Day 6 of the gratitude of Lent.

I am grateful for the power of rest.

Experts tell us that to live healthy and productive lives we need three things: exercise, a balanced diet and rest.  I don’t know why we tell ourselves that we can do without sleep when this is the time our bodies heal and our cells rebuild.  I remember those days as a young mother when I was sleep deprived.  My toddler was up all day and the baby was up all night.  Many times I fell asleep holding the baby in my arms while sitting in a rocking chair.  By the grace of God, we all survived although many days I looked like someone from the Walking Dead.

As I have grown older, I am learning more and more to listen to my body. I am more willing to let a household chore go undone if I feel the need to take a nap.  Funny thing, the world doesn’t end and eventually I get everything done. Rest is important, even God rested.

REST

Tired and weary bones,

A body that aches and groans.

A mind that churns in overdrive,

We all need rest to survive.

God in his wisdom surely knew,

Our bodies need time to renew.

Day 5 of the gratitude of Lent

I am grateful for Christian fellowship

I have attended many churches over the course of my life and have always considered the church to be part of my family. It was not until I found the church I attend now that I really saw the fellowship of Christ in action. In this church, I have found true Christian love. There is outreach into the community and a honest connection within the body. The people in this church care for one another, check up on one another, pray for each other, visit the shut-ins, offer a helping hand when needed, love unconditionally and welcome  all. This is the agape love that Jesus taught. This is what discipleship looks like.

FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship with one another,

Treating everyone as a brother.

Holding others up in prayer,

Promising to always be there.

Feeding the hungry, clothing the poor,

Answering each knock on your door.

God asks us to love and care for all,

Black, white or brown, big or small.

The world would be a better place,

If we could only share God’s grace.

Day 4 of the gratitude of Lent.

I am grateful for the power of prayer

I feel so blessed to be able to discuss everything with God through prayer. I can speak with him, anytime day or night, he’s always there and eager to hear from me.  I know that many times the things I long for are not part of his plan for my life.

When my late husband was dying of cancer, we had a good friend who came and prayed for healing. I knew in my heart that God had already answered that prayer and that our time here together was growing short. God was telling me to cherish the time left, he was calling my husband home. My prayers became a request for peace and love. When my husband breathed his last breath on this earth, my daughter and I were at his side. He opened his eyes one last time, looked heavenward and had the most beautiful. radiant, glowing smile on his face. We could feel the presence of angels in the room. That is the power of prayer.

PRAYER

When I bow my head to pray,

My heart overflows with much to say.

This world is such a troubled place,

And my soul longs to see God’s face.

We question why men do evil,

And in their wrong, they seem so gleeful.

We pray for justice and for peace,

And that pain and suffering will decrease.

We turn it all over to God above,

Assured that he will answer with love.

Day 3 – The gratitude of Lent.

I am grateful for the blessing of Hope.

Three months prior to getting the news that I was pregnant with my second child, I had suffered a devastating miscarriage which nearly cost me my life. We were stationed in Japan at the time and were awaiting orders to be transferred to the Philippines. I didn’t know it then but, that was the beginning of the nightmare our family would experience from my husbands exposure to agent orange while serving in Vietnam.

Throughout my pregnancy, I was unsure if I would be able to carry this child to term.  Hope was my constant companion, hope for a healthy baby, hope for no complications and hope for our future. On a cold, snowy night in New Jersey because we had been transferred back stateside, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was a joy and a blessing and I named her Hope.

HOPE

In the darkest night of despair and fear,

As you wait for the next disaster to appear,

If you listen, you’ll hear God whisper in your ear,

Have hope for I am with you dear.

In God there is refuge and peace,

All of your worries you can release,

Your hope you will fully unlock,

When you stand firmly on the rock.

Day 2  – The gratitude of Lent.

I am grateful for the gift of forgiveness

When I was young, I always wanted to balance the scale and get even with those who had hurt me or did me wrong. As I grew in age and wisdom, I began to understand all that I had done which God had forgiven me. I also learned that the more I dwelt on the wrong done to me, the less peace I had. When I got to the place of forgiveness and left justice in God’s capable hands, I felt a weight lift off me and a new found peace in my life.  By forgiving and turning it over to God, I was released from a prison of my own making and I understood how much God loves me.

FORGIVENESS

The Lord first forgave you and me,

And gave us eyes to really see,

That by letting go of the past,

We gain a peace that will always last.

When we carry the wrong done by another,

It doesn’t take long for us to discover,

We damage our heart and wound our soul,

And we can never, ever be truly whole.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for Christians around the world. It is a time of fasting, repentance, prayer, reflection and sacrificing certain chosen things from our lives. This year I am giving up time I normally spend on worldly things and devoting that time to reflections on gratitude. I will be daily posting things I am grateful for until Easter. I hope you will join me.

On this first day of lent, I am grateful for my faith. It is my belief in a loving, forgiving and protective God which has sustained me throughout my life. When I didn’t think I could go on, it was my faith that carried me. I pray for those who do not know or accept Christ as their savior, how dark their world must be.

FAITH

My faith has carried me along life’s way,

It sustains and comforts me every day.

