Destiny is Shaped By Our Decisions

If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, "You should go this way. Here is the right way."Isaiah 30:21

"Once you decide to do right, life is easy, there are no distractions." ― William Edgar Stafford

Decision-making. Something we all do daily and appears somewhat mundane. However, daily decision making is something that is SO important. Decisions about career, relationships, school. Decisions about "making and doing the right choice" vs. deciding to do "what pleases us". When we break it down, these little decisions/choices that we make shape our path for the future.

Convictions, beliefs, standards in this day in this age get a bad rap, in my opinion. "Do what you feel", "go with the path of least resistance", etc encourage us to decide with what "pleasures" us. However, when we accept God's guidance in decision-maing which usually results in delaying gratification; we can reap rewards that He provides for us.

Is it easy to have convictions/standards? NO. Is it a daily battle? YES. Will we make wrong choices? OF COURSE - we are human. However, when we notice we are heading down a wrong path; its never too late to call on God to help us get back on the right path. He's waiting and wanting us to lean on Him because we are His children.

Father God - Thank you so much for "establishing our steps" for good, wanting good for us. Help us to listen and lean on you for daily decision making to ease or path in life. If we stray away, help us to run back to You for guidance and decisions. Thank you for loving us so much. Amen

Respect is Earned, Loyalty is Returned

 

17 A friend loves you all the time, but a brother was born to help in times of trouble. Proverbs 17:17
Loyalty. A virtue difficult to come by nowadays, in my opinion. Instant food, instant access to movies, disposible water bottles, plastic bags. Its so easy to throw away things nowadays. However, isn't it nice to have stability? To know something or "someone" is going to be there for a long time? Whether it be a good friend, your partner, family, something "material" that stands the test of time?

At work, we were looking through the "urban dictionary". I will admit that I am "old" and some of the things the kids at school say I have no idea about and am "way out of the loop" of slang. However, on a positive note; they had a definition of "loyals" in there. Great that our young adults have a way (though not coventional) to define loyalty:

loyals

These are the people you can trust to have your back all the time, you can close both eyes when sleeping and they got you covered or turn your back on them and you know nothing will happen. They will never abandon you.

How many "loyals" we have around us? How many people are we "loyal" to? How are we demonstrating loyalty to others ?


Father God - Thank you so much for NEVER leaving us, even when may have left you for a time. Help us to grow in loyalty to people in our lives that support us, love us and are truthful to us when we need it. Help us to do the same to our friends, family and partners. Thank you for your awesome love. Amen

Patience - The Ability to See Past Emotion

2 Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. Ephesians 4:2

"When you are tempted to lose your patience with something or someone, think about how patience God is with you all the time" Anonymous

Patience. Endurance, staying power, persistence, perseverance, tolerance, forebearance, fortitude, serentity, etc.

Is patience as hard for you to maintain as it is for me at times?  Wanting something to happen yesterday?  Wanting to give in when things get a little difficult? Wanting things to happen that We want to happen when we want them to happen?  I can truly admit that I fall in this trap at times. What's the problem with "impatience"?  We develop expectations of situations and/or people that are impossible to meet, resulting in frustration.  We give up on a plan before it has a chance to bear fruit and start reaping the rewards that God wants us to receive. We get angry and do things we regret, falling way short of attempting to show God's example of love/patience to others.  We lose our serenity and peace when we get angry over what others are doing or not doing.

Lots of things in life need to age to be of the best quality:

Cheese: This is true for semi-hard and hard cheeses like cheddar and Parmigiana-Reggiano, along with soft-ripened cheeses such as blue cheeses, Brie, and limburger. Without proper aging, these delectable cheeses would lack their distinctive flavor and characteristic texture.

Friendships: They deepen with age as you further recognize and value the joy of companionship.

Fruit trees: Older trees produce higher quality fruit -- as long as they are pruned and properly cared for.

Cooking skills: Only an experienced cook knows how to shave time off the preparation of a meal and, equally important, confidently bring a somewhat botched meal to the table and successfully convince the dinner guests that it turned out exactly as planned. :-)

And the list goes on........

Father God - Thank you so much for situations that help our patience grow. We may not be aware of it in the middle of things, but You are wanting us to grow and reap the rewards of developing patience. Help us to persevere and "stay in the game' rather than giving up when things get difficult. Thank You for the patience and love you show us, Your children. Amen.

"Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not." C. S. Lewis

7 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-39

I visited Reynolds Park Baptist Church this morning with my brother. Wonderful service. Pastor Chad Randall discussed how "limited" our intellectual understanding of God's love is. And, most importantly; how relying on God's love can help us better understand His love for us.

What "limits" our understanding of love? Abusive relationships, "conditional" love from others, neglect in childhood and in relationships, etc. We all are born with situations that hinder our ability to love in our "human" way. HOWEVER, God's love for us limitless, unconditional and incomprensensible for us. Isn't He amazing? How do we know we have God's love in our hearts?

1) God's Love produces Joy (not temporary happiness - conditional on the situation we are in)

2) God's Love moves us from a "victim" mindset to a "VICTORY" mindset

3) God's love is frequently demonstrated TO us - through His plan and our daily life.

4) God's love is demonstrated THROUGH us - its not an act of us "doing" - its relying on Him to guide us to help and love others.

Father God - Thank you so much for loving us uncondtionally. Help us to daily search and rely on you to guide us to love ourselves and others when its hard for us to do because of our past experiences. Help us to love others with all our mind, heart and soul to show others what love truly is. Amen.

Children - The Absolute Best Valentines Gift from God

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was on him. Luke 2:40

I DEFINITELY do not claim to know the mind of God - by ANY means. However, don't you know he was and is so very proud of His Son? That he reveled in His Son's love for mankind and the wisdom that he bestowed to others about love, redemption, forgiveness and living?

What an example we have for parenting! He loved His son so much, yet loved us too. He allowed his son to die so that we may accept him and have eternal life...Very difficult to see His Son in such pain for such an important purpose.

I think (though not perfect) that we have a portion of that love for our kids. We love them so much, its so easy to "brag" (yes brag - I admit lol) about their accomplishments, their hearts and what they do. But I guess the greatest thing we can teach and see about our children is the "love they give others". Maybe, hopefully we have influenced them to be good, caring individuals - productive and making a difference...

Thank you Shelbye for giving me my best Valentine and being a daughter that I am so proud of!

"When we see the ending up ahead—let it go and fly."

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. 9 Do not be
in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

Beginnings imply and require endings." ― Ann Leckie, Ancillary Justice

Endings happen for all sorts reasons for each of us. The graduation of children from high school is a new beginning for them to become more independent, launching them out into the world. Very exciting for our children, and could be a somewhat sad ending for us, parents :). A job that ends could mean, that a new job will open new doors and a more fulfilling life. An ending of a life, though tragic if we love someone very much; moves us into a new chapter of living life without them. An end to a relationship leads to reflection and a new chance to start again with better handle on what a relationship takes, learning from mistakes and moving forward.

A universal symbol of ending and beginning resulting in transformation is the ancient legend of the phoenix. It tells of an amazing bird who at a ripe old age builds a nest for itself, ignites it, and is consumed by the fire. From the ashes of its own ending, a new phoenix emerges.

With God's "prodding" :) I am beginning to learn that life provides us with a continual dance of transformation as  outworn understandings, possessions, habits, relationships, and ways of being give way to new ones. When an ending comes knocking, its not necessary to fear. Honor and praise God with the opportunity to learn and grow from endings Continuing to have faith, through God's guidance that the "phoenix" inside us lives.We just have to "let ourselves fly".
　

Father God - Thank you for endings (though sad oftentimes) that bring to us NEW beginnings. Help us have faith that You only want what is the best for us and have plans made just for us. Remind us to come to You when these transitions are happening to give us strength. Thank You so much for the learned wisdom and transformation that these changes provide for us, through Your guidance. Amen.

An example of "Bromance" before it was cool... :-) Tribute to Danny Latham

Danny Latham - definitely knew the secret of how to have lemons and turn them into lemonade...

 

went to a visitation of Danny Latham. We arrived early and it looked like alot of people had that idea lol. Walking into the visitation with my dad, Irvin and stepmom; my mind was flooded of memories about Danny and Patty and their relationship with my dad and mom many years ago.

Images of our families going to Florida every summer. Danny acting so funny, never meeting a stranger. And Dad - laughing, laughing, laughing. Never a dull moment when Danny was around. Remembering the times mom and dad going on cruises with Danny and Patty. Mom always snapped tons of pictures all with stories to tell of Danny and Dad's antics.

