Like or Love

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27‭-‬28 NIV

Well I felt instantly convicted when I read this verse, coming up with all kinds of ways that showing God's love to my enemies doesn't mean I have to like them. We are only human after all. This is probably the hardest verse of them all to follow. Blessing those who mean to do you harm, those who set you up to fail, teachers who hone in on one student to make them miserable, co workers who misunderstand you and feel threatened. People who are in self preservation mode and are only concerned about themselves. It's really tough to love these people as God loves them.

But try this: think about someone you love unconditionally. Now think about them doing something wrong. Would you be upset? Of course, and you would have a right to be. But would you still love them? The answer is probably yes. This is God's love. Love that transcends whatever a person has done. Love that only wants what's best.  It is way beyond a feeling.

For many wronged in life, restitution may not come in this life. But it will come one day and if we can't forgive, if we can't bless them, then we are no better than those who wronged us. God doesn't grade sin. It's all sin.

I need to practice this more. That's my prayer tonight that God will help me do this.

Snakes and Gators

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 NIV

I love alligators. I am not a fan of reptiles in general but I think they are beautiful. I of course have a healthy respect for them, but I am in awe of them as relics from another age. I know enough about them that I would not knowingly put myself in the path of one, but I am not afraid of them.

I loathe snakes. I do not like them Sam I am. I do not like them here or there; I do not like them anywhere. Why don't I like them? Because I am afraid of them. I can't like something I'm afraid of. I don't even like the fake ones! I won't purposely hurt one because i respect all God's creatures. But he could have left snakes off the ark.

Some people are afraid of dogs or cats or horses or spiders. They can't love something they're afraid of. So they avoid them. If we are afraid of God we can't love him and allow him to love us. We will avoid him and avoid his correction when we do wrong. It's not punishment. God's not punishing us. He's already forgiven us. He's not waiting to strike at us every time we screw up because he already knows! He's just patiently waiting for us to acknowledge what we did, make it right, and move on. That's love.

We have no reason to fear God. We must have respect for him and be in awe of his greatness but we should not fear him so that we avoid him.

Let him perfect his work in you in love.

Product Warranty

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Shopping for a refrigerator is about as much fun as shopping for a car. After a while they all look the same and you just want one that functions the way it should. All the bells and whistles are just icing. Of course the more bells and whistles the more things that can go wrong. Which is why on each product card they print out warranty information declaring, "care for what you love". For a price, an extra warranty can be purchased to keep your new toy in great shape.

God purchased for us the ultimate warranty. We are guaranteed to be made new, bought with the price of the body and blood of jesus. Why did he do this? He cares for us. He has ensured our eternity with him. But even better, it means in the present that if something goes wrong, he'll fix it! Maybe not that simple, but he can. So why do we worry and fret? There's no reason to. God is there for us. He has promised that he is if we just let him.

Tree Trimmers and Chainsaws

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

We did some yard work today. It was hot but the payoff sure is worth it. The yard looks pretty good. I rearranged the porch decor. We cut down some small trees, and hubby trimmed the bushes. A good days' work. We set apart time today to do it. It was important to us. I'm sure you set time apart today for something that was equally important to you.

God set us apart before we were even born. He took the time to form us and make us exactly the way we are. It was important to him. We are important to him. We matter, so much so that he doesn't care what our abilities are. He just needs us available. The prophet Jeremiah had no ability to speak or prophecy, yet God put the words in His mouth. All he had to do was follow through. We had the tools today to take care of our home. All we had to do was use them.

Be a tool that God uses. He can turn ordinary trimmers into tree conquering chainsaws, so why not let him? I'm willing.

Hubby Knows Best

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37 NIV

I read this verse in the car this morning in the way to the academy. My hubby was driving so as I read the verse I said, "well, I better keep my mouth shut." My hubby immediately replied, "don't judge, huh?" I thought wow, I must be really bad at not following this verse! and silently started asking for forgiveness. Then I showed my husband the verse and asked how did he know? He admitted to having glanced at it, seeing the first part. I was somewhat relieved and we had a good laugh. I wasn't as bad as I thought.

