Category: Worry

We seldom think about the messages we send the world, but we should.

I got a shocking reminder of that truth one day when I was out shopping. A smiling white-haired lady who looked a bit like my late grandmother put her hand on my shoulder and said, "Aw, Honey, it can't be that bad."

I stared at her in confusion and said, "Excuse me? I don't know what you mean."

Eyes twinkling, she smiled and said, "Well, I noticed you look like you lost your last friend. I just want you to know whatever the trouble is, you'll get through it and it helps to smile. That's all.

"Now you take care of yourself, Sweetie. Whatever's going on with you, it's just life. Sometimes life is hard, but you can do hard, I know you can. You'll be okay."

I thanked her for caring, still mystified.

Then I passed a mirror–and stopped short. She was right. I did look grim.

Do you ever do that?

That day I realized I probably wore that face more often than I knew. Whether I label it "concentration" or "preoccupied," that face was not a good idea.

First, because pinching up one's face leads to (gasp!) wrinkles.

Second, because what people read on our faces affects their moods.

Third, because if we say we have the joy and peace of Jesus, we'd better look as if we do. Otherwise our words of faith sound empty.

Fourth–and just as important–it's not fair to the people in our world.

As someone said, we owe the world a happy face

Why? Because you and I affect the people around us. Our families. Our co-workers. Strangers in stores.

Each of them is walking around and dealing with their lives and their problems, which may be all they can manage at the moment. Why should they have to dredge up strength to keep from "catching" our bad moods?

If you're a mom or dad you probably know that when we parents crackle with tension our kids walk on tiptoe around us.

And if we live in Tension City our children pattern the behavior as the way to live. Our uptight way of coping with life becomes their "normal."

Yes, but "Nobody knows the trouble I seen . . . "

That old spiritual speaks truth, doesn't it? No one can know or feel exactly what another person is living with. As the song says, nobody knows our hurt and pain but Jesus, who says:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 ESV

"Heavy laden." Don't we feel that way sometimes?

The NIV translates that verse:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Whether we're feeling overworked and over-stressed, weighed down by cares or stuck in a situation we cannot change, He can give us rest.

It's the only rest that lasts.

Eight hours of sleep or a nap refreshes temporarily, but deep-down rest for our hearts can be found only one place. In Jesus.

Life. It will wear us down, but Jesus lifts us up. Always.

The key is to turn our thoughts and our hearts to Him instead of getting mired in the problem-of-the-moment.

He's the One who carries us through each day on His shoulders, who turns our mourning into dancing.

(Jesus said) "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 ESV

If we keep our eyes on Him we can be at peace, even during the hard times–and our faces will show it.

As that kindly lady in the store put it, "Whatever's going on with you, it's just life. Sometimes life is hard, but you can do hard, I know you can."

My friend, you can do hard, I know you can.

I wish you peace and joy in Jesus, today and every day,

Lenore
Be careful what your facial expression broadcasts

October 17, 2022
In this ever-churning world, how do we stay calm?

Years ago, during one of our weekly family trips to our public library, I picked up a book with an enticing title: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie.

Once I started reading it, his use of one phrase grabbed hold of me:

"Live in day-tight compartments."

Five unremarkable words, yet they kept playing in my mind. Later I realized they echo Psalm 118:24, which I learned as a child:

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

I had repeated those beautiful words many times, but for whatever reason, they had not yet "sunk in."

This time, they did and changed the way I looked at life.

Life sometimes seems like too much to handle

Those five words hit me because they so neatly summed up what I needed to do. At the time, I was a busy young wife and mom who seldom sat down and never, ever got through my To Do list.

Don't get me wrong. Our life brimmed with joy and hard work and the blessed sound of four little girls giggling. I loved my husband and our kids with all my heart.

I had everything to be thankful for–and I truly was–but I often felt overwhelmed.

In quiet moments that nuisance inner voice whispered, "Are you sure you have what it takes? What about all you have to do tomorrow? And next week? And what will you do when all these girls become teenagers?"

Outwardly, I smiled. Inwardly, I low-level simmered with self-doubt.

Finding a new perspective

"Live in day-tight compartments" showed me a better way to think.

Carnegie used the analogy of an ocean liner, in which the captain shuts off any leaking compartments to keep the vessel afloat.

The rest of us can live that way, too, he says over and over.

Here's how. We close the door on yesterday and its failures, as deliberately as we shut the door to a room. Then–just for today–we block out our "what ifs" and fears and worries about the future.

