Chapter 3, Page 31, Book 14

Lord Forgive Me When I Whine

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair.
I envied her, she seemed so gay, and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch. But as she passed, a smile.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad. If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, I'm blind.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play. He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said, Why don't you join the others, dear?
He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

Author Unknown

Today’s Focus:

Give up pettiness----become mature.

I think a sign of maturity is that you can say you are sorry when you know that you’ve done something wrong.  Saying we are sorry is often a very difficult thing to do.  We might feel sorrowful in our hearts but actually saying it out loud to the person we’ve wronged isn’t easy at all.

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.  

Max Lerner

Admitting that you are wrong, is to admit that you are wiser today than yesterday. 

Chapter 3, Page 30, Book 14

Today’s focus:  Give up anger----be more patient

The greatest remedy for anger is delay

Feeling angry is a natural part of life, but excessive anger can be harmful to the well being of ourselves and those around us.  To fight bitterness with bitterness or in any other way we return evil for evil is like fighting  a wildfire with gasoline.   You don’t fight corruption by becoming corrupt; you don’t end anger by getting angry.

Matthew 5:22 – But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

When you hear bad words about yourself or others, be patient, speak good words and remember to pray for all people.  

Patience is the antidote to anger and aggression.   Anger management is all about learning patience and it takes patience to learn anger management.  Patience is the only thing that defeats anger.  Patience is the ability to control our reactions and retain our peace of mind.

Remember: Counting to 10 gives you time to cool down so you can think more clearly and overcome the impulse to lash out.  And make time to relax regularly, and make sure that you get enough sleep. When we are tired out and under stress, we tend to loose our temper more than not.

To cultivate patience, we can remind ourselves of the damage that is caused by uncontrolled anger. We can accept that an injury may not have been intended. We can remember that the situation will change. Patience is a learning curve that lays the foundations for a happy life.

Be as patient with others as God has been with you. 

Chapter 3, Page 29, Book 14

When you're in the right, you can afford to keep your temper. When in the wrong, you can't afford to lose it. 

Author Unknown

Today’s focus:  Give up anger----be more patient

Proverbs 15:18 – A hot tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

When you choose to be patient, you can respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger. You choose to have a long fuse instead of a quick temper.   Patience makes us wise. It doesn’t rush to judgment but listens to what the other person is saying. Patience stands in the doorway where anger is clawing to burst in, but waits to see the whole picture before passing judgment. 

A soft answer turneth away wrath

So of cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more it remains.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chapter 3, Page 28, Book 14

No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, enjoy it and bless God for it. Do not look back on happiness - or dream of it in the future. You are only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated out of it.

Author Unknown

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; theyare new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22,23

Todays Focus:  Give up negativism----be positive.

This is one subject I could go on and on about.  I’ve been there and done that.  I do know how much more meaningful life becomes when you stop being negative.  Being a positive person is something I think we all work at.  It’s like learning something new every day.  Just about the time we think we have it licked, something will happen to make us forget that there is anything positive in our life. 

But if we have developed a way to keep our thoughts positive, then it won’t be long at all before we can bounce back.  I like to think I’m a flexible person, but in so many ways I’m a person of routine and  habit.  I have certain ways to start each day.  I do my morning devotionals and prayers, I do my blog entry for the day, I send  off an email to my family and my friends,  I have a least two or more cups of coffee and if I’m very lucky I’ll even have a donut.  If this routine gets off track, then it seems my whole day is off.   Our routines give us the foundation to help us adjust when things go wrong.

Even when I worked I get up and extra hour before I actually needed to just so my day would start off right.  Now not all routines are good, sometimes we need to change things around to make them better and sometimes, no matter how hard we try, there will be interruptions to our routines and the day begins before we are ready.

There's a saying, good habits are hard to develop and easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to develop and hard to live with.  Life will always have lots interruptions to throw at me.  It may only take one frantic phone call or email to change our priorities… and then your plan is little more than a nice idea. That is just how it works, but the trick is not to let it get us down  We should always have a contingency plan. That is where flexibility comes in.

Remember: the only way to fail is to quit

Just keep on going and do your best, nobody can ask for more than that.  

One measure of how creative you are is how you respond to changes in your circumstances and environment. How flexible are you? Consider how water adapts to its environment: evaporation, condensation, snowflake, melting, flowing, goes around rocks, fills containers, etc. 

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 27, Book 14

If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

 Maya Angelou.