But we still judge when we shouldn't. We condemn when we shouldn't. And we fail to forgive when we should. That last one is really tough but is oh so important. If we want forgiveness, we must forgive those who have wronged us. Period. Regardless of who's fault it was or how bad it was. God forgave you. Does God grade sin? No. Sin is sin. Wrong is wrong. People are human and need God's grace. God lives in us therefore we are the vessel for God's grace.

When you wake up tomorrow morning, think of one person you need to forgive. Think of one person for whom you won't pass judgement any more. Be a full vessel of God's grace. It will change your world.

Own the Blessing

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24‭-‬26 NIV

This was actually my verse for yesterday, but I have been sick and fell asleep before I could post. I can tell you though that when I read it, my heart was lifted. And boy did it need lifting. If there's a little something I could use now it's God's grace and peace. Life is messy. It's a beautiful mess as well as a terrible mess. Decisions to be made. Things to do. Not enough time to spend with those you love. So many moments pass by.

Some days it feels as though we are left on our own, just drifting through life with no real purpose. You know those times: they peel at your heart saddening your spirit till you think you can't go on. But these are the timed we must put works in our faith. Faith isn't about feelings. It's about truth and facts and knowing that God promises to keep us safely in His will. That's where he can use us. And that's where I want to be...always.

Take this blessing and own it.

Full and Bubbly

Take delight in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 NIV

What gives you delight? What does delightful mean to you? Something that gives you complete joy. I know what delight is to me. It's full on time with my grandbabies. My heart gets so full the joy bubbles out of my eyes. I want nothing else than to please them and of course I can't resist them when they ask me for something. That's what Ninny's do.

So if we have a frame of reference like tbis, why do we think it would be any different for God? He wants us be delighted with him. He craves our attention and wants us to spend time with him. When we do it pleases him so much so that he will give us our desires. But the best part is, it's what he desires for us which we discover in spending time with him which is way better than anything we can imagine.

I can't think of anything better. We're not in this world for us. We're in it for him. To show the world who he is. When we do it pleases him.

I want to please my father. 

God and Google

“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:2‭-‬3 NIV

Google has become more than a product. It's a verb, an action to take when we want to go look something up. You can find the answer to pretty much anything you want to know. I've discovered the website Wookieepedia where you can find answers to all your Star Wars questions, like who the old ally was at the beginning of The Force Awakens. We have the information we need at our fingertips.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we had a direct line to God who would tell us the great mysteries of the universe, what path to take in life, what the answer is to the word problem where 2 trains are travelling in opposite directions. I'd give anything to just know that! Oh wait, we do! We have Google for that last question, and we have God who will speak to us if we just listen.

We must call to him and he will answer.

Praise Through It

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5 NIV

This song of praise is a familiar one. When I read it this morning, my heart just started praising god. I had no particular reason to, it was just what I needed to do at the time. It's what we should be doing all the time. Whether we think we have a reason to praise or not, we really do always have a reason. God is faithful for all generarions. It still makes my heart sing to repeat it over and over.

And as it turns out I needed this verse today. I always need a word from God, but this verse helped me through the day. So many things can go wrong in a day where really all we can do is praise our way through. And it works. Maybe not right away, but it does. We can go to sleep knowing God has it all under control.

So when all else fails, just praise him. He never fails. His love endures through all generations.

Jacksonville Journal Day 2

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19‭-‬20 NIV

I toured St. Augustine today with my daughter and her fiance. We had a fun time going into the shops in the historic district. There are some neat things for sale. There are souvenirs, furniture, work from local artisans, and other unique gifts. But they all come with a price...from low to high to outrageous. Some things we would consider paying the price for, others not so much. But for something we really want, what would we consider a fair price? How much would we be willing to pay? And if we bought it, I know we would cherish it and take good care of it. After all, we'd want to show it off.

God must believe you are very special and he wants you very much. His son paid the ultimate price for you so you could spend eternity with him. So wouldn't you want to make sure you take good care of yourself so God can show you off? Your carriage, attitude, and character speak to the character of God. We must be the best representative we can be.

You were bought with a price. You are cherished. So cherish yourself.

Jacksonville Journal Day 1

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 NIV

I travelled to Jacksonville today to visit my daughter and attend a friend's wedding. I used the TomTom as I knew I'd need help getting around. Lola, as we affectionately call the little booger,  had a mind of her own. Armed with the power to lead helpless motorists wherever her little heart desires, she misdirected me. She kept saying keep left to take thr interstate. But unbeknownst to her and me, the interstate was no longer to the left. Thanks to non existent riad signs, I took the wrong exit. Lucky for her, she redirected me right back to the interstate.

