Category: New Year

  • Whether we greet the morning with a grin or a groan, every dawn propels us into the unknown

    All we know for sure is what yesterday looked like. But this day? Who knows?

    Some of us consider our life to be good, others not so much. Perhaps our circumstances seemed right at the start and then our life took a turn we never imagined. Or wanted.

    Does that make us powerless? 

    I say No. Why would I/how could I say that?

    Because we still choose how we will handle what comes. Will we live with fear? Or with calm? Without fail, we get to decide. 

    I didn’t always understand that. Then I ran across a Dale Carnegie quote that made me think. After reading it once, I read it again, a couple of times. Aloud. Slowly.

    “Two men looked out from prison bars, One saw the mud, the other saw stars.”

    For whatever reason, those words made me squirm. I heard that voice in my mind asking, What about me? What did I choose to see when I looked at my life?

    How often did I cheat myself of seeing the stars?

    Do our attitudes color our perception?

    Always, we are individuals, not peas in a pod with identical lives. Some people live in the middle of a hard situation that offers little or no hope of getting better, yet they remain cheerful, even calm. How?

    Like the prisoner who chose to look up at the stars, where we fix our attention greatly affects how we see our lives. How we think affects the people around us, too. That old saying, “If Mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy” also applies to Papa. Our moods trickle down to our children and to everyone in our lives.

    In this age of information overload we can’t escape hearing news reports and warnings, morning, noon and night. Often we struggle to keep fear from getting the upper hand.

    Even when life is good. Even when we believe in God.

    Everyone’s life story includes ups and downs

    Times when nothing seemed to work out right. Times we felt alone and comfortless. Even strong Christians can feel weak and empty now and then.

    Yet through it all we believe God has not walked away from us and washed his hands of us.  

    Clearly, we are not the first to experience these emotions. Otherwise, why would the Bible include so much hope and reassurance? For example, check Isaiah 43:1-5; Psalm 139, especially verses 1-18; or John 14:27. 

    It helps to know where to find favorite Bible verses 

    Have you ever remembered part of a Bible verse, but not where to find it? Technology comes in handy here, even for us non-techies.

    Just enter the words you recall into any general search engine on your computer or smart phone. Almost instantly the complete verse and where to find it will appear on the screen. Sometimes the verse will pop up in several Bible translations. It’s easy to scroll through until you locate the one that matches what you’re trying to recall.

    Note: Even when one translation of the Bible varies from another, the core meaning of the text does not change. That traces back to the original texts, which all were written in Latin (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). 

    Feel free to mark up your printed Bible

    Long ago I started keeping track of verses by underlining them or marking them in some way. I started also keeping notes where to find them on the blank pages at the back of my Bible. My system was and is rather haphazard, but it works for me.

    Here are two verses I underlined years ago:   

    I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life …                                                                           –Deuteronomy 30:19-20

    The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.                                                                                                                           –Lamentations 3:22-23

    Never ceases. Never come to an end. New every morning. 

    Armed with reassurances like these you and I can prance into the unknown, unafraid. (And we will prance, won’t we?)

    Wishing you joy and peace,

    Lenore 

    Good news! Every Day Is A New Beginning

    Good news! Every Day Is A New Beginning

  • Maybe it's just me, but I sometimes feel ho-hum about life, even without specific complaints. How about you?

    Perking up would not be hard, that is, if I got serious and dug in.  

    Blog. Woman at calendar.12.18But within a week or so I always sink back into my comfortable rut and life goes on as before.

        (Sigh.)

    Then a simple way to make big changes dropped into my lap

    One January Sunday our pastor surprised us all. After ending his sermon he asked the ushers to pass out the blank index cards he'd given them earlier, one for each person present.

    Then he said, "It's time we all set priorities for the year ahead. But don't worry, I'll keep it simple.

    "First number your cards, 1, 2, 3, no more. Then in 15 words or less write not what you hope will happen or what you want to happen, but what you will do to make this a better year. Use action words so you can remember. Got it? Okay, you have five minutes. Go!"

     About minute four, I scribbled:

    1. See the good
    2. Speak the good
    3. Do the good

    (Yes, I know that's not good grammar.)

    When the timer beeped he said, "Stop! Take your card home and tape it up at eye level where you can't help seeing it. Then whenever you see that card, read your words aloud and ask God's help to carry them out.