A quiet knowing in my heart,

A saviors love that will never depart.

A light that guides each step I take,

From a master who gave all for my sake.

I am blessed that God so loves me,

He installed this faith for all to see.

 

The words that were spoken brought pain to your heart,

The angry reply on your lips did not depart.

You choose love.

The news of the day was depressing and took a toll,

You searched out the good and uplifted your soul.

You choose love.

The lies from someone’s lips found their mark,

Forgiveness brought you out of the dark.

You choose love.

Sunshine from within you sets the world aglow,

You share kindness and joy wherever you go.

Always choose love.

Your smile will light the darkest day,

And chase the blues and loneliness away.

Always choose love.

I was reading an article on Facebook about the unusual snow storm in the Pacific Northwest and the effect it was having on the people who live there. For those of us who live in the snow belt, a foot of snow is business as usual but, for those folks, it is a hardship. They rarely get measurable snow and were totally unprepared for its effects. There are numerous homeless living in tents year round, they have no snow plows, salt trucks or snow blowers and most do not have warm outdoor clothing. As I began to read the comments left by others, I was taken aback by the lack of empathy for other people’s pain and suffering. Too many were participating in the new internet sport – bulling others. The name calling, belittling and rudeness was difficult to read.

As I sat and thought about this phenomenon, I wondered if people have really become this mean and cruel or if it’s just easy to let loose behind the anonymity  of a computer keyboard.  Would these people have said the same things if they were face to face with their victims? When we speak by voice or the written word, our message impacts someone’s life. My grandma always told me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” It seems we have lost this simple truth in today’s heartless world.

Cyber-bulling has harmed so many young people causing many to take their own life out of pain and desperation. People who look different, worship different or love different have become prime targets in this climate of hate. It has become the new normal in this country.

What do your words say about you? Are you lifting others up or tearing them down? Do your words make someone feel inferior or put them on the defensive?  Are you spreading lies and gossip?

Proverbs 11:12 “It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.”

Proverbs 11:17 “your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.”

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.”

Proverbs 25:18 “Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword or shooting them with a sharp arrow.”

I always told my children when they were growing up to think before they spoke. That is advice we all need to follow. As grandma said, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

Are you teetering on the edge of the abyss, clinging to the side of the mountain fearful that one wrong step will have you falling into the depths of dispair, destruction, depression and desperation? This message is for you.

Everyone you know or see is walking around with deep hurts and scars. We are all part of the community of the walking wounded. Most of us are so good at putting on a positive mask for the world to see while inside, we are a quivering bowl of insecurities and uncertainty. Profound losses in our life, the death of a spouse, child, parent or sibling leaves us floundering in overwhelming grief. Failing health, financial devastation, loss of security and so many issues prevent us from seeing a clear path forward. How do we deal with life when it seems so out of control and unfair?

Turning to the way of the world only compounds our problems. Peace and serenity elude us. There is only one safe place to entrust our future and that is at the foot of the cross. When we surrender the control of our lives to the heavenly father, we find that peace and serenity we have been searching for in all the wrong places.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

James 4:10 “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

Our answers are not found in money, fame, fortune, possessions, job titles, drugs or anything the world has to offer. These are just pretty boxes wrapped up in shiny paper with big bows but, when we unwrap them, we find them empty. Our answers are found under the loving protection of our creator.

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me , all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, perfect and pleasing will.”

1Peter 5:6-10 “Humble yourself therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering. And, the god of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

When we turn our pain, longing and loss over to God, he gives us comfort, rest and peace. Climb up on the lap of Jesus today and share your thoughts, dreams and problems. You will find love and peace there.

January is almost over – how are your New Year’s resolutions going? Change is hard and breaking bad habits takes time. Don’t give up.

I started my new year by disconnecting from the world and taking a sabbatical to reconnect with my spiritual and peaceful side. I have spent a great deal of time in self-reflection and prayer.  We all need to take time to reevaluate our life and our spiritual well-being.

Jeremiah 12:1-2 “You are always righteous Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet, I would speak to you about justice. Why does the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them and they have taken root, they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lip, but far from their hearts.”

So many people today claim Christ on their lips, but the love of God seems far from their hearts, They pick and choose other peoples life styles or choices and place judgements on them, totally ignoring what Christ told them about judging others.  Social media has become a place where people spend countless hours saying hurtful, hate filled things to others who disagree with their thinking. It is sad to see how far we have fallen.

The more I was sucked into the way of the world, the farther from God that I felt. I didn’t lose my faith or my belief but, I was no longer walking in the light. I have been removing toxic people from my life because outside influences do affect your thinking.

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his pleasing and perfect will.”

Titus 2:11-12 “For the Grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passion and to live self-controlled, upright and Godly lives in this present age.”

James 4:4 “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

In today’s fast paced world , a constant barrage of instant news, social media and TV can impact our thoughts and sweep away tranquility. The more we think about worldly problems, the less we think about God’s perfect plan for our lives.

Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart because everything you do flows from it.”

Everything you see, hear, read or watch affects your life. Choose wisely.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”