Todays Focus:  Give up negativism----be positive.

Optimism comes from the Latin word optimus, meaning best, which describes how an optimistic person is always looking for the best in any situation and expecting good things to happen. 

There were times in my life where I didn’t really like the person I was becoming.  I’d wake up each morning with a feeling of dread about what the new day would bring.  I finally got tired of that feeling .  I did’t like feeling tired out and dreading every day.  I turned to reading a lot of what folks like Norman Vincent Peele and Max Lucado had to say.  They gave me a lift to each day.  I started looking looking at life through new lenses.  Instead of seeing the negative I began to look for the positive in each day.  

Grief changes us and after the death of my husband, I had people say to me…you’ve got to snap out of it.  You are not like yourself at all.  Truly there were days that I wouldn’t have made it at all, except for the fact that I had to because of my children.  I had to make a home and a life for them, they were my responsibility.  

My faith took on new meaning.  You can't change by yourself. But you can spend time with the One who is able to help. Do what you can, and let God do the rest. It really is that simple.  Sometimes you can’t do it all by yourself.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Chapter 3, Page 26, Book 14

A little boy was having difficulty lifting a heavy stone. His father came along just then. Noting the boy’s failure, he asked, Are you using all your strength?

Yes, I am, the little boy said impatiently.

No, you are not, the father answered. I am right here just waiting, and you haven’t asked me to help you.

Author Unknown

Todays Focus:  Give up negativism----be positive.

We all have days when we desperately need help and are afraid to ask for it.  I know that here at my house it’s impossible for me to do it all.  Whether I have to ask for help from one of my family for from a repair man, there are many times I need help.  It’s not a sin to ask for help.  

Somethings though cannot be handled by any other person and that’s when I have to turn to prayer.  I cannot fix a lot of things, but I do a pray a lot and ask for help.

Not every thing in life will go the way we want, we need to accept that too.  Sometimes things won’t be fixed at all the way want, but that’s no reason to think you’ve failed or that anyone else has failed.  I do believe that everything has a purpose, a reason for happening and sometimes that reason is just to make us stronger.  I call it faith development.

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grievances which we endure help us in our marching onward.

Henry Ford

Chapter 3, Page 25, Book 14

Whether one is twenty, forty, sixty, or eighty; whether one has succeeded, failed or just muddled along - life begins each morning! The greatest fact in life is that it is never too late to start again. Biography simply overflows with inspiring examples of this truth. However discouraging your days may have been, keep this thought burning brightly in your mind: life begins each morning!

L.M. Hodges

Todays Focus:  Give up negativism----be positive.

Lent is a great time to get rid of the bad and the ugly. Throw out all your old beliefs, memories, limitations, guilt, fears, doubts, and images that are no longer serving you. Negative thoughts drain you of energy and keep you from being in the present moment. The more you give in to your negative thoughts, the stronger they become. 

 Remember:  Being grateful helps appreciate what you already have.

Positive thinkers achieve more, live longer and are happier than negative thinkers.  You can choose to have depressing, negative thoughts or inspirational, positive thoughts; your attitude determines your mindset, which in turn determines your behaviors and the outcomes in your life.

Life is not so much a matter of position as of disposition.

Chapter 3, Page 24, Book 14

Todays Focus:  Give up hatred----return good for evil.

Luke 6:27 

But I tell you who hear me; Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.

One time in my long ago past, we had some terrible neighbors…we prayed for them every night.  Actually we prayed that they would move away.  

That is a bad example of what could be a good one.  Praying for our enemies is a good thing to do.  We can pray that they have a change of heart.  We can pray that whatever had made them an enemy changes.  

Praying for our enemies is just like praying for anyone else.  We should pray for their change of heart and that they will be open to God’s grace. Short and sweet.

When praying for our enemy, we begin to take an interest in their spiritual well being. We begin to see our enemy as a fragile human being, created in the image and likeness of God who has faults just like we all do.  They are our brothers and sisters and deserve our love and forgiveness, just as God loves and forgives us.

Life is fragile, handle with prayer. 

Chapter 3, Page 23, Book 14

Where there is faith, there is love; Where there is love, there is peace; Where there is peace, there is God; And where there is God; there is no need. 

 Leo Tolstoy

Todays Focus:  Give up hatred----return good for evil.

1 John 2:9 

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

It is easy to like certain people without loving them. But how well do you love those you find it impossible to love? 

