Sacrifice!

I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Anytime we begin to hear ourselves talk about all we do for this person or that person, sounding like a martyr, a red flag should go up! A healthy individual is not someone who believes they are the only one who does anything in their family or community. There are moments when we believe we alone are the only ones making sacrifices in the relationship. We only deceive ourselves and usually blinded in the contributions of others around us.

This verse tells us about God loving us so much that he sacrificed his only son. This verse also tells us that we should do the same for others. I am sure there are moments in my life where I have felt that I have sacrificed for my children or my spouse but in all honesty have I really ever laid down my life for them or anyone else? 

Let's remember God's sacrifice to us the next time we are in a place feeling that we are the ONLY ONES who give our all because realistically we have not given enough.

This picture was taken of a Hibiscus flower in my back yard in 2006.

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Begin With God

written 2007:

It seems that all the odds are against us when we want to live right; that is certainly what Satan would have us to believe. Overcoming the evil one and evil people in our life is a daily task and these scriptures tell us that wisdom and knowledge are the key to a healthy life. 
 
Wisdom and knowledge come from God and how do we get it? By reading and studying God's Word. That is why it is so important to attend church weekly; be where the Word of God is being presented as often and as much as possible, soak it in. Seems simple enough but yet people continue to struggle through life missing the message God has for them week after week. 
 
Are we leaving God last on our schedule or do we begin each week in His presence and the safety of His house and His people?

"Long for God constantly!”

Don't Worry!

Matthew 6:31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?"

We know as Christians that we shouldn't worry if we trust God but there is plenty to worry about for everyone in this crazy world. The problem is how do we not let that worry defeat us? In the scriptures above, Jesus is giving us some examples of what we worry about such as our health (what shall we eat & drink) and our possessions (what shall we wear).

Some people believe that these types of worries are only for the poor but actually the rich worry too. The poor worry about how they will get these things, the wealthy worry about losing them. Actually there are so many things we could spend our days worrying about in our relationships, job security, family, health and the list is endless.

Worry is stressful to our mind, body and soul and can make us physically sick. It can also take away precious time from our life if we spend too much time worrying; such as hours, days, months and even years. Is there really anything good that comes out of worrying? I can't think of a thing!

If we want to stop worrying then let's begin to take action steps to change this unhealthy pattern. First of all we should pray....then we need to ask others to pray for us too.  Once we have given that worry over to prayer we should begin enjoying creation and taking the time to look at what is beautiful in the world. The ocean is the place where I like to take my worries and my sadness because I feel God's presence; and I pray that I am able to leave them there! 

God has provided so much beauty around us to be able to enjoy and see His goodness. He provides us with His Word to give us hope of uncertainty. He provides us with good people to help us sort out the chaos and assist us in making sense of what is truly important. 

We cannot control those things around us....and most of the time I can't even control my response to those things.....but God has a way of guiding, teaching and comforting while in the midst of the worry....

I took this picture October 2013 of the typewriter in our office that I have used since the early 90's - I love the wheelwriter 10 and get a kick out of it when young people come in here and look at it as if it is something out of Jurassic Park.