Over half of the New Testament is accredited to the authorship of the  Apostle Paul.  However, in his letter to the Romans (15:20) he reveals that he preferred reaching brand new people with the Gospel over edifying established churches.  Both his visits to Corinth, Ephesus, or a variety of other churches and his letters sent to various Christian converts probably seemed pretty insignificant to Paul. Instead, they may have been his greatest contribution to the Church.  Perhaps, what we deem inconsequential are the very things that have the most import. Take, for example, the value of words.  Years ago, verbal reinforcement was not a topic of study.  Today, however, books and seminars tout the power of words to shape lives, to resolve conflict, and to produce desired behaviors. At one time, the influence of word choice was overlooked.  After all, didn't most people use language?  What seemed small was in fact, one of the greatest tools for man, its validation found in Scripture stating that power of  life and death are in the tongue. Most often, our eyes are drawn to the big things: large monetary donations, feats of great strength, enormous sacrifices, but our smaller offering, given in service to God, may be equally meaningful.
Tip/Tidbit: Remember, you matter. Your choices impact others and your world. Never underestimate your contribution to the work of God or to the betterment of mankind. 

We all face temptation; for some temptation is a moment by moment struggle.  It can be the daily battle of eating healthy, the struggle with persistent, negative thoughts, or a stronghold like a sexual or chemical addiction.  Scripture gives insight on how to handle temptation.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  From this we learn the following:  1.Everyone has an issue to overcome.  2.God doesn't leave a person alone to deal with that struggle.  3.There is often a path around the temptation. 4. When a person can’t handle the temptation himself, God will shoulder some of the weight so that the issue can be managed.   

Applying this Scripture, we realize that we’re not alone.  No one is a temptation odd-ball.  When we look at someone else who appears to have a life of ease, we can know that person has already come through difficult times, is going through difficulties, or will one day face a struggle.  Therefore, the tendency to excuse ourselves based on the erroneous thought “no one has it quite like I do” will only serve to keep us tethered to things that will limit us. 

Secondly, when we set our sight on God, we eliminate a lot of trouble up front.  It’s harder to give in to weaknesses when our minds are otherwise occupied with the goodness of God and His work.

Thirdly, some temptation can be avoided.  Scripture says, “flee fornication.” This indicates there is a window of opportunity to steer away from temptation.  Avoiding certain places, particular people, and specific activities can be a path around temptation.  Instead of denying the possibility of failure, recognizing potential weakness and recalling past failures can be a set-up  for success for it allows us to prepare ahead of time for what may come our way.  That preparation includes eliminating secrecy by seeking an accountability partner.  One person who struggled with pornography said he agreed upon a “sin date” with his pastor.  He marked on the calendar a day he’d give himself permission to fail.  Every other day he’d say, “No.  I have to wait until (that day). I can’t give in today.”  By the 3rd “sin date,” he decided he didn't have to give in to the temptation at all.  Each person's plan of action may look differently; its just important to have one. It may be to practice what to say in the heat of the moment, to get professional help, or to push out the bad with a better choice (thoughts/foods), but the plan can help in the moment of encountering temptation.

When temptation cannot be avoided, God has promised us His strength to help bear the load.  His strength comes from His word and His presence.  Worshiping Him brings His presence near and shifts our desire away from distractions and onto God.  Scripture is a sword that cuts away the desire bit by bit until one day the struggle with temptation no longer exists.  Reminding ourselves that Jesus bore the flesh struggle so we don’t have to is yet another way that God bears our trouble with us.  “I want to smoke,” one man said before adding, “but Jesus doesn't want to.”  I used to have these mental sparring matches with people who’d offended me.  Wow! I could slice and dice with the most profound phrases.  This went on for a while before it even dawned on me what I was doing.  I was harboring ill feelings, nurturing a grudge, and wasting my thoughts on angry outbursts no one but I could hear.  By the time  I saw what was happening, I had a mental stronghold.  I couldn't change my thinking until I started quoting Scripture every time I caught myself having ugly thoughts.  I’d speak blessing instead of anger in my thoughts.  I’d imagine myself loving and showering gifts on the person who’d aggravated me. One day I was cleaning house, and I realized I couldn't remember the last time I  had a mental confrontation or an offended thought.  God had given me support through my temptation until I had victory.

