This so goes with what I said last night...
What good is faith when all seems lost? I've asked that penetrating question in my life, and not long ago I received a letter from a mom who has asked it as well.
She told me that she and her husband set out in their marriage to seek God's will for their lives and entrust their future to Him. Then their second son was born with Down syndrome. Their initial response was "grief, shock, and disbelief." Yet the same day he was born, God used Philippians 4:6-7 to put peace in their hearts and give them an undying love for their precious son. It says: "Let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts."
But their days in the desert were not over. Nine years later, their fourth son was diagnosed with cancer. Before he reached his third birthday, he was gone. Shock, pain, and sadness again broke into their world. And again, they found help from God and His Word. "When the grief overwhelms us," says this mom, "we turn to God's Word and His gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ."
When life's troubles hit us like a tidal wave, we can remember that God's compassions never fail (Lamentations 3:22). He can give us the hope we need. —Dave Branon
My sheep I know, they are My own,
I leave them not in trials alone;
I will be with them to the end—
Their hope, their joy, their dearest Friend. —Anon.
Feeling hopeless reminds us that we are helpless without God.
Saturday
Friday
Getting nervous...
School starts Monday and I'm getting nervous. I think I need a new box of crayons to sniff to calm me down. It always helped when I was a kid getting ready for the first day of school. I've heard the different speeches other drivers give their kids the first day and I wonder; what will I say? I hate speeches and more importantly doing them but I'll figure something out.
I'm looking at a magazine Tracy let me borrow "Cloth, Paper, Scissors". It's filled with inspiring pictures and ideas. It smells good too.
Do you think I have some sort of fixation on smells? There is one that always makes me think of Grandma, and I can't explain it. Kentucky was the only place I ever smelled it - really strong - and near where she lived. Occasionally, I think its more the memory of it, I think I smell it and I think of her. I really love(d) my grandma.
I'm going all over the place with this post, kind of like my brain is always doing.
If you think of me Monday - please pray for me, I would appreciate it.
Oh, I had to add.. Wed. night when we were with the youth something came up that I think is an important lesson for anyone. When life doesn't turn out like you planned or dreamed you have to decide which direction you will go with it. Will you turn to God and trust that He truly is in control and He loves you very much? Will
you choose to not let Satan steal your joy and be happy in an unhappy situation. Live each moment as it arrives, you can't live beyond them or live in the ones that have passed so enjoy each step in your jouney of Faith and know God loves you.
School starts Monday and I'm getting nervous. I think I need a new box of crayons to sniff to calm me down. It always helped when I was a kid getting ready for the first day of school. I've heard the different speeches other drivers give their kids the first day and I wonder; what will I say? I hate speeches and more importantly doing them but I'll figure something out.
I'm looking at a magazine Tracy let me borrow "Cloth, Paper, Scissors". It's filled with inspiring pictures and ideas. It smells good too.
Do you think I have some sort of fixation on smells? There is one that always makes me think of Grandma, and I can't explain it. Kentucky was the only place I ever smelled it - really strong - and near where she lived. Occasionally, I think its more the memory of it, I think I smell it and I think of her. I really love(d) my grandma.
I'm going all over the place with this post, kind of like my brain is always doing.
If you think of me Monday - please pray for me, I would appreciate it.
Oh, I had to add.. Wed. night when we were with the youth something came up that I think is an important lesson for anyone. When life doesn't turn out like you planned or dreamed you have to decide which direction you will go with it. Will you turn to God and trust that He truly is in control and He loves you very much? Will
you choose to not let Satan steal your joy and be happy in an unhappy situation. Live each moment as it arrives, you can't live beyond them or live in the ones that have passed so enjoy each step in your jouney of Faith and know God loves you.
Monday
Today
Yep.. it was long and hot. I had to be at the meeting at 7:00 and then go through
training for the 88 passenger (flat faced) bus. I thought there might be a chance
it would have air but no. I figured if I do 3 schools in the morning and the bus is
full that's 264 kids a.m. and p.m. Man, that's a lot of kids. I hope I can do this.
Tomorrow I drive my run with the bus I will be driving this year. Should be fun, it will be empty.
We went to see Corey at work Sunday. She looked so pretty...proud mom, definately.
She's got 3 departments fighting over her because she's such a good worker.
We also looked at cars, used of course, a miata and a camaro. Just looking...
I went to church last night to hear the college
kids talk about their South Dakota trip.
