Star-fish

     Aw, weight loss, something I have been practicing and not perfecting for over 30 years. I know why it is easier to gain than to lose. I know the body mechanics regarding calories in and calories out.  I know that if I exercise and burn more calories than I take in I will lose weight. So why don't I keep off the pounds I work so hard to lose? Hmmm...because I lack self-discipline and long-suffering?      The fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot be planted and harvested without continual maintenance. Like with any plant in a garden, a new fruit tree can be a perfect specimen when planted, but without constant watering, fertilizing, and pruning it will soon die and produce no fruit. Such is my life as a Christian, I can be saved by believing in faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross bearing all my sins, ask Him to forgive for my sins and even be baptized as a outward symbol of my inward change as child of God. But as a ...

     Cancer gave both my husband and I a different look on life, agreeing with the author of Ecclesiastes (most likely Solomon), that "all is meaningless on this earth," except what is done to glorify God and save souls. The author noted the following, "The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing...What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecc. 1:8-9). He continued in Ecc. 2:2-3, 10-11 to write, "And what does pleasure accomplish? I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly...(10) I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure...(11) yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind: nothing was gained under the sun."     It's easy to get caught up in the world's view of happiness. The idea that once we have done all that we wanted to do and ga...

     Do you ever have those times when, like the writer of Psalm 94, you feel like your foot is slipping? You've been holding it together so long and then one more thing comes along causing you to lose your grip. Illness has been plaguing myself and my loved ones over the last year and actually looking back it's been several years now. One health problem after another has caused times of fear, doubt, tears, and eventually prayers. Because when your foot is slipping, the only thing left to do is hold on to the promises of God.      I'd like to say I have handled these events like a saint of old, but anxiety has a way of finding its way into my thoughts and even my prayers. Although I know worry and faith are polar opposites, my old habits break down my walls when troubles begin to pile up. God's Word is the only thing that brings back my strength, gives rest to my tired soul, and sends joy in due season. May you seek God today as your foot begins to slip. C...

     A friend posted an article about complaining on Facebook recently called, "How Complaining Rewires Your Brain for Negativity," by Dr. Travis Bradberry. I don't know this doctor or his work, but what he said made a lot of sense to me. He noted, "Your brain loves efficiency and doesn't like to work any harder than it has to. When you repeat a behavior, such as complaining, your neurons branch out to each other to ease the flow of information...Repeated complaining rewires your brain to make future complaining more likely...Complaining becomes your default behavior, which changes how people perceive you."      Wow, we all know what it feels like to be around people who can't find a positive thing to say about any situation and its a real downer. But to think I may be conditioning my brain to be a "Debbie Downer," (no offense to you Debbie's out there) that is a bit disconcerting. Dr. Bradberry goes on in the article to outline the other ...

     My husband just finished nine weeks of radiation. We drove up and back daily making the best of our time away from home by running errands, eating out, and grocery shopping. The first couple of weeks took some adjusting, not just to the drive, but to the idea of cancer. A cancer diagnosis takes the air from the room and wind from beneath your wings.     My husband gathered his strength and his faith and put life back on track about week three. He was brave throughout this process. We sat in the waiting room of the cancer center with others in similar or worse situations. The room was quiet and lifeless. Not the normal, random chatter that happens in a general practitioner's office. There were few if any children, a couple showed up with parents who were probably driving their parents that day.      They gave him a shirt and certificate celebrating the completion of radiation today, something that doesn't come when you are over the flu or yo...