Monday Quote

Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. ~ Jack Benny

Happy Birthday, Jimmy!!!

How To Stop Being a Big Baby

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.” —Dale Carnegie

All the rationalizations do not seem to work when I try to “help” a complainer. “Help” is in quotation marks because it was/is my intention but it is not perceived as such.

It is perceived by the complainer as a challenge. It is perceived by the complainer as an excuse to pour more negative energy my way.

So is listening.

There is no way to listen to a complainer until they “get it out of their system.”

Most won’t get it out of their system. It IS their system.  Jonathan Mead said complaining is an addition and a hard habit to break. To break the habit requires acknowledgement, attention, redirection, and time.

And tons of prayer.

Throw the complaining trait at the foot of the cross.

And leave it there.

Do not return to get it. Visit it. Or wish it away.

Consciously redirect negative thoughts to positive ones. It will feel strange at first. If it does, you are doing it right.

Ask for insight in your prayers to know the plan for you.

Celebrate even the smallest improvement in reduced complaining.

Declare your home to be a complaint-free zone for one-hour per day. Gradually add time in 30-minute.

Refuse to give your attention to other complainers in your circle. You will find that, to paraphrase the old saying birds of a complaining feather, flock together.

Remember that since there is a God and his name is not yours, that much of what we complain about is out of our control.

“Build houses, settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.” Jeremiah 29:5

Why am I afraid to tell you who I am?

Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? Because if I tell you who I am, and you don’t like me, I’m in for it. It can be frightening to tell you who I am.

Fear does three terrible things to relationships:

1. Fear makes us defensive. We’re afraid to reveal ourselves. We defend ourselves. When people point out our weaknesses, we retaliate and defend ourselves.

2. Fear keeps us distant. We don’t let people get close to us. We want to withdraw, pull back. We want to hide our emotions. We don’t want to be open and honest. We become defensive and distant.

3. Fear makes us demanding. Whenever we’re insecure, and the more insecure we are, the more we try to control. So we try to have the last word in a relationship. We try to dominate, control. It’s always a symptom of fear and insecurity.

Where do you get the confidence, the courage, to take the first step in connecting with someone? Where do you get that courage?

You get it from God’s Spirit in your life. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people but to be wise and strong (courageous), and to love them and enjoy being with them” (LB).

How do you know when you’re filled with God’s Spirit? You’re more courageous in your relationships. You love people. You enjoy being with them. You’re not afraid of them because God’s Spirit is in your life. The Bible says “God is love,” and “Love casts out all fear.” The more of God you have in your life, the less of fear you’re going to have in your life.

Excerpted from a devotional by Rick Warren

 It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little.                                                                                                    Sydney Smith

Preparing for the Holiday

There is a mighty cloud of witnesses watching you. They are looking for something in you that is worth passing along to the next generation.

They aren’t listening for words; they are looking to see what you do.

Are you aware of this Google search inside your soul? You are being watched. There is a mighty cloud of witnesses cheering you on to live a life worthy of being watched.

So, two things over this holiday weekend:

  1. Spend some time remembering the sparkle you have seen in others. What does real faith in action look like?

  2. Forget about the words this week. DO something worth watching.  Make a difference in someone’s life and let that holy sparkle shine.

  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Excerpted from an online devotional from Ron Rose at Heartlight

Monday Quote

Being free and maintaining freedom are not synonymous. To stay free requires work.

Bruce Lampert, Senior Pastor, Hendrick Health Center

Why Should I Praise God?

Why should I praise God? Because it gets my focus off myself and onto God so I can talk to Him and not at Him. That’s why we start with praise. If you want help learning how to praise God, read through the Psalms. Many of them were written simply to praise God. If you read them aloud, you’ll learn a lot about praising God in prayer. From a devotional by Rick Warren

“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!”
Henry Ward Beecher

Monday Quote

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.      
WWII General George S. Patton

Be Strong–HINT–It is Not Easy

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your
word.” Psalm 119:114

“He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even
though many oppose me.” Psalm 55:18

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you
will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and
rampart.” Psalm 91:4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture from http://www.davidarms.com/about/bio.php

Monday Quote

      

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you care about people, you hold them accountable.