Tip/Tidbit:  Are you struggling with a temptation?  Make an over-comer’s plan of action that includes an accountability partner, Scripture, and a reminder that your story can be one of victory.

Overcoming is not a picture of a sail boat pushed by gentle winds across crystal seas.  Instead, it indicates the presence of adversity, some frothing waves and turbulent winds whipping at our sails.  Over-comers land in a special category that interests us.  We have to go no further than our televisions to see this is true. Seldom do TV programs portray the perfect person living the perfect day in his or her perfect life, but the channels are loaded with compelling stories of those who did not cave in to their circumstances, who fought the odds and won, and who rose above what should have been to lay hold of something better.  Television captures these stories because they sell.  They sell because inside each of us is the desire for that to be our truth.  No one wants the epitaph “she collapsed under the pressure of life and never reached her potential.”  Instead, our hearts ring out with the desire to be victorious, so we celebrate others who are.  The good news is that we can all claim the label “over-comer” if we simply handle life’s challenges with the right mindset, the one that says, “Persevere. Don’t quit. Keep going,” and grab hold of tomorrow’s joy with a tenacity that won’t let go when the winds of trouble blow.

Tip/Tidbit:  Make a list of people who have overcome hardships.  Let one of them know you admire how he faced his challenge. 

 Rest and Relaxation; they go hand in hand.  These are things I find relaxing:  Reading a book, walking in nature, looking at any kind of water feature, swinging on a porch swing, listening to it rain.

Tip/Tidbit:  Make a list of simple, relaxing pleasures.  Do one today!

Surrender is throwing our hands up in a non-verbal demonstration of resign.  It signals the realization that we know we can’t go any further, that we’re shoved in the corner, or that we’re facing a double-barrel shotgun in an Old West shoot out.  People seldom surrender if there are other options.  As long as the getaway car can speed through traffic, no surrender.  As long as the fastest horse in the West stamps its feet under a sturdy saddle and a dusty trail winds away from the posse, no surrender.  As long as we think we have other options, alternatives to what we deem less desirable, we don’t surrender.  We like what we like.  We want what we want, and usually that means handling things ourselves, hopeful for a fabulous outcome.  We’ll cut back on sugar and hope that takes care of diabetes before we resentfully surrender to insulin. We’ll finagle with bills and credit cards before surrendering in frustration to debt collectors. We will manipulate, excuse, and ignore until it’s blatantly clear we are out of options.
We view surrender as the unpleasant, distasteful choice, but there’s a problem with that mindset.  It means we’ve gone too far on our own.  The robber should have surrendered to his conscious, the cowboy should have surrendered to ethics, and the diabetic should have surrendered to a healthy lifestyle early on.  It’s not a matter of surrender that makes us uncomfortable.  It’s a matter of WHEN we surrender.  Surrendering early in a situation keeps that situation from escalating to the point where we have no other options.  It is exercising wisdom and humility to step in to do what is right before pride or neglect  insists on taking things to a whole new level.  For instance, we stop insisting we are right and avoid a heated argument, we service our vehicle and avoid an engine problem, and we plan ahead and forego last minute stress. If we choose a life of surrender, we avoid many of those uncomfortable, no-other-option situations.  So let’s take the first step in doing what’s right in life; let’s throw our hands in the air and surrender.

Tip/Tidbit:  Do you need to surrender something: a habit, a friendship, an investment of time/energy, a Twinkie?
Or do you need to surrender TO something: a healthier lifestyle, devotion to a relationship, a budget, sound advice, conviction, or God’s voice?

Little attention is given to consistency, but it is one of the most important characteristics a person could possess.  God values it, for His welcome-to-Heaven speech calls his children “faithful servants.”  Nature glorifies it, for waves beat against the sand in daily rhythm, sunrises crest the horizon every day, and the process of life, aging, and death is a fact for all living things.  Among humans, however, consistency is tossed aside for the grander, more fly-by-night, attention-getting moments of glam and glory.  The consistent life, however is one to be esteemed.  Daily dependability gets results, whether it is in weight loss, muscle building, or relationship growth.  Develop a consistent life today.