That leaves this day, the one we actually are living in, the one the Lord has given us. From this 24 hours we determine to squeeze out every drop of joy and satisfaction.

What about problems and troubles? Carnegie promises any of us can deal with anything for one day. What sinks us is wondering how we will get through tomorrow and the day after that.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized he spoke truth. It sounded too simple, but then, great truths often are.

Jesus said it first

Remember the Sermon on the Mount? In Matthew, chapters 5-7, Jesus addressed the crowds. His words come loaded with wisdom for living, like:

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 NIV

Jesus taught this centuries before Carnegie's "day-tight compartments." His words imply we are to leave our "woulda, coulda, shouldas" in the past, as well, simply because they are history.

As for our nameless fears about the future, they don't belong in this day, either. Deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.

Substitute prayer for worry

Prayer is simply talking to God, openly sharing what's on our hearts, giving him the whole load of it. The goods, the bads and yes, sometimes the uglies of it.

For many of us, prayer weaves through every part of our lives.

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

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

I learned a lot from books but oh, so much more from spending time in the Bible and participating in good Bible studies. I discovered treasures like Philippians 4:5-7, which I copied onto a sticky note and posted it on my bathroom mirror. Here, it's from the J. B. Phillips paraphrase:

Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.

Trust-worthy words that can change your life

If you're looking for words with power to change your life and give you peace, turn to the Bible.

Skeptics and naysayers have challenged and ridiculed and argued about it on all sides, yet the Bible endures over the centuries. What's more, no one has found any errors in it. In fact, recent findings by today's archaeologists simply back up the dates and facts as given.

Perhaps you've tried to read it, but didn't or couldn't understand.

Try again. Ask God to open your understanding, then start with the Gospel of Matthew or the Gospel of John. Take your time, but stick with reading it–and I promise, it will get easier.

If you have a smart phone or computer you can download the Bible through one of the many Holy Bible apps that offer the NIV or ESV translations, as well as others. Then you will hear the text, word-for-word all through the Bible, read by excellent narrators.

What next? Live out biblical truths as best you can and trust the Holy Spirit to gently change you from the inside out so that you will feel peace and calm within. Find a church where the Bible is front-and-center and held up as God's Truth, without error and reliable, and where you feel the joy as people of faith come together.

Will you still have questions and struggles? Probably, either ongoing or from time to time, because life goes on and none of us is perfect. Will they swamp your "boat?"

Never. You'll keep growing and you will notice less stress within.

Self-help vs. faith-on-the-grow

Carnegie and countless other writers teach principles and techniques. They tell us we have control over our thoughts and attitudes, not vice versa.

The trouble is, each one maintains that WE can change ourselves if we just try hard enough.

The truth is, we all need help and inner change is an inside job.

The Bible tells us again and again that when we trust in Jesus, his Holy Spirit in our hearts gently changes us from the inside out. Changes us for real.

Jesus said in John 10:10b:

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." NIV

Consider the Bible a storehouse filled with good words for living. Words that can transform your life because they testify of God's grace in Jesus Christ, the Savior.

By now I've lived long enough to know this goes way beyond theory. This is truth. Take these words to heart, my friend, and be at peace.

God bless you,

Lenore

To raise your quality of life, start with these five words

August 5, 2021
Have you "had it up to here" with all things connected with the Covid 19 pandemic?

Most of us would shout, "Yes!"

Collectively and individually, we need a lift. Something like a catchy song that gets us all singing along and tapping our feet to its rhythm would help. That's what Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer gave our Nation in 1944.

Exhausted Americans were scraping bottom. World War II had dragged on since the December 7, 1941, surprise bombing raid on U.S. Navy ships docked at Pearl Harbor.

All men between the ages of 21 and 45 already were registered for the draft, so thousands immediately were called to serve in the Armed Forces. With men off to war, women went to work in their place. Workers were needed now because the War Department issued continuing demands for heavy equipment and weapons of all kinds.

Nobody could–or would–predict when the War might end.

Needs of the Military came first

Civilians lived with rationing of everything from butter to meats to coffee to gasoline and tires. Homes in every block had small white flags in their front windows, each with stars. One star for each family member serving in the Armed Forces, red stars for the living, gold stars for the dead.

No Internet. No cell phones. No TV. Letters written by military personnel stationed overseas could take months to arrive.