We have become reliant on technology to guide us, so much so that we sometimes miss the road signs even if they are there. Technology is great but it is an imperfect thing made by imperfect, albeit smart, humans.

But Jesus is perfect, infallible and offers us direction that will never misdirect us. It will even get us safely back to the right path should we choose to disobey the directions. He is the one true light. As God led the Israelites in the desert, so he will lead us. A pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, but always visible, always leading us on. All we have to do is follow.

Follow the one true light.

Disney Devotionals Day 4

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9 NIV

From what I've seen the last few days it's a wonder our children survive into adulthood. Being blunt is really the only way to say this. Adult humans are an insufferable bunch. When we are singles or in small groups or familial units, we can do some pretty amazing things. But the masses are confusing and difficult. Each one looking out for themselves and their own, which is the survival mode in all of us.

I saw some pretty innovative kids and adults this week. By observing their behavior in a crowd I could tell they were creative, fun and probably neat to be around. So how do we nurture that so they don't lose it and just follow the masses? Well, we need to know whatever it is that this one kid knew.

We were following a crowd of people to the outdoor theatre for a show (Beauty and the Beast, which I highly recommend). The crowd seemed to bunch up going through the crowd control gates. We were all trying to get through just 2 of the 4 or 5 gates that were available. Why? Because we flow the masses even when it doesn't make sense. But this one kid decided to take the gates to the right and flew on through without getting caught in the crowd. I noticed and really liked his innovative thinking. He didn't just folllow. In a moment's time he assessed the situation and made a decision that was better.

I liked this kid. I hope he keeps up whatever innovative thinking he's got. I also hope he finds Jesus. His creativity is a gift and if he uses it for God he will go far. Unlike this kid, young people today follow the masses, even if there are better alternatives.

So how do we keep them from straying? Help them be creative thinkers, questioning everything and not taking anything at face value. Let them test the truths in the Bible because they will own them when they discover it's real.

The children are our future. Let's nurture their love of God and they will be strong leaders.

Disney Devotionals Day 3

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3 NIV

There are many kids here at Disney.  Many, many, many kids. The majority of those under 10 show signs of having had enough of the heat, noise and over stimulation by lunch. This is nothing new to parents. And I'm quite sure that there are a lot of "mom I'm sorry's" being thrown around by these kids. Yet no matter how many times they misbehave or act up, we forgive them, most likely after specific punishment has been delivered.

But be honest, we'd rather them behave and not have to dish out any punishment or correction. We also know that if we let them continue to misbehave they end up like the guy that skipped the line tonight while waiting for the bus...yes, another one. No remorse. No I'm sorry's. So we must correct them and forgive them until they get it right.

Aren't you grateful that God does this too? Where would we be without God's grace leading us. We mess up time and again and he forgives time and again. But God doesn't like correcting us any more than we like being corrected. Parents you know this all too well. He would rather we get it right the first time and move in the direction he's taking us.

So listen and learn in order to please God.

Disney Devotionals Day 2

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. Psalm 119:10 NIV

Today's lesson learned from trekking through the Magic Kingdom: you must obey the cast members. Do not stray from their commands lest ye be ridiculed in front of 10,000 of your closest strangers.

Good or bad, the cast members are Disney's law and order. They mean business. Most are friendly and go out of their way to help you. After all, they work in the happiest place on earth, right?

Yet we know they are still flawed and sometimes their rules suspend logic (although I must admit that is the goal of Disney - to suspend logic). But I digress. We spectators see the cast members directing traffic for no real reason, herding people like cattle through the most efficient people herding system of all time. Yet we still see flaws in their logic and thus at the first opportunity, we 'bend' the rules in our favor. Usually we don't get caught and nothing bad comes of it, but no matter what we think, they have put out rules that we must obey - for our safety and the safety of others.

Are not God's commands true and right and perfect? Should we try to bend them when we feel constrained and can't see the logic behind it? I think not. God's rules are just and infallible and immovable. We must obey. But being human prevents us from being truly obedient, therefore we need God's help. This verse is a plea for that help.

Lord help us today bend to your will, and not bend your will to our own selfish ways.

