enjoying life

 

Good Morning

It has been a little bit since we last spent time together –

Nothing special taking place – but I only write, well, when I have something to share

Today – the subject is ENJOYING LIFE

I was watching a movie recently that I first saw last year this time –

A Korean drama simply entitled ‘Chocolate’

I like to go back and re-watch some of these programs. 

I sometimes miss things in my first viewing – what with having to read subtitles

Well, as I watched this particular program, there was a line that caught my attention

It was something I had not thought deeply about the first time I watched the show

To be honest, it is possible that I missed it entirely the first time I watched it

It was a simple scene  - a man and a woman

And he was struggling to express his feelings for her

He felt he had wasted too much time – that it was too late

And this was compounded by the fact that he was experiencing health issues

 

His concern was a natural one and completely reasonable

Her response was deep reflection but delivered with such ease and … absolutely priceless

“You’re breathing right now. You can talk … your heart’s beating nice and strong ... Everyone is terminally fated to die … from the moment they’re born. They just tend to forget that when they’re living.”

 

I had a ‘wow’ moment as I sat in my bed watching this dialogue

But, why was it such a wow moment?

It captivated me because there was so much truth packed in her statement.

 

We know from Scripture that sin entered the world with the fall of Adam and Eve

Through the disobedience of one man, many became sinners and found themselves separated from the LORD God Almighty.

 

 ‘… sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people …‘ Romans 5:12

 

Yes, every person who has graced this earth after those first two – has been born with a terrible diagnosis. We all have been born with a death sentence; with a ‘terminal illness’ as it were.

Yet, we tend to forget this as we go about our daily lives.

And still – we know we will all cross that final line one day. It is just a matter of when.

Thankfully, God had a plan to address the situation

For those who do not know and have not accepted Jesus, it is the end

But for those who do know Jesus and have accepted His free gift of salvation – it is just the beginning.

Not desiring that any should perish, God gave His Son a ransom for all.

And while it did not take away the ‘terminal illness’, it did rob it of its effect.

‘O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ I Corinthians 15:55-57

 

And the beautiful thing is, it is not just fire insurance –

rescuing us from hell and eternal separation from the LORD

It is the avenue by which we may live and enjoy life now –

no matter what circumstances we are facing

 

Jesus, Himself said, ‘I have come that they might have life and that they might have it abundantly’ John 10:10 KJV

 

The Message Version of that verse says, “I came so they may have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.’

 

New Living Translation

‘My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.’

 

New International Version

‘I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full’

 

Amplified Version

‘I came that they might have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]

 

Today –

I do not know what individual challenges you might be facing –

            Illness, heartbreak, financial devastation, hopelessness or simply boredom

But I do know that you can take heart and have courage today

You can be encouraged this day –

Jesus came not only to give you a life in eternity, but a life full of joy right now

You only get one life…

Live it to the full and enjoy every moment of every day –

Walking with the LORD and with those around you;

No delays, no regrets, no excuses

 

Have a Blessed Day!

 ‘Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.’

Psalm 90:12

JOY

Good Morning

It is a beautiful morning -

It is not nearly as cold as it was yesterday morning

Only fifteen days left until Christmas!

I know – it a little early to start counting down

However – I absolutely love this time of year!

 

This is a time of year where my family enjoys simple pleasures – decorating the house, baking cookies, time together, our annual gingerbread competition and, of course the Christmas cake I bake every Christmas Eve

 

When my sons were young, we started the tradition of baking a cake in honor of the birth of Jesus. Christmas day was the only day of the year where they could have cake for breakfast. And, although they are all grown, somehow the tradition has stuck

Little moments of JOY –

 

Joy is an interesting concept

I think it is difficult to truly define what it is

I mean, there are technical definitions of joy:

Joy \ ˈjȯi  \

Definition of joy

1a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : DELIGHT

b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : GAIETY

2: a state of happiness or felicity : BLISS 

3: a source or cause of delight

Yet, I am not certain that I agree with these definitions.

It can certainly include some of the notions and ideas noted above

However, I believe it encompasses so much more – something different than just ‘happiness’

I have heard it said that happiness is based upon ‘happenings’

But joy – true joy – emanates from a somewhere else

True joy can exist in spite of the ‘happenings’, despite whatever may be transpiring in your life at the moment

 

This is my first Christmas without my Mom

It was an extremely sad ‘happening’ which occurred this year

However, when I get too sad in the moments of missing her [and it usually strikes out of nowhere]

I am able to find joy when I remind myself that she is with Jesus

                And that she is certainly having a much better time than I am!