Memories of my mom, dad, Danny and Patty playing cards every weekend. Funny thing about Danny and dad; even though they knew one was going to scare the other when they got together - they acted like it scared them like crazy. Funny....

Danny brought out the best side of dad = relaxed, and having a ball.. Dad told me one time "Everybody should have a "Danny" that they can let there hair down with and have fun". It was nice to see that friendship between the two of them.

As the years went by, my mother past away - which was a big blow for all of us that loved her so much. Danny and Patty didn't come over as much. However, I know that Dad and Danny, kept in touch and I knew they were close. A friendship that weathered changes.

I overheard dad talking with another man that knew "Danny" very well. He said "If you can count the number of close friends on your had you have done well. Danny was one of mine. He knew me warts and all. We kept each other laughing and loved each other all the same".

Rest in peace - Danny Latham. We will sure miss you. And keep mom in line up there, will ya? ;-)

 

Self Worth - purely secular or simply embracing God's love for us?

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Romans 12:9 (MSG)

"Friendship- my definition- is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble." ― Stieg Larsson,

Self-control, self-reliance, self-worth, self-esteem, self-view. Lots of psychological terms that all define loving ourselves. When researching bible commentary regarding this subject, I was surprised that many Christian authors, ministers, scholars have a view that "loving ourselves" is secularism. Created by man to perpetrate the belief that man does not need God - that power is within "self."

Hmmm, I can understand that we can get "full of ourselves" and become too self reliant to depend on God. Actually, have been there and done that and suffered consequences. BUT what about the portion of us who struggle with self esteem and are Christian? Those of us that love others and sacrifice ourselves to please others? Have others well being foremost at heart rather than our own? There has to be a balance and a spiritual viewpoint regarding low self esteem.

I believe God "wants" us to have a healthy view of ourselves. . Jesus said that we should love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). That implies a sound concept of self-esteem. Sadly, however, many of us deal with a low appreciation of ourselves due to many factors (history of abuse, substance abuse, critical self thinking, being overly concerned with material things). Sometimes it affects are ability to love and serve God. This can times, permeate our relationships, drive our decisions. An unhealthy self-view can, thus, affect our lives. But there is "good news":-)

The Bible presents two simple facts which, if embraced, can provide us with a healthy self view and a mark of individual excellence.
1. We possesses dignity by virtue of our divine heritage (ie being made in the image of God.
2. Though everyone has dealt with or is dealing with sin, man can regain his self-esteem through the process of spiritual rebirth and regeneration.

Having a healthy self view is harder work for  some of us than others. But it can be improved. We can find our voice, through God by embracing our heritage through him and having a close relationship with our "Father".

Father God - Thank you so much for Your great love for us and creating us "in Your image". Nudge us to love others as You love us. However, help us to remember that we are "Your children" and deserve to be treated as such in friendships/relationships. Thank You for Your faithfulness and constant love. Amen
　

Living within Our Means, instead of Being Imprisoned by Our Wants

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Proverbs 24:27

“Wealth is a planned result that requires productive work and dedication., “The plans of the diligent lead only to abundance; but all who rush in arrive only at want” (CJB, Proverbs 21:5).”

Since I had a little time on my hands this week, J I decided to put together a budget for myself until August. This, in itself; is monumental for me lol. Since currently I am working as a certified teachers aide and on the way to becoming a teacher, I have resigned myself to the fact that budgeting will be a practice I will be doing for many years to come.  Budgeting gets a bad rap – its not very exciting to think of ways to “save money”. However, I actually felt a sense of empowerment of planning how much I will save and when I will be able to reach some financial goals. Could it possibly mean that I am on the way to becoming financially responsible at the ripe old age of 43? J Some of us are late bloomers, aren’t we?

What does the bible say about budgeting? Many times the bible discusses virtues such as  perserverance, diligence in practices such as “tithing”. My dad always has stressed the importance of tithing as a way to be financially responsible and one of the ways to receive God’s blessing.  The first step in becoming financially responsible and blessed is to recognize God as the source of your prosperity. We may have worked a job, but it’s God who gave us our lives, our breath, our talents, our abilities, the power to think, and the blessing of living at a time of unparalleled opportunity in one of the most prosperous nations in the world. We didn’t do any of that! Budgeting another way for us to learn lessons and recognize blessings from God through continued stewardship and discipline. Not the easiest lesson, but an important one.