Tip/Tidbit:  In what area of your life would you like to see growth? Begin developing consistent habits in that area.  Try one of the following suggestions and stick with it.  You can reach any destination by traveling one step a day. 
For spiritual growth, try spending the first 15 minutes of the day in prayer and Bible study.  Attend one church service per week. Join a biweekly fellowship group or a Bible study and be faithful to it.
For a sense of fulfillment, choose a project like painting, gardening, or organizing and work on it for 15 minutes every day.Tackle those chores you've put off or those life goals you've set in the same manner.  Following through on a few, regularly scheduled minutes of work is progress.
For a sense of well-being, take away one unhealthy food from your diet and don’t eat it again, or add one new healthy choice such as a vegetable or water to your regular meal/snack time.  Another suggestion would be to incorporate fish in you diet once a week.  Add 10 minutes of exercise to your weekly routine (nothing to something or advancing what you already do)
For mental stimulation, read one self-improvement article, chapter, or blog every other day. Have fun with puzzles or riddles every morning with coffee or in the evening to unwind. Learn something new every month. YouTube offers a plethora of materials as does any local library.
For relationship improvement, set a goal to accomplish with a loved one and stick with it.  It can be as small as a 10 minute phone conversation every other day, an act of kindness every day, a specified compliment every day, or a thinking-of-you text every day. Larger things might include scheduling quarterly, weekend get-aways or bi-weekly counseling appointments.  Steadily working on your own trouble spots like poor communication or expectations of perfectionism can be a great way to improve relationships as well.

I should have been a pioneer.   My childhood was not in keeping with the times, for my parents’ lifestyle didn’t stray very far from that of the generation before them.  Our days were long, beginning close to dawn and ending at dusk.  They were filled with farming tasks and menial chores, yet even though we fell into bed at night with our muscles fatigued, our minds were not.  It was a simple life.  What were the components that made it simple?



*Singular focus.  Rather than trying to be good at many different things, we focused on farming. 

*Sharing the burden.  Responsibilities were varied.  No one had everything to do alone.

*Making time for people.  The sunlight may have faded from the sky, but when we called it quits for the day, we stopped working.  Those final hours of the day were for enjoying one another’s presence rather than vegging out with electronic gizmos.  In addition, if we were plowing a field and saw a vehicle pull up to the house, the work was put on hold and company took precedence. 

*Scheduling down time.  Whether it was a fox hunt on Friday night, midweek church service, or visiting family on the weekends, we took time away from the daily grind to do other things we found both relaxing and important.  Sometimes it was a different kind of work like fishing for supper, and at other times, it was an escape like reading.  The down time was a reward for the hours of hard work.

*Practicing contentment.  We didn’t feel the pressure to compete for bigger things, higher positions, or grander callings. We had good, honest work that provided for our needs, fellowship with others, and connection with family, and peaceful sleep. I never knew there were “Jones” with whom I was supposed to keep up!

*Spiritual emphasis.  Prayer was central in our home, as was church attendance, and practicing biblical principles like tithing and giving. Our family was hugely imperfect, but the God factor was a stabilizing force that kept us centered and balanced.

I think we can learn a lot from those pioneer-like lifestyle choices, and we don’t have to go back in time-or give up our computers-to do it!

Tip/Tidbit:  Practice simplicity today.  Try one of the following.
-focus on one area of excellence
-ask for help or delegate to others if possible
-make time for the ones you love
-schedule some R & R
-begin a gratitude journal, skip commercials, and tune out the idea that more is better
-make God #1

The roar of the bus motor and its grinding gears drown out our conversation, but it did not blot out the sight of the homeless man eating out of the trash.  It was a spectacle that unsettled my full stomach as the bus lurched up the steep hill.  He stood out, his ragged, earth-tone tatters and sun-weathered face stark against the sea of smartly dressed shoppers with their colorful shopping bags. 
The sultry wind whipping through the open bus windows, carried with it the scent of diesel, fresh baked bread, and delicacies reminiscent of carnival treats; I stirred as if under its influence. But it was notice of the homeless man that caused me to squirm on my seat.  I glanced at my daughter. She wore an expression semi-alarm, then whispered above the din, “Did you see that man?”  