Dr. Mimi Silbert, Delancey Street Foundation, San Francisco

 

Beauty Out Of Ashes

Are you dwelling in the ashes and dust right now? Do you feel
like Job when he said in Job 30:19, “He throws me into the mud,
and I am reduced to dust and ashes?” Are you in a desert place?
Count it all joy because that means that God is preparing you. He
is getting you ready to step into your blessings. He is working
on your heart and the heart of the one you pray for to bring
about His good and grand and glorious plan to resurrect your
marriage and your family. All He asks is that you pick up your
cross and follow Him.

“Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23

So as you set out on this spiritual journey, or for many of us,
continue this spiritual journey, remember that God can bring
beauty out of ashes. He can change hearts and change lives. He
can take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it around for good. 
Excerpt from a devotional at www.rejoiceministries.org

PayDay~~Spiritual Paychecks

If we can force ourselves to go to work when we don’t
want to in order to get a pay check, then we can force ourselves to press further into God and get our spiritual paycheck. Yes we will do it. We will wrestle from God the blessings He has for our families. We will pray when we don’t want to, praise Jesus when we don’t want to, read the Word when we don’t want to and walk in love when we don’t want to. If we have to press on scared, hopeless and exhausted then that’s what we will do for our Lord  Jesus and for our families.

We will cross the finish line even if it’s crawling on our knees
hurting, bleeding and exhausted. We will be victorious through Jesus. We will magnify God and not our circumstances. We will endure for the joy awaiting us.

“Since God in His mercy has given us this new way, we never give up.” 2 Cor. 4:1

Excerpted From a devotional at http://www.rejoiceministries.org
Photo by Jim Ramsey, Sunset outside of Weatherford, Texas

Monday Quote

The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.
Gyatso

Our Garden Is Growing!

Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as the paint, and the soil and sky as the canvas—working with nature provides the technique. *

Jim planted this garden a few weeks ago and we already have veggies showing up.

*Quote from Elizabeth Murray, painter and garden designer

Monday Quote

  Faith is believing God 
  more than we believe
  anything else~    
  Joyce Meyer

80% Discount

Quote from Jim:

“Helen, you can discount 80% of what people not living in the light tell you because they aren’t making the decisions it takes to live in the light.”

 

 

When we say, “We are Christians”

When we say, “We are Christians,” We are not shouting, “We’ve been saved.”
We are whispering, “We get lost! That’s why we chose this way.”

When we say, “We are Christians,” we don’t speak with human pride
We’re confessing that we stumble-needing God to be our guide.

When we say, “We are Christians,” we are not trying to be strong.
We are professing that we are weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When we  say, “We are Christians,” we’re not bragging of success.
We are admitting that we’ve failed and cannot ever pay the debt.

When we say, “We are Christians,” we don’t think we know it all.
We submit to our confusion, asking humbly to be taught.

When we say, “We are Christians,” we’re not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes we’re worth it.

When we say, “We are Christians,” we  still feel the sting of pain.
We have our share of heartache, which is why we must seek His name.

When we  say, “We are Christians,” we do not wish to judge.
We have no authority. We only know we are loved.

When we  say, “We are Christians…”  {how will you fill in the blank? }

Monday Quote

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.~~Thornton Wilder

The Only Way

 

 

 

 

“What exactly does God want us to do? The people asked.
Jesus answered, ‘God wants you to have faith in the one he sent.’” John 6:28-29

Jesus says to believe in the One that God sent.

Our sins are too great for us to do enough good works to balance the scales or wipe them out. Our sins are too great for us to ever be holy enough.

The only way to please God is

BEFORE I WAS A MOM:

Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom,
I slept as late as I wanted
I never tripped over toys
I never forgot words of lullabies.