Disney Devotionals Day 1

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:6‭-‬7 NIV

This was Tuesday's verse but I am blogging this in the wee hours of Wednesday morning as we have just arrived back from the parks at Disney World. I'm calling my blogs this week Disney Devotionals.

At a Disney park you see and meet and (quite literally) run into all kinds of people. For the most part, Disney vacationers are a happy bunch, eager to let others be and concentrate on what to do next (and on how not to get too hot). We easily chat with one another, making acquaintances of folks from all over the globe.

However, as it goes with any sort of large gathering, there are your opportunists...those vile wolves in sheep's clothing ready to take your spot in line or steal your belongings from the lockers. We ran into our first group of those this evening on the way back to our hotel at a very late hour.

We were standing in line along with a few dozen of our newest friends waiting to board the buses. And along comes this young man, Dougie Doolittle just for story-telling purposes, looking for an "in" for him and his friends. You see, the line was quite long and coming in at the end meant you would be waiting for the next bus. Well little Dougie decided he and his pals would jump the line. So they made up an illness and persuaded someone at the front of the line to let them in. We all groused a little but let it go.

As we arrived at our hotel, those same young men who supposedly were ill were running down the lane toward the cafeteria. Yes, running.

Now we could get angry. We could get revenge somehow. But this verse tells us what we must do. Love doesn't rejoice in those things but is patient and kind. We and the rest of those in line knew the truth. We just needed to stand back and watch the drama unfold, satisfied that what we did was honest.

I'm sure we will run into our friend Dougie more this week, or iterations of him all around the parks. Yet we will continue to do what's right because that is what love demands of us.

Praise Before Victory

The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:24 NIV

There are plenty of times when we can taste victory and so we begin to celebrate only to have things fall through. Such is the nature of fallible humans and their existence. We don't want to get our hopes up because we feel we may be let down. But we also know that people say they are doing or sending something our way and so we thank them before it's even arrived.

We must remember there are many instances in the Bible where the victory came after rejoicing as though it had already happened. It's people practicing faith in what God has promised them. This is an application of faith where we say yes it is done because God said it was. When Jesus died, he said, "it is finished." It was not at that moment but he knew God's promise was being fulfilled. And so it was. We need to really get this concept and put it into practice.

I've felt that a breakthrough is coming. I just don't know when. So this verse very timely reminded me I must praise God that his promise is fulfilled in my life. I must put action behind my faith.

So what has God promised You? Have you thanked him for it even though you may not have it yet?

Mother's Day

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30 NIV

On Mothers Day we say how great our moms are, that they're perfect, always right, the best in the world and many other accolades, all of which are rightly deserved. Moms sacrifice so much every day. Yet we are still human and make mistakes, which I'm happy to say most kids will overlook for the love of their mom.

So if we give this effusive praise to earthly mothers (and to fathers on their day) who are human, how much more praise and accolades should we offer to our heavenly father who is truly perfect and without sin? He is holy. We are only made holy through his grace.

I know that as a mom I cannot do right by my children if I don't  teach them to fear the Lord. To honor him first above all.

If I seek any praise in this life it is only that I led my children to the Lord.

Stronger Together

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Some days I don't read my daily verse until the night but I am always pleasantly surprised how well the verse fits my day. I had a very long week at work and though I make sure to exercise and take care of myself, I found myself extremely tired today.  As much as I should have been getting done around the house I just didn't. I spent the day resting and recharging. I was happy that my hubby went grocery shopping and cooked dinner. My daughter folded her laundry. Our home would not function if we didn't work together so that when one of us is weak or sick or gone, what needs to get done gets done. We are stronger together.

It's the same with our relationship with God. If we are always strong and ready, we may feel we don't need his help. But we are stronger together. We do need him and we understand this better when we are weak. This past week I knew I couldn't do it without him, no matter how prepared I was.

We are stronger with him for when we are with him who can be against us.

The Execution of Confidence

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NIV

I grew up memorizing the King James version of this verse but I like the use of the word 'confidence' here. It's a word we know and understand. It's a concept we grasp and can execute when needed. Sometimes we don't even know we are showing confidence, like when we are driving....we are confident in our driving ability, therefore we execute turns and cross streets with ease. It's not easy, we just know what we know.

