Tag: inspiration

Lessons From an Easter Egg Hunt

easter-egg-huntWe were holding our annual Easter egg hunt for the family. The grandkids were excited and couldn’t wait to get started. Once everyone had arrived, they were given some instructions and then we counted to three so all could head off at the same time.

We heard many squeals of delight as they discovered the hidden treats. There were always adults nearby to give assistance to whichever child needed it. Everyone had a good time and memories were made.

Our grandchildren know that we always have treats for them in our pantry. It would have been so much easier to gather goodies from there than search through the house for the unknown. There’s something exciting about the hunt
though.

This reminded me of my life. Many times I’ve set out searching for something even though I didn’t know what it was I was searching for. When I saw others finding what they wanted, I grew frustrated. Where was the treasure I needed to be fulfilled? If I couldn’t find it on my own, was there someone nearby to point me in the right direction?

What I discovered was that it was within my reach all along. I had been so focused on my search that I’d missed the treasure right before me. Jesus provided the answer to all of my needs. All I had to do was to put my life in His hands and trust Him for the outcome. He has led me on bigger adventures than I could have planned for myself. His faithfulness is so great that I am excited to see what treasures are in store for me as each day unfolds.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”  (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV)

Do You Wear a Mask?

authentic, Jesus, strength
My husband and I recently attended an event called Behind the Masque. It was mandatory for everyone attending to wear a mask. I had discovered that it wasn’t easy to fit a mask over my glasses so chose to have one painted on.

After I told the face painter that I liked turquoise and had a book coming out with the word Dragonflies in the title she came up with the amazing design you see pictured here. It was a work of art and seemed such a shame to have the canvas washed clean later that night.

Although people wore masks during the evening, we could usually tell who was behind them. This made me think of the masks I have hidden behind in my life. Maybe I haven’t hidden quite as well as I thought!

My struggle has been to be authentic. My ego doesn’t want to let people know that everything in my life isn’t perfect. They may not like me if they really know what’s behind this mask of confidence and self-assurance.

I was speaking to a friend about this and we agreed that wearing these masks is exhausting. She had recently taken hers off and was amazed at the new depth in her relationships.

In order to remove my mask I had to stop thinking I needed to do things on my own strength. Instead, I allow Jesus to take control. He has told us that he works best in our weakness. No I don’t see my weakness as a bad thing, but as an opportunity to let his strength work through me.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

Are You Thick Skinned?

self-interest, God, prayer, inspirationLately I’ve been starting my day with a slice of fresh lemon in a mug of hot water. I enjoy the taste, and have also heard this is good for digestion.

The last lemon we purchased had a very thick rind on it. This made the skin to pulp ratio higher and produced a bitter taste. It also meant the slice was bigger and took up more room in my mug.

When I mentioned to my husband that this lemon had a very thick skin, he asked if being thick- skinned was a bad thing. I replied that I prefer my fruit to be thin-skinned but it’s not good for me to be that way.

If I’m referred to as thin-skinned it means that I am oversensitive. My feelings get hurt very easily. Everything becomes about me. This can make life very uncomfortable.

Conversely, being thick-skinned would mean I have set up a barrier between myself and everyone around me. Although I would not be easily offended, the fact that I would be largely unaffected by the needs and feelings of others would not be positive. Again everything would end up being about me.

Neither of these scenarios is where I want to be. I am aware that my life runs much smoother when the needs of others are as important, if not more so, than my own self-interest. Spending regular time in prayer with God will ensure that I don’t become too thick-skinned to follow his direction for my life.

And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn’t succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The “self-interest Israel” became thick-skinned toward God. (Romans 11:7 The Message)

Floating Shells

life, challenge, God, trustAs I walked along the beach I spotted a tide pool ahead. It was filled with shells that appeared to be floating on the surface. Fascinated, I hurried over to have a closer look. What I found surprised me.

The shells were not floating, they were on the bottom. Crystal clear water had magnified them and created a false illusion.

I took a couple of pictures and moved one. The picture that stayed in my mind’s eye brought some serious reflection.

How often, I wondered, do I make assumptions and even decisions based on how things appear from a distance?

When I look at others and think I’d like the wonderful life they have, do I realize that I only see an illusion and not the close up reality?

The same applies when I look at someone who appears to have very little. The peace and contentment this person has may far outweigh anything I could imagine.

The only life I can see clearly into is my own and sometimes even this is a challenge.

God always sees the hearts and knows the minds of his people. This is why I trust in him rather than on my own understanding.

It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust mortals. Psalm 118:8 GWT

My Hourglass Life

God, love, inspirationDuring a recent dental check-up the hygienist asked if I was brushing my teeth for a full two minutes. After telling her that I really didn’t know, she gave me a cute little timer. It has a smiling tooth on each end and sand that takes two minutes to flow from the top to the bottom.

This got me to thinking of an hourglass and how it relates to my life.
When I was much younger my only thoughts of hourglass were related to the ideal body shape I wanted to achieve. Since that was not in the realm of possibility I filed this word in the recesses of my mind.

Now that I’m much older, and hopefully a little wiser, I view the hourglass in a totally different way. The sand is representative of the sands of time, slipping away. I have no idea how much time is left but I do know that it is less today than yesterday.