When someone does something hurtful and mean to us, we are not supposed to do something hurtful and mean back. To do bad to others when they do bad to us is called paying back evil for evil.  Returning evil for good is treating others well even when they do not reciprocate

We are not to do bad things to others when they do bad things to us because if we do, we become just like them. When my boys were little I remember repeatedly telling them that just because someone else does bad things, was no reason for one of them to do it too.  Too often bad examples are easier to follow than good ones.  The hard part was learning what is good and what is bad.  It wasn’t easy being a parent, but teaching the difference was essential to their well being.

It’s also essential for our own well being.

Remember this:  The Good you do, comes back to you, The Evil you do, remains with you

Chapter 3, Page 22, Book 14

Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts.  

Charles Dickens

Today’s Focus:

Give up hatred----return good for evil.

Strange as it may seem, we have the power of disarming our enemies by treating them as friends. Of course, being kind does not remove the weapons from the hands of our enemies, but it does remove their reason for seeing us as their enemy.  If we respond as neighbors, rather than as enemies, to those who hate us, their shame may burn away their anger and allow them to see us as neighbors.

Pursuing peace is the remedy to revenge. Walking the path of peace lays revenge to rest.  Overcoming evil with good is not a lost art rather it is the only art for peaceful living.

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.  

Swedish Proverb

Chapter 3, Page 21, Book 14

Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast.  

Marlene Dietrich

Todays Focus:

Give up bitterness----turn to forgiveness.

Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Luke 12:7

Sometimes we forget about the tremendous value we have as human beings in God's eyes. For the One who has the power over all life and judgment, our worth is beyond our calculation.   It is very comforting to remember, then, in Whose hands rest all things.

Nothing leads to more disappointment and bitterness than the belief that you're owed something in life. When you choose to let go of bitterness and trust God to help you move on, I believe that He can bring about healing no matter what you’ve suffered.

When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge or embrace forgiveness and move forward.  Shake it off and move on.  Put your focus on what you can do today.

By choosing forgiveness, you can also embrace peace, hope, gratitude and joy.  There we go again, did you see that word, gratitude!  So much can be solved when we are grateful for our blessings!

Forgiveness is one of the great virtues that all people should aspire for.  Holding a grudge is not only dangerous for your health.  Anger not only causes stress on the heart, but is hazardous for the soul.

I've learned . . . .that when you plan to get even with someone, 

you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

Chapter 3, Page 20, Book 14

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

Og Mandino

TODAY’S FOCUS:

Give up bitterness----turn to forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:31 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Bitterness comes when you hold onto hurt and refuse to forgive the person who hurt you.  Bitterness can start out as something so small that we don't even notice it. This is one of the reasons that forgiving others is so important.  You don't forgive someone for their sake; you do it for your sake so you can be free of it.

As hard as it may be for you, the best choice is to forgive and give it to God.  When you forgive, you don't change the past, but you can change the future

Patience is counting down without blasting off. 

There are people who have been sick for an extended period of time and have the most beautiful attitudes. They never complain, are not grouchy, but there are also people with the same circumstances who talk only about their illnesses, medical appointments, and how hard it all is for them. They are easily offended, bitter, and resentful. 

Every situation in life requires making a decision about how we are going to respond.  I often say, I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.  I am still learning, but at least I know the importance of managing my emotions.  Don’t let circumstances defeat you before you even try to conquer them.  

The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter. 

Author Unknown

CHAPTER 3, PAGE 19, BOOK 14

Forgiveness is a funny thing.  It warms the heart and cools the sting.  

William Arthur Ward

Give up bitterness----turn to forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:32 

Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

He who forgives ends the quarrel

To forgive and forget is one of the hardest things to do.  But if we don’t forgive, we carry that burden around like a rotten sack of potatoes on our backs.  We are giving the person the privilege of upsetting us as long as we carry what ever happened in our hearts.  I don’t like things that drag me down and upset me so I’ve learned that to forgive is the better way to live.  Even if I know that what happened may have been wrong, I forgive and let go.  

It’s a lesson I learned well.  Because I knew someone that couldn’t forgive, I learned early on how important forgiveness is.  I saw first hand how it goes.  There are many that teach us lessons.  We mustn’t forget those like the single mom, who can teach us perseverance; the old man walking slowly in front of us, who can teach us patience; the child playing in the mud, who can teach us that a little dirt isn’t the end of the world.

We can also gain wisdom from others mistakes, thoughts, ideas and actions.  There are learning opportunities all around us.    We need to be open and willing to receive and act upon them.

