ. At the start of man’s existence, a decision was made out of disobedience that caused sin to fall upon each one of us at birth, this is written in Psalm 51:5. It is very important that we accept this truth, because we can’t work towards the life that God desires for us if we don’t recognize that we all fall short and were born with imperfections. Refusing to accept that we are imperfect, stifles our pathway to growth and blessings. There are times when we blame others for our circumstances, hold grudges and struggle to forgive when we have been hurt or falsely accused. We often view our imperfections as garments of inadequacy and some of us never overcome our insecurities. While on this journey, it is important for us to establish a close and personal relationship with God. When we do that, we begin to understand why our imperfections hold a significant place in our development. Our imperfections can break us down and destroy us OR they can create resolve and challenge us to rise to the occasion! This has the ability to move us forward, build and strengthen our character and help us live the life that God intends for us to live. REMEMBER....You were fearfully and wonderfully made!
BLESSINGS! ❤
We are always striving to be the very best that we can be. On that quest, we try to successfully maneuver our way through trials and temptations, hoping to be seen in a positive light, by others. At times we find it difficult to accept the shortcomings of our family, friends and peers, while also struggling with the imperfections that we see within ourselves. Human nature drives us to seek perfection in our situations and circumstances; even though we know that there are no perfect individuals walking among us on earth. God did not design us to be perfect, but He did create us to live our lives by the example of His Son, Jesus Christ. At the start of man’s existence, a decision was made out of disobedience that caused sin to fall upon each one of us at birth, this is written in Psalm 51:5. It is very important that we accept this truth, because we can’t work towards the life that God desires for us if we don’t recognize that we all fall short and were born with imperfections. Refusing to accept that we are imperfect, stifles our pathway to growth and blessings. There are times when we blame others for our circumstances, hold grudges and struggle to forgive when we have been hurt or falsely accused. We often view our imperfections as garments of inadequacy and some of us never overcome our insecurities. While on this journey, it is important for us to establish a close and personal relationship with God. When we do that, we begin to understand why our imperfections hold a significant place in our development. Our imperfections can break us down and destroy us OR they can create resolve and challenge us to rise to the occasion! This has the ability to move us forward, build and strengthen our character and help us live the life that God intends for us to live. REMEMBER....You were fearfully and wonderfully made!
Sunday, June 8, 2014
After just reading yet another tragic story on bullying, I decided to share a writing I completed a while back. It speaks to the effects of using negative words and reflects on how those words can destroy the confidence that we work so hard to build up in our children. Unfortunately, we live in very different times and the act of bullying now includes an entirely different set of tactics that often result in devastating consequences. We ALL should take charge over the words we use!!
OUR WORDS CAN BE A WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION!!
Remember hearing the phrase on the playground as a child,“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"? I know I had to shout that message out a few times myself! I expect that this phrase was used by many a tormented child as a way of stopping harsh and negative words from spewing from the mouth of their tormentor. I believe there were hopes that the instigator would stop harassing them if they thought their attempts to hurt with words were useless....BUT we all know.... that words CAN hurt! People who choose to use words that are hurtful, cause pain and leave lasting impressions of negativity that can damage one's confidence.
The unpleasant words that one hears over and over again during childhood can create walls of mistrust and issues with poor self esteem that can carry over into adulthood. Some people struggle to break away feelings of inadequacy that were formed in their youth. I want to believe that most people who participate in this type of destructive behavior, have no idea of the severity of their actions. I can recall certain "bullied" moments that I experienced as a child; I remember how those mean and hurtful messages became deeply embedded in my psyche and played a significant part in how I responded to certain situations.
Children are like a sponges and absorb a great deal of what they are introduced to. If a child is built up with encouraging and uplifting words, they will most likely have a positive outlook on life and deal with challenging issues with a level of confidence. On the other hand, if a child is torn down with words of discouragement and hatred, they will develop into an adult who will spend a great deal of time trying to prove their level of worth; not only to others, but to themselves as well. Negative words can stop a person from pursuing their dreams and limit their ability to live a life filled with happiness and joy. God’s written Word is filled with encouragement, love and promise. It is a well-defined book of instructions, He designed for his children to follow when interacting with others. Spending time in the Word of God will definitely have a direct effect on the words that we choose to use when dealing with others. Some of the words that God expects us to use in our daily vocabulary are: love, forgive, honor, bless and praise. When we use God’s chosen words, it pushes us further away from using words that could easily destroy someone’s life!!
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