Author: lbuth0511de28fc

Are you weary of the constant barrage of news reports filled with angry charges and dissent?

Me, too.

Let's not get stuck there. Let's step back in our minds to before the United States of America officially existed. The population seethed with unease because this was a colony of Great Britain. For anyone to speak or act against the King's decrees could result in being charged with treason.

Still, in that setting a small group of men summoned up courage to gather in secret. They labored together for days as they hammered out the unforgettable words of our Declaration of Independence. From the first to the last they knew they were risking their lives and everything they owned.

When they signed their names it was akin to signing their own death warrants. Yet they did not flinch.

Even today their words live on

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

These were audacious words in an era when every man, woman and child within our borders was subject to a powerful Ruler and government headquartered across a vast Ocean.

The signers believed in God ("their Creator") and their Declaration of Independence makes that clear. Its adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, marked the United States of America as an independent nation. It took the Revolutionary War to establish this as fact to Great Britain and the rest of the world.

Through all the unrest of that time–and so many times in our history, including today–America survives.

Leaders, then and now

Our Nation's Founders believed in God. If you doubt that, read some of their words:

"We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus." -John Adams and John Hancock.

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." -George Washington

"[The Bible] is the rock on which our Republic rests." -Andrew Jackson

These Founders stated what they believed. No doubt they also relied on Bible verses like this:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Instead of angst let's take each day as a gift and leave it in God's hands

Let's substitute encouraging each other for complaining and repeating our gripes and our fears to the people around us.

We know for sure this is not the first time in our Nation's history when emotions ran high and trust ran low. No doubt it won't be the last.

As we take in the news and conversations around us let's use reason and logic to evaluate individuals and current events. After all, since the beginning leadership positions have been held by imperfect people.

(That shouldn't surprise us since that's all there is to draw on.)

Finding a place of calm

The future–all of it–is in the hands of our gracious Father, who loves us with an everlasting love. We can safely rest our hearts in Bible promises like these:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

The courageous men who signed our Declaration of Independence believed this. This strong foundation of faith has carried these United States of America through many a crisis.

However flawed we may be as a Nation or as individuals, it takes nothing away from these Truths.

Choose a new perspective

Imagine how our society would change for the better if each of us made it our purpose to be a blessing to our family and friends.

Think how that would–could–change us. Our street. Our community. Our Nation.

Whatever our stage of life this could give us a sense of new Life, plus the Liberty of being free of old mindsets. Our personal pursuit of Happiness would result in good all around.

Reason to celebrate, for sure!

Praying for this Nation and for you,

Lenore

Remember: God’s got it covered

June 28, 2024
You hear it all the time on TV talk shows and read it online and in print: It's essential to be generous with praise if we want to build a child's self-image.

That's no longer universally acclaimed. More and more new/old thinkers tell us it's better to go easy on remarks like, "You're so adorable!" and, "Look at you! You're so smart!"

Choose instead to emphasize what the child or teen can feel pride in doing and being. That is, give your kids solid, individual reasons for self-esteem.

Compliment qualities you want to implant and expand. Here are some
examples.

If your daughter helps empty the dishwasher or pitches in with other household chores: "You're such a good helper. I like knowing I can count on you."

Should your son give part of his cookie to a friend: "I like the way you share. You have a generous heart."

If your youngster is involved in sports and their team loses the game but your child manages to keep smiling: "You make me very proud. You played fair and you're a good sport."

Such comments help kids recognize and focus on their best qualities.

Words like that build a child's character

Even at young ages kids figure out that they can decide what to do or not to do.

Parents naturally want them to choose whichever actions will make them stronger and help them stay out of trouble. Mom or Dad can influence their thinking in many ways, especially by how they speak.

Praise their appearance only and you'll grow an individual who measures their self-worth by looking in the mirror. Praise grades, test scores and sports scores and you risk developing young people who feel they are worth less if they fail to come out on top.

What matters more is to emphasize what builds their own sense of being a worthwhile person.

It all goes back to a major principle of child-rearing: Only reinforce–with words or applause–what you want to see repeated.

There's more to it, of course

Many of us believe the true core of an individual's self-esteem lies even deeper. Karl Barth, a renowned thinker and theologian of the Twentieth Century put it this way, "The greatest theological insight I have ever had is this: 'Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.'"