This man bothered us even though we’d seen beggars sprinkled throughout the city.  Some, I’d easily dismissed: the woman with the two well-fed dogs and her cardboard sign, the man who’d carefully unloaded branches from his bike to make a lean-to in front of a restaurant, the man reeking of whiskey and cheap wine, the men snoring loudly on the shaded park bench.  I’d stuffed down my concern for these social misfits by reasoning away their need. If their need wasn’t valid, then I had no responsibility to them. 

As my daughter expressed her concern, my brain sought an explanation for the beggar’s behavior, and I pulled from a testimonial I had read about a homeless man who would put fresh, bagged food in the trash to eat later-when he felt he had the best chances of garnering pity from sympathetic bystanders. With this thought, I tamped down my concern for the man on the sidewalk, and then I turned to let the balmy wind blow away the remnants of my discomfort. My daughter, however, kept the issue alive long after the bus had carried us away from the disturbing sight.  Her grief for the man was palatable. 

“That man needs help,” she insisted. 

“Yes.  There are a lot of homeless people in this city.” I tried to neutralize, if not normalize, the situation.

“I sure wish there was a way I could help him.” Her voice was strained, perplexed, caring.  Then as if speaking to herself, she muttered, “I don’t have any money.” Her shoulders slumped forward.

I nodded understandingly, then dismissed her concern with a shrug and some well-oiled platitude about doing for one would require doing for all—or some other such nonsense meant to sooth her angst while easing me back into my comfort zone of apathy.

My daughter’s compassion, however, could not be quickly silenced, and it swelled into a consuming need to alleviate the homeless man’s pain.  A crease deepened between eyebrows that arched over her troubled eyes.  She stared unseeingly out the bus window as we rode past beautiful landscape, interesting shops, and a tangle of humanity. Suddenly, her forehead smoothed and her eyes lit.

“I know!” she shouted above the groan of the bus engine. “I’ll give him this food I was saving for later.  It has to be better than garbage.”  The doggie bag carried leftovers and a slice of cheesecake she’d planned to savor after we got back to the hotel, but as is true of real compassion, self got lost in the desire to ease someone else’s ache. 

The opening created in her heart in that moment created a portal for outflow.  Long after we had returned home from vacation, our daughter pondered ways to help the hurting.  Her ideas regarding food for the homeless were shot down by restaurant laws, but that didn’t block the flow of compassion.  It found new ways of expression. Compassion caused her to stand up to a bully who was harassing another student.  It provoked her to challenge a youth being rude to an elderly couple.  It motivated her to befriend a youth whose hygiene and poor behavior kept others at a distance.  It prompted her to write sticky notes of encouragement and put them on junior high lockers after an 8th grader had committed suicide.  Her compassion moves her to help, and it challenges my excuses with the truth that I can give more.

Tip/Tidbit:  Examine your heart today.  Are you making excuses for not helping others?  Challenge your self-preservation by helping someone else today.

The root word in compassion is passion.  People have feelings, strong feelings. They are passionate. About sports. About kids. About rights. About money.  Compassion is harnessing that element of the human spirit and directing those strong feelings toward someone else in an effort to alleviate that person’s pain.  You can’t have compassion without passion, and you can’t have compassion without taking action.  Just like you can’t feel passionate about a sports team and never utter an opinion about it, watch one of its games, or buy its paraphernalia, you can’t have compassion for someone and contain it inside your heart.  Compassion must be vented.  Compassion reaches out with a touch.  It offers comfort.  It meets a need.  Compassion isn't  for yourself.  It is by definition directed at someone else.  Compassion requires thinking about others instead of your own trouble. It demands that you view their need with such intensity that you are compelled to do something about it. 

Tip/Tidbit:  Look around today.  Who’s in crisis?  Who has a need?  Who is bogged down with trouble?  Take a minute to absorb their pain as your own, and let your compassion move you to pray, to comfort, to help them in their hour of distress.

Are you a “the glass is ½ empty” or a “the glass is ½ full” kind of person?  That can make a big difference when it influences self-perception.  When people see themselves as half-empty, their inadequacies and lack are at the forefront of their thoughts.  As a result they have nothing to offer, nothing to contribute, nothing to impart.  But those “half-full” people recognize that, though they may not have everything, they have something.  The widow in the Scriptures who put her two pennies in the offering pan was a half-full kind of person.  She didn’t have $100 bills to wave around, but she had her two coins.  Perceiving her small as something, she gave. 