For this reason I need to make the most of each day. Unlike the sand in the hourglass, I can’t turn my day over and get the time back again. I don’t want to watch passively as the sand/time slips away.

No loving words should be left unspoken and no kindness left undone. God has given me a certain number of days and I don’t want to waste them. I need to consciously look for ways to use my time to reflect his light and love.

A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job 14:5 NIV)

You Have the Power to Change My Day

positive, encourage, prayer
poster from notsalmon.com
Recently I was engaged in an activity I enjoyed. Everything was going along smoothly until someone voiced a few complaints. These were things that I hadn’t noticed previously and that had never interfered with my enjoyment of the activity. Before long I felt my positive attitude slowly being eroded with these negative thoughts.

Things that had never been an issue for me now seemed to be all that I noticed. Instead of focusing on my positive experience I started seeing what could be a negative for others. My peace and enjoyment of the activity slipped into the background.

Looking back on this, I realized anew the effect words have to influence others. It only took a few to change my outlook. If a few words could change my positive thoughts to negative, the reverse must also be true.

That means I need to be very conscious of my words. If I speak in the heat of anger I will regret it later. Instead I need to speak words that will encourage and build others up. On my own, this can prove a difficult task at times. When I stop and pray about my attitude, the words that I speak will be ones that will encourage and build others up. This will ensure that the only way I change someone’s day is to make it more positive.

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29 NLT)

How to Have a Warm Heart

words, affirming, kind, inspirationThe exercise class had just begun but already the instructor was pushing us hard. She shouted out, “Come on, we need to get your hearts warmed up.”

Although I knew what she meant, I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Not long before the class started, my husband and I had parted ways for the day with a hug and a kiss. Then he looked into my eyes, said, “I love you” and flashed me a smile. Yes, my heart had definitely been warmed.

Earlier that morning I had sent a message to someone facing challenges. I’d let her know I was thinking of her and praying she’d have a good day. The appreciative response I received warmed my heart as my message had done for hers.

My husband sending me off with a smile on my face was a good reminder that a few positive words have the ability to let people know that they matter. It only takes a minute and the results can cause a ripple effect that is immeasurable.

Kind words have the comforting effect of a toasty warm blanket on a cold winter night. They can also affirm, encourage and convey love. Giving and receiving them is the best way I’ve found to keep my heart warm.

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25 NIV

Frayed Around the Edges

Jesus, rest, quiet time, inspirationI was taking towels out of the dryer when I noticed that one of my favourite sets of hand towels were frayed around the edges. When did that happen? Although I hadn’t noticed it before, the rough edges indicated that this wasn’t a new occurrence.

Thinking back to how long I’d had the towels and the fact they are used and laundered on a weekly basis, I knew I shouldn’t be surprised. The signs of wear and tear must have been so gradual that they could easily be ignored.

As I looked at them I realized that at times my life has become frayed around the edges as well. Just as with the towels, constant demands on my life have caused this. It doesn’t mean that I am no longer needed or loved. What it does mean is that I need to take a step back and think about how to mend those frayed edges before the damage becomes permanent.

Jesus offers me the perfect solution when the hectic pace of life wears me down. When he and his apostles were too busy to even take time to eat, he told them to come with him to a quiet place and rest. That advice is just as valid today. Spending quiet time with Jesus gives me the rest that binds my frayed edges.

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. (Mark 6:31 NLT)

Is This Your Baggage?

prayer, Jesus, inspirationMy husband and I have done some traveling lately. The airports we’ve visited have had many announcements concerning baggage.

We are warned not to leave it unattended. There are also cautions on arrival to make sure it’s your baggage you pick up. Many pieces of luggage are similar in appearance so this can sometimes be a challenge.

This rule from the airport is also valid in life. Each of us carries our own baggage. Sometimes it is small, like hand luggage. Other times the volume of hurts and regrets are too heavy to carry on our own. This over-sized baggage needs to be checked.

When I see someone with excess baggage I want to help them. Perhaps by lending a sympathetic ear the burden can be lightened. Although I may want to help carry the baggage of others I’ve learned that taking it on doesn’t help them or me. Similarly, no one else can carry the load that is dragging me down.

The most effective way I’ve found to deal with this is to give it to Jesus. Nothing is too big for him to handle. Spending time talking with him gives me the refreshment and perspective I need to live freely and lightly.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28 The Message)

Vacation Technology

direction, Jesus, inspirationTechnology has changed our vacations. When we were away recently my husband used his smart phone to look up attractions we wanted to visit. I would then put the address into our GPS system and off we’d go. The concession to our former way of travel was the ever present map, which helped keep our bearings.

This system worked well for us. We did a lot of driving as we explored the area and found our way around quite easily. One day while we were walking much farther than intended, my husband used his phone to bring up a map so we could find our way back.

In my everyday life, the road map I use is the Bible. It has all of the information needed to keep me heading in the right direction. I also rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me through unknown territory. These tried and true methods have been working for thousands of years and will always be available for me. It doesn’t matter where I happen to be, the signal guiding me is always strong and reliable.

If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them. James 1:5 GWT

[The Lord says,] “I will instruct you. I will teach you the way that you should go. I will advise you as my eyes watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 GWT

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