Re-energizing

Most of my mornings lately have been in front of the computer where Ive been researching information on the internet. I then switch to another screen to work on one of my writing projects. Needless to say, by the time I have to leave to pick up my children from school, I am blurry eyed and tired. Then, once I arrive back home, I continuously yawn because I feel exhausted.

What I really need is some re-energization (if there is such a word). A good 20 minute nap would do me wonders. But I often don't have the opportunity. And when I do, it seems my sleep is constantly filled with the noise of my children arguing with one another or laughing or playing. Then right when I drift off, I am awakened by someone asking me a question that could have waited a bit longer to ask.

Re-energizing physically, though, is much different from re-energizing spiritually. Physically, sleep and rest help. Spiritually, it's the rest that sometimes keeps us in need of re-energizing. What I mean is, when we take a break from studying God's Word, we actually weaken instead of strengthen. When we don't have His Word enriching our lives, we are not blessed with the renewal that comes with reading His love letter to us.

Want true re-energizing? Open God's Word and draw upon its encouragements. Then you will receive a wonderful dose of refreshment.

Sour Pickles

My mom used to tell me about the dill pickles she would buy when she was a kid. They were displayed in big glass jars and the huge pickles were sold for a nickel a piece. I can just imagine her crunching into one of those juicy pickles and then puckering up because of the sour taste.

I'm a pickle lover myself, but I prefer the Kosher dills. The regular dills are just too sour for me.

Sometimes we can have attitudes that make it seem like we're eating sour pickles. Our dispositions reflect our distaste for what we are experiencing. Instead of dealing with our troubles in a positive manner, we make faces and whine.

My personal experience has shown me that having that kind of attitude never helps. In fact, it sometimes makes the situation worse because my mind gets clogged with the problem, not with ways to find a solution.

Are you experiencing sour pickles? Try to make the best of your situation so you can work towards a more productive resolution.

Transistor or Resistor?

I remember the days of transistor radios, where people would walk around listening to the ball game or the top radio tunes or the news on those little 9-volt driven devices. Although they seem antiquated now, transistor radios were major innovations in their day because you could carry it around instead of having to listen indoors to those old radios that needed the tubes to warm up in order to work.

The purpose of the transistor was to amplify the electronic signals. It was a small device, but it did a powerful job moving the information so it could be heard. A Christian is supposed to act like a transistor. He/she is to take the information from the Bible and transmit that hope and inspiration to others. We are small, relatively speaking, but we deliver a powerful message.

Sometimes, though, we become a resistor where we restrict the flow of information. Instead of sharing about the Lord, we hide behind our busyness, our shyness, or our fear. We feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit telling us that we are supposed to speak out, yet we resist Him.

Being a transistor isn't easy. But when we ask the Lord to give us boldness and the discernment to speak up when necessary, then eventually it will become easier.

Are you a transistor or a resistor? Be honest with yourself, and then ask the Lord to move His word through you.

Best Recipe for Life

It has taken me many years to finally make a tasty pot of beans. I have be shown the process by many good cooks, including my own mother, but for some reason I couldn't quite translate the recipe for myself. Maybe because there were no set measurements. Everything was done by eye.
I finally took the tips of a friend of mine, along with a few touches I learned over the years, and came up with a recipe that satisfied the taste buds of me and my family.

Our Christian walk is much like a journey in making a good pot of beans. We can follow by example what others have shown us, but unless we take the time to study the true recipe (in this case, the Lord), we will have very poor results. That's why it's so vital to read the Bible. In it we find direction and encouragements to lead a fruitful life dedicated to serving God Most High.

What are you using to direct your life? Try following God's way. It is the best recipe for your life.

Cultural Faith

Many of us grew up in the religious faith of our parents. Many times that faith was part of a particular cultural group. I am Hispanic and our family were Catholics, which was the tradition passed on through many generations.

But even though I grew up with strong religious ties, I came to realize that my faith in God could not be absorbed by osmosis. It could never be based on the faith of my parents or grandparents or beyond. God will never accept me because of what my parents did or because of their genetic makeup or because I was born into a faith by birth. I can only be accepted in the eyes of God through the personal commitment I make with Him.

I am the one who needs to accept Jesus' death on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. It is my decision to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior that will determine if I enter heaven or not. No one else can give me access to God's promise of eternal life.

Do you think you are saved because of the cultural faith you have? God wants a personal relationship with you. Your family crest or family faith doesn't qualify you. Why don't you let the Lord enter your heart so you can enter into heaven?

Comfort Zones

Yesterday I was a guest speaker at a friend's writers' group. It went really well, and although I was a bit nervous, I managed to remember my information (with the help of my index cards) and to complete my talk in a timely manner. I even received a few compliments from some of the beginning writers.

Speaking about writing is part of the process of being a writer. It is not my favorite thing to do in a big group setting, but I know it is a necessity. I have to laugh, though, because public speaking is not one of my comfort zones. I'd much prefer being behind-the-scenes instead of center stage.

But it seems the Lord has some other plans for me. He keeps moving me out of my comfort zones and into settings where I have to totally trust Him for ideas, composure, and peace. I notice that when I put myself into His care, I am more confident, my mind thinks more clearly, and I accomplish far more than I ever could under my own power.

Is the Lord moving you out of your comfort zones? Trust Him completely and be blessed by all He allows you to do.

