December 1st.....Christmas will be here before you know it. Black Friday is over and now the countdown begins, which means there are a lot of people who are grumpy, tired, aggravated, frustrated and annoyed. I'm not saying this is true of everyone and even at this exact moment but it will come as Christmas draws near. People start stressing out and panicking and their emotions take over. It can happen very easily around the holidays. BUT this year lets take a step back and relax. Lets remember the REASON for the SEASON.
I was at the post office today and when it was my turn I said hello and smiled to the gentleman helping me. He responded back with "A smile, don't see too many of those." Which doesn't surprise me. The guy in front of me had complained about the service. And its not that the service is bad but that there is only two people working. The post office has lost millions for quite awhile and obviously they have to cut labor. The two that were working today are always nice and friendly and helpful. So please when you are out in public don't take out your bad emotions are those trying to help. It's the holidays which means lines will be longer and traffic will be busier and people can be ruder than usual. Lets amaze people with our kindness, compassion and love. A smile goes a long way and a kind word can make a persons day.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
31 Days of Christmas Giving
Looking for a different way to give this Christmas? Check out Glamour's 31 Days of Giving. Some organizations I am familiar with (Krochet Kids International and Tom's) and some I am not. But you can click on the link and check it out for yourself. Most of the "gifts" are very reasonable and can make a huge impact in someone's life or an animals.
Donate on December 1
Donate on December 4
Donate on December 10
Donate on December 13
Donate on December 18
Donate on December 19
Donate on December 1
Give life-saving meds. $5
to faceaids.org will give an HIV-positive pregnant woman in Rwanda vital drugs to
help prevent transmission of the virus to her baby.
Donate on
December 2
Save a pet. A gift of $50
to animaladvocatesalliance.org bails a dog or cat out of a high-kill shelter and provides vet
care and medicine to help it get healthy for adoption.
Donate on December 3
Teach Gen Next. A full 67
million children worldwide aren’t attending elementary classes today. Just $25
to pencilsofpromise.org sends one child to a new school in a developing country for 78
days; $118 covers an entire year.
Donate on December 4
Give the jobless a leg
up—with a pair of slacks or other office clothes your guy is no longer wearing. Careergear.org coaches down-on-their-luck men on how to land a job and loans them
the attire to ace the interview.
Donate on December 5
Donate your old cell phone
to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ncadv.org), which will refurbish
and sell it, then use the proceeds to get survivors back on their feet
Donate on December 6
Send a teddy bear to the
child of a deployed marine. For $25, jonathancollins.org gives a plush toy with a voice message recorded by the parent,
which will play when the paw is pressed.
Donate on December 7
Pick up the grocery tab
for a senior. Some 3.5 million Americans over age 50 don’t have enough to eat;
$8 to drivetoendhunger.org feeds one of them healthy meals for a day.
Donate on December 8
Protect newborns in India.
$50 helps keep nine babies alive with a genius incubatorlike invention. Go to embraceglobal.org.
Donate on December 9
Help women get free
mammograms. Just click the pink button at thebreastcancersite.com. Last year they funded a
whopping 2,112 screenings for needy American women.
Donate on December 10
Provide clean H20. Your
gift of $30 to wellsbringhope.org gives one villager in West Africa access to safe water and good
sanitation for more than 30 years, drastically reducing child mortality.
Donate on December 11
Inspire the next Taylor Swift. Fendermusicfoundation.org uses your $50 to give a guitar to a struggling music program,
letting 20 kids play through the school year.
Donate on December 12
Play fairy godmother to a
teenage girl who can’t afford a prom dress. Donate the old gown gathering dust
in your closet (or any special-occasion accessories) to princessproject.org.
Donate on December 13
Shop for art’s sake. Heart
of Haiti gifts ($10 to $120) at macys.com provide steady work for many Haitians.
Photo:
Macy's/Hearts of Haiti
Donate on December 14
Start a reading chain.
Guatemala has the highest illiteracy rate in Central America; $10 to readingvillage.org helps pay school fees for rural teen leaders, who in turn teach
younger children to read
Donate on December 15
Clear the air. An
estimated 20 million Americans suffer from debilitating asthma, and dirty air
can trigger attacks. Any donation to cleartheair.edf.org defends our breathing supply from polluters.
Donate on December 16
Coupon for a cause. Here’s
a win-win: At causeon.com you get deals on everything
from scrapbooks to luxurious spa services, and 20 percent of the site’s
proceeds goes to a variety of charities in your community.
onate on December 17
Help shape a new Egypt.
Check out Glamour Women of the Year Fund winner Esraa Fattah on page 210. A
gift to vitalvoices.org will support the Egyptian women who have fought so hard for
change, and give them a voice in their country’s future.
Donate on December 18
Make a difference in your
zip code. Volunteermatch.org connects you with ways to improve your neighborhood, like working
at a food bank, clowning around with seniors and coaching a girls’ soccer team.
Donate on December 19
Prevent blindness. Buy
Toms glasses ($135 and up, toms.com) and give someone
in Asia sight-saving treatment.
