I can't get words off my mind..imagine that.
I've been pondering the WORD of God. That could mean His Son as it is written in John 1:1 or it could mean his Word in general. Proverbs are just as awesome to me as the proverbs my mother shared. (I've thought of more of them lately)
ANYWAY, some of the Proverbs that have jumped out at me are:
Prov. 19:21-Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Prov. 13:3-The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Prov. 13:14-The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death.
Maybe this is why I appreciate the words my mother collected and filed, and shared with us, and even more, the Proverbs in the Bible. There is much wisdom to be passed on.
I was thinking of some words spoken to me when I was young and how they have affected me for life. I was told once that my mouth and brain would be what I would need to rely on in life, because I sure was not coordinated.
I never felt comfortable in gym class or in the sports arena. Oh, I was good in the stands as I cheered the team on, BUT don't make me get out on a court of any kind and actually participate.
A relative, when I was in third grade, patted my tummy, and said, "My, aren't you getting to be a BIG girl!! From that point on, I was aware of my big tummy and my "larger than my sisters'" frame.
BUT, I've also had people tell me that I was so good at....., and boy, if you set your mind to doing this, it Will get done, and BOY, you made such a difference in that...
What a salve that was to my heart.
Seeing how others' words hurt or help me has caused me to pray that God would put a guard on my lips and that He would help me speak LIFE into the lives of others.
WORDS are so powerful. Be careful how you use them, and the tone that goes with them.
They can make a difference in someone's life.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
WORDS, Lots and lots of words
I am a WORDS person. Just come and visit and look around. I have words everywhere on my walls.
I love words of affirmation, words of truth, and I love to share my words, or stories with whomever will listen.
WELL, I have an I Spy today. (See my I Spy blog to be clued in on this concept)
It has to do with my words....
Don't ever think that what you say is not making a difference in the lives of those who are listening.
We may never know how we are affecting others. Sometimes we are allowed a glimpse. This is what happened on Monday.
I received a call from my daughter, Bethany. She said, "MOM, do you remember talking to a lady in the chiropractor's office a while ago? " Now, that is a vague question. Which lady in whose office how long ago?
She continued, "Well, you shared with her what I was doing and where I am working. You told her that the winery I work at is very beautiful. You told her about me and my passions. AND, today, because of your conversation, she called me and booked a wedding date for her daughter here at Park Farm winery. AMAZING, and she told Bethany the story.
Funny thing is that the Winery and my daughter live 2 hours to the southeast of us, the lady lives about an hour south, and I was in a Dr.'s office a half hour to the southwest of our home.
You never know how words will affect the things that are, will be, and could be...
Someone once told me that words shared (gossip, in particular) are like a bag of feathers thrown into the wind. To gather them again is impossible. You never know how far they will fly and where they will land, and what affect they will have on others; for the bad or the good.
I love words of affirmation, words of truth, and I love to share my words, or stories with whomever will listen.
WELL, I have an I Spy today. (See my I Spy blog to be clued in on this concept)
It has to do with my words....
Don't ever think that what you say is not making a difference in the lives of those who are listening.
We may never know how we are affecting others. Sometimes we are allowed a glimpse. This is what happened on Monday.
I received a call from my daughter, Bethany. She said, "MOM, do you remember talking to a lady in the chiropractor's office a while ago? " Now, that is a vague question. Which lady in whose office how long ago?
She continued, "Well, you shared with her what I was doing and where I am working. You told her that the winery I work at is very beautiful. You told her about me and my passions. AND, today, because of your conversation, she called me and booked a wedding date for her daughter here at Park Farm winery. AMAZING, and she told Bethany the story.
Funny thing is that the Winery and my daughter live 2 hours to the southeast of us, the lady lives about an hour south, and I was in a Dr.'s office a half hour to the southwest of our home.
You never know how words will affect the things that are, will be, and could be...
Someone once told me that words shared (gossip, in particular) are like a bag of feathers thrown into the wind. To gather them again is impossible. You never know how far they will fly and where they will land, and what affect they will have on others; for the bad or the good.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Ponderings
Some of mom and dad's quotes have been rattling around in my head this week. Tonight, we went to a basketball game that had little energy. The kids were playing the game, but not really playing it with their hearts in it. We talked about the push to excel, and succeed, and compete, and how things have changed over the years. It brought to mind what my dad used to say to us when we were young....You've got to "have alot of wanna" in order to get a lot done.
