So I've been visiting my 96 year old great-great aunt for the last few days in the hospital. Yes I said 96 (she just stop driving a couple of years ago). I have just been in open mouth awe of her resilient spirit! Just about every sentence is followed by a "Thank you, Lord." This woman has lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights Movement. Not to mention the death of her husband of 60 plus years and her faith is as strong as ever at 96.
It just gives me hope that there is a better day and no matter how hard life may seem, God sees you through it. You just have to put your faith and trust in God. At her age she still credits God for everything! She is so humbled and appreciative every time I walked through the door for just coming to check on her. It does my heart so good when her face lights up when I walk through the door. That's what God expects out of us. 1 Timothy and 5 tells us "take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her." My aunt never had children so her extended family is all she has. The Lord dropped that scripture in my spirit so I feel that it's apart of my christian duty to drop in and check on her. It does my heart glad as well, because I'm learning the way God expects me to act even in the face of death. She has a weak heart, but is still as strong in every other area than ever! She is positive and upbeat and still concerned about the welfare of others!
I challenge you to pay especially close attention to the elderly. You never know what God may be trying to teach you in the process and you are blessing someone else. I use to think that giving money was the only way that I could help someone, but that is so not the case. We can give our time, clean out your closet and bless someone with some clothes, or offer to babysit a friends kids to give her a break. There are so many ways that we can bless one another. We have to stop being so consumed with self that we forget about everyone else. But I have realized it all has to come from LOVE. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing." (1 Cor 13:3) We also must remember that Jesus washed his disciples feet! He had a servants spirit.
I will leave you with this 1 Peter 5:5-7, "Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble."
Be Blessed!
TL
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
How to Find Peace of Mind
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us." Isaiah 26:3
Peace of mind is very sought after in this day and age. With everything going on we tend to get flustered and frazzled with the every day happenings of this world. It will consume us if we allow it to. The devil is very busy and desires for us all to be unstable creatures. It was a constant struggle for me because when your mind is so busy and consumed with tons of things, it is very easy for the devil to creep in and feed you lies. That is why we have to stay focused on the Lord and his word.
I am learning that in order to overcome this "mind thing" we must stay in meditation with the Lord. Meditate on his word day and night. Joshua 1:8 says, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
We also must stay focused on ourselves, find peace within ourselves and stay out of other peoples lives. Sometimes we tend to get so consumed with other people and what they are doing, that we have no idea about ourselves! We can't even fix ourselves for trying to fix somebody else. And believe you me, we gots a lot of mess to fix up! I am a firm believer that if everybody focuses on getting their household in order, then the world would be a wonderful place! Sweep around your own front door! Do you! (And courtesy of one of my friends who watches the Judge shows) Stay in your lane! Teaching middle school students all they like to do is be in some mess so I constantly give the sweep around your own front door speech!
Thinking positively is one of the biggest things that has helped me out. I tend to automatically think the worst of things. I can be a pessimist at times, but my husband is an optimist so we balance one another out. But being a pessimist is nothing I am proud of. Negative thinking can tear you up! Have you ever been in a situation and you thought negatively and the devil had you convinced that what you were thinking HAD to be the truth, there was no other explanation only to discover that you were dead wrong and felt lousy afterwards! (Raising my hand and waving it profusely). Positive thinking and positive actions all of the time will change your life! In the workplace, at home, in your marriage, with your children, everywhere! But negative thinking and negative actions can tear you and your house down. In Mark 9:23,24 "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." That is my prayer today! Lord help my unbelief!
Prayer can turn a whole lot of things around. We all have different praying patterns, but let's make sure that we are praying sincere prayers to the Lord. Sometimes I can be so pitiful all I can spew out is a "Thank You Jesus" or a "Help Me Lord" and that's okay because that may be all I need to get me up from where I am. We must have a prayer life. Give him the first fruits so that our day may be set off in the right way. I have noticed that if I don't pray in the morning, my whole day is just ridiculous! Pray for the Lord to go before you each day and direct your paths! This will eliminate a lot of unwanted junk!