You may recognize that line from the song many kids learn in Sunday School or Children's Church. To plant the certainty of that first line in a child's mind gives them an "outside source"–separate from family members or other individuals–by which to gauge their self-worth. One who never changes.

Step into the shoes of any child or young person. They are trying to figure out who they are in a world that pulls them in all directions. Parents may urge one path, the child wants another.

Moms and dads worry because they see possible trouble ahead, trouble their children argue against.

Why? Why?

It helps to remember that children and teens only know what they have experienced so far. They often feel uncertain about everything and overwhelmed and well may have nothing to hang onto.

That's one reason they so often "drive their parents crazy." It's a waste of emotion to expect that they would–or could–look at life and the world around them as their mom or dad does.

Think what it would mean to know deep down that you have value every moment of every day. Not because you deserve it or earned it, but because Jesus loves you. The Bible backs up that statement. Year after year the Christian Bible is the best-selling book.

According to several reliable sources, about 20 million copies of the Holy Bible were sold last year, just in the United States.

There must be a reason why

The message that weaves throughout the Bible is that Jesus, true God and true man, lived and willingly died so that anyone who believes in him as their Savior and Lord, is set right with God.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

That's the basis for this children's song:

"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so … "

It is simple, profound truth that brings unshakable certainty one is loved. No conditions. No exceptions.

Children convinced of this will be better equipped to handle whatever may come into their lives. Their self-confidence will be strong and rest on a solid base.

Isn't that what you want for your children? And yourself?

Blessings to you,

Lenore

Thoughts on Rearing Self-Confident Kids

June 16, 2024
Every day of every year newscasters report the latest bad news of the day. Tornadoes. Floods. Fires.

Most often disasters occur far distant from our daily lives, so we can breathe a sigh of relief.

So we pray for the victims and we also thank God, especially if the "whatever" is far enough away to miss us and our family.

There's no place to hide from the seemingly endless procession of mystery viruses. The never-ending scary headlines. Unrest within these United States of America.

No wonder low-level fear lurks within us, waiting to spring. We do our best to tune it out and paste on a calm, happy face.

Then a fire destroys a home down the street. Thieves empty a neighbor's house. A drunk driver hits someone crossing the street and leaves the victim paralyzed.

Immediately our mind goes to That could be me! Or someone I love! We shudder and think, "Please, God, don't let that happen to me."

But sometimes it does.

What if what we dread hits too close to home to ignore?

Pink slips or a business that doesn't make it ends the paycheck(s) we counted on. A dream dies. A lab test reveals a life-threatening illness. Someone we love dies.

Once we stop reeling from the shock we realize there's no escaping this awful new reality.

And we cannot find one particle of good in any of it.

At times like that we may feel abandoned, as if our Heavenly Father loves every other person on the face of the earth but us. We know that's not true, but still, our pain and fear weigh us down.

Somehow, somehow we make it through one day after the other.

When tragedy threatens–or strikes–what keeps people going?

Counselors and TV personalities offer thousands of words of advice. Most of it boils down to, "Simply change the way you look at your situation. Visualize yourself as strong and fearless and refuse to think any negative thoughts."

Yeah, sure.

These "experts" would be out of business if any of us knew how to do this.

Yet we needn't dissolve into a puddle of fear. Strength that goes way beyond our own is available at any time.

God's strength.

Peace-in-the-midst is as available as the air we breathe

The best antidote to fear–and the only one I ever found that works–is to fill my mind with Bible verses like these. I repeat them over to myself, aloud or silently. Here are a few I love:

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6,7

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:2

In good times or bad, we are not alone

And we are not powerless. Jesus walks with us through whatever may come. Always. Every day. Every moment. Every second.

Yes, the horror may come near us. Tragedy of one sort or another may change our lives, simply because we are human beings and we live in this imperfect world. We may feel we have no strength–physical, mental or emotional–to go on.

That's the time to hang onto Bible verses like this:

… In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37.

As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, whatever comes will not destroy us.

Count on it.

Count on it!

Trusting, too,

Lenore

You Can Stay Strong If Disaster Comes

May 28, 2024
Some people wish they lived in "simpler times." They picture themselves reclining on couches or sitting on cool wraparound porches, sipping cool lemonade.

It must have been idyllic, they tell themselves. But was it?