I mentioned that to the friends that were with us. One said that Michael Jordan said that "there are 3 types of people... those who wish they could get things done, those who want to get things done, and those who get things done."
My dad was also known for another quote. One day I was bemoaning the fact that I didn't have a boyfriend. He told me not to worry because "there is never a pot so crooked that you can't find a lid to fit"
Mom told us: "Haste makes waste"
"A stitch in time saves nine"
"If, at first, you don't succeed, try, try again"
"Never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today"
There are more. I will share them another day. It is getting late, and you know,
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
I better hit the sack. Sweet dreams, and "don't let the beddy bugs bite."
Oh, I miss my mom and dad.
I mentioned that to the friends that were with us. One said that Michael Jordan said that "there are 3 types of people... those who wish they could get things done, those who want to get things done, and those who get things done."
My dad was also known for another quote. One day I was bemoaning the fact that I didn't have a boyfriend. He told me not to worry because "there is never a pot so crooked that you can't find a lid to fit"
Mom told us: "Haste makes waste"
"A stitch in time saves nine"
"If, at first, you don't succeed, try, try again"
"Never put off until tomorrow, what you can do today"
There are more. I will share them another day. It is getting late, and you know,
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
I better hit the sack. Sweet dreams, and "don't let the beddy bugs bite."
Oh, I miss my mom and dad.
Iowa weather
I've lived here, in Iowa, all of my life and now have found something good about its weather. Weather is a common thread to all people. In Iowa, it changes daily, sometimes hourly, like it did yesterday. All day the temperature went down, hour by hour, and no matter where I was, there was a buzz about how cold it was getting.
For that reason, I love Iowa weather. It doesn't matter if you are in line in any store, if you are passing someone on the sidewalk, in a vehicle of public transportation, etc. you have something to talk about with the person next to you. I have heard stories of snow storms, blizzards, white-outs, tornadoes, winters that produced numerous inches of snow, the fun others have had in the snow, memories of travel in the snowy conditions, memories of travel away from the snowy weather....and now they are calling for warmer temps at the end of the week which will bring on conversations about a thaw, how spring is just around the corner. Some, in my area among the Amish and Mennonites, may bring up the fact that we haven't seen the snow on the tail of a robin yet, and that the last snow hasn't come because it hasn't stuck to the north side of the trees.
Does this common experience of having to keep ahead of the weather help to give the Midwest its reputation about being friendlier than the coasts? We help each other stay informed of what is to come. I wonder how the people in California start their conversations with strangers in line. Hey, another warm day today, right?????? Then, what do you say?
Yes, and we are supposed to have warm weather tomorrow and all of next week or was that month or ???
You know, I'm glad I live in Iowa with all of its seasons and all of its diverse weather. Thanks to that I have met a lot of nice people.
I just wish tomorrow was going to be warmer...and the next day, and the next day...
For that reason, I love Iowa weather. It doesn't matter if you are in line in any store, if you are passing someone on the sidewalk, in a vehicle of public transportation, etc. you have something to talk about with the person next to you. I have heard stories of snow storms, blizzards, white-outs, tornadoes, winters that produced numerous inches of snow, the fun others have had in the snow, memories of travel in the snowy conditions, memories of travel away from the snowy weather....and now they are calling for warmer temps at the end of the week which will bring on conversations about a thaw, how spring is just around the corner. Some, in my area among the Amish and Mennonites, may bring up the fact that we haven't seen the snow on the tail of a robin yet, and that the last snow hasn't come because it hasn't stuck to the north side of the trees.
Does this common experience of having to keep ahead of the weather help to give the Midwest its reputation about being friendlier than the coasts? We help each other stay informed of what is to come. I wonder how the people in California start their conversations with strangers in line. Hey, another warm day today, right?????? Then, what do you say?
Yes, and we are supposed to have warm weather tomorrow and all of next week or was that month or ???
You know, I'm glad I live in Iowa with all of its seasons and all of its diverse weather. Thanks to that I have met a lot of nice people.
I just wish tomorrow was going to be warmer...and the next day, and the next day...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A Devotional Worth Keeping
This devotional was shared with me today. If only I could read and remember this everyday.
When God Whispers Your Name, Chapter 11By Max Lucado Galatians 5: 22
IT’S QUIET. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.
I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy . . .
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience . . .
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.
I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy . . .
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience . . .
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1994) Max Lucado
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1994) Max Lucado
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