    "Now let's pray: Lord, we cannot change on our own. Inspire each of us to put into action what you just planted in our minds. Make us faithful and bless our efforts, we pray. Amen."

    Later that day I taped my card on "my side" of our bathroom wall mirror, all the while thinking, End of story, I'll bet. 

    Or maybe not

    I decided to at least try, so over the next weeks every time I looked in the mirror I read my words again and prayed, "Lord, help me, please."

    I didn't expect much, but God surprised me. I could not shake those words. I heard them when another driver took the parking space I just spotted.

    Would I fuss and fume or would I see the good? After all, I had a few minutes to spare and a car to drive, thank God. Another parking place would open up, so why get bent out of shape?

    Those ten words drummed in my mind with relationships, too, as when my friend forgot we had arranged to meet for coffee and good talk. 

    When she called to apologize I could play the victim or I could see the good (she simply forgot.) I could speak the good ("Oh, it's all right. I know you have a lot on your mind right now.") I could do the good by setting another time to meet and telling her how much our friendship meant to me. 

    I found those simple phrases even affected chance encounters, as when a clerk seemed snippy.

    I could walk out angry, muttering my frustration. Or I could see the good, understanding the clerk might be distracted because of serious personal issues. I could do the good by smiling and speak the good by thanking her for her help.

    I left that card on the mirror all year because it reminded me how I wanted to live my life.

    And little by little, with God's help, I did change.

    Here we are with fresh new calendars for a fresh new year. How will we choose to live it? 

    Each of us will carry different burdens as we journey on and tough times may arise, but we are never alone. When we trust in Jesus He  promises to be with us, every moment of every day. 

    This year I want to remember words of strength like these:

    • Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  –1 Peter 5:7
    • So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  –Isaiah 41:10
    • I can do everything through him who gives me strength. —Philippians 4:13

    Why not try my simple "formula" for yourself?

    I'm no expert, but I pass on this "off the cuff" formula for one reason only. I know it can work if we take it to heart. (And I'm considering this a reminder/refresher for myself, too.)

    1. See the good
    2. Speak the good
    3. Do the good

    Wishing you all the best, dear readers, as we keep learning and growing together, 

    Lenore

    Tired of the “Same Old, Same Old” Day After Day?

  • Ahead of us lies the great unknown. Another 365 days of … what?

    Sometimes the steady stream of What-ifs seems like too much, doesn't it? We want to hunker down and wait for it to blow over.

    Blog. German Shepherd. 10.20Our friend "Jim" found out dogs can feel that way, too.

    During his growing-up years he loved to roam the California hills. One blue-sky Saturday he set off to go exploring. His faithful sidekick "Marley" tagged along at his heels.

    As they came over one hill Jim heard a high-pitched, unfamiliar drone. Marley heard it, too.

    The usually fearless German Shepherd crouched on the grass and refused to budge. No amount of coaxing or scolding could get him moving. 

    At last Jim gave up. The teenager picked up Marley and staggered over the next hill, where the noise barely registered.

    Only then would Marley resume walking on his own.

    You and I may wish we could do what Marley did

    If only we could refuse to budge.  

    We can't, of course, because we have responsibilities and people who need us. Need us to be strong, even when we're quaking with fear inside. 

    We survived 2020. Yay! But here we are, still living under restrictions, wearing masks and  washing our hands. Still wondering what comes next–and when.  

    Frankly, we are tired of this routine. We want to get past it and go on.

    And fear lurks everywhere because we don't know what comes next.

    But here's the thing: We never did. Neither did countless generations before us.

    Like them, we must take one step at a time, one day at a time, fully aware we cannot make it on our own.

    Like them, we're never left to get through all this on our own strength: 

    "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, for I myself will help you,' declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."  Isaiah 41:13-14

    Surprises along the way are guaranteed

    We know by experience we won't like some of them. No matter. We need to keep walking if we're to get through our days. 

    This calls for courage–and where do we get a dose of that? 

    For starters, look back to one dark night outside Bethlehem.

    The shepherds out on the hills outside Bethlehem were just living their usual lives, watching out for their sheep. Then one night, suddenly angels filled the skies, singing praises to God. The glory of the Lord shone around them and lit up the darkness with dazzling light. 

    The shepherds fell to their knees. Fearful. What could it mean?

