Love Is the Greatest

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal…

Love is patient and kind,

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

It does not demand its own way.

It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…

Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-

and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13

God bless you and your day.

 

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Most People Don’t Know What They Want…

This morning I woke up to a different tune as the birds song came drifting through the screen of my patio door.  Listening intently it struck me that it wasn’t as sweet sounding as it was the day before. In fact, it sounded more like complaining.

I imagined the birds feeling a little like this…”Great, another hot day and my nest happens to be in the direct sunlight! Oh, right!  It’s Thursday which means that ugly old guy is going to come by and blow on my house with that long stick of his and mess things up! Dust everywhere, leaves everywhere and noise! There will be no rest for me!  Must I listen to my little guys chirping all day wanting more food and all of my attention?  Oh, I wonder if my birdies daddy plans on bringing dinner home or if I am going to have to go out and get it myself…and the crows!  Must I have them swooping down on my nest all day attempting to snatch up my little guys destroying all I’ve so proudly toiled over for my family.  All the rodents out there and they want what I have, can’t they go somewhere else for breakfast!   Looks like another day of protecting my young and dodging the attacks of the enemy.  Oh…look over there across the treetops, the grass appears to be greener on the other side…I wonder if I’d be happier over there…”

It reminded me of a commercial (see the link below) and how we tend to think what others have might bring us more happiness in life.  Thoughts of having it all or having more can distract us and take us to a place where we no longer consider the risk of being disrespectful or losing what we love.  Hard fact but we’re faced with the decision to be content with what God has provided to us every day as we look across our tree tops.

Even Abraham and Lot faced this dilemma as they looked across the land of the Jordan Valley.  (Genesis 13:1-18)  What looked like having it all to Lot and his need for more ended up being his downfall and brought Lot and his family so much loss and sorrow.  If only they would have been content with what God had provided them at that moment and time.  May we be mindful of how Greener…Bigger…are not always better.

Most People Don’t Know What They Want…But it is something different from what they have.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AqYe/time-warner-cable-greener

 

Piece by Piece – Father’s Matter

As mentioned in previous Blogs I was a young girl when my mom moved me to California. To this day I am thankful she found a good man to help raise me and that I could call daddy. As children we can conjure up all kinds of “ideas” and “reason” as to why our families are no longer living together, happy and loving one another. Truth may be we are no longer capable of living together but we can still “parent” together.  And most importantly, we can still love our children together even though we’re apart.

Yes, some parents leave.  Sometimes never to return. By “abandoning” they leave deep wounds.

And many parents stay.  They work hard to give their children what they need to grow and become their best self.  They give them family, love and a place to belong. God bless these parents, and I know He will.

My oldest son and his wife have a blended family.  Both families work well together and parent with love. I am proud of them for the work they’ve done and happy to say my granddaughter is thriving.  I’ve watched her grow into a confident, talented and happy young lady. I am not saying they don’t have challenges.  There are challenges in every home. But the difference they’ve made is all parents are working together to create a loving home for their child!

Not all families have a happy ending. In fact, the family I worked hard to create did not have a happy ending. There were years of challenges with heartache. My divorce ended ugly and my ex refused to cooperate with me for the good of our youngest son. It was a heart  wrenching journey from fear to faith as I worked through the consequences of divorce.

My hope is for us to leave our children free to love and be loved by their parents.  And if one parent walks away from their responsibility then the remaining parent will work to assure their child knows it is not any fault of theirs. Today I share this song by Kelly Clarkson, Piece by Piece and as we go from fear to faith we help our children to the other side. (Matthew 7:12)

Thursday Night’s NightCap!

Have you seen the Disney movie “Up”?

This movie came out in 2009 and is one of my faves! If you’ve not seen it then I highly recommend that you do!  Yes, I know it’s Disney and why would us adults watch a Disney without the kids?  I believe this movie was especially made for adults and then they added some humor for the kids!  “smile”

In this movie you will meet Carl and Young Ellie who fall in love and stay in love. They grow old together. They begin their life together with hopes and dreams but then life happens. Before long they discover things break, house repairs are needed, and disappointments are inevitable.

But you know what I love about Carl and Ellie the most is how they love each other in spite of all life throws at them!