 

You see – I believe joy is linked to perspective and gratitude

I can grieve the challenges and focus on the sadness

Or, I can fix my eyes on the larger perspective and thank God that He is working through it all

 

Scripture tells us that, ‘for the joy set before Him, Christ endured the cross.’ Hebrews 12:2

He fixed His focus on something greater than His circumstances and the pain He had to endure

 

This year – 2020 – has been a challenging time for many

                Not just here in my country but around the globe

And, while nothing can erase the pain which has been inflicted [this is not denialism],

There are opportunities to find places and nuggets of joy – even in the face of great loss

 

My prayer for you this morning is that you will find and occupy the place of JOY

May the LORD comfort, strengthen and renew your heart & hope

May He surround you with His presence and grant you JOY INEXPRESSIBLE and UNENDING

 

I pray you are having a blessed holiday season –

Have a wonderful day and …

God Bless!

‘A joyful heart does good to the body and promotes healing …’ Proverbs 17:22

VISION

 Good Morning!

I pray your day and week has been off to a great start

I was so pleased to share some thoughts yesterday on the subject of ‘chosen’

It is such a marvelous thing when we realize that He chose us before we were ever born

Yet – there are times when it is challenging to focus on that beautiful truth

The cracks and fissures and fractures of life make it difficult to see the larger picture

It makes it necessary for us to have a focused VISION

There is a story found In the second book of Kings in the Old Testament –

Elisha and his servant are facing a situation where the issues of life are closing in on them;

Their enemies have encircled them fully

The servant can only see imminent destruction

But Elisha, looking at their situation through eyes of faith, declares,

‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’

‘And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around’ II Kings 6:17

 

What we see is not always all there is –

Perspective is everything

 

In the book of Luke, chapter 4, there is an account given where Jesus enters a synagogue and reads a section of text from the book of Isaiah where it was written of Him,

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because He has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”

 

He found in the scrolls, written hundreds of years before His birth, the declaration of Him being the Chosen one. And we know from Scripture that the plan of salvation was in effect long before anything was penned in the book of Isaiah – Jesus being the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13)

 

Yet – there were so many things which took place prior to the fulfillment of the prophecy

There was time – countless time

There were detours – or apparent detours

There were heartaches and seeming delays

There were points of confusion and disappointments

Indeed, anyone looking from the outside in would likely find it difficult to see how all of the happenings were part of a beautiful and glorious plan.

 

Yet and still – all of the cracks and fissures and fractures were forming something beautiful

He was taking all of those seemingly broken things and creating something glorious for humanity

And He is also making something beautiful for you!

 

Today, if all you can see is the brokenness –

I encourage you to take a step back and see how those cracks are forming something beautiful

Grasp the perspective that they are one part of a huge tapestry of your life and God’s plan

I pray that the LORD would open your eyes to see all the ways He is working

I pray that He would give you VISION to see the larger picture

I pray that you would understand and experience the truth of His Word which reminds us:

‘He makes all things beautiful in its time’ Ecclesiastes 3:11

  

Have a Blessed Day…

      & Merry Christmas! 

WSR REPORT: ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Good Morning Friends

It is very early Monday Morning – April 20^th

This is a day which is full of memorable events, many of them not pleasant:

The birth date of Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany –

an individual responsible for the death of 6 million Jewish people

The anniversary of the United States Columbine High School shooting –

                where 13 students and faculty lost their lives and 24 were injured

April 20^th is also a noted ‘holiday’ and day of significance in cannibis culture.

Truthfully – it may not seem like there is a great deal to be thankful for on this date.

However – for me personally – it is a day of great remembrance

April 20^th is the day I was married back in 1990. And, although that marriage ended in divorce, the day on which it began is a reason for great joy in my life. You see, if that day had never occurred, I would not have three of the most important people in my life today – my three sons. This day, April 20^th, serves as a constant reminder to me that God is always present, always working things together for my good, always bringing beauty from the ashes.

This day, April 20^th 

It also serves as a springboard for today’s WSR REPORT: ENJOY THE JOURNEY

While many states are working on plans to reopen their states amidst the COVID-19 crisis,

My state of Virginia remains under a ‘shelter in place’ order.

Yet, all I could think about this weekend was,

‘If I have to shelter in place, I am so thankful it is with people I love and who love me back.’

It seems a simple and obvious thing – yet it is one that should not be taken for granted

Sadly, it is not everyone’s experience

WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE BLESSINGS IN LIFE & BE THANKFUL FOR THEM

EVEN IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS, WE MUST MAINTAIN A HEART OF GRATITUDE

Yesterday and this morning,

I spent some time re-watching a Korean drama series Netflix entitled, Chocolate

I wrote about it at the beginning of this year in a post entitled, 2020: CHERISH THE DAY

And in that post, I shared an observation and quote from a scene in that show:

“Standing on a beach, with the waves crashing in the background, one of the characters makes this poignant declaration:

“As if today is your last day,
and as if you know that this moment will never return,
cherish  every single moment that comes by ladies and gentlemen.
The day you wasted today – is the tomorrow that someone who died yesterday so badly wished for.”  – Tae-Hyun

This touched me intensely and immensely.

