Author: Tandy

Sand in My Shoes

#God, #inspiration, Holy SpiritIt was an interesting sensation. The sand was damp and jiggled under my feet as though I was walking on a bed of gelatin.

My beach shoes had been torn a few days earlier when I tripped over some wood stuck in the sand. The holes were getting larger and wet sand was oozing in around my toes.

It was unpleasant and I decided to turn back. The squishing as I walked was uncomfortable and I stepped into the water to clean my feet. As I stood, watching the clear water of the waves wash over my feet, removing the dirt, I had a revelation.

It was as though I felt the Holy Spirit telling me this was how my sins were washed away. All I needed to do was to be willing to step out and invite the cleansing flow to wash over me. When I confess my sins to the Lord, he is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse me.

Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 GWT)

If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us, (1 John 1:9 GWT)

Random Acts of Kindness

#inspiration, kindness, random, smileEarly on a Saturday morning, I was on the highway heading to an appointment an hour from home. Although I’d allowed extra time, it looked like the slowdowns for road repair would eat up every minute of it.

I hate to be late and it looked to me as if that was going to be the case. The tension was starting to build.

Near the end of a lengthy slowdown, was a flag person holding a sign reminding us to proceed slowly. What made her memorable was the big smile and friendly wave she gave to the passing vehicles.

I couldn’t help but smile and wave back. Her simple gesture of kindness relaxed me. When I arrived at my destination (right on time) my stress had dissolved and I was in a positive state of mind.

This woman understood the pressure drivers feel when forced to add extra time to their commute and did something to break the negativity. The effect of this would have reached more than the motorists she encountered. When I’m in a better state of mind I treat those I come in contact with in a more positive manner. They, in turn, pass along positive rather than negative emotions to those they interact with. The ripple effect of one act of kindness can be staggering.

A friendly smile, a sincere compliment, holding a door open for the person behind me; these cost only a minute of my time but have the potential of changing someone’s outlook that day. The more I practice random acts of kindness, the more opportunity I have to change the world. What an exciting concept!

“Kindness carries no price tag neither does it require making a purchase. A random act of kindness can change someone’s life…choose to be kind always.” ― Kemi Sogunle

What’s Blocking the Way?

#God, #The Lord, #inspiration, protectionOn a recent trip through the mountains, we were slowed down several times for road construction. In one area we came to a complete stop.

Lines of vehicles snaked in both directions and no one was getting through. Up ahead and around a bend, huge clouds of dust billowed into the sky. This was no ordinary roadwork.

Once traffic resumed we were able to see the cause of the delay. Boulders scattered along one lane of the road were being loaded into massive dump trucks.

The area we were driving through is known for rockslides. Blasting had been done to remove loose rock and reduce hazards for motorists.

Our delay may have been an inconvenience to us, but it was caused in order to keep us safe. For that, I was grateful.

I thought of the times I’ve been racing along to reach a destination and have come to a sudden stop. My self-imposed timeline could no longer be met. Not able to see what was ahead, I was frustrated and wondered what had caused this road block.

Looking back, I’ve been able to see I’d been heading into a potentially harmful situation. The Lord stopped me in my tracks to keep me safe. While I was impatiently waiting to move forward, he was blasting away the danger ahead. I’m sure truckloads of problems have been taken away and dumped where I need never concern myself with them again.

The next time my plans come to an unexpected halt, I need to remember the rockslide prevention and stop to thank the Lord for keeping me from harm.

The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 121:7-8 NLT)

Looking for the Benefit

#inspiration, benefit, choice,The Irish Setter was standing perfectly still while his owner carefully groomed him. She ran a brush through the long hair that was now free of mats and tangles. Loose hair had been removed and the dog’s coat was now smooth and shiny.

My husband commented to the owner that it must feel good for the dog to be brushed. She told us her dog didn’t like it. We laughed and said, “If only he knew how good it was for him.”

As we walked away, I started thinking of things in my life I don’t enjoy but actually can prove to be beneficial.