To err is human; to forgive divine

Alexander Pope

Forgiving can raise us up to a higher state of well being. Here are two ways I’ve found to make peace with those who may have wronged you and find more peace for yourself in the process.

Whenever angry feelings about a person who's harmed you enter your mind, tell yourself: We are all good, loving souls who occasionally get lost. Pray for this person to find their way back to a happier place

When you are tempted to focus on all the ways the world has done you wrong, instead count your blessings !

Have you noticed how often I’ve mentioned counting your blessings in order to improve your life?  It seems like the best way to deal with a multitude of our problems in life.  

Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.  

Oscar Wilde

Chapter 3, Page 18, Book 14

Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

Today’s focus:

Give up discouragement----be full of hope.

We are a bit encouraged here as most of the snow is gone for now, but I do remember having a big snow on March 25th last year so I’m not holding my breath.  Today’s pictures show the roller coaster ride we had in the weather last week.  We saw some melting then some snow then some more melting.  Temps got up in the 50’s and dipped some nights to the single digits.  

When adversity strikes, don't get down, except on your knees.

As I’ve been on the subject of hope for awhile now, I couldn’t move on with out mentioning prayer.  There is much power in prayer.  It is a force that we can all use at any time.  As a matter of fact there are many days it seems I’m in constant prayer.  I’m not bragging,  I’m just stating a fact.  There are so many things to pray about and so many that need our prayers.

Smile every chance you get.
Not because life has been easy,
perfect, or exactly as you had anticipated,
but because you choose to be happy
and grateful for all the good things you do have
and all the problems you know you don’t have.

Author Unknown

One of my favorite ways to pray of course is giving thanks.  We must remember to give thanks to the One that gave us  all those blessings.  

 It has been said that, Seven days without prayer, makes one weak.  It’s true!  When I am weak, it is in prayer that I find my strength.  I couldn’t ever imagine going 7 days, one week, without prayer.

You've gotta have hope.  Without hope life is meaningless.  Without hope life is meaning less and less.  

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 17, Book 14

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day

An Irish Saying

Today’s focus:

Give up discouragement----be full of hope.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  The Irish certainly do have a way of remaining cheerful and hopeful even though they have had many obstacles to over come.  I’m happy to say that some where in my heritage I do hove a wee bit of the Irish. 

You don’t have to wait for a special day or event to start enjoying life. You can enjoy it now, and any time you choose.  A wise woman once told me that Happiness is something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for. Now in my senior years I realize how wise she was. 

Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords.

Samuel Johnson

Happy people never lose hope. Even in the most terrible of circumstances, they feel that there's always the possibility of a better tomorrow.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment.
Take the moment and make it perfect.

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 16, Book 14

When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always get worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.

Malcolm Stevenson Forbes

Today’s Focus:

Give up discouragement----be full of hope.

Deuteronomy 31:8 

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you: he will never leave you or forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Too often our battles in life are won and lost in the mind. How we think about ourselves and our circumstances affects everything else. The good news is that we can choose to think better.  Thinking positively will cause hope and faith to rise in your hearts.

Automatically seeing the negative is a habit, and just like other bad habits, it’s not very good for you.

Every day we’re told to get more, to buy more, and to be more. We’re haunted by temptations of materialism, security, and prestige because they feed our insecurities and they trick us into believing that we’re powerless, incomplete, or somehow not enough. 

Avoid distractions of the spectacular; see beyond the illusions,and recognize you have what you need to move beyond guilt to freedom.

One of my favorite hymns tells about weariness which is often a result of discouragement.  It’s based on the verse from Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

An eagle fearlessly flies through a storm because it keeps its vision.  It’s focus.

Too often we focus on the size of our problems, rather on the size of our God.

The aim of Lent is that we might breathe in the beauty of a clean slate and celebrate the gift of a fresh start.

Four things a man must learn to do

If he would make his record true:

To think without confusion clearly;

To love his fellow men sincerely;

To act from honest motives purely;

To trust in God and Heaven securely. 

Henry Van Dyke

Chapter 3, Page 15, Book 15

It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.

Robert H. Schuller

Give up discouragement----be full of hope.

We’ve all been there. Work feels like drudgery, your relationships are out of whack, and you feel down on life in general. We all have ups and downs, and periods of discouragement are normal. But if the statement, It’s not just our aptitude but our attitude that determines our success, is true and most would agree that it is important to know how to get out of a slump and get back  on track.

