Star-fish

     I never thought I was a complainer. In a recent women's Bible study, the leader talked about how complaining is a sin. When I complain, I am saying that what God has done for me, including the death of His Son on the cross, is not good enough. Otherwise, I'd be grateful, thankful, and praising God for His good gifts.      Wow, I am definitely a complainer. So, I prayed that God would forgive me and help me be grateful and able to see His blessings in my day. Now, this prayer was a bit like when I pray to God to give me patience, if you've ever prayed for patience, you know what I'm talking about. God's gifts are free, but they aren't always easy!      So the major freeway I travel on to work was closed, in both directions, due to a turned over big rig this morning. Lord, thank you that I have a car and gasoline to drive to work. My drive to work took one and a half hours to go 20 miles. Lord, thank you that I was not in the accident wh...

      As I sat in one of my boss's offices listening to a webinar, I gazed out the window to see a man get out of a large gray van with fatigues and a flak jacket on. My first thought was, "What is that place?" Since my office doesn't have windows, I rarely see out on that side of the building. My boss later said they sometimes have guys on the roof with rifles. Really, and no one thought to mention this to me, the lowly new employee?      The reality was that the building houses Homeland Security personnel thus the reason for men with guns on their belts, which I had never noticed before today. I liked the idea of them being next door, once I got over the threat of them being next door. Sometimes weapons in the hands of the "good guys" can keep the "bad guys" away.      I'm grateful for the men and women of the border patrol, military, police force, and security that are willing to put on weapons of war and do battle to keep our count...

     A person who works in security told me of death threats being made anonymously at a local business. My first thought was how the person(s) making those threats are trying to cause chaos and fear. God is a God of love and order. He doesn't make death threats, He actually allowed His Only Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross, so that we don't have the threat of death in our future.      The other thought I had about people who make death threats anonymously is that they are cowards. If they really believed in what they were doing, they'd do it in the light of day with full disclosure. That also shows how different our God is to evil in this world. He came to bring life and light to those in darkness. He wants everyone to know that the way to heaven is through believing in His Son. It's not a threat, a mystery, or a hidden agenda. It's simple, believe in faith, that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the One who came to save this world from the results of fal...

     I am procrastinating. I have bills stacked up on the table and paperwork for taxes waiting to be organized. But I have shopped, gone to a birthday party, sat out in the sun, even done laundry, anything, except what needs to be done!      Sometimes I just want to grab myself by the scruff of the neck and drag myself over to the table to work on paperwork, yet I seem to be fighting a losing battle. This morning I asked God to give ME strength in my areas of weakness when maybe I should have asked Him to BE my strength during times of weakness. He may only want me to have enough strength for each moment of weakness, rather than strength over that area of weakness completely, because knowing me I'd become proud and full of myself for being so strong!       So Lord please be my strength for I am weak. Amen. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

      I'm beginning to wonder if God is sending me a message. I'm thinking it's called, "Wisdom for the Road." Lately, I've been worrying about aging, health issues, and many other things that for the most part I have little control over. As I was stopped at the traffic light before getting onto the freeway this morning, the car license plate in front of me had, "IKNOWJC" on it with "Treasures saved up in Heaven" around the frame.      It caused me to stop worrying for a moment and realize that "things on this earth" will not last, they will rust, break, and moths will eat them. But treasures we save up in heaven are the "things we do on this earth" that will have eternal impact. Our caring words, acts of kindness, courage to step up for people and step out for Christ will be rewarded in heaven. These acts that cost us nothing and anyone can do, are what God remembers.      I need to begin reevaluating what I spend my...

      The other day, I left late for work and made my way down the congested freeway. A car in the "fast lane" was going slow (actually the speed limit), so I hurried around him and continued my race to the office. Eventually, the freeway backed up and we were all at a standstill. Driving up alongside me was the slow car from the fast lane! All my maneuvering and breaking the speed limit, got me nowhere, fast!      As I was pondering my poor driving decisions, a car pulled quickly into the buffer space I like to leave between myself and the car in front of me. A bit put off, I stared at the car in front of me, only to notice the frame around the license plate had the following written on it, "Relax, God is in Control." I laughed out loud and agreed with the Lord. "You are right Lord, I don't know why I am doing all this crazy running around, when ultimately You are in charge and will do things the way they really need to be done. Regardless of me! Thank yo...