Photo:
Toms
Donate on December 20
Pass on your copy of
Twilight and other faves to globalliteracyproject.org,
which will get books to deprived youth, helping them learn to read.
Donate on December 21
Put sexual abusers behind
bars. Your donation to equalitynow.org helps provide legal support,
counseling and job training to victims pursuing cases against their assailants
around the world
Donate on December 22
Say “hats off” to ending
poverty. Cute crocheted caps for $35 and under keep women in Uganda working and
educated. Visit krochetkids.org.
Photo:
Krochet Kids
Donate on December 23
Get girls up to speed.
Your $50 gift to afghaninstituteoflearning.org will allow two Afghan girls to take
computer lessons for six months.
Donate on December 24
Stop bullying—for good.
Laura and Kirk Smalley lost their tormented son, Ty, 11, to suicide; $25
dollars to standforthesilent.org helps them speak to student groups and
prevent more deaths.
Donate on December 25
Preserve our precious
oceans. Save half a mile from overfishing and pollution with a $38 gift to conservation.org.
Donate on December 26
Pay a student’s bus fare.
$40 to Olivia Wilde’s artistsforpeaceandjustice.org gets a child from the slums of Haiti
to a new school for two months.
Donate on December 27
Buy a counseling session
for a soldier returning home after serving in Iraq or Afghanistan with your $17
donation to giveanhour.org.
Donate on December 28
Care for a chimp orphaned
or harmed by hunters or pet sellers. Just $10 to janegoodall.org buys
22 pounds of food at the renowned primatologist’s clinic in the Republic of
Congo.
Donate on December 29
Help women in war-torn
countries start a business: $25 buys one woman a sewing kit so she can earn a
living as a tailor. Go to womenforwomen.org
Donate on December 30
Aid a woman while stopping
deforestation. $2 to greenbeltmovement.org,
started by the late Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, pays a disadvantaged
gal in Kenya to plant a tree.
Donate on December 31
Get a salad on the table
and an at-risk teen on a healthy path. For $25, whyhunger.org helps needy kids grow produce, both
for their family’s fridge and to sell at farmers’ markets.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Pledges of God
God has many, many wonderful attributes and qualities. There's much to love about Him and be in awe of. I don't know if I could pick out just one thing......?
The second "meditation" I read today in John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul" was titled Going Deep with God by Having Him Carry our Loads.
He starts by saying "One of the reasons we don't know God deeply is that we don't venture much on His pledge to carry things for us. Knowing God with a sense of authentic personal reality is not merely a matter of study. It is a matter of walking with Him through fire and not being burned. It is a matter of not being crushed under a load because He carries it for you at your side. What, then, does he carry?"
This is SO TRUE! So many profess being Christian but are they truly living it out? I think a majority, me included, only go deep with God when life is tough and then once life is back to normal we "forget" God. We go on living and making decisions on our own. We say "Thanks God for your help but I can take it from here." I don't think we do this purposely.......but we need to be aware that we do. Also some people have a hard time giving up their worries and cares, thinking God can't handle "our" problem. But hello.....that's not the case.
So what does God carry?.......
God carried our Sins!
Hebrews 9:28 "Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many" and 1 Peter 2:24 "He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree."
"Believing this and experiencing its liberating effect is crucial for life now. Guilt feelings do not have to have the last word! It is also crucial for the hour of our dying. The sting of death is sin, but thanks be to God, it was removed. It is crucial, too, for everlasting joy. Christ's sin-bearing work secures for us never-ending compensation for every so-called "loss" in this life of sacrificial love. This confidence is the foundation of knowing God.
God Pledges to Carry our Anxieties
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you."
What worries does God aim to take from our backs and carry for us?
-Anxieties about lacking necessities, Philippians 4:4-7
-Uselessness, Isaiah 55:11
-Weakness, 2 Cor 12:9
-Decisions, Psalm 32:8
-Opponents, Romans 8:31
-Affliction, Psalm 34:19, Romans 5:3-5
-Aging, Isaiah 46:4
-Dying, Romans 14:7-9
-Not persevering, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 7:25
"When George Muller was asked about how he could be so calm in the middle of a hectic day with so many uncertainties in the orphanage, he answered something like, 'I rolled sixty things onto the Lord this morning.' This is something we need to learn to do.
God Pledges to Carry our Burdens
Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you, he will never permit the righteous to be moved."
The word for "burden" here is lot. What is your lot in life today? What has providence brought you? In the end, this is the Lord. And He will carry it for you. It is not meant to crush you or carry you away. It is meant to test your trust in God to carry it for you.
{Psalm 16:5 and 63:8}
God Pledges to Carry the Cause of Justice for Us
1 Peter 2:23 "When he was reviled, {Jesus} did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued handing over to Him who judges justly" {author's translation}
Romans 12:19 "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord"
Prepare to be treated unjustly but leave it to God. Let God carry your cause and settle accounts either on the cross or in hell. Then rest and don't seek revenge. Don't waste your energy.