The first time I watched this movie I was reminded of how I don’t want to grow old alone. (Not to mention the thought of having to ride up and down the stairs on a motored chair when the day comes where I no longer can walk up and down them!)

But truly this movie pulls at the heartstrings in many ways as Carl and Ellie begin their life adventure as a couple working side-by-side to build a home and a family.  Before too long they’re faced with the realities of life that sometimes bring sorrow that so many have experienced.  One is that Ellie finds out she is unable to have children. But what they do next is a life lesson for us all!  They dream new dreams and plan new adventures. Now use your imagination and go with me on this one!  Ellie creates her Adventure Book and the two of them continue on with life making adjustments as they go.

The beauty this animated film displays is we all will struggle at times and we may discover things don’t always end up the way we’d planned. Life goes on and so must we.

Let’s face it, we’ve all experienced what it feels like to deplete our savings and our emotions for the unwelcome emergencies of life!

I look at Carl and Ellie as another couple to leave us and our kids an example of what it looks like to love, work together, and live out “until death do we part.”

And yes, even when Carl was grumpy and life became mundane!

Finally they come to the end and Ellie passes leaving behind her “Adventure Book” which eventually motivates Carl to continue on with life.

I hope you will take the time to watch this sweet and fun movie that reeks of hidden treasure!

Tonight let’s raise our glass to Carl and Ellie!   Let’s also toast you and me as we look forward to a future of love that inspires and keeps us committed to going the distance.

Thursday Night’s Night Cap

Welcome back to Thursday Night’s NightCap!

Tonight I thought I’d leave you with a favorite of mine! I am sure you’ve all heard Michael Jackson’s hit that touched many with its lyrics and rhythm, “The Man in The Mirror”.  I can’t sit still when I listen to this song but more importantly I love the lyrics. Yes, this song became a hit in 1987 and I am still singing it like I just heard it for the first time today!

Listening to this song prompted me to think about how easy it can be to get tripped up in life when we really desire to do what is right. It doesn’t take much to bring out selfishness, greed, and a victimized spirit.

Well, guess what, God’s Word speaks of this very thing in James 1:24 & 25. He, more than anyone wanted to remind us of how easy it is to forget who we are and what we were created to do while on this earth.

We all know a reflection of oneself in the mirror is only the outward appearance, and not what is on the inside. Many things are hidden on the inside where no one can see. But God sees all. He knows us and loves us. We are his creation and He created us with great potential, strength and a spirit powerful enough to make a difference in this world.

The analogy of the mirror and reflection is to remind us of how easy it is to forget who we really are when we are not looking at ourselves, examining our lives, our motives and where we are going. I can’t help but wonder if Michael Jackson was thinking about this very thing when he wrote this song. I want to believe he knew the verse in James too.

Most importantly is that we are God’s creation and he sees the good in us and does not want us to forget who we are, and how he created us for great things. He desires to manifest himself in our lives. However, the change starts with us. It’s our decision as to whether we will make that change, trust God and work to make a difference in this world.

As we drift off to sleep tonight may we be mindful of the words in James, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” James 1:34 & 25

Make that change!

Thursday Night’s NightCap

 

So, I’ve decided to add a little zest to my blog by adding a Thursday Night’s “NightCap” to send you off into a deep slumber!

Tonight we have, What Tagline Speaks to You? 

Ever wonder who makes up these cute, funny and inspiring “taglines”? I do. I often wonder where they were when they thought it, said it or prayed it. I wonder if they were happy, sad, angry, fed up or just filled with deep emotion for someone or something. I am confident many of these will be familiar to you, and some you may have even quoted for one reason or another. Maybe some have been a friendly reminder of how life goes on.  My wish for you tonight is that you will find one or two that will leave you encouraged and thinking, what if…I was encouraged, happy, relieved, feeling stronger and possibly feeling freed from something. What if a word helped get me through the day or the night.  What if someone left me a word that was magical, inspiring and life changing…What if this NightCap of words resonated truth and hope within me and something changed.

Slogan/taglines:

A day without laughter is a day wasted

Accept what you can’t change. Change what you can’t accept.

Bloom where you’re planted

Counting other people’s sins does not make you a saint

Do small things with great love.

Do something each day to bring you a little closer to your dreams.

Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.

Dreams don’t work unless you do.