The mind is a constant battlefield. And as one of my dear friends says, where the mind goes, the body follows. Stress is linked to so many diseases. It's a dangerous thing, but we have to be steadfast and we must think positively, mind our own business, meditate on God's word and pray without ceasing. I will leave you with this "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27
Love to you all!
Peace of mind is very sought after in this day and age. With everything going on we tend to get flustered and frazzled with the every day happenings of this world. It will consume us if we allow it to. The devil is very busy and desires for us all to be unstable creatures. It was a constant struggle for me because when your mind is so busy and consumed with tons of things, it is very easy for the devil to creep in and feed you lies. That is why we have to stay focused on the Lord and his word.
I am learning that in order to overcome this "mind thing" we must stay in meditation with the Lord. Meditate on his word day and night. Joshua 1:8 says, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
We also must stay focused on ourselves, find peace within ourselves and stay out of other peoples lives. Sometimes we tend to get so consumed with other people and what they are doing, that we have no idea about ourselves! We can't even fix ourselves for trying to fix somebody else. And believe you me, we gots a lot of mess to fix up! I am a firm believer that if everybody focuses on getting their household in order, then the world would be a wonderful place! Sweep around your own front door! Do you! (And courtesy of one of my friends who watches the Judge shows
Thinking positively is one of the biggest things that has helped me out. I tend to automatically think the worst of things. I can be a pessimist at times, but my husband is an optimist so we balance one another out. But being a pessimist is nothing I am proud of. Negative thinking can tear you up! Have you ever been in a situation and you thought negatively and the devil had you convinced that what you were thinking HAD to be the truth, there was no other explanation only to discover that you were dead wrong and felt lousy afterwards! (Raising my hand and waving it profusely). Positive thinking and positive actions all of the time will change your life! In the workplace, at home, in your marriage, with your children, everywhere! But negative thinking and negative actions can tear you and your house down. In Mark 9:23,24 "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." That is my prayer today! Lord help my unbelief!
Prayer can turn a whole lot of things around. We all have different praying patterns, but let's make sure that we are praying sincere prayers to the Lord. Sometimes I can be so pitiful all I can spew out is a "Thank You Jesus" or a "Help Me Lord" and that's okay because that may be all I need to get me up from where I am. We must have a prayer life. Give him the first fruits so that our day may be set off in the right way. I have noticed that if I don't pray in the morning, my whole day is just ridiculous! Pray for the Lord to go before you each day and direct your paths! This will eliminate a lot of unwanted junk!
The mind is a constant battlefield. And as one of my dear friends says, where the mind goes, the body follows. Stress is linked to so many diseases. It's a dangerous thing, but we have to be steadfast and we must think positively, mind our own business, meditate on God's word and pray without ceasing. I will leave you with this "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27
Love to you all!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Choose to be Positive!
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12
Being positive makes my day just wonderful and joyful! But it doesn't come all of the time and it can be quite difficult to attain when it feels that the weight of the world is on you! But if we just make up in our minds that we are going to be positive no matter what, then we will have unspeakable joy all of the time!
People can be cruel for absolutely no reason. This week I have encountered a couple of "these people", and I really had to go somewhere in the Lord and let HIM bring me back down to earth! When we go acting within ourselves we could probably cuss somebody out (yes I know I said cuss and not curse) because that is how our flesh wants us to react. But if we act in the spirit the Lord will help us treat "these people" with love and kindness always. Who knows, it may be just what they need to experience a transformation in their life. If we change our attitude and take a positive approach to everything then we will find so much peace and comfort in knowing that we have done the will of the Lord and we are not stressed about it. Think the best of everyone all of the time, then God will work the rest out. Proverbs 16:7 says, When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemiies live at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7
I will leave you with this little poem about a frog with a hope-filled perspective (from The Power of a Positive Woman by Karol Ladd)
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl,
One was quite an optimistic soul;
But the other took the gloomy view,
"We shall drown," he cried, without ado.