God Pledges to Carry you--all Your life
Isaiah 46:3-4 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you: I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
{Exodus 19:4 and Psalm 18:35; 94:18}
The Christian life is a life of being carried from beginning to end. We work. Yet it is not we, but God who works within us {1 Cor 15:10}
Conclusion
So come to Him, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and find rest for your soul. Go deep with God and know Him better by venturing more on His pledge to carry you and all your concerns.
The second "meditation" I read today in John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul" was titled Going Deep with God by Having Him Carry our Loads.
He starts by saying "One of the reasons we don't know God deeply is that we don't venture much on His pledge to carry things for us. Knowing God with a sense of authentic personal reality is not merely a matter of study. It is a matter of walking with Him through fire and not being burned. It is a matter of not being crushed under a load because He carries it for you at your side. What, then, does he carry?"
This is SO TRUE! So many profess being Christian but are they truly living it out? I think a majority, me included, only go deep with God when life is tough and then once life is back to normal we "forget" God. We go on living and making decisions on our own. We say "Thanks God for your help but I can take it from here." I don't think we do this purposely.......but we need to be aware that we do. Also some people have a hard time giving up their worries and cares, thinking God can't handle "our" problem. But hello.....that's not the case.
So what does God carry?.......
God carried our Sins!
Hebrews 9:28 "Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many" and 1 Peter 2:24 "He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree."
"Believing this and experiencing its liberating effect is crucial for life now. Guilt feelings do not have to have the last word! It is also crucial for the hour of our dying. The sting of death is sin, but thanks be to God, it was removed. It is crucial, too, for everlasting joy. Christ's sin-bearing work secures for us never-ending compensation for every so-called "loss" in this life of sacrificial love. This confidence is the foundation of knowing God.
God Pledges to Carry our Anxieties
1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you."
What worries does God aim to take from our backs and carry for us?
-Anxieties about lacking necessities, Philippians 4:4-7
-Uselessness, Isaiah 55:11
-Weakness, 2 Cor 12:9
-Decisions, Psalm 32:8
-Opponents, Romans 8:31
-Affliction, Psalm 34:19, Romans 5:3-5
-Aging, Isaiah 46:4
-Dying, Romans 14:7-9
-Not persevering, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 7:25
"When George Muller was asked about how he could be so calm in the middle of a hectic day with so many uncertainties in the orphanage, he answered something like, 'I rolled sixty things onto the Lord this morning.' This is something we need to learn to do.
God Pledges to Carry our Burdens
Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you, he will never permit the righteous to be moved."
The word for "burden" here is lot. What is your lot in life today? What has providence brought you? In the end, this is the Lord. And He will carry it for you. It is not meant to crush you or carry you away. It is meant to test your trust in God to carry it for you.
{Psalm 16:5 and 63:8}
God Pledges to Carry the Cause of Justice for Us
1 Peter 2:23 "When he was reviled, {Jesus} did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued handing over to Him who judges justly" {author's translation}
Romans 12:19 "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord"
Prepare to be treated unjustly but leave it to God. Let God carry your cause and settle accounts either on the cross or in hell. Then rest and don't seek revenge. Don't waste your energy.
God Pledges to Carry you--all Your life
Isaiah 46:3-4 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you: I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
{Exodus 19:4 and Psalm 18:35; 94:18}
The Christian life is a life of being carried from beginning to end. We work. Yet it is not we, but God who works within us {1 Cor 15:10}
Conclusion
So come to Him, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and find rest for your soul. Go deep with God and know Him better by venturing more on His pledge to carry you and all your concerns.
Proverbs 14:26
When I stay in God's word, pray and go to church I find myself so much more at peace and life is......easier. Not that life is easy but when you know that God is with you and guiding you and helping you, there's a peace that washes over you no matter what you're facing in life.
I've gotten away from this blog but lately I've been reminded that people are still needing encouragement and inspiration. When my life is going well I easily forget to spend more time with God but as soon as a bump comes I'm right back in His word and looking for his guidance and help. I wish that wasn't the case but sadly it is. I read two devotional books today and they talked about exactly what I needed to hear and what a lot of others need to hear, so I'm going to share with you today.
Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have refuge"
"Fear of the Lord" means fearing to dishonor the Lord. Which means fearing to distrust the Lord. Which means fearing to fear anything that the Lord has promised to help you overcome. In other words, the fear of the Lord is the great fear destroyer. (John Piper)
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you." The Lord just told us he will strengthen us and help us, so if we worry about the problem he's telling us not to worry about, then we are casting a vote of no confidence in our Lord.
The Lord says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" {Hebrews 13:5-6} If the Lord says that to you, then not to be confident in the Lord's promised presence and help is a kind of pride. It puts our reckoning of the trouble above God's. (John Piper)
When we trust God and fear dishonoring Him we are good examples to our children (I don't have any though, just fyi). When you show that your power and strength comes from God and not from your own ability we are good examples to our children. Children need to see that you, the parent aren't afraid or panicking but calm and steady. That's what makes a child feel safe and secure. You then become a refuge for your children just like God is a refuge for you.