Maybe not. Years ago our family visited a museum where I picked up a small souvenir parchment, an exact copy of one pioneer mother's laundry instructions to her soon-to-be-married daughter.

Mama's Wash Receipt

1. Bild a fire in back yard to heet kettle of rain rater.

2. Set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert.

3. Shave one hole cake of lie sope in bilin water.

4. Sort things. Make three piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile cullord, 1 pile work britches and rags.

5. Stir flour in cold water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water.

6. Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then bile. Rub cullord, but don't bile–just rench and starch.

7. Take white things out of kettle with broom handle, then rench, blew and starch.

8. Spred tee towels on grass.

9. Hang old rags on the fence.

10. Pore rench water on flower bed.

11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

12. Turn tub upside down.

13. Go put on clean dress–smooth hair with side combs.

14. Brew cup of tea–set and rest and rock a spell and count yer blessings.

(Do you still want to swap your automatic washer and dryer for the "romance" of living long ago?)

Let's not stop with laundry

A friend sent this to me, assorted random facts from 1910:

♦ Average life expectancy for men: 48 years

♦ Old Glory featured only 45 stars

♦ Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea had not been invented

♦ Official Mother's Day or Father's Day? Not then

♦ The bra would not be patented until 1914

♦ Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school

♦ The process to flash-freeze food was patented in 1924 by Clarence Birdseye

♦ Only 14 percent of all U.S. homes had a bathtub

♦ Penicillin not discovered until 1928

♦ Just 8 percent of homes had a telephone

♦ The first voice and music signals heard were transmitted over radio waves in December 1906

♦ The ballpoint pen invented in 1944

♦ There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads in the USA

♦ The maximum speed limit in most places: 10 mph

♦ Tallest structure in the world: the Eiffel Tower

♦ Average US wage in 1910 only 22 cents per hour

♦ The average US worker earned between $200 and $400 per year

♦ The calculator invented in 1970

♦ More than 95% of all births took place at home

♦ 90 percent of all doctors had no college education

♦ Sugar cost about 4 cents per pound

♦ Eggs sold for about 14 cents a dozen

♦ Coffee was 15 cents a pound

♦ 18% percent of households had at least one full-time servant

♦ There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

♦ Most women washed their hair only once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo

♦ Underarm deodorant and toothpaste did not exist

♦ The five leading causes of death: 1. The flu, 2. Tuberculosis, 3. Diarrhea, 4. Heart disease, 5. Stroke

Obviously, there were no microwaves, no cell-phones, no internet, no social media.

One centenarian's opinion

Over four decades ago my grandmother, who at the time lived in an assisted-living facility, celebrated her 100th birthday. (She lived to be 101.) The local small-town newspaper sent a female reporter to interview her. This proved a bit frustrating for the young woman.

It seems Grandma peppered her with questions about how she managed her life as a wife, the mother of two preschoolers, and also worked for the newspaper. Through all this the reporter kept asking, "I do enjoy talking with you, but please, won't you tell me about the good old days?"

Finally, Grandma replied. "Well, the good old days weren't so great. You wouldn't have liked 'em much."

Not a bad role model for living, I'd say

As you might guess, I love Grandma's answer and I think it's a good attitude for any of us to hang onto as the years pass. After all, don't the experts keep telling us we need to "live in the moment"?

So let's make the most of today, as the psalmist advised us in Psalm 118:24, here from the ESV:

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Here's to loving the life we have in the day we are living!

Lenore

Take Another Look at the “Good Old Days”

May 23, 2024
Moms and dads don't need to sign up for personal growth classes because our "education" goes on and on. On the other hand, some don't quite get it. Right?

Picture the scene: the Misses Clothing department of a large suburban store.

I was looking through a sale rack when a nicely-dressed, thirtyish woman in stiletto heels came up. She was pushing a stroller at a leisurely pace, in which sat a boy, maybe age 2 1/2. He was in mid-meltdown.

She parked the stroller, then began serenely flipping through the rack next to me. Soon the little prisoner's screams reached a decibel level sufficient to attract the attention of everyone within 30 feet of them.

And it did.

The woman appeared oblivious and unhurried. During the next ten minutes or so she worked the racks. By now the boy's screams had settled into a continuous low-level roar, punctuated by whimpers.