    The angel's words to those humble men apply just as much to you and me today: 

    "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today . . . a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."    (from Luke 2)

    Fear and apprehension can turn to laughter, even in the night

    Once they heard and saw the angels the shepherds were filled with joy and rushed off to Bethlehem to see for themselves the Baby in the manger. They abandoned their sheep because their desire to see the Baby Jesus crowded out every other thought.  

    What if you and I had the same single-minded yearning to see and know Jesus? 

    Would it change the way we look at our lives and what we consider important? Would we leave fear behind? 

    "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  

    For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7

    Where is the darkness in your life?

    Every one of us has some sort of "darkness"–difficulty and struggle–in our life. We know by experience that times of calm usually don't last, that danger lurks just off the scene.

    Life is uncertain. All it takes is one false step. One drunk driver. One bad report from the doctor and our life could turn from happy to sad in an instant.

    So then how shall we cope with the uncertainty of being alive?

    The same as all the Christians who went before us, living one day after another, trusting God every step of the way. 

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

    Let's leave the shadows behind

    Because we know the Source of joy, we can live fearlessly. Joyously.

    The Bible tells us how.

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

    Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

    "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11 

    We can't know what lies ahead, but we can know God is faithful and His promises are true  

    Marley had an owner who loved him enough to carry him past what troubled him.

    We have so much more. We have Almighty God, our loving Father, who promises to never leave us alone and to strengthen us and carry us through whatever comes. 

    It is enough. 

    Count on it and be at peace,  

    Lenore

    Take your pick: Will you live scared? Or will you live at peace?

  • Here we are, with 2020 bearing down on us. The end of another decade.  What will we do with it?

    I've loved Christmas since I was a little girl singing and "saying my piece" for the Christmas Blog. Lighted star. 12.13program. I love the wreaths and the lights and all the happy frenzy.  

    Touching hearts and connecting. Remembering. Missing loved ones no longer with us.

    One minute it's laughter and hugs, the next it's tears. In this season all our emotions are right there at the surface. 

    Very soon we'll pack away the tenderness and the trappings of Christmas and get back to the business of life.

    Boxing up the tree and tangibles may make us sad, but that's all surface stuff. What we'll miss even more is setting aside our tender feelings and our willingness to be softer, more giving of ourselves and our time. 

    Why bother with Christmas lights and decorations?

    We never know how our Christmas gestures and traditions may touch someone's heart.

    Every year I think of another time, another place, when someone's Christmas star was just what I needed.

    At the time we knew we'd be moving on, but for a few years we had no clue where my husband's job would take us. To me it felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

    (Did I mention I'm not so good at waiting?)

    Each December 1st someone on a far distant hill would put up a lighted Christmas star so large I could see it clearly as I turned off the freeway and headed the mile or so toward home.

    Almost every time the sight of it would bring me to tears. Tears of gladness that despite all the commercial hoopla someone, somewhere, still cared about the Christ Child and the star that brought the shepherds running to Bethlehem.

    Tears of doubt and self-pity, too, I confess. I wanted to know what came next and I also knew I couldn't, so at last I'd ask God to give me patience and peace as we waited. 

    Somehow, by the time I reached home seeing that star would calm my heart. Most of all, it reminded me that Jesus Christ was born to bring us peace. 

    Even me.

    Even in the midst of not knowing.

    Truth is, none of us ever knows what comes next

    Our lives can be turned upside down in an instant. Most of us have lived it at some time.

    All it takes is a letter. A phone call. An unexpected–or expected–diagnosis or a test result we didn't want to hear.   

    You've heard that saying, "Life is fragile. Handle with care."

    The better maxim for us Christians would be, "Life is fragile, but we're safe in God's loving hands." 

    Our times are in his hands, remember?  (Psalm 31:15.)

    We can count on the One who knows the future

    Let's not pack away our joy along with the "Christmas stuff."

    Yes, we live in turbulent times and life may seem discouraging and dismal at times. Still, by this time most of us have figured out that we find what we look for. 

    Let's look for what's good instead of being on alert for what's wrong.

    Let's remember who we are–and more importantly, who God is.

    A verse to post on our mental bulletin boards and live by every day

    There's a reason why this Bible verse has been treasured for centuries:

    "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."       Jeremiah 29:11-12  NIV

    How about taking those words seriously as we start each new day?

    I can't think of a better way to keep the joy and peace of Christmas in our hearts 24/7, can you?

    Trusting along with you,

    Lenore 

    What if we took God at his word, every day of every year?