Do you have that much confidence in something you only hope for? What about something you have not seen? I don't know that I do. It's an every day task for me to have confidence in something I've never physically seen.  But that's what faith is and we should strive to strengthen it every day.

Be as assured in your faith as you are about your work, or your relationships, or your abilities. God has given you those gifts and talents so use them to his glory.

Iron Works

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 NIV

This verse is a perfect compliment to this week. Others that may have a job like mine would say they are just program managers. But my job is so much more because of the programs we have. They are not just funding sources. These programs are part of an intricate community knit together to combat poverty. Yes, the war on poverty is still on, and someone today said that it is the worst funded war in history. I have to agree. These funding streams aren't much, but what the agencies do with the money would blow your mind. The jobs aren't glamorous. They don't pay much. People aren't nice to you. We do it because we believe everyone should have a chance to live as they wish to live.

So if the money isn't much and the job is less than desirable, why do we stay in it? The people. These are what we call good people. Theirs hearts are bigger than Texas and they genuinely care about everyone. They have a servant's heart. And we keep each other uplifted by caring about each other as well as those we serve. We help each other when the job gets tough. We pray for each other when days get long. We use each other as a sounding board when we just need to get it out. We sharpen each other so we can do the work we have been chosen to do. Because we didn't choose this work, it chose us. God chose us and placed us where we are to be a vital part of this community. And we may worry a little about funding cuts but because we have kept each other sharp, we know we will keep on going. It's what we do.

It takes a village. We can't serve God all by ourselves. We must lean on each other and build others up to keep the work moving forward. Walt Disney said it best, "around here we keep moving forward." By helping each other we pass along the sharpened skills. So keep moving. Keep sharpening.

Imitation is Flattery

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well, so did the writer on this letter to the Corinthians. I like the way the Bible app summarized this verse: we should honor God by trying to be just like Him. Imitation at its best don't you think?

We all fight against ending up being like our parents even though we know it's going to happen. We all say, "I will never say that" and then we do. We all think we will never do or act like our parents, and then we do. We are a product of our parents and we do take on their traits. And is it so bad that we end up like them? I mean my mom and dad are pretty awesome so it's not all that terrible that I say and do what they did.

So if we imitate our parents so easily why do we find it hard to imitate God? I would think that God our father would be the ultimate parent to emulate and imitate. And this verse extols us to do just that. God is holy, so we must be holy. God is righteous, so we must be righteous. God is without sin, so we must be without sin. All this is utterly impossible without the cleansing blood of Jesus. Once we are covered it is important to stay in fellowship with him so that we may learn his ways.

Don't go looking for imitations. Imitate the real thing. It's worth it.

Who are you waiting for?

so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NIV

What do you do when you are waiting for someone? Do you pave anxiously, get upset, get worried, keep looking out the window,  keep checking your phone? I did when I was waiting for my daughter to come home for a visit. I was busy doing last minute things around the house making sure everything was perfect. I kept checking my phone yo see if she'd called.  I looked out the window, walked around the yard. I tried yo keep busy but I was excited and anxious all at once.

So what are doing as we wait for Jesus to return? Are you waiting for him? If so, are you preparing your home, getting things ready? We should be. We should be as Jesus once said, I must be about my father's business. If not, if we are busy sou g other things, we might miss him! And that thought is enough to make me hit my knees and ask what I need to be doing to be about my father's business.

Let's make sure our house is ready for his visit.

Heart and Home

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NIV

There was a time when we wanted to open our home to a foster child but because of space restrictions we could not. Our physical home wasn't big enough but our hearts were. I can only imagine how big our physical home would need to be to house God himself. There's probably not enough square footage anywhere in the world.

Luckily our hearts are big enough if we trust him to take up residence. That means sharing everything with him and trusting his decisions for our life. Letting him help us pay bills, and make key decisions about life, jobs, love and loss.

It's not easy sharing your life and home with someone but it works so wonderfully when you are both committed. He is, 100%. The question is are you? It's not a part time thing. It's all or nothing.

He's at home waiting for you.

Jockeys and College Grads

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2‭-‬3 NIV

College grads know that with each test, each paper and each class they know they can survive any professor to get that diploma.

Moms know that after 9 months and (seemingly) endless hours of labor, they will be able to hold the baby they have loved without seeing.