Constructive criticism may not be pleasant to receive but can be helpful. It all depends on how I receive it. Instead of an attack, I can choose to look at it as helping me remove some of the tangles hindering my progress. The benefit is seeing my situation from a perspective I may not have thought of. There is also the possibility my life will run smoother.

What other areas can I use this in? Maybe with my exercise class that starts an hour earlier in the summer months. I can complain about the early hour because I’d rather still be sleeping. Or, I can choose to get out of bed and go to my class for the benefit of keeping my body fit and healthy.

I wonder how much happier I could be if I replaced, “I don’t want to” with “I choose to for the benefit of” in all areas of my life.

“When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It’s all a matter of perspective.” – unknown

Creating a Masterpiece

#God, #The Lord, #inspiration,creation
Verna & I with our masterpieces

My friend and I entered unknown territory when we arrived at a paint night. I am definitely not an artist but looked forward to a new experience.

The instructor was someone I knew so I felt comfortable she’d be supportive and encouraging and not critical of my lack of ability.

When the class started we were given basic instructions and options to choose the type of painting we wanted to complete. What? I thought we’d be told what to do and how to do it and wasn’t prepared to make decisions.

We were told not to worry about our mistakes; they could always be painted over. I did this several times.

At one point I ended up with a big blob of paint on the canvas. My attempts to fix it just made things worse. I thought my picture was ruined. The instructor showed me how to remove the unwanted paint. I was surprised that such a big mistake could be redeemed.

The paint night experience was a good analogy of my life with God. Every day I wake up with a clean canvas. The Lord provides the paint and brushes and sends me out into the world to make a masterpiece for him. He doesn’t force me to make certain brush strokes but grants me the freedom to choose what I will create.
The Lord redeems my mistakes by showing me how to paint over them with something better. With the creator of the word instructing me, my life can become a masterpiece.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV)

O Canada

#inspiration, meaning, wordsAs we approach Canada Day and the 150th birthday of our country, I decided to take a closer look at our national anthem and how it applies to my life.

“O Canada, our home and native land.” Canada is home to over thirty-six million people. More than 20% of these were not born in this country. Ours is a nation known for welcoming people from other lands.

In my everyday life, I can learn from this example and be warm and welcoming to everyone, not just those with common experiences. Diversity makes life more interesting.

“True patriot love.” This applies to love for our country. To me, this means to be proud of Canada and all it has to offer. Our standard of living is one many areas of the world would love to experience. I am grateful to live here.

Do I appreciate the opportunities that are present in my life or do I grumble and complain about little things that inconvenience me? The many positives far outweigh the few negatives.

“True north strong and free.” Our country offers us freedom of speech, freedom of religion and many other freedoms that are denied in other parts of the world. I never want to take these for granted.

Do I appreciate the freedoms in my life or just think of them as my right? Maybe I deny myself freedom. When I look at mistakes I’ve made in the past and decide not to risk loving others, believing in myself or having dreams for the future, I am locking myself in a self-imposed prison. This denies me the life that true freedom offers.

The word freedom also reminds me to be open and accepting of positions that are different from my own. It’s not up to me to judge anyone else based on their beliefs

“We stand on guard for thee.” As Canadians, we may be called upon to defend our country and all it stands for. I don’t have to be in the military or law enforcement to do this. I can guard its reputation by the words I speak.

O Canada was written over one hundred years ago, but its message is still relevant to my life today.

I Hear the Ice Cream Truck!

#inspiration, #Jesus, refreshmentOne of the signs of summer is the distinctive music of an ice cream truck as it slowly winds its way through the neighbourhoods. The sound can be heard several blocks away which gives children a chance to race to their parents and beg for money to pay for a treat.

I don’t know of another sound in the summer that brings people running. Thoughts of enjoying ice cream treats delivered right to your neighbourhood, are enough to send many searching for their wallets!

Even if I don’t want to indulge in the offerings, the music brings pleasant memories of summers past, when I had young children excited to hear the sound of the ice cream truck approaching. If they were fast enough, they could wait at the end of the driveway and the truck would stop. If not, they would need to chase it down the street and maybe wait in line for their favourite treat.