Father God – Thank you so much for blessing us with what we currently have. Thank you for lessons we learn about stewardship and discipline. Remind us that to be blessed by You, we have to consistently take care of what we already have. Give us discipline in our spending and saving habits to strengthen our stewardship. Even though at times, it seems that it’s easier for others to make “ends meet”- help us to be thankful for All the blessings we have through You. Amen
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Attitude - Little Thing that Makes a Big Difference

 

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Philippians 4:8

"Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something special in them.Think only the best, be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Norman Vincent Peale

 

Long before Norman Vincent Peale; Paul was discussing the "power of positive thinking". Usually this theory of positive thinking begets positive action is dismissed as "psychobabble".

Truth is truth wherever we are. Focusing on the good in every area of our lives is what Paul was advocating. Failure to recognize God's blessings in everyday living will cause us care and anxiety. Recognizing God's hand in even the smallest things will cause peace and will keep our hearts and minds focused on the positive road ahead.

　

Father God - Thank you so much for blessings we take note of and take "for granted". It is You that remains as a constant in our lives if WE allow it. Remind us that you gave us a heart and a mind to give us enthusiam to do positive things. Help us to let go of the negativity and focus on steps that can make us resilient and more effective for You. Amen.

Nature - Teacher of Patience

It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. 13 When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Jeremiah 10:12-13

"It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls." ― Bruce Barton

I remember my mom saying one day " All you have to do in life is live and die". This was when she was first diagnosed with cancer. This statement, coming from a woman; who would try to move mountains to "get things done", was shocking to hear . This statement has stuck with me for many years. I believe my mother, who was fiercely independent, was saying - "there is only so much control that we (humans) have in life".

Father God or "Mother Nature" has a way of teaching us "what's important". Its not how many hours of work you put in, what you have to show for your hard work, the circle of friends that you run in, etc. Have you noticed that huge storms "level the playing field for everyone"?. That, oftentimes, serves as a impetus for us to "come together" - to help our neighbor, to move beyond our "self" and come together as a group to help?

I believe that God has a purpose for storms - in nature and in our emotional life. He shows us how powerful He is. Storms allow us to "step back" and learn signficant things. Storms force us to be dependent on Him for deliverance and blessing.

Father God - Remind us today that we grow from the emotional and natural storms of life. Help us to think beyond ourselves when storms come our way. Thank you so much for being the Ultimate Force in nature and that there is a purpose in everything You do.

Winning Out in the Long Run

"With this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:14
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The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it. Mack R. Douglas

The Apostle Paul is the author of a letter he wrote to the Phillipians and also wrote this verse about "looking forward and moving upward". If Paul focused his life on the past, the things he did before he was saved, it would have incapacitated him for the present work. Paul was persecuting Christians, dragging them out of their homes, arresting them, even consenting to their death, And I’m sure that there were things even after he was saved that occurred that he wish didn’t happen and yet he was able to let them go because his eyes were focused on what the Lord has for him here and now!
There are many of us who are spiritually unable to move forward because they live in the past. I know this personally because I was guilty of this several years. How do we let ourselves become "unable" to move forward? We hold onto grudges, sins, bitterness, tragedies of the past, refusing to let them go. Some of us try to live in the past making it into some kind of utopia and that too can paralyze us from the present work that God wants to do. Paul, in Galatians 4:9 rebukes them by saying, "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?" Satan's powerful game to play is for us to "focus on the past instead of what we can do today". Difficult habit to get out of but it can be done :-)

Then what should we do? Paul tells us that we are to be "reaching forward" which is a word that speaks of stretching. Think of it like this, a muscle that is stretched to its limit, like that of a rur who is stretching, straining to reach the finish line. At first we get tired, sore, think of the long road ahead. But before no time, we are moving forward Instead of reaching back we are running toward the goals that God has called us to do.We will be living for today and seeing what God is going to do.

Father God - Thank you so much for the chance to move forward and have hope for the future - all through Your strength. If we slip back and think about past hurts, remind us to call on Your Name and "live for today, working for tomorrow" instilling hope for our future. Thank you for the chance to move forward and be effective in our lives and for You each and every day. Amen