"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

^"24.  This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

These are the words that keep coming to mind today. God made this day for us to enjoy. God wants us to be happy and prosper. HE has our future laid out, a future with everlasting hope.

Some say it is not so easy to rejoice, since they have situations they face that put a shadow on their day. My reply is life is trying and difficult at times. Life is full of ups and downs. No manner the trial there is a way to rejoice even when situations overwhelm us. You see joy is an attitude. It is not dependent on circumstances. We chose to rejoice because we have hope in Christ.

Happiness and joy are different please do not confuse the two. Happiness has more to do with circumstances. Our joy is a choice an attitude based on hope. Christians always have hope. There is hope because of Christ. We can cultivate our joy with an attitude of gratitude.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

**** Thanks to Scott Tucker & Ashley Green for the photo.

Are you worried or hopeful about the future?

I cringe when I hear professing Christians say they are worried about the future. They are worried about this and that. They never mention God in any of these concerns.

Christians are to be seeking the Kingdom of God. Jesus is suppose to be King of our life. God must control every area of our lives including work, play, relationships and future plans. I hear people talking about the future, but I never hear concern about the Kingdom of God it does not appear to be a concern.

The Bible teaches the Kingdom of God is to be central to all we do. God is suppose to be controlling our life. Jesus warns us not to worry about everyday life. Jesus warns about worrying about having clothes to wear or food to eat. God already knows our needs. God promises to give us what we need from day to day if we make the Kingdom of God our primary concern. Whew, this is a lot to understand, to process, to comprehend!



This is in Luke 12:22-48.

Jesus goes on to tell us to sell what we have and give it to those in need. What? I have to read this again maybe I misunderstood. No, I did not misunderstand. Jesus tells us to sell what we have and give the money to those in need. Jesus said, this act of obedience will store up treasure for us in Heaven. Our treasures will be safe in Heaven, no thief can steal it, and no moth can destroy our treasure. Jesus goes on to say wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

Oh, goodness this is serious! I have read this many times in the past and this scripture keeps calling out to me. Listen what Jesus says, wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be. Wow! The more I ponder this the more I see what God is saying. Many of us have our treasures stored on earth thus according to God our hearts and thoughts are here also. The significant of this scripture keeps screaming out to me. 

The Scriptures relating to this chapter keep surfacing in my mind. I am troubled by these scriptures. I believe God means what he says. So, why can't I as well as numerous other professing Christians follow God's word and sell everything we own and give the money away to those in need.

I try not to listen to the media movement putting down the poor or the ones in need. I can honestly say I do not have hard feelings for those on food stamps, or other forms of welfare. My heart does not resent the help my tax dollars provides for them. Yet, I can not seem to be obedient to the Lord and sell all I own and give the money to the people in need. I pray my faith will become stronger so I can be obedient to God. I do not want my heart attached to this world. I want my heart, and thoughts, to be in the Kingdom of Heaven. I want my treasures stored in the Kingdom of Heaven. Where are your treasures stored?

Hardships and God

My Mom went through a horrible health experience March and April of 2013. She was in the hospital for surgery when she had a heart attack and spent 25 days in Shelby and Charlotte hospitals. She spent three weeks in skilled nursing home care after leaving the hospital via ambulance.

We are blessed and thankful she is alive. She has regained some strength and has been able to live with the new limitations that congested heart failure, a heart condition, and limited kidney functions have placed on her.

Her recent doctor visit does not reveal good results. We have noticed her kidney output is down. This is not good. Her kidneys are starting to decline even more. I am reminded she is on this journey homeward bound. We have been blessed with the last ten months for this I am grateful. 

My mind searches for scripture for comfort and strength. It is hard to understand there is a purpose in difficult situations, and in suffering. First, difficult times reminds us that we are human and have limitations. Secondly, we are reminded of  the suffering Jesus bore for us. Trying times and health problems help us keep prospective, that this life is fragile and can end any second. These hardships are a great opportunity for Christians to witness for Christ. We can see God's power in these situations. My Mom being alive today is a miracle from God.

Life is so fragile

Life is so fragile. Life can slip away in the twinkling of a eye. We need to treat people like it is the last time we are ever going to see or speak to them. I have friends that have lost love ones to sudden and fatal heart attacks. I have friends that have lost loves ones in auto accidents. They all say the same thing, "I wish I had known I would have"..... Learn from their tragedy, tell your family, friends, and neighbors how you feel each and everyday. You never know if it is the last time you get the chance to communicate with your love one.

Food for thought:

Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
32. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

There is hope after death if you have been born again.

John 14:1-4  (NIV)
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

This is for believers who have died.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Snow Days

Snow seems to bring out the inner child in most people. The prospect of snow puts a smile on the face of many. It brings out an excitement in many and in others a sense of panic. I wonder if it is the nostalgia of care-free snow days that brings out the inner child in us.We have those precious times of sleighing and playing in the snow tucked away in our memories.

There are others a snow day gives a mini vacation from work or school. Snow days are times to eat junk food and load up on carbohydrates. It is all fun and games unless the power goes out.

The rants of the uneducated!

Wow! The people that rant and rave about lost of respect in this country are the first that will not listen to others viewpoint. It would behoove these people to be more informed, also known as educated. When you only watch, read, and listen to people with the same viewpoint as the one you hold, you began to think your viewpoint is the truth or reality. It is possible your viewpoint may not be factual.

An intelligent person wants to know all sides to an issue. What is wrong with being educated? Guess what? Even those that may have the same opinion as you do still laugh at you, because you do not know all of the facts. You spout your opinion and paste an article that represent your delusion of reality. Pitiful! 

What is tragic is when people hold higher degrees and they do not know the first thing about the companies where they get their information. They do not know the key players and their motivation. They do not know world history. These people are pitiful, sad and uneducated.

Many students at major universities do not know who is giving money to their university and what are the strings attached. Many students are not aware the strings are the donor get to pick and choose people to teach a certain curriculum in the university. A version of what they want to project as the truth. This version is not reality. They get by with this since people are not well read in a variety of issues. The people that are suppose to be educated are often the uneducated. Pitiful!  Pathetic!

A wise, wealthy man once told me, to follow the money if you want to know who is controlling the puppet strings.

Are You Feeling Blah?

I keep hearing people say they are feeling blah. I did a little bit of investigation work to discern exactly what they are feeling. Some report feeling bored, tired, burned out, and depressed.

There are numerous way to get past the blahs. May I suggest you try doing something kind for someone else. You need to do something completely selfless. Amazingly, this will make you happy, and healthier. Little things like walk someones dog, run errands for someone, or spend 30 minutes with a sick or shut in neighbor. Visit a nursing home, read and visit with the residents, you will feel great. The smile you put on others face is priceless. Volunteer at a school, you can make a big difference in someones life.
Pick up a persons lunch check, or pay for someones items in the express lane at the supermarket.

Any of the above items, or a thousand other things you can do to help others and get your mind of feeling sorry for yourself. You will feel great helping others. It is an amazing feeling. Good luck getting rid of the blahs.