I’ve often said that I don’t have time to interfere in other peoples business and the reason is I have a hard enough time keeping myself on track.  I’m my own worst enemy sometimes.   

 The first step we need to take in adjusting our attitudes is to admit we have a problem.  The second step is to take a look at your sleep habits.  There is a well established connection between lack of sleep and mental and physical health.  

Next, try doing something active to improve your attitude. Take a hike in an inspiring environment, go to the gym, or have a conversation with an encouraging friend or family member.

Finally, try incorporating an 'attitude of gratitude' into your everyday life. No matter how tough things get, there is always something to be thankful for.  

We have a choice about the way we want to feel.  Taking steps to encourage ourselves and to take time to be thankful.  Have an attitude of gratitude and hope will not be far away!

Chapter 3, Page 14, Book 14

The longer I love, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church....a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.

 Charles R. Swindoll

If you’ve been reading along with my reflections every day you’ll probably be relieved to know I’ve finally move on to a new focus:

Give up discouragement----be full of hope.

Discouragement is a common response to the challenges of life.  It comes most often when you do right things but experience poor results. You work hard, but you don't make progress. You show up to practice every day, giving it your all, but you lose every game 

Discouragement can be mistaken for a bad attitude if it is a part of depression. But A bad attitude is a sign that one is discouraged. Discouragement snuffs out the flame of a can do attitude.

We all have our excuses for our bad attitudes. We didn't get enough sleep. We haven't had our coffee yet. We don't feel good. Someone said something mean to us. I could go on and on but in the end we are responsible for our attitudes.

All attitudes are contagious, but no attitude is more contagious than gratitude, real gratitude.  Every word you say and every action you take will influence people around you for better or for worse. Life is a gift and a privilege. When you see it as a gift, you will embrace life. When you see it as a privilege, you won’t despair of life.  That is where the attitude of gratitude comes into play.  Those who embrace the gift of life will its accompanying responsibilities make the most of life.

Remember:  Anyone can empty his or her glass and fill it up with something life giving.  It’s our choice.

Hope, in its widest acceptation, is described as the desire of something together with the expectation of obtaining it. Being grateful for the things we have today, gives us hope for tomorrow.  Gratitude helps us stay positive. It helps us appreciate the good moments in the middle of tough stuff. And it reminds us that, even when the situation looks bleak, there's still hope

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.   It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

Chapter 3, Page 13, Book 14

Psalm 23

God's loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock

The Lord is my Shepherd ----- that's a Relationship!
I shall not want ----- that's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ----that's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters -----that's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul ----- that's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness --that's Guidance!
For His name sake ----- that's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death--that's
Testing!
I will fear no evil ----- that's Protection!
For Thou art with me ----- that's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me -----that's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine
enemies------that's Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil ----- that's Consecration!
My cup runneth over ----- that's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life----that's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord -----that's Security!
Forever ----- that's Eternity!

Trust is letting go of needing to know all the details before you open your heart. 

Author Unknown

Today’s focus:

Give up worry----trust Divine Providence.

Bravery can mean acting boldly and fearlessly, but it can also mean trusting God’s will in my life even when I don’t know where that might lead. Like the skydiver who surrenders bravely to a free fall, as we trust in God, we can be assured our parachute will open.

We can easily find reasons to take life seriously, but we can also make the conscious choice to live more lightheartedly, to love a little more and stress a little less.

We could all benefit from taking time to allow ourselves to breathe and live in the moment.  Because that’s what life is all about, the beauty of the moment.   Those who live in hope and faith remember the bigger picture and focus on how great God is. This isn’t about living in denial. We need to take charge ofour negative feelings and deal with them. But the trick is to not get stuck there

When you live in the moment, you don’t worry about the past or the future.  God gives us each day our daily bread and if we believe that he will provide for us, then there should never be a need for worry.

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.  

Glenn Turner

Constant worry is like a little worm inside an apple.  You can’t see the worm; you only see the apple. Yet, it is in there wrecking havoc on the sweet, delicious pulp.  It renders the apple rotten, and if it is not taken care of by eliminating it, then it continues to eat away at all the apples in the same barrel, doesn’t it. 

Divine Providence is good, constant, and just. It watches over even the humblest and most despised of creatures on earth.  It is ours to believe that all things work together for one great purpose.  We cannot alter it or change it. But it is our choice to trust or not.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?

Luke 12:25