We all have something to offer to God and to others.  Being able to stretch out our hands requires a half-full perspective.  We can be like the church members James addressed in James chapter two.  We can see a need and wish someone well on getting his or her need met, or we can meet the need.  Those church members whose perception was touched by faith, saw the possibilities and reached out with a helping hand.  Maybe you can’t give a large financial contribution to a cause, but you can be faithful in prayer or volunteer your time.  Maybe you don’t have a lot of time to contribute to others, but you could do for them while you’re simultaneously doing for yourself-like treating them to a meal when you’re eating out, or cooking them a plate of cookies when you bake some for your family.  There’s always something to pour out if you perceive yourself as a half-full kind of person. Better yet, perceive yourself as a completely full person with an overflow to touch everything around you.

Tip/Tidbit:  Gratitude is the awareness of what you DO have and the starting point of becoming a half-full kind of person.   Take some time to count your blessings today.  

Full of faith, full of wisdom, full of good works, full of the Holy Ghost, full of joy, full of goodness and knowledge, full of assurance, full of mercy, full of glory, full of light…These are positive defining character traits the Bible mentions.  The negatives traits includes full of wickedness, full of evil, full of indignation, full of wrath, full of cursing, full of confusion, full of heaviness… You get the picture. We all have character traits that define us in the eyes of others.  
First impressions are one level of classification. 
 Intensity of a trait is another.  I once asked my husband about my ability to identify a loved one by his sporadic,  abusive episodes when in fact, he was a wonderful person outside of those individual moments.  My husband explained that chemicals are triggered in the brain when events are highly traumatic or emotional. Therefore, they leave a more lasting impact. For example, people can drive to work every day without giving the time much thought, but they will always remember the day they have an accident on the way to work. 
 Repetition of use is the third way our character traits can become defining.  Sadly, if someone is going to remember us by something positive, it usually requires much demonstration of that trait.  My husband is a paragon of love, generosity, joy, grace, and faith because he is filled with those traits; they are a part of each of his actions.  He’s easily identified by those traits because of his constant demonstration of them. 

We are all being identified by something because of being full of that "something" in our encounter with others.  If we were full of spastic joy when we met someone the first time, that may be who we are in their eyes.  If we regularly blast those around us, we may forever be labeled “full of anger.” If we are consistently thoughtful of others, we may be called “full of kindness.”  


Since God sees all of those moments, He has the ability to classify us by character traits as well.  Two traits He wants us all to have are goodness and faithfulness.  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” is his classifying declaration to those who enter Heaven.  They are words I think we all hope to hear. 

Tip/Tidbit: We can’t undo past first impressions, we can’t aright past wrongs, but we can become more consistent in doing the right thing on a daily basis.  Today, apologize for past mistakes and move forward.  Aim to become full of goodness and faithfulness.

If you’ve ever been around someone who’s having a baby, you’re familiar with “full term.”  At first, full term is a goal.  Making it full term means there is less likelihood of complications for the baby and the mama.  However, when a mother-to-be actually reaches full term, the anticipation of “full term” collides with “I’m soooo ready for this to be over!”  While the excitement of having a baby still takes precedence over everything else, “full term” also includes some discomfort. Physical difficulties result from the pressure of the baby, the added weight, and the cumbersome imbalance of size.  Emotional upset arises as swinging hormones, lack of sleep, and the mix of anticipation and fear exact their toll.  Environmental changes occur as job duties shift, bills come pouring in, and the home adjusts for a new arrival.  “Full term” doesn’t feel so pleasant in the moment, and those negative feelings grow more intense if Little Mama has to go beyond her due date a couple of weeks.

“Full term” can be experienced by us all.  It’s the anticipation of a goal: a job after college, a future position in a company, a published book…  It fuels our enthusiasm at the onset, when we’re in the reaching stage, but when we arrive at “full term,” we are much like the expectant mother.  We experience some difficulties as what has been comes to an end and what will be remains slightly beyond our fingertips.  These are the moments that drag by, the moments where giving up is a temptation, the moments where frustration and setback seem to prevail.  While the problems may be present, let’s again take courage in “full term.” We can make it through the final struggle, and when we do, new life, new joy, new hope will be ours to cherish.