Through it all she kept up a running line of questions, using one of those I-don't-really-expect-an-answer voices. "You've been so good all morning, Nelson. Why did you suddenly decide to be bad now? … Why do you think that is, Son? …  Nelson, explain to me, please, why you've been good for so long and now you're being bad. … Can you tell Mommy why, Nelson?"

After awhile they meandered on, the boy still yelling, the mother seeming not to notice.

All day I thought about that pair, sorry for the child, sad for the mom

Before long I remembered some of the countless times I was clueless when our daughters were growing up. (I'm sure their list is longer than mine.)

That's life. We all get caught up in situations and stumble through, doing the best we can with what we know at the time. I think it's called being human.

Fact: Moms have to shop, often with kids in tow. Not many children delight in sitting still in a stroller any time, anywhere. Especially for hours. Especially for shopping-with-Mom excursions. Period.

As parents we get so focused on our "must do" stuff that we forget little people are, well, little.

Sometimes it helps to offer a "carrot on the stick," a reward at the end

(Could we label that "incentive" rather than "bribe"? Thank you.)

Be sure to set up the conditions of your verbal contract and clearly state what's expected from both parties. Get their agreement before you start.

For example, if you must take everyone along on a shopping trip, tailor your outings and times to the tolerance levels of your young companions. Don't routinely take advantage by overstaying or your children won't believe you.

The deal is when they do their part, you live up to your promise. If they don't, you don't–and vice versa.

Otherwise you'll be teaching them how to manipulate people, especially you.

Rearing kids remains a continuing lesson in humility

We think we have all the answers. Or we should have. Yet we keep on learning we don't.

Count that as a blessing, a necessary stretching that keeps us flexible. For life. And that's a very good thing.

Here's a Bible verse that fits every family situation, whatever stage of parenting you may be in.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Have a happy … every day of your life and God bless you!

Lenore

Related articles

How moms and dads are like Michelangelo

How to survive your child's teenage years

Parenting Is the Lifelong Personal Growth Opportunity

May 11, 2024
Have you ever looked up to the ceiling of a room and spotted a flyspeck you never noticed before?

Right away it's as if the rest of the room didn't matter because that FLYSPECK blotted out everything else.

Think of that "flyspeck" as an example of how a small concern easily can become the only thing one can think about.

Learning along the way

I wasted years fighting the tendency to get hung up on small annoyances and faults I spotted in other people. I easily could overlook the 90 percent positive in a situation because I was fixated on the 10 percent that wasn't.

All I accomplished with that was to cheat myself of joy, over and over.

Once I clearly understood that huge flaw in how I looked at life I wanted transformation.

I tried to do my part: I prayed and kept reading the Bible. I read good books about managing one's thoughts and staying positive. Still, I often found myself slipping back into that weakness.

Lesson learned: Habit is a tough task-master and will not easily give up its hold on us.

Change came, but at a crawl

I started small, by paying attention to how I responded to the everyday ups and downs of life. I posted sticky-note reminders around the house. Some days I made lists I could check off and reread as evidence of progress.

Silly as it may sound, it gave me a lift to say (or whisper) "'Atta Girl" to myself at any evidences of change for the good. (It still does.)

We all need encouragement, every bit as much as a toddler who is learning to walk.

Lesson learned: Only later did I understand that prolonged effort and what seemed to be slow progress actually helped build my faith and inner strength.

One step at a time

It's both encouraging and discouraging to realize there is no one perfect method to change. How could there be? Each of us is a one-of-a-kind creation. Some of us work through our challenges by talking with a friend or family member, while others thrive with the help of a pastor or professional counselor.

What I write here is simply how it worked for me. It sounds basic because it is.

First I had to promise myself I would concentrate on what is good and hopeful and not get hung up on the "what ifs" that popped up along the way.

Over time I learned how to "switch channels" and now when I slip up, it's not long before I'm back on track.

Other learnings as time went on

As any parent knows, our children are not carbon copies of us, which shows up early on. Most of us aim to learn and grow and adapt as we go. We made/make mistakes because we're in training. Our overall goal is to understand and work with the children God gives us.

Before we know it our kids are adults and they appreciate being treated as such. We often want to help and share what we learned from our own lives. Maybe they'll be glad for that, maybe not. Then what?

Lesson learned: It's good to take a step back and remind ourselves what we love and admire in them and in their choices. We need to be sure to let them know this, too. Often.