Hearts were sad and desperation was setting in. Would this War never end?

That's when Arlen and Mercer came out with "Accentuate the Positive." This song caused Americans–wherever they were–to smile and remember that no matter how dark it looked they still retained the ability to seek out and focus on the light.

Call it a prescription for staying positive

Lyrics of the chorus give specific instructions:

Accentuate the positive

Eliminate the negative

Latch on to the affirmative

Spread joy up to the maximum

Bring gloom down to the minimum

With its snappy rhythms and happy lyrics, this song quickly proved a great morale-booster. Radios and jukeboxes played it over and over. In no time, everyone from Granny to Junior to G.I. Joe was singing along.

The right words could do the same for us

A lot of us are weary to the bone of one thing or another. We worry about our kids and we worry about jobs and money and what will happen next. Right now we've added all our fears concerning Covid 19.

Each of us has our own list of what keeps us churning and tense.

Suppose we turned our attention to what's good in the people we love and live around and refused to give in to discouragement.

Suppose we tried a better strategy. Imagine if we look for times they show kindness, unselfishness, or other character traits we want to see more of–and then tell them that makes our heart glad.

Married or single, at any age, we set the tone for our lives. Always, we choose what we emphasize.

It's as the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8:

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worth of praise. NLT

(Do you think the songwriters took their cue from this verse?)

More truths to refill our tanks

Sometimes we may feel we have nothing left to give.

What helps most is to fill our minds with God's Truth, the Bible. Look for verses that seem just right for what's needed at the moment.

These three verses have been well-loved by Christians for centuries. Commit them to memory and you'll have them with you any time, anywhere

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 NIV

By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me–a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 41:42 NIV

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 NIV

If you wonder why I so often write about our thoughts, it's because this is one of my weaknesses. Getting "down" takes no effort at all.

Staying optimistic does.

Life has taught me to be watchful over my moods and to deliberately pick out what's good in my life, then thank God for it.

You might say I try to "Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive."

Still learning,

Lenore

P.S. Here's a YouTube of Perry Como singing it–and sorry if ads show up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gifkCgoJ7SY
Are you yearning for something to lift your mood?

February 3, 2021
Many of us wake up every morning feeling anxious and drag our load of uneasiness to bed with us, too.

No wonder. Every day "they" announce some new reason to be afraid.

Disturbing news seeps into our awareness, even though we think we're tuning it out. "What ifs" buzz around in our minds like pesky gnats, hatching into fears for our children and ourselves.

This isn't the first time cause for anxiety slithered into our world, it's just the most recent display. Perhaps you, too, have wondered how fear got such a hold on our culture. I think Oswald Chambers, who wrote My Utmost for His Highest, explained it best:

"When you fear God, you fear nothing else. When you don't fear God, you fear everything."

Fear of God means standing in awe of who he is and what he can do

The Bible makes it plain:

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!) "I am the Lord, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:18 ESV

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 ESV

In our "enlightened times" the very idea of God and even more, of Jesus as the Savior of the world, seems to have been declared irrelevant.

Thank God individuals still can profess their faith and some we see and hear on our screens regularly do so, but that's a small percentage of the whole.

Looking for peace in all the wrong places

None of us are immune to fear. It's part of being human.

If you're having sleep problems, you have lots of company. Physical therapists report most patients complain of tight shoulders and neck problems. Why? Because that's where so many of us unconsciously hold our tension.

Even the calmest among us will admit to an underlying low-level sense of concern that won't leave.

That's why we need to remind ourselves over and over that ultimate power rests in God's hand, not with Covid.

Here's what Jesus told his followers–and if we're Christians, this includes us

"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, nor let them be afraid." John 14:27 ESV

The Apostle Paul had every reason in the world to be anxious, but he told the Philippians in Chapter 4:6-7 ESV:

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.

His peace in our hearts and minds is ours for the taking. But here's the question: Are we willing to give up feeling anxious?

That sounds like an odd question, but for some individuals, living all churned up with anxiety means feeling more alive. More in touch with their emotions and with what's going on in the world, a bit more sensitive than people around them who don't seem as troubled.

More faith verses

Some of us grew up believing we shouldn't "mark up" our Bibles. Once I broke free of that lie I discovered what a joy it is to underline verses that speak to my heart, verses like these.

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 NIV

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:1 NIV

When I am afraid I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. Psalm 56:5-6 NIV

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 NIV

You gotta put the good stuff in if you want to get the good stuff out

That folksy sense saying applies in all of life, especially to our minds.