It’s In The Valleys We Grow

This is a potentially contentious week. There are school finals, final projects, deadlines, meetings, worries.
But God…
But God…
But God.
God is the great teacher who grades on the curve of grace.
God is the great organizer who allocates on the calendar of grace.
God is the great boss who administers on the quota of grace.
God is the great guide who leads through the valleys with grace.
It is in the valleys we grow.
Let this slideshow minister to you. Click here.
Click here

Because of Grace…There is DiscGolf!

Because of Grace for tired, athletic, knees and painful hips, there is discgolf and we are SO excited that Deonna Shake at ACU made a new course for Abilene a reality! We played it last night! Great course! And we clocked between 4000-6000 steps as well!

Our Prayer

 

 

Hear My Prayer

By Jim Ramsey

 

I ask oh Lord that you hear my prayer

Your will be done not mine

I give up all my worldly desires

And submit to your plan divine

 

I come to you with heart bowed down

I kneel before your throne

Release me from my flesh driven pride

And make me yours alone

 

Feed me this day my daily bread

Others to be forgiven

Save me from the evil one’s harm

And away from me be driven

 

Rain down on me your mercy and grace

A gift I did not earn

Christ paid the price – my sins are gone

I’m clean for your return

 

I’m thankful for your kingdom Lord

Where your power and glory do shine

Accept this prayer from a heart that’s true

Your will be done not mine.

Re-Soul-ing My Shoes

This week, the divot on Jim’s work shoes broke, leaving the shoes unwearable, unusable. As a virile custodian of XY-chromosomes, this shoe breakage represented a 25% decrease in Jim’s overall shoe inventory.

In contrast in my shoe inventory, a similar incident of shoe breakage would represent a .00090 decrease. I prefer the “more is more” custodial approach to shoes.

In sharper contrast, such a breakage would represent the entirety of my dad’s shoe inventory. For, one of the benefits of a 7-year stroke battle is your shoes do not wear out.

The Bible promises our spiritual shoes will not wear out. Ephesians 6:15 advises us to put on our shoes fitted with the gospel of peace. Not sandals of peace. Not flip flops of peace. Shoes of peace.

The peace that forms our foothold must be more than a flip-floppy, mamby-pamby peace. It is not the daisy-waving, lute-playing, misty-aired peace. It is a militant, firmly planted peace.

Rewind to 1970: Driving home on the 405 freeway, I asked my dad about the peace movement of the Vietnam War. He answered my question with an answer I would need the rest of my life. Dad told me that we gain peace, true peace, when we confront our spiritual bullies. In facing these bullies we show the courage of spiritual fortitude.

Shoes of peace leave a strong, impressionable footprint.

How is the impression of your spiritual footprint? Our minister today said, “If the enemy can’t get your soul, he will make you ineffective.”

Is your footprint ineffective? Does it leave its mark? Would your shoes benefit from re-soul-ing?

Maybe by putting on our shoes of peace and firmly tying the laces of fortitude and effectiveness we can indeed stand firm.

“then you will lift up your face without shame;                      you will stand firm and without fear” Job 11:15

I’m a Child of God

As we try and find a way to deal with all the “stuff” thrown at us everyday, let’s all try to keep in mind that we are part of the heavenly “Royal Family”. As children of God we are heirs to the glory God is preparing for us even now.

Romans 8:16-18 

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

I’m a Child of God

By Jim Ramsey

 

I have so many problems

Satan wants me to feel flawed

I know he wants to blind me

But I’m a child of God

 

I’m an heir to the kingdom

I’m a prince to the King

Nothing can harm me

For sin has no sting

 

This earth will hold no treasures

It’s Satan’s to command

Through mercy God has given me

What I need to withstand

 

I put on God’s full armor

Raise His sword where I trod

Satan’s arrows won’t defeat me

For I’m a child of God

 

I’ll never forget Gods promise

For by His staff and rod

He’s always there to protect me

‘Cause I’m a child of God

 

As long as I’m standing

On this sin stained sod

I’ll always remember

That I’m a child of God