Avoid leaping to conclusions

Thanks to the Internet we can look up every nuance of everything, including ever little twinge or ache or upset we might encounter. Once we read all the awful outcomes this might indicate we sink into fear and alarm. All this before we go to the ER or see our doctor.

How do I know? Been there, done that.

No more. Overall I try to do what I can to stay healthy and get medical care when needed. I thank God every day for my "ordinary abilities" like being able to see and hear and all the rest. I never want to take that for granted.

Most of all, I trust that God is watching over me.

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.   2 Timothy 1:7

Concentrating on what's good in life is not new thinking

Here are a few lines from a piece called "Salutation to the Dawn," written in about 2500 B.C., author unknown:

For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow only a vision,
But today well lived makes every yesterday
a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

For me, the best advice about living in the present always is this, from Psalm 118:24:

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

"Let us … ." We can choose to rejoice and be glad in each day and what the day brings. Whatever comes, we have the power to choose how we look at our lives.

So let's forget about the flyspecks. The ceiling is not where we live.

Let's live in the day we're in and decide to be glad in it!

Still learning,

Lenore

Get Your Eyes Off That “Flyspeck” and Live!

April 25, 2024
Like it or not, you and I live our lives onstage, every bit as much as any public figure or show biz performer.

You might laugh at that, but think about it. Even if we live alone, we interact with other people, whether by phone or text or email. Our words and our tone create a mental image for the receiver.

Or the casual observer. Like me, the day I waited to check out in a big box store behind a woman and her daughter, perhaps age eight or nine. The girl waited patiently while her mother wrote a check.

As the mom picked up her bag she paused and said to the checker. "Wait a minute. I bought five things, but I think you only charged me for four. Would you please look over my bill and find what I owe you?"

The twentyish clerk glanced over the shoppers behind me and replied, "But, Ma'am, you already wrote out your check. You'd have to tear it up and we'd have to start over. I really think you paid for all five."

I couldn't help noticing their faded but clean clothing. Nevertheless, this woman held her head up, and fixed her attention on the checker and calmly refused the offer. "I can't take something home if I haven't paid for it. Please figure out which one got missed, and I'll pay cash for that one item."

People behind me had stopped talking. I guessed they were watching, too. The clerk sighed, then compared price tags and the cash register receipt. Finally she said, "It's the most expensive one: $12.99."

The mom said, "Okay," and dug around in her well-worn purse for some wrinkled bills and a handful of coins, all the while explaining to her daughter what was going on. Soon the two were on their way out of the store.

Judging by the clerk's look of disbelief I suspect she later recounted this exchange to others. No doubt at least a few onlookers did, too.

That shopper so easily could have taken the freebie and run

This mom judged something more important than dollars and cents and her quiet firmness communicated a lot about her. She won't need to lecture her daughter about honesty. She lived it out as her daughter watched and listened, probably not for the first time. She also set an example for those of us who were waiting our turn.

Isn't that the best kind of parenting–and teaching?

Later I thought of an Albert Einstein quote I heard years earlier and never forgot:

"Example isn't another way to teach,

it is the only way to teach."

We are not who we say we are. We are what we live

One thing is sure. That woman gifted her daughter with a lesson about honesty she likely won't forget.

Words always matter, but actions count even more. Ask any parent, children keep track of every disconnect between what their parents (and those in authority) say and what they do. Even as adults.

Who we are and what we do carries more weight than our words spoken to them. Every time.

Nobody's perfect

Not even that mom in the big box store, nor any human being. Life can be hard, no doubt about it. After awhile we can feel overwhelmed and hope evaporates.

Christians believe help is available at any time. Jesus used an everyday illustration to explain to his followers they were "grafted" into him by faith, so they could draw on his strength within them.

(Jesus said) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NIV

God's promises for his people run through all through the Bible.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I know nothing about that mom in the big box store except what I witnessed that day, but I admire her. Her quiet confidence seemed to illustrate that her actions that day were nothing out of the ordinary for her. She was authentic.

Isn't that what we all long for in the people around us?

Let's resolve to be authentic, to make sure our words and our actions are in harmony. After all, we never know who might be watching or listening in our own family or circle of friends.

Or even some stranger behind us in the checkout line.