From John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul"
I've gotten away from this blog but lately I've been reminded that people are still needing encouragement and inspiration. When my life is going well I easily forget to spend more time with God but as soon as a bump comes I'm right back in His word and looking for his guidance and help. I wish that wasn't the case but sadly it is. I read two devotional books today and they talked about exactly what I needed to hear and what a lot of others need to hear, so I'm going to share with you today.
Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have refuge"
"Fear of the Lord" means fearing to dishonor the Lord. Which means fearing to distrust the Lord. Which means fearing to fear anything that the Lord has promised to help you overcome. In other words, the fear of the Lord is the great fear destroyer. (John Piper)
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you." The Lord just told us he will strengthen us and help us, so if we worry about the problem he's telling us not to worry about, then we are casting a vote of no confidence in our Lord.
The Lord says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" {Hebrews 13:5-6} If the Lord says that to you, then not to be confident in the Lord's promised presence and help is a kind of pride. It puts our reckoning of the trouble above God's. (John Piper)
When we trust God and fear dishonoring Him we are good examples to our children (I don't have any though, just fyi). When you show that your power and strength comes from God and not from your own ability we are good examples to our children. Children need to see that you, the parent aren't afraid or panicking but calm and steady. That's what makes a child feel safe and secure. You then become a refuge for your children just like God is a refuge for you.
From John Piper's book "Pierced by the Word: 31 Meditations for your Soul"
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Alchemist
"To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation."
"The man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza. 'When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'"
"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'"
I'm currently reading The Alchemist. I'm not very far (page 31 to be exact) but it's already making me think and ponder.
Side note******The author of the book is Catholic so religion is important to him and he talks about God in the book but at the same time the book is like a fable. He talks about the Universe and "Personal Legends." So as a Christian I don't take everything he writes as something true or the way God wants things.
The first sentence I wrote..."To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation"......true? God has a plan for all of us, one specific for just you. So is that our only real obligation? Figuring out what God's plan is and then living it? It seems like a silly question if we believe God has a certain path for us. Because if he does then why wouldn't we follow it? But if you don't believe in God, then do you believe in destiny and fate? Is your obligation then finding your destiny? Or is your life what you make it and there is no such thing as fate or destiny?
For me personally, I believe we were put here for a reason. It wasn't by chance, it was by a creator; a creator named God. If He put me here and He has a plan for my life and knows me better than I know myself, then why wouldn't I want to find my purpose or path in this world? Can I be truly happy and fulfilled if I'm not living my God-given path? I don't think so......so I guess I agree with, "To realize one's destiny (or in my case God's purpose) is a person's only real obligation." If I'm not trying to realize it, then what am I living for? What other obligation do I have?
"He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'" Is this statement true? I have a hard time with this one. Life isn't as easy as picking up and going after what you want. There's other factors that come into play like family and money and jobs and bills. I'm not saying that you can't reach your dreams but it may take longer than you'd like it to, to reach it. Maybe I'm just reading this statement the wrong way?
"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'"
I have to agree with this one. It's certainly not true for everyone but I think it is for a lot. We care more about what other people think of us and our dreams than about what we want.
What are your thoughts or ideas on any of these statements?
"The man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza. 'When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'"
"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'"
I'm currently reading The Alchemist. I'm not very far (page 31 to be exact) but it's already making me think and ponder.
Side note******The author of the book is Catholic so religion is important to him and he talks about God in the book but at the same time the book is like a fable. He talks about the Universe and "Personal Legends." So as a Christian I don't take everything he writes as something true or the way God wants things.
The first sentence I wrote..."To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation"......true? God has a plan for all of us, one specific for just you. So is that our only real obligation? Figuring out what God's plan is and then living it? It seems like a silly question if we believe God has a certain path for us. Because if he does then why wouldn't we follow it? But if you don't believe in God, then do you believe in destiny and fate? Is your obligation then finding your destiny? Or is your life what you make it and there is no such thing as fate or destiny?
For me personally, I believe we were put here for a reason. It wasn't by chance, it was by a creator; a creator named God. If He put me here and He has a plan for my life and knows me better than I know myself, then why wouldn't I want to find my purpose or path in this world? Can I be truly happy and fulfilled if I'm not living my God-given path? I don't think so......so I guess I agree with, "To realize one's destiny (or in my case God's purpose) is a person's only real obligation." If I'm not trying to realize it, then what am I living for? What other obligation do I have?
"He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.'" Is this statement true? I have a hard time with this one. Life isn't as easy as picking up and going after what you want. There's other factors that come into play like family and money and jobs and bills. I'm not saying that you can't reach your dreams but it may take longer than you'd like it to, to reach it. Maybe I'm just reading this statement the wrong way?
"The old man continued, 'In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends.'"
I have to agree with this one. It's certainly not true for everyone but I think it is for a lot. We care more about what other people think of us and our dreams than about what we want.
What are your thoughts or ideas on any of these statements?
Monday, September 19, 2011
Forgiveness is for YOU!
God gives us many gifts but one of my favorites has to be forgiveness. Let me explain........
God gives us many rules to follow and for good reason. He is teaching us to live right and justly. God's greatest gift to us was His Son, Jesus dying on the cross for OUR sins. God wanted us to be right with Him! And then to receive his forgiveness all we need to do is repent and ask. There is no sin so bad, that can't be forgiven. The key is to repent and truly turn from your sin. God knows our heart better than we know our heart and he'll know if we are "faking" it.