Doctors know that after years of study, years of residency and countless hours of study, they will be able to save a life.

These are trials that produce perseverance. Some of them anyway.  Think back to when you had to do something new and hard. I bet you thought at some point you would not survive. Now think again of that same time. If it were to happen again, you would say, oh that's doable. I've done it before; let me show you how.

This is what Christ has done. This is what the apostles have done. They persevered through many trials knowing we would too. In reading the Bible we find strength in how they've done it.

This verse is very fitting for today as it was college graduation in town, plus it was the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby. The graduates, horses, jockeys, trainers and professors know a little something about trials and coming through it all ok.

So cheers to all who've made it to today. Pass on the knowledge of how you have survived. I have because of God's amazing grace.

Storm Interference

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 NIV

This morning on the way to work a storm was rolling through. As I went to pull up my verse foe the day my phone's reception was pitiful,  possibly because of interference from the storm. The Bible app would not load and update. I could not read my verse of the day,  not on my phone anyway.

I immediately thought about just how true that is. There are times when we are in a storm and we cannot hear God's word. The reception is bad because if interference from the rain and wind. We just don't understand what he's saying.

So what we must do is find a way to hear him. We must grab our bible, get in our knees and hunker down and really listen. Ignore the rain and wind. We need the rain to grow. We need the wind to blow away chafe. It's not always convenient but if we are there God has a plan that will see us through.

Like this verse says, praise him in all circumstances. Praise him when the sun is shining. Praise him when the rain is pelting. Praise him when the bills can't get paid. Praise him when you get that promotion.

In all things give thanks.

Input

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 NIV

It's funny how almost every verse makes me go, "woah...now that's the truth." This verse does more than just point out that old adage "lie down with dogs, get up with fleas."  It gives guidance that each of us needs.

I'm the type of person that likes to learn something new. I love input, as Johnny 5 would call it. I'm always reading or watching or listening, taking it all in and applying it in other areas. So I must be extra careful where my eyes and ears are tuned to. Will it be useful information or something that will lead me astray? According to this verse, I could be in harm's way if I listen to fools.

So into the word of God I must go to verify information, to put my soul at ease, and find out how to use the gifts and opportunities I've been given.

How will you verify your input?

Humbling

Humility is the fear of the Lord ; its wages are riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4 NIV

One of our taekwondo cycle tenets is humility and we ask our students what they think it means.  I don't think any of them would say it is fear. They tell us humility is not putting yourself above others,  not exalting yourself or your talents over someone else.

They don't even know how right they are. Humility before God is being in awe of him and thinking of others above yourself. That's hard to do. We live in a selfie society, where Instagram pics and video blogs can make anyone famous. Everyone wants to be known for something they think they do better than anyone else. But with that attitude we cannot serve others before ourselves. We cannot possibly have humility before God.

I read a blog today about a woman who decided to do one thing for someone else every day expecting nothing in return.  But she said that she feels more blessed and humbled and that she does receive as much as she gives. She is proof of this verse. Humbling ourselves means serving others which in return rewards us with riches, and honor and life. And what a life it would be!

Singing Tattoos

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11 NIV

I saw a YouTube video today about tattoos that you can hear. From the short, non-descriptive video it appears that sound waves are tattooed on the skin then you use an app on your smart phone to "hear" the sound. This goes way beyond putting sound in a Build-A-Bear. After last week's viewing of a sermon on the tribulation, this was more than a little unsettling to me. Much like chipping your pet, these sound tattoos could be the way people get branded...the mark of the beast. I'd also just read an article about how Silicon Valley techs have learned how to grow meat from cells. Say what? Thats more than creepy. And it's Monday...the creepiest day of the week if you ask me.

So why am I telling you this? After I saw the video, my heart was troubled. Yes, I was afraid. So I pulled up my bible verse for the day, and this was it. Why am I so troubled? Why is my heart downcast? These things are of the world. Hasn't Jesus overcome the world? Yes!

I was reminded yesterday that I responded to something last week the wrong way. Rather than praising God for excellent health care and caring physicians, I was mad that any bad medical news would hit our household. We've had enough. But it really wasn't that bad, except my response was wrong. I should have praised him instead.

So today that's what I'm doing. Rather than fear something I can't control, I choose to praise him. He is my Savior and my God.