Most of the offerings from the ice cream truck are available at local stores but people are still willing to pay a premium price to the ice cream man. There must be something in the simple melody the truck plays that draws people in.

I think of this attraction and wonder how many people are drawn to Jesus in the same excited way. The bounties he brings are too numerous to be listed on the side of a truck. There is no premium price involved; no need to chase him down the street, money in hand.

When I’m open to what Jesus has to offer, he delivers directly to me, no lineups involved. And, best of all, there’s no need to wait for summer to receive the refreshment he brings.

Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. (James 1:17 GWT)

Oops, That Shouldn’t be Showing

#inspiration, weeds, rootsI did a double-take. What I was seeing didn’t seem right, but there it was. A weed was poking up in the middle of some artificial grass!

The turf had an open weave backing to allowing moisture to drain through. The weed took advantage of an area it could work its way through and was now in plain view. I wonder how long it persevered, working its way towards the light of day.

I saw this weed as an analogy of the bad habits in my life. They may be hidden from view for quite some time, but eventually, will work their way to the surface. Without warning, they will break through and become visible for all to see.

My intention is to keep you from seeing these. That’s why I covered the unflattering things with an artificial layer in the first place. Although I pretend what is hidden doesn’t exist, I know that sooner or later the truth will come to light and I’ll have to deal with it.

When it does, will I quickly cover it up to keep growing or will I remove the problem at its root? The first option is a temporary solution. It may seem easier to start with but I’ll always be wondering where and when those nasty weeds will pop up again.

The second option takes more work initially. I need to be willing to peel back the perfect looking surface and do some hard digging. Only then can I get to the root of the problem. If it’s more than I can deal with on my own, I may even need to enlist some help.

My peace of mind won’t return until the weed is eliminated. It’s time for me to get my hands dirty and start digging. How do you deal with the weeds in your life?

“I don’t want to be overdramatic about it, but I’m starting to see a lot of my bad habits get the best of me.” Ben Gibbard

Music to My Ears

#God, #inspiration, prayer, music to my earsIn the pre-dawn hours, I awakened to the music of birdsong. I’m used to hearing birds in the daylight but the night time melody caught me by surprise.
Once the sun rose, the distinctive sound heard hours earlier was no longer evident.

I soon discovered that this was not a one-time occurrence but one repeated nightly during the late spring and early summer.

As I enjoy the happy sound of this nocturnal chorus I wonder if God gets the same pleasure from hearing my voice when I call out to him. Is it like music to his ears?

In some ways, I’m similar to the night time warblers. I call out to God in my darkest hours but, sadly, my voice can become silent when the light returns to my life.

God wants to hear from me in good times as well as bad. I must remember to let my words of praise and thankfulness be every bit as evident as those of my petitions for help. Maybe the music to my ears in the night is a reminder to let my words be constant music to the Lord.

“Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 GWT)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

The 7% Rule

#inspiration, communication, non-verbalMy back went up immediately when I read the email. Here was the judgment I’d been expecting since being vulnerable and admitting my problem.

I’d been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming support and encouragement I’d received. Now, this one negative came along and was having a much bigger effect on me than it should. I was upset with myself and the person who sent the message.

Upon reading the email again, I discovered the comment made was neither negative nor positive. It was simply a neutral statement. Since this was a sensitive topic for me my interpretation was negative and I took offense.

The fact is only 7% of communication is the words. I was not getting the 38% that is made up of the tone of voice, inflection and volume. Also missing was the 55% that facial expression and body language represent.

When I read something I need to take into consideration how I’m feeling at the time. My emotions can change the tone of what I read and turn an innocent statement into something offensive.

The same hold true with my communication with others. Sometimes, even with more than the 7%, my intentions are misunderstood. I need to take responsibility for my words and also for how I react to those directed to me.

How about you? Do you also get caught up in the words and your emotions and forget the 7% rule?

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw

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