It touched me because it is all about the value of life.

It touched me because it is something that I am realizing is so vitally important;

It is something that I know I need –

this need to value the days which the LORD blesses me with

It is something where I am developing a keen awareness of the need for – intention.

You see, making the most of each day will not happen by accident.

I must make a choice to focus on the people and things that matter most.

I must make a choice to appreciate the people who the LORD has blessed me with.”

When I wrote that post back in January of this year,

I had no idea what 2020 would hold for us as a nation and for the world at large

That post ended with the following verse:

‘Teach us to realize the brevity of life so that we may grow in wisdom’ Psalm 90:2

Those words hold an entirely new significance for me as I reflect on them today

We must learn to appreciate and enjoy the journey.      

In my book, When Storms Rage, I note that  we should “never be so concerned with blessing and destination, that [we] miss opportunities to enjoy the journey and God’s Company today. He has already given us more than we could ever deserve in sending His Son Jesus to suffer and die for us. What can be so troubling and massive that the love of God cannot overshadow?

I promise you, no matter what your storm is today, you can rest assured that the LORD cares for that which concerns you. None of your storms have caught Him by surprise. He is still the same all-powerful God He has been since the beginning of time. Therefore, if the storm is present, He must be allowing it. And if He is allowing it, He has a plan and a purpose in mind – plans to prosper and not to harm.”

‘I delight greatly in the LORD: my soul rejoices in my God.” Isaiah 61:10

Despite all which has occurred, and all which is occurring –

I still choose to hope in the One in whom I have believed;

to remain steadfast and confident in the One in whom I have placed my trust.

And I choose to enjoy the journey – today and every day.

I pray you too will find something in your journey to enjoy today.

Have a Blessed Day!

LOVE 2020: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Good Morning &

       Happy Valentine’s Day!

It is finally here  –  Valentine’s Day!

I actually started celebrating with my sons yesterday

Again, Valentine’s Day is about all the people you love

There is nothing greater than LOVE!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love;

                But the greatest of these is love”

I Corinthians 13:13

That is pretty powerful –

Love is even greater than hope … and faith!

God’s words … not mine. Yet there is a solid explanation

We will talk about this verse in the coming days

But for today,

My prayer is simple,

That you will be able to spend some time with the one (or ones) you love

And, make room to show kindness to someone around you

You never know what someone is going through –

And you just might make their Valentine’s Day!

Have a Blessed Day & Happy Valentine’s Day!

'TIS THE SEASON: JOY

Good Morning Friends!

Happy Tuesday -
And, I pray you will have a FANTASTIC DAY!

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR … JOY!

Actually, every season is a season for JOY

However, this season somehow takes it to an entirely different level.

You see - joy, and the willingness to allow ourselves to engage in that joy, is PRICELESS

For me – one of those joys is the decorations of the season

This is the tree in my living room –

And at night, those teal lights create the most amazing glow

My son said it reminds him of the northern lights

I also have a tree in my bedroom

    and I even decide to do some outside decorating this year

Yes – I am a nut for Christmas decorations!

I know time is winding down –

We are just 15 short days until CHRISTMAS DAY

However –
I hope you will find some time to enjoy the sights of the season

And create some of your own …

Have a Great Day

& God Bless!

THANKS GIVING 2019: Happy Thanksgiving!

Good Morning Friends!

Gobble, gobble, gobble – 

These words resonate in my ears every Thanksgiving

It is what my Auntie Barb always says every Thanksgiving Day

And she always sounds SO CUTE & joy bubbling out of her ... like it always does

ME –

I am up early and have not slept most of the evening;

Cooking, cooking, cooking!

But, I absolutely LOVE to cook so it is a pleasure

I am also up praying that your day is off to a great start –

That this Thanksgiving Day 2019 will be a joy-filled one;

And that if you are traveling this Thanksgiving Holiday – that you will be safe

THANKSGIVING is such a special day

HOWEVER – 

This is not where our giving of thanks begins … or where it should end

I hope during this series, that we have discovered –

WE HAVE SO MANY REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

EVERY DAY – there is something which should cause us to GIVE THANKS;

EVERY SEASON – should be a time for THANKSGIVING

COUNTLESS REASONS – abound, reminding us WE ARE BLESSED & SHOULD BE GRATEFUL

Let us not allow our heart of gratitude be relegated to a season or a day

Let us GIVE THANKS every day!