Growing, too,

Lenore

Your Audience Is Watching

April 11, 2024
Some of us know anxiety like the back of our hands, the low-level uneasiness that never settles down.

Take a nap, take a walk, take a pill, it's still there. Sometimes we blame it on current events or relationships or family situations. Other times we can't figure out a cause for the nagging sense that something "isn't right."

Could the root cause of our unrest be a matter of the soul?

Easter, when Jesus set things right between God and us

But first came Christmas and what the angels announced to the shepherds:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Jesus, true God and true man, was born as a human infant.

When Jesus was about thirty years old he began to teach and preach about God the Father and about the reason he was born.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Jesus gave his life for you and me, to pay the price for all the ways we fail to live the way God would have us live. That is, to live a perfect life in thought, word, or deed.

It cost Jesus everything. All it costs us is to let go of our easy skepticism and truly investigate God's written word.

Primary source material abounds. Just read the eyewitness accounts found in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The record doesn't stop there

Several respected historians of the time described the same events. One was Josephus, a well-researched and respected Jewish historian, who lived from 37-100 AD. He wrote "Jewish Antiquities" in 93 AD. Here are some excerpts from that book.

(Jesus) "a wise man … who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly … Pilate had condemned him to a cross … He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him … And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared." –Book 18, Ch. 3, part 3.

Josephus, like all historians, recorded facts, names and places. These historical accounts prove it's no myth that a man called Jesus lived and died on the cross, then three days later, he rose again to life.

What then? After that the risen Jesus, fully alive, showed himself to believers (Acts 1:3). He wanted them to know for sure that he was not a spirit or a ghost, but truly a human being. They touched him and Jesus talked with them. He ate ordinary meals with them.

After forty days he ascended to Heaven to sit at the Father's right hand.

The cross was God's way out for you and me

Our loving God knew we human beings cannot live an absolutely holy life because we all fail, all the time, even with our best efforts. We can't even live up to our own good resolutions.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

That's why Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to willingly die in our place.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus died so we can live free from guilt and fear of punishment and hell.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

He did it all for you and me, so we could have eternal life, life that never ends.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

What now?

Once again we find the answers in the Bible.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 6:23

When we confess our sin to God, we hand over all our failures and mistakes and uncertainties. All of it. And we are to leave it there.

Because Jesus died in our place, our loving Father answers, "What sins? My only Son paid your debt in full. My dear child, I love you."

It's as if God looks at us through one of those lenses equipped with a filter and sees only his perfect Son.

We can swap anxiety for peace. For good

Jesus living within us means we are never left alone to fear what comes next. Not even death, because we know that's not the end of our story, either.

This is only the beginning of the good stuff.

So let the anxiety go. Take a deep breath and relax. Let yourself believe in Jesus as your Savior, knowing he will not deny you. Feel the peace of being loved and accepted by God, without any ifs, ands or buts.

Next time anxiety comes knocking, turn your mind to the chorus of the beautiful old hymn, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

Happy Easter! May you know the lasting the deep-down peace and joy of knowing and trusting Jesus Christ as your forever friend and Savior.

I'm praying for you, gentle reader,

Lenore

Swap Anxiety for Peace That Lasts

March 28, 2024
If you're a second-guesser like me, you wonder why we keep replaying what we should have said or done.

I got new insight the day I once again recited my failures–real and imagined–to my friend "Connie."

She interrupted me with, "Cut that out already!"

Then Connie smiled and told me how she stopped second-guessing herself. "Russ and I have three kids and we've moved around a lot. Early days I wasted too much time fretting about all the ways I coulda/shoulda/woulda been a better person.

"If I bawled out my tale of woe to Russ, hoping for sympathy, he would hug me and say, 'Aww, just let it go, Hon. It's no big deal.' Most of the time he was right.

"Still, I couldn't stop myself. Then another friend shared how she managed to stop dredging up times she wondered if she had said or done the wrong thing.

"She said talking to herself helped. Every morning she spoke Philippians 4:6-7 aloud and asked God to help her live out those verses. Whenever old regrets taunted her, she deliberately turned her thoughts back to those verses. Little by little she gave up blaming herself for being like every other human being who ever lived: Imperfect."