Tip/Tidbit:  Is there a goal you once eagerly pursued but have put it aside because of difficulties?  Take out that goal, dust it off, and again anticipate the joy that awaits.  Don’t stop short of “full term”; don’t stop at “full term,” but work through the discomforts and setbacks until your dream has been achieved.

We’ve heard phrases like “He is full of himself,” “she is full of bitterness,”  “they were full of hate,” and “that person is full of love.”  The fact is, we’re all full of something, even the things that feel empty-like loneliness, hopelessness, and frustration.  What fills your time, your attention, and your life?  It’s probably a reflection of what fills YOU. 

Tip/Tidbit:  What do you want to be “full of”?  Take in what you want to put out.

When I was a little girl, my mother got an evangelistic craving.  Because she was crippled and limited by other circumstances, she wondered how she could reach people with the Gospel.  She, along with others, printed these little tracks called, “My Story.”  They were testimonials of how God had reached into their lives and saved them.  Each of us have one of those stories for no matter where we are in our spiritual journey, there is a story of God’s unshakable love and His blessings in our lives.  The theme of my spiritual story would have to be mercy because God has so graciously given me what I do not deserve. 

I was a surprise delivery to my parents who welcomed me with open arms, a sickly child who God miraculously healed, a daughter to one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, a youth given a fresh beginning, a wife to the kindest man the world has ever known, a mother to two wonderful, healthy kids, a parishioner in one of the most loving, Spirit-filled churches in the nation…Shall I continue? 

Each of these are chapters in the story of my life, chapters showing how the negative was overcome because of God’s gracious love for me.

My story could have been left without the influence of grace.  My parents could have resented the intrusion of a baby into their aging, health-declining world.   They could have been frustrated with my weak lungs…and I could have died from Whooping Cough.  I could have grown up in an alcoholic home, where people sought after a different kind of “spirit” instead of the Holy Spirit.  Many of the people I love did.  I could have been left trapped in the consequences of my poor, youthful choices. As a result I wouldn’t have gotten an education, lived in my town, met my husband, or most importantly, I wouldn’t have been in a place where I could enjoy the rich presence of God.  I could have married an abuser; statistics said I should have. I could have been childless; irregularities said I could be; miscarriage said I might be.  I could have faced the problems doctors said I’d have with the births and health of my children, but those problems never occurred.  I could have relocated to another town with a dead, self-centered church instead of one that breathed life into me and has cradled my family through the years.  These are the prefixes to my chapters. I’ve already told you the end. 

The chapter possibilities to My Story are endless, but the theme remains the same.  My life has been and always will be a story of God’s exceedingly wonderful mercy and grace.

What story does your life tell?

Tips/Tidbits:  Your story is worth telling.  What stands out in your life that you can share with others?

We’ve heard of not judging books by their covers, but think of how a changed title could influence our perspective of a story. If Little Red Riding Hood becomes Little Red in the Hood, it could be a story about a missionary in the inner city.  Or what if The Three Little Pigs was titled The Three Obese Pigs and the Winded Big Fat Wolf. This could be a manual for weight loss

Maybe it’s time for a twisted title in your life, just for those who choose to judge your book by its cover.

Tip/Tidbit:  If you could give a title to your life, what would it be?  What would your story be about?

Alice in Wonderland:  “It’s no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Philippians 3: 13 “…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Winnie the Pooh:  “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think.”
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

The Lorax:  “Unless somebody like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
1 John 3:17 “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

Peter Pan:  “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever being able to do it.”
James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Horton Hears a Who: “A Person’s a person no matter how small.”
James 2: 8-9 “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin,”

Wizard of Oz:  “There’s no place like home.”
1 Peter 1: 3-4 B”lessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”


Tip/Tidbit:  Let God's Word bring shine light into some new area of your life today...maybe even what you read!

Stories with Eddie were a highlight of my kids’ bedtime routines.  They were the shoot-from-the-hip kind without pages or binding.  Homemade, off-the-cuff, they told of a boy and his horse, “Cheetop,” the mysterious name our son had given his “horse,” the see-saw on his swing set.

