Tag: God

Dabbling in Life

#inspiration, #God, Spiritual lifeAre you a dabbler? To dabble is to take part in a casual or superficial way. In other words, you’re not fully committed.

I must admit that I’ve been known to dabble. I’m not a dive in headfirst type of person. No, for me it’s been more stick your toe in the water and see if you like it.

Maybe that’s why I’ve worked in so many types of jobs. This means I know a little about a lot of things but I’m an expert in none.

In the past, it was the same with hobbies. Once the novelty of something wore off, I’d be on to the next thing. I have a sewing machine that hasn’t seen the light of day for years, cross stitch canvases that are still unopened and racket ball gear that was eventually given to someone who would use it.

While it may be acceptable to dabble in many types of activities until I find the right one, there is one area where this is not advised.

My spiritual life is not an area to be dabbled in. There is nothing casual or superficial about my relationship with God. He has repeatedly shown his commitment to me. How can I not have the same commitment to him?

When I spend time with him, in prayer and reading The Bible, I will learn how to live a life that is fully devoted to him. My goal is to honour and please the Lord, no dabbling allowed.

“Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” (Colossians 1:10 NLT)

Will You Take Less?

#God, #inspiration, value, worthIt was time to let go of some items not used in our home. After deciding on prices, my husband took pictures and posted the items for sale online.

Responses started coming in almost immediately. We knew the value of what we were offering and priced everything lower than that. Even so, most inquiries included the phrase, “Will you take less?” They might suggest a lower number or in some cases asked what our lowest price would be.

I found it amusing when one woman told us of her experience selling things online, stating she never negotiated her asking prices and then turned around and asked if we’d take less!

My mind went to times in life I’ve settled for less than I am worth. I have often sold myself short. When I’m not confident of my value, it’s difficult to expect others to appreciate it.

The truth is my life is of great value, as is yours. God loves me so much that he sent his son to die for my sins in order that I can live in Heaven with him forever. He wouldn’t have paid such a high price for me if he didn’t believe I was worthy.

Each day is a gift from him, filled with beauty, challenges and opportunities. The adventure I’m on with the Lord is like nothing I could ever have imagined. Knowing this, how could I possibly settle for less?

“Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are.” 1 John 3:1 GWT

Wings of an Eagle

#God, #inspirationBrian saw it first.  There on the top of one of the tall towers supporting power lines, was a huge eagle nest.

We pulled over and got out the binoculars to have a closer look.  The black speck we could see from a distance was actually a young eagle standing slightly to one side of the inspiration, GOdnest. Upon scanning the area, we discovered an adult eagle on a nearby tower, keeping watch.

I looked at the tremendous height and thought of those eaglets learning to fly. This doesn’t happen quickly, it’s a process. I’ve been told the immature eagles often stand at the edge of the nest, frightened to take the risk to fly. #inspiration, #God, faith, pushWhen the parent thinks the eaglet is ready, it will push the young one out.

Sometimes I’ve done the preparation needed but have been afraid to take the risk to fly solo. My faith is still immature. In cases like this, I’ve appreciated a push that forced me to trust in my ability to soar. God has many ways of giving me the push I needed.

Like the adult eagles standing guard over their young, I know that God is always nearby, watching over me. Even when I’m not aware of his presence, he is there.

He teaches me what I need to learn and I am confident when he asks me to step out in faith, one of two things will happen.  Either he will catch me when I fall or teach me to fly.

…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)

Inventory Time

#God, #inspiratioin, #blessingsOh, the joy of annual inventory! In a gift store with many small items, the job can seem overwhelming. By the end of the second day, I was getting frustrated with myself when I forgot my tally and had to recount several items.

What I found interesting was the number of items I had forgotten we had. Some that had been tucked away need to be put out on display again, while others are best discarded.

After I had counted physical items, I decided to take inventory of my life. Holding onto past hurts, disappointments and regrets is a waste of valuable time and space. I need to let them go. Instead, I should be focusing on the many blessings in my life. They deserve to be put on display.

God has blessed me with a loving husband, and close relationships with our children and grandchildren. We are healthy, happy and productive. I have time to work, time to rest and time to play. I’ve been given inspiration to see the world in a positive light and to share that with others. I have a roof over my head, water that flows when I turn on a tap and food in my pantry.

I could go on and on as I count my blessings. They are far too numerous to list here and I know I will not grow tired of counting them.

All that I am and all that I have are gifts from God. By far the greatest gift is the joy I have in knowing I’m a much-loved child of my Heavenly Father.

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. (Psalm 21:6 NIV)

Do You Know Where You’re Going?

#God, #inspiration, guidance, prayerMy husband and I recently attended a performance in an outdoor amphitheatre. We were searching for our seats when a helpful usher said, “Do you know where you’re going? Can I help?”

I thought we were close to our seats so wasn’t sure we needed assistance. Her guidance, however, proved to be very helpful.

We were seated close to the main walkway and observed this scene repeated numerous times as other struggled to figure out the seating arrangement.

Many patrons gratefully accepted assistance. A few surprised me by snapping, “I’ve got no idea.” as they carried on, not stopping to receive directions. Help was there and they refused it, preferring to keep walking in frustration.

I wondered how often foolish pride has kept me from accepting help when I needed it. Sometimes I just need to be pointed in the right direction. Other times I require more guidance. Either way, I won’t get the help I need unless I stop and ask.

There is one who always knows in which direction I should be headed. Not only does God know where I’m going, he is willing to show me the best way to get there. Sometimes he does this by sending someone to walk beside me. Other times he gives me the wisdom needed to find my way.

All I need to do is pray and then stop long enough to listen to the answer.

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (Isaiah 30:21 NLT)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5 NIV)

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)

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)

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)

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)

My Dish Soap Life

#God, #inspiration, effective, lifeHave you ever noticed the difference between brands of dish soap? I’ve discovered that the name brands are more effective than the generic ones I’ve tried.

As there are only two of us in our home we generally wash our dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. The generic brands are less expensive so we decided to try one. I wasn’t impressed with the results so tried another.

In both cases, I had to use more than double the amount of our previous brand in order to produce suds and to get the dishes clean. My conclusion is that a diluted product is false economy.

The same can be said for my life. I have the choice to concentrate my efforts or to dilute them by adding unnecessary ingredients. It’s not hard to figure out which option is the most effective in achieving my goals and dreams. The more I add to my day, the less chance I have of accomplishing what is most important.

The trouble can come in deciding which elements strengthen my life and which ones will only water it down. That is when I turn to God. He is always available to direct me. When I follow his advice my life will be strong and effective, rather than mixed with worthless things that dilute it.

Once like sterling silver; now mixed with worthless alloy! Once so pure, but now diluted like watered-down wine! (Isaiah 1:22 TLB)

Many plans are in the human heart, but the advice of the Lord will endure. (Proverbs 19:21 GWT)

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