Archive | January 2014

Gratitude and praise will replace worry, doubt and disappointment

Jan30

Gratitude and praise will replace worry, doubt and discontentment: 

Today I am thankful, Lord, for your faithfulness. I am thankful that your mercies are new every morning. I am thankful that by setting my mind on You, I can overcome feelings of discontentment, anxiety, worry and doubt. 

Even though I fail I can still hold my head up because I am your child and you make all things new. You have a plan for me to prosper me and not to harm me to give me a hope and a future. 

I thank you that you will direct my steps because I trust in you and acknowledge you in my plans. 

 I thank you that through the renewing of my mind I can be changed. I believe that all things will work out for good because I love you and have been called according to your purpose.  

I will praise you for you are the Creator, Maker of heaven and earth and you will provide for all of my needs.  Nothing is impossible for you. Despite my limitations You are not limited. 

You are a good father and better than an earthly father. You love to give good gifts.  

I am thankful that when you look at me you don’t see the flaws or the mistakes but you see me as perfect since I stand on the promises of Christ and His sacrifice on my behalf. You are faithful to see me as forgiven. 

Some days it’s hard to overcome that restless, boring, blah feeling. I am thankful that today it was those feelings that brought me to you.  

I choose to be thankful. I wait expectantly for you.  

Amen

KIND WORDS

Jan30
  • GOOD JOB!  
  • Praying for you.
  • You are so encouraging..  you’re so smart.  THANK YOU!! I appreciate you.  
  • Thanks for trying so hard.
  • WOW!  That was really tough but did GREAT!  What a great accomplishment. 
  • I like your shoes.
  • You’re going to do great!
  • Don’t give up you can do it.  You’ve got this!  You’re really good at this. 
  • You’re really special to me. I’m really blessed to know you.  You’re a blessing. 
  • You’re FABULOUS!
  • That’s EXCELLENT.  You’re amazing!
  • Your family is so blessed to have you in their lives. 
  • Keep pressing on. You’re not alone. Jesus loves you.
  • Seasons change.  Things won’t always be so hard.  This too shall pass.
  • Thinking of you. 
  • Can I pray for you?

When I am Feeling;

Jan30

A list of solutions that I can choose when I am feeling a certain way. Did this from memory when at work one day in between calls so I don’t have the references for all the verses.  Some are merely the paraphrased version of the actual verse. 

WHEN I AM FEELING: 

Uptight:  “Be Still and Know that I am God”  

Sarcastic: “The joy of the Lord is my strength”

Tired: “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”  

Confused/Uncertain: “If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask…”

Disappointed: “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God and are the called according to His purposes” Romans 8:26

Overwhelmed: “You are my Refuge and my strength a very PRESENT help in time of trouble.”

Worried/Anxious: “Be anxious for nothing, pray about everything.”

Weak: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me: (Phil. 4:13)

Negative Attitude/Unhappy: “Rejoice in all things”

Negative Speech: “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be on my lips”

Lonely: “I will never leave you or forsake you. For , Lo, I am with you always.: Hebrews 13:5

Unloving: ” Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Ungrateful: ” In everything give thanks.”

Sad/Down: ” Why so downcast, O my Soul? Put your hope in God and bless the Lord O My soul.” 

 

 

My neighbor helped…

Jan10

My neighbor helped me out no need for plow thanks
Like · · January 7 at 5:53pm

I saw the above quote on FB earlier and it just stood out to me. This past week we were hammered with a pretty tough winter storm.   A lot of us were snowed in with no access to the roads as they were hidden under piles of freshly fallen snow.  And it was cold. Record temperatures were upon us.  My little outside venture to get the mail resulted in am immediate “ice cream” headache.

Fortunately, mom and dad are living with us now.  Dad kept us updated on the “snowcasts”. It was the talk of the town and nationwide it was the norm to be below zero instead of above it.

Snow storms force us sometimes to ask for help.  The snow is heavy, it’s blinding, it causes us to have limited visibility.  For some of us stuck in the ditch we have to call out for help.  Others are the ones who aid us in our time of need. The tow truck driver who hauls our car away. The snow plow drivers who have the awesome task of running a plow to cut through snow.  It’s a piece of art when they are done.  They create mountains out of the stuff, big piles of frozen whiteness that will take days even weeks to melt.  The snow storm made us need each other.

The above “my neighbor helped me” sums it up.  And how many times do we need a neighbor’s help.  Maybe we find ourselves or someone else in their own blizzard of blinding circumstances.  The visibility is limited and they find themselves driving off the road, or stuck in the ditch, or just needing a hand to clear the stuff away so they can get back on the path again.

Jesus talked about the neighbor.  We are to love them as ourselves.  And who again is our neighbor?  We are all neighbor because we all at some point share in great joy or great loss.

“No need for anything else…my NEIGHBOR helped me out.”

Next time you’re called upon, or next time you do the calling may God bless the neighbor who helps as much as the  neighbor who needs.

New House, New Year…same old me

Jan8

So, maybe it’s just January again.

Maybe it’s the winter storm that doesn’t seem to end.

Maybe I really did take the Christmas tree down too early. But I feel a little blah.

2013 was a big year for us.

The fire in March…nobody was hurt but without heat we were displaced for a month or so…thanks Mom and Dad for putting us up…and putting up with us.

Selling our home of 13 years and buying a new house.

Mom and dad moving in.

Isaiah started high school

Eli’s last year in school.

Hard to top that.

I watched Star wars all 6 episodes.  What took me so long? Love it…love Yoda and the Return of the Jedi…all about redemption.

Work went from mundane, boring and mind-numbing to anything but and super busy.  I like the activity. I like the break from it as well.

Did not lose the weight I had hoped to get rid of.  Still bite my fingernails.  And do not go to bed on time.  It’s the going to bed on time that is the hardest. It’s the time I finally get a minute to myself.  Everyone is in their places.  And I have silence and time to chew on my thoughts, think over my day…it’s worth the sleepiness I suffer in the a.m.

January will come and go…it always does.  February is such a short month and by March we begin to feel the beginning of warmer temperatures. The days are lasting longer.  Little buds push their way up through the cold and snow to remind us that change is coming.  Change we count on.  The shedding of our winter skin for the lighter, more comfortable spring and summer attire.  No more bundling.  Just slip on the sandals. No more  hats and coats and boots or emergency snow gear in the trunk. Replaced instead with tennis rackets, soccer balls, beach tools and fold up camping chairs.  Time to prepare for campfires, fire flies and burnt marshmallows.

But those days are in the distance 72 days away.  And today I have the gift of winter and snow and cold temperatures.  I have the blessing of boots and gloves and a coat.  I have the gift of two teenage boys who keep the driveway plowed and the sidewalks shoveled and even built me a snowman one day…just because I asked.

Today I have the long drive in white out conditions on slippery roads.  The temptation that I give in all too often to call other drivers “idiot” for not turning on their headlights or for passing me going way too fast.  Today I have the burden and gift of a season that will not last forever.  Shorter days but they are getting longer.  Colder temps. but they won’t last forever.  Sparkling snow that looks like diamonds dancing across the lawn.

January or June…spring showers or snow showers….in the blinding snow of winter storms or the darkening sky of summer storms one thing remains the same, one thing doesn’t change. One thing does not require me to adjust, or adapt to a new normal.  And that is God’s unending, undeniable,love and compassion for me.

Lamentations 3:22-27

The Message (MSG)

22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.

25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
to stick it out through the hard times.