      Recently, I received a notice from a former doctor's office that someone had broken into their storage warehouse and stolen patient information. I, unfortunately, had been one of their patients for several years so the likelihood that my information had been stolen was pretty good. The letter included a year's worth of identify theft insurance paid for by the doctor's office, if I chose to apply for it.      So just the other day, I get a call that someone had applied for a job using my name, address and phone number. The job was a 1000 miles from where I live. (I thought my commute was bad now!) Oh, and "I" didn't show up for my interview. I hate it when people pretend to be me and then are flakes about it! :)       As Christians, we have our identity in Christ, thus the word "Christians" or "followers of Christ." Once we chose Him as our Savior and Lord, we can no longer lose our identity. Someone in the world may try to steal...

    The news this morning talked about a meteor that exploded in the atmosphere above Russia. The shock waves from the explosion sent shards of glass flying everywhere injuring 500 people. I pray this morning for the healing hand of God to be upon those people and their families as well as the peace of God to be with them.      In these crazy days, where if feels like the earth is going to implode due to the evilness in our society and the strange events in our world, it is important to remember that this is not our home. As Christians, we have another home waiting for us in heaven, built by the loving hands of God. Come, Lord Jesus. (Rev. 22:20) Philippians 4:5  The Lord is near.   6  Do not be anxious about anything,  but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7  And the peace of God,  which transcends all understanding,  will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus...

Job 1:6  One day the angels  came to present themselves before the  Lord,  and Satan also came with them.   7  The  Lord  said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the  Lord,  “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”      While at the zoo the first of the year, I saw a white tiger pacing the area along the fence line. I could see where he had worn a path in the dirt from constantly going back and forth . He had  bent the fence as well from pushing on it with his mighty paws. When I moved on, I found that there was another tiger next door to him, and guessed he was probably trying to get to his neighbor.       Satan is trying to do the same with us. He is "roaming through the earth and going back and forth" to get to us. The Bible says, "the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." We must be firmly footed in the Wo...

     After a long day of sitting and taking notes in a meeting, I smiled at the front desk security woman and asked about her day. She stared at me sadly and noted, "My mom died last night." I stopped in my tracks and stared back at the woman, who was fairly new to our office. "What? Oh, I'm so sorry," I replied changing my usual path down the hallway and out to the parking lot.      I stopped in front of her desk and she told me about her mother who had dementia and the problems that had already started with family members looking for money in the death of her mother. We hugged and I told her I would pray for her.      Tonight as I flipped the light switch off in my office, I'm ashamed to say I considered using the other elevator so that I wouldn't run into Miss V. I didn't know what else to say, or how I could help her. But I came to my senses and went down the elevator to her desk. She seemed relieved to see me, I felt guilty about my pr...

     I was watching a cooking show called, "Chopped" last night. The basis of the show was that four chefs were completing for a position to compete for $50,000.00 in the final round. One small, feisty female chef was focused and seemed driven to win, yet when asked what she would do with the money, she said, "I don't know I haven't thought about it yet. A win is momentary, learning is for a lifetime." She used her previous $10,000.00 winnings to travel and learn more about food in other cultures. When she didn't make it to the final round and was cut from the competition she said, "This day didn't make me and it won't break me. I'll go on to learn more."      This little woman was an inspiration to me! Sometimes in my life when I haven't done well and felt like a failure, I've beaten myself up and thought, "How can I go on from here?" I watched a show about the lead actress, Rachel Ward, on the television miniser...

      Our tongues are equated to rutters on a ship in the Bible. A small rutter can turn a big boat. A small tongue can turn a whole body. I'm trying to remember daily that the words on my tongue will guide me through the waters of my day. I can float on rough, raging waters or smooth, calm seas. The choice is primarily my own. James 3:4  Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

     February, the month for lovers! Romance is in the air, bouquets of roses fill the buckets in the floral departments and chocolates come in many colored, fancy heart-shaped boxes. It's wonderful to be in love, whether giddy new love or comfortable old love, it feels right to be the apple of someone's eye.      God is love. He loves with mercy and grace. We are the apple of His eye. In this month for lovers, read God's love letter to us recorded in the Holy Bible. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. We should read it like we read a love letter from a new beau, pouring over the lines, looking for its meaning and cherishing every word. 1 John 4:7   Beloved, let us  love one another, for love is from God; and  everyone who loves is born of God and  knows God.   8  The one who does not love does not know God, for  God is love.