It sounded very interesting, difficult, a lot of work,
but very much a God thing. It made me think about
the Philadelphia trip we did a few years ago.
I miss the things we did but it's time to look
forward not backward, find where we belong now.
Yep.. it was long and hot. I had to be at the meeting at 7:00 and then go through
training for the 88 passenger (flat faced) bus. I thought there might be a chance
it would have air but no. I figured if I do 3 schools in the morning and the bus is
full that's 264 kids a.m. and p.m. Man, that's a lot of kids. I hope I can do this.
Tomorrow I drive my run with the bus I will be driving this year. Should be fun, it will be empty.
We went to see Corey at work Sunday. She looked so pretty...proud mom, definately.
She's got 3 departments fighting over her because she's such a good worker.
We also looked at cars, used of course, a miata and a camaro. Just looking...
I went to church last night to hear the college
kids talk about their South Dakota trip.
It sounded very interesting, difficult, a lot of work,
but very much a God thing. It made me think about
the Philadelphia trip we did a few years ago.
I miss the things we did but it's time to look
forward not backward, find where we belong now.
Friday
Yes, today is my day to post pictures. I don't know when I'll get another
chance. I finished my mural for David's room. He wanted the Scottish
flag on his ceiling and the Navy seal on his wall. You don't quite
get the size of the seal by the picture it's probably about a 1/4 of
the wall alot bigger than it looks.
chance. I finished my mural for David's room. He wanted the Scottish
flag on his ceiling and the Navy seal on his wall. You don't quite
get the size of the seal by the picture it's probably about a 1/4 of
the wall alot bigger than it looks.
Wednesday
Tuesday
so if you didn't know...
Last week I went through training
for my new job. Actually, I'm going
back to my old job just a different
county.
Training hours were long - 10 hour days
except Friday 11.5 - too long. I work
one day this week and two next week. Then
it will start Aug. 1st and no time off 'till
fall break in Oct. When did schools start
having fall break? I don't know.
I'm working two days this week painting
a mural on a ceiling. Good experience but
I will never paint a ceiling again. I'm
painting on one wall too. I thought I could
do it in one day, think again.
I will be going to Gainesville, Thursday, to
see Hannah and Tracy. Looking forward to it.
That's my update for now....
Last week I went through training
for my new job. Actually, I'm going
back to my old job just a different
county.
Training hours were long - 10 hour days
except Friday 11.5 - too long. I work
one day this week and two next week. Then
it will start Aug. 1st and no time off 'till
fall break in Oct. When did schools start
having fall break? I don't know.
I'm working two days this week painting
a mural on a ceiling. Good experience but
I will never paint a ceiling again. I'm
painting on one wall too. I thought I could
do it in one day, think again.
I will be going to Gainesville, Thursday, to
see Hannah and Tracy. Looking forward to it.
That's my update for now....
Sunday
Friday
Don't let others manipulate you
Moreover, it is required of stewards that a man should be found faithful (proving himself worthy of trust). But (as for me personally) it matters very little to me that I should be put on trial by you, and that you or any other human tribunal should investigate and question and cross-question me. I do not even put myself on trial and judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:2-3
That is a very liberating attitude - not to be concerned with public opinion or even self-opinion.
How far do you think Jesus would have gotten if He had worried about what people thought? Philippians 2:7 says Jesus purposely "made himself of no reputation." As I was pondering that verse one day, Jesus said, "I got that over with right away." Eventually so did I. Now I no longer feel I have to run around trying to please people all the time.
I must admit I don't like it when people are unhappy with me. But I know I cannot let people manipulate me with their demands.
As followers of Christ, we are to be led by the Spirit, not control others, but allow them to be led by the Spirit just as we are.
Walk in love
And walk in love... as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2
The point is, if we know we are doing the best we know how, we should not let other people's opinions of us bother us.
Still we must walk in love. We cannot just do anything we want to, anytime we want to. We cannot say, "Whoever doesn't like it, that's tough, that's their problem." Love does not behave that way.
Yet we must not allow people to manipulate and control us to the point we are never free to be who we are. If we do, we will always be trying to become whatever we think others expect us to be.
from: Joyce Meyer "Straight Talk"
Moreover, it is required of stewards that a man should be found faithful (proving himself worthy of trust). But (as for me personally) it matters very little to me that I should be put on trial by you, and that you or any other human tribunal should investigate and question and cross-question me. I do not even put myself on trial and judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:2-3
That is a very liberating attitude - not to be concerned with public opinion or even self-opinion.