Knowledge speaks but wisdom listens.

Live in the moment. Live what you love. Make it happen. Make mistakes.

Please and thank you are still magic words.

Rejection is not fatal. Seize the moment.

Sometimes the wrong choices bring us to the right places

There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Some of my favorite Proverbs. In a sense they’ve become my “taglines” as they bring comfort, encouragement, wisdom and inspiration to my day and night:

Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Reckless words pierce like a sword but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul

He who walk with wise grows wise.

A gentle answer turns away wrath.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

A friend loves at all times.

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Love. Changes. Everything.

 

 

 

From the beginning of time our world has been changing, evolving. We’ve gone from the beginning of time to what some are calling today, the end time. But no matter how you look at it, it’s been constant change. Each generation brings change, a new way of doing things and thinking about things.

Take the little # sign for instance. Over the years this little # sign has taken on a different meaning for people.

For example, #Pound or #hashtag?

I heard a funny story the other day of a guy who is considered a Gen X gave his gate code to his friend who is considered a Millennial and his friend could not get the gate opened to his complex. After numerous attempts he called to make sure he was entering it correctly. Yes, it’s 1-2-3-4# (pound). His friend tried again and as he said, 1-2-3-4 he stared blankly at the keypad looking for the pound sign. As he paused looking for the pound his buddy said, Oh I guess for you it’s “hashtag” and the gate opened.

Even the smallest change can impacts us.

Now I realize I am using a small example of change when I speak of the # sign but we all know change is inevitable.

God’s Word tells us to not conform to the ways of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2)

God’s plan was and still is to keep his people settled, secure and confident in that He is in control even when the world is in constant change. Some of the change we encounter will be uncomfortable but whether it is good or bad we must embrace God. In our embracing God fear will dissipate and we will then be able to live in the change without jeopardizing who we are and what we believe. This is when God’s love can shine through us and we can be the change in the world we want to see while remaining true to him and his ways.

Christians lived and shared their faith differently 2000 years ago than they do today. However, our God has remained the same. God does not change.  He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8) We too need to learn to be creative in how we reach the world for Christ. We will need to open our minds and heart to how we share our story, and how we will love like God loves.

His command to love one another and to love him with all our heart, soul and mind is meant for every generation past, present and future. Whether it is #thatshowyouchangetheworld or #2015 this command was given for our good so we too would know how to walk in an ever changing world with dignity, truth, love and hope as we move toward the end time.

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As I reflect back on the people who touched my life with their Brave, I cannot help but think of my mother. At the age of 3 years old mom took me and a few of our belongings on the train from Colorado to California. She married my birth father and he ended up being an abusive man, a selfish man who left her wounded. His father did the same to my grandmother and his family.

Mom says, “I had no choice he would have killed us and I needed to take you out of there.” I say, mom had a choice. The day came when she decided to throw her Brave Cape on and take the necessary steps that would lead her to her destiny. In order for her to grow and experience her dreams she would need to leave the past and move into her future.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

This was a year of hope and change, a year of a new beginning for mom and me.

I know God was guiding my mom in 1963 when she purchased those 2 train tickets and packed our bags. I can’t help but think God used the changes happening around the world in the lives of women to encourage her in her bravery and to move into the better things He had planned for her and for me. I say this because 1963 was the year it was noted for women taking off their aprons and speaking more forcefully about their yearnings for a new identity and leadership roles outside the kitchen and the home. Women were being heard. It was Martin Luther King’s year of the infamous “I Had a Dream”. Brave Capes were being thrown on all over the world and steps were being taken toward change.

I am thankful mom threw on her Brave Cape and trusted God. At the time she did not know what was awaiting our arrival in California other than her two sisters and their children. But in God’s goodness and protection there was support and the things she would need to be successful in her new life. He had her back.

Throughout God’s Word we hear of brave women who made a difference in the lives of others. These women made change possible through their faith and trust in God. Brave women like Deborah, Rahab, and Ruth to name a few. I’m sure most have heard, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” I believe this to be true. But most times you will find you will need to take that step of faith and put your Brave Cape on as you move through it. You will need to believe for more.

So I ask, can you hear it, the small still voice calling for you?

It resides in us. It’s powerful. It changes us.

And, He wants more.