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Praising God for Dirty Dishes

8/30/2015

In all things give thanks.

                                       1 Thess 5:18

       Thank God for dirty dishes, They have a story to tell, And by the stack I have                  It seems we are living very well.                                        While people of other countries are starving         I haven’t the heart to fuss              For by this stack of evidence         God’s awfully good to us.                                                            Anon

       Okay, come on, “When was the last time you thanked God for dirty dishes?” You finishedcooking, serving, clearing the table, and now you say, “Wow! I get to do these dishes!” Neverhappens--unless you are more spiritually attuned than I. Some think, “I’ll thank God when I winthe lottery. Or get a raise? Or worse, when my enemy gets what he deserves, thank God!
     When was the last time you thanked God for the mundane? Life is lived in the details. In the small moments. In the ordinary.   I used to love giving my kids unexpecte gifts and to see their faces light up. It just made my day. Your Daddy is just a prayer away. Let’s warm God’s heart today. Let’s give him some praise.                                                                                                             Linda

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Your dream has a voice!

8/23/2015

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Joy in the Morning

This day I have set before you life and death; choose life.                                                 Deuteronomy 30:19

Hello Sweet Friend,

            Your dream has a voice. All through the Bible we read stories of God directing his children’s lives by speaking through their dreams. I keep a journal beside my bed to record such murmurings. You should also. I want you to be alive to the Spirit’s voice. Some people seem to have a dullness. Disappointments can make you heartsick. Troubles can take away your shout. Life can try to take your voice down to a whisper. This week I want you to wake up! I want to you enjoy your life. God says, “I don’t care what you did in the past. You are splendid and magnificent and I am right beside you. We are going to get through this together.” God will lift your face out of the dirt. He will give you a new start. But remember, a come-back is not a go-back. You cannot go back and fix it. Say to yourself, “I was there; now I’m here. “ Paul reminds us to “Press forward.” You get to have a new normal. A new dream in your heart. Listen carefully; sometimes He even speaks in whispers. Can you hear Him?

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August 23rd, 2015

8/23/2015

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Growing Fruit

8/16/2015

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22

Hello Sweet Friend,

            As we advance in the Christian life, we hopefully shed the old ways for something much, much better. Ever so slowly, as we progress by keeping our focus on Christ, we stop being rude, obnoxious, and stop demanding our own way. We become kind souls. We strive to live in a gentle manner. Today, I want you to consider: “Where is your focus?”

            Are you focused on the past? You cannot live in joy if you are rehearsing your failures. God gives you a future and a hope.

            Are you holding onto grudges? Make the decision—and it is an action step—to let go of your feelings.   Grab onto what you know; God calls you to love and forgive your enemies and the fruit of self-control and gentleness will ripen, become luscious, and satisfy your soul.

            Perhaps, you are experiencing a storm that is raging inside. Trials and tribulations are just a part of this life and it is our task to remain faithful and to develop forbearance. This tempest will not last forever, and you are not alone during this storm. Jesus is in the boat with you.

            So again I ask, “Where is your focus?” Look to the higher truth. Choose your steps carefully. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. And the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. Now, that’s how you grow fruit!

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Addictive Demands

8/9/2015

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In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. .John 16:33

Hello Sweet Friend,

            This week, without a doubt, you will be faced with challenges. With difficult people. With trials that seem insurmountable. Jesus said that! You “will” have tribulation. Not, you “might” have problems.   So how can we be of good cheer? And then, Jesus went on to say, I have told you this that you might have peace! Obviously, if Jesus said it, it is achievable, but we need guidance as to how to make this happen. I pray this week that my words might be filled with wisdom and insight. This easy formula will bring you peace—even joy. It will take practice, but it will, I promise you, help you produce the fruit of the Spirit that will make your life delicious.

            In any given situation, you get to choose your reaction. You can choose   between addictively demanding your way OR preferring that the scenario be different and thinking through your options and actions. Let’s use Big Jim and the clicker as our example. Without any mean intention, Jim has a habit of flipping the channels when a commercial comes on. I could DEMAND that he stop doing it. And if he doesn’t, I could react with anger, become passive aggressive, or swallow my feelings. Not really healthy options! OR, I could PREFER that he not change channels. I get to choose whether to wage war over this issue or take a deep breath and consider my options: I could watch my program on another TV. I could read a book.   I could record my program and watch it later by myself. I will write more on this next week. For now, be aware of when you are addictively demanding that people, events, situations be different. Linda

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He touched them and made them whole!

8/2/2015

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      Joy in the         Morning

         He reached out his hand and touched them. Matthew 8:3

Hello Friend,

            Not far from where I live there is a Women’s Center, and I pass it quite often as I travel US 19.   Beside the road are well-meaning Christians with placards protesting abortion. Some are sitting in lawn chairs and others are strolling back and forth waving their banners—some decrying women as murders and others with blood dripping from wombs. It is certainly their right by law to protest against something that goes against their belief system, but, I wonder, what would Jesus do? WWJD is always my go-to measuring tool when contemplating taking an action and, in this instance, my mind does not, and cannot, perceive Jesus as joining the protesters. When the woman was caught in adultery, an equally grievous sin, Jesus told her “that He did not condemn her, go in peace” (John 8:11). Instead of using His arms to wave a poster, I see Jesus as reaching out to tenderly embrace them, listening to their stories, and offering assistance. I truly wish that the protesters would roll up their sleeves and begin a truly meaningful ministry to children in need. There are currently about 14,000 little ones in the foster care system in Florida—dear little toddlers needing a tender hand tucking them in bed at night, reading them a story, and making them smiley-face pancakes in the morning. Doesn’t every child deserve that? Too much of a long-term commitment, how about volunteering at a school, or making doll clothes or refurbishing old toys so that every child at Christmas has a toy? How about babysitting a neighbor’s child so that the mom can take a much-needed nap? Allow God to do the judging; you do the loving.               Linda

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Praising God for Dirty Dishes

Your dream has a voice!

August 23rd, 2015

Growing Fruit

Addictive Demands

He touched them and made them whole!

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