Scripture for the Day

Here is a verse to reflect on this day.

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You,
Whose thoughts are fixed on You!"

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Remembering

Last Friday our church held a special service remembering 9-11. The color guard marched in, we sang patriotic songs, and then we heard from a guest speaker who spoke about the Barbary Coast pirates, and how 9-11 was not a unique situation. It was a very memorable evening.

It is good to remember certain things, such as those who have fallen in the name of freedom, or those special people who are no longer with us. But God doesn't want us to remember everything. It is not healthy to keep dwelling on things that prevent us from moving forward in life. Past sins, old hurts, and bitterness are some of the excess baggage we aren't supposed to carry around.

Isaiah 43:25 says, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins." If God can forgive us and remove our sins, then shouldn't we forgive ourselves, too, and not let those sins drag us down? And, shouldn't we turn around and forgive others for things they've done to us because God has been gracious and merciful enough to forgive us?

It's better to remember what an awesome God we have. We need to recall His sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and that He loves us far above what we can even imagine. Those are priceless gifts worth remembering.

Following Directions

How good are you at following directions? Do you adhere to every detail, or do you bypass minor details? My son came home with a very interesting test the other week. It had about 15 different questions to answer. With a wry smile my son sat his siblings at the kitchen table and gave them the test. My oldest son looked it over, wrote something on the paper, and said he was done, much to the consternation of my daughters as they tried diligently to answer the questions.

Finally, after a good ten minutes, I halted the proceedings. I told my daughters they were done, because, you see, the very first question stated: “Read the entire page before starting.” And the final question stated something like, “Now that you’ve finished reading, answer only the 2^nd to the last question.” That was it. You had to read through everything, and then, based on the instructions; write your name in the top right corner. You didn’t have to solve any of the math questions or other problems. My daughters would have known this if they had read and followed the directions.

God has given us a book of instruction that is to guide us throughout our lives. It gives us by word and example the constructive guidelines to live a healthy, productive, and godly life. That instruction book, of course, is the Bible. It is not an outdated, antiquated story book; it is a living and breathing and encouraging set of letters to a dying word from a loving and faithful God, who wants nothing more than to save us from ourselves.

Unfortunately, too many people fail to read the instructions. They want to live life their way, never realizing that they don’t have to work so hard to find the answers. They're all right there in black and white: God loves you and wants you to accept His free gift of salvation so you can live forever with Him. And the way you receive this free gift is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Why not take the time and read through God's instruction book? You'll find He truly wants to bless you with His love.

Yo-Yo Living

Do you ever feel like a yo-yo? You know, like a Duncan Imperial, that gets flung out and then springs back to you? I felt like that yesterday.

Instead of going out and getting my errands done and then coming home to stay, I ended up going out, coming back, and going out again, multiple times. At one point I went out to pick up my son, only to remember (after waiting a good 20 minutes) that he was staying later to attend a school club. I had to come back home and then head out again an hour later.

I don't like wasting time or energy if I don't have to. I'd prefer sticking to a routine, getting my chores or projects done, and then having some free time to relax or do something less hectic. But life isn't so cut and dry. There are always allowances that have to be made, for one reason or another.

That's why it pays to be flexible. Instead of getting angry about the delay or the altering of plans, I try to make the best of the situation. It's not easy, but it brings a lot more peace of mind.

So when you have those yo-yo days, try to roll with the throw. At least you know you can always start again.

I'm taking the day to rest from my labors. Happy Labor Day!

Playing the Game

My son just bought a new video game. As I watched him play, I noticed he was doing things in an aimless kind of way. Instead of reading the rules and game tips, he plodded along, trying this and that on his own. He did well, but he had more questions than answers.

Personally, I like knowing what I'm doing. I prefer reading beforehand to find out what I'm up against. Maybe that's why I don't mind reading my Bible. It lets me know what God has planned for me. Then I don't feel like I'm wandering aimlessly because I know there are great and wonderful promises waiting to be fulfilled in my life.

How do you function in this game of life? Do you try to figure things out on your own, not knowing what to do or where to go? Find some real answers by reading God's Word. You will receive a wonderful sense of direction.

Reciprocal Friendship

Are you a reciprocal friend? Do you expect your friend to act based on what you do to or for them? For example, you phone your friend a few times a week. Do you expect them to call you back at least a fraction of that amount? Or, do you do nice things for your friend expecting them to return the favor?

Under the world's understanding of a friend, this would be totally acceptable. But as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I have learned it is not a good thing to be a reciprocal friend.

We are to do for others out of our love and compassion for God. We are not to expect similar actions in return. It's nice when we get them, but we aren't supposed to get bent out of shape because someone didn't return a phone call as fast as we would have, or even bothered to thank you for something that you helped them with. Our love is to be unconditional; meaning we do without expecting something back for our efforts.

I've been guilty of being a reciprocal friend, but the Lord has shown me through various people in my life that I am in sin when I am expecting others to react to my actions. He has called me to do certain acts of kindness because it shows examples of His love. I am not to feel hurt or resentful towards others when they don't or can't do what I have done. For one thing, I am responsible for my own actions. God will hold me accountable for what I do or do not do. He also will hold accountable things another does or does not do. I'm not to keep record for others. I'm just supposed to follow His leading for me.

Are you expecting too much from others? Are you a reciprocal friend? Ask God to keep you focused on what He would have you do.