First impressions are very tricky for me. I know that I am not to be judgmental therefore, putting love first and giving people time to be their true selves is something I strive to do daily. It is a priority of mine to rid myself of all judgmental thoughts, particularly when it comes to first impressions. At times I falter, but the effort is there. I am aware that the first impressions I give off are not always those of love. Not because it’s not there, but because I am a comfortable introvert, that gravitates to the periphery by…
The hustle and bustle of the holidays often takes us off course of the most important gift that we can give. A gift that doesn’t cost us any money and can give us so much in return. A gift that is often overlooked yet so special. There are numerous gifts I can think of that meet many of the above criteria and are wonderful to receive. We can give our time, and our service, we can give food from our table that otherwise may not have been appreciated. However, there is one that sticks out in my mind as…
What is it that we do when we question the direction we should follow, do I or don’t I? Often we think about the positive and negative consequences. We might write down the pros and cons, and then evaluate the list. Sometimes we might look at the alternatives as impossible. What I have found is that when the direction is from Jesus, I am at peace. The issues disappear and the solutions present themselves so long as I hand over control. That doesn’t mean I don’t do anything. It means that if I am prayerful and open…
Not everyone has the same idea of what makes a nice holiday, nor does everybody give thanks in the same way. This message of giving thanks is something that I learned when I was very young. It is one of the lessons that I am most grateful that I was able to see, experience, and understand. Giving thanks for all. For me, the key to having a successful gathering is to allow my guests to be themselves. I am grateful for each individual worker, communicator, consumer, and watcher. Being present with those who are in attendance and prayerful for those…
There’s no question I was a “hare” most of my life, and I would never have imagined that I would turn into a “tortoise”. I have been a confident risk taker, quick to take action. However, my overall journey of life is based on faith and is steady and consistent. I’m patiently waiting for Jesus to guide my way. For much of my life, I thought the “tortoise” and the “hare” were mutually exclusive. How is it possible to quickly make decisions and take action, and also be slow and methodical about your decisions? Seemingly incompatible with each…
Living life with a sense of peace does not eliminate suffering. What I have found is having inner peace grounds me for any and all suffering that comes my way. When my late husband died people said I was strong. It was not my strength it was my inner peace knowing that whatever suffering comes my way Jesus will ground me and show me how to move through the chaos. That time was not without suffering, but I was able to move forward because I chose to rely on something greater than myself. I gave control to Jesus and believed…
As I walked by photos that are displayed on the wall of our home, I realized the photos displayed something very different to me than the photos that are hanging in the home of my parents. In the home of my parents, the photos generate warm and fuzzy feelings that are moments in time that are captured and that bring a smile to my face and inner peace. In my home our photo gallery brings feelings of overcoming adversity, a wall of strength and endurance, highlighting what we as a family have endured. Looking at my kids’ photographs each…
Whenever I am forced into battle I want to fight fair. The only way I know how to do that is to first engage in prayer and second to make sure my total being is coming from a perspective of love. When I am engaged in prayer and focusing on love, I begin to feel compassion for whatever combat is headed in my direction. I normally avoid battle, but sometimes I am tossed in before I even know what is happening. When I am caught off guard I have to stop and focus on what is most important. For me…
I was speaking with someone who was a bit frustrated with a friend who lives life as a follower of Jesus. This person was given advice to trust in Jesus, and that it will all work out. Here is the catch. The friend giving the advice was very worried about something and was not following their own suggestion. The question was, “How do I help someone who is giving me advice to trust Jesus, but is not trusting Jesus with their own worries?” Think about how strong we would be as followers of Jesus if we all applied his advice…
It is time to stand strong seeking truth, unity, and love. As we move through our day we are targeted with information from every direction. It is not easy to uncover the truth. Much effort is necessary to begin to uncover what is real and what is misinformation. The truth often is hidden behind everything circulating on social media. I utilize prayer to uncover the information I believe is needed to make important decisions. Praying that I will see the shortcomings of the misinformation and that I will be led to the information I need to make an educated decision…