Finding help

Later I read those Bible verses more slowly and let them play in my mind–and heart. It sounds too simple, but I felt more at peace after that. Here's Philippians 4:6-7 from the NIV:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Even now, the hardest of all for me is to leave my burden with God, so this verse speaks to me too:

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 NIV

Forget overnight transformation

By now I've relearned this lesson often and my perspective on life has changed. I spend way less time on useless replays. If I do start second-guessing myself, I turn to Philippians 4:6-7 to recover my calm and peace.

These same verses from The Message paraphrase broaden our understanding of what the Apostle Paul meant:

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Be patient with yourself

I long to tell you I am perfectly calm, day after day, but not yet. Still, I have changed.

Any time I catch myself replaying what is behind me I turn it over to my loving Father and say something like, "Sorry, I blew it again. Lord, help me leave the past in the past. Let me be done with all this angst."

Whenever the nagging thoughts resurface, I repeat the Philippians verses already mentioned and of course, Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers (and sisters,) whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ESV

Think on these things

Whatever else is happening–or not happening–in our lives, we can only find the good if we look for it and fix our thoughts on Jesus instead of ourselves.

The bottom line, of course, remains the same. When we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are forgiven for all our failures, all our sins. Period.

That's why we can trust promises like Romans 8:28:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.

Anytime we catch ourselves worn out from running on our mental hamster wheel of regret, it's time to call a halt. For most of us, our failures in living are more likely an annoyance than a crisis. In other words, they are not worth all the drama.

Loving the adventure of life,

Lenore

Simplify Your Life: Be Done with Old Failures

March 22, 2024
A lot of people spend a lot of time wondering about the "If Onlys" of life:

    If only I could meet the right person and fall in love, then all my dreams would come true …

    If only we had better communication then our relationship would be perfect …

   If only we had a baby then our marriage would be stronger …

    If only we earned more money …

   If only we had a bigger/newer/nicer house in a better neighborhood, then life would be perfect …

    If only our children were through school and had good jobs and were married to the right people then I could stop worrying about them …

     If only I had the body I used to have …

    If only growing older weren't so scary …

    If only … then …

    If only …

    If …

There's a term for that: "Mythical thinking"

That's how some mental health professionals label it. Mythical thinking keeps us dreaming of a place where everyone and everything is–or could be–perfect.

Here's the problem. When we spend too much time daydreaming about Make Believe Land it's as if we put on blinders that shut out the sweet reality of our lives:

The beauty all around us, God's intricate creation.

The small, kind gestures of people in our lives. (Like the stranger who held open the heavy door when we were balancing shopping bags.)

The fun of watching our children grow into themselves, little by little over the years.

You and I weren't born wearing blinders

We pick them and put them on all by ourselves.

It can start with spending too much time reading other people's posts on the Internet, the ones that show their "perfect lives."

In the blink of an eye, joy flies out the window.

The thought and energy we invest on what could be/should be better takes us out of the day we're living. We risk becoming what I heard described years ago as, "Living a life fenced in on all four sides by the perpendicular pronoun, 'I.'"

That can blind us to God's daily blessings to us, large and small. We miss out on the joy of them and likely won't even think to say, "Thank you, Lord."

When we fixate on ourselves and our lives we miss a lot. We forget to encourage people around us with smiles and a few good words, such as: "Thanks!" "Good for you!" "I'm so proud of you!"

Some of us are thinking, Yes, but this is me and I don't know how to change. What am I supposed to do about that?

First comes being willing to be willing to change. With choosing to live in the now and to love in the now.

How do I start?

We always choose the outlook we put on. What God said to the Israelites applies to us, too:

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

Any time at all we can ask for help from the One who never takes His loving eyes off us:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Any time our past failings threaten to overwhelm us, the One who makes all things new is waiting:

If anyone is in Christ he (or she) is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.   2 Corinthians 5:17

What does it mean to be "in Christ?"

There's no big list of requirements here. When we trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and aim to live by that faith, we are "in Christ."

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

That's the starting place and the ending place.

So how can one be happy, whatever comes?

Choose life! Choose to be alive in the moment and to see all the ways God has been–and is–blessing you.

Choose to be in Christ and know true inner peace. Nothing and no one else can bring deep-down joy that fills in your empty places.

This is not me, preaching to you. This is me sharing what countless millions of us over the centuries know to be true.

God bless you, my invisible reader friend,

Lenore
What would it take to make you happy?

March 12, 2024