God...Get a big sniff.

I love how fall has its own distinctive smell.  When I step outside it seems to surround me.  After a long day playing outside, my grandson smelled like sunshine and fall leaves. It clung to his clothes and hair.  As I hugged him, I kept breathing in the smell of changing leaves. 

    In the same way, we have a certain distinctive smell to God.  In 2 Corinthians 2:15 it says “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

Today, ask yourself “How do I smell?”  What is God smelling?  Let the aroma of Jesus cling to you and let others get a big SNIFF!

May your unfailing love be my comfort

    This week a friend died.  There is no way to soften the blow or the pain.  My heart cries out for his five children and his wife.  For him, however I rejoice.  I know he has entered into joy and life eternal.

    How fragile this life can be.  So live it full out.  Love, laugh, enjoy all this life has to offer.  Be a friend, say a kind word, cry with someone and offer a shoulder. 

    Today remember this family.  Pray for them. Help.

    “God let your comfort surround each one” and Psalms 119:76 says “May your unfailing love be my comfort”

Unity on 9-11

    Matthew and I will speak at our city hall on 9-11.  Our city is gathering together and we have been asked to speak and pray.  I feel thankful and honored to be a part of the community and its coming together.  Police, fire, and EMT’s as well as city leaders will join in Unity.

    Unity does not mean everyone must agree.  But it does mean people are willing to come together for a common good, put their differences aside, and walk in peace.  Unity among a group of people can accomplish the amazing.  A beautiful Bible verse found in Psalms 133:1 is “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”

    So on 9-11-11, where ever you are, find time to thank God for our Nation’s protection.  Also remember those who provide that help and protection both here and abroad.  It is not political-it is Unity.

Labor Day

    When I think of Labor Day, I think of the labor of those who came before me.  I am very thankful and honored.  I’m also thankful that our country recognizes our need to celebrate the work of those who got us to a place of the “long weekend”!  America loves her long weekends.  The beginning and end of Summer is defined by a long weekend.

    But Labor Day for me reminds me of something even more. Not only the people who have labored before me- but of Jesus.  He is the ultimate Laborer.  Jesus is also the burden lifter.  Matthew 11:28-30 in the Bible says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

    Jesus desires to give us each rest.  A long weekend can only give us limited extra work and rest.  The rest Jesus gives lasts for an eternity.  As you enjoy your long weekend take on Jesus’ yoke and find rest for your soul eternally.

One Spark

One spark.

    Yesterday a small mistake destroyed a neighbor’s business-leveled it to the ground.  While a cement crew put in a new cement pad in front of a dairy farmer’s barn, the cement truck backed up and by mistake bumped an electric pole.  In only minutes generations’ worth of barns and equipment went up in flames.  In addition, animals and crops were also gone.  What was lost can’t really be replaced.

     James 3:5-6 says “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

    One spark of the tongue also can cause damage that can’t be recovered.  “Lord, I pray as you watch over me-help me to watch over my tongue!”  Let us all be mindful of the sparks we cause today.

Let there be Light!

     Today as I watch the day turn gray and rain roll in with loud claps of thunder and lightning flashing, it reminded me of a day about ten years ago.  It was a day that was very similar, except on that day lightning struck the house and blew up all of our t.v.’s and anything plugged in to an electrical outlet.  It also destroyed our cable box.  When the cable man came to fix the box, he had the shock of his life.  LITERALLY!  Lightning had hit our house, burning out our wiring, and stored in the cable box.  When the cable man touched the box-it threw him across the room and sent an electrical current throughout his entire body. 

     My life had been much like a sunless, cloudy, rainy day that never ended-Dark and dreary.  I was angry and unhappy because life had knocked me on my backside just as the lightning had thrown the cable guy across the room.  Life often can be very “unfair” and hand out pain and loss to anyone.  When I cried out to God in my anger, sorrow, and pain-He answered me.

     As God did in the beginning and separated the light from the darkness, He did so in my soul.  The truth of God’s Word brought light into my soul and set me free from the darkness that death had brought into my life.  In Genesis 1:3-4 it says “And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”

     Dark days can still come, but they can’t rule because the light of Jesus has separated me from darkness.  If you are reading this-I ask-Let Jesus speak into your life “Let there be light”!

Do you need a mental shower?

Recently I spent the day with what I refer to as a “glass half empty person”.   It was exhausting.  Everything was looked at from a negative perspective.  When I left I really had to get a mental shower.  The Bible says in Philippians 4:8-9  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you”.

     The only way to change how you see what is going around is to fill yourself up with the Word.  What we think on is what we will do and say.  The Bible shows us all we can be in God.  Through Him “I can do all things”.   So it is important to keep those who are close to you “glass half full” people. 

     People who put you down are speaking against what God is telling you through the Bible.  A person who dumps negative thoughts on you is really pulling you away from what God is saying.   Keep yourself thinking right by putting in what is right.  If you don’t like your attitude or what you are doing- Change what you are allowing to influence you.

If you need a mental shower-don’t wait, get it now.  Putting it off only makes it worse.  Think on what is right.