With gentleness

1 Peter 3:15 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

I know the reason for my hope in the Lord and quite frankly, I struggled with the message that I am to write about.  I feel that the reason for answering with gentleness and respect is to allow for the gentle nature of Jesus to sound through me and to not judge others for their non-belief or differing views.  

My job, when asked, is to tell my story and plant the seed.  I may not necessarily see the nurturing of the message planted or the bearing of fruit.  If you know anything about farming, you know that taking care of new seeds is vital to a healthy crop.

Be pleasant while planting your seeds.

Water doesn't run uphill...

Water doesn't run uphill....and words don't return to your mouth.

In the book of James, there are lessons in controlling one's tongue.  I know the difficulty of this personally.  It took many years after leaving the military to learn how to speak with gentleness and monitor my words.  

^{James 3:5} 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. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

We have the choice of speaking with the soft tone of honey and nectar, or blasting with the heat of a furnace with infuriated hate.  We shouldn't be part of any speaking that is degrading, gossip or negative libel or slander. 

Words have the ability to build up or destroy.  I choose the former.

 

 

5 simple rules

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.”
She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.”
And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less

-Mindy Schinnerer

Be a catalyst

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Attitude is infectious.  

Have you ever noticed how one persons attitude can change the way an entire group interacts?  I think it's the same way with many aspects of life.  When you are generous and giving (and happy about it), those around you tend to act the same.  

I've found it important to maintain the positive and generous attitude no matter the surroundings.  To me, this is what effects change.  People will see those that keep their cheerful attitudes and not only gravitate towards them, but over time, can develop the same characteristics.

Be a cheerful and selfless giver.  I know you will get more than you give.

The power of the dash

 Live every moment

We all want to live a long life. But more important than the number of our years is what we fill them with.

Like most every headstone, yours will likely be marked with the same thought-provoking inscription. Somewhere below your name will be your birth date on the left and the date you died to the right. But the most important symbol will be the dash in between those two numbers. You see, the dates will indicate when you lived and for how long. But the dash will reflect the life you lived. 

 

Some people strive to fill their years with meaning and purpose. Other people just live a really long time. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think the desire to live a long life is something we all understand. But none of us are guaranteed even one more day. So it’s important to fill this moment – and every moment – with things that matter. When all is said and done, that boils down to faith in Christ, a strong relationship with your family, and pouring your life into others. 

What will the dash on your headstone symbolize about the years you were given? A life filled with meaning that honors Christ and fulfills His purposes? Or just the number of years between two dates? Evan Esar once said, “You can’t do anything about the length of your life. But you can do something about its width and depth.” I think he’s right. 

For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Jim Daly’s blog, Daly Focus, at JimDalyBlog.com.

The right way to quit

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians


I think the most important lesson I've learned in my relationship with Jesus is to recognize my weaknesses and not try to overcome them on my own. I'm the kind of person that likes to achieve success in whatever I'm trying to do.  Of course there are failures along the way and over the years, it's in the midst of the downfall of the failure that I have learned to let God be strong for me. 

While growing up there were times that I couldn't lift a box, or carry something that was just too heavy for me, or get tired and not be able to continue walking.  My dad would be there to help.  Many times he just did the whole thing, sometimes he helped me carry the load, or pick me up and carry me.  I never felt like a burden in my father's arms.  It's the same way in my relationship with God.  When I'm in a situation that I can't seem to get through, I allow myself to seek help from my heavenly father.

I don't look to God only for those times when life seems too much for me.  My goal is to be in constant contact with God all day.  By allowing God to lift me up from my low points I am made stronger in my faith.

The right way to quit is to let go and let God. 

It takes courage to confess weakness.

Just Be Held

You're worth it!

During some prayer time last night, this was laid on my heart.  I'm appreciative that God speaks to me.

The fact of the matter is that you are not important enough to only think of yourself.  You're significance is determined by those that you serve.

Be lowly.

Be humble.

Be less.........................way less!

It is only through servanthood where your value is determined.

What is your value?

I am determined to be less :)