There is one more part to forgiveness and that's forgiving others. Matthew 6:14-16 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." It makes sense, doesn't it?! How can you expect God to forgive you when you are holding grudges against others.....? Mark 11:25 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
I know forgiving is NOT easy. It can be really hard to let go of the bitterness, anger, resentment, and hurt. And sometimes we don't want to let it go. We like the feeling for whatever reason. But the reason I love God's gift of forgiveness is because I don't have to hold onto those horrible feelings and I don't have to avenge the wrong done to me. Romans 12:19 (NIV) "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."
When you forgive someone, you aren't "letting them off the hook". I think when we forgive someone we feel like we are saying it was okay whatever he or she did. But in reality you are freeing yourself from those horrible feelings of hatred, bitterness and anger. Eph 4:26-27,31 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold... Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."
"Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, 'Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.'"
God gives us many rules to follow and for good reason. He is teaching us to live right and justly. God's greatest gift to us was His Son, Jesus dying on the cross for OUR sins. God wanted us to be right with Him! And then to receive his forgiveness all we need to do is repent and ask. There is no sin so bad, that can't be forgiven. The key is to repent and truly turn from your sin. God knows our heart better than we know our heart and he'll know if we are "faking" it.
There is one more part to forgiveness and that's forgiving others. Matthew 6:14-16 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." It makes sense, doesn't it?! How can you expect God to forgive you when you are holding grudges against others.....? Mark 11:25 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
I know forgiving is NOT easy. It can be really hard to let go of the bitterness, anger, resentment, and hurt. And sometimes we don't want to let it go. We like the feeling for whatever reason. But the reason I love God's gift of forgiveness is because I don't have to hold onto those horrible feelings and I don't have to avenge the wrong done to me. Romans 12:19 (NIV) "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."
When you forgive someone, you aren't "letting them off the hook". I think when we forgive someone we feel like we are saying it was okay whatever he or she did. But in reality you are freeing yourself from those horrible feelings of hatred, bitterness and anger. Eph 4:26-27,31 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold... Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."
"Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, 'Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.'"
Forgiveness is a choice and a choice you'll have to make many times. Sometimes you'll have to make the same choice over and over again. But with God's help and praying for the other person, you'll move on and experience freedom. Forgiving someone isn't for her but for you! Don't get stuck in those ugly feelings and bad attitudes because you are only hurting yourself.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Little Perspective
Saturday's are big college football days in the fall. Definitely something that millions of people look forward to each week. Last night in one of the most tense and exciting games (ever possibly?), Michigan beat Notre Dame with 2 seconds to go! Everyone thought N.D. had it in the bag when they scored with 30 seconds to go. There's no way, N.D. can come back now, everyone's thinking.......well.....guess again. I like football but I don't go crazy for it but I'd have to say if that was Ohio State and they lost with 2 seconds to go, I'd be pretty mad too.
But here's where the story changes up a bit. A friend of mine has a boyfriend who is 1) a huge football fan and then 2) a huge N.D fan. So when they lost last night, she thought for sure he'd be mad. But when she turns around he's smiling........huh?!
He was talking to his uncle who had just went to a funeral for someone who had committed suicide. In the last couple months/years the uncle had been to more than enough funerals. Also 9.11 was the next day. He had told his nephew that things needed to be put into perspective. It was just football.
Just before I started writing this post I was reading our local paper. I'm not one to read the paper but today is a special day so I bought one. There were different 9.11 stories and stories from around the world and I have to say, a lot of it is depressing. The 9.11 stories hit home and I began thinking "What if" or "How hard-How sad" and so on.
Most of the news that is talked about is sad, depressing, negative and so on. That's one reason I had started this blog-so much sadness in the news. I didn't think I could take much more. I just wanted to close the paper and move on and then I remembered what my friend told me today.....Needing to Put Things in Perspective.....
Life is anything but easy and relaxed. If you aren't personally going through hard times, it's easy to forget that others are. But that's just it! Others are and they need our help. Our prayers. Our support, love and encouragement. Don't let the little or insignficant things in life, get you bent out of shape. Don't stir up trouble when there's enough as it is.
Our country will forever be changed but we still live in the most wonderful country there is! Let's not take it for granted.
But here's where the story changes up a bit. A friend of mine has a boyfriend who is 1) a huge football fan and then 2) a huge N.D fan. So when they lost last night, she thought for sure he'd be mad. But when she turns around he's smiling........huh?!
He was talking to his uncle who had just went to a funeral for someone who had committed suicide. In the last couple months/years the uncle had been to more than enough funerals. Also 9.11 was the next day. He had told his nephew that things needed to be put into perspective. It was just football.
Just before I started writing this post I was reading our local paper. I'm not one to read the paper but today is a special day so I bought one. There were different 9.11 stories and stories from around the world and I have to say, a lot of it is depressing. The 9.11 stories hit home and I began thinking "What if" or "How hard-How sad" and so on.