 Stories have a way of creating lasting memories.  In fact, before books became common, stories shared legends of heroes, propelled children into their adult destinies, and connected bygone ancestors with multiple generations.  Stories teach, they entertain, they unite.  The ability to relate through stories is something God designed for Jesus taught principles of life and eternity through His parables. 

Your story is important.  Maybe it’s your life, recounted so others get to know you.  Maybe it’s a work of fiction through which you make a vital point.  Maybe it’s merely a “Cheetop” moment, inciting a momentary giggle.  The words you weave have impact. What story will you tell?

Tip/Tidbit:  Feb. 21, 2015 is Family Book Festival.  Meet people who have a love for stories and recapture a love for reading.  

1 Corinthians 13, aptly called the love chapter, gives a checklist for what love should be.  This is written from Paul to the church, but this can just as easily be applied to our relationships and to God’s love for us.  Definitions are derived from the Greek Lexicon. A couple of terms are the “Rachel rendition” used to simplify.

 1.)-------suffereth long (Love doesn’t lose heart, patiently endures the offenses and injuries of others, preservers through hardship, isn’t quick to get angry, is slow and mild in avenging, is slow to punish.) Love sticks around when things get tough and is not an emotional roller coaster that rides the tracks of anger and resentment.  It doesn’t set out to make someone pay for their wrong choice.

 2.)-------is kind (Love is mild and gentle.) Love is silk and satin and velvet; it is not burlap and sandpaper. Even when love is voicing truth, its manner is tender and not sharp, abrasive, and meant to cut.

 3.)-------envieth not (Love does not get heated or boil with anger, envy, or hatred.  It doesn’t covet.)  Jealousy and possessiveness do not measure the amount a person loves another.

 4.)-------vaunteth not itself (Love doesn’t put self on display.  It doesn’t extol self.)  Love doesn’t brag about itself, nor does it boast selfishly.  Securing a conquest is not love.  Feeling like the big “I” in marriage or friendship is not love.  Aiming to be a babe/man magnet is not loving.

 5.)-------is not puffed up (Love isn’t proud or lifted up.)  It’s not self-inflated and doesn’t elevate self, especially at the expense of others.

 6.)-------doth not behave itself unseemly (Love doesn’t act unbecomingly.) When something is becoming, it brings out the best.  It is its most beautiful.  Love accentuates the positive.  It doesn’t bring shame, dishonor, or disappointment with its words and deeds.

 7.)-------seeketh not her own (Love doesn’t make selfish demands.) Love says, “I’ll do things your way” and asks “What may I do for you?”

 8.)-------is not easily provoked (Love is not easily angered, exasperated, provoked or irritated, and does not do the same, nor does it scorn.) Love doesn’t get in a tizzy and it doesn’t influence others to get in a tizzy.

 9.)-------thinketh no evil (Love doesn’t meditate on, account, calculate, suppose, judge, or determine that which is troublesome, destructive, injurious, of a bad nature, wicked or wrong.) Love doesn’t expect the worst of others, nor does it plot trouble for others.

10.)-------rejoiceth not in iniquity (Love doesn’t thrive in nor is it happy about unrighteousness or injustice.)  Love doesn’t want others to do wrong.  It doesn’t want wrong done to others.  It doesn’t want to do wrong.

11.)-------rejoiceth in the truth (Love takes part in another’s joy, shares the happiness with, congratulates what is true, certain, what is free from falsehood or pretense.)  Love is founded on all that is good and right, and that is its foundation for shared celebration.

12.)-------beareth all things (Love protects and preserves by covering, covers with silence, endures, and forbears.)  Love suffers through some unpleasant times because the good is worth it.  Love works out the wrongs rather than gossips about them. Love sees the sunshine when it’s raining.

13.)-------believeth all things (Love thinks things to be true, is persuaded of, places confidence in, and trusts the law of the soul.) Love is persuaded of what God can do.  It believes the best in others. Love sees others as they can be and supports them in the process of their development.

14.)-------hopeth all things (Love hopes and waits with confidence.) No matter what the circumstances look like, love remains steadfast and continues to trust in a good outcome.