So with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and he said, "Goodbye,"
Quoth the other frog with a merry grin,
"I can't get out, but I won't give in.
I'll just swim till my strength is spent,
Then will I die the more content."
Brave he swam till it would seem
His struggles began to churn the cream.
On the top of the butter at last he stopped,
And out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
What's the moral? 'Tis easily found:
If you can't hop out, keep swimming round.
Be blessed and much love to you all!
Being positive makes my day just wonderful and joyful! But it doesn't come all of the time and it can be quite difficult to attain when it feels that the weight of the world is on you! But if we just make up in our minds that we are going to be positive no matter what, then we will have unspeakable joy all of the time!
People can be cruel for absolutely no reason. This week I have encountered a couple of "these people", and I really had to go somewhere in the Lord and let HIM bring me back down to earth! When we go acting within ourselves we could probably cuss somebody out (yes I know I said cuss and not curse) because that is how our flesh wants us to react. But if we act in the spirit the Lord will help us treat "these people" with love and kindness always. Who knows, it may be just what they need to experience a transformation in their life. If we change our attitude and take a positive approach to everything then we will find so much peace and comfort in knowing that we have done the will of the Lord and we are not stressed about it. Think the best of everyone all of the time, then God will work the rest out. Proverbs 16:7 says, When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemiies live at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7
I will leave you with this little poem about a frog with a hope-filled perspective (from The Power of a Positive Woman by Karol Ladd)
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl,
One was quite an optimistic soul;
But the other took the gloomy view,
"We shall drown," he cried, without ado.
So with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and he said, "Goodbye,"
Quoth the other frog with a merry grin,
"I can't get out, but I won't give in.
I'll just swim till my strength is spent,
Then will I die the more content."
Brave he swam till it would seem
His struggles began to churn the cream.
On the top of the butter at last he stopped,
And out of the bowl he gaily hopped.
What's the moral? 'Tis easily found:
If you can't hop out, keep swimming round.
Be blessed and much love to you all!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
He will be there right on time.....
"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24
Y'all remember that song, He's an On Time God? The Lord just dropped it in my spirit last night and I have been rejoicing ever since! Today is a good day and no not just because it is my birthday(it does help a little), but because THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! For the last couple of nights I have been under the weather (it is so incredibly cold!) and not feeling my best. I had to scratch out lots of things on my to do list yesterday and traded them in for a little rest in my bed! Well, yesterday morning I woke up and I felt like,lack of a better word, poop! Well my youngest brings a new meaning to the word "Drama Queen." Nothing is ever right in her world (especially in the mornings). "I don't want to wear that shirt!" "I would rather wear my brown boots!" "I don't want my hair like this!" You get the idea. Anyways, she comes in yesterday morning with clothes in hand and goes, "Here you go, Mama. You can get me dressed." WOW! After I got her dressed with no rebuttals and she leaves out of the room, my husband goes, "What is wrong with her?!" I immediatley said, "The Lord knew! He knew I felt like poop and could not handle one of her drama moments!
The Lord knows the desires of our hearts. He feels our pain and knows everything that we are going through. It is so awesome and amazing to have someone there that we can ALWAYS depend on without question. I love the Lord and his awesome power. If we just cry out to the Lord, he will answer our prayers. And as the song continues, "He may not come when you want him, but he'll be there right on time!"
I will leave you with this: "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them." Psalm 145: 18,19
Have an awesome January 6th! Love you all much!