Most of the news that is talked about is sad, depressing, negative and so on. That's one reason I had started this blog-so much sadness in the news. I didn't think I could take much more. I just wanted to close the paper and move on and then I remembered what my friend told me today.....Needing to Put Things in Perspective.....
Life is anything but easy and relaxed. If you aren't personally going through hard times, it's easy to forget that others are. But that's just it! Others are and they need our help. Our prayers. Our support, love and encouragement. Don't let the little or insignficant things in life, get you bent out of shape. Don't stir up trouble when there's enough as it is.
Our country will forever be changed but we still live in the most wonderful country there is! Let's not take it for granted.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
God's View
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1Timothy 6:17-19
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." and " For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." 1 Timothy 6:6-7, 10
I firmly believe that the Bible is God's Word to us and that God inspired the writers. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) I don't take His Words lightly. They encourage me, inspire me, teach me and convict me.
In our world today it is so easy to get caught up in materialism and needing more stuff. I was that way......until I started going to church and reading God's Word. Until I started seeing things God's way. His word reminds us that we came into this world with nothing, not even clothes. We were naked. And when we leave this world we won't be taking anything with us. So why do we keep obtaining things? Why do we keep trying to have more and more instead of giving more and more? We won't lay up treasures for ourselves in Heaven by being selfish, but by doing good deeds and being generous and willing to share.
Money or wealth won't get us to Heaven or answer all our problems. You can't count on always having money but you can count on our Heavenly God to be there. He can answer all your problems. Maybe not the way you would like but he won't leave you or forsake you. "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5)
Part II
Have you ever thought about why we are here? What's the world about? Were we an accident or did a Creator make us. (Obviously you know what I believe) If we are here by accident than what's the purpose of life? What do we have to live for? Is life just about taking care of your children, cooking dinner, running errands, having drinks with the girls......If there's no God than does that mean you don't have hope? I have hope b/c I know there's a loving, compassionate, caring God looking out for me. I know I can turn to Him when I need Him and I will be comforted and encouraged.
Friday, September 2, 2011
World Changing Idea
The two greatest commandments in the Bible are:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (This is the first and the greatest commandment)
- Love your neighbor as yourself
When you want something you go out and get it, right....? When you're hungry you get something to eat. Whatever YOU need, you get for yourself. You would never let YOU, not receive something you need and sometimes even things you want.
We are so quick to meet our own needs but we hesitant when other's need our help. Or we don't give as much as we are able to. It's not our responsibility. We're only suppose to take care of ourselves. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and I have to watch out for myself or no one will. We see these attitudes a lot in this world.
But what IF, we stopped looking at other people and started SEEING them. What if we started LOVING them like we love ourselves. Because we all know we love "me." The human race is selfish and greedy and thinks me a whole lot. I'm not saying there's not good people out there and that we don't help BUT we can't deny that if we all LOVED our NEIGHBOR as ourselves than this world would be in a much better place. And by neighbor I don't mean the person living beside your house or apartment. I mean the WHOLE WORLD. Every person, every country, every continent. No one is forgotten.
Does anyone else see how amazing this concept is? That if we met other people's needs as quickly as our own needs, then this world wouldn't be suffering so much. There wouldn't be as much violence and war. There'd be much more love and compassion and kindness. I could go for that!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Severe Drought
I know I haven't been on his blog very much anymore (really at all). I've been catching up on my reading and learning more about life in Africa. I recently read Ishmael Beah's book, A Long Way Gone-Memoirs of a Child Soldier. And another one about the Rwanda genocide that killed millions of Tutsis. And I'm currently reading one about a girl who was a child soldier is Uganda. I'm trying to learn as much as a can so I know how to help and to bring awareness to how difficult and troubling their lives are in Africa. Please check out my other blog A Compassionate Heart, Reaching Out. This is where my heart is right now. I'm not writing as much as I'd like but give me time. I will be.
Please check out my post today about the severe drought in the Horn of Africa. Nearly 13 million people are severely affected and need OUR help desperately. I donated to World Vision, would you please consider helping as well? Your gift will multiply 5X's! So even if you only donate $50, $250 is actually going over to Africa to help! Every little bit helps and makes a difference. Especially when many help=) One drop in a bucket won't fill it but thousands of drops will!
Please check out my post today about the severe drought in the Horn of Africa. Nearly 13 million people are severely affected and need OUR help desperately. I donated to World Vision, would you please consider helping as well? Your gift will multiply 5X's! So even if you only donate $50, $250 is actually going over to Africa to help! Every little bit helps and makes a difference. Especially when many help=) One drop in a bucket won't fill it but thousands of drops will!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Cancer, disease, death, all horrible things in our world today. For one family, Batten's Disease is the nightmare they are facing. From Batten's website......http://bdsra.org/whatis.html
Batten Disease is named after the British pediatrician who first described it in 1903. Also known as Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten Disease, it is the most common form of a group of disorders called Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (or NCLs).
Although Batten Disease is usually regarded as the juvenile form of NCL, it has now become the term to encompass all forms of NCL.