I am so thankful for you this morning!

Praying you have a tremendously blessed day –

Happy Thanksgiving & Much Love in Christ!

‘Rejoice always, pray continually,

                Give thanks in all circumstances –

for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.’ I Thessalonians 5:16-18

THANKS GIVING 2019: GOD MOMENTS

Good Evening Friends

I pray your day was a great one

It is still QUITE COLD here!!!!

Today was an interesting day for me –

I got to experience what I affectionately refer to as a GOD MOMENT

These are times – THESE GOD MOMENTS – when the LORD shows up in such a personal way

They are not regular occurrences.

HOWEVER –

Each time it has happened, it leave me feeling pretty amazing … it lets me know

• I AM LOVED
• I AM REMEMBERED
• I AM PROTECTED & DEFENDED
• I AM CHERISHED

AND – most of all, it leaves me feeling INCREDIBLY THANKFUL

NOW – if you have spent any time here on this page, you are well aware of MY LOVE OF MUSIC

WELL – today was pretty great

I was listening to music at work – like I always do

However, my music frequently times out when I am listening on YouTube

Here is the screen shot of what it looked like today

Now, when this happens, my music stops abruptly until I tap the ‘Yes' to continue listening

TODAY THE MUSIC KEPT PLAYING

AND THE SONG THAT PLAYED WAS ONE I HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE

CECIE’S LULLABY by Steffany Gretzinger

Now, that might not be much of  God Moment to most people – but it was to me

Because of the lyrics, I knew something special was happening;

Something so special that it brought a tear to my eye

THE LYRICS?

Call My name
And I will answer
All you need
It's here inside My arms
Just breathe
And you'll be safe and sound with Me

No one knows you better than Me
No one's been a better Friend

So rock-a-bye baby
Come and rest
You've been tired lately
Lay your head down
Don't you think, baby
I know best
I've been a Father
For a long time

That is not the complete song –

But it is the part of the song that GRABBED MY ATTENTION

It is the part of the song that GRABBED HOLD OF MY HEART

It is the part of the song that let me know, 

IN THAT PRECISE MOMENT – THAT GOD MOMENT,

THAT GOD WAS THINKING OF ME – 

EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS I’VE BEEN THINKING OF HIM … AND MORE!

Moments like the one that happened today are so precious

And I am so thankful every time they occur

It reminds me of my Father’s promises:

• ‘You are chosen…’ I Peter 2:9
• ‘I have inscribed you on the palm of My hands’ Isaiah 49:16
• ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ Jeremiah 31:3

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

Have a Blessed Evening!

THANKS GIVING 2019: IN EVERY SEASON

Good Evening Friends!

I pray all is well with you

I must say I am thoroughly enjoying this series of focusing on GIVING THANKS

I keep thinking about the instruction given in I Thessalonians 5:18

It is not a suggestion, not a recommendation but an actual directive:

‘Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’

HOW POWERFUL IS THAT!

I know so many who spend their whole lives trying to find out God’s will for their lives

I know I have done it

YET – It could not be any clearer

‘GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES’

In every situation, in every instance, IN EVERY SEASON – GIVE THANKS

NOW – this time of year, thoughts go toward autumn leaves and gatherings with family and friends

HOWEVER – tonight, here in Virginia Beach, it is feeling more like a wintry mix – SO COLD!

YET – THERE ARE STILL REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

Thankful for shelter

    There is no place like home

Thankful for eyes to see and a body to feel –

    Even if it is seeing the rain and feeling the cold

Thankful for friends and family

     I know I am thankful for my sons and my good friends

Thankful for employment

     Even when it is challenging

Thankful for peace-filled moment

   SO THANKFUL FOR PEACE!!!

The list could continue and continue ...

BUT – enough about what I am thankful for

Why don’t you take some time to count all things you are thankful for?

SO MANY REASONS TO GIVE THANKS

                IN EVERY SEASON GIVE THANKS

I am thankful for you & praying you have blessed, restful and WARM evening

God Bless!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Wishing my Mom a Very Happy Mother’s Day!

Wishing all moms a Very Happy Mother’s Day!

May your blessings abound and your heart be filled with joy today & always

Saying a special prayer today …

For all who are experiencing their first Mother’s Day without their Mom

You have been on my heart all weekend

May the LORD comfort you today and always

Praying also this morning ...

For those who may have lost their Mom years ago,

     But are still missing her

For those Moms who may have lost a child

For those women who may not be moms by birth,

     But who lovingly ‘mother’ the people in their lives

Know that you are loved and thought of this Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day to All ...

Praying You Have a Truly Blessed Day!