Adult or child, what we feed our minds is what we live out.

Always, always, the greatest answer for troubled hearts is found in John 3:16-17.

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.

Filling our minds with thoughts of God's mercy in sending Jesus to be our Savior is the remedy that shrinks our deepest fears and fills us with calm.

Even if. Even when. Even though.

Lovingly,

Lenore

Helps to staying calm in fearful times

July 1, 2020
Sometimes a look back helps us take courage for today, especially when it reminds us that God watches over us, too. Here's one to lift your spirits.

On a cold winter morning, January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia Airport.

Almost immediately the plane hit a large flock of geese, which disabled both engines. Pilots and everyone watching knew they had only minutes to find a place to land.

Only one possibility existed, the frigid Hudson River.

Every watcher agreed the crew and all 155 passengers would surely die, either inside the sinking plane, or by drowning or hypothermia. Rescuers simply could not reach them in time.

Yet every person on the plane made it out and lived.

Reporters breathlessly recounted what they called "the miracle on the Hudson." The name stuck.

Survivors never doubted the truth of that catchy slogan. No "expert" could explain what kept that plane afloat long enough for the rescue.

The same two loving, powerful hands hold us

Rex Babin's cartoon in The Sacramento Bee illustrates a great truth for every believer.

The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

Day after day our Heavenly Father watches over us–and our loved ones–with the same tender care depicted in this cartoon.

By faith we know that's true.

On good days it's easier to feel the warmth of his smile and His love for us.

But when the bottom drops out of our world

We may forget and take our eyes off Jesus when trouble comes.

These are extraordinary times. It's as if we've been dropped into this Covid-19 pandemic and we're wondering how we got here. We want to gather with those we love and hug them close, but we're not supposed to leave our homes.

"Social distancing" leaves us without the human closeness that helps reassure us.

Instead we have tragedy and fear and scary numbers, over and over and over. And we can't help wondering, will our family members survive? Will we?

What will happen afterward–and what will life look like then?

No one can say and we quake within, wondering. But our loving Father says,

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 41:1

Our call is to keep trusting, whatever comes.

Counter fear with Truth

It helps to take time reading God's written word, the Bible, and plant his truths in our minds and hearts.

Repeating verses aloud can help us get through whatever comes. Remembering them when we wake with a racing heart helps quiet our anxiety.

You probably have your own favorites. Here are some of mine, all NIV unless noted.

Cast all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

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

Our loving Father holds each of us safe and secure. And because of Jesus, he looks at us with love.

Yes, that goes beyond our human understanding–and it's meant to, for He is Almighty God and we are only human.

Today and every day, may you know His peace.

Lenore

Verse Concepts

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

– See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-Faithfulness-Of#sthash.mZBd0t36.dpuf

Lamentations 3:22-23

Verse Concepts

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

– See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-Faithfulness-Of#sthash.mZBd0t36.dpL

How every day of our lives is our own “miracle on the Hudson”

April 17, 2020
Here's a quote that's familiar to most of us:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, … "

–A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

That sounds a lot like our time, don't you think?

Add in daily reports of hatred, killings and accusations.

Overseas. In cities all across the land. In our state. Our city.

Maybe even next door.

We worry over our lives, too. There's that funny-looking mole. The cough that won't go away. Dizzy spells that hit out of nowhere. Rumors of cutbacks at work. The ongoing problems of one of our children.

Small wonder we're jolted out of sleep with hearts pounding and a trembling case of the "What ifs."

What do we do with our fears?

Whatever our temperament, there's only antidote that works. One that lasts.

It's remembering Whose we are. If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, it means we are the beloved children of the Everlasting God.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he (Jesus) gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 ESV

Children of the same God who said in Isaiah 41:10:

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. NIV

So we give our fears to the Lord and simply trust.

Again.

And again.

As often as necessary.

That's what Dr. Kent Brantly did when stricken with Ebola during the outbreak in Africa several years ago

Brantly served with Samaritan's Purse in Liberia. It might seem a person who gives their life to serve God and people in hard circumstances might have the right to scream, "But I'm serving you, Lord! This is not fair!"

Not Brantly. He was flown to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, treated and recovered. Upon his release, Dr. Brantly described how he felt after being diagnosed:

"As I lay in my bed in Liberia for the following nine days, getting sicker and weaker each day, I prayed that God would help me to be faithful even in my illness, and I prayed that in my life or in my death, He would be glorified . . . "

Clearly, Kent Brantly never doubted God's love for him.