The forms of NCL are classified by age of onset and have the same basic cause, progression and outcome but are all genetically different, meaning each is the result of a different gene.
Over time, affected children suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Eventually, children with Batten Disease/NCL become blind, bedridden, and unable to communicate and it is presently always fatal. Batten Disease is not contagious or, at this time, preventable.
Also.......
Batten Disease/NCL is relatively rare, occurring in an estimated 2 to 4 of every 100,000 births in the United States but no one really knows how many children there may be in North America or anywhere else in the world. The diseases have been identified worldwide. Although NCLs are classified as rare diseases, they often strike more than one person in families that carry the defective gene.As I'm sure you figured out this is definitely a disease you wouldn't wish on anyone. However a little girl at my church has been diagnosed with this disease. I will never fully understand what Kate's family is going through. I can't even imagine how much this is affecting them and changing their lives. I mean I have some idea but not the whole picture. Kate's mom posted a note on Facebook the other day and I asked if I could post it on here. It's beautiful. I just wanted to give a little history so you know why she is in the pain she's in and what she faces on a daily basis.
Last fall I attended a woman’s Christian conference and one of the speakers said when life is overwhelming and she doesn’t know how to handle a situation she says “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. This brings her peace, comfort and strength. When I heard this I thought, really, just saying that over and over and over again brings you peace? How? I was skeptical. Not skeptical that Jesus can, does, or would provide peace but skeptical that just saying His name would provide it. Don’t you need to pray and ask? It took several months for me to test this idea. I found myself in a very weak moment where tears were flowing, negative thoughts were consuming me and peace was nowhere to be found. I needed to dry the tears and walk into the office looking professional, put together and avoid the questions “whats wrong”, “what can I do?” People know my situation but I don’t want them to only see that when they see me. I have more to offer than being the mom of sick girl and when I am in the office I need to prove that I can separate home life from work life. Sounds harsh but it is reality. If I walked in with mascara running down my face and tear stained skin they would only see the thing that consumes my every thoughts. As I drove, I whispered “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” To my wonder and delight I found peace; tears stop falling. Since that day, when I feel overwhelmed or find myself tearing up while trying to maintain a conversation with someone I whisper to myself His glorious name. Each time I am given peace, strength and comfort. Who knew it could be so easy?
Over the last week, as we approach the one year mark of Kate’s diagnosis, the darkness I feel is once again overwhelming. I am whispering often His holy name and searching for, praying for and expecting peace. Tonight, as I drove with tears flowing I LISTENED to a song I normally only hear. I allowed the words to speak to me. I know that He sent them (the words) to me, to direct me and provide me with the reassurance that all I need to do is call on Him. Whether that is by saying His name, praying, reading the Bible, etc. He is there to comfort me in the darkness and He is the light that I see in my darkest moments. Without Him this journey would be impossible. So tonight I say loudly “JESUS, JESUS, JESUS. Light my path, give me peace, and provide the strength I do not have.”
I share this with you so you can have the same peace I have. He loves you! He proved it when He carried your cross and died for your sins. Shout His name, allow Him to consume you!
When I call on Jesus by Nicole Mullen:
Verse 1:
I'm so very ordinary, nothing special on my own.
Oh, I have never walked on water,
And I have never calmed a storm.
Sometimes I'm hiding away from the madness around me
Like a child who's afraid of the dark
Chorus:
But when I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call
La la la la la, la la la la la
Verse 2:
Weary brother, broken daughter,
Widowed, Widowed lover you're not alone
If you're tired and scared of the madness around you
If you can't find the strength to carry on
Chorus:
When you call on Jesus,
All things are possible
You can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When you call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue you when you--
Bridge:
Call Him in the morning', in the afternoon time
Late in the evening' He'll be there
When your heart is broken,
And you feel discouraged,
You can just remember that He said
He'll be there
Chorus (2x):
When I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me (back to top first time, 2nd time finish with "when I call")
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Come on, Come here
I have a very eccentric dog. I'm not really sure how he got this way? His name is Skeeter and he's about 5 lbs. Skeeter was the only black puppy and the runt of the litter. (btw he's a Pomeranian).
Skeeter goes through these moods where he's afraid to walk in certain rooms. Our kitchen floor is tile and we have a rug by the kitchen sink. He WILL NOT walk in the middle of the kitchen. If you put him down in the middle he will scurry to either the rug or under the table. Once he's on the rug he won't leave. You can call and coach but usually nothing works.
Today I put him down and he scurries right to the rug and won't leave his comfort zone. He has a thing for carpet, blankets and rugs. He does NOT like wood or tile floors. So today I'm saying "Come on, Come here" but nope. He tries to but is too afraid. He barks and I get agitated. We are talking about being 2 ft apart. For whatever reason this got me thinking.......How many times has our Heavenly Father said "Come on, Come here" but we are too afraid. Just like I knew Skeeter was safe and being irrational how many times have we acted like Skeeter when God is trying to get us to come to Him or even do something for his glory? When God is calling to us, is He getting aggravated like I was? And I don't want to give in or he'll never learn. God is probably the same way. He has to just wait or we won't learn or trust. Thank goodness he has more patience than I do!