Y'all remember that song, He's an On Time God? The Lord just dropped it in my spirit last night and I have been rejoicing ever since! Today is a good day and no not just because it is my birthday(it does help a little), but because THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! For the last couple of nights I have been under the weather (it is so incredibly cold!) and not feeling my best. I had to scratch out lots of things on my to do list yesterday and traded them in for a little rest in my bed! Well, yesterday morning I woke up and I felt like,lack of a better word, poop! Well my youngest brings a new meaning to the word "Drama Queen." Nothing is ever right in her world (especially in the mornings). "I don't want to wear that shirt!" "I would rather wear my brown boots!" "I don't want my hair like this!" You get the idea. Anyways, she comes in yesterday morning with clothes in hand and goes, "Here you go, Mama. You can get me dressed." WOW! After I got her dressed with no rebuttals and she leaves out of the room, my husband goes, "What is wrong with her?!" I immediatley said, "The Lord knew! He knew I felt like poop and could not handle one of her drama moments!
The Lord knows the desires of our hearts. He feels our pain and knows everything that we are going through. It is so awesome and amazing to have someone there that we can ALWAYS depend on without question. I love the Lord and his awesome power. If we just cry out to the Lord, he will answer our prayers. And as the song continues, "He may not come when you want him, but he'll be there right on time!"
I will leave you with this: "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them." Psalm 145: 18,19
Have an awesome January 6th! Love you all much!
Monday, January 4, 2010
A NEW YOU
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; all things have passed away; behold all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17
HAPPY NEW YEAR! (I know I am a few days late, but let's just roll with it. Y'all know how I get down!). I thought this post would be fitting for the new year! We all think of the new year as a new start, a new beginning. We are going to get rid of all of our bad habits and the things that hindered our growth. But the good news is that we don't have to wait until the new year. The bible tells us that if ANYONE is in CHRIST, he is a NEW creation! That is powerful!
All of us have strongholds or weak areas in which the devil tries to keep us bound. We try to overcome a thing, but it manifest itself bigger and uglier than the time before. I struggle in certain areas of my life with this. The revelation that the Lord gave me today was that if we just focus on the Lord, he will put those old things behind us and we never have to worry about them again. A lot of the times we will put them behind us, but we go back and get them! Leave that mess where it is. It does not mean us any good and we give the devil too much room to work when we look back.
As I have stated soooo many times before, God is not here to punish us. He is here so that we may live a peaceful and joyous life! He wants to bring us no harm. We have to let go of the past and look forward. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us to be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
I will leave you with this: The next time you want to look back to the "old" you, 1)Stop, 2)Pray, 3) Stay emotionally stable, 4)TRUST GOD and tell the devil to flee! Let's be new creatures in Christ. Let's clean out all of the mess and start living for God! Have a great 2010!
Peace and Love
2 Corinthians 5:17
HAPPY NEW YEAR! (I know I am a few days late, but let's just roll with it. Y'all know how I get down!). I thought this post would be fitting for the new year! We all think of the new year as a new start, a new beginning. We are going to get rid of all of our bad habits and the things that hindered our growth. But the good news is that we don't have to wait until the new year. The bible tells us that if ANYONE is in CHRIST, he is a NEW creation! That is powerful!
All of us have strongholds or weak areas in which the devil tries to keep us bound. We try to overcome a thing, but it manifest itself bigger and uglier than the time before. I struggle in certain areas of my life with this. The revelation that the Lord gave me today was that if we just focus on the Lord, he will put those old things behind us and we never have to worry about them again. A lot of the times we will put them behind us, but we go back and get them! Leave that mess where it is. It does not mean us any good and we give the devil too much room to work when we look back.
As I have stated soooo many times before, God is not here to punish us. He is here so that we may live a peaceful and joyous life! He wants to bring us no harm. We have to let go of the past and look forward. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us to be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
I will leave you with this: The next time you want to look back to the "old" you, 1)Stop, 2)Pray, 3) Stay emotionally stable, 4)TRUST GOD and tell the devil to flee! Let's be new creatures in Christ. Let's clean out all of the mess and start living for God! Have a great 2010!
Peace and Love
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