Neither did David, who wrote most of the Psalms. He often faced dangers on all sides, yet he wrote:

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.   Psalm 4:8 NIV

Let faith drive out fear

Kent Brantly and the psalmist David were heroes of faith, but also human beings who knew the taste of fear. So do you and I.

I've learned there is no better ammunition for fighting fear than talking to our Heavenly Father and reading The Bible.

This is the time to underline verses that speak to your heart and reassure you. Say them aloud and pray to understand what they mean. Make notes in the margins of your Bible or write the date you realized particular verses "fit" you.

Don't let it stop there. Speak them to yourself whenever fears bedevil you. Or in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep.

When we fasten our attention on Scripture God's peace will displace fear.

Here are a few of my favorite verses:

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 NIV

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.–Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

(Jesus said) "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. –John 14:27 (NIV)

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. —2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

By the way, this isn't something reserved for 3 a.m. jitters. Trust me, these verses can soothe our spirits any hour of the day.

All it takes is not LETTING our hearts be troubled, because we know Who's really in charge and we know Whose we are.

Still learning and growing, too,

Lenore

How can we stay upbeat in a downbeat world?

November 6, 2019
Sometimes problems crowd in on us, don't they? That makes it a good time to remind ourselves about a few of the individuals who actually faced the big hurdles.

You probably know of Joni Eareckson Tada, who as a teenager was paralyzed from the neck down in 1967 when she dove into a too-shallow lake and broke her neck. During her initial bout with depression she found a deeper faith in God and also a new calling. She speaks to groups, does television interviews, has authored fourteen books and is a fine artist. God has used her to bless countless people with or without physical challenges. (Google her name to learn about the organization she founded, Joni & Friends, a resource and advocacy organization in the disability community.)

History is full of overcomers who chose to keep going instead of giving up. One man, raised in extremely humble circumstances, became a storekeeper and went broke. After that he ran for office and lost election after election. We know that "failure" as Abraham Lincoln.

How about the student labeled "mediocre" in chemistry, whom we know as Louis Pasteur, the scientist?

Or a boy called "too stupid to learn," who went on to develop the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. Albert Einstein became known as the father of modern physics and was one of the most prolific minds in human history.

Then there's the boy called dull and hopeless, who flunked the sixth grade, the one we know as Winston Churchill.

Tell a youngster who loves to sketch and draw that he has no talent. He surprises everyone by growing up to become famous as Walt Disney.

Take a couple who survived a Nazi concentration camp and feel their pain when he is paralyzed from the waist down at age four. They could not know their boy would grow up to become internationally acclaimed concert violinist, Itzhak Perlman, who consistently plays to sellout crowds.

Could a person born with cerebral palsy who never managed to speak clearly ecome a minister and a much-in-demand public speaker? Ask David Ring, who speaks to over 100,000 people every year at conventions, in churches and at gatherings. His recurrent line is, "What's your problem?" (Google his name if you want to know more about him and hear the details of his story.)

I read a list like this and ask myself, "What's your problem?"

Suddenly everyday frustrations shrink to their proper place.

After all, peace does not come from problem-free living. Once again the Apostle Paul says it best, in Philippians 4:7:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Here's to joy-in-the-midst,

Lenore

Here’s proof that labels and diagnoses need not define a life

July 26, 2011
Are you troubled, convinced the world is a mess and there is no hope, no beauty?

Feast your eyes on God's handiwork one recent spring in a California canyon somewhere near San Luis Obispo.

(Sorry, photographer unknown.)

I've loved this photo since I first saw it. I can't imagine a better visual for what Jesus said in Luke 12, starting at verse 22.

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes . . . Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Maybe you suffer from the same malady as I. Worry. Oh, I can call it something nicer, but really, it's worry.

When I look at wildflowers, as in this photo, I feel the tightness in my shoulders ease up. The One who splashes these remote hills with extravagant beauty tenderly cares for all His creation.

That includes you and me.

Whatever we are dealing with today, we are not alone. The weight of the world does not rest on our shoulders. Count on it. His mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:21-16)

Every day mercies and blessings surround us.

Are we looking for them?

Here's to having eyes to see,

Lenore

Find peace of mind despite the scarcity of hope

May 14, 2011