How far do you think Jesus would have gotten if He had worried about what people thought? Philippians 2:7 says Jesus purposely "made himself of no reputation." As I was pondering that verse one day, Jesus said, "I got that over with right away." Eventually so did I. Now I no longer feel I have to run around trying to please people all the time.
I must admit I don't like it when people are unhappy with me. But I know I cannot let people manipulate me with their demands.
As followers of Christ, we are to be led by the Spirit, not control others, but allow them to be led by the Spirit just as we are.
Walk in love
And walk in love... as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2
The point is, if we know we are doing the best we know how, we should not let other people's opinions of us bother us.
Still we must walk in love. We cannot just do anything we want to, anytime we want to. We cannot say, "Whoever doesn't like it, that's tough, that's their problem." Love does not behave that way.
Yet we must not allow people to manipulate and control us to the point we are never free to be who we are. If we do, we will always be trying to become whatever we think others expect us to be.
from: Joyce Meyer "Straight Talk"
Thursday
Monday
Spatial Thinkers:
Tend to think in pictures, and can develop good mental models of the physical world.
Think well in three dimensions
Have a flair for working with objects
Like other spatial thinkers, Leonardo had a talent for designing buildings and machinery. He also invented a new style of map making Other Spatial Thinkers include
Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo, Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Careers which suit Spatial Thinkers include
Mechanic, Photographer, Artist, Architect, Engineer, Builder, Set designer
take the quiz at: www.bbc.co.uk/science/leonardo/thinker_quiz/
Tend to think in pictures, and can develop good mental models of the physical world.
Think well in three dimensions
Have a flair for working with objects
Like other spatial thinkers, Leonardo had a talent for designing buildings and machinery. He also invented a new style of map making Other Spatial Thinkers include
Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo, Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Careers which suit Spatial Thinkers include
Mechanic, Photographer, Artist, Architect, Engineer, Builder, Set designer
take the quiz at: www.bbc.co.uk/science/leonardo/thinker_quiz/
Sunday
Book I'm reading
I'm reading this book that has some information I've decided to share because I think lots of people have this problem. It will take more than one post so it will be kind of spread out over time.
Have the courage to be different
If you are going to overcome insecurity and be the person you are called to be in Christ, you must have the courage to be different.
Even though each of us is different, we still try to be like each other. That is what causes unhappiness.
Don't be like everyone else
Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah). Galatians 1:10
If you are going to be a success at being completely and fully you, you are going to have to take a chance on not being like everyone else. Why not ask yourself the question Paul asked? Are you trying to win the favor of men, or of God?
Men-pleasers or God-pleasers?
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Ephesians 6:6
Becoming men-pleasers is one of the easiest things we can do but one that can ultimately make us very unhappy. When we begin pleasing other people we begin to hear comments that make us feel good about ourselves. That is ok as long as we do not derive our sense of worth from it. As believers, our sense of worth has to be rooted and grounded not in the opinions of men but in the love of God.
We are worth something because God sent His only Son to die for us. We are worth something because God loves us, not because of what everybody else thinks about us or says about us.
We become "men-pleasers" when we no longer do the things we want to do, but what everybody else wants us to do because we think that will gain us acceptance and approval. That was not the attitude the apostle Paul had or advocated.
Have the courage to be different
If you are going to overcome insecurity and be the person you are called to be in Christ, you must have the courage to be different.
Even though each of us is different, we still try to be like each other. That is what causes unhappiness.
Don't be like everyone else
Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah). Galatians 1:10
If you are going to be a success at being completely and fully you, you are going to have to take a chance on not being like everyone else. Why not ask yourself the question Paul asked? Are you trying to win the favor of men, or of God?
Men-pleasers or God-pleasers?
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Ephesians 6:6
Becoming men-pleasers is one of the easiest things we can do but one that can ultimately make us very unhappy. When we begin pleasing other people we begin to hear comments that make us feel good about ourselves. That is ok as long as we do not derive our sense of worth from it. As believers, our sense of worth has to be rooted and grounded not in the opinions of men but in the love of God.
We are worth something because God sent His only Son to die for us. We are worth something because God loves us, not because of what everybody else thinks about us or says about us.
We become "men-pleasers" when we no longer do the things we want to do, but what everybody else wants us to do because we think that will gain us acceptance and approval. That was not the attitude the apostle Paul had or advocated.
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