15.)-------endureth all things (Love remains without fleeing, perseveres under all misfortunes and trials to keep the faith, bears bravely and calmly ill treatment.) Love has stickability.  It doesn’t run away when the going gets tough, when feelings get hurt, or when things seem impossible.  Love continues to trust in God without getting its “knickers in a knot.” Love insists on a relationship with God even when there’s opposition because it sees that God’s love is the most valuable relationship, worthy of any sacrifice.

16.)-------never faileth (Love doesn’t fall powerless, doesn’t perish, is not ineffective, isn’t lost.) Love remains influential, significant, prevailing and potent.  Unlike the world thinks, true love cannot “fall” in or out of anything; it lasts. It is everlasting, extending even beyond the grave. Real love is the difference maker that has its fullness in God alone.

Tips/tidbits:  How does God exemplify this description of love?  How is the world view contrary to what Schripture says about love?  There are 16 descriptions of love.  If you gave yourself a point for each of these that you feel you “get right” in your relationships, how would you score?  To determine your pass or fail level, divide the total number of your “right” answers by 16.  My score indicates I need lots of work!  I hope you fared better than I!

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep…Then God said, ‘Let there be…’” When God began to create the heavens and earth and all that was therein, it began as chaos.  But He didn’t leave it chaotic.  His Spirit hovered over it, and by His Word, he spoke light, time, skies, seas, land, and every living thing.  He brought order not TO the chaos but FROM the chaos.  Then, He continued to build layer upon layer.  The earth, which came from chaos, was instructed to bring forth plants.  Lights to rule day and night were set in the firmament--order that set days and seasons into motion.  The earth and the waters were told to abound with living creatures, and the grand finaley, man, was formed from the dust of the ground.  Creation was the ultimate illustration of order, which sprung, in part, from chaos.

Nothing. Then chaos. Then wonder. 

It can’t get much worse…or much better…than that, and it’s much the same when God begins a work in our lives. 

There’s nothing, no awareness of gifts and talents, no vision or purpose. Then a plan begins to form, an inkling of direction, a promise is given, and all hell breaks loose. Chaos reigns. If anything, it seems more impossible than when there was nothing.  Things appear bleak and hopeless, but the Spirit hovers and the Word speaks; things shift.  The vision isn’t yet fulfilled, the goal not yet met, but the shifting and stirring indicates something is on the horizon.  Momentum gathers, and beauty emerges. Layer upon layer, step by step, things began to unfold.  What seems disconnected from the plan, what seems meaningless becomes the nurturing place for the greater part until, finally, the masterpiece unfolds, the vision is tangible, the goal is attained. 

Tip: Chaos is part of creation. Never does a plan unfold in entirety, a work of art start with the details, or the fulfillment of a dream come without difficulties.  Hang on through the chaos and keep focused and full of faith through the unlovely until the lovely can emerge. 
*Do you have an unfulfilled dream?  What steps will eventually lead you there?  School for a career? Budgeting for debt management? Demolition to remodel?
*Do you have overwhelming clutter?  Create the chaos by taking everything out of the space, clearing out the unused, then sorting and returning it to the space in an organized fashion.
*Are you dealing with disappointment and frustration?  What are you telling yourself about the apparent chaos?  What truth can you cling to instead?  Press through the discouragement; beauty lies ahead. 

I've promoted Hootsuite to my writer friends, but I've not lived by my sale's pitch.  Even though Hootsuite is a time saver and a terrific tool for managing marketing posts, I've not benefited from its services.  A part of me enjoys the SOCIAL aspect of social media.  Sure, I'd like to avoid those cyber friends who are chronically moaning about something, but for the most part, I've become perfectly fine with wasting my time reading about where my friends are eating and how strenuous their laundry happens to be. But this week, I have a chance to readjust my perspective and put Hootsuite to use. I'm going on a one-week social media fast and I'm trusting Hootsuite to deliver a little message from me while I'm "away" from my friends.  The fast, something our church is doing together, is a little nudge to live what I've been preaching about Hootsuite and to make better choices with my time. I know that in a week, I'll return to social media a more balanced person and a friend who is much less interested in other's dirty laundry.

Tip:  As is often the case, I depend on the external to prod me toward the change I've needed to embrace all along. Is this true for you?  If so, link up with an accountability partner and use positive disciplines to help one another readjust something that's out of balance or to put into practice that "better" choice you've been meaning to do.