Our Heavenly Father would never lead us astray so lets go wherever he asks us to. Lets trust him for those 2 ft and get out of our comfort zone. He will keep us safe and lead us to places we never imagined!
Skeeter goes through these moods where he's afraid to walk in certain rooms. Our kitchen floor is tile and we have a rug by the kitchen sink. He WILL NOT walk in the middle of the kitchen. If you put him down in the middle he will scurry to either the rug or under the table. Once he's on the rug he won't leave. You can call and coach but usually nothing works.
Today I put him down and he scurries right to the rug and won't leave his comfort zone. He has a thing for carpet, blankets and rugs. He does NOT like wood or tile floors. So today I'm saying "Come on, Come here" but nope. He tries to but is too afraid. He barks and I get agitated. We are talking about being 2 ft apart. For whatever reason this got me thinking.......How many times has our Heavenly Father said "Come on, Come here" but we are too afraid. Just like I knew Skeeter was safe and being irrational how many times have we acted like Skeeter when God is trying to get us to come to Him or even do something for his glory? When God is calling to us, is He getting aggravated like I was? And I don't want to give in or he'll never learn. God is probably the same way. He has to just wait or we won't learn or trust. Thank goodness he has more patience than I do!
Our Heavenly Father would never lead us astray so lets go wherever he asks us to. Lets trust him for those 2 ft and get out of our comfort zone. He will keep us safe and lead us to places we never imagined!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
New Season
Last year when I started this blog I needed to stay encouraged and positive and have a purpose but after a year, life is different. I am slowly learning who I am and what I'm passionate about. My heart is burdened for those who have nothing and no one to help them or advocate for them. When I'm not working, I'm either spending time with God or learning more about developing countries and their needs or reading Freedom Writers and being inspired by them. (If you haven't read the book or watched the movie, I strongly recommend them both).
There are many seasons in life and I have one season ending and another one beginning. I will continue to do this blog but not everyday like I was; which will be very odd for me. I will focus more on the other blog I started, A Compassionate Heart, Reaching Out because that is where my heart and happiness is.
I hope that you will continue to read this one and also check out my other one. I will warn you, I am very passionate about helping those who have less. I feel like I am extremely blessed and have more than enough to give but I am selfish more than I like. I don't mean to offend anyone, I just have a hard time keeping all my excitement and willingness to help inside. In my opinion I believe most/majority of the people in the U.S. have more than enough to give, we are just selfish, including me. I feel that everyone in this world has the right to have all their needs met just like mine are met here in the U.S. And I also feel it is our responsibility, those who have more than enough, to help. Hopefully I have't turned anyone away......I mean well ;-)
Happy Memorial Weekend to all! Thank you to all the courageous military men and women past, present and future! You are so much braver and stronger than I ever could be. Praying for you all.
There are many seasons in life and I have one season ending and another one beginning. I will continue to do this blog but not everyday like I was; which will be very odd for me. I will focus more on the other blog I started, A Compassionate Heart, Reaching Out because that is where my heart and happiness is.
I hope that you will continue to read this one and also check out my other one. I will warn you, I am very passionate about helping those who have less. I feel like I am extremely blessed and have more than enough to give but I am selfish more than I like. I don't mean to offend anyone, I just have a hard time keeping all my excitement and willingness to help inside. In my opinion I believe most/majority of the people in the U.S. have more than enough to give, we are just selfish, including me. I feel that everyone in this world has the right to have all their needs met just like mine are met here in the U.S. And I also feel it is our responsibility, those who have more than enough, to help. Hopefully I have't turned anyone away......I mean well ;-)
Happy Memorial Weekend to all! Thank you to all the courageous military men and women past, present and future! You are so much braver and stronger than I ever could be. Praying for you all.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Rain H2O
BOATING FUN AFTER THE RAIN
PLAYING WITH NATHAN'S BINOCULARS
GO, GO, GO
WALKING IN THE WATER
UNCLE NATHAN SHOWING CAMERON HOW TO
BUILD A BOAT AND THEN SAIL IT IN THE RAIN H2O
Nathan had just gotten home from visiting his mom in Wisconsin and had brought back all his childhood toys. One of them was a parachute with a man hanging from it. Nathan went outside in his bare feet to throw it around. Cameron wanted to come out too but he couldn't find his shoes so he wanted Nathan to hold him. Nathan picked him up and then tried to put him down. Cameron was not having it. He tried everything he could not to have to put his feet down on the wet and dirty pavement. Nathan eventually won and from there the fun began. My sister lives next door so I had to call her and show her that her son was outside with NO shoes on and loving it! I also had to take pictures of the miraculous event and then had to post them on FB with the title "he's a REAL boy." LoL
Cameron ran in the puddles and kicked and threw H2O at us. He chased me up and down the sidewalk trying to throw H2O on me in his bare feet! (such an accomplishment for him) Then Nathan got the bright idea to make a paper boat to float in the rain H2O along the street curbs. Cameron LOVED it! It eventually got too wet to float anymore so we went back inside where soon after Cameron found the binoculars